Axum (Imperator Augustus) Melee Infantry

Swordsmen

Although some historians use Aethiopia to refer to all of the sub-Saharan regions of Africa, it was commonly used in reference to regions in the south of Egypt that became the Kingdom of Kush. The skilled swordsmen from this area followed a long tradition of elite troops from the south that begun under the Egyptian and Nubian dynasties. Although they went into battle wearing only simple cloth armour, the Aethiopians did employ Greek thureos-like shields. These sported a central handgrip, and offered greater protection than the hide-bound wicker or wooden shields of the sub-Saharan tribes. They also used a form of khopesh-like sword that would eventually evolve into the shotel used by the later warriors of Aksum. This had a forward curving, sickle-like blade designed to reach around an opponent’s shield, either to hook it away or pierce his vital organs.

Unit Name Swordsmen

Main Unit Key Aet_Sword

Land Unit Key Aet_Sword

Naval Unit Key egyptian_transport

Soldiers 160

Category Melee Infantry

Class Melee Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 450

Recruitment Cost 450

Upkeep Cost 70

Missile Damage 34

├ Missile Weapon rome_javelin_precursor

├ Projectile javelin_prec

├ Missile Damage 19

├ Missile Ap Damage 15

└ Base Reload Time 40

Accuracy 5

Range 40

Reload 0

Shots Per Minute 2

Ammunition 2

Melee Attack 28

Weapon Damage 30

├ Melee Weapon rome_generic_sword

├ Melee Damage Base 26

├ Melee Damage Ap 4

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Bonus vs. Large 0

├ Bonus vs Elephants 0

└ Bonus vs Infantry 5

Charge Bonus 13

Melee Defence 64

├ Base Defence 27

├ Shield oval

└ Shield Defence 37

Armour 60

├ Armour cloth

├ Armour Defence 27

└ Shield Armour 33

Health 70

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_medium

├ Man Health 55

└ Bonus Hit Points 15

Base Morale 40

Abilities

• Frenzy
  Improves a unit's charge and weapon damage for an extended period.
  Charge damage, Weapon damage
  Exertion: fatigue

Attributes

• 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

• Very good attack
• Average defence
• Average damage but low armour penetration
• Good morale

Requires Buildings
Lv. 0	Infantry Camp (east_military_infantry_1) Level 0 Infantry Tents (east_military_infantry_2) Level 1 Infantry Quarters (east_military_infantry_3) Level 2

Garrison Buildings
x 2	Village (Amber Shore) (east_amber_1) Level 0 Settlement (Amber Collector) (east_amber_2) Level 1 Polo Pitch (east_city_centre_arena_3) Level 2 Satrap's Palace (east_city_centre_palace_3) Level 2 Spice Bazaar (east_city_centre_spice_3) Level 2 Village (Glassware) (east_glass_1) Level 0 Settlement (Glass Blower) (east_glass_2) Level 1 Village (Gold Mine) (east_gold_1) Level 0 Settlement (Trench Mine) (east_gold_2) Level 1 Village (Grain Fields) (east_grain_1) Level 0 Settlement (Grain Farms) (east_grain_2) Level 1 Village (Horse Trainers) (east_horse_1) Level 0 Settlement (Horse Breeders) (east_horse_2) Level 1 Village (Lead Mine) (east_lead_1) Level 0 Settlement (Trench Mine) (east_lead_2) Level 1 Village (Tannery) (east_leather_1) Level 0 Settlement (Open Air Tannery) (east_leather_2) Level 1 Village (Loggers) (east_lumber_1) Level 0 Settlement (Logging Camp) (east_lumber_2) Level 1 Village (Marble Pit) (east_marble_1) Level 0 Settlement (Marble Quarry) (east_marble_2) Level 1 Infantry Tents (east_military_infantry_2) Level 1 Village (Olive Grove) (east_olive_1) Level 0 Settlement (Olive Press) (east_olive_2) Level 1 Village (Murex Snail Farm) (east_purple_dye_1) Level 0 Settlement (Snail Vats) (east_purple_dye_2) Level 1 Village (Silk Trader) (east_silk_1) Level 0 Settlement (Silk Caravan) (east_silk_2) Level 1 Village (east_town_1) Level 0 Garrison Settlement (east_town_garrison_2) Level 1 Trade Settlement (east_town_trade_2) Level 1 Village (Vineyard) (east_wine_1) Level 0 Settlement (Large Vineyard) (east_wine_2) Level 1
x 4	Town (Amber Trader) (east_amber_3) Level 2 Large Town (Amber Road) (east_amber_4) Level 3 City (east_city_1) Level 0 Royal Karka (east_city_royal_4) Level 3 Satrap Karka (east_city_satrap_4) Level 3 Town (Glass Maker) (east_glass_3) Level 2 Large Town (Master Glass Maker) (east_glass_4) Level 3 Town (Shaft Mine) (east_gold_3) Level 2 Large Town (Sluiced Mine) (east_gold_4) Level 3 Town (Grain Irrigated Farm) (east_grain_3) Level 2 Large Town (Grain Estate) (east_grain_4) Level 3 Town (Master Horse Breeders) (east_horse_3) Level 2 Settlement (Shieldmaker) (east_iron_armour_2) Level 1 Town (Armourer) (east_iron_armour_3) Level 2 Settlement (Blacksmith) (east_iron_weapon_2) Level 1 Town (Weaponsmith) (east_iron_weapon_3) Level 2 Town (Shaft Mine) (east_lead_3) Level 2 Large Town (Sluiced Mine) (east_lead_4) Level 3 Town (Leather Workshop) (east_leather_3) Level 2 Large Town (Master Leather Workshop) (east_leather_4) Level 3 Town (Timber Yard) (east_lumber_3) Level 2 Large Town (Timber Trader) (east_lumber_4) Level 3 Town (Marble Cutter) (east_marble_3) Level 2 Large Town (Marble Architect) (east_marble_4) Level 3 Infantry Quarters (east_military_infantry_3) Level 2 Royal Barracks (east_military_infantry_4) Level 3 Town (Mola Olearia) (east_olive_3) Level 2 Large Town (Olive Oil Trader) (east_olive_4) Level 3 Town (Dye Works) (east_purple_dye_3) Level 2 Large Town (Master Dye Works) (east_purple_dye_4) Level 3 Town (Silk Market) (east_silk_3) Level 2 Large Town (Silk Road) (east_silk_4) Level 3 Garrison Town (east_town_garrison_3) Level 2 Garrison Large Town (east_town_garrison_4) Level 3 Trade Town (east_town_trade_3) Level 2 Trade Large Town (east_town_trade_4) Level 3 Town (Winemaker) (east_wine_3) Level 2 Large Town (Master Winemaker) (east_wine_4) Level 3
x 6	Royal Large City (east_city_royal_2) Level 1 Royal Kerta (east_city_royal_3) Level 2 Satrap Large City (east_city_satrap_2) Level 1 Satrap Kerta (east_city_satrap_3) Level 2

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Axum Blemmyes Meroe African Rebels
Hannibal at the Gates	African Rebels (Hannibal at the Gates)
Imperator Augustus	African Rebels (Imperator Augustus)