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HomeHome / Total War: Rome II / Mercenaries / Missile Trieres - Mercenary Balearic Slingers
Missile Trieres - Mercenary Balearic Slingers Mercenaries Missile Ship

Missile Trieres - Mercenary Balearic Slingers

A large contingent of archers can make short work of enemy crews.

"Which eye do you want put out?"

Of all the warships found in the ancient world, it is the trireme, or trieres, that remains the most famous and recognisable. Nearly all Hollywood 'sword and sandal' movies will include a trireme somewhere. The vessel was entirely designed for war. Its name came from the three rows of oars carried on each side, stacked above each other in staggered columns to give the rowers some room to work. The top row of oars pivoted on a rowlock, or oarlock, mounted on an outrigger projecting from the hull. This allowed the top oars to pitch down at a sharper angle to reach the sea without getting tangled in the lower ones. The trireme was a greyhound of a ship, capable of high-speed dashes with a well-trained crew and, contrary to popular belief, not all rowers were slaves. Aboard Greek vessels they were citizens, and were given respect, not the lash. They were also largely fair-weather ships, and unsuited to rough seas such as the Atlantic; the lowest level of oars were, at most, less than half a metre above the waterline. That, however, did not stop the trireme being a superb weapon against other ships: a high-speed ramming attack could rip a hole in the side of almost any target. The type was also large enough to be used in other ways, which lead to it carrying archers and assorted light artillery pieces.

(Mercenary Balearic Slingers)
Raised from infancy to perfect their use of the sling, these famed warriors came from the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean. It is said that Balearic mothers did not allow their sons to eat until they had knocked their bread off a wall from a fair distance away. The slings they used were made from hair and animal sinew and, as adult warriors, each slinger carried three types for use at different ranges. Many slingers standing together produced a wave of shot that pierced armour and shattered bone, making them deadlier than even the very best archers. In fact, the Roman general Lucius Aemilius Paullus took a mortal wound to the head from slingshot during the opening minutes of the catastrophic Battle of Cannae. Not surprisingly, due to their geographical location, Balearic slingers were much sought after as mercenaries to fight both for and against Rome, and were reportedly paid in women rather than silver or gold!

Missile Trieres - Mercenary Balearic Slingers

Unit Name

Missile Trieres - Mercenary Balearic Slingers

Main Unit Key

inv_greek_three_mercenary_balearic_slingers

Land Unit Key

inv_mercenary_balearic_slingers

Naval Unit Key

greek_three

Soldiers

80

Category

Medium Ship

Class

Missile Ship

Custom Battle Cost

420

Recruitment Cost

420

Upkeep Cost

315

Missile Damage

29

├ Missile Weapon

rome_sling_lead

├ Projectile

sling_stone_lead

├ Missile Damage

21

├ Missile Ap Damage

8

└ Base Reload Time

10

Accuracy

5

Range

150

Reload

23

Shots Per Minute

8

Ammunition

25

Ship Health

693

└ Ship

greek_three

Ship Speed

6

Melee Attack

10

Weapon Damage

24

├ Melee Weapon

rome_shortsword

├ Melee Damage Base

20

├ Melee Damage Ap

4

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

0

├ Bonus vs Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

4

Melee Defence

38

├ Base Defence

13

├ Shield

celtic_round

└ Shield Defence

25

Armour

25

├ Armour

cloth

├ Armour Defence

10

└ Shield Armour

15

Health

50

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_very_light

├ Man Health

40

└ Bonus Hit Points

10

Base Morale

45

Abilities

Missile Trieres
  • Row Hard 10
    Increases speed for 10 strokes.
    Ship speed
Mercenary Balearic Slingers
  • Quick Reload
    Improved reloading for an extended time.
    Shots per minute
    Exertion: fatigue

Attributes

  • Resistant to Fatigue
    Fatigue has less of an effect on this unit.
  • Hide (scrub & forest)
    This unit can hide in scrub and forest until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Missile Trieres
  • Poor hull strength
  • Light crew
  • Fast speed
  • Weak ramming
  • Poor boarding
  • Average missile combat
Mercenary Balearic Slingers
  • Very long range
  • Average rate of fire
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Very weak in melee
  • Very poor morale

Rise of the Republic Mercenaries Pool

Mercenaries Pool
No. Pool Province Region Initial Unit Count Chance To Replenish Max Replenish Per Turn Max Count
1 inv_province_pool_naval_carthago Carthago Carthago
Kerkouane
Utica
0 0.15 1 2
2 inv_province_pool_naval_carthago Ioleia Cornus
Karalis
Nuraxi
Sulci
0 0.15 1 2
Barion
Herdonia
Sipious
Sylbion
Algarium
Nùgoro
Terranòa
Thathari
Consentia
Croton
Terina
Thurii
Brentesion
Hydros
Manduria
Taras
Capua
Neapolis
Pithekousai
Poseidonia
Carthago
Kerkouane
Utica
Aethalia
Aleria
Mantinon
Pallas
Akragas
Entella
Motya
Panormos
Luna
Pisa
Sarsina
Viesul
Aesernia
Histonium
Teate
Felsina
Parmni
Placentia
Ravenna
Brixia
Eporedia
Mediolanon
Vercelum
Cornus
Karalis
Nuraxi
Sulci
Hipponion
Locri
Rhegion
Skyllition
Anagni
Antium
Casinum
Fregellae
Clavenna
Comum
Oscela
Albingaunum
Asta
Retovium
Stalia
Aceruntia
Elea
Herakleia
Potentia
Ausculum
Firmum
Hadria
Bergamum
Feltria
Sebatum
Tridentum
Ostia
Roma
Alba Fucens
Cures
Nursia
Reate
Bovianum
Compsa
Corfinium
Terventum
Ariminum
Caesena
Sena
Agyrion
Katane
Kephaloidion
Messini
Gela
Hybla Heraea
Leontini
Syrakousai
Fufluna
Tarchuna
Vatluna
Velusna
Terra Incognita
Aritim
Clevsin
Felathri
Siena
Iguvium
Perusia
Sestinum
Spolettium
Cisra
Veii
Patavium
Tarvisium
Tegeste
Vedinum