Mide Missile Ship

Curach - Freemen Javelinmen

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.

(Freemen Javelinmen)
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. Armed with spears, they were arguably wielding the oldest purpose-built weapon in existence. Given its comparative cheapness and ease of construction, the spear was one of the most commonly used weapons among all classes of fighting men before and throughout medieval times. Its notable advantage was the longer reach it afforded its bearer, enabling effective engagement with a larger or mounted enemy who might otherwise be out of reach. The Viking tendency to emblazon spears with ostentatious decorative carvings indicates that some were primarily used for thrusting rather than throwing, reducing the possibility of losing what were obviously prized weapons.

Unit Name Curach - Freemen Javelinmen

Main Unit Key shp_iri_freemen_javelinmen

Land Unit Key iri_freemen_javelinmen

Naval Unit Key vik_curach_mis

Soldiers 80

Category Light Ship

Class Missile Ship

Custom Battle Cost 200

Recruitment Cost 200

Upkeep Cost 50

Missile Damage 43

├ Missile Weapon vik_jav

├ Projectile vik_javelin_normal

├ Missile Damage 30

├ Missile Ap Damage 13

└ Base Reload Time 30

Accuracy 33

Range 80

Reload 40

Rate of Fire 3

Ammunition 7

Hull Strength

└ Ship vik_curach

Speed

Melee Skill 7

Melee Damage 9

├ Melee Weapon vik_dagger

├ Melee Base Damage 7

├ Armour-piercing Damage 2

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 0

├ Attack Against Elephants 0

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 2

Melee Defence 22

├ Base Defence 7

├ Shield vik_small

└ Shield 15

Armour 5

├ Armour vik_cloth

├ Armour Defence 5

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 100

├ Man Entity vik_inf_mis_very_light

├ Man Health 100

└ Bonus Hit Points 0

Morale 26

Abilities

No Ability

Attributes

• [[col:yellow]]Resistant to Fatigue[[/col]]
  Fatigue has less of an effect on this unit.
• [[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]]Snipe[[/col]]
  This unit remains hidden while firing.

Strengths & Weaknesses

No Strengths and Weaknesses