Battle deployment of Marian Cohort

[The Stranger]

you portrayed the quincunx formation... it was still used in marian times I think. It's just one tactic the romans used, they didnt used it all the time, and not every general used it. Though indeed it was used less after the marian reforms because marius changed from manipels to cohorts and cohorts were less suited for this formation.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

The quincunx formation usually ends up costing me huge amounts of soldiers, so I tried three straight lines. That was too costly too, sense the enemy can easily flank your short line. I usually fight with two lines, so that I can actually counter the enemy's moves, based on the game's limitations.

[Bootsiuv]

you portrayed the quincunx formation... it was still used in marian times I think. It's just one tactic the romans used, they didnt used it all the time, and not every general used it. Though indeed it was used less after the marian reforms because marius changed from manipels to cohorts and cohorts were less suited for this formation.

So the manipular formation was considered obselete by Marian's time? I've used it with great success well after the Marian reforms. Should I try something new?

[abou]

Well, the quincunx just wasn't used anymore. I can't think of any instance in which it was used after the change in the military. In fact, by imperial times the basic formation was reduced from three lines to two - five cohorts in each line. The first line, however, was longer due to the double-sized first cohort deployed on the far right.

[Bootsiuv]

Well, the quincunx just wasn't used anymore. I can't think of any instance in which it was used after the change in the military. In fact, by imperial times the basic formation was reduced from three lines to two - five cohorts in each line. The first line, however, was longer due to the double-sized first cohort deployed on the far right.

Very interesting. I didn't know that.

Thanks for the insight.

[The_Mark]

You could try this:


Legionary cohorts (doubled) in a loose checkerboard with light auxilia and skirmishers in the gaps; they prevent the enemy from outflanking the foremost cohorts and wears them down. Charge through with the second line when necessary.

The same system works neatly with earlier units as well in the smaller manipular formation, at least against AI.

[paullus]

how narrow are your lines? most of your enemies will come at your at least 8 ranks deep on huge sizes, but with 2 reinforcing lines to back up your first-rankers, you can put the front line 3 or 4 deep, and the rear lines 2 or 3. That'll keep you from getting outflanked by a similarly sized opponent, and I find my troops usually hold up really well, even though the formation seems dangerously thin.

Though I haven't played my Romani LPP campaign since versions got upgraded, I found putting the first rank of Marian legionaries on hold formation allowed them to last a long time against much deeper enemy forces, and allowed me to either reinforce them with similar long second lines to continue wearing down the enemy, or mass a unit from a rear line for a heavy assault at a weak point in the enemy lines, and force a breakthrough.

[The_Mark]

Narrow? Er, thin? The cohorts are some 8 men deep, the loose order light inf is just a few lines. The light infantry in loose formation won't do much damage there for certain, but they give in slow in melee (provided they don't face a massed cav charge, of course). Slow's the key word here - they just take the brunt of the charge and fight a bit, then you swap in the heavies. Then there's the bonus of having a ridiculously wide frontage with sufficient depth...

[paullus]

I'm saying you should stretch them out yourself. Legionary cohorts usually fought 4-5 ranks deep, so there's no reason with our smaller units that you should use even deeper ranks.