Ma'in (Imperator Augustus) Melee Ship

Assault Dieres - Levy Spearmen

With a ramming attack that can break an enemy hull, these ships are deadly weapons.

Levies are plentiful, and can stand in battle when properly commanded.

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.

(Levy Spearmen)
Throughout the civilised world, levies formed the backbone of many armies. Called to service from among citizens or subjects, they followed a long tradition that began, in Greece at least, with hoplite warfare between the city-states. Equipped with spears, these levied phalanxes could present a formidable wall of spear points to other infantry and cavalry. What levies lacked in skill and discipline compared to professional soldiers and mercenaries, they made up for in numbers and the advantage their weaponry provided. These troops, especially the citizen-levy of the Greek city-states, were at first expected to provide their own arms and equipment. As time passed, the citizen army developed into a more formalised body in which arms and equipment were provided. Often, however, personal loyalty to a general or king replaced any sense of civic duty, although 'civic duty' might be grudging to say the least in men taken from their homes, families and livelihoods, and thrust into battle.

Abilities

Assault Dieres

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

Levy Spearmen

• Square
  The unit moves into a close square formation.
  Bracing, morale, melee defence
  Can't move

Attributes

• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Dieres

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

Levy Spearmen

• Average defensive unit
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Weak attack
• Poor morale

Ma'in (Imperator Augustus) Units
General (1)
1.Noble Swordsmen
Missile Infantry (4)
2.Archers
3.Javelinmen
4.Tribal Slingers
5.Tribesmen
Spear Infantry (2)
6.Large Shield Warriors
7.Levy Spearmen
Missile Cavalry (1)
8.Skirmisher Cavalry
Chariot (1)
9.Chariot Raiders
Fixed Artillery (3)
10.African Giant Ballista
11.African Bastion Scorpion
12.African Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (6)
13.African Bastion Ballista
14.African Ballista
15.African Scorpion
16.African Heavy Onager
17.African Bastion Onager
18.African Onager
Admiral (1)
19.Missile Penteres - Archers
Melee Ship (3)
20.Fire Pot Dieres - Levy Spearmen
21.Assault Dieres - Levy Spearmen
22.Assault Hexeres - Large Shield Warriors
Missile Ship (6)
23.Tower Penteres - Archers
24.Missile Penteres - Archers
25.Raiding Hemiolia - Javelinmen
26.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Javelinmen
27.Scorpion Trieres - Tribal Slingers
28.Missile Trieres - Tribal Slingers
Artillery Ship (2)
29.Light Artillery Penteres - African Ballista (Ship)
30.Artillery Penteres - African Onager (Ship)