Nabataea (Empire Divided) Missile Ship

Raiding Hemiolia - Arabian Javelinmen

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

Skirmishing does not defeat armies on its own, but it can lead to an easier fight.

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.

(Arabian Javelinmen)
The Arabian Peninsula was not a state, but a land occupied by inter-related tribes and powerful families. The nomadic Bedouin raised sheep and traded goods across the desert, while farmers were settled around the oases. The camel helped the nomadic tribes to grow in power, and the variety among the tribes produced many different fighting styles, but infantry nevertheless remained important in Arab armies. Although unarmoured slingers were fast and effective skirmishers, and Arabs also prided themselves on their close-combat skills. Traditionally, they fought as raiders looking for loot rather than conquest. Raids or 'razzias' brought honour to the victors, as well as the spoils of livestock and goods for their tribes. Conflicts were usually small in scale and casualties were largely avoided, as a fighting retreat in the face of great odds was not considered shameful. After the conquest of Egypt, Rome had to cross the Arabian Peninsula in order to secure the lucrative trade with India, but the Romans never fully conquered the desert or the desert peoples.

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

Arabian Javelinmen

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

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