Eastern Roman Empire Fire Ship

Greek Fire Dromon - Elite Byzantine Heavy Marines

Greek fire was a mix of liquid chemicals that could be siphoned from a cauldron, sprayed through a tube and then ignited. It was capable of clinging fast to any material and could burn through the flesh of a man in seconds. The flames were seemingly inexhaustible, and its victims had little hope of putting them out as dousing with water was futile. Greek fire was able to burn both on and under water, making it a highly-effective naval weapon, but one which could easily get out of control and destroy its users. Those brave enough to try could create a sheet of flame that rapidly consumed any ships it touched.

(Elite Byzantine Heavy Marines)
Naval warfare in the ancient world was just another way for infantry to fight one another. The earliest documented naval battles are those of ancient China, 'grapple and hook' battles where boarding operations and close-quarters combat decided the victor. During the Second Punic War, Rome famously broke Carthage's mastery of the waves by creating the 'corvus' - a bridge that allowed its soldiers to board and fight. The distinction, then, in antiquity, between fighting on land and at sea was small, yet chiefly a matter of 'sea legs' - maintaining balance whilst toppling your opponent.

Unit Name Greek Fire Dromon - Elite Byzantine Heavy Marines

Main Unit Key att_shp_er_elite_marines_dro_heavy_fs

Land Unit Key att_mar_rom_elite_byzantine_heavy_marines

Naval Unit Key att_dro_heavy_mel_fs_er

Soldiers 140

Category Light Ship

Class Fire Ship

Custom Battle Cost 800

Recruitment Cost 800

Upkeep Cost 435

Hull Strength 2000

└ Ship att_shp_dromon_siphon

Speed 6

Melee Attack 32

Melee Damage 40

├ Melee Weapon att_spatha

├ Melee Base Damage 36

├ Armour-piercing Damage 4

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 0

├ Attack Against Elephants 0

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 17

Melee Defence 47

├ Base Defence 37

├ Shield att_oval

└ Shield Defence 10

Armour 57

├ Armour att_scale

├ Armour Defence 27

└ Shield Armour 30

Health 124

├ Man Entity att_infantry_heavy

├ Man Health 90

└ Bonus Hit Points 34

Morale 54

Abilities

• Douse Fire
  Sacrifice your ship's mobility for a short time to focus effort on putting out the blaze.
• Steady
  Improves the unit's ability to defend at the cost of their mobility.
• Use the Whip
  Improved defence and fatigue resistance for a short time at the cost of overexertion.

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.

Strengths & Weaknesses

No Strengths and Weaknesses

Recuitment Requirement
Required Technology Cost 200 Upgrade From

Garrison Buildings
x 1	Military Jetties (att_bld_all_resources_port_military_2) Level 2 Military Wharf (att_bld_all_resources_port_military_3) Level 3
x 2	Military Port (att_bld_all_resources_port_military_4) Level 4

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Eastern Roman Empire Eastern Roman Separatists Roman Separatists
The Last Roman	Roman Empire (The Last Roman) Roman Expedition (The Last Roman) Roman Expedition Separatists (The Last Roman) Eastern Separatists (The Last Roman)