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Gastraphetes Massalia (Hannibal at the Gates)Massalia (Hannibal at the Gates) Missile Infantry

Gastraphetes

(Crossbow Infantry)

This unit is the forerunner of medieval arbalesters. The gastraphetes crossbow, however, is more a handheld siege weapon than a battlefield weapon. The army of Syracuse was one of the first to use this weapon, with one unit of psiloi under the tyrant Dionisyus I. Later, this weapon would find its way into the Macedonian army of Alexander, used during several sieges by specially trained soldiers to kill city defenders.

Although archery was not highly thought of as a military skill in Greece, Crete produced truly excellent archers who were able to sell their services to the highest bidder as mercenaries. Firing bronze-tipped arrows from their heavy self bows, Cretan archers tended to carry shields, indicative of some additional prowess in melee, which must’ve made them an even more enticing proposition for a general hiring mercenaries for campaign. Their finest hours came when Alexander the Great hired Cretans directly into his army to support its unbeatable phalanx. Commanded by Clearchus, 500 Cretans accompanied the Macedonian phalanx into battle at Granicus, off-setting the Persians' numerical superiority on the day and enabling Alexander’s subsequent victory. Whereas the Romans didn’t traditionally use archers in their forces, once they conquered Greece Cretan archers began to appear as auxiliary troops in their armies. Notably, they fought in Caesar’s campaign in Gaul against Vercingetorix, causing him to rally the best archers the tribes could provide to range against them.

Gastraphetes

Unit Name

Gastraphetes

Main Unit Key

AOR_10_Crossbows

Land Unit Key

AOR_10_Crossbows

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

175

Category

Missile Infantry

Class

Missile Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

1112

Recruitment Cost

1112

Upkeep Cost

222

Missile Damage

14

├ Missile Weapon

att_crossbow

├ Projectile

att_arrow_crossbow_heavy

├ Missile Damage

12

├ Missile Ap Damage

2

└ Base Reload Time

20

Accuracy

15

Range

200

Reload

23

Shots Per Minute

4

Ammunition

15

Melee Attack

26

Weapon Damage

10

├ Melee Weapon

gsword2

├ Weapon Damage

10

├ Weapon Deadliness

0

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Cavalry

0

├ Bonus vs. Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

8

Melee Defence

34

├ Base Defence

18

├ Shield

none

└ Shield Defence

16

Armour

8

├ Armour

arm4

├ Armour Defence

8

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

20

├ Man Entity

light_medium

├ Man Health

20

└ Bonus Hit Points

0

Base Morale

45

Abilities

Gastraphetes
  • Stamina (excellent)
    Governs how fast the unit tires and restores fatigue, and is dependent on type of unit, weight and approach to combat.
  • Concentrate Fire
    The unit fires its missiles towards a spot causing damage to everyone in the area of effect

Attributes

  • Improved Stamina
    This unit type has an improvement on the base stamina stat.
  • Hide (scrub & forest)
    This unit can hide in scrub and forest until enemy units get too close.
  • Hide (scrub & forest)
    This unit can hide in scrub and forest until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Transport
  • Very poor hull strength
  • Very slow speed
  • Weak ramming
Gastraphetes
  • Long range
  • Average rate of fire
  • Good damage but low armour penetration
  • Very weak in melee
  • Very poor morale
Recuitment Requirement
Maximum Number 12
Unit Resouces DEI_Sicily

