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Assault Bireme - Legionarii Classici RomaRoma Melee Ship

Assault Bireme - Legionarii Classici

A bireme is a 30 meter long oared warship (galley) with two decks of oars, thought to have been invented by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BCE. Often called a liburnia in later Roman fleets, these swift yet durable warships are excellent for boarding actions and coastal patrols.

(Roman Legionary Marines)

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.

(Legionarii Classici)
The military reforms of Gaius Marius in 104BC transformed the Roman army into a professional fighting force. Recruits were no longer required to own land in order to be soldiers: Roman citizenship was enough. Without farms to return to, men were willing to make the army their career, fighting lengthy campaigns in return for the pay, glory and retirement benefits. The Legions were equipped at the expense of the state, and each man carried a pilum, a gladius and a large 'scutum' shield, emblazoned with their Legion’s insignia. Under Marius men were expected to carry their own equipment, removing the need for large baggage trains manned by non-combatants. Unfortunately for the men this meant that they were carrying kit that weighed around 45 kilos, earning them the nickname 'Marius' mules'.

Assault Bireme - Legionarii Classici

Unit Name

Assault Bireme - Legionarii Classici

Main Unit Key

Rom_Assault_Bireme_Late

Land Unit Key

Jay_Marine_Legionaries_Scouts

Naval Unit Key

roman_two

Soldiers

60

Category

Light Ship

Class

Melee Ship

Custom Battle Cost

938

Recruitment Cost

938

Upkeep Cost

234

Missile Damage

16

├ Missile Weapon

pilum2

├ Projectile

pilum2

├ Missile Damage

13

├ Missile Ap Damage

3

└ Base Reload Time

6

Accuracy

5

Range

80

Reload

0

Shots Per Minute

10

Ammunition

5

Ship Health

501

└ Ship

roman_two

Ship Speed

4

Melee Attack

31

Weapon Damage

10

├ Melee Weapon

gladius2

├ Weapon Damage

9

├ Weapon Deadliness

1

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Cavalry

0

├ Bonus vs. Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

11

Melee Defence

75

├ Base Defence

23

├ Shield

shield5

└ Shield Defence

52

Armour

16

├ Armour

arm9

├ Armour Defence

16

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

24

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_very_heavy

├ Man Health

20

└ Bonus Hit Points

4

Base Morale

65

Abilities

Assault Bireme
  • Row Hard 10
    Increases speed for 10 strokes.
    Ship speed
Legionarii Classici
  • Stamina (good)
    Governs how fast the unit tires and restores fatigue, and is dependent on type of unit, weight and approach to combat.
  • Throw Pila (medium)
    Orders the unit to throw their pila towards a spot causing damage to everyone in the area of effect
    NOTE: you cannot throw Pila when you are inside a formation
  • Hollow Square
    The unit forms a hollow square formation to cover all four sides and improve morale and defense but renders itself unable to move with lower attack
  • Repellere Equites (Repel Cavalry)
    The soldiers raise their shields in defense, increasing bracing and ability to fight against mounted units; however, in this formation the unit cannot move

Attributes

  • Disciplined
    This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
  • Hide (forest)
    This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Bireme
  • Very poor hull strength
  • Very light crew
  • Fast speed
  • Weak ramming
  • Good boarding
Legionarii Classici
  • Good attack
  • Average defence
  • Average damage but low armour penetration
  • Normal morale
Recuitment Requirement
Required Technology Roman Unit Upgrades Cost 600 Upgrade From Assault Bireme - Classiarii
Requires Buildings
Assault Bireme - Legionarii Classici Lv. 0 Port of Alexandria
Port of Alexandria
(dei_port_ALEXANDRIA_2)
Level 1
Port of Alexandria
Port of Alexandria
(dei_port_ALEXANDRIA_3)
Level 2
Port of Alexandria
Port of Alexandria
(dei_port_ALEXANDRIA_4)
Level 3
Cothon
Cothon
(dei_port_CARTHAGE_2)
Level 1
Cothon
Cothon
(dei_port_CARTHAGE_3)
Level 2
Cothon
Cothon
(dei_port_CARTHAGE_4)
Level 3
Port of Massalia
Port of Massalia
(dei_port_MASSILIA_2)
Level 1
Port of Massalia
Port of Massalia
(dei_port_MASSILIA_3)
Level 2
Port of Massalia
Port of Massalia
(dei_port_MASSILIA_4)
Level 3
Port of Rhodos
Port of Rhodos
(dei_port_RHODES_2)
Level 1
Port of Rhodos
Port of Rhodos
(dei_port_RHODES_3)
Level 2
Port of Rhodos
Port of Rhodos
(dei_port_RHODES_4)
Level 3
Fishing Port
Fishing Port
(rom_ROMAN_port_food_2)
Level 1
Fishmongers
Fishmongers
(rom_ROMAN_port_food_3)
Level 2
Forum Piscarium
Forum Piscarium
(rom_ROMAN_port_food_4)
Level 3
Military Wharf
Military Wharf
(rom_ROMAN_port_large_military_2)
Level 1
Drydock
Drydock
(rom_ROMAN_port_large_military_3)
Level 2
Portus Classis
Portus Classis
(rom_ROMAN_port_large_military_4)
Level 3
Fishing Port
Fishing Port
(rom_ROMAN_port_minor_food_2)
Level 1
Fishing Port
Fishing Port
(rom_ROMAN_port_minor_food_2)
Level 1
Fishmongers
Fishmongers
(rom_ROMAN_port_minor_food_3)
Level 2
Fishmongers
Fishmongers
(rom_ROMAN_port_minor_food_3)
Level 2
Shipwright
Shipwright
(rom_ROMAN_port_minor_small_military_2)
Level 1
Docks
Docks
(rom_ROMAN_port_minor_small_military_3)
Level 2
Harbour
Harbour
(rom_ROMAN_port_minor_trade_2)
Level 1
Trading Port
Trading Port
(rom_ROMAN_port_minor_trade_3)
Level 2
Shipwright
Shipwright
(rom_ROMAN_port_small_military_2)
Level 1
Docks
Docks
(rom_ROMAN_port_small_military_3)
Level 2
Coastal Patrol
Coastal Patrol
(rom_ROMAN_port_small_military_4)
Level 3
Harbour
Harbour
(rom_ROMAN_port_trade_2)
Level 1
Trading Port
Trading Port
(rom_ROMAN_port_trade_3)
Level 2
Emporium
Emporium
(rom_ROMAN_port_trade_4)
Level 3