Latin Rebels (Hannibal at the Gates) Melee Ship

Fire Pot Bireme - Italian Spearmen

Fire pots, hurled onto enemy decks, are a terrible threat to wooden ships.

Angry Italians with spears should never be dismissed lightly.

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.

(Italian Spearmen)
Before Rome controlled the whole of Italy it shared the peninsula with others, such as the Etruscans and Samnites. These various petty kingdoms, cities and tribes often fought each other, but also united against common external threats. It was as the Etruscans waned and Greek influence fell away that the Romans began steadily accumulating land and power. After three wars against the Samnites, Rome finally became the dominant power in Italy, and extracted pledges of loyalty and military aid from the 'Socii Latini', its Latin allies. There were further rebellions against Rome’s dominance, the most significant being the Allied War of 90-88BC, when many of the Socii turned on Rome. Clearly, this gave the Romans pause, as the peace settlement after was surprisingly generous: it gave the Socii the right of full Roman citizenship, giving them a stake in Rome's continued survival and effectively uniting the whole of Italy under their rule.

Abilities

Fire Pot Bireme

• Row Hard 10
  Increases speed for 10 strokes.
  Ship speed

Italian Spearmen

• Rapid Advance
  Improved unit movement speed over an extended period.
  Speed, acceleration, charge speed
  Exertion: fatigue

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

Fire Pot Bireme

• Very poor hull strength
• Very light crew
• Fast speed
• Very strong initial ramming
• Good boarding

Italian Spearmen

• Good defensive unit
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Average attack
• Normal morale

Latin Rebels (Hannibal at the Gates) Units
General (2)
1.Italian Noble Cavalry
2.Italian Noble Infantry
Melee Infantry (11)
3.Mob
4.Italian Swordsmen
5.Illyro-Italian Infantry Cohort
6.Italian Noble Swordsmen
7.Italian Veteran Swordsmen
8.Revered Thorax Swordsmen
9.Etruscan Reformed Infantry
10.Etruscan Noble Warriors
11.Etruscan Fierce Axes
12.Tarquinian Swordsmen
13.Italian Legionaries
Missile Infantry (5)
14.Levy Skirmishers
15.Levy Slingers
16.Illyro-Italian Bow Auxiliaries
17.Scout Archers
18.Etruscan Peltasts
Pike Infantry (2)
19.Etruscan Pikes
20.Etruscan Thorax Pikes
Spear Infantry (9)
21.Italian Noble Infantry
22.Italian Spearmen
23.Italian Veteran Spearmen
24.Italian Royal Spears
25.Etruscan Heavy Spearmen
26.Etruscan Thorax Spearmen
27.Etruscan Veteran Hoplites
28.Etruscan Spearmen
29.Etruscan Citizen Hoplites
Melee Cavalry (5)
30.Italian Cavalry
31.Italian Noble Cavalry
32.Etruscan Honoured Cavalry
33.Medium Spear Cavalry
34.Warrior Horse
Missile Cavalry (1)
35.Etruscan Cavalry
Chariot (1)
36.Chariot Nobles
Field Artillery (3)
37.Roman Bastion Ballista
38.Roman Ballista
39.Roman Scorpion
Admiral (2)
40.Scorpion Trireme - Levy Skirmishers
41.Assault Hexareme - Italian Swordsmen
Melee Ship (5)
42.Assault Quadreme - Italian Spearmen
43.Fire Pot Bireme - Italian Spearmen
44.Assault Bireme - Italian Spearmen
45.Harpax Hexareme - Italian Swordsmen
46.Assault Hexareme - Italian Swordsmen
Missile Ship (5)
47.Scorpion Trireme - Levy Skirmishers
48.Missile Trireme - Levy Skirmishers
49.Raiding Hemiolia - Levy Skirmishers
50.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Levy Skirmishers
51.Missile Quinquereme - Levy Slingers
Artillery Ship (1)
52.Light Artillery Quinquereme - Roman Ballista (Ship)