English Rebels Melee Infantry

Mailed Thegns

During the era of Viking settlement in Britain, an integral part of the fyrds was a class of noblemen-warriors who owned land granted from lords or kings by right of a provided military service. They were known as thegns, who in the earliest times of Saxon migration were exclusively defined by that military service. The first Anglo-Saxon leaders kept ‘gesiths’ as they were formerly known in their retinues, who were better trained and more highly motivated due to a close relationship with their warmongering lords. By the later Saxon era, they had developed into a middle-ranking land-owning ‘officer class’ with major roles in organising and leading the fyrds. Danish rule over conquered English lands meant that some thegns fought for their conquerors in return for being able to keep their lands within the puppet kingdoms.

Thegns were much better equipped for war than most other troops. 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 Mailed Thegns

Main Unit Key eng_mailed_thegns

Land Unit Key eng_mailed_thegns

Naval Unit Key vik_draca

Soldiers 160

Category Melee Infantry

Class Melee Infantry

Custom Battle Cost 850

Recruitment Cost 850

Upkeep Cost 230

Melee Skill 38

Melee Damage 38

├ Melee Weapon vik_sword

├ Melee Base Damage 32

├ Armour-piercing Damage 6

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Attack Against Cavalry 0

├ Attack Against Elephants 0

└ Attack Against Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 26

Melee Defence 78

├ Base Defence 38

├ Shield vik_large

└ Shield 40

Armour 32

├ Armour vik_mail_heavy

├ Armour Defence 32

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 100

├ Man Entity vik_inf_heavy

├ Man Health 100

└ Bonus Hit Points 0

Morale 49

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]]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
Required Technology Cost 150 Upgrade From

Faction Availability
Thrones of Britannia	Cent Defena Dorsaete East Seaxe Hwicce Mierce Northleode English Rebels English Usurpers Mierce Usurpers West Seaxe Usurpers Suth Seaxe West Seaxe Westernas Westmoringas