Masaesyli Melee Ship

Fire Pot Dieres - Numidian Spearmen

Fire pots, hurled onto enemy decks, are a terrible threat to wooden ships.

Every able man who can wield a spear can fight for their people.

The waterline ram was first mounted on a vessel in around 850BC. Warships and naval tactics were transformed. Ships were no longer platforms for infantry battles on the water; the ship itself became the weapon. Galleys changed as the new reality sank in. Ramming at speed would hole and sink an enemy, therefore slimmer, faster, handier ships were required. More speed on demand obviously required more oars a fast ship with a single row of oars ended up being stupidly, impractically long. The solution, then, was to put in a second set of oars above the first, but slightly offset to allow for rowers' benches. These biremes, a Latin word meaning 'two oars', or dieres, the Greek equivalent, were no longer than previous designs but had twice the number of rowers. They were fast, manoeuvrable, and could carry a fighting contingent. Some nations also gave their bireme crews fire pots; these clay pots filled with oil and pitch were hurled at enemy ships in the entirely reasonable hope of setting them ablaze.

(Numidian Spearmen)
Numidia had a fierce warrior tradition, partly because the eastern Massylii and western Masaesyli had a history of bitter feuding and internal warfare. They took, and changed, sides in the Punic Wars to suit their own agendas, only emerging as a single state after the cataclysmic Battle of Zama in 202BC. The defeat of Carthage allowed the Numidians to expand their lands, eventually leading to the Jugurthine War of 112-105BC against Rome. Numidia’s king, Jugurtha, was only defeated when he was betrayed by his father-in-law, Bocchus. While the Numidians were famed as cavalrymen, their infantry forces were also quite effective. The historian Suetonius mentions that there were Numidian 'legions', a term reserved for Roman troops, when passing comment on Julius Caesar’s speech regarding Juba’s march to aid Scipio before the Battle of Thapsus in 46BC. This suggests that some Numidians were fighting in the Roman style, and were possibly equipped in the same manner. The Numidians also adopted other tactics and war gear, such as the thureos-style shield and hoplite-like spears.

Abilities

Fire Pot Dieres

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

Numidian Spearmen

• Square
  The unit moves into a close square formation.
  Bracing, morale, melee defence
  Can't move

Attributes

• Disciplined
  This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
• 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.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Fire Pot Dieres

• Very poor hull strength
• Very light crew
• Fast speed
• Very strong initial ramming
• Good boarding

Numidian Spearmen

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

Masaesyli Units
General (6)
1.Numidian Noble Cavalry
2.Numidian Noble Infantry
3.African Elephants
4.Armoured Desert Chariots
5.Armoured Numidian Riders
6.Heavy Numidian Skirmishers
Melee Infantry (5)
7.Slave Infantry
8.Desert Cohort
9.Desert Legionaries
10.Gaetuli Tribesmen
11.Numidian Light Infantry
Missile Infantry (4)
12.Tribal Slingers
13.Tribesmen
14.Numidian Javelinmen
15.Heavy Numidian Skirmishers
Spear Infantry (4)
16.Numidian Noble Infantry
17.Numidian Spearmen
18.Armoured Numidian Spearmen
19.Desert Vigiles
Melee Cavalry (3)
20.Armoured Desert Cavalry
21.Desert Cavalry
22.Desert Legionary Cavalry
Missile Cavalry (4)
23.Numidian Cavalry
24.Numidian Noble Cavalry
25.Armoured Numidian Cavalry
26.Gaetuli Horse Skirmishers
Shock Cavalry (2)
27.Armoured Numidian Riders
28.Numidian Riders
Chariot (2)
29.Desert Chariots
30.Armoured Desert Chariots
Elephant (1)
31.African Elephants
Fixed Artillery (3)
32.African Giant Ballista
33.African Bastion Scorpion
34.African Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (6)
35.African Bastion Ballista
36.African Ballista
37.African Scorpion
38.African Heavy Onager
39.African Bastion Onager
40.African Onager
Admiral (3)
41.Scorpion Trieres - Tribal Slingers
42.Assault Hexeres - Numidian Noble Infantry
43.Tower Penteres - Heavy Numidian Skirmishers
Melee Ship (3)
44.Assault Hexeres - Numidian Noble Infantry
45.Fire Pot Dieres - Numidian Spearmen
46.Assault Dieres - Numidian Spearmen
Missile Ship (6)
47.Scorpion Trieres - Tribal Slingers
48.Missile Trieres - Tribal Slingers
49.Missile Penteres - Heavy Numidian Skirmishers
50.Tower Penteres - Heavy Numidian Skirmishers
51.Raiding Hemiolia - Numidian Javelinmen
52.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Numidian Javelinmen
Artillery Ship (2)
53.Light Artillery Penteres - African Ballista (Ship)
54.Artillery Penteres - African Onager (Ship)