Syracuse Melee Ship

Assault Hexeres - Thorax Swordsmen

These magnificent ships are both intimidating and extremely dangerous.

These well-protected warriors are a danger, both in melee and with their javelins.

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.

(Thorax Swordsmen)
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

Thorax Swordsmen

• Shieldwall
  The unit moves into a close formation and raises shields.
  Armour strength, bracing, melee defence, shield strength
  Limited speed
• Use the Whip
  Improved attack and fatigue resistance for a short time.
  Melee attack, weapon damage, fatigue resistance
  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

Assault Hexeres

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

Thorax Swordsmen

• Good attack
• Average defence
• Average damage but low armour penetration
• Normal morale

Syracuse Units
General (3)
1.Hippeus Lancers
2.Hoplites
3.Picked Hoplites
Melee Infantry (5)
4.Mob
5.Thorax Swordsmen
6.Thureos Swordsmen
7.Hellenic Axemen
8.Hellenic Swordmen
Missile Infantry (7)
9.Archers
10.Javelinmen
11.Light Peltasts
12.Peltasts
13.Slingers
14.Cretan Toxotai
15.Rhodian Sphendonetai
Pike Infantry (1)
16.Pikemen
Spear Infantry (9)
17.Citizen Hoplites
18.Hoplites
19.Light Hoplites
20.Militia Hoplites
21.Picked Hoplites
22.Thorax Hoplites
23.Thureos Hoplites
24.Thureos Spears
25.Thorax Spearmen
Melee Cavalry (1)
26.Citizen Cavalry
Missile Cavalry (2)
27.Skirmisher Cavalry
28.Tarantine Cavalry
Shock Cavalry (1)
29.Hippeus Lancers
Fixed Artillery (4)
30.Greek Giant Ballista
31.Greek Polybolos
32.Greek Bastion Scorpion
33.Greek Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (7)
34.Greek Bastion Ballista
35.Greek Ballista
36.Greek Beehive Onager
37.Greek Scorpion
38.Greek Heavy Onager
39.Greek Bastion Onager
40.Greek Onager
Special (1)
41.Molossian War Dogs
Admiral (2)
42.Tower Penteres - Archers
43.Assault Hexeres - Thorax Swordsmen
Melee Ship (6)
44.Fire Pot Dieres - Light Peltasts
45.Assault Dieres - Light Peltasts
46.Fire Pot Dieres - Militia Hoplites
47.Assault Dieres - Militia Hoplites
48.Assault Hexeres - Thorax Swordsmen
49.Assault Tetreres - Thureos Spears
Missile Ship (7)
50.Scorpion Penteres - Archers
51.Tower Penteres - Archers
52.Missile Penteres - Archers
53.Raiding Hemiolia - Javelinmen
54.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Javelinmen
55.Scorpion Trieres - Slingers
56.Missile Trieres - Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
57.Light Artillery Penteres - Greek Ballista (Ship)
58.Artillery Penteres - Greek Onager (Ship)