Carthage Melee Ship

Assault Dieres - Late Libyan Hoplites

With a ramming attack that can break an enemy hull, these ships are deadly weapons.

There is a discipline in the advance of a phalanx that eludes lesser men.

The waterline ram was first mounted on a vessel in around 850BC. Warships and naval tactics were transformed. Ships were no longer platforms for infantry battles on the water; the ship itself became the weapon. Galleys changed as the new reality sank in. Ramming at speed would hole and sink an enemy, therefore slimmer, faster, handier ships were required. More speed on demand obviously required more oars a fast ship with a single row of oars ended up being stupidly, impractically long. The solution, then, was to put in a second set of oars above the first, but slightly offset to allow for rowers' benches. These biremes, a Latin word meaning 'two oars', or dieres, the Greek equivalent, were no longer than previous designs but had twice the number of rowers. They were fast, manoeuvrable, and could carry a fighting contingent. Some nations also gave their bireme crews fire pots; these clay pots filled with oil and pitch were hurled at enemy ships in the entirely reasonable hope of setting them ablaze.

(Late Libyan Hoplites)
Recruited from among descendants of Phoenician settlers and the native Lebu, Garamantian, and Berber peoples of the Sahara these troops were the largest non-mercenary Carthaginian contingent in the army. Colonising the African coast from around the 1st millennium BC, the Phoenicians founded Carthage and other cities, later known as Leptis Magna and Sabratha. Important trading centres, they acted alongside Tingis, which was founded by their Carthaginian descendants, and the Greek colony of Cyrene as gateways into Africa and the western Mediterranean. By the 5th century BC, however, the three Libyan cities had passed under the control and protection of Carthage and its mercantile dominance. Mixing together a variety of eastern and Saharan customs, and influenced by contact with much of the Mediterranean through their trading network, the Liby-Phoenicians were varied in their style of dress and armament.

Abilities

Assault Dieres

• Row Hard 10
  Increases speed for 10 strokes.
  Ship speed

Late Libyan Hoplites

• Hoplite Wall
  The unit moves into close wall formation.
  Bracing, melee defence, shield strength
  Acceleration, speed
• 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

Attributes

• Disciplined
  This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Dieres

• Very poor hull strength
• Very light crew
• Fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Good boarding

Late Libyan Hoplites

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

Carthage Units
General (2)
1.
2.Sacred Band of Astarte
Command (1)
3.General's Bodyguard
Melee Infantry (6)
4.Libyan Infantry
5.Mob
6.Libyan Elite Infantry
7.Sacred Warrior Brothers
8.Carthaginian Infantry
9.Dido's Chosen
Missile Infantry (3)
10.Libyan Javelinmen
11.Libyan Peltasts
12.Carthaginian Archers
Pike Infantry (1)
13.African Pikemen
Spear Infantry (13)
14.Citizen Militia
15.Carthaginian Hoplites
16.Late Carthaginian Hoplites
17.Late Libyan Hoplites
18.Libyan Hoplites
19.Sacred Band
20.Carthaginian Spear Champions
21.Armored Hoplites
22.Veteran Hoplites
23.Phoenician Hoplites
24.Elite Phoenician Hoplites
25.Sacred Band of Baal Hammon
26.
Melee Cavalry (3)
27.Carthaginian Cavalry
28.Carthaginian Heavy Cavalry
29.Phoenician Heavy Horses
Shock Cavalry (2)
30.Noble Cavalry
31.Sacred Band of Astarte
Elephant (3)
32.African Elephants
33.African War Elephants
34.Hanno's Pride
Fixed Artillery (4)
35.Carthaginian Giant Ballista
36.Carthaginian Polybolos
37.Carthaginian Bastion Scorpion
38.Carthaginian Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (7)
39.Carthaginian Bastion Ballista
40.Carthaginian Ballista
41.Carthaginian Scorpion
42.Carthaginian Heavy Onager
43.Carthaginian Bastion Onager
44.Carthaginian Onager
45.Snake Pot Ballista
Melee Ship (7)
46.Assault Tetreres - Carthaginian Hoplites
47.Fire Pot Dieres - Libyan Hoplites
48.Assault Dieres - Libyan Hoplites
49.Assault Tetreres - Late Carthaginian Hoplites
50.Fire Pot Dieres - Late Libyan Hoplites
51.Assault Dieres - Late Libyan Hoplites
52.Assault Hexeres - Sacred Band
Missile Ship (9)
53.Scorpion Penteres - Libyan Javelinmen
54.Tower Penteres - Libyan Javelinmen
55.Missile Penteres - Libyan Javelinmen
56.Raiding Hemiolia - Libyan Javelinmen
57.Heavy Tower Hepteres - Libyan Javelinmen
58.Missile Hepteres - Libyan Javelinmen
59.Scorpion Trieres - Libyan Javelinmen
60.Missile Trieres - Libyan Javelinmen
61.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Libyan Javelinmen
Artillery Ship (2)
62.Light Artillery Penteres - Carthaginian Ballista (Ship)
63.Artillery Penteres - Carthaginian Onager (Ship)