Draga - Schiltron
This transport ship is light and easy to manoeuvre, but almost defenceless if attacked.Only the foolhardiest horsemen would dare charge such a vicious array of spears.
For most of history the only way to move cargoes and people over long distances at any kind of reasonable speed was by water; this remained true until the invention of the railway. Trading vessels carried goods, following the coastlines for the most part, and up navigable rivers. The pattern of settlement and colonisation was almost entirely based on where ships could go. It was also considerably easier to move armies by sea than march them long distances. Trade ships were hired or requisitioned for such tasks, and this was an added incentive for generals to reach a quick conclusion to a campaign: war hurt trade, and used up ships needed for vital food supplies.
(Schiltron)
A schiltron was a defensive pike formation used to great effect by Scottish foot soldiers against heavy cavalry in several encounters throughout medieval history. It is thought that the term itself dates back to the tenth century from the Old English word ‘scildtruma’ meaning a type of mobile phalanx or testudo. It was very similar in nature to both, consisting of long, heavy spears held at increasing angles by several rows of men, protected by wooden spikes embedded in the ground at the front of the line. With well-drilled movements, the schiltron was a fairly mobile entity that could quickly deploy in a splayed array which only the foolhardiest of horsemen would dare charge – indeed, most horses would downright refuse to go near it.
Schiltron tactics were likely used for centuries from early medieval times, but a refinement of strategies led to historians deeming it notable enough to be mentioned as having been used in the Battle of Falkirk against the English at the end of the thirteenth century, albeit unsuccessfully. More notably, when the Scots faced the English once again a few years later in the Battle of Bannockburn, the vastly greater numbers of the English bolstered with heavy cavalry were gloriously defeated at the ends of Scottish pikes. Although early versions of the pikes used in schiltrons may have simply been long cylinders of wood carved into a point, later versions were much more sturdy, with pointed iron crossheads pinned onto a shaft of hardwood, cut in lengths of up to fifteen feet.
Unit Name Draga - Schiltron |
Main Unit Key shp_sco_schiltron |
Land Unit Key sco_schiltron |
Naval Unit Key vik_draga |
Soldiers 160 |
Category Heavy Ship |
Class Melee Ship |
Custom Battle Cost 200 |
Recruitment Cost 200 |
Upkeep Cost 60 |
└ Ship vik_draga |
Speed |
Melee Skill 26 |
28 |
├ Melee Weapon vik_spear_levy |
├ Melee Base Damage 20 |
├ Armour-piercing Damage 8 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Attack Against Cavalry 20 |
├ Attack Against Elephants 0 |
└ Attack Against Infantry 0 |
Charge Bonus 18 |
56 |
├ Base Defence 26 |
├ Shield vik_medium |
└ Shield 30 |
12 |
├ Armour vik_leather |
├ Armour Defence 12 |
└ Shield Armour 0 |
100 |
├ Man Entity vik_inf_heavy |
├ Man Health 100 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 0 |
Morale 30 |
Abilities
Schiltron- Square
"Together lads, we'll stop them on all sides!"
Units cannot move in this formation.
Attributes
- [[col:yellow]]Expert Charge Defence[[/col]]
This unit’s melee attack and damage are increased against charging enemies. - [[col:yellow]]Hide (forest)[[/col]]
This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
Strengths & Weaknesses
No Strengths and Weaknesses