Iapygian Rebels (Rise of the Republic) Missile Ship

Missile Trieres - Iapygian Peltasts

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

Messapia's finest skirmishers are the first into battle, filling the sky - and the enemy frontline - with their deadly javelins.

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.

(Iapygian Peltasts)
Like the Siculi tribe to the west in Sicily, Messapian warriors favoured large shields and open-faced, Illyrian style helmets, albeit with more crests and, on occasion, horns. Their weapon of choice was the spear; some Iapygian tribes, like their Illyrian ancestors, adopted the Greek style of hoplite phalanx combat, whilst others fought in a less organised style, using shorter, multi-purpose spears. Short melee weapons were also used, such as the curved 'kopis' swords and one-handed axes. Messapian warfare was a mixture of their Illyrian heritage and the influence of their Oscan neighbours. The former employed skirmishers, who were useful for raiding and piracy, while the latter wasn't able to field javelinmen and slingers in any numbers, instead relying on mounted nobles supported by their retainers. According to Herodotus, Oscan tribal cavalry was crucial in holding off Taras' invasion of Messapian and Peucetian towns in 473BC, an action which extended the conflict until 467BC. The king of Messapia later made two alliances with Athens, around 430BC and again in 418 BC, supplying the Athenians with javelinmen for the war against Syracuse.

Abilities

Missile Trieres

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

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

Iapygian Peltasts

• Short range
• Fast rate of fire
• Very good damage and armour penetration
• Large shield
• Very weak in melee
• Poor morale

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