Drangiana Missile Ship

Pursuit Trihemiolia - Peltasts

It is thought that the Rhodians, a significant naval power in the eastern Mediterranean, developed the 'trihemiolia' or 'two-and-a-half' as a vessel for pirate hunting. Given that Rhodes is an island entirely reliant on the sea and shipping this is a believable theory. Pirates used the hemiola, a handy little vessel developed from the dieres or bireme, a ship with two rows of oars; it makes sense that pirate hunters would think of taking a trieres, or trireme, with three rows of oars and modifying it in a similar fashion. A trihemiolia still had three rows of oars on each side, but the top row was reduced to only half the number of oars, positioned midships. The result was a faster, handier vessel that provided a height advantage over a hemiola for any archers on board. There was also a strategic benefit to the Rhodians, who could only draw on the manpower of one island: they could have six trieres warships with full complements of rowers, or seven trihemiolias for the same number of men. The useful design was soon adopted by other maritime powers around the Mediterranean.

(Peltasts)
These skirmishers were named for their small crescent-shaped leather or wicker shields or 'peltai'. It was a common habit to name troops for their shield style in the Greek world. They wore little or no armour and carried three javelins. After harassing the enemy by flinging javelins, they would hastily retreat before any counter-charge or flanking move could be carried out. As armies developed and tactics became more complex, peltasts were expected to take part in hand-to-hand combat: with such expectation they were given stiffened linen cuirasses and short swords. They were still expected to use javelins, but could then join in the close fighting. Eventually, peltasts even exchanged their characteristic shield for the heavier thureos. Their name and battlefield function remained unchanged.

Unit Name Pursuit Trihemiolia - Peltasts

Main Unit Key Gre_Peltasts_Two_Halfer

Land Unit Key Gre_Peltasts

Naval Unit Key greek_two_halfer

Soldiers 100

Category Light Ship

Class Missile Ship

Custom Battle Cost 650

Recruitment Cost 650

Upkeep Cost 130

Missile Damage 32

├ Missile Weapon rome_javelin

├ Projectile javelin_normal

├ Missile Damage 20

├ Missile Ap Damage 12

└ Base Reload Time 10

Accuracy 5

Range 80

Reload 18

Shots Per Minute 7

Ammunition 7

Ship Health 585

└ Ship greek_two_halfer

Ship Speed 7

Melee Attack 18

Weapon Damage 24

├ Melee Weapon rome_shortsword

├ Melee Damage Base 20

├ Melee Damage Ap 4

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Bonus vs. Large 0

├ Bonus vs Elephants 0

└ Bonus vs Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 10

Melee Defence 40

├ Base Defence 15

├ Shield peltast_thureos

└ Shield Defence 25

Armour 65

├ Armour spolas

├ Armour Defence 35

└ Shield Armour 30

Health 50

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_light

├ Man Health 40

└ Bonus Hit Points 10

Base Morale 40

Abilities

• 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

• Poor hull strength
• Medium crew
• Uncatchable
• Weak ramming
• Poor boarding
• Average missile combat

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

Upgrade
Required Technology Cost 150 Upgrade To
Requires Buildings
Lv. 0	Harbour (east_port_trade_2) Level 1 Trading Port (east_port_trade_3) Level 2 Seaside Market (east_port_trade_4) Level 3

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Seleucid Seleucid Nobles Seleucid Secessionists Arachosia Aria Drangiana Media Parthava Persia Sagartia Sardes