Ardiaei Melee Ship

Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Thureos Spears

These magnificent ships are both intimidating and extremely dangerous.

Well able to pepper a foe with javelins, these warriors can fight hand-to-hand.

As centuries passed, naval tactics and needs changed across the Mediterranean. There was a move towards larger ships, partly as an expression of national or dynastic power: the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt were particularly fond of large ships to show their wealth and influence in a physical way. These 'polyremes', a term meaning many oared, were not suitable for ramming work in battle. In practice many of them had no more oars than smaller ships; what they had were more rowers per oar than smaller ships. A Roman hexareme or Greek hexeres would have a couple of banks of oars with three men per oar, and appear to be an over-sized version of a smaller ship. Even so, thanks to being tremendously heavy and strongly constructed, they were slow moving, and hardly capable of the quick turns needed to take advantage of enemy mistakes. Instead the large ships made use of their wide decks and plentiful carrying capacities and became fighting platforms for infantry and artillery. Boarding or long-range bombardment were the methods to be used to defeat the enemy; naval warfare had come full circle in terms of fighting methods, even if ships had grown significantly.

(Illyrian Thureos Spears)
The thureos, a large oval-shaped shield, became common throughout the Hellenistic world from the 3rd century BC. Made from wood covered in hide, it differed from the earlier Greek hoplon in having a central handgrip, which was protected by a vertical spine running the length of the shield. This in turn could be further reinforced by the addition of a wide metal strip that protected the grip and the user’s hand. Inspired by the sub-rectangular and oval shields of the Celts, possibly through contact with the migrating Galatians, its usage seems to have spread through the Illyrian and Thracian tribes before it was adopted by the Greeks. Although large, the thureos was light in comparison to the traditional hoplon, and was adopted by heavily-armoured peltasts. Named after their shields, 'thureophoroi' could fight as common peltasts, skirmishing with javelins, but could also form up with their larger shields and longer spears in a similar fashion to a phalanx. The versatile and useful design of the thureos meant it was used by many armies, including the auxiliaries and cavalry of the later Roman Legions.

Abilities

Assault Hexeres

• Row Hard 30
  Increases speed for 30 strokes.
  Ship speed

Illyrian Thureos Spears

• Square
  The unit moves into a close square formation.
  Bracing, morale, melee defence
  Can't move
• Rapid Advance
  Improved unit movement speed over an extended period.
  Speed, acceleration, charge speed
  Exertion: fatigue

Attributes

• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Hexeres

• Very good hull strength
• Heavy crew
• Slow speed
• Strong ramming
• Very good boarding

Illyrian Thureos Spears

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

Ardiaei Units
General (5)
1.Illyrian Cavalry
2.Illyrian Hoplites
3.Illyrian Noble Hoplites
4.Illyrian Expert Swords
5.Illyrian Mounted Swordmasters
Melee Infantry (9)
6.Illyrian Levies
7.Illyrian Raiders
8.Illyro-Italian Infantry Cohort
9.Taulantian Noble Guard
10.Illyrian Infantry
11.Veteran Illyrian Infantry
12.Illyrian Levy Footmen
13.Grosphomachoi
14.Illyrian Expert Swords
Missile Infantry (4)
15.Slave Javelinmen
16.Slave Slingers
17.Illyro-Italian Bow Auxiliaries
18.Illyrian Archers
Spear Infantry (11)
19.Illyrian Hoplites
20.Illyrian Marines
21.Illyrian Noble Hoplites
22.Illyrian Spearmen
23.Illyrian Thureos Spears
24.Illyrian Tribesmen
25.Illyrian Spear Warband
26.Corcyran Free-Company Spearmen
27.Sibunetes
28.Molossian Shieldsworn
29.Illyrian Disciplined Spearmen
Melee Cavalry (4)
30.Illyrian Cavalry
31.Illyrian Light Cavalry
32.Illyrian Mounted Swordmasters
33.Illyrian Spear Riders
Missile Cavalry (1)
34.Dardanian Bondsman Cavalry
Fixed Artillery (1)
35.Greek Bastion Scorpion
Field Artillery (5)
36.Greek Bastion Ballista
37.Greek Ballista
38.Greek Scorpion
39.Greek Bastion Onager
40.Greek Onager
Special (1)
41.Molossian War Dogs
Admiral (2)
42.Scorpion Trieres - Slave Slingers
43.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Thureos Spears
Melee Ship (7)
44.Assault Tetreres - Illyrian Marines
45.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Marines
46.Assault Dieres - Illyrian Raiders
47.Assault Tetreres - Illyrian Spearmen
48.Assault Hexeres - Illyrian Thureos Spears
49.Fire Pot Dieres - Illyrian Tribesmen
50.Assault Dieres - Illyrian Tribesmen
Missile Ship (7)
51.Raiding Hemiolia - Slave Javelinmen
52.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Slave Javelinmen
53.Tower Penteres - Slave Slingers
54.Scorpion Penteres - Slave Slingers
55.Missile Penteres - Slave Slingers
56.Scorpion Trieres - Slave Slingers
57.Missile Trieres - Slave Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
58.Light Artillery Penteres - Greek Ballista (Ship)
59.Artillery Penteres - Greek Onager (Ship)