Historical Romani Campaign Discussion

[CountArach]

This is what I have come up with for my upcoming AAR (2nd Legion, Eagles of the Republic). It is designed to be entirely historical (as close as we can come with the RTW engine). Tell me what you think and feel free to add more.

All armies must be led by a general. If their general is killed, then they must either stay in the rough location they are in a defensive manner, or return as directly as possible to a general. The priority for Generals getting command depends on their position in the Cursus Honorum. That is:
1 – Consuls and Proconsuls (Censors will also fit into this category as Proconsuls)
2 – Praetors and Propraetors
If I do not have enough of the above to fill up all available commands, then the remaining order is:
3 – Aediles
4 – Quaestors (Usually on appointment to a province)
5 – Military Tribunes (Can take over command if the general is killed on campaign)

During the Camillian and Polybian eras I shall have no more than 4 legions. Yes, this will be incredibly difficult, but I am trying to make this as historic as possible. All legions are comprised of 10 units. The list of units is shown here:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=79935
Consuls and Proconsuls are allowed to command 2 legions. In addition, Praetors and Propraetors can be granted Proconsular Imperium, allowing them to command 2 legions as if they were a Consul.

16 years after a legion is completely recruited (Which can in fact take up an entire year if I am strapped for cash), it must be disbanded. In times of national or regional emergencies (For example, when about to engage a full army while in a province or on campaign), this can be expanded a further 4 years. This legion will be disbanded either in new provinces, or back in Italy.

To balance out the 16 years of service I am allowed to retrain units, however I am not allowed to recruit units that will then be combined with my other ones. This means that in order to get fresh men, I either have to start relying on local soldiers, or return to Rome. This is historical. Note that if a unit is completely destroyed (And I have had it happen using these rules in the last AAR) then I am allowed to recruit a unit to replace it and send it directly to a legion.

At the end of winter, all armies must either be in a fort, or laying siege to an enemy settlement. This is to represent the increased difficulties that armies often had during winter if they were unable to find shelter from the cold. It was a standard thing for commanders to encamp their armies during winter.

I will attempt to role play the characters as much as possible. The concentration will not be on them, they will simply be side characters to the main hero of the story. For those who don’t know, Third Legion followed the story of a single individual who was a part of a unit. In this case, the commanders were often side characters who were merely commented on from a specific point of view.

All cities and provinces should have a Governor at all times if one is available. Rome will hopefully have a Quaestor governing it. Further Quaestors will be assigned as Legatees to any Provincial commanders.

[johnhughthom]

I play with pretty similar rules to those. What do you do with your family members, do you try to use them historically too? Personally I send a family member who has come of age off with another more experienced general to simulate their 10 years of military service, after which I send them to Rome until I feel they can become a governor elsewhere. I refuse all adoptions, though I realise this isn't really historical, just a personal preference. This limits my expansion early in the game of course and helps me keep it close to historical, although I'm not against going against history if an opportunity arises, I do ask myself what I think the Romans would have done in each situation though.

[CountArach]

I sendd them to Rome for an education until they get a position on the Cursus Honorum. When they are 21, they will usually become a Tribune and will go on campaign for the next few years. I adopt very willingly, as it adds new Gens to the family tree.

[Admetos]

This sounds good CA, your last one was amazing, so I'm looking forward to this.

[konny]

What do you do with the characters that have aquired an office within the cursus? I stick those offices to posts as magistrates (i.e. govoners) in the homeland provinces:

Rome - Consul
Capua, Arretium, Taras (later) - Praetor
Ariminum, Arpi, Segesta, and later: Bononia, Patavium, Rhegion - Quaestor

Senate: All characters over 30. The size of their bodyguard is equal to the number of their followers in the Senate (doubled if that character took part in a victorius battle that year). That gives the number of votes in an election. Of course, characters of the same gens vote for each other, thus forming some kind of coalition.

[Parkev]

The size of their bodyguard is equal to the number of their followers in the Senate (doubled if that character took part in a victorius battle that year). That gives the number of votes in an election. Of course, characters of the same gens vote for each other, thus forming some kind of coalition.

That's a great idea. I'll take that.

