Balroae (Caledonian Skirmishers)

Balroae (Caledonian Skirmishers)
Balroae (Caledonian Skirmishers)
Primary Weapon	Type: spear Attack: 5 Charge: 6 Lethality: 1 Range: 57.8 Ammo: 6 Attributes: Thrown missile
Secondary Weapon	Type: spear Attack: 15 Charge: 6 Lethality: 0.13 Attributes: Light spear
Defence	Armour: 1 Shield: 2 Skill: 12
Recruitment	Soldiers: 50 Cost: 1236 Upkeep: 309 Turns: 1
Mental	Morale: 12 Discipline: impetuous Training: untrained
Other	Hit Points: 1 Mass: 1.05 Attributes: Can board ships, Improved hiding in forest, Very Hardy, Mercenary, Can hide in long grass Formation: square Side/Back spacing: 1.4/1.8 Mount effects: chariot +4, elephant -1, horse -1 Ownership: Aedui, Arche Seleukeia, Arverni, As'Sab'yn wal'Jau, Baktria, Casse, Epeiros, Getai, Hayasdan, Iberia, Koinon Hellenon, Makedonia, Pahlav, Pontos, Ptolemaioi, Safot Softim biKarthadast, Saka, Sauromatae, Senatvs Popvlvsqve Romanvs, Swebozez, Eleutheroi

Balroae are very hardy and brave; their lifestyle demands it. They fight with spears and javelins and they may prove more useful if incorporated into the army of a commander who can make use of their skills.

Description

The Caledonians are a fierce people on the edge of the world. Beyond Caledonia stretches a great, empty ocean, and Caledonia itself is home to a rather isolated people. They are seemingly relics of a former era of Celtic history, they do not have great deals of iron, and so do not produce many swords. They instead fight with more practical weapons, spears, javelins, and slings. Balroae (Bal-ro-ee; "Strong Men") are a vast number of men, of many ages and varying levels of experience. Seemingly fearless, and wild, their bodies are tattooed in esoteric spiral designs, their hair is spiked and red, and they are remarkably fearsome. They are very hardy and brave; their lifestyle demands it. Alone, a disciplined army would destroy them, but if incorporated into a more tactics minded commander of the more advanced Britons, they may prove more useful.

Historically, the Caledonians were never conquered by the Romans, despite Romans successfully defeating them in numerous engagements. The small amount of iron available to them was only enough to produce swords for the most wealthy or greatest of champions. Even bronze armor was a luxury. The Caledonians did not have much cavalry, or any chariots, they only had their own fierce nature as their greatest weapon. Any chariots were likely imported from Hibernian tribes, or Britons fleeing Roman rule, and any cavalry was really just these men mounted on ponies. They were a true relic of a bygone period, still fighting without much in the way of tactics beyond ambushing and mad rushes at their enemies. These people would exist for a long time, until invading Gaels, Germans, Normans, and Norsemen would eventually conquer and assimilate them.

Usage

These wild skirmishers should be used in ambushing and skirmishing tactics, especially in the forest as they are at their best when attacking an enemy in a forest and their excellent speed allows them to outrun most infantry and they can also function as fast light infantry set for flanking attacks and anti-cavalry.

They are also quite effective against chariots and elephants with their javelins. Their only problem is their lack of armor and a single AOR although they can be recruited as mercenaries.

Balroae AOR