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HomeHome / Total War: Rome II / Parthia / Units / Assault Dieres - Eastern Spearmen
Assault Dieres - Eastern Spearmen ParthiaParthia Melee Ship

Assault Dieres - Eastern Spearmen

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

Cheap spearmen are not necessarily poor spearmen.

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.

(Eastern Spearmen)
These spearmen were drawn from the subjects of the eastern regions. They were inexpensive, and simply equipped with a spear, wicker shield and cloth armour. Their shields were oval or rectangular in shape with a central handgrip. While uniformly equipped for the most part, their appearance varied greatly depending where they were recruited, and all kinds of Greek and Persian influences were manifest. In battle, spearmen guarded the flanks of phalanxes, or provided protection for skirmishers and archers. Although ill-equipped to face heavy enemies, their numbers and spears made them an effective counter to unarmoured cavalry. They were also a common type of mercenary and levied unit throughout Asia Minor and the Middle East.

Assault Dieres - Eastern Spearmen

Unit Name

Assault Dieres - Eastern Spearmen

Main Unit Key

Eas_Spear_Two

Land Unit Key

Eas_Spear

Naval Unit Key

persian_two

Soldiers

60

Category

Light Ship

Class

Melee Ship

Custom Battle Cost

310

Recruitment Cost

310

Upkeep Cost

62

Ship Health

566

└ Ship

persian_two

Ship Speed

6

Melee Attack

13

Weapon Damage

25

├ Melee Weapon

rome_spear

├ Melee Damage Base

20

├ Melee Damage Ap

5

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

20

├ Bonus vs Elephants

20

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

11

Melee Defence

34

├ Base Defence

24

├ Shield

tower

└ Shield Defence

10

Armour

45

├ Armour

cloth

├ Armour Defence

10

└ Shield Armour

35

Health

45

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_medium

├ Man Health

40

└ Bonus Hit Points

5

Base Morale

25

Abilities

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

Attributes

  • 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
Eastern Spearmen
  • Average defensive unit
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Weak attack
  • Poor morale
Requires Buildings
Assault Dieres - Eastern Spearmen Lv. 0 Military Pier
Military Pier
(east_port_military_2)
Level 1
Naval Yard
Naval Yard
(east_port_military_3)
Level 2
Drydock
Drydock
(east_port_military_4)
Level 3