About legions in 58 BC

[Kozak]

Most unliked moment in mod for me - numbered original legion (VII, XII etc.) player have only in start of campaign. After victory in Italy you have only ordinary legionaries without differences recruting in Italy or in Asia or Spain...

We have unique legions only in Bellum Gallicum against barbarians. Most interested have this legions in Bellum Civile.... Legio XIII against Legio II

But in Bellum Civile we have only standart legionaries. Sad...

[bucellarii]

Legio XXVI, XXVII and XXVIII should be recruitable for the Bellum Civile

However it is simply not possible to depict Caesar's massive mobilisation of manpower within the confines of the game system. For example Caesar raised no less than 16 legions during the summer of 49 and prior to Pharsalus it is estimated that he had at least 27 legions available to him across the Roman world. This figure raises to 31 after Pharsalus.

The individual details of many of these hastily raised formations are simply not known to us. TheCaesariani mass mobilisation is reflected within the Mod by the current open recruitment model within Italy. It is not perfect but it is the best idea we could come up with.

Please don't be sad - be happy

[pantsukki]

Great mod so far, I'm marching against the Belgae now. Many thanks to the team!

Why's there only seven cohorts per legion? Wouldn't 10 have been historically correct? And why is the first cohort the same size as every other?

I destroyed a couple of German stacks (including the ones that were mentioned in Ceasar's traits) and after that I got the message that the Suebi mission was completed and that the other leaders would retreat. Well, the remaining armies (two) are still there, doing nothing. Will they disappear, or must I blood my newest legions and drive them away?

[Octavius Vatco]

Well, the legions cohors prima in Caesar's time or might be different from those of after Augustus'..as it is still evolving and I think during the imperial era, what made the cohors prima numerous is because its where all the anciliaries of the legion ..i..e... engineers, Surgeons, cooks, servants etc...... found during the march and at camp....

[Salvor Hardin]

Great mod so far, I'm marching against the Belgae now. Many thanks to the team!

Why's there only seven cohorts per legion? Wouldn't 10 have been historically correct? And why is the first cohort the same size as every other?

I destroyed a couple of German stacks (including the ones that were mentioned in Ceasar's traits) and after that I got the message that the Suebi mission was completed and that the other leaders would retreat. Well, the remaining armies (two) are still there, doing nothing. Will they disappear, or must I blood my newest legions and drive them away?

Concerning the number of units in a legion, we wanted the player to be able to have at least two legions per stack, plus their respective number of Auxillia. Having ten cohors per legions would not allow this.

And regarding the Suebi, I decided to leave their remaining armies in the region so that they could annoy the player a bit .

[The10thLegion]

i think that the tenth and seventh legions should have better fighting abilities than the other legions because they were his elite spanish legions. Caesar didnt have 27 legions with him (sorry whoever posted that), he may have used 27 different legions in all of the wars he fought but he never had more than 10 full strength legions at his disposal until he was dictator.

[bucellarii]

Caesar didnt have 27 legions with him (sorry whoever posted that), he may have used 27 different legions in all of the wars he fought but he never had more than 10 full strength legions at his disposal until he was dictator.

Caesar began the Bellum Civile with 10 legions. The Pompeiani evacuated Italy during March 49 and Caesar held a senate in Rome in April, before before commencing the Spanish campaign.

In response to a separate query about this campaign I wrote:

.....turning to the issue of which Caesariani legions fought in Spain during 49 it must be said that only two of the six legions deployed are directly attested, IX and XIV.

T Rice-Holmes in The Roman Republic Volume III argues that the VI, VII, X and XI also fought in this campaign. Whilst this position might not be universally accepted for the purposes of your 58 BC Campaign feel free to deploy these units...

Caesar became dictator for the first time in December 49. However legions were being raised and disbanded throughout this year. The exact details are a matter for debate.

Nevertheless PA Brunt in Italian Manpower 225 BC - AD 14 breaks down the known data in as clear a way as possible. Whilst copyright reasons prevent me reproducing Brunt's work in full here is a relevant quote:

...in the summer of 49 he must have raised not less than 16 new legions. Of these 2 were lost with Curio in Africa, and the capture of 15 cohorts commanded by C. Antonius doubtless led to the disappearance of 2 more. But with his veterans and with the 2 Varronian legions, Caesar still had not less than 24 legions, perhaps 27...

Turning to your point about the VII and X legions nothing definite is known about exactly when and where these units were raised, other than the fact both legions were in formed in 59 or earlier.

I am not certain the description spanish legions is really appropriate. Dando-Collins' book Caesar's Legion peddles a very entertaining yarn about the X. However in a poorly foot noted work Dando-Collins fails to acknowledge his entire thesis about the Spanish provenance of the X rests on the following:

At any rate, as soon as he reached Spain he set himself to work, and in a few days raised ten cohorts in addition to the twenty which were there before. Then he led his army against the Callaici and Lusitani, overpowered them, and marched on as far as the outer sea, subduing their tribes which before were not obedient to Rome

Plut. Caes 12.1

I think you will agree the connection is tenuous at best?

Perhaps a case might be made for improving the combat capabilities of the X etc. However the effect on game balance etc would need to be taken into account.

I hope you are enjoying 58 BC? A final, patched version will be released shortly

[The10thLegion]

I am currently reading Caesar's legion its very good. I havent played 58B.C. yet because i still need to buy BI. I just found out about it today and it looks very interesting. I hope to play it soon.

[bucellarii]

The book certainly reads well

However the contents should be treated with extreme caution. The author tends to pass off conjecture as fact (i.e. the antecedents of the X) and as already indicated the foot notes are poor.

A more useful introduction to the subject is The Making of the Roman Army by Lawrence Keppie:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Roman...5143207&sr=1-3

Please feel free to post feedback when you begin playing 58 BC

Your comments might influence the final release of the new patch

[The10thLegion]

thank you, im checking to see if i can buy BI seperately from my friend. Looks great from the everything ive seen from it.
good luck,
the tenth