Ardiaei Melee Ship

Assault Tetreres - Illyrian Marines

Ramming attacks from these ships will inflicting terrible damage.

Sea-legs and unswerving self-belief are essential elements for successful piracy.

There is a good deal of debate as to how large ancient warships worked; the principles are understood, but the details are not always so clear. A Roman 'quadreme' or Greek 'tetreres' would seem to have four rows of oars if the name is translated literally. However, it is unclear how four sets of oars each with one rower apiece could be used without them getting in a terrible tangle even with a magnificently trained crew, or how the top set of rowers would be able to handle the extremely long oars pitched at a steep angle and still produce any power. The chances are that the term 'oar' had become synonymous with 'rower' and that the lowest bank had more than one man per oar. The other option was to go back to a double row of oars, with two men apiece. Two banks of oars would also have made for a cheaper construction task for each ship. Either way, the result was a ship that could rival the lighter trireme in speed, yet had more deck space for a large fighting contingent or artillery pieces.

(Illyrian Marines)
The Illyrian aristocracy advocated raiding for profit, leading to widespread piracy in the Adriatic for several centuries. Over the years, the Illyrians became formidable pirates who struck fear into many a trade ship captain’s heart. Attacks by Illyrian pirates on merchant shipping eventually prompted Roman intervention in the region, and later its total absorption into their growing empire. Like many 'barbarian' peoples, the Illyrians were fearsome fighters who frequently displayed suicidal bravery. Their natural, warlike temperament, along with a fine, long-standing seafaring tradition, made them well-suited to raiding and piracy. Marines were elite melee troops highly skilled in seaborne combat, where the ability to keep upright and balanced whilst fighting hand-to-hand was paramount.

Abilities

Assault Tetreres

• Row Hard 20
  Increases speed for 20 strokes.
  Ship speed

Illyrian Marines

• Square
  The unit moves into a close square formation.
  Bracing, morale, melee defence
  Can't move
• Rapid Advance
  Improved unit movement speed over an extended period.
  Speed, acceleration, charge speed
  Exertion: fatigue
• Use the Whip
  Improved attack and fatigue resistance for a short time.
  Melee attack, weapon damage, fatigue resistance
  Exertion: fatigue

Attributes

• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Tetreres

• Average hull strength
• Medium crew
• Average speed
• Average ramming
• Average boarding

Illyrian Marines

• Good defensive unit
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Average attack
• Normal morale

Ardiaei Units
General (5)
1.Illyrian Cavalry
2.Illyrian Hoplites
3.Illyrian Noble Hoplites
4.Illyrian Expert Swords
5.Illyrian Mounted Swordmasters
Melee Infantry (9)
6.Illyrian Levies
7.Illyrian Raiders
8.Illyro-Italian Infantry Cohort
9.Taulantian Noble Guard
10.Illyrian Infantry
11.Veteran Illyrian Infantry
12.Illyrian Levy Footmen
13.Grosphomachoi
14.Illyrian Expert Swords
Missile Infantry (4)
15.Slave Javelinmen
16.Slave Slingers
17.Illyro-Italian Bow Auxiliaries
18.Illyrian Archers
Spear Infantry (11)
19.Illyrian Hoplites
20.Illyrian Marines
21.Illyrian Noble Hoplites
22.Illyrian Spearmen
23.Illyrian Thureos Spears
24.Illyrian Tribesmen
25.Illyrian Spear Warband
26.Corcyran Free-Company Spearmen
27.Sibunetes
28.Molossian Shieldsworn
29.Illyrian Disciplined Spearmen
Melee Cavalry (4)
30.Illyrian Cavalry
31.Illyrian Light Cavalry
32.Illyrian Mounted Swordmasters
33.Illyrian Spear Riders
Missile Cavalry (1)
34.Dardanian Bondsman Cavalry
Fixed Artillery (1)
35.Greek Bastion Scorpion
Field Artillery (5)
36.Greek Bastion Ballista
37.Greek Ballista
38.Greek Scorpion
39.Greek Bastion Onager
40.Greek Onager
Special (1)
41.Molossian War Dogs
Admiral (2)
42.Scorpion Trieres - Slave Slingers
43.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Thureos Spears
Melee Ship (7)
44.Assault Tetreres - Illyrian Marines
45.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Marines
46.Assault Dieres - Illyrian Raiders
47.Assault Tetreres - Illyrian Spearmen
48.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Thureos Spears
49.Fire Pot Dieres - Illyrian Tribesmen
50.Assault Dieres - Illyrian Tribesmen
Missile Ship (7)
51.Raiding Hemiolia - Slave Javelinmen
52.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Slave Javelinmen
53.Tower Penteres - Slave Slingers
54.Scorpion Penteres - Slave Slingers
55.Missile Penteres - Slave Slingers
56.Scorpion Trieres - Slave Slingers
57.Missile Trieres - Slave Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
58.Light Artillery Penteres - Greek Ballista (Ship)
59.Artillery Penteres - Greek Onager (Ship)