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Roman Republic

Historical Overview Section

The reforms of Marius professionalised the Roman Army and got rid of the old distinctions between Triarii, Principes and Hastati, creating a modern all-sword & pilum equipped professional force.

The foremost of the Marian reforms was the inclusion of Roman landless mass, the capite censi, men who had no property to be assessed in the census. These men were now among the ranks of those who could be recruited even though they owned no significant property. Because these poor citizens could not afford to purchase their own weapons and armor, Marius arranged for the state to supply them with arms. He thus offered the disenfranchised masses permanent employment for pay as professional soldiers, and the opportunity to gain spoils on campaign. With little hope of gaining status in other ways, the masses flocked to join Marius in his new army. These professional soldiers were recruited for an enlistment term of 16 years, later to rise to 20 years full service and 5 years as evocati under the reforms of Augustus.

With this permanent standing army Marius was able to standardize training and equipment throughout the Roman Legions. Drilling and training took place year round, not just when they were urgently needed. Marius organized the legions as follows. The total number of men in a full strength legion was about 6,000, of whom 5,200 were actual soldiers. The rest were classified as noncombatants. The internal organization of a legion consisted of 10 cohorts of 6 centuries each. The century consisted of 80 men. However the first cohort was irregular and consisted of 5 double strength centuries (containing 160 men). The century was divided again into 8 man units that tented and messed together in camp, this was called a contubernia. The century fought as a unit, marched as a unit and camped as a unit. The century carried with it all the arms and accoutrements required to feed and maintain it as a fighting unit. This reduced the size of the baggage train required as support and made the army much more mobile. Between 2 and 6 legions clubbed together constituted an army. The legions soon were in peak physical condition and discipline, unmatched in the ancient world. This was the second important reform that improved the Roman military.

The third reform that Marius was able to introduce was legislation that offered retirement benefits in the form of land grants. Members of the head count who had completed their term of service would be given a pension by their general and a plot of land in the conquered region on which to retire. Officers and commanders were given monetary rewards that were 10-25 times greater than that of a common foot soldier.

Finally, Marius granted citizens of the Italian allies (Etruria, Picenum etc.) full Roman citizenship if they fought for Rome and completed a period of service in the Roman army.

Using the army in ADLG

  • This list appears to restrict the proportions of Hastatii, Triarii and Velites in each "legion" in the list, however the original French version suggest that this is given as advice in order to play historically.

The indicated ratio is not compulsory, only min/max applies so you do not need to take them in a 4:1:2 proportion.

  • You are no longer required to take a fortified camp.
  • 2 Numidian LH and the Strategist are semi-compulsory in order to have a decent chance at controlling terrain and attacking
  • Armour is pretty much a given too on all legions, as otherwise they are just bog standard vanilla foot.
  • One Elite and one Average legion is one obvious way to do this army, as again having some Elite Armoured Impact troops gives you the punch on a narrow frontage to go through most enemies. 3 Legions eats all your points and means dropping both Elite status and Armour.
  • The third command is then only there to hold flanks while the Legions get in. Whether that means 2-3 Cavalry and some LH, or a few rough terrain troops is the real question
  • Numidians and plenty of LF in v4 allows you to get a staggering initiative number, and to then control terrain
  • Advice on using this army against Huns and similar


Terrain considerations:

Always try for the waterway, it is generally helpful. If you get a waterway don’t bother with the village it isn’t helpful as it most likely is sitting on your base edge on the waterway which is not a useful spot.
Don’t get overly obsessed with RGo especially of the fields/brush sort. Unless you have a lot of medium infantry – especially medium infantry that shoots (not a Roman forte) it doesn’t make that much difference. Its biggest value is letting LI stand up to mounted so it is of some value but not hugely. Next biggest use is dummy ambush markers preventing marches..

If you are somewhere that isn’t steppes/plains then you want DGo. The single most dangerous thing you can place for a mounted enemy is a piece of DGo (or impassable) sitting on their baseline dividing up the deployment zone. This generally will compact their army which is good and even better dramatically cut down their ability to march away from your advance. Watch out as the counter-move to this is often to flank march. That is not terrible for you unless you deploy badly and get caught out by it.

User-contributed links about this army.

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army
Britcon 2022 (V4)
Strategist
1 Triarii Heavy spearmen armour Elite
2 Hastati and Pincipes Heavy swordsmen armour impact
2 Hastati and Pincipes Heavy swordsmen impact
2 Italian allies: Extraordinarii Medium swordsmen armour Elite
1 Elephant Elephant Mediocre
2 Velites Light infantry javelin
==
Ordinary
1 Triarii Heavy spearmen armour Elite
2 Hastati and Pincipes Heavy swordsmen armour impact
2 Hastati and Pincipes Heavy swordsmen impact
==
Numidian Ally, Competent Allied
3 Ligt cavalry Light cavalry javelin
2 Roman-style trained infantry Medium swordsmen
1 Elephant Elephant Mediocre
2 Javelinmen Light infantry javelin



