Normaunds Melee Ship

Dreki - Norman Axemen

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.

(Norman Axemen)
The Normans were one of the most successful and long-lived political and military cultures ever founded by the Vikings. Through military prowess and political manoeuvring in the ninth century, the Danish war leader Hrolf managed to secure a roughly autonomous region for his raiding army within the Frankish kingdom. Later going by the Frankish name Rollo, the Dane was given the status of Duke, a position carried down his bloodline that ruled Normandy and subsequently conquered Norman lands. Their legendary expansionist successes were the result of a unique military structure within their fiefdoms, organised around a new type of warrior elite – the feudal knights. Supported by infantry, heavily armoured mounted lords would form fearsome cavalry blocks of around thirty men charging knee-to-knee, a psychologically imposing sight that often caused battle lines to break at their mere advance.

Using their system of infantry-supported knights, the Normans were incredibly effective in battle. 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 Dreki - Norman Axemen

Main Unit Key shp_nor_axemen

Land Unit Key nor_axemen

Naval Unit Key vik_dreki

Soldiers 160

Category Heavy Ship

Class Melee Ship

Custom Battle Cost 350

Recruitment Cost 350

Upkeep Cost 80

Hull Strength

└ Ship vik_dreki

Speed

Melee Skill 25

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 26

Melee Defence 55

├ Base Defence 25

├ Shield vik_medium

└ Shield 30

Armour 7

├ Armour vik_cloth_helmet

├ Armour Defence 7

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 100

├ Man Entity vik_inf_med

├ Man Health 100

└ Bonus Hit Points 0

Morale 28

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]]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