@CA, I thought historical Roman Provincia encompassed a number of in game provinces, such that not all settlements should have a governor, only each "capital" of a Provincia. That's what I read in a much renowned "Guide to Playing Romans Historically" back when I played RTR.

[Zaknafien]

really anyone with an office aside from military tribune should have to stay in Rome. the Praetor Urbanvs and Censors for example were forbidden to travel outside the city.

[konny]

That is absolutly correct from a historical point of view, but will ruin your game (not, that I haven't tried it): All characters of a little quality will always stay in Rome, doing absolutly nothing - apart from becoming drunkards or excentrics.

That's why I send the officials to the Italian cities as govenors. They will maintain, and most of the time advance in, their qualities as manager or in influence what will make it more likely for them to be elected for the next highest office (i.e. a larger town or even 'faction heir') and prepare them to take over a foreign province as Pro-Praetor/-Consul.

This 'Republican System' is still inferior to an 'Imperial System' in which a good manager is appointed to a province and will most of the time stay there for the rest of his life, becoming 'attunded govenor', worshipper of the local deity etc. The Republicans on the other hand have a lot of rotation and there are still many good characters of families with lesser influence that will stay in Rome 'doing politics', hoping for an office as Legat under some Proconsul or volunteering as Tribune for a campaign that might offer some fame in battle.

[CountArach]

Senate: All characters over 30. The size of their bodyguard is equal to the number of their followers in the Senate (doubled if that character took part in a victorius battle that year). That gives the number of votes in an election. Of course, characters of the same gens vote for each other, thus forming some kind of coalition.

Nice idea. I am assuming this overwrites the EB standard system?

@CA, I thought historical Roman Provincia encompassed a number of in game provinces, such that not all settlements should have a governor, only each "capital" of a Provincia. That's what I read in a much renowned "Guide to Playing Romans Historically" back when I played RTR.

That's the plan. For example, Sicily will have its capital at Syracuse. This is also where the Quaestors come in - they also act as Governors in Provincial non-capital cities.

really anyone with an office aside from military tribune should have to stay in Rome. the Praetor Urbanvs and Censors for example were forbidden to travel outside the city.

Doing that would make it hard to do anything at all in the campaign. I would have no one to lead my armies. I might consider leaving the Censors in Rome though. The Praetor Urbanvs will definitely stay there - I wasn't aware that it was implemented.

[konny]

Nice idea. I am assuming this overwrites the EB standard system?

You mean the offices by trait? Yes, I do not use them but hold elections of my own.

[Zaknafien]

thats why in my games I make equites consulares recruitable, so I have a never ending stream of roman family members. Praetors and Censors and one Consul always remain in Rome, etc

[alatar]

The recruited Generals command legions for me, with a tribune under them, or with a Proprateor, Proconsul, consul or Prateor above them.
If a family member gets a postion on the CH, he must stay in rome or be with a army, the nest year they must be in a province, then they must be back in Roma.

[Decimus Attius Arbiter]

I'm having trouble getting enough generals, but I have a good system for govs where unless I have a crisis, all members under the age of 26 must stay in a city with another family member and a school. This way I simulate the 10 years of military service before governing. Generals, I send them out when they come of age. I think I'll start snagging some retinue from the nerds I've accumulated in my cities.

[Parkev]

All cities and provinces should have a Governor at all times if one is available. Rome will hopefully have a Quaestor governing it. Further Quaestors will be assigned as Legatees to any Provincial commanders..

Maybe I misunderstood. Does that mean all settlements should have a Family Member in them or all in-game provinces must be part of a role-playing Provincia, that must have a governor assigned to it. I realise you've already started, but I just wanted to clear this up, in case I decided to be inspired by your House Rules and play a Roman Campaign.

[CountArach]

Provinces = Groups of settelemnts in the same geographic location.

[Parkev]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion.

[Landwalker]

How do you approach the recruitment of mercenaries? I've noticed that you have a rather defined legion composition--do legion commanders ever hire mercenaries (possibly with the offer of citizenship for service, i.e. later disbanding them in an Italian province), or is the recruitment of mercenaries off-limits to your commanders?

Cheers.

[CountArach]

Mercenaries can take the place of decesased units, especially allies. They are mainly there in case my Hastati are destroyed to a man and I have to recruit something quickly to replace them.