For the Empire: Total War unit, see Shaturnal Camel Gunners (Empire: Total War).
Shaturnal Camel Gunners are a type of missile camel cavalry in Napoleon: Total War.
Description[]
These camel troops are armed with carbines and have highly regarded skirmishing skills.
These men have been hardened for battle by the merciless nature of the desert, a place that is utterly unforgiving to the weak. A man who cannot fight is unlikely to survive the life of feuding and banditry that is his lot. Unlike many of their enemies, the shaturnal camel gunners are extremely swift and manoeuvrable force, and have perfected their skirmish tactics. An extra edge in combat is gained from their camels: enemy horses are easily scared by these gurning, spitting creatures!
Historically, a shaturnal was a kind of swivel gun mounted on the back of a camel or an elephant. Rather than using the camel to simply transport the gun, the weapon was actually fired with the gun still attached to the animal. Because there was no need to dismount to use the weapon, it could be brought into action very quickly.
General Information[]
Shaturnal Camel Gunners are the only missile cavalry available to the Ottoman Empire. They are also the only camel cavalry available in multiplayer among all factions, giving them an advantage over other cavalry with their ability to scare horses. This makes them a versatile unit with multiple functions unique to them in the Ottoman unit roster. However, their stats are rather poor, and their status as camel troops make them slower than most cavalry. They work best in tandem with units that are better suited to inflicting and receiving damage.
Like most Ottoman units, Shaturnal Camel Gunners are resistant to heat fatigue, giving them an advantage over factions' units on desert maps and making them immune to the effects of heat attrition (the latter being a useful trait in the Egypt campaign specifically). Their immunity to heat fatigue, coupled with their good stamina bonus, often grants them a large stamina bonus over their enemies.