Patch v0.94b - New Camillan and Polybian Romans!

[RedFox]

The Republic of Rome

The Polybian Reform

The extraordinary demands of the Pyrrhic and Punic Wars exposed the tactical weaknesses of the early manipular army. After a series of changes as opