Pontus (Imperator Augustus) Missile Ship

Tower Penteres - Eastern Archers

The 'five', called a quinquereme in Latin and a penteres in Greek, was a ship first used by the Syracusans against the Carthaginians sometime around 398BC. Like other polyremes, a term meaning many-oared, the chances were that it did not have five banks of oars but that the word 'oar' was used to mean 'rower'. In such a case, the arrangement of rowers would be two-two-one going up from the waterline. It makes sense to keep as much weight as possible low in the vessel to help its stability; a high centre of gravity makes any ship liable to capsize if struck from the side. The quinquereme, then, would be a formidable vessel both in terms of appearance and combat value. With a large fighting contingent aboard and plenty of deck space, this heavy vessel could cope with most enemies and threats.

(Eastern Archers)
Eastern archers could inflict heavy casualties when used in large numbers, and their composite bows gave them a good range, accuracy and penetrating power. The composite bow was, as its name suggests, made from many materials, and its layers of wood, sinew and animal horn made it a very effective energy-storing spring. In the hands of a reasonable bowman, an arrow from a composite bow would go through chainmail at respectable ranges. It did not, however, take kindly to getting wet. The glues used in its construction soon broke down in damp conditions. In the deserts of the east this was hardly a problem, but it does explain why the composite bow was never adopted in Europe.

Unit Name Tower Penteres - Eastern Archers

Main Unit Key Eas_Archers_Five_Lft_Bow

Land Unit Key Eas_Archers

Naval Unit Key persian_lft_five

Soldiers 140

Category Medium Ship

Class Missile Ship

Custom Battle Cost 1020

Recruitment Cost 1020

Upkeep Cost 204

Missile Damage 35

├ Missile Weapon rome_recurve_bow

├ Projectile arrow_recurve

├ Missile Damage 31

├ Missile Ap Damage 4

└ Base Reload Time 12

Accuracy 5

Range 150

Reload 13

Shots Per Minute 6

Ammunition 15

Ship Health 1090

└ Ship persian_five

Ship Speed 5

Melee Attack 8

Weapon Damage 24

├ Melee Weapon rome_shortsword

├ Melee Damage Base 20

├ Melee Damage Ap 4

├ Armour Piercing No

├ Bonus vs. Large 0

├ Bonus vs Elephants 0

└ Bonus vs Infantry 0

Charge Bonus 3

Melee Defence 12

├ Base Defence 12

├ Shield none

└ Shield Defence 0

Armour 10

├ Armour cloth

├ Armour Defence 10

└ Shield Armour 0

Health 45

├ Man Entity rome_infantry_very_light_fast

├ Man Health 40

└ Bonus Hit Points 5

Base Morale 20

Abilities

• Row Hard 20
  Increases speed for 20 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

• Good hull strength
• Medium crew
• Average speed
• Average ramming
• Average boarding
• Very good missile combat

• Long range
• Average rate of fire
• Good damage but low armour penetration
• Very weak in melee
• Very poor morale

Requires Buildings
Lv. 0	Military Pier (east_port_military_2) Level 1 Naval Yard (east_port_military_3) Level 2 Drydock (east_port_military_4) Level 3

Faction Availability
Grand Campaign	Armenia Armenian Nobles Armenian Secessionists Bithynia Cappadocia Eastern Rebels Ardhan Kartli Colchis Colchian Nobles Colchian Secessionists Media Atropatene Pontus Pontic Nobles Pontic Secessionists
Imperator Augustus	Armenia (Imperator Augustus) Armenian Nobles (Imperator Augustus) Armenian Secessionists (Imperator Augustus) Cappadocia (Imperator Augustus) Eastern Rebels (Imperator Augustus) Ardhan (Imperator Augustus) Kartli (Imperator Augustus) Characene (Imperator Augustus) Drangiana (Imperator Augustus) Palmyra (Imperator Augustus) Paradene (Imperator Augustus) Persia (Imperator Augustus) Media Atropatene (Imperator Augustus) Pontus (Imperator Augustus)