Macedon Melee Ship

Assault Hexeres - Royal Peltasts

These magnificent ships are both intimidating and extremely dangerous.

The king's own skirmishers are a force to be reckoned with.

As centuries passed, naval tactics and needs changed across the Mediterranean. There was a move towards larger ships, partly as an expression of national or dynastic power: the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt were particularly fond of large ships to show their wealth and influence in a physical way. These 'polyremes', a term meaning many oared, were not suitable for ramming work in battle. In practice many of them had no more oars than smaller ships; what they had were more rowers per oar than smaller ships. A Roman hexareme or Greek hexeres would have a couple of banks of oars with three men per oar, and appear to be an over-sized version of a smaller ship. Even so, thanks to being tremendously heavy and strongly constructed, they were slow moving, and hardly capable of the quick turns needed to take advantage of enemy mistakes. Instead the large ships made use of their wide decks and plentiful carrying capacities and became fighting platforms for infantry and artillery. Boarding or long-range bombardment were the methods to be used to defeat the enemy; naval warfare had come full circle in terms of fighting methods, even if ships had grown significantly.

(Royal Peltasts)
These skirmishers were named for their small crescent-shaped leather or wicker shields or 'peltai'. It was a common habit to name troops for their shield style in the Greek world. They wore little or no armour and carried three javelins. After harassing the enemy by flinging javelins, they would hastily retreat before any counter-charge or flanking move could be carried out. As armies developed and tactics became more complex, peltasts were expected to take part in hand-to-hand combat: with such expectation they were given stiffened linen cuirasses and short swords. They were still expected to use javelins, but could then join in the close fighting. Eventually, peltasts even exchanged their characteristic shield for the heavier thureos. Their name and battlefield function remained unchanged.

Abilities

Assault Hexeres

• Row Hard 30
  Increases speed for 30 strokes.
  Ship speed

Royal Peltasts

• Shieldwall
  The unit moves into a close formation and raises shields.
  Armour strength, bracing, melee defence, shield strength
  Limited speed
• Use the Whip
  Improved attack and fatigue resistance for a short time.
  Melee attack, weapon damage, fatigue resistance
  Exertion: fatigue

Attributes

• Disciplined
  This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
• Encourage
  This unit provides a morale bonus to nearby allies.
• Formation Attack
  The unit will try to stay in formation when in melee.
• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Hexeres

• Very good hull strength
• Heavy crew
• Slow speed
• Strong ramming
• Very good boarding

Royal Peltasts

• Very good attack
• Average defence
• Average damage but low armour penetration
• Good morale

Macedon Units
General (4)
1.Companion Cavalry
2.Foot Companions
3.Royal Peltasts
4.Shield Bearers
Melee Infantry (3)
5.Mob
6.Royal Peltasts
7.Thorax Swordsmen
Missile Infantry (6)
8.Agrianian Axemen
9.Archers
10.Javelinmen
11.Light Peltasts
12.Peltasts
13.Slingers
Pike Infantry (4)
14.Foot Companions
15.Levy Pikemen
16.Pikemen
17.Thorax Pikemen
Spear Infantry (4)
18.Hoplites
19.Militia Hoplites
20.Shield Bearers
21.Thureos Spears
Melee Cavalry (2)
22.Aspis Companion Cavalry
23.Citizen Cavalry
Missile Cavalry (2)
24.Skirmisher Cavalry
25.Tarantine Cavalry
Shock Cavalry (3)
26.Companion Cavalry
27.Sarissa Cavalry
28.Thessalian Cavalry
Fixed Artillery (4)
29.Greek Giant Ballista
30.Greek Polybolos
31.Greek Bastion Scorpion
32.Greek Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (7)
33.Greek Bastion Ballista
34.Greek Ballista
35.Greek Beehive Onager
36.Greek Scorpion
37.Greek Heavy Onager
38.Greek Bastion Onager
39.Greek Onager
Admiral (3)
40.Tower Penteres - Archers
41.Heavy Tower Hepteres - Archers
42.Assault Hexeres - Royal Peltasts
Melee Ship (6)
43.Fire Pot Dieres - Light Peltasts
44.Assault Dieres - Light Peltasts
45.Fire Pot Dieres - Militia Hoplites
46.Assault Dieres - Militia Hoplites
47.Assault Hexeres - Royal Peltasts
48.Assault Tetreres - Thureos Spears
Missile Ship (9)
49.Scorpion Penteres - Archers
50.Tower Penteres - Archers
51.Missile Penteres - Archers
52.Heavy Tower Hepteres - Archers
53.Missile Hepteres - Archers
54.Raiding Hemiolia - Javelinmen
55.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Javelinmen
56.Scorpion Trieres - Slingers
57.Missile Trieres - Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
58.Light Artillery Penteres - Greek Ballista (Ship)
59.Artillery Penteres - Greek Onager (Ship)