Axum (Empire Divided) Missile Ship

Raiding Hemiolia - Sabean Javelinmen

These swift, manoeuvrable ships are a useful scouting force for any admiral.

Many things can kill you in the harsh desert, including a javelin to the heart.

The 'one-and-a-half' or 'hemiolia' was a light galley which was much favoured by pirates in the ancient world. It developed from the bireme, a ship that had two full decks of oars along its entire length. The hemiola reduced the number of oars on the upper level, leaving roughly half the number of oars and rowers in the midship section. The smaller number of rowers had little effect on overall speed because the laden weight of the vessel also dropped. Because it used both oars and sails, and the crew could rapidly change propulsion method, it was an ideal vessel for chasing down fat, wealthy merchant ships. Boarding attacks were mounted from hemiolas; ramming was not a useful tactic as loot ended up with the fish rather than enriching the pirates! The speed and handiness of hemiolas made them useful as scouts, supply boats and vessels used to pick off damaged enemies at the edge of battles.

(Sabean Javelinmen)
The warriors of the Sabaean region were light infantry, cavalry and archers as mercenaries and auxiliaries for the Roman Empire. Dressed desert-fashion, they were entirely familiar with and comfortable in arid places. This was secondary however, to their reputation as mostly reliable fighters, of far more worth than ordinary citizens or levies. This was due to the independence that the Sabaean kingdom maintained from the 8th century BC to AD275. This record was based on military might as well as diplomacy and the spice trade including frankincense and myrrh. Never conquered by Rome, Sabaean warriors still found work as mercenaries and auxiliaries in Roman service.

Abilities

Raiding Hemiolia

• Row Hard 10
  Increases speed for 10 strokes.
  Ship speed

Attributes

• Resistant to Fatigue
  Fatigue has less of an effect on this unit.
• Hide (scrub & forest)
  This unit can hide in scrub and forest until enemy units get too close.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Raiding Hemiolia

• Very poor hull strength
• Light crew
• Very fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Very poor boarding
• Poor missile combat

Sabean Javelinmen

• Short range
• Fast rate of fire
• Very good damage and armour penetration
• Very weak in melee
• Very poor morale

Axum (Empire Divided) Units
General (1)
1.Sabean Cavalry
Missile Infantry (2)
2.Sabean Archers
3.Sabean Javelinmen
Spear Infantry (2)
4.Sabean Armoured Spearmen
5.Sabean Spearmen
Melee Cavalry (2)
6.Sabean Cavalry
7.Sabean Cavalry
Fixed Artillery (3)
8.African Giant Ballista
9.African Scorpion (Fixed)
10.African Bastion Scorpion
Field Artillery (6)
11.African Ballista
12.African Bastion Ballista
13.African Scorpion
14.African Heavy Onager
15.African Onager
16.African Bastion Onager
Admiral (1)
17.Assault Tetreres - Sabean Armoured Spearmen
Melee Ship (3)
18.Assault Dieres - Sabean Spearmen
19.Assault Tetreres - Sabean Armoured Spearmen
20.Assault Tetreres - Sabean Armoured Spearmen
Missile Ship (2)
21.Raiding Hemiolia - Sabean Javelinmen
22.Missile Trieres - Sabean Archers