Roxolani Melee Ship

Assault Raider - Tribesmen

Useful ships, with crews large enough to board enemy vessels.

Everyone in the tribe fights. Everyone. Skill and courage will come to those who live.

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.

(Tribesmen)
Far from being simple, ignorant barbarians, the various steppe tribes had a great cultural wealth. Living in an area stretching from the Caspian Sea to the northern shores of the Black Sea; the Greeks called them 'Scythians' and the Persians 'Saka', while a western group became known as the Sarmatians. Wearing trousers marked them as barbarians as far as the Greeks were concerned, before their tall, pointed caps and swarthy appearances were even considered. Looks apart, they were, however, exceptional horsemen, highly-skilled with composite-recurve bows and deadly hand-to-hand fighters. Grave goods suggest that Scythian women were as warlike as their men, and probably fought alongside them in battle. This may well be the origin of the Greek myths of Amazon warrior women.

Abilities

Assault Raider

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

Tribesmen

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

Attributes

• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
• Resistant to Cold
  This unit tires less quickly in snow.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Assault Raider

• Average hull strength
• Light crew
• Very fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Average boarding

Tribesmen

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

Roxolani Units
General (3)
1.Noble Horse Archers
2.Steppe Noble Lancers
3.Sarmatian Royal Lancers
Melee Infantry (1)
4.Young Axes
Missile Infantry (1)
5.Steppe Archers
Spear Infantry (2)
6.Steppe Spearmen
7.Tribesmen
Melee Cavalry (2)
8.Sarmatian Horsemen
9.Sarmatian Riders
Missile Cavalry (3)
10.Armoured Horse Archers
11.Steppe Horse Archers
12.Noble Horse Archers
Shock Cavalry (4)
13.Steppe Armoured Lancers
14.Steppe Lancers
15.Steppe Noble Lancers
16.Sarmatian Royal Lancers
Field Artillery (2)
17.Steppe Bastion Ballista
18.Steppe Ballista
Admiral (2)
19.Medium Missile Raider - Steppe Archers
20.Heavy Raider - Steppe Spearmen
Melee Ship (4)
21.Medium Assault Raider - Young Axes
22.Persian Assault Teteres - Steppe Spearmen
23.Heavy Raider - Steppe Spearmen
24.Assault Raider - Tribesmen
Missile Ship (3)
25.Greek Missile Penteres - Steppe Archers
26.Medium Missile Raider - Steppe Archers
27.Missile Raider - Steppe Archers
Artillery Ship (1)
28.Roman Light Artillery Quinquereme - Eastern Ballista (Ship)