

Assault Octeres - Palmyrene Legionaries
Anyone who does not quail before an octeres deserves to fill the belly of a fish.Rich families make for well-equipped soldiers.
An arms race in warship size developed between the various nations around the Mediterranean. Size, in terms of the number of rowers, ships length and bulk and above all majesty of the vessel became as much a tool of statecraft as of warfare. A people who could afford such ships were almost certainly rich enough to withstand the strains of any war. A 'four' or quadreme was still a handy warship, able to manoeuvre in battle. The same could not be said of some of the large polyremes, a word meaning many oars. Practical archaeology shows that too many banks of oars simply don't work, so polyreme probably referred to the number of rowers: an octeres is likely to have had some eight rowers per bank of three oars, arranged in three, three, and two to an oar going up from the waterline. King Demetius of Macedon led his fleet at the battle of Salamis in 306BC from the deck of a hepteres or 'seven', but his ambitions didn't stop there. Neither did those of other kingdoms, and later lumbering warships including 'elevens', 'thirteens' and larger. As bigger ships to carry more rowers such vessels could also carry big marine contingents, arrow towers and an array of useful artillery.
(Palmyrene Legionaries)
As Rome fell into its greatest crisis to date during the 3rd century AD, the client state of Palmyra had grown autonomous and ambitious, launching independent military efforts against nearby enemies such as the Sassanids. As Queen Zenobia marched into Roman lands, claiming them for herself, the resulting Palmyrene Empire encompassed the wealthiest eastern provinces of Rome. As the Mesopotamian border was already heavily fortified against the Persian threat, Palmyra's soldiers were well trained and equipped, coming from the rich families of Syria, Palastynia and Aegyptus. The eastern armies Zenobia commanded took innovation from the local military traditions, using cataphractarii, horse archers, camels and Iranian-style infantry. Her legions were also much more resistant to weather conditions as its conscripts were used to the oppressive desert heat.
Unit Name Assault Octeres - Palmyrene Legionaries |
Main Unit Key 3c_Pal_Assault_Octeres |
Land Unit Key 3c_Pal_Palmyrene_Legionaries |
Naval Unit Key 3c_egyptian_eight |
Soldiers 200 |
Category Heavy Ship |
Class Melee Ship |
Custom Battle Cost 1800 |
Recruitment Cost 1800 |
Upkeep Cost 360 |
Missile Damage 30 |
├ Missile Weapon rome_pilum_heavy |
├ Projectile pilum_heavy |
├ Missile Damage 20 |
├ Missile Ap Damage 10 |
└ Base Reload Time 15 |
Accuracy 5 |
Range 40 |
Reload 0 |
Shots Per Minute 4 |
Ammunition 2 |
Ship Health 2051 |
└ Ship egyptian_eight |
Ship Speed 4 |
Melee Attack 50 |
Weapon Damage 20 |
├ Melee Weapon rome_spear_anti_cav |
├ Melee Damage Base 15 |
├ Melee Damage Ap 5 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Bonus vs. Large 30 |
├ Bonus vs Elephants 30 |
└ Bonus vs Infantry 0 |
Charge Bonus 18 |
Melee Defence 53 |
├ Base Defence 28 |
├ Shield oval |
└ Shield Defence 25 |
Armour 75 |
├ Armour scale |
├ Armour Defence 40 |
└ Shield Armour 35 |
Health 60 |
├ Man Entity rome_infantry_very_heavy |
├ Man Health 45 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 15 |
Base Morale 65 |
Abilities
Assault Octeres- Row Hard 30
Increases speed for 30 strokes.
Ship speed
- Defensive Testudo
The troops of this unit raise their shields above their heads in a static defensive formation.
Bracing, protection against missiles
Can't move
Attributes
- Disciplined
This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often. - Formation Attack
The unit will try to stay in formation when in melee. - Hide (forest)
This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Assault Octeres- Unbeatable hull strength
- Very heavy crew
- Very slow speed
- Strong ramming
- Indomitable boarding
- Very good attack
- Average defence
- Average damage but low armour penetration
- Good morale
Garrison Buildings | |
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Portus Classis
(3c_rome_port_military_4) Level 3 ![]()
Coastal Patrol
(3c_rome_port_patrol_4) Level 3 |
Faction Availability | |
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Empire Divided |