Europa Romanorum: Roman unit guide
I N T R O D U C T I O N
The situation of Rome in EB is unique because for most parts of the game you cannot raise any of your native units outside Italy. On the other hand your zone of expansion is stretching over the largest part of the map, allowing you to establish advanced governments in most of the lands that you will conquer. This will lead to a dilemma in a lot of cases because advanced governments restrict the ability to raise local units, when the Republican Rome has to rely, more than any other of the factions, on locals, not only as garrison or auxilia but often enough as core army. So, if you don't want to empty your homeland towns for each and every garrison and don't want to spend most of the time shipping around units, you might find this little guide useful.
T H E P A R A D E
Let's take a look at the units and where to get them first. Note that this is not a listing of units for every province. If you need to know what units you can raise exactly in Syria or Bibracte, I have to recommend you the famous "Recruitment Viewer", what was an enormous help for me to finish this guide.
The Camillan Romans
This is the army that conquered Italy and Sicily but was defeated by Pyrrhus and Hannibal. Highlighted are the provinces where you can recruit these men. Please note that you cannot raise them in the South and Northeast of Italy even though those are homelands.
The Polybian Romans
These are the men that conquered Spain, defeated Hannibal and the Macedonians. Highlighted are the provinces where you can recruit them. These are now all your homelands.
The Greeks
This will probably be your first allied army, after conquering Taras. They don't look much, but do not underestimate them: this is the army that spread, and defended, Greek culture across most of the Mediterranean basin for centuries. You have militia, skirmishers, missile units, light infantry, heavy infantry and cavalry - in short, you can get a full army from them. An army that will be able to win battles and conquer new lands for you on her own, provided you don't let them fight against severe odds or high-end elite forces.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them. You can see that you can have them nearly everywhere on the East coast. Their zones are also overlapping with a lot of zones of other units, like Scythians or Asians, what we will see later.
The Gaulls
You will face these men a lot of time in battle. If you are successful, these are the forces you can raise there. It is a typical barbarian host with a lot of javelin throwing unarmored men. Some of them even fight completely naked - a behavior you should not encourage when you are going to bring civilization in those lands: No pants, no shirts? No service! The Gaulls will certainly form the bulk of your allied and auxilia forces on the Western theatre. They are well suited and reliable when it comes to fight other Barbarians, and units like the Neitos and the Teceitos are not weaker than your own heavy infantry. These together with the Brihentin, the best cavalry you will get from your subjected folks, are able to form the backbone of a Celtic allied army that will relive you from the necessity to send troops form Italy for every campaign that is to be fought there.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them. Note that some zones that a considered to be Celtic are left out. Those are to follow now.
The Helvetians
Form a military point of view you should get these lands as soon as possible, because this is about the strongest local force you can raise, including the only Phalanx you can get at all - if you have a tactical use for it in a Roman army. Only cavalry is missing to make them a full army that can conquer Gallia and Germania for you. The downside is of course that you have to defeat them first.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
The Britons
A people very similar to the Gaulls, but without cavalry and with some unique low-end units. They are well able to defend your colonies on the British Isles and, as long as they stay there, they will be able to hold themselves against the enemies they have to face.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
The Galatians
The strange customs of the Barbarians brought a number of Celts to Asia Minor. Safe for the Kuarothothoroi, who fight in very small units, the Galatians are best used as light auxilia and garrisons.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
Africa & Arabia
Sooner or later you will have to get there: Africa. Your foe, Kardt-Hadast, gets a full army out of these people; but you will be supported by the Numidians only. They are just suited to fight as light auxilia, what means that you will have to maintain strong garrisons of troops you brought from Italy and Sicily, who will need even further reinforcements for every campaign. The situation is much better in Egypt. The Machimoi are a unit of well armored, javelin throwing, sword fighters, and so able to replace Legionnaires and this is also a center for recruiting Greeks. Note that Africa is the only place where you can raise elephants. In Arabia you can get militia at best, if any at all.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
