Dacian Rebels (Imperator Augustus) Missile Ship

Greek Missile Penteres - Dacian Bowmen

Archers can shoot down upon many enemies from the deck, doing terrible work in the process.

Any lack of skill is hidden behind a typical Dacian belligerence.

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.

(Dacian Bowmen)
The exact origins of the Dacians are something of a mystery. Dacian lands were centred around the Carpathian Mountains but, unlike their Thracian neighbours, they seldom got involved in the conflicts of others. The Dacians fought almost entirely on foot, and usually looked to their Sarmatian allies when serious cavalry were needed. Many Dacian infantry fought as peltasts, equipped with javelins, short swords and oval shields, but they also fielded archers. However, the Dacians were most feared because of a weapon called the 'falx', which they used with deadly, limb-lopping skill. A two-handed sword with a forward-curving blade, a falx could cut a man in two from the top of his head to his breastbone. This weapon was so effective that the Romans improved their legionary armour to cope with it. The brow-ridge on later legionary helmets was there to stop a blow from a falx. Rome’s eventual victory in the Dacian Wars (AD101-106), celebrated by Trajan’s Column, finally dealt with the warlike Dacian tribes once and for all.

Abilities

Greek Missile Penteres

• 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.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Greek Missile Penteres

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

Dacian Bowmen

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

Dacian Rebels (Imperator Augustus) Units
General (2)
1.Noble Horsemen
2.Noble Spears
Melee Infantry (2)
3.Falxmen
4.Noble Swords
Missile Infantry (4)
5.Dacian Bowmen
6.Dacian Heavy Bowmen
7.Dacian Heavy Skirmishers
8.Dacian Skirmishers
Spear Infantry (6)
9.Armoured Spears
10.Heavy Spears
11.Noble Spears
12.Spear Warriors
13.Spears
14.Dacian Tribesmen
Melee Cavalry (1)
15.Spear Horsemen
Missile Cavalry (1)
16.Bow Horsemen
Shock Cavalry (1)
17.Noble Horsemen
Fixed Artillery (3)
18.Dacian Giant Ballista
19.Dacian Bastion Scorpion
20.Dacian Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (6)
21.Dacian Bastion Ballista
22.Dacian Ballista
23.Dacian Scorpion
24.Dacian Heavy Onager
25.Dacian Bastion Onager
26.Dacian Onager
Admiral (1)
27.Heavy Raider - Falxmen
Melee Ship (4)
28.Heavy Raider - Falxmen
29.Persian Assault Teteres - Heavy Spears
30.Medium Assault Raider - Heavy Spears
31.Assault Raider - Spears
Missile Ship (2)
32.Greek Missile Penteres - Dacian Bowmen
33.Missile Raider - Dacian Skirmishers
Artillery Ship (2)
34.Roman Light Artillery Quinquereme - Dacian Ballista (Ship)
35.Roman Artillery Quinquereme - Dacian Onager (Ship)