Iberian Skirmishers
Missile Infantry(0.6.7)Side / Back
Short description
Light skirmishers with almost no training, should not be engaged in melee.
Description
The Iberian Skirmisher is a lightly armed and armored infantry unit. In fact, the only armor he has is his small round shield, made of wood. This allows the skirmishers to outrun a heavier unit that might want to engage them. They fight by throwing javelins at the enemy flanks, acting as more of a nuisance to draw their enemies' attention away from the true killers of the army. But their utility should not be overlooked; indeed, when used at a proper time by a skilled general, they can tip the balance of the battle. A well-crafted ambush, or firing at the back of some previously engaged units can be decisive.
The Iberian landscape in the North-West of the peninsula is rough, as are the people that lived there. There are no great plains where huge traditional armies are at advantage. No, there are only valleys and ridges, brooks and waterfall, rocks or trees. These lands are dominated by Gallaeci tribes that have served to resist the Romans for centuries. They had less men, inferior equipment, yet they confounded invaders countless times. Iberian commanders rely mostly on the effect of surprise. This is where the skirmishers come to effect. They make no sound, they have no glistening armor, and as such their foes are unprepared for the incoming javelins. And before anyone can react, they have already disappeared, like mist in the wind. Even the units they fear most, cavalry, can't catch them in the rocky mountains.