Hispania
A lot of fighting against the Puni will probably take place in Spain. But, save for the very North of the Peninsula, you won't get much more than light garrison forces in Spain. That makes Spain another spot what needs a permanent presence of Roman forces even after complete conquest.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
Germania
A spot where you better keep yourself out in this phase of the game: Germania. Not only will you be facing the strongest of all Northern Barbarians, but also when, or better if, you have been successful you won't be rewarded with the ability to raise much of your former enemies. You will be required to either bring Gaulls as garrisons or leave a Roman force there. In some places you will have to raise three levels of local barracks for nothing until you can get a single unit from the fourth.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
Illyria
These can be lands that you have to conquer very early in your campaign. Unfortunately the local forces are light auxilia, at best. So, that will be another place where you have to bring on forces from elsewhere even to fight rebels. And since it is very close to Italy, those forces will very likely be Romans.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey show zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
Thracia
Further to the east, the situation is getting even worse. The Thracians are famous for their cavalry, of what you won't see anything in your early army. Their foot is, let's say, a little limited. You can have some light garrisons - what will pray that no serious rebellion will break out during their service. But the Rhomphaiaphoroi can be a useful addition to your army, especially when it comes to fight Hellenic Phalanxes.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
Scythia & Pontia
Like all Steppe people the Scythians fight as archers, horse archers to be exact. Since their homelands are also places with a strong Greek population placing Roman forces after conquest is absolutely not needed. It is more likely that will be shipping local troops from these places to other theatres of war.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
Asia Minor
When you reach the Eastern end of your expansion zone you will be able to raise a large Varity of light auxilia forces including an interesting selection of light and medium cavalry. Only heavy infantry is missing completely. But since it is unlikely that you will conquer the Anatolian highlands without taking the Greek cities on the coast before, you can have strong army of different natives in this part of the world without shipping Romans there.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
The Baltics
We are now leaving the zone of expansion for the Roman faction. If you ever make it there your campaign has either taken a strange way or you are short before winning the game. Now, here we have the army of bargain. The Baltics are among the cheapest units you can raise. On the other hand, amour seems to be unknown with them. But then again, they hardly will be facing any better equipped enemies.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
Persia
As you can see, the army that was crushed by Alexander the Great is still to be has. Since your enemies in this region will be Successor forces, you better bring in some heavy infantry, too. Otherwise you won't do much better than Darios throwing javelins on phalanx. From a military point of view, you better keep out of Persia as long as you are not able to raise Legionnaires in the East.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
The Nomads
Their forces are composed of horse archers, horse archers and horse archers, supported by horse archers and foot archers. So what, out there even the rabbits are armored.
Highlighted are zones of recruitment for those units. White zones are the center for recruiting these soldiers. Light grey shows zones where you get a few of them, and dark grey marks zones were recruiting them is possible but very much limited, often to just one of them.
C O N C L U S I O N
Since we now know what kind of units can be raised in which provinces we are able to determined the highest possible level of local barracks that will provide new units (not taking into account the mercenary generals, who are available nearly everywhere and who always require the highest level of local barracks). That leads to this map:
Color key:
Red - No local forces available
Brown - Maximum level of local barracks with new units: 1
Orange - Maximum level of local barracks with new units: 2
Yellow - Maximum level of local barracks with new units: 3
Light green - Maximum level of local barracks with new units: 4
Green - Maximum level of local barracks with new units: 5
This map can also be helpful when not all required levels of local barracks give you new units. For example, in Thracia you can have a unit in the level 1 barracks, no new units in level 2 and 3, but a new one in level 4. The map tells you where it is worth to go on building higher local barracks even though you don't benefit from them at once and where it is a waste of time and money.
