Post marian Army Make-up

[St Derfel Cadarn]

I'm trying to keep things real (in R:TW), so can anybody help me with post Marian Reform formations:-

Following previous advice I had been using the following:-

V - V - V - V -
- H - H - H - H
E - P - P - P - P - E
G - T - T

With all the Early Legionary Cohorts and Auxilia etc I'm confused as to which to use (in attempting to be as historically accurate as possible, that is).

Any one have any ideas?

[Avicenna]

Walk up with your legionaries in a big line while your missiles fire and your cavalry support infantry + protect missiles. Envelop the enemy line and surround them. The rest is up to you.

[St Derfel Cadarn]

Sorry Tiberius, you've missed my meaning.

The info I am after is what the army should be made up of, not necessarily tactics on how to engage.

[Avicenna]

Legionary first cohort if you have Rome. If not, do senate missions till they give you one. This provides morale bonus. Use archers or archer auxilia depending on which is higher damage (I think pre-M archers but not sure. auxilia have higher armour but are more expensive). Keep triarii: they are the best spearmen you'll get. Legionary cohorts can be your core, and your cav can be legionary or praetorian (expensive but a bit better).

If you have spare money you could also add in a few urbans.

[YAKOBU]

Hi Invicta

My standard post-marian army would have:

10 Legionary Cohorts or 9 plus a First Cohort
2 Archer Auxilia
2 Legionary Cavalry
1 General.

The other 5 spaces would be filled with mercenaries/artillery as required.

Most forum users stay away from Praetorians/Urbans as being unrealistic.

I assume the advice you had been given was for a pre-marian army initially.

[econ21]

I suspect a historical post-Marian Republican army using RTW units would be:

9 early legion cohorts + 1 early first cohort
1 general
1 Roman cavalry

then add a mix of mercenaries to represent allied troops suitable to the region. These would most commonly be light infantry (Cretan archers, Baelaric slingers, merc. peltasts, Thracians etc) to skirmish and cavalry (barbarian and Numidian mercs) to supplement the Roman horse.

The auxilia and vanilla legionnaires are more properly Imperial units, rather than post-Marian republican ones. I am unsure of the proportions, but as much as half of an early Imperial army might be auxiliaries (with spear auxilia and light auxilia predominating). You could add a Praetorian cav and infantry for flavour too. Onagers and ballistas would not be inappropriate either.