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HomeHome / Total War SAGA: Thrones of Britannia / Irish Usurpers / Units / Kern Axemen
Kern Axemen Irish UsurpersIrish Usurpers Melee Infantry

Kern Axemen

A supreme mobility makes these axemen rightly feared by their enemies.

The Middle Irish word ‘ceithern’, pronounced ‘kern’, refers to a group of fighters who were one of two essential components of medieval Irish armies, the other being gallowglasses. Often found fighting as light infantry and occasionally light cavalry, the role of a kern was to provide skirmishing support to their heavy infantry counterparts. However, the training afforded them and the eventual roles they filled very much depended on the needs of their clan, which did not exclude them from the cut and thrust of melee warfare. Kerns would frequently be the first or last to launch attacks – their mobility meant that they were well-suited to initiate swift ambushes, after which they would melt back behind the gallowglasses, while later in battles they could also easily run down any fleeing routers.

On the battlefield, kerns wore a light leather coat which ensured unrestricted movement and agility. 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.

Kern Axemen

Unit Name

Kern Axemen

Main Unit Key

iri_kern_axemen

Land Unit Key

iri_kern_axemen

Naval Unit Key

vik_oll_pheist

Soldiers

160

Category

Melee Infantry

Class

Melee Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

350

Recruitment Cost

350

Upkeep Cost

80

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

40

├ Base Defence

25

├ Shield

vik_small

└ Shield

15

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

No Ability

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
Recuitment Requirement
Required Technology Melee Specialists Cost 150 Upgrade From Freemen Axemen
Garrison Buildings
Kern Axemen x 1 Long Hall
Long Hall
(vik_great_hall_1)
Level 0
Ship Camp
Ship Camp
(vik_longphort_1)
Level 0
Trading Post
Trading Post
(vik_market_1)
Level 0
Monastic Community
Monastic Community
(vik_monastery_1)
Level 0
Long Hall of the Mountain
Long Hall of the Mountain
(vik_mountain_hall_1)
Level 0
Offa's Hall
Offa's Hall
(vik_offas_hall_1)
Level 0
Rock of Caisil
Rock of Caisil
(vik_rock_caisil_1)
Level 0
Church of St Ciaran
Church of St Ciaran
(vik_st_ciaran_1)
Level 0
Church of St Columbe
Church of St Columbe
(vik_st_columbe_1)
Level 0
Church of St Patraic
Church of St Patraic
(vik_st_patraic_1)
Level 0