Irish Usurpers Missile Cavalry

Kern Raiders

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. Avoiding the open plains where they were at a disadvantage against heavier cavalry, they sometimes operated on horseback in a similar style to early Roman skirmishers. Unarmoured horsemen would ride without stirrups or a saddle on a smaller, more agile mare, equipped with up to three throwing spears, ready to hurl while mounted. These tactics were honed from the prevalence of hit-and-run cattle-raiding, since the main causes of conflict in Gael-dominated areas was loot. Although their techniques were primitive for the era, Gaelic warriors were still able to conquer large parts of Caledonia with the help of their skirmishing cavalry tactics.

Unit Name Kern Raiders

Main Unit Key iri_kern_raiders

Land Unit Key iri_kern_raiders

Naval Unit Key vik_curach_mis

Soldiers 60

Category Cavalry

Class Missile Cavalry

Custom Battle Cost 500

Recruitment Cost 500

Upkeep Cost 150

Missile Damage 57

├ Missile Weapon vik_jav_cav_elite

├ Projectile vik_javelin_cavalry_elite

├ Missile Damage 37

├ Missile Ap Damage 20

└ Base Reload Time 30

Accuracy 41

Range 80

Reload 40

Rate of Fire 3

Ammunition 7

Melee Skill 8

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 3

Melee Defence 23

├ Base Defence 8

├ Shield vik_small

└ Shield 15

Armour 7

├ Armour vik_cloth_helmet

├ Armour Defence 7

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 150

├ Man Entity vik_inf_med

├ Man Health 100

├ Bonus Hit Points 0

├ Mount vik_horse_sword_med

├ Mount Entity vik_horse_medium

└ Mount Health 50

Morale 30

Abilities

No Ability

Attributes

• [[col:yellow]]Hide (forest)[[/col]]
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
• [[col:yellow]]Fire Whilst Moving[[/col]]
  This unit can fire when mounted and moving.
• [[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 Cost 150 Upgrade From
Required Technology Cost 150 Upgrade From

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