Unit Review – Atalanta

Atalanta

Historical Inspiration

Atalanta is a figure in Greek mythology who features in a few well-known stories. Whether raised by bears or left on a mountain top, Atalanta grew up in the wilderness and became a renowned hunter. In the hunt for the Calydonian boar, Atalanta is the first to draw the boar’s blood (though not the one to kill it) which is a great feat, considering she was hunting it amidst a great group of other heroes. Atalanta was also fleet-footed, and many young men lost their lives trying to win in a footrace with her to earn her hand in marriage, until Hippomenes cheated by using irresistible golden apples to slow her down.

Unit Review – Dactyls

Dactyls

Historical Inspiration

In Greek mythology, the Dactyls were a race of mythical male beings. In some stories, they are employed to Hephaestus, god of metallurgy and volcanos and taught metalworking, the alphabet and mathematics to humans. Generally though, Dactyls were ancient smiths and healing magicians.

Unit Review – Ajax

Ajax

Historical Inspiration

In Homer’s Illiad, Ajax the Great is a gargantuan leader and the strongest member of the Greek army. His weapons of choice were a great spear and a shield so large, it comprises the hides of 7 cow hides. Unlike Achilles and Diomedes, Ajax is depicted as largely a defensive member of the Greek army, constantly ruining Trojan attacks and covering Greek retreats. Yet, Ajax has one of the highest kill-counts in the whole epic.

Twice in the Illiad, Ajax duels the Trojan hero, Hector, and at the end of the war it is Ajax who recovers Achilles’ body from the battlefield. For his bravery, Ajax expects to receive Achilles’ golden armor, but Odysseus wins the favour of the deciding council and gets it instead. In grief, Ajax commits suicide (after not having been wounded a single time during the war).

Unit Review – Agema Marksmen

Agema Marksmen

Historical Inspiration

“Agema” describes a special-cause military unit, comprised of elite troops. In the Ancient Macedonian army, Agema were elite infantry guards of the king and in the Seleucid army the Agema comprised an elite corps of cavalry that also rode with the king. Corvus Belli looks to have drawn more inspiration from the eastern Agema, who wore heavier bronze plate and carried extremely long spears. In any form, the Agema were an elite corps of soldiers that were reputed as being indomitable when faced head-on.

Unit Review – Acmon

Acmon, Sergeant of the Dactyls

Historical Inspiration

According to Greek mythology, Acmon was one of the mythical Dactyls (more on them later). Specifically, Acmon is mainly associated with the Anvil. Being part of a race of male beings known for their smithing, and even said to be in the employ of Hephaestus to teach metalworking and mathematics to the humans, it’s easy to see where Corvus Belli drew inspiration from for their Acmon.

Unit Review – Achilles

Achilles 

Historical Inspiration

According to Greek mythology, Achilles was the only surviving son of the sea-Nymph Thetis and Peleus, King of the Myrmidons and friend of Heracles; his other 6 brothers died in infancy. Probably paranoid by this point, Thetis took Achilles to the river Styx (in Hades, the Underworld) and submerged him, cleansing away his mortality and leaving him largely impervious to harm except for where his mother had held him (his heel). In an older story, Thetis instead anointed Achilles with ambrosia and lit him on fire to burn away his mortality, but Peleus interrupted the rite (for some reason…) before the fire had spread fully, again leaving Achilles’ with his eponymous “Achilles heel” weakness.