Iceni (Imperator Augustus) Melee Ship

Heavy Raider - Painted Ones

Strong warships, constructed to withstand the worst the sea can throw at them.

Inhumanly decorated, and inhumanly savage, these men are dangerous indeed.

Most of the northern European tribes were not naval powers, but there were still able seafarers to be found amongst them. Shipbuilding techniques were well understood, so while many vessels were small leather-skinned boats for inland and inshore use, bigger sea-going vessels were also made. Shipwrights used heavy planking for hulls, stitched together and then fastened to a wooden skeleton to create sturdy craft able to cope with Atlantic conditions. Julius Caesar was surprised at the quality of the enemy ships when his fleet clashed with the Veneti from modern-day Brittany. The Veneti vessels had flat bottoms to cope with shallows, but were also of heavy oak construction to cope with rough seas. This made them tough opposition for Roman galleys, and capable of shrugging off a ramming attack. Caesar said that the enemy ships "...were constructed of planks a foot in breadth, fastened by iron spikes the thickness of a man's thumb; the anchors were secured fast by iron chains instead of cables”. When the Romans were forced to board, they faced fearsome warriors used to close-quarters fighting at sea.

(Painted Ones)
The painted warriors of Britain were recognisable thanks to the blue designs adorning their skin and made famous by Julius Caesar’s 'De Bello Gallico'. Their bravery and savagery is evident from his commentaries. Fighting unarmoured, and sometimes naked in the style of the Gaulish Gaesatae or the northern Picts, the painted ones relied on their skills with the Celtic longsword, a weapon designed to slash and hack rather than stab, and their tall shields, which could also be used as a weapon in its own right. Their tattoos generally took the form of curlicue lines, dashes and circles, which mirrored abstracted animal and natural forms. Frightening to behold, these designs probably held religious significance, uniting the warriors with their gods, their lands and their tribes. Whether woad was the source of the blue dye or some mixture of copper and iron that Caesar referred to as 'vitrum' is not entirely clear. Woad, however, does make a better candidate as it has slightly antiseptic properties.

Abilities

Heavy Raider

• Row Hard 20
  Increases speed for 20 strokes.
  Ship speed

Painted Ones

• Shieldwall
  The unit moves into a close formation and raises shields.
  Armour strength, bracing, melee defence, shield strength
  Limited speed
• 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 Cold
  This unit tires less quickly in snow.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Heavy Raider

• Very good hull strength
• Medium crew
• Average speed
• Average ramming
• Very good boarding

Painted Ones

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

Iceni (Imperator Augustus) Units
General (3)
1.Chariots
2.Heroic Nobles
3.Heroic Riders
Melee Infantry (13)
4.Ambushers
5.Chosen Sword Band
6.Druidic Nobles
7.Heroic Nobles
8.Painted Ones
9.Sword Band
10.Druidic Chieftains
11.Chosen Axe Band
12.Briton Noble Infantry
13.Pict Marauders
14.Briton Long Swords
15.Heroic Guards
16.Briton Levy Swords
Missile Infantry (5)
17.Briton Skirmishers
18.Briton Slingers
19.Briton Archers
20.Pict Noble Bowmen
21.Pict Stalkers
Pike Infantry (1)
22.Great Spears
Spear Infantry (12)
23.Chosen Spear Band
24.Farmers
25.Spear Band
26.Levy Freemen
27.Painted Spear Ones
28.Spear Ambushers
29.Briton Spear Veterans
30.Oak Bearers
31.Pict Spears
32.Grove Guards
33.Briton Levy Spears
34.Briton Heroic Spear Band
Melee Cavalry (7)
35.Heroic Riders
36.Briton Scout Riders
37.Veteran Riders
38.Briton Sword Cavalry
39.Heroic Horse Guards
40.Marauder Horsemen
41.Pict Scouts
Missile Cavalry (1)
42.Pict Raiders
Shock Cavalry (2)
43.Pict Lance Riders
44.Briton Chosen Lance Riders
Chariot (1)
45.Chariots
Fixed Artillery (3)
46.Briton Giant Ballista
47.Briton Bastion Scorpion
48.Briton Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (6)
49.Briton Bastion Ballista
50.Briton Ballista
51.Briton Scorpion
52.Briton Heavy Onager
53.Briton Bastion Onager
54.Briton Onager
Special (1)
55.Celtic Warhounds
Admiral (2)
56.Heavy Raider - Painted Ones
57.Medium Missile Raider - Briton Slingers
Melee Ship (4)
58.Heavy Raider - Painted Ones
59.Persian Assault Teteres - Spear Band
60.Medium Assault Raider - Sword Band
61.Assault Raider - Levy Freemen
Missile Ship (3)
62.Greek Missile Penteres - Briton Slingers
63.Medium Missile Raider - Briton Slingers
64.Missile Raider - Briton Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
65.Roman Light Artillery Quinquereme - Briton Ballista (Ship)
66.Roman Artillery Quinquereme - Briton Onager (Ship)