African Elite Heavy Infantry

[Sobric]

Hi all,

Just registered to ask why Carthage gets access to this unit so early? I've only faced one (so far) in my Roman campaign (it could be a merc I guess...?) but it seems strange that my neighbours have an 'imitation' legion before I have a real legion (~245 B.C., I'm still in the Camilian period).

Are units such as imitation legions linked to Rome's progress? Or can they access them in any year? I'm not particularily frustrated, they haven't posed a problem yet as I've only me one, but considering they are as tough as my veteran Triarii, I have a fear that I'll see an army of them marching across the desert anytime soon.

[Pharnakes]

With a few minor exceptions only rome has reforms and certaintly all imitation legionary troops are available at the appropriate mic level, however be aware that much of history is roman, and the romans had a tendency to assume that any heavy infantry were "imitation" legionaries when in many cases it was the opposing faction that first used such troops.

[Watchman]

The Elite Africans can easily enough be regarded as an outgrowth of the Iberian infantry tradition as well, after all, even if historically they were African vets re-equipped with Roman gear. The conceptual leap from the Iberian Assaults (or Loricati Caetrati/Scutari) to the Elite Africans would seem short indeed, nevermind now the Samnites (who gave the Romans the idea in the first place...).

[QwertyMIDX]

I think there are supposed to be Carthie reforms added to the game at some point to hold off the appearance some of the later units.

[CaesarAugustus]

The term "imitation legionaires" was generally used by Romans to describe any other soldiers that used large shields and fought in some sort of formation. It doesn't necessarily mean that their weaponry and tactics were influenced by the Romans, and in many cases these "imitation legions" were fighting like that long before they came into contact with Roma (ex: the Seleukid's "imitation" legionaires)

[dutch81]

Would it not be a fairly easy fix however to make these 'imitation" units also come on line when the reforms happen in Rome ... or has EB changed the way this works radically from how it worked in RTW (I have not checked these files myself yet)
Along the same line I find it a bit odd that roman rebels in Italy are a generation ahead in technology then I am ... they already have have velites etc. from the Polybium reforms when I have not had them.