Ddraig - Welsh Armoured Axemen
This transport ship is light and easy to manoeuvre, but almost defenceless if attacked.Cover a man in armour and he will fight and kill with more bravery than without it.
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.
(Welsh Armoured Axemen)
As the twelfth-century historian Gerald of Wales put it, the people of Welsh lands were ever-trained for war, from their leaders down to their peasantry. He described a people who, if the situation required it, would rush from their ploughs without hesitation to pick up weapons as quickly as the courtier from court. Their rough and hilly terrain resulted in earlier traditions of Celtic culture being reflected in more military terms – for example, a heavily armoured combatant such as a feudal horseman would have difficulty operating there, so Welsh warriors relied more on agility in war situations, rather than brute strength. Where rival armies who fought them relied on stubborn resistance, the Welsh relied on constant movement.
In broad terms, the organisation of Welsh troops was arranged between those in the essential household force known as the ‘teulu’, and the individuals of the expanded common army, the ‘llu’. For some, the one-handed axe would have been the weapon of choice, since swords were costly and axes would have been already widely available as domestic tools. Various adaptations of axes were used in battle, such as the smaller throwing francisca made famous by the Franks, and the slightly larger versions primarily used as part of axe-and-shield war getups. Axes granted a unique form of damage output – although swords were ideal for slashing and stabbing, an axe could hack and chop with relatively less effort, and in the right hands was particularly useful for piercing armour, decapitation, and dismemberment.
Unit Name Ddraig - Welsh Armoured Axemen |
Main Unit Key shp_wel_armoured_axemen |
Land Unit Key wel_armoured_axemen |
Naval Unit Key vik_ddraig |
Soldiers 160 |
Category Heavy Ship |
Class Melee Ship |
Custom Battle Cost 600 |
Recruitment Cost 600 |
Upkeep Cost 175 |
└ Ship vik_ddraig |
Speed |
Melee Skill 34 |
32 |
├ Melee Weapon vik_axe |
├ Melee Base Damage 13 |
├ Armour-piercing Damage 19 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Attack Against Cavalry 0 |
├ Attack Against Elephants 0 |
└ Attack Against Infantry 0 |
Charge Bonus 36 |
64 |
├ Base Defence 34 |
├ Shield vik_medium |
└ Shield 30 |
22 |
├ Armour vik_mail |
├ Armour Defence 22 |
└ Shield Armour 0 |
100 |
├ Man Entity vik_inf_med |
├ Man Health 100 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 0 |
Morale 45 |
Abilities
Welsh Armoured Axemen- Shield Castle
"Heads down, lads, things are about to get a little hairy around here!"
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]]Disciplined[[/col]]
This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often. - [[col:yellow]]Hide (forest)[[/col]]
This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close. - [[col:yellow]]Raider[[/col]]
This unit may set buildings on fire, cause more fire damage with torches and capture faster than other units.
Strengths & Weaknesses
No Strengths and Weaknesses