Roman Legion composition?

**Atilius** · 08-08-2009, 21:35

Originally Posted by johnhughthom

As far as I am aware they were under the personal command of the Consul, assuming there was one of course, and so while technically allies they would not necessarily have had to fight with the alae.

Concerning the pedites extraordinarii, I think this is speculation on that part of some authors. I know of no support in the ancient sources for that claim. Some of the equites extraordinarii (Polybios 6.31) were quartered near the Consul's volones in camp and may have therefore been under his immediate control on the battlefield.

Polybios states (6.40) that when an army is on the march, the extraordinarii form the vanguard if the enemy is ahead of them and the rearguard if the enemy is behind. This indicates that when formed for battle, the extraordinarii would be positioned on the extreme right of the formation.

**Aulus Caecina Severus** · 08-10-2009, 15:30

My singleplayer legion for my romani campaign:

Note: max 10 slot for make available a powerful thing... Double legion full stack

I always leave cavalry in one army following main army legion.
When i m in enemy field i leave main army in a fort, and second army (cavalry) around or in one other fort.

Camillan Legion:
1 general
2 astati
2 principi
1 triari
2 leve
1 accensi
1 rorari

Polybian Legion:
1 general
3 astati polibiani
3 principi polibiani
1 triari polibiani
2 velites

Italic Allied Legion:
1 imperator italicus/general
5 fanti pesanti straordinari
4 ausiliari italici (ligures, samnites, bruttian, lucanian)

Marian Legion:
1 general
1 coorte miliaria pesante(aquila)
4 coorti pesanti
2 coorti leggere (ausiliari)
2 artillery or mercenary

Imperial Legion:
1 general
1 coorte miliaria imperiale pesante(aquila)
4 coorti imperiali pesanti
2 coorti leggere
2 arcieri saggitari siriani

Praetorian Legion:
1 general
5 coorti della guardia pretoriana
4 coorti veterane (evocate)

**TKaz84** · 08-11-2009, 05:05

How exactly does the game engine and mechanics distort how a legion is composed here vs. history? For example the initial Roman legions have one of each unit, however in gameplay terms that is not nearly large enough to take on the Eleutheroi, much less another faction.

**Companion Cavalry** · 08-11-2009, 05:37

While pillaging and burning Roma I discovered a half-burnt scroll in the house of one of the fighters. I translated the barbarian's writing as best I could with my knowledge of their corrupted version of Greek.

Perhaps it may be of some use to you.

"Imperial Legionary Composition Section One: Infantry

One eagle-bearing first cohort
Nine units of standard legionary troops
Four divisions auxiliary spearmen
Two divisions of elite light javelineers
One ballista + handlers

Imperial Legionary Composition Section Two: Cavalry

Two cavalry regiments of Augustan cavalry wings
General's guard cavalry"

**SwissBarbar** · 09-20-2009, 20:17

Most of your armies have 1 General. But in my Romani-Campaigns the young Roman nobles have to prove themselves in battle first, if they want to go the political way. So my amies (Camillan / Polybian) are Composed like this

Legatvs: The General of the amy is at least 35 years old and has fought at least 10 battles, 3 of them in the offensive on enemy territory and 3 have to have been sieges. He has been in Roma and was in a lower political position, and now aims for higher positions, like Praetor or Consul.

Tribvnvs Laticlavivs: A young man of at least 25 years, who still has to serve his 10 battles. After the Legatvs, he's the highest officer in the army. He has not much political experience yet. If the second Tribvnvs is younger than 20 years, he is the one, who leads the Socii Legion in battle. If not, he's the one who commands the Roman troops, while the Legatvs watches him and gives orders.

Tribvnvs: He's at least 16 years old and has no political experience at all. When he's 20 years old, he might lead a Socii legion into battle, under the watchful eye of his Legatvs.

1 army is composed of 2 Legions like this:

Roman Legion Camillan (C) /Polybian (P)

1 x Legatvs
1 x Tribvnvs
1 x Accensi
2 x Leves (C) / Velites (P)
2 x Hastati
2 x Principes
1 x Triarii

Socii (Italic/Greek example, of course the units descend from where the Legion is recruited.)

1 x Tribvnvs
1 x Akontistai
1 x Peltastai
1 x Toxotai
2 x Hastati Samnitici / Pezoi Brettioi / Gaemile Liguriae
1 x Pedites Extraordinarii / Samnitici Milites / Hoplitai Haploi / Hoplitai
2 x Eqvites Campanici / Liguriae Epos
1 x Eqvites Extraordinarii

(Notice that the Socii field the cavalry)

**Weebeast** · 09-20-2009, 22:35

Not sure if mine is historically accurate but as I understand, Camillan and Polybian era had a pretty good even number of light and heavy infantry...probably had more light counting true missiles in game like Leves, Accensi and Velites. Since I'm too lazy to do the math in game I usually just use ratio especially since I don't always count a stack as one "legion."

My Camillan and Poly as follows (in ratio):
1x cavalry
1x heavy infantry (Triarii, Pedites)
2x medium infantry (Principes, Hastati)
3x lights (leves, rorarii, Akontistai, velites, regionals, etc.)
0.75x unique mercs like Thrakians, elephants (after I crush Carthage usually), and whichever fought for Rome but not on daily basis.

EDIT - It should be said that sometimes I use a totally different, likely better unit to represent promoted troops... for example like Pedites as Caetrati. This happens when I'm facing an impeding stack of doom and don't have time to get an actual Caetrati.... EB map is big you know.