In my Guide to Conduct Becoming of a True Roman, I've got rough approximations of historically accurate armies for the Romans of different periods. But I've got a problem with the Marian army, which currently sits thus:
The Roman core of a Marian army is as follows:
1 unit of Cohors Evocata
8 units of Cohors Reformata
2 units of Antesignani (or allied spearmen)
1 unit of artillery
The allied part is as follows:
2-3 units of allied skirmishers (any mix of javelineers, archers and slingers)
1-3 units of allied cavalry (any cavalry you can hire/recruit)
0-3 units of allied infantry
Having played a few custom battles with Marian armies of various sizes, they cohors reformata are rather good. Surprisingly so, in fact. Which means a full stack comprised as above would romp it's way through almost anything.
There's a second problem, the Roman core there only simulates a single legion. Most armies were composed of several, and it doesn't scale well like the previous ones which represented a standard consular army in Camillian and Polybian times.
Now I'm thinking that something like a couple or trio of cohorts might have to represent one legion. They're certainly survivable enough and flexible enough to do that. They're also (if you go with three) conveniently representative of the hastati, principes and triarii cohorts each legion had. Or perhaps make it two cohors reformata and one first cohort. Although having several first cohorts might again make things rather easy with the inspiration effect they have.
Thus if you had an army with six units of cohors reformata in it, you could say you've got two legions, then add whatever auxiliaries you want to it. Twelve units and you've got four legions. More than that and it's starting to get a little silly again.
Thoughts?
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