Ardiaei Missile Ship

Raiding Hemiolia - Slave Javelinmen

These swift, manoeuvrable ships are a useful scouting force for any admiral.

A skirmishing resource to be spent or squandered as their commander wishes.

The 'one-and-a-half' or 'hemiolia' was a light galley which was much favoured by pirates in the ancient world. It developed from the bireme, a ship that had two full decks of oars along its entire length. The hemiola reduced the number of oars on the upper level, leaving roughly half the number of oars and rowers in the midship section. The smaller number of rowers had little effect on overall speed because the laden weight of the vessel also dropped. Because it used both oars and sails, and the crew could rapidly change propulsion method, it was an ideal vessel for chasing down fat, wealthy merchant ships. Boarding attacks were mounted from hemiolas; ramming was not a useful tactic as loot ended up with the fish rather than enriching the pirates! The speed and handiness of hemiolas made them useful as scouts, supply boats and vessels used to pick off damaged enemies at the edge of battles.

(Slave Javelinmen)
The javelin is among the oldest weapons in the world. Equipped with javelins and little else, skirmishers harried their opposite numbers and peppered hoplite phalanxes before quickly retreating. This was the typical tactic of all unarmoured, javelin-armed troops: to engage at range and then fall back behind more heavily-armoured infantry, or continue attacks while trying to stay just out of reach of the enemy. Such harassment could be highly effective, in 391BC at the Battle of Lechaeum, a force of Spartans, lacking the support of skirmishers or cavalry, were severely punished by javelin-armed Athenians who refused to meet them at close quarters. Over time, shields became common, such as those used by Thracian and Greek peltasts, but in turn these were rendered obsolescent by the Hellenic thureophoroi. Nevertheless, javelinmen and other irregulars continued to play a part in many armies throughout antiquity.

Abilities

Raiding Hemiolia

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

Attributes

• Resistant to Fatigue
  Fatigue has less of an effect on this unit.
• Hide (scrub & forest)
  This unit can hide in scrub and forest until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Raiding Hemiolia

• Very poor hull strength
• Light crew
• Very fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Very poor boarding
• Poor missile combat

Slave Javelinmen

• Short range
• Fast rate of fire
• Very good damage and armour penetration
• Very weak in melee
• Very poor morale

Ardiaei Units
General (3)
1.Illyrian Cavalry
2.Illyrian Hoplites
3.Illyrian Noble Hoplites
Melee Infantry (2)
4.Illyrian Levies
5.Illyrian Raiders
Missile Infantry (2)
6.Slave Javelinmen
7.Slave Slingers
Spear Infantry (6)
8.Illyrian Hoplites
9.Illyrian Marines
10.Illyrian Noble Hoplites
11.Illyrian Spearmen
12.Illyrian Thureos Spears
13.Illyrian Tribesmen
Melee Cavalry (1)
14.Illyrian Cavalry
Fixed Artillery (1)
15.Greek Bastion Scorpion
Field Artillery (5)
16.Greek Bastion Ballista
17.Greek Ballista
18.Greek Scorpion
19.Greek Bastion Onager
20.Greek Onager
Admiral (2)
21.Scorpion Trieres - Slave Slingers
22.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Thureos Spears
Melee Ship (7)
23.Assault Tetreres - Illyrian Marines
24.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Marines
25.Assault Dieres - Illyrian Raiders
26.Assault Tetreres - Illyrian Spearmen
27.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Thureos Spears
28.Fire Pot Dieres - Illyrian Tribesmen
29.Assault Dieres - Illyrian Tribesmen
Missile Ship (7)
30.Raiding Hemiolia - Slave Javelinmen
31.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Slave Javelinmen
32.Tower Penteres - Slave Slingers
33.Scorpion Penteres - Slave Slingers
34.Missile Penteres - Slave Slingers
35.Scorpion Trieres - Slave Slingers
36.Missile Trieres - Slave Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
37.Light Artillery Penteres - Greek Ballista (Ship)
38.Artillery Penteres - Greek Onager (Ship)