Hannibal at the Gates Regions

Hannibal at the Gates
Provinces Regions
Sikelia Lilybaion Messana Sirako
Requires Buildings
Gastraphetes Lv. 0 Syracuse
Syracuse
(dei_main_city_SYRACUSE_3)
Level 2
Fortified Syracuse
Fortified Syracuse
(dei_main_city_SYRACUSE_3_fort)
Level 2
Commercial Syracuse
Commercial Syracuse
(dei_main_city_SYRACUSE_3_trade)
Level 2
Syracuse
Syracuse
(dei_main_city_SYRACUSE_4)
Level 3
Fortified Syracuse
Fortified Syracuse
(dei_main_city_SYRACUSE_4_fort)
Level 3
Commercial Syracuse
Commercial Syracuse
(dei_main_city_SYRACUSE_4_trade)
Level 3
Civil Settlement
Civil Settlement
(greek_town_civil_2)
Level 1
Civil Town
Civil Town
(greek_town_civil_3)
Level 2
Civil Colony
Civil Colony
(greek_town_civil_4)
Level 3
Farming Settlement
Farming Settlement
(greek_town_farm_2)
Level 1
Farming Town
Farming Town
(greek_town_farm_3)
Level 2
Farming Colony
Farming Colony
(greek_town_farm_4)
Level 3
Market Settlement
Market Settlement
(greek_town_trade_2)
Level 1
Market Town
Market Town
(greek_town_trade_3)
Level 2
Market Colony
Market Colony
(greek_town_trade_4)
Level 3
Hellenistic Kleroukhia
Hellenistic Kleroukhia
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_3)
Level 2
Hellenistic Metropolis
Hellenistic Metropolis
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_4)
Level 3
Hellenic Garrison Kleroukhia
Hellenic Garrison Kleroukhia
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_fort_3)
Level 2
Hellenic Fortified Metropolis
Hellenic Fortified Metropolis
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_fort_4)
Level 3
Hellenic Trade Kleroukhia
Hellenic Trade Kleroukhia
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_trade_3)
Level 2
Hellenic Economic Metropolis
Hellenic Economic Metropolis
(rom_HELLENIC_city_major_trade_4)
Level 3
Hellenistic Komai
Hellenistic Komai
(rom_HELLENIC_city_minor_grain_3)
Level 2
Hellenistic Town
Hellenistic Town
(rom_HELLENIC_city_minor_grain_4)
Level 3
Village (Iron)
Village (Iron)
(rom_HELLENIC_city_minor_iron_2)
Level 1
Faction Availability
Grand Campaign



Samnite Wars
Caesar in Gaul
Hannibal at the Gates
Imperator Augustus
Capsa
Massyli (Hannibal at the Gates)
Zeugitana
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Byzacium
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Aquitania
Tarbelli (Hannibal at the Gates)
Iruna
Vascones (Hannibal at the Gates)
Libisosa
Oretani (Hannibal at the Gates)
Numantia
Arevaci (Hannibal at the Gates)
Carpetania
Carpetani (Hannibal at the Gates)
Corsica
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Sardinia
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Barbaria
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Arretium
Rasenna (Hannibal at the Gates)
Pisae
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Tarquinii
Rasenna (Hannibal at the Gates)
Asturica
Astures (Hannibal at the Gates)
Lugos
Gallaeci (Hannibal at the Gates)
Pallantia
Vaccaei (Hannibal at the Gates)
Portus Amanum
Cantabri (Hannibal at the Gates)
Liguria
Liguria (Hannibal at the Gates)
Venetia
Veneti (Hannibal at the Gates)
Gallia Cispadana
Boii (Hannibal at the Gates)
Gallia Transpadana
Insubres (Hannibal at the Gates)
Lugdunensis
Allobroges (Hannibal at the Gates)
Massalia
Massalia (Hannibal at the Gates)
Nemausus
Volcae (Hannibal at the Gates)
Tolosa
Volcae (Hannibal at the Gates)
Cissis
Cessetani (Hannibal at the Gates)
Emporion
Emporion (Hannibal at the Gates)
Ilerda
Illergetes (Hannibal at the Gates)
Salduba
Illercavones (Hannibal at the Gates)
Bastetania
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Baleareis
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Ilici
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Saguntum
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Campania
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Latium
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Tarracina
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Celtica
Celtici (Hannibal at the Gates)
Helmantica
Vettones (Hannibal at the Gates)
Lusitania
Lusotannan (Hannibal at the Gates)
Lucania
Safineis (Hannibal at the Gates)
Croton
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Apulia
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Thurii
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Atlas
Gaetuli (Hannibal at the Gates)
Siga
Masaesyli (Hannibal at the Gates)
Tingitana
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Volubilis
Mauri (Hannibal at the Gates)
Cirtensis
Massyli (Hannibal at the Gates)
Ubon
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Iol
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Sitifensis
Masaesyli (Hannibal at the Gates)
Barium
Safineis (Hannibal at the Gates)
Beneventum
Safineis (Hannibal at the Gates)
Sipontum
Safineis (Hannibal at the Gates)
Lilybaion
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Messana
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Sirako
Syrakousai (Hannibal at the Gates)
Terra Incognita
Tripolis
Libya (Hannibal at the Gates)
Takape
Libya (Hannibal at the Gates)
Thenteos
Igharimen (Hannibal at the Gates)
Turris Tamalleni
Igharimen (Hannibal at the Gates)
Gadir
Qarthadastim (Hannibal at the Gates)
Kartuba
Turdetani (Hannibal at the Gates)
Ancona
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Corfinium
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Pisaurum
Roma (Hannibal at the Gates)
Spoletium
Rasenna (Hannibal at the Gates)