Preview: The Romani

[-Praetor-]

Greetings Europa Barbarorum fans.

Today, we are proud to present the mighty Senatvs Popvlvsqve Romanvs. In our first preview of this faction, we will give you a taste of the revamped offices that your family members will aspire to, if they possess the required aptitudes and ambition to follow the Cursus Honorum. Secondly, we will show you the new coloniae system through which the Romani will recruit their mighty legions outside their homelands, and bring conquered populations under the Pax Romana. We will show you some strategy map models that will be used to represent the major population centres for this faction. And for the grand finale, you will see some of the actual equipment used by the Camillan unit roster. However, we won't tell you which unit uses what; you will have to guess as to which helmet or cuirass corresponds to which unit. Finally, we will display a signature banner through which you will be able to show your support for Europa Barbarorum II.

Europa Barbarorum and the Romani team are pleased to announce an updated Romani office system, with improvements made possible by the expanded traiting and scripting capabilities of MIITW: Kingdoms. New features will include:

I) New offices: Propraetor and Proconsul.
II) Extensive player control over when eligible characters serve major magistracies.
III) Enhanced realism: candidates for major magistracies must be present in Rome in order be elected to office.
IV) Imperium: the offices of Praetor and Consul and the corresponding pro-magistries will be invested with imperium, permitting office holders to legally command Roman armies. Characters who do not have imperium and who attack enemy forces will suffer combat-related penalties.
V) Age-appropriate offices: this is for characters entering the game via adoption or marriage. For example, a character entering the game in his 40s will have already served as Praetor.

Roman Elections
In EB II, we will require characters to be present in Rome in order to be candidates for the offices of Tribunus Plebis, Aedilis, Praetor, Consul, and Censor. For each of these offices, characters will receive a trait signalling to the player that the character is considered eligible to run for election. If an eligible character is present in Rome at the beginning of the spring turn, he will be considered a candidate for office. The player will then be asked to offer support for each candidate by selecting him, though the player may only support as many candidates as there are offices. Characters receiving support will have an excellent chance of election, though success is not guaranteed.

Roman Offices
All Roman offices now have minimum age requirements. A few have undergone minor changes and we have introduced the new offices of Propraetor and Proconsul. The complete list of EB II Roman offices below describes the new offices and updates those carried over from EB I.

Tribunus Militum (Junior Military Tribune)
Characters will serve a year as Tribunus Militum between the ages of 22 and 26. Fourteen junior and ten senior military tribunes provided the senior officers of the four urban legions, reporting directly to the consul or legion commander.

Quaestor
Characters become eligible for the office of Quaestor at age 27. Quaestors serving in Rome were responsible for the aerarium or treasury, and those serving in the provinces assisted the consuls or promagistrates. The term of office was one year.

Tribunus Plebis (Tribune of the people)
Especially because the duties of the plebeian tribunes required them to stay in the city of Rome, EB2 will require candidates for Tribunus Plebis to be present in Rome in order to be elected. Characters must be in their early 30s to become eligible for this office. The ten tribunes of the people served for one year. They presided over the plebeian assembly, introduced legislation, and had the power to veto the actions of any magistrate except a dictator.

Aedilis Curulis (Curule Aedile) and Aedilis Plebis (Plebeian Aedile)
Again, particularly because these offices were served in Rome, candidates must be present in Rome to be elected. A character must have reached his early 30s to become eligible for this office, and plebeian characters will now be eligible for Aedilis Curulis. During their one-year terms, the aediles were charged with overseeing the temples and markets of the city of Rome and organising festivals and games.

Praetor
A character must be present in Rome to be elected Praetor. A praetor was responsible for the administration of justice in his province and had imperium, giving him the legal authority to command Roman armies. The praetor's term of office was one year.

Propraetor
At the end of his term, a praetor's imperium will be extended, allowing him to continue in command for two or more years. A character's imperium expires at the end of his term as Propraetor. A propraetor had the same duties as the praetor in addition to, or in the absence of, his replacement. The term of office of a propraetor was indefinite.

Consul
A character must be present in Rome to be elected Consul and must be in his later 30s or older. A consul holds imperium. The consul's chief duties in his one year term were raising and commanding Roman armies.

Proconsul
At the end of his term, a consul's imperium will be extended, allowing him to continue in command for several more years. A character's imperium expires at the end of his term as Proconsul. A proconsul carried out the same duties he had as Consul, usually when no new consul was assigned his province. The term of office of a proconsul was indefinite.

