Odrysian Kingdom Melee Ship

Assault Raider - Thracian Warriors

Useful ships, with crews large enough to board enemy vessels.

A Thracian thinks himself unequalled by others. Perhaps he is right?

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.

(Thracian Warriors)
There were some forty tribes of Thracians who shared a common language and culture, inhabiting a vast area north of the Greek city-states. They were seen as war-loving, rebellious, rambunctious, bad enemies, and good allies in a fight. Many Greeks dreaded a time when they would be united under a single leader and sweep southwards. Such a turn of events never happened, but Thracians could be found across much of the Greek and Persian world fighting as mercenaries; they often specialised as skirmishers and light troops. At the Battle of Raphia in 217BC there were Thracians in both opposing armies, ready to do bloody work. The forward curving rhomphaia with its razor-sharp blade and long handle could lop off limbs in the hands of a skilled user, and Thracians were certainly skilled. The most famous Thracian 'general' of all never actually fought an action in Thrace or in command of a Thracian army; he was Spartacus, the commander of the last great slave rebellion against Rome in 73-71BC.

Abilities

Assault Raider

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

Thracian Warriors

• 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.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Raider

• Average hull strength
• Light crew
• Very fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Average boarding

Thracian Warriors

• Average attack
• Weak defence
• Average damage but low armour penetration
• Poor morale

Odrysian Kingdom Units
General (6)
1.Thracian Nobles
2.Thracian Royal Cavalry
3.Mounted Spears of Cicones
4.Spears of Ismara
5.Thracian Chosen Cavalry
6.Thracian Chosen Infantry
Melee Infantry (10)
7.Thracian Nobles
8.Thracian Warriors
9.Thracian Chosen Infantry
10.Thracian Infantry
11.Triballoi Swordsmen
12.Costobocii Axemen
13.Dii Swordsmen
14.Thracian Elite Infantry
15.Thracian Trained Swords
16.Gallo-Thracian Infantry
Missile Infantry (6)
17.Thracian Bowmen
18.Thracian Peltasts
19.Thracian Skirmishers
20.Thracian Slingers
21.Tribal Garrison
22.Thracian Noble Peltasts
Spear Infantry (6)
23.Spears
24.Getohellenic Hoplites
25.Bessi Spearmen
26.Thracian Levy Spears
27.Spears of Ismara
28.Geto-Hellenic Veteran Hoplites
Melee Cavalry (3)
29.Thracian Horsemen
30.Thracian Royal Cavalry
31.Mounted Spears of Cicones
Missile Cavalry (2)
32.Thracian Cavalry
33.Thracian Chosen Cavalry
Fixed Artillery (3)
34.Dacian Giant Ballista
35.Dacian Bastion Scorpion
36.Dacian Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (6)
37.Dacian Bastion Ballista
38.Dacian Ballista
39.Dacian Scorpion
40.Dacian Heavy Onager
41.Dacian Bastion Onager
42.Dacian Onager
Admiral (2)
43.Heavy Raider - Thracian Nobles
44.Medium Missile Raider - Thracian Slingers
Melee Ship (4)
45.Heavy Raider - Thracian Nobles
46.Persian Assault Teteres - Thracian Warriors
47.Medium Assault Raider - Thracian Warriors
48.Assault Raider - Thracian Warriors
Missile Ship (3)
49.Greek Missile Penteres - Thracian Bowmen
50.Missile Raider - Thracian Skirmishers
51.Medium Missile Raider - Thracian Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
52.Roman Light Artillery Quinquereme - Dacian Ballista (Ship)
53.Roman Artillery Quinquereme - Dacian Onager (Ship)