Mercenary Rhodian Slingers

Perhaps not as famous as their counterparts from the Balearics, Rhodian slingers were nevertheless famed for their skill. As Rhodes was protected by the sea, slingers could hire themselves out as mercenaries across the Mediterranean. They were deadly at 100 metres and could hit targets at 400 metres. Unencumbered by armour, they were highly mobile and could outpace or at least match the pace of most other infantry. Rhodian slingers sometimes made use of small shields with a single handgrip to protect them from any return fire. During the Greco-Persian Wars shaped shot gave the Greeks, including the Rhodians, an advantage over the Persians. This proved essential in covering the retreat of the Ten Thousand, after Cyrus the Younger’s death at the Battle of Cunaxa in 401BC. The Rhodian slingers were the only missile troops able to engage the enemy with some safety, as Cretan archers and Greek javelinmen had the same range as enemy missile troops.

Unit Name Mercenary Rhodian Slingers

Main Unit Key Mer_Gre_Rhodian_Slingers

Land Unit Key Mer_Gre_Rhodian_Slingers

Naval Unit Key pel_transport

Soldiers 120

Category Missile Infantry

Class Missile Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 590

Recruitment Cost 410

Upkeep Cost 300

Missile Damage 29

├ Missile Weapon rome_sling_lead

├ Projectile sling_stone_lead

├ Missile Damage 21

├ Missile Ap Damage 8

└ Base Reload Time 10

Accuracy 5

Range 150

Reload 28

Shots Per Minute 8

Ammunition 25

Melee Attack 12

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 6

Melee Defence 24

├ Base Defence 14

├ Shield small_bronze

└ Shield Defence 10

Armour 25

├ Armour light_padded

├ Armour Defence 15

└ Shield Armour 10

Health 55

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_very_light

├ Man Health 40

└ Bonus Hit Points 15

Base Morale 55

Abilities

• Quick Reload
  Improved reloading for an extended time.
  Shots per minute
  Exertion: fatigue

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 slow speed
• Weak ramming

• Very long range
• Average rate of fire
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Very weak in melee
• Very poor morale

Hannibal at the Gates Mercenaries Pool

Mercenaries Pool
No.	Pool	Province	Region	Initial Unit Count	Chance To Replenish	Max Replenish Per Turn	Max Count
1	pun_province_pool_magna_graecia	Magna Graecia	Buxentum Croton Tarentum Thurii	1	0.3	1	3
2	pun_province_pool_sicilia	Sicilia	Lilybaeum Messana Syracuse	2	0.3	1	3

Empire Divided Mercenaries Pool

Mercenaries Pool
No.	Pool	Province	Region	Initial Unit Count	Chance To Replenish	Max Replenish Per Turn	Max Count
3	rom_province_pool_asia	Asia	Ephesus Pergamon Pessinus Rhodos	0	0.75	1	2

Grand Campaign Mercenaries Pool

Mercenaries Pool
No.	Pool	Province	Region	Initial Unit Count	Chance To Replenish	Max Replenish Per Turn	Max Count
4	rom_province_pool_asia	Asia	Ephesus Pergamon Pessinus Rhodos	0	0.75	1	2