Censor
A character entering his late 40s may become eligible for the office of Censor, and must be present in Rome in order to be elected. The censors selected the members of the Senate, contracted public works projects, and conducted a census which determined a citizen's taxes and military responsibilities. Two censors were elected approximately every five years and typically served for 18 months.

Roman Colonisation

The Romans, as they subdued the Italian peoples successively in war, used to seize a part of their lands and build towns there, or enrol colonists of their own to occupy those already existing, and their idea was to use these as outposts; but of the land acquired by war they assigned the cultivated part forthwith to the colonists, or sold or leased it.

-Appian (Civil War 1.1.7)

Coloniae
One of the most important features of Roman expansion was colonisation. As Appian says, a portion of a defeated enemy's land was often confiscated by the Roman state. Some of this land was used to establish coloniae (colonies), usually well fortified, located at strategic points, and intended to secure the frontier. Colonies required good communications with Rome, so coloniae were located on good roads; if a suitable road didn't exist, one was built. Until the early 2nd century BC, Romans who joined coloniae became Latins. By 272 BC, most of Rome's Latin allies were colonists, and probably made the largest allied contribution to Roman armies. In the early 2nd century, new Roman colonists usually retained their citizenship, but the coloniae themselves remained essentially unchanged. About 56 Latin and citizen coloniae had been founded by the end of the 2nd century BC.

Coloniae Militares
The advent of the professional armies of the late republic caused an important change in the nature of Roman coloniae. The primary purpose of colonisation shifted from providing frontier defence to providing for the secure retirement of the professional army's landless soldiers. The civil wars of this period required the recruitment of huge numbers of legionaries and consequently a large number of coloniae militares. Roughly 180 were founded from the time of Marius through the reign of Augustus. Of these, 70 were founded in Italy, but for the first time large numbers of coloniae were also founded abroad: in Spain (26), Africa (23), Asia Minor (14), Gaul (13), and Mauretania (12).

Colonisation of all types placed hundreds of thousands of Romans on originally hostile territory. Over time, these colonists helped to extend Roman control over the conquered regions they occupied. They also introduced the natives to the Latin language, Roman law and administration, and the privileges of Latin and Roman citizenship.

Coloniae in EB II
The colonia building will become an important part of the game for the Romani faction. The first level will represent the first colony founded in a region and higher levels will represent the foundation of additional coloniae.

I) It will allow recruitment of Roman factional troop types with a low replenishment rate.
II) The colonia will gradually increase the percentage of the city-state religion in a region.
III) Each level of the colonia building permits the city-state religion to rise to a progressively higher value.

Historically, foundation of coloniae was dependent on a supply of willing colonists. Consequently, coloniae will only become available for construction or upgrade periodically. The construction of coloniae will only be possible in provinces that already have a road or port.

Later in the game, when the professional army has been established, an unlimited number of coloniae militares will become available. However, it will also become necessary to build them in order to continue recruiting factional troops from any source. Coloniae militares serve as a source of recruitment for factional troops and will be the only source of recruitment for Evocatae.

[]Aba has been working very hard on some strat map models for the Romani. His first assignment were the Romani settlements, and the results are already astounding! Take a look at some of the models and skins he made for Europa Barbarorum II:

Town:



Large Town:



City:



Large City:



Huge City:



Detail of the triple arch in the Large and Huge City models.

We are very proud to show part of the amazing panoply that the Roman legions will carry into battle in Europa Barbarorum II. With this equipment, the Romani won over Pyrrhos and secured their dominion on the Italian Peninsula. They fought and defeated Carthago during the First Punic War, conquering Sicilia, Corsica and Sardinia. And they also subjugated Gallia Cisalpina, marking the decline of Celtic power in Italy. Will you repeat their historic conquests, or splinter their shields, shatter their armour and bend their swords as one of Rome's enemies?

However, we won't tell you all the information relating to these weapons and armour. You will have to guess either the name of the specific equipment, or its bearer, or both, in five different questions!

So, what do you get if these questions are answered correctly? Well, if the community is able to answer all five questions correctly, we will reveal an image showing the full panoply of a Romani cavalry unit.

And believe us, it is worth it!