Roll Call 2022 25mm Winning List
1 Included General
4 Armoured HI Impact Swordsmen
2 LF Javelin
==
1 Strategistl
4 Armoured HI Impact Swordsmen
3 LF Javelin
2 Numidian LH
2 MF Swordsmen
1 Crap Elephant
==
Numidian Ally Brilliant
1 Crap Elephant
3 Numidian LH
Some Numidian LF
2 NUmidian MF Sword


Devonian Classic v4 53 Republican Roman
Strategist
4 Hastati and Principes Heavy swordsmen impact
1 Triarri Heavy spearmen armour
2 Velites Light infantry javelin
2 Equites Medium cavalry
2 Illyrian horsemen Light cavalry javelin
==
Ordinary
4 Hastati and Principes Heavy swordsmen armour impact
1 Triarri Heavy spearmen armour
2 Velites Light infantry javelin
==
5 Iberian scutarri Medium swordsmen impetuous
3 Caetrati Light infantry javelin
1 Spanish horsemen Light cavalry javelin



Podcast List 1 - Richard
Brilliant Unreliable
1 Equites Med Cv
4 Hastati & Principes Impact Mediocre
1 Triarii Armour
2 Velites
2 Italians Med Sword
==
Brilliant
4 Hastati & Principes Impact
1 Triarii Armour Elite
2 Velites
1 Italians Med Sword Mediocre
2 Spanish Scutarii
1 Mediocre Elephant
1 Syracusan Slinger
==
Ordinary Included
1 Equites Elite HCv
1 Equites HCv
2 Numidians
(Fortified Camp)

Podcast List 2 : Dave
Brilliant Unreliable
4 Hastati & Principes Impact Elite
2 Velites Elite
1 Velite
==
Strategist
2 Elite Extraordinarii Armour
4 Hastati & Principes Impact
1 Triarii Armour Elite
1 Cretan
3 Italians Med Sword
1 Mediocre Elephant
==
Competent Allied Included Aetolians
1 LH Javelin inc General
1 LH Javelin
2 Javelinmen
(Fortified Camp)

Podcast 3 : Tim (corrected version)
Strategist
3 Hastati & Principes Impact Mediocre
2 Italians Medium Sword Mediocre
3 Velites
2 Spanish Scutarii
2 Italians Med Sword
==
Competent Unreliable
4 Hastati & Principes Mediocre
2 Hastati & Principes
2 Triarii Armour Mediocre
2 Velites
1 Syracusan Slinger
1 Cretan
==
Ordinary Included
1 Equites Elite HCv
2 Equites Med Cv
2 Numidians
(Fortified Camp)


Andy Claxton - PAW 2020
1 Triarii Elite
4 Armoured Elite legions
2 Armoued Elite MF Spear
2 Elite Velites
Ordinary General
==
1 Triarii
4 legions
2 Greek MF Spear
2 Velites
Ordinary General
==
Elephant Mediocre
3 MCv
1 NUmidian LC Javlein
General
Fortified Camp


53 Rep Roman (Steer - Britcon 2019)
Competent
4 Hastati- Principes Heavy swordsmen impact ------
1 Velites Light infantry javelin ------
1 Triarii Heavy spearmen armour Elite
1 Roman Horsemen Heavy cavalry ------
1 Velites Light infantry javelin Elite
==
Competent
4 Hastati- Principes Heavy swordsmen impact ------
2 Velites Light infantry javelin ------
1 Triarii Heavy spearmen armour Elite
1 Roman Horsemen Heavy cavalry ------
==
Strategist
1 Cretan archer Light infantry bow Elite
2 Italian Allies Extraordinarii Medium swordsmen Elite
2 gallic warriors Medium swordsmen impetuous ------
1 Elephant Elephant Mediocre


200 AP from Patras 2019
2 Heavy Cavalry
1 Lh Javel;in
1 Eluite HC General Ordinary
==
3 Mediocre Legions Armoured Impact
2 LF Velites
Brilliant General
1 Inferior Elephant
2 Auxilia types, MF Sword Armoured Elite
1 LF Javelin
2 LF in ambush
==
4 Legions full fat
2 Triarii full fat
1 LF Bow elite Cretans


200 Points
Strategist
2 Numidian Cavalry Light cavalry javelin ------
4 Hastati and Principes Heavy swordsmen armour impact ------
1 Triari Heavy spearmen armour Elite
2 Velites Light infantry javelin Elite
Ordinary
4 Hastati and Principes Heavy swordsmen armour impact Elite
1 Triari Heavy spearmen armour Elite
2 Velites Light infantry javelin Elite
Ordinary
4 Spaniards and shit Medium swordsmen
1 Syracusan slinger Light infantry sling


200 Points
3 Ordinary Generals and a Fortified Camp

  • 4 Hastati-Princeps Heavy swordsmen armour impact ------
  • 2 Velites Light infantry javelin ------
  • 1 Triarii Heavy spearmen armour Elite
  • 3 Roman Horsemen Heavy cavalry ------

  • 4 Hastati-Princeps Heavy swordsmen armour impact ------
  • 2 Velites Light infantry javelin ------
  • 1 Triarii Heavy spearmen armour Elite

  • 2 Extraordinarii Medium swordsmen armour Elite
  • 2 Numidians Light cavalry javelin ------
  • 1 Cretan archers Light infantry bow Elite
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