Masaesyli Melee Infantry

Desert Legionaries

Numidia had a fierce warrior tradition, partly because the eastern Massylii and western Masaesyli had a history of bitter feuding and internal warfare. They took, and changed, sides in the Punic Wars to suit their own agendas, only emerging as a single state after the cataclysmic Battle of Zama in 202BC. The defeat of Carthage allowed the Numidians to expand their lands, eventually leading to the Jugurthine War of 112-105BC against Rome. Numidia’s king, Jugurtha, was only defeated when he was betrayed by his father-in-law, Bocchus. While the Numidians were famed as cavalrymen, their infantry forces were also quite effective. The historian Suetonius mentions that there were Numidian 'legions', a term reserved for Roman troops, when passing comment on Julius Caesar’s speech regarding Juba’s march to aid Scipio before the Battle of Thapsus in 46BC. This suggests that some Numidians were fighting in the Roman style, and were possibly equipped in the same manner. The Numidians also adopted other tactics and war gear, such as the thureos-style shield and hoplite-like spears.

Unit Name Desert Legionaries

Main Unit Key dk_num_desert_legionaries

Land Unit Key dk_num_desert_legionaries

Naval Unit Key pel_transport

Soldiers 160

Category Melee Infantry

Class Melee Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 700

Recruitment Cost 700

Upkeep Cost 140

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

Melee Attack 47

Weapon Damage 35

├ Melee Weapon rome_gladius_marian

├ Melee Damage Base 30

├ Melee Damage Ap 5

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Bonus vs. Large 0

├ Bonus vs Elephants 0

└ Bonus vs Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 14

Melee Defence 48

├ Base Defence 23

├ Shield scutum_marian

└ Shield Defence 25

Armour 80

├ Armour mail

├ Armour Defence 40

└ Shield Armour 40

Health 60

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_very_heavy

├ Man Health 45

└ Bonus Hit Points 15

Base Morale 55

Abilities

• Attacking Testudo
  The troops of this unit raise their shields above their heads in a defensive formation.
  Protection against missiles
  Limited speed

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.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Very poor hull strength
• Very slow speed
• Weak ramming

• Good attack
• Average defence
• Average damage but low armour penetration
• Normal morale

Requires Buildings
Lv. 0	Roman Military Camp (dk_num_military_roman_3) Level 2 Roman Barracks (dk_num_military_roman_4) Level 3

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Masaesyli Massaesyli Tribal Council Massaesyli Secessionists