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HomeHome / Total War SAGA: Thrones of Britannia / Mierce / Units / Draca - Royal Huscarls
Draca - Royal Huscarls MierceMierce Melee Ship

Draca - Royal Huscarls

This transport ship is light and easy to manoeuvre, but almost defenceless if attacked.

To the four corners of the earth, these men will fight for their king.

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.

(Royal Huscarls)
Much like the Roman ‘comes’, in the Viking world there emerged a culture of heroic champions flanked by chosen companions. The ‘hirdman’ was the highest rank amongst such warriors, and in later times the rank carried with it a seat on the king’s council, enabling them to advise their rulers on non-military aspects of government. In Old Norse and Old English, the term translates to ‘household man’, originally referring to an armed retinue for a warlord but eventually morphing into ‘housecarl’ or ‘huscarl’, specifically referring to a royal guard. Following the ninth-century Danish settlement of England, huscarls also became an integral part of Anglo-Saxon armies, famously defeating their Norwegian counterparts at Stamford Bridge and protecting King Harold's body to the very last man at Hastings.

Hirdmen and huscarls were undoubtedly warriors of elite status, reflected in their superior weaponry and armour. Perhaps the most emblematic and imposing of all weapons they used was the two-handed broad axe, also known as the Dane Axe. As was the case for many who took axes into battle, it was often chosen for being a readily-available domestic tool, and it is certainly feasible that larger adaptations existed for chopping the bulkiest bits of wood. The shield-less warriors who wielded two-handed battle axes had a specialised place on the battlefield, entering the fray as part of a later wave to strike when enemy defences were down, causing skull-splitting damage to the opposition’s breached battle lines.

Draca - Royal Huscarls

Unit Name

Draca - Royal Huscarls

Main Unit Key

shp_eng_royal_huscarls

Land Unit Key

eng_royal_huscarls

Naval Unit Key

vik_draca

Soldiers

160

Category

Heavy Ship

Class

Melee Ship

Custom Battle Cost

1000

Recruitment Cost

1000

Upkeep Cost

300

Hull Strength

└ Ship

vik_draca

Speed

Melee Skill

49

Melee Damage

65

├ Melee Weapon

vik_dane_axe_elite

├ Melee Base Damage

25

├ Armour-piercing Damage

40

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Attack Against Cavalry

0

├ Attack Against Elephants

0

└ Attack Against Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

74

Melee Defence

49

├ Base Defence

49

├ Shield

vik_none

└ Shield

0

Armour

32

├ Armour

vik_mail_heavy

├ Armour Defence

32

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

100

├ Man Entity

vik_inf_2h_very_heavy

├ Man Health

100

└ Bonus Hit Points

0

Morale

54

Abilities

Royal Huscarls
  • Wedge
    "Let's break their line!"

Attributes

  • [[col:yellow]]Encourage[[/col]]
    This unit provides a morale bonus to nearby allies.
  • [[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