Margiana (Empire Divided) Missile Ship

Raiding Hemiolia - Persian Slingers

These swift, manoeuvrable ships are a useful scouting force for any admiral.

A good slinger can make the humble rock as effective a projectile as the javelin.

The 'one-and-a-half' or 'hemiolia' was a light galley which was much favoured by pirates in the ancient world. It developed from the bireme, a ship that had two full decks of oars along its entire length. The hemiola reduced the number of oars on the upper level, leaving roughly half the number of oars and rowers in the midship section. The smaller number of rowers had little effect on overall speed because the laden weight of the vessel also dropped. Because it used both oars and sails, and the crew could rapidly change propulsion method, it was an ideal vessel for chasing down fat, wealthy merchant ships. Boarding attacks were mounted from hemiolas; ramming was not a useful tactic as loot ended up with the fish rather than enriching the pirates! The speed and handiness of hemiolas made them useful as scouts, supply boats and vessels used to pick off damaged enemies at the edge of battles.

(Persian Slingers)
Slingers were common in ancient armies. Slings are ancient weapons, dating back to Palaeolithic times. In comparison to bows, they were easy to make and had a greater effective range. Constructed from braided flax, hemp or rushes, a sling has a cradle where the shot is placed. One end has a finger-loop, while the other has a knot or strip giving a firm handhold. The slinger puts his middle finger through the loop and holds the knotted end with his thumb and forefinger. After whirling the shot in the sling it is released with a flick of the wrist. Quick to fire and reload, the sling was widely hated by those on the receiving end. Shot varied from stones collected in rivers to shaped lumps of clay and lead; lead shot could fly over 400 metres. Such missiles were sometimes inscribed with comments such as “Catch!” or “Take that!” Shot was difficult to see in flight, and although it lacked the penetrating power of an arrow it could easily break bone or stave-in armour at short ranges. Famously, the Roman Consul Paulus was killed by a slinger early in the disastrous Battle of Cannae.

Abilities

Raiding Hemiolia

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

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

Raiding Hemiolia

• Very poor hull strength
• Light crew
• Very fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Very poor boarding
• Poor missile combat

Persian Slingers

• Very long range
• Average rate of fire
• Low damage but average armour penetration
• Very weak in melee
• Very poor morale

Margiana (Empire Divided) Units
General (2)
1.Persian Cataphracts
2.Persian Nobles
Melee Infantry (3)
3.Persian Levy
4.Persian Light Infantry
5.Persian Swordsmen
Missile Infantry (3)
6.Persian Archers
7.Persian Skirmishers
8.Persian Slingers
Spear Infantry (1)
9.Persian Spearmen
Melee Cavalry (4)
10.Persian Armoured Cavalry
11.Persian Cavalry
12.Persian Nobles
13.Persian Nobles
Missile Cavalry (2)
14.Persian Horse Archers
15.Persian Horse Skirmishers
Shock Cavalry (2)
16.Persian Cataphracts
17.Persian Cataphracts
Fixed Artillery (3)
18.Eastern Giant Ballista
19.Eastern Scorpion (Fixed)
20.Eastern Bastion Scorpion
Field Artillery (6)
21.Eastern Ballista
22.Eastern Bastion Ballista
23.Eastern Scorpion
24.Eastern Large Onager
25.Eastern Onager
26.Eastern Bastion Onager
Admiral (1)
27.Assault Tetreres - Persian Swordsmen
Melee Ship (3)
28.Assault Dieres - Persian Spearmen
29.Assault Tetreres - Persian Swordsmen
30.Assault Tetreres - Persian Swordsmen
Missile Ship (2)
31.Raiding Hemiolia - Persian Slingers
32.Missile Trieres - Persian Archers