Kuyl - Mercenary Saxon Boatmen

The findings at Sutton Hoo in 1939 represent some of the largest and most important discoveries of Saxon material ever unearthed. In particular, the discovery of a 27 metre-long ship, dated approximately to the 7th century AD, gives us one of the clearest ideas of the period. A vessel of that length would presumably have been used for both war and trade, although the discovery was a burial ship, dragged uphill from the river with a hold so bursting with treasure it had broken its keel. Saxon ships of the time did have sails for travelling with favourable winds, but always carried banks of oars for better manoeuvrability during combat or to stay close to the coastline.

(Mercenary Saxon Boatmen)
In the past, naval warfare was just another way for infantry to fight one another. The earliest documented naval battles are those of ancient China, 'grapple and hook' battles where boarding operations and close-quarters combat decided the victor. During the early Middle Ages, the Frankish navy was of no real distinction, yet Charlemagne did maintain a sizeable navy to defend against Viking raids, which was something other kingdoms generally failed to do. At the time, the distinction between fighting on land and at sea was small, yet chiefly a matter of 'sea legs' - maintaining balance whilst toppling your opponent.

Unit Name Kuyl - Mercenary Saxon Boatmen

Main Unit Key cha_merc_sax_longship_boatmen

Land Unit Key cha_merc_sax_boatmen

Naval Unit Key cha_kuyl

Soldiers 128

Category Light Ship

Class Melee Ship

Custom Battle Cost 370

Recruitment Cost 370

Upkeep Cost 220

Hull Strength 1800

└ Ship att_shp_light_longship_melee

Speed 7

Melee Attack 37

Melee Damage 40

├ Melee Weapon att_spatha

├ Melee Base Damage 36

├ Armour-piercing Damage 4

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 0

├ Attack Against Elephants 0

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 14

Melee Defence 40

├ Base Defence 15

├ Shield cha_round

└ Shield Defence 25

Armour 6

├ Armour cha_cloth

├ Armour Defence 6

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 100

├ Man Entity cha_infantry_medium

├ Man Health 100

└ Bonus Hit Points 0

Morale 34

Abilities

• Douse Fire
  Sacrifice your ship's mobility for a short time to focus effort on putting out the blaze.
• Use the Whip
  Improved defence and fatigue resistance for a short time at the cost of overexertion.

Attributes

• Resistant to Fatigue
  Fatigue has less of an effect on this unit.
• Hide (forest)
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

No Strengths and Weaknesses