Rules:

a) There is no need to be the same person to answer all five correctly (for instance, if someone answers I-III correctly, and someone else answers IV correctly, and a third answers II-V correctly, despite individuals having wrong answers alongside good ones, then the prize will be given regardless). The quiz is directed at the community, because the prize will be for the community.

b) Every person can try to answer all questions, but each person can only have one final answer for each question (for instance, you can't answer question X with "it's either a classical hoplite or an iphicratean hoplite"). In case of multiple answers for one question, your last answer will be considered your final answer.

c) You have only got 48 hours, counting from the minute this preview is posted, to guess all five correctly. If there's no success, you will have to wait until the next Romani preview.

Good luck!

These helmets belong to a single unit that belongs to the Roman army of the Camillan period:

I) Can you guess to whom they belong?

These weapons belong to a Roman triarius of the Camillan period. We can see in the background the spear this unit uses, called hasta. But we also see three sword types displayed on the foreground:

II) Can you guess what the name is for each of those swords, as well as their provenance?

These shields belong to various Camillan units. A couple are round and heavy, made of hard timber, covered in bronze, and measure 88 cm in diameter; another couple are oval, provide superb protection from neck to foot, and are 107 cm long; and the last couple are quite unique: being round and relatively small, they are built of wood and covered in leather, and range from 60 to 85 cm in diameter:

III) What did the Romans call each of these three shield types??

Also, each of these shields types are used by different units:

IV) Can you guess to whom they belong?

In the following image there are thirteen different helmets on display that belong to two Roman units from the Camillan period. The eight in the upper left part of the screen belong to one unit, while the other five in the lower right part of the screen belong to another:

V) Can you guess which helmet corresponds to which unit?

This contest is now closed. Congratulations to everyone that tried their luck answering these questions. No one has answered all five correctly, but thanks to Elzeda, antisocialmunky, Andronikos and Alsatia, who were the first to answer the questions correctly, the prize will be given to the .org community.

The correct answers are:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I) Equites Romani.

II) From top to bottom:
a) Celt Shortsword, Celtic.
b) Kopis or Machaira, Greek.
c) Xyphos, Greek.

III) Clipeus, Scutum and Popanum or Parma.

IV) Triarii, Principes, Equites Romani.

V) The eight helmets in the upper-left = Principes. The five helmets in the lower right = Triarii.

Special congratulations are due for Elzeda, with 2 questions correctly answered, and Alsatia with 3. Antisocialmunky deserves a special recongnition, since he was the only one that answered question II correctly and with the precision requiered.

Here's your prize:

The Equites Romani (Camillan):



And part of his equipment:

Credits to Martelus Flavius for the equites render and for the equipment screen.

We have got a new signature banner for you! Now you can show your support for Europa Barbarorum II styling a new Romani signature banner, made by Teleklos Archelaou.

Small banner:



... which you can use alongside the other two revealed factions' banners for EB II::

We hope you have enjoyed this preview of some of this faction's features and graphic art. And stay tuned, for this is only the first preview for the Romani! In our next installment, we will show you screenshots of Romani units in battle, and perhaps a bit more.

Please note that unless stated otherwise, ALL pictures, names, and descriptions shown in our previews are works in progress. We continue to improve on all parts of EB II, and we will continue to do so long after our initial release.

Since some areas where these news items are posted cannot handle wide images, we appreciate your restraint from quoting full-size images.

As always, if you have questions or comments, the best place to post them is here, where the EB team is most active:

Europa Barbarorum ORG forum

Europa Barbarorum TWC forum

Credits are due to the Romani team for this preview. We give special thanks to Atilius for the text work on the "Offices" and "Coloniae" chapters; []Aba for the strat map settlements skins and models; Tux, JMRC and Martelus Flavius for the unit models; Martelus Flavius for the unit skins; Teleklos Archelaou for the sig banners and this preview's artwork; and I Am Herenow for spelling and grammar correction.

We give special thanks to Imagehost, that provides us with a simple, foolproof, free and secure way to show you all these pictures.

Have a great day!

Regards,

The Europa Barbarorum team.

[johnhughthom]

The new office system sounds amazing, I had no idea that would be possible.

[Ibrahim]

AWESOMEZ.

them triarii and hastati will indeed get good helms today.

