Mide Melee Infantry

Freemen Axemen

The freemen living within the social orders of the early medieval period generally existed as a group between the nobles above them and the slave classes below. Freemen possessed the most social mobility of all classes – for example, they could accumulate followers as a result of battle exploits, or even more simply from their generosity or camaraderie with others. Accumulation of wealth earned by amassing battle loot or simply through success in a trade was also possible, but in any case, accumulating enough of either followers or riches could elevate a freeman into nobility. Equally, accumulation of debts that couldn't be repaid would mean a freeman could easily become a bondsman, working as a slave to pay off his debt or even fighting as a serf levy for another man until his debt was considered no more.

Above all, freemen were free to fight. 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 Freemen Axemen

Main Unit Key iri_freemen_axemen

Land Unit Key iri_freemen_axemen

Naval Unit Key vik_oll_pheist

Soldiers 160

Category Melee Infantry

Class Melee Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 300

Recruitment Cost 300

Upkeep Cost 70

Melee Skill 22

Melee Damage 26

├ Melee Weapon vik_axe_levy

├ Melee Base Damage 11

├ Armour-piercing Damage 15

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 0

├ Attack Against Elephants 0

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 24

Melee Defence 37

├ Base Defence 22

├ Shield vik_small

└ Shield 15

Armour 7

├ Armour vik_cloth_helmet

├ Armour Defence 7

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 100

├ Man Entity vik_inf_light

├ Man Health 100

└ Bonus Hit Points 0

Morale 26

Abilities

• 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]]Hide (forest)[[/col]]
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
• [[col:yellow]]Ignore Terrain[[/col]]
  Speed penalties caused by the terrain are ignored by this unit.
• [[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

Upgrade
Required Technology Cost 150 Upgrade To

Garrison Buildings

x 1

Long Hall (vik_great_hall_1) Level 0 Ship Camp (vik_longphort_1) Level 0 Trading Post (vik_market_1) Level 0 Monastic Community (vik_monastery_1) Level 0 Long Hall of the Mountain (vik_mountain_hall_1) Level 0 Offa's Hall (vik_offas_hall_1) Level 0 Rock of Caisil (vik_rock_caisil_1) Level 0 Church of St Ciaran (vik_st_ciaran_1) Level 0 Church of St Columbe (vik_st_columbe_1) Level 0 Church of St Patraic (vik_st_patraic_1) Level 0

Faction Availability
Thrones of Britannia	Ailech Airgialla Brega Breifne Caisil Connacht Desmuma Iarmuma Laigin Mide Osraige Irish Rebels Irish Usurpers Mide Usurpers Tuadmuma Ulaid

Faction Pool

Pool
No.	Pool	Faction	Initial Unit Count	Chance To Replenish	Max Replenish Per Turn	Max Count
1	irish	Ailech Airgialla Brega Breifne Caisil Connacht Desmuma Iarmuma Laigin Mide Osraige Irish Rebels Irish Usurpers Mide Usurpers Tuadmuma Ulaid	1	0.15	1	2