Ardiaei Melee Cavalry

Illyrian Cavalry

Although called Illyrians by Greeks and Romans, these seafaring people from the Adriatic coast were actually not a single nation or tribe. The Greeks first had dealings with them during the Bronze Age, and the name was then applied to everyone in the area. The Illyrians were actually several petty, and not-so-petty, kingdoms that warred with each other when not fighting Greeks or their Macedonian neighbours. The Illyrians could not be lightly dismissed as barbarians: under powerful warlords such as Bardyllis, king of the Dardanians, they conquered Macedon and installed a puppet ruler in 393BC. It was Phillip II and Alexander the Great who eventually ended Illyrian interference in their affairs. The Illyrians were also pirates, and terrorised the Adriatic for centuries; this was what eventually prompted their subjugation by the Romans.

Unit Name Illyrian Cavalry

Main Unit Key Ill_Cav

Land Unit Key Ill_Cav

Naval Unit Key pel_transport

Soldiers 80

Category Cavalry

Class Melee Cavalry

Custom Battle Cost 460

Recruitment Cost 460

Upkeep Cost 80

Melee Attack 28

Weapon Damage 25

├ Melee Weapon rome_spear_cav

├ Melee Damage Base 20

├ Melee Damage Ap 5

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Bonus vs. Large 15

├ Bonus vs Elephants 15

└ Bonus vs Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 30

Melee Defence 40

├ Base Defence 20

├ Shield cavalry

└ Shield Defence 20

Armour 55

├ Armour chest

├ Armour Defence 25

└ Shield Armour 30

Health 75

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_medium

├ Man Health 40

├ Bonus Hit Points 10

├ Mount rome_celtic_horse_spear_shield_m

├ Mount Entity rome_horse_medium

└ Mount Health 25

Base Morale 45

Abilities

• Diamond
  The unit moves into a diamond-shaped attack formation.
  Charge bonus, melee attack
  Acceleration, melee defence
• Frenzied Charge
  Increases the effectiveness of the unit's charge for an extended period. The unit will suffer a large fatigue penalty after the charge is over.
  Charge speed, charge damage, acceleration
  Melee defence, fatigue

Attributes

• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Very poor hull strength
• Very slow speed
• Weak ramming

• Average attack
• Weak defence
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Poor morale

Requires Buildings
Lv. 0	Horse Pens (barb_agriculture_horse_2) Level 1 Stables (barb_agriculture_horse_3) Level 2 Horse Ranch (barb_agriculture_horse_4) Level 3

Garrison Buildings
x 2	Horse Pens (barb_agriculture_horse_2) Level 1 Stables (barb_agriculture_horse_3) Level 2 Horse Ranch (barb_agriculture_horse_4) Level 3

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Ardiaei Ardiaei tribal council Ardiaei Secessionists Daorsi Dalmatae Illyrian Rebels
Imperator Augustus	Illyrian Rebels (Imperator Augustus)