Sikelians (Rise of the Republic) Missile Ship

Pursuit Trihemiolia - Greek Slingers

Fast, relatively powerful pursuit ships, well able to hunt down pirates and other seagoing scum.

Witty slingers often scratch "OUCH!" onto their shot.

It is thought that the Rhodians, a significant naval power in the eastern Mediterranean, developed the 'trihemiolia' or 'two-and-a-half' as a vessel for pirate hunting. Given that Rhodes is an island entirely reliant on the sea and shipping this is a believable theory. Pirates used the hemiola, a handy little vessel developed from the dieres or bireme, a ship with two rows of oars; it makes sense that pirate hunters would think of taking a trieres, or trireme, with three rows of oars and modifying it in a similar fashion. A trihemiolia still had three rows of oars on each side, but the top row was reduced to only half the number of oars, positioned midships. The result was a faster, handier vessel that provided a height advantage over a hemiola for any archers on board. There was also a strategic benefit to the Rhodians, who could only draw on the manpower of one island: they could have six trieres warships with full complements of rowers, or seven trihemiolias for the same number of men. The useful design was soon adopted by other maritime powers around the Mediterranean.

(Greek 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

Pursuit Trihemiolia

• 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.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Pursuit Trihemiolia

• Poor hull strength
• Medium crew
• Uncatchable
• Weak ramming
• Poor boarding
• Average missile combat

Greek Slingers

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

Sikelians (Rise of the Republic) Units
General (2)
1.Hippeus
2.Elite Hoplites
Missile Infantry (3)
3.Sicilian Peltasts
4.Greek Slingers
5.Toxotes
Spear Infantry (4)
6.Hoplites
7.Light Hoplites
8.Militia Spearmen
9.Elite Hoplites
Melee Cavalry (1)
10.Hippeus
Missile Cavalry (2)
11.Hippotoxotes
12.Horse Skirmishers
Fixed Artillery (2)
13.Greek Polybolos
14.Giant Ballista
Field Artillery (1)
15.Greek Ballista
Admiral (1)
16.Assault Tetreres - Elite Hoplites
Melee Ship (3)
17.Assault Tetreres - Hoplites
18.Assault Dieres - Light Hoplites
19.Assault Tetreres - Elite Hoplites
Missile Ship (3)
20.Missile Penteres - Toxotes
21.Missile Trieres - Toxotes
22.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Greek Slingers
Artillery Ship (1)
23.Artillery Penteres - Greek Ballista (Ship)