Assault Dieres - Etruscan Light Spearmen
With a ramming attack that can break an enemy hull, these ships are deadly weapons.Every able man who can wield a spear can fight for their people.
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.
(Etruscan Light Spearmen)
According to Rome's foundation myth, as recounted by Livy, the Etruscans attacked the Latins, leading to the former's defeat and a peace settlement which made the River Tiber the common boundary between them. Following Rome's founding, on the banks of the Tiber in 753BC, conflict between the Etruscans and Romans continued for another five centuries, both militarily and politically. Veii, Fidenae, Tarchuna and Clusium each fought and were defeated by on Rome multiple occasions. The last three kings of Rome were actually of Etruscan descent, a result of the post-war peace treaties between the two states. When the Gallic warbands first defeated the Roman army at the Battle of Allia, prior to the sacking of Rome, the Etruscans tried to capitalise on Rome's disarray, seizing the opportunity to capture Roman lands for themselves. They began by besieging Sutrium, a Roman ally. On the same day that Sutrium fell, the Roman dictator Marcus Furius Camillus marched on the inferior Etruscan forces, compelling them to surrender and offering to spare their lives.
Unit Name Assault Dieres - Etruscan Light Spearmen |
Main Unit Key inv_etr_two_assault_greek_etruscan_light_spearmen |
Land Unit Key inv_etr_light_spearmen |
Naval Unit Key greek_two |
Soldiers 60 |
Category Light Ship |
Class Melee Ship |
Custom Battle Cost 400 |
Recruitment Cost 400 |
Upkeep Cost 80 |
501 |
└ Ship greek_two |
Ship Speed 6 |
Melee Attack 9 |
25 |
├ Melee Weapon rome_spear |
├ Melee Damage Base 20 |
├ Melee Damage Ap 5 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Bonus vs. Large 20 |
├ Bonus vs Elephants 20 |
└ Bonus vs Infantry 0 |
Charge Bonus 5 |
30 |
├ Base Defence 5 |
├ Shield oval |
└ Shield Defence 25 |
45 |
├ Armour cloth |
├ Armour Defence 10 |
└ Shield Armour 35 |
45 |
├ Man Entity rome_infantry_medium |
├ Man Health 40 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 5 |
Base Morale 30 |
Abilities
Assault Dieres- Row Hard 10
Increases speed for 10 strokes.
Ship speed
- Shieldwall
The unit moves into a close formation and raises shields.
Armour strength, bracing, melee defence, shield strength
Limited speed
Attributes
- Hide (forest)
This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Assault Dieres- Very poor hull strength
- Very light crew
- Fast speed
- Weak ramming
- Good boarding
- Good defensive unit
- Low damage but average armour penetration
- Average attack
- Normal morale
Faction Availability | |
---|---|
Rise of the Republic |