Airgialla Melee Infantry

Airig Swordsmen

The Irish kings of the Dark Ages were rulers of men rather than territory, which provided the basis for the development of Ireland’s tiered social order. At the top stood a High King who most regional rulers answered to, while at the bottom languished a large unfree peasantry. Many Irish records of the early medieval period mention the word ‘aire’ to refer to those in between; a catch-all term describing anyone who held an independent legal status. Written laws dating to later centuries, however, use the word ‘Airig’ more specifically in references to nobles or chiefs, distinguishing them from commoners. Indeed, Ireland’s sumptuary laws of the seventh and eighth centuries even refer to the colours that each social class were allowed to wear, including those for the Airig nobility – grey, brown, or red.

Commanding a ‘cet’ – a military unit of up to one hundred men – the Airig nobility were high-ranking combatants. Many of them strove to master the broadsword, given its unique ability to maim and kill in the right hands. Sword fighting was generally practised by men of status who could afford the costly weapon, with blades commonly passed between generations as symbols of family honour. The dominant types of swords in north-western Europe were the broad-bladed two-edged forms that were up to 90 centimetres long. Most included a pommel on the hilt to keep the sword from slipping out of the hand when used from horseback, and also handy to dish out blunt-force trauma when the situation required it.

Unit Name Airig Swordsmen

Main Unit Key iri_airig_swordsmen

Land Unit Key iri_airig_swordsmen

Naval Unit Key vik_oll_pheist

Soldiers 160

Category Melee Infantry

Class Melee Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 1000

Recruitment Cost 1000

Upkeep Cost 300

Melee Skill 50

Melee Damage 42

├ Melee Weapon vik_sword_elite

├ Melee Base Damage 36

├ Armour-piercing Damage 6

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 0

├ Attack Against Elephants 0

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 33

Melee Defence 80

├ Base Defence 50

├ Shield vik_medium

└ Shield 30

Armour 22

├ Armour vik_mail

├ Armour Defence 22

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 100

├ Man Entity vik_inf_very_heavy

├ Man Health 100

└ Bonus Hit Points 0

Morale 54

Abilities

• Shield Castle
  "Heads down, lads, things are about to get a little hairy around here!"
  Units cannot move in this formation.

Attributes

• [[col:yellow]]Expert Charge Defence[[/col]]
  This unit’s melee attack and damage are increased against charging enemies.
• [[col:yellow]]Disciplined[[/col]]
  This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
• [[col:yellow]]Encourage[[/col]]
  This unit provides a morale bonus to nearby allies.
• [[col:yellow]]Hide (forest)[[/col]]
  This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

No Strengths and Weaknesses

Recuitment Requirement
Required Technology Cost 150 Upgrade From

Faction Availability
Thrones of Britannia	Ailech Airgialla Brega Breifne Caisil Connacht Desmuma Iarmuma Laigin Mide Osraige Irish Rebels Irish Usurpers Mide Usurpers Tuadmuma Ulaid