The highest level of local barracks you can raise in a level 2 government is the 3rd level. To build a level 4 local barracks you can as a maximum have a level 3 government in this province. And for the highest level of local barracks you have to stick to the level 4 (allied) government in the respective province. The following map tells you what kind of government should be established at best to get the maximum out of your barracks (excluded the general).
Color key:
White - No recruitment possible set government at your choice
Green - level 1 government recommended
Blue - level 2 government recommended
Light Blue - level 2 government recommended in Camillan times, level 1 recommended in Polybian times
Yellow - level 3 government recommended
Orange - level 3 government recommended in Camillan times, level 1 recommended in Polybian times
Red - level 4 government recommended
The government you will choice in your campaign might and will differ from these advises in a lot of cases. For example, lower level governments also do limit the ability to raise advanced structures. So, for unrest or economic reasons you might decide for a higher level of government in many cases, even though you won't be able to raise the better units in those provinces. It can also not be taken into account what other lands you have conquered before you'll control a specific province. For example, when you hold all of Africa you won't need ten provinces to raise elephants, but will limit the level 4 government to one or two of these. Another point will be role playing, what might require you to start off with the lowest level of government and advance it throughout times.
M A R I A N
A lot of things will change after the Marian reforms. Most visible is that you will be able to raise heavy infantry in (nearly) all your expansion zones. That means in return that you don't need to stick to low level governments just to get core units.
Let's take a look at them first:
Color key:
White - Cohors Evocata
Red - Equites Germanorum
Brown - Equites Gallorum
Dark red - overlapping zones of recruitment for both
Blue - Equites Hispanorum
Purple - overlapping zones of recruitment for them and the Equites Gallorum
Green - Equites Thracum
You can raise Cohors Reformata and Antesignani in most of these provinces plus in all that are marked gray on that map.
The Imperial Army is basically the same, therefore without map.
The difference is that you now have Auxilia including archers from your factional barracks.
That leads to the following recommendation for governments:
Color key:
White - No recruitment possible set government at your choice
Green - level 1 government recommended
Blue - level 2 government recommended
Light Blue - level 3 government recommended in Marian times, level 2 recommended in Imperial times
Yellow - level 3 government recommended
Red - level 4 government recommended
Some comments:
Gallia remains "red" because of the Brihentin. They are still your best cavalry. I have decided a level 2 government for Sequallra because you can have both Equites Germanorum and Equites Gallorum there instead of the Brihentin.
Since the Mori Gaesum are still your only heavy phalanx, I had set Helvetis as level 3 government. If you don't need phalanx, it should be level 2.
The light blue spots in the north east mark lands where you cannot raise Cohors Reformata and still need local forces in Marian times. In the Imperial periode you will be able to train Cohors Auxiliarum and don't need the locals anymore.
The light blue lands in the East, including Crete, are the lands where you get the heavy archers from. Since you will have your own unit of factional heavy archers in Imperial times you don't need the locals, and the required level 3 government, there anymore.
Please note that you will still be able to raise local barracks up to level 3 in all these level 2 governments provinces. Neither your in-game Roman army, nor the historical Roman army, consists of heavy swordfighters only after the Marian Reforms. The majority of the local forces are still to be raised. So, if you like (I won't), you can mix Imperial Cohors with classical Hoplites.
A note on the "cheap tick": Due to limitations of RTW you are still able to build high level local troops once you advance government in a province from, for example, level 4 to level 1, simply because the required building still exists. That is of course not the way EB should be played. If you want to play it the correct way, you should tear down the local barracks every time you advance government, at least when the appropriate factional barracks are erected, or restrict yourself to the locals that you can legally recruit under the new government. In the case of the Romani I would make one exception to this house rule: I still would raise Brihentin in pre-Marian times under a level 3 government, because the Romans are the only faction that cannot raise Leuce Epos, and would be not able to raise any cavalry north of the Alps.
And now good luck and have fun!
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Originally Posted by LotW89
Re: Europa Romanorum: Roman unit guide
thanks, Konny
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