thanks a lot watchman, i'll try this out when i get in front of my game computer tonight :)

only one thing though:
Quote Originally Posted by Watchman
You'll of course have to make the appropriate modifications to the EDU and all that jazz, but you probably knew that already.
i'd be very happy if you could assume i am ignorant (since it wont be wrong) and give me the dummy-version as well? what do i have to do, if i manage to run the original RTW campaign in the BI engine, to make the shield wall specialty available to roman faction units?

as for how realistic or historically correct the shield wall would be for roman units, i would disagree with you on that point. i have read several sources who attribute the shield wall to the marian legions, and the phalanx formation to the early republican soldiers. since i am at uni atm its hard to look up the specific sources and find the exact claims made there, but here's what i could dig up from wikipedia and others:

he first Roman soldiers were equipped and fought as Greek Hoplites and in the close order of a Phalanx. (...) The remainder of the army were equipped as Velites, light infantry skirmishers. - Wikipedia

granted, this refers to the roman armies before the system and period that is portrayed in the game. this system with phalanxes was abandoned in favour of the three-level system of infantry that RTW uses.

the Wikipedia article on the shield wall, being depressively brief, states that "This tactic was used by many ancient armies including the Roman legion"

It also says that the standard formation of the century in battle was the square formation, a formation that is very closely linked to the developement of the schiltron formation that was revived in 14th C scotland. this formation also bears strong resemblance to the shield wall formation pictured on the Bayeux Tapestry...

having gone as far as googling it, i find a few mentions of the same things i've read before. Albion swords, who do reenactement swords and put great store on historical accuracy, states:
"Rather than fighting as individual warriors (like their competition, the Continental Celts) the Roman legions eventually developed a new way of fighting -- massing together with overlapping shields, using their short stabbing'cutting swords to strike from behind this shield wall. As these battle tactics for the Legions changed, a shorter, broader stabbing/cutting sword had to be developed to use in combination with these newer types of shield and new styles of fighting."
to explain the design of one of their Mainz-pattern gladius.

while militaryhistoryonline.com states that:
"Ambroius’s victories most likely occurred because of the Roman training of his troops; they would form a solid wall of shields, each shield locked to the next one by special grips. Each soldier carried a short spear, which was thrown just before the two sides met in combat, and a short thrusting sword. It was the discipline of these troops which overcame the Saxons; if one man fell, another took his place in the line of battle, thus maintaining the shield wall."
again contributing the shield wall tactic to the roman legion.

So while i will agree that the phalanx formation is highly unrealistic for roman units in the game, i would argue that the shield wall is relevant for the post-marian unit types in the game, if not the pre-marian units.