Roman Manipular Formation

[m4rt14n]

How do u usually form ur battle line with Pre-Marian troops?

I usually go with:

*** *** *** --- velites
------ ------ --- barb mercenaries/samnites
||| ||| ||| ||| --- hastatis
||| ||| ||| ---- princeps
|||| |||| -- triaries/more barb mercs or samnites
0 -- general

and I would generally have cavalries (preferably Gaulish mercs) and wardogs on my wings for flankin manouvers. I tend to stay away with archers cos they only add to friendly fires.

I like keeping barb mercs in the front, in long thin lines, to absorb/deliever charges. This way my hastatis would get the chance to throw their pilas without getting slobbered by massive amounts of screaming enemies. IIRC, their pilas do more damage then their actual attack. This kind of armies work well with barbarians, although against Phalanx they may not be worth it.

With Post Marian troops I keep the same formation only changing hastatis, princeps and triariies with Legionaries. Especially after the reform, retraining is hard when ur campaigining in less developed regions. I'm guessing I could've used Auxillias or Town Watches, but I like the merc's charge better.

I just wished there's an auto manipular formation setting. I know sometimes the AI form ur troops in maniple, but a lot of times its just one big line of troops and u had to move stuff around alot.