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Having just started my first serious Romani campaign after many months of playing EB and six successful campaigns to this date, I was wondering: Where should the Italic allies and foreign auxilaries be placed when arranging the “checkerboard” formation of Hastati, Principes, and Triarii? Currently, I’m arranging them somewhat haphazardly on the flanks, with the Pedites Extraordinarii back with the consul, since the description says they would be under his direct orders. Any advice?
On the flanks of the Romans, who form the core. Traditionally they were arranged thus:
Left Ala...First Legion...Second Legion...Right Ala
Yes. In general, contingents from different nationalities usualy fought together on their own "wings" in ancient times. The Roman Italian allies, who were equipped in the same way, stood on the wings of the Roman Legions. Contingent from other people (more "Auxilia" than the Italians) might have formed distinctive corps standing left and right of these. Or sometimes they were held in reserves, or vice versa were fighting in front of the Romans, who formed the reserves.
The Italic allies would have fought in such a similar way to the Romans themselves (even the Samnites, from whom of course the Romans adopted and adapted the checkerboard anyway) that you might easily use them to extend your checkerboard to the left and right.
Non Italic allies probably fought with less 'Roman' a structure- especially if they were phalanx based. I either treat such troops as a seperate mini army on the flank or give them a more Roman structure, depending on how much influence I see them as being under.
Edit to add: The allies who were actually subject to Rome, and at least some of the free allies, had Roman commanders, who would very likely deploy them in Roman fashion.
If I am fighting as the romans (and I'm fairly sure this is historically accurate) all my units are put into squares in the checkerboard (unless if the square puts the checkerboard out of whack, then ill place them in as many men deep as each square is)
EDIT: all roman cohorts or maniples ect. form the core of your fighting unit. your core is less likely to rout, if you lose your core, the battle is lost. Don't rely on some naked idiots from Gaul to be your core!
This works to your advantage, because the effectiveness this formation has with your reg's will pass onto your Auxilia and allied soldiers as well.
sometimes I will use this formation when I am playing as the Casse, it is really effective in the rough terrain of the Isles.
I have my own question considering the checkerboard - Does it get buggered in the forests? I avoid forest fighting like the feckin' plague regardless of bonuses. the only time ill place soldiers in them is to make ambushes or hide my cavalry so they start behind their lines during the engagement. (I am a pretty ruthless and sneaky cavalry commander)
Everything gets buggered in the forest. Trying to stay in formation when checkered results in some amusing close-ups where units don't support each other, even though they can hear the fighting.
i guess thats why "barbarian" (we need to find a proper term for "un-civilized" people - the term barbarian offends me due to my ancestry) units that arent disicplined to use formations are more effective in forests- there is no formation to bugger up! Huzzah!