Legionary Eagles... A rare commodity

I've played through 1 full imperial campaign, 2 partials (got to late mid-game and got pissed that family was a bunch of dead-beats) and I'm late in the early game with the one I'm playing right now.

The guide said that sometimes the Senate will award you with a first "Cohort" unit for a successful mission. Now through all my games I've never seen one. Does anyone have more info on them? Do they really make such a difference in battle? Is it possible to retrain them?

Any pertinent information would be appreciated.

Are you using patch 1.2 or not? Prior to 1.2, they are only awarded as a reward for a Senate mission that will reward you with "A Major exotic unit", and the exact reward is random off a list of such. Prior to 1.2, they are not retrainable, because you can't build them. With patch 1.2, the Senate reward is unchanged, but they are buildable and retrainable at a barracks one size larger than the appropriate cohort, only in Rome (requires hidden_resource rome). You can modifiy the export_desc_buildings.txt file to allow them to be built elsewhere, and retrained elsewhere, if you wish.

Holy crap Quillan I did not know that.

I have a 1st Cohort as a senate reward and they are down to about 44 men. I am aware of the damage it causes when you lose them to the enemy so I am starting to get worried given their low numbers. I am Julii and it is about 160 BC. The civil war hasn't broken out in my campaign yet but I can see it on the cards in the next few decades.

So what you are saying then is, that if I grab Rome when the civil war breaks out then I can get them back up to strength?

Thats interesting Quillian. A couple more questions:

1. Could you give more info on the particular heading that should be modified in the file?

2. Do you only get them after the Marinus reforms?

i can go to programfiles/activision/RTW/Data than look for desc_export_buildings.txt

search for First cohorts (look in desc_export_units.txt for the used name, not neccesary) and remove the hidden_resource rome and change it to hidden_resource italy (patch 1.2 only) or leave it blank.

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Originally Posted by B1ueBa11

Thats interesting Quillian. A couple more questions:

1. Could you give more info on the particular heading that should be modified in the file?

2. Do you only get them after the Marinus reforms?

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don't know about the modding but, yse they are only available after the reforms

More specifically, the file is export_descr_buildings.txt. Search for all instances of "first cohort" and after each instance (both after "first cohort i" and "first cohort ii") replace "hidden_resource rome" with "hidden_resource italy" or delete "and hidden_resource rome" altogether.

This is from memory, so I might not have it exactly right. In the export_desc_buildings.txt file, start scrolling down. Under each building, there will be a list of what units can be recruited there. Under the later barracks, you'll see a line something like this:

build "roman legionary first cohort ii" 0 faction { roman } needs hidden_resource rome and marian_reforms

"roman legionary first cohort i" is the early legionary first cohort. "roman legionary first cohort ii" is the later. If you've got patch 1.2, drop the "hidden_resource rome" part, or change it to italy if you prefer to limit it to there. In the earlier, you have to add the lines to the barracks to allow them to be built.

I don't actually want to build them. What I would like is to "only" be able to re-train.

There are 2 eagle type units available to be built in rome, I cant remeber the other but it was sort of like the early legionaire cohort vs legionare cohort.

I didnt play the game much past this point as I was itching to try non roman factions but from what I read, I am not sure I want a unit that if the eagle bearer gets killed it will take a hvy morale hit.

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Originally Posted by AussieGiant

So what you are saying then is, that if I grab Rome when the civil war breaks out then I can get them back up to strength?

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You will be able to both train new and retrain old Eagle units if you hold Rome as a Roman faction. It is the only way I have ever been able to get one.

I've never had them , as the Juli , however the Brutii ( as AI ) always get them, trhe senate loves them I guess.
and well, I never have the patience to wait till I get Rome, I guess I should lick more senate ass..

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Originally Posted by Jacque Schtrapp

You will be able to both train new and retrain old Eagle units if you hold Rome as a Roman faction. It is the only way I have ever been able to get one.

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Thanks for confirming that Jacque. That is great news.

You don't have an option of only retraining strength wise. You can retrain for upgrades anywhere but to be able to retrain a unit to full strength means being able to build it as well.

Note that for major exotic unit, the only worthwhile ones are first cohorts and war elephants. Gladiators aren't great. When you have such a senate mission, reload until you get one of the two.