| Ship Type | Primary Role | Counter | Key Stat | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Screening, scouting, chasing routed enemies | None directly; supports heavies | Maneuver | | Trireme | Line combat, all-purpose | Liburnians | Hull & Ram | | Octeres | Heavy brawler, fleet anchor | Triremes & Liburnians | Armor & Damage |
| Goal | Recommended Fleet | | :--- | :--- | | Trade protection | 1-ship liburnian fleets on auto-pirate | | Early expansion | 4:1 Liburnian:Trireme | | Decisive battle (pre-Marius) | 1 Octeres : 3 Triremes : 1 Liburnian | | Decisive battle (Marius patch) | Pure triremes with a maneuver admiral | | Coastal siege support | 50% Siege Ships, 50% Triremes | | Chasing a routed enemy | Pure liburnians, no heavies | imperator rome fleet composition
. 1. Understanding Ship Classes Ships are divided into three weight classes. Your fleet should typically mix these to handle different combat roles: Light Ships (Liburnians, Triremes): High maneuverability and speed. They are excellent for catching smaller pirate fleets and provide high "flanking" potential in large battles. Medium Ships (Tetreres, Hexeres): The "workhorses." They offer a balance of durability and damage. Hexeres, in particular, are great for soaking up damage in the center of your line. Heavy Ships (Octeres, Mega-Polyremes): The "juggernauts." These have massive hull points and deal heavy damage but move slowly. They are specialized for | Ship Type | Primary Role | Counter