Trapezos Melee Ship

Assault Dieres - Light Peltasts

With a ramming attack that can break an enemy hull, these ships are deadly weapons.

These skirmishers harass the enemy with their javelins before sensibly withdrawing out of range.

The waterline ram was first mounted on a vessel in around 850BC. Warships and naval tactics were transformed. Ships were no longer platforms for infantry battles on the water; the ship itself became the weapon. Galleys changed as the new reality sank in. Ramming at speed would hole and sink an enemy, therefore slimmer, faster, handier ships were required. More speed on demand obviously required more oars a fast ship with a single row of oars ended up being stupidly, impractically long. The solution, then, was to put in a second set of oars above the first, but slightly offset to allow for rowers' benches. These biremes, a Latin word meaning 'two oars', or dieres, the Greek equivalent, were no longer than previous designs but had twice the number of rowers. They were fast, manoeuvrable, and could carry a fighting contingent. Some nations also gave their bireme crews fire pots; these clay pots filled with oil and pitch were hurled at enemy ships in the entirely reasonable hope of setting them ablaze.

(Light Peltasts)
These skirmishers were named for their small crescent-shaped leather or wicker shields or 'peltai'. It was a common habit to name troops for their shield style in the Greek world. They wore little or no armour and carried three javelins. After harassing the enemy by flinging javelins, they would hastily retreat before any counter-charge or flanking move could be carried out. As armies developed and tactics became more complex, peltasts were expected to take part in hand-to-hand combat: with such expectation they were given stiffened linen cuirasses and short swords. They were still expected to use javelins, but could then join in the close fighting. Eventually, peltasts even exchanged their characteristic shield for the heavier thureos. Their name and battlefield function remained unchanged.

Abilities

Assault Dieres

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

Light Peltasts

• Quick Reload
  Improved reloading for an extended time.
  Shots per minute
  Exertion: fatigue

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

Assault Dieres

• Very poor hull strength
• Very light crew
• Fast speed
• Weak ramming
• Good boarding

Light Peltasts

• Short range
• Fast rate of fire
• Very good damage and armour penetration
• Large shield
• Very weak in melee
• Poor morale

Trapezos Units
General (2)
1.Citizen Cavalry
2.Hoplites
Melee Infantry (2)
3.Mob
4.Thorax Swordsmen
Missile Infantry (5)
5.Archers
6.Javelinmen
7.Light Peltasts
8.Peltasts
9.Slingers
Pike Infantry (1)
10.Pikemen
Spear Infantry (5)
11.Citizen Hoplites
12.Hoplites
13.Light Hoplites
14.Militia Hoplites
15.Thureos Spears
Melee Cavalry (1)
16.Citizen Cavalry
Missile Cavalry (2)
17.Skirmisher Cavalry
18.Tarantine Cavalry
Shock Cavalry (1)
19.Hippeus Lancers
Fixed Artillery (4)
20.Greek Giant Ballista
21.Greek Polybolos
22.Greek Bastion Scorpion
23.Greek Scorpion (Fixed)
Field Artillery (6)
24.Greek Bastion Ballista
25.Greek Ballista
26.Greek Scorpion
27.Greek Heavy Onager
28.Greek Bastion Onager
29.Greek Onager
Admiral (2)
30.Tower Penteres - Archers
31.Assault Tetreres - Thureos Spears
Melee Ship (6)
32.Fire Pot Dieres - Light Peltasts
33.Assault Dieres - Light Peltasts
34.Fire Pot Dieres - Peltasts
35.Assault Dieres - Peltasts
36.Assault Hexeres - Thorax Swordsmen
37.Assault Tetreres - Thureos Spears
Missile Ship (7)
38.Scorpion Penteres - Archers
39.Tower Penteres - Archers
40.Missile Penteres - Archers
41.Raiding Hemiolia - Javelinmen
42.Pursuit Trihemiolia - Javelinmen
43.Scorpion Trieres - Slingers
44.Missile Trieres - Slingers
Artillery Ship (1)
45.Artillery Penteres - Greek Onager (Ship)