Masaesyli Missile Ship

Tower Penteres - Heavy Numidian Skirmishers

From a shipboard tower, all enemies become little targets to be potted at will.

Skirmishers are perfect for frustrating the enemy before a larger attack.

The 'five', called a quinquereme in Latin and a penteres in Greek, was a ship first used by the Syracusans against the Carthaginians sometime around 398BC. Like other polyremes, a term meaning many-oared, the chances were that it did not have five banks of oars but that the word 'oar' was used to mean 'rower'. In such a case, the arrangement of rowers would be two-two-one going up from the waterline. It makes sense to keep as much weight as possible low in the vessel to help its stability; a high centre of gravity makes any ship liable to capsize if struck from the side. The quinquereme, then, would be a formidable vessel both in terms of appearance and combat value. With a large fighting contingent aboard and plenty of deck space, this heavy vessel could cope with most enemies and threats.

(Heavy Numidian Skirmishers)
The javelin is among the oldest weapons in the world. Equipped with javelins and little else, skirmishers harried their opposite numbers and peppered hoplite phalanxes before quickly retreating. This was the typical tactic of all unarmoured, javelin-armed troops: to engage at range and then fall back behind more heavily-armoured infantry, or continue attacks while trying to stay just out of reach of the enemy. Such harassment could be highly effective, in 391BC at the Battle of Lechaeum, a force of Spartans, lacking the support of skirmishers or cavalry, were severely punished by javelin-armed Athenians who refused to meet them at close quarters. Over time, shields became common, such as those used by Thracian and Greek peltasts, but in turn these were rendered obsolescent by the Hellenic thureophoroi. Nevertheless, javelinmen and other irregulars continued to play a part in many armies throughout antiquity.

Abilities

Tower Penteres

• Row Hard 20
  Increases speed for 20 strokes.
  Ship speed

Heavy Numidian Skirmishers

• Quick Reload
  Improved reloading for an extended time.
  Shots per minute
  Exertion: fatigue

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.
• Resistant to Heat
  This unit tires less quickly in the desert.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Tower Penteres

• Good hull strength
• Medium crew
• Average speed
• Average ramming
• Average boarding
• Very good missile combat

Heavy Numidian Skirmishers

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