Mercenary Rodian Slingers

Recruitment Cost	410
Upkeep Cost	300
Missile Damage	29
Range	150
Shots Per Minute	8
Ammunition	25
Melee Attack	12
Weapon Damage	24
Charge Bonus	6
Melee Defence	24
Armour	25
Health	55
Base Morale	55

Abilities

Strengths & Weaknesses

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

Description

Perhaps not as famous as their counterparts from the Balearics, Rhodian slingers were nevertheless famed for their skill. As Rhodes was protected by the sea, slingers could hire themselves out as mercenaries across the Mediterranean. They were deadly at 100 metres and could hit targets at 400 metres. Unencumbered by armour, they were highly mobile and could outpace or at least match the pace of most other infantry. Rhodian slingers sometimes made use of small shields with a single handgrip to protect them from any return fire. During the Greco-Persian Wars shaped shot gave the Greeks, including the Rhodians, an advantage over the Persians. This proved essential in covering the retreat of the Ten Thousand, after Cyrus the Younger’s death at the Battle of Cunaxa in 401BC. The Rhodian slingers were the only missile troops able to engage the enemy with some safety, as Cretan archers and Greek javelinmen had the same range as enemy missile troops.

Requires
Regions Mytilene Ambrakia Messenia Aigai Kolossai Xanthos Lindos Sestos Kos Ephesos Delphi Phaselis Lamia Karpathos Zakynthos Mantinea Kypsela Pergamon Argos Orestiko Torone Arnisa Korinthos Thasos Oreos Korkyra Mende Rodos Laurion Naupaktos Antigonia Ainos Opos Kythera Ilion Larisa Pherae Kydonia Dodona Abdera Smyrna Khios Anaktorio Myrina Miletos Knidos Athenai Pharsalos Kyzikos Paros Oinoi Knossos Olinthos Krinides Kibyra Kalkis Amphipolis Argos Patrai Perinthos Dion Sardeis Andros Sparta Karystos Elis Melos Gortyna Halikarnassos Naxos Maroneia Olympia Byzantion Pylos Samos Pronnoi Thermon Thebai Elaea

Requires

Regions
Mytilene Ambrakia Messenia Aigai Kolossai Xanthos Lindos Sestos Kos Ephesos Delphi Phaselis Lamia Karpathos Zakynthos Mantinea Kypsela Pergamon Argos Orestiko Torone Arnisa Korinthos Thasos Oreos Korkyra Mende Rodos Laurion Naupaktos Antigonia Ainos Opos Kythera Ilion Larisa Pherae Kydonia Dodona Abdera Smyrna Khios Anaktorio Myrina Miletos Knidos Athenai Pharsalos Kyzikos Paros Oinoi Knossos Olinthos Krinides Kibyra Kalkis Amphipolis Argos Patrai Perinthos Dion Sardeis Andros Sparta Karystos Elis Melos Gortyna Halikarnassos Naxos Maroneia Olympia Byzantion Pylos Samos Pronnoi Thermon Thebai Elaea