Dromon

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

What should this kind of galley be? A Byzantine Unique Naval Unit or generic? And which era (Classical or Medieval) should this ship shows up?

^ This kind of galley is originated in Rome, evolved from Imperial 'Upgraded' Liburnia (originally a light scout vessel (and even monoreme), and light ship means pirate's favorites. Later after Battle of Actium, Liburnia (which by then already upgraded to Bireme (of Double banking configuration, i.e. one oar is served by two men) and semi-cataphract decked with some variants capalbe of fitting towers, something not possible with its recce ancestors before them) became standard warships in place of heavy polyreme (since Roman had then established absolute control over Mediterranean Sea, and there's no capable challengers of the same size with the same serious big navy composing of super polyremes remaining). Eventually occupied the place where Trireme and Quadrireme were in the republic era. (shock warships)

^ Admiral Agrippa's Liburnia at the Actium. he used large numbers of Liburnias (and other light galleys) to the great effect against Marcus Antonius's fleet composed solely of heavy polyremes.

^ Imperial era Liburnia, this one is Senator's ship. now became either semicataphract or fully decked.


^ Byzantine Liburnia. now as part of naval evolutionary process. and now occupied the place Heavy Polyremes were. it looked almost like Classical era Polyremes but with round forecastle like Venetian Galleass.

Though Byzantines aren't the only user of Dromons. Someone else did as well. be there Islamic States, Italian States. and North Atlatic Kingdoms.

^Forgotten Realms Dromond (spelling variants)

^Genoese Dromone (another spelling variant but not sure if it really is since it uses square sails, while Dromon tend to use Lateens.)

Dromon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

More question. What does a spar do in these medieval galleys?. is it a kind of ram or boarding plank or what?

 

[Henri Christophe]

I voted for medieval ranged unity of Byzantium.

I remember at least in Civ 5 the Byzantium ship was a ranged unit how throw greek fire on the enemy, it was a very cool unit and I used cheat a lot of times to use this unit with other civs as well.
Despite be very weak unity, it's cool to upgrade with frigate with already some battle experience and it's promotions.


And about the era of it unity, it's only can be medieval. Because medieval age is defined between the fall of Rome and Constantinople, and is exactly only this period who there is a Byzantium.