Insubres (Rise of the Republic) Melee Ship

Medium Assault Raider - Gallic Elder Swordsmen

Able to withstand rough seas, these ships' crews can capture enemy vessels in any weather.

These men fight with proven bravery and well-honed skill-at-arms.

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.

(Gallic Elder Swordsmen)
Livy writes that during the reign of Rome's fifth king, Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, a large number of Gallic tribes invaded Italy, coming first into contact with Etruscans dwelling between the Apennines and the Alps. At the time, the supreme power among Gallic tribes north of the Alps were the Bituriges, led by Ambigatus. The Gauls suffering from overpopulation, which encouraged Ambigatus to send his sister's sons, Bellovesus and Segovesus, to settle new lands and defeat any opposition. Following divination by the druids, Segovesus headed into the Hercynian Forest, while Bellovesus led his people towards Italy. No Gaul had crossed the Alps before, but after receiving support from the Greeks in the nearby port-city of Massilia, Bellovesus followed a divine omen and succeeded in making the hazardous journey. The Gallic tribes arrived in Etruscan lands and, when finding little more than an armed militia, slaughtered the Etruscan warriors, settling the area and calling it 'Insubria'. Shortly afterward, a major battle was fought at the River Ticinus, where the Gauls, now calling themselves 'Insubres', founded the settlement of Mediolanum. Following the route set by Bellovesus and the Bituriges, other tribes crossed the Alps into Italy, eventually leading to the sacking of Rome by the Senones.

Abilities

Medium Assault Raider

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

Attributes

• Encourage
  This unit provides a morale bonus to nearby allies.
• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Medium Assault Raider

• Good hull strength
• Medium crew
• Fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Good boarding

Gallic Elder Swordsmen

• Very good attack
• Average defence
• Average damage but low armour penetration
• Good morale

Insubres (Rise of the Republic) Units
General (3)
1.Gallic Elder Swordsmen
2.Gallic Heavy Spearmen
3.Noble Horsemen
Melee Infantry (21)
4.Gallic Elder Swordsmen
5.Longsword Warriors
6.Native Aequi Swordsmen
7.Native Bruttii Tribesmen
8.Native Carthaginian Infantry
9.Native Italian Hillmen
10.Native Italian Swordsmen
11.Native Latin Tribesmen
12.Native Ligurian Axe Warriors
13.Native Ligurian Swordsmen
14.Native Lucanian Warriors
15.Naked Native Warriors
16.Native Sabine Warriors
17.Native Samnite Infantryman
18.Native Sardi Hillmen
19.Native Sicilian Tribesmen
20.Native Umbrian Hillmen
21.Native Volsci Warriors
22.Gallic Axemen
23.Tribeless Warriors
24.Young Swords
Missile Infantry (13)
25.Highland Hunters
26.Native Iapygian Archers
27.Native Iapygian Javelinmen
28.Native Bruttii Slingers
29.Native Greek Archers
30.Native Italian Skirmishers
31.Native Italian Slingers
32.Native Lucanian Ambushers
33.Native Sabine Skirmishers
34.Native Sardi Bowmen
35.Gallic Hunters
36.Gallic Skirmishers
37.Tribeless Slingers
Spear Infantry (9)
38.Gallic Heavy Spearmen
39.Native Carthaginian Spearmen
40.Native Etruscan Spearmen
41.Native Greek Militia
42.Native Latin Spearmen
43.Native Umbrian Spearmen
44.Native Volsci Spearmen
45.Gallic Spearmen
46.Tribeless Spearmen
Melee Cavalry (6)
47.Native Aequi Horsemen
48.Native Campanian Cavalry
49.Native Ligurian Horsemen
50.Gallic Axe Cavalry
51.Gallic Horsemen
52.Noble Horsemen
Missile Cavalry (3)
53.African Cavalry
54.Native Veneti Raiders
55.Gallic Horse Skirmishers
Chariot (1)
56.Gallic Chariots
Elephant (1)
57.African Elephants
Admiral (1)
58.Medium Assault Raider - Gallic Elder Swordsmen
Melee Ship (9)
59.Assault Tetreres - Carthaginian Hoplites
60.Assault Hexeres - Sacred Band
61.Assault Dieres - Carthaginian Infantry
62.Assault Dieres - Carthaginian Hoplites
63.Assault Dieres - Sword Militia
64.Medium Assault Raider - Longsword Warriors
65.Medium Assault Raider - Gallic Elder Swordsmen
66.Assault Raider - Gallic Axemen
67.Assault Raider - Tribeless Warriors
Missile Ship (4)
68.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Carthaginian Javelinmen
69.Missile Raider - Highland Hunters
70.Missile Raider - Tribeless Slingers
71.Missile Raider - Gallic Hunters