Samnites (Rise of the Republic) Melee Ship

Medium Assault Raider - Samnite Armoured Spearmen

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

Samnites favour lighter armour than Greeks, for they prefer ease of movement to massed phalanxes.

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.

(Samnite Armoured Spearmen)
The Samnites were a confederation of four ancient Italic tribes: the Hirpini, Caudini, Caraceni and Pentri, who resided in Samnium, in south-central Italy, but are thought to have Sabine roots in the Apennine mountains. The Samnites were a hardy, warlike people, adept at fighting on Italy's uneven hillside terrain. Their manipular formations, in contrast to the phalanx-style combat prevalent across the peninsula, were much better suited to engagements in difficult territory and were the main reason for the Samnites' expansion into Campania. Samnite warriors were as honourable as they were fierce - the notion of slavery was alien to them and they instead chose to live as a society of free men. During the 5th century BC, the Samnites expanded into southern Italy, capturing the Etruscan cities of Capua and Cumae and establishing themselves in Campania. Their way of life made for strong alliances with the mounted nobles of Campania, the Lucanian warriors to the south, and other warlike tribes residing in Samnite lands.

Abilities

Medium Assault Raider

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

Samnite Armoured Spearmen

• Shieldwall
  The unit moves into a close formation and raises shields.
  Armour strength, bracing, melee defence, shield strength
  Limited speed

Attributes

• Formation Attack
  The unit will try to stay in formation when in melee.
• 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

Samnite Armoured Spearmen

• Good defensive unit
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Average attack
• Normal morale

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