Samnites (Rise of the Republic) Missile Ship

Medium Missile Raider - Italian Skirmishers

Tough warships for harrying the enemy, constructed to take on the worst of seas.

These levies are armed with javelins, and skirmish in front of the main battle line.

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.

(Italian Skirmishers)
Before Rome's ascension and eventual conquest of Italy, it shared the peninsula with others, such as the Etruscans and Samnites. These various petty kingdoms, cities and tribes often fought each other, but also united against common external threats. It was as the Etruscans waned and Greek influence fell away that the Romans began steadily accumulating land and power. Their conquest of the Apennine Peninsula was possible due to the levied troops of every tribe absorbed into the early Roman Republic. Conflict was common in Italy - most tribes went to war during the summer months, to raid neighbouring settlements for riches and resources. Rome made the most of these warlike tribesmen, drawing soldiers from their ranks in exchange for citizenship and social status within the growing Republic. The earliest example of Rome's alliances with neighbouring states was the Foedus Cassianum, with the surrounding Latin city-states shortly after the overthrow of the Roman monarchy in 510BC. The terms were simple and effective: mutual defence for both parties, based on equal contribution to an annual military levy under Roman command.

Abilities

Medium Missile Raider

• 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

Medium Missile Raider

• Good hull strength
• Medium crew
• Fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Poor boarding
• Good missile combat

Italian Skirmishers

• Short range
• Fast rate of fire
• Very good damage and armour penetration
• Very weak in melee
• Very poor 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