Seleucid Secessionists Melee Ship

Fire Pot Dieres - Peltasts

The waterline ram was first mounted on a vessel in around 850BC. Warships and naval tactics were transformed. Ships were no longer platforms for infantry battles on the water; the ship itself became the weapon. Galleys changed as the new reality sank in. Ramming at speed would hole and sink an enemy, therefore slimmer, faster, handier ships were required. More speed on demand obviously required more oars a fast ship with a single row of oars ended up being stupidly, impractically long. The solution, then, was to put in a second set of oars above the first, but slightly offset to allow for rowers' benches. These biremes, a Latin word meaning 'two oars', or dieres, the Greek equivalent, were no longer than previous designs but had twice the number of rowers. They were fast, manoeuvrable, and could carry a fighting contingent. Some nations also gave their bireme crews fire pots; these clay pots filled with oil and pitch were hurled at enemy ships in the entirely reasonable hope of setting them ablaze.

(Peltasts)
These skirmishers were named for their small crescent-shaped leather or wicker shields or 'peltai'. It was a common habit to name troops for their shield style in the Greek world. They wore little or no armour and carried three javelins. After harassing the enemy by flinging javelins, they would hastily retreat before any counter-charge or flanking move could be carried out. As armies developed and tactics became more complex, peltasts were expected to take part in hand-to-hand combat: with such expectation they were given stiffened linen cuirasses and short swords. They were still expected to use javelins, but could then join in the close fighting. Eventually, peltasts even exchanged their characteristic shield for the heavier thureos. Their name and battlefield function remained unchanged.

Unit Name Fire Pot Dieres - Peltasts

Main Unit Key Gre_Peltasts_Two_Fire_Pots

Land Unit Key Gre_Peltasts

Naval Unit Key greek_fire_pot_two

Soldiers 60

Category Light Ship

Class Melee Ship

Custom Battle Cost 540

Recruitment Cost 540

Upkeep Cost 108

Missile Damage 32

├ Missile Weapon rome_javelin

├ Projectile javelin_normal

├ Missile Damage 20

├ Missile Ap Damage 12

└ Base Reload Time 10

Accuracy 5

Range 80

Reload 18

Shots Per Minute 7

Ammunition 7

Ship Health 501

└ Ship greek_two

Ship Speed 6

Melee Attack 18

Weapon Damage 24

├ Melee Weapon rome_shortsword

├ Melee Damage Base 20

├ Melee Damage Ap 4

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Bonus vs. Large 0

├ Bonus vs Elephants 0

└ Bonus vs Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 10

Melee Defence 40

├ Base Defence 15

├ Shield peltast_thureos

└ Shield Defence 25

Armour 65

├ Armour spolas

├ Armour Defence 35

└ Shield Armour 30

Health 50

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_light

├ Man Health 40

└ Bonus Hit Points 10

Base Morale 40

Abilities

• 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.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Very poor hull strength
• Very light crew
• Fast speed
• Very strong initial ramming
• Good boarding

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

Upgrade
Required Technology Cost 150 Upgrade To
Requires Buildings
Lv. 0	Shipwright (greek_port_harbour_2) Level 1 Docks (greek_port_harbour_3) Level 2 Neosokoi (greek_port_harbour_4) Level 3

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Colchis Colchian Nobles Colchian Secessionists Epirus Epirean Nobles Epirean Secessionists Knossos Rhodos Trapezos Pergamon Pergamenes Nobles Pergamenes Secessionists Hellenic Rebels Seleucid Seleucid Nobles Seleucid Secessionists Arachosia Aria Drangiana Media Parthava Persia Sagartia Sardes
Hannibal at the Gates	Emporion (Hannibal at the Gates) Hellenic Rebels (Hannibal at the Gates)
Imperator Augustus	Judea (Imperator Augustus) Hellenic Rebels (Imperator Augustus)