Sparta Melee Ship

Assault Dieres - Perioikoi Hoplites

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

A man will fight in defence of his home, even if he is not strictly a citizen.

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.

(Perioikoi Hoplites)
The ‘dwellers around’, the periokoi were a free, but non-citizen class of Sparta. As the Spartans themselves could pursue no profession other than that of the warrior, the periokoi fulfilled the roles of artisans and merchants in the Lacedaemonian state, eventually taking on the roles in the Spartan army considered unsuitable for true citizens, such as skirmishing and cavalry. Living along the coast and in the many hill towns surrounding the fertile valleys of Eurotas and Pamisos, they acted as a barrier between the Spartan citizens and the rest of Greece - a barrier that also kept in the helots, the Spartans' slaves that farmed the valleys below the city. Like other Greeks, the periokoi were expected to purchase and maintain their own arms and armour, each town contributing to the Spartan war machine when required. Even though they were allowed their own laws and customs, as non-citizens periokoi could not influence or vote on Spartan foreign or military policy.

Abilities

Assault Dieres

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

Perioikoi Hoplites

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

Attributes

• Disciplined
  This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
• 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 Dieres

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

Perioikoi Hoplites

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

Sparta Units
General (1)
1.Royal Spartans
Missile Infantry (5)
2.Gorgo's Skirmishers
3.Helot Archers
4.Helot Javelinmen
5.Helot Slingers
6.Perioikoi Peltasts
Pike Infantry (2)
7.Perioikoi Pikemen
8.Spartan Pikemen
Spear Infantry (6)
9.Heroes of Sparta
10.Perioikoi Hoplites
11.Perioikoi Spears
12.Royal Spartans
13.Spartan Hoplites
14.Spartan Youths
Melee Cavalry (1)
15.Citizen Cavalry
Missile Cavalry (2)
16.Skirmisher Cavalry
17.Tarantine Cavalry
Fixed Artillery (4)
18.Greek Giant Ballista
19.Greek Polybolos
20.Greek Bastion Scorpion
21.Greek Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (7)
22.Greek Bastion Ballista
23.Greek Ballista
24.Greek Beehive Onager
25.Greek Scorpion
26.Greek Heavy Onager
27.Greek Bastion Onager
28.Greek Onager
Admiral (2)
29.Scorpion Trieres - Helot Slingers
30.Assault Hexeres - Spartan Hoplites
Melee Ship (4)
31.Assault Tetreres - Perioikoi Hoplites
32.Fire Pot Dieres - Perioikoi Hoplites
33.Assault Dieres - Perioikoi Hoplites
34.Assault Hexeres - Spartan Hoplites
Missile Ship (7)
35.Scorpion Penteres - Helot Archers
36.Missile Penteres - Helot Archers
37.Tower Penteres - Helot Archers
38.Raiding Hemiolia - Helot Javelinmen
39.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Helot Javelinmen
40.Scorpion Trieres - Helot Slingers
41.Missile Trieres - Helot Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
42.Light Artillery Penteres - Greek Ballista (Ship)
43.Artillery Penteres - Greek Onager (Ship)