EDIT: you want detailed answers:

1 (and the last one)-the ones on the right are for rich fellows, like the triarii, and maybe a few principes. the ones on the left belong to the hastati, most principes, maybe the skirmishers and marian legions, and the irish. that italic one looks like he samnite helm on that unit, and the chacidian is fit for a hoplite (or italic version)

2-gladius hispaniensis, Falacata (that spanish hooked sword)/Kopis, and Xiphos/xiphos look-a-like. the middle one might be a khukri though

3-in turn stolen from flaccus' (wy type when you can cut n' paste?): III. The round and heavy is the clipeus, the Roman equivalent of the aspis, the oval and big is the Scutum while the round and small is the parma, also parma equestris.


4-the shield's that look like an asipis are for triarii, with the plainer version for some auxiliary (extraordinarii). the red shield probably belongs to a princeps or a richer hastatus, and the plain version of it must be a hastatus shield or lower. the round shield on the left looks like a cavalry ot skirmisher's shield, and lord knows what that bossed round shield is for, though the light infantry, like the leves might be users.

[Iron Fist]

Hell yeah, am I first one to read this??

[kekailoa]

Tantalizing...

[DaciaJC]

Marvelous work, EB Team.

[Horatius Flaccus]

Absolutely amazing!

IV) Imperium: the offices of Praetor and Consul and the corresponding pro-magistries will be invested with imperium, permitting office holders to legally command Roman armies. Characters who do not have imperium and who attack enemy forces will suffer combat-related penalties.

That will give some great roleplay scenarios!

As for the equipment: I leave that up to the experts.

[J.R.M]

As always amazing job...
I love u EB team! (not in a gay way)

[A Very Super Market]

Who woulda thunkit the Romans would be in EB2?

Great work as always, EB team. The clone armies were over-rated anyways!

[bobbin]

Really nice preview, can't wait for EBII!

as for the questions
1. i'm guessing Triarius
2. Gladius Hispaniensis from spain, Kopis from greece, Xiphos form greece

don''t know about the other three...yet.

[Ca Putt]

Wonderful finally worthy opponents :D :D

Sorry not an expert on romans but I bet there are enouth here to guess right.^^
II: Gladius, Falcata(Iberia), Xiphos(Greece)

III, Scutum? I only know what greeks would call the large round one(Aspis) and the long one(Thueros)

IV: O: Triari o: Leves 0: I've got absolutely no clue, maybe Roari :DD

[Apázlinemjó]

Wow, when EB II comes out I will pick the Romani campaign first, I guess. ;o

[Horatius Flaccus]

Shamelessly stolen from Louis XI on the .net forum:

I. They belong to the Triarii.
II. These swords are respectively, from top to bottom, the Greek Xyphos, the also Greek Kopis and the earlier Gladius Hispaniensis.
III. The round and heavy is the clipeus, the Roman equivalent of the aspis, the oval and big is the Scutum while the round and small is the parma, also parma equestris.
IV. The clipeus belongs mostly to the Triarii, the Scutum belongs to line heavy infantry such as the Principes, while the parma equestris belongs to the Equites and to light skirmisher troops, like the Leves.
V. The helmets from the upper left belong to the Hastati, while the ones from the lower right belong to the Triarii.

[Valion]

I LOVE THIS!!! It really does pay to love the Romani and with this i'l love the Romani even more mwahahah!

[-Praetor-]

Where's our prize ?

If anyone gives the correct answer, the acnowledgements and the prize will be given at the end of the 48 hour term. Any prior judgment (positive or negative) would be unfair to the others that might still wanna play too, isn't it.

BUT, while he might appear correct on all his answers, he might have one, two or all five answers wrong! Take a chance and say your own proposals!

[Andronikos]

Before me Horatius, but I don't have it from .net
I. agree with Triarii, they are pretty elaborated, show some social status
II. not sure, but some of the upper ones must be true
III. from unit descriptions O Clipeus 0 Scutum o Parma
IV. Triarii, Principes, Leves
V. Hastati, really the same as the first? I say Principes

[Puupertti Ruma]

Sweet stuff! Offices seem promising, especially the "must be in Rome to be eligible" part of it, and all the pictures look niiiiiccceee!! One question: if you have most of your FMs at Rome, will there be some benefits from this. I mean, in RTW, only one FM in a city could govern it, and the rest were more or less "wasted". Also, if not so, can a new appointed consul somehow travel faster to his province of choice?

And then my answers to the trivia:

I: I'm pondering between principes, hastati samniti and the elite samnite infantry. Well, I'll guess that they belong to the principes, and I draw my guess from the number of the feathers.

II: I'm not too good with ancient swords... uppermost is a italic short sword, the very same the Camillan Hastati use in EBI. In the middle is either greek kopis or machaira, or the hispanic falcata. As machaira is the only one not guessed yet, I say it's a greek machaira :). The lowest one I think is a greek xiphos.

III: Referencing from the EBI website, the oval is scutum, the round bronze one is Clipeus, and I don't know the round one. I guess it is a scutum also.

IV: The greek aspis (round with bronze) is used by the triarii, the thureos (long and oval) are in use by principes and hastati, and the last one is the most difficult to question I think... maybe the leves used it, so leves.

V: From the three feathers and the quite simple structure of the upper left, I deduct they belong to hastati. The ones on the lower right more expensive looking, with crests and other ornamentals, so I quess they belong to the triarii.

:edit: And I started to post my answers before Horatius "made" his.

[Christianus]

Yeeeeeeeees! Finally! Thank you thank you thank you! :D

[Aulus Caecina Severus]

EXCELLENT !!!
Thank you EB team for your great work.
EB2 will be the best for M2TW like EB is for RTW.

[Hanoeman]

Sounds great. One question though: do characters have to be present in Rome or in the current capital of the empire? It's an important difference gameplay wise.

[johnhughthom]

Sounds great. One question though: do characters have to be present in Rome or in the current capital of the empire? It's an important difference gameplay wise.

You change the capital? Sacrilege!

I'm well aware the capital was changed by the way, it was well out of EBs timeframe though.

[Hanoeman]

I'd never! But if characters really should be in Rome you can just conquer Rome as another faction and thus the whole empire. Or at least make it easier for yourself. Though I wouldn't know how the AI would respond without imperium. Would they attack less, not at all or put everything in recapturing Rome?

[Andy1984]

Marvellous

I: About the helmets: Given there are so many Greek-influenced helmets, I'd go for a southern-Italian unit. Maybe the pezoi Brettioi? (With the Apulian-Corinthian helmets for the commanding officers of the unit?)

V: this is mere guessing to me. Given te poor-quality helmets to the left, I'd go for a unit of rorarii for the helmets on the left. The ones on the right could be triarii-helmets.

[Alsatia]

Look absolutely Stunning!

I - Triarii
II - Gladius Hispanesis - Spain, Xyphos - Greece
III - Clipeus, Scutum, Parma
IV - Triarii, Principes/Hastati, Equites
V - Principes and Triarii

[Phalanx300]

Awesome, and I guessed correct at the Romani being previewed. I gues some Germanics are next. Can't wait to see the new Spartans in the future though.


Ok guys, for that picture we have to play it smart, if we all name different units then we will definately get it! Its dirty but it gets the job done.

I) Can you guess to whom they belong?

Mmm, there are some expensive looking helmets in there so its probably not a unit of a low social class. And it cleverly says part of the Romani army so I'd go for the Pedites Extraordinarii .

II) Can you guess what the name is for each of those swords, as well as their provenance?

First, I'd go with Pugio seeing that hasn't been set yet. For the other two I'd have no idea how they would be called in Latin.

III) What did the Romans call each of these three shield types??

The oval one is a Scutum, the other two I wouldn't know.

IV) Can you guess to whom they belong?

For the round one I will go with the Pedites Extraordinarii again, since they haven't been named. The Scutum, I'll go for the Rorarii, same reason. The smaller oner I'd go with Eqvites Romani.

V) Can you guess which helmet corresponds to which unit?

To the left I go with Hastati Samnitici. To the right I'll go with Eqvites Extraordinarii .

Remember guys if we want to see that picture we have to play it smart.

[Horatius Flaccus]

Yep, that's why I posted those suggestions from the .net, so that nobody would guess the same.

[Vasiliyi]

Wow, excellent work. They will be a worthy foe indeed!

[a completely inoffensive name]

Man, EBII is going to be so ******* awesome!

[Azathoth]

Can't wait to make some badass Roman battle movies with the fly MT2W Cinematic Editor.

[Perturabo]

In my opinion one of the greatest single achievements of EB1 was to make the Roman faction interesting and playable after the horror of the Vanilla Ninjas.

This looks like the whole concept is going to a totally new level somewhere in the stratosphere.

Can't believe this, but i'm actually really looking forward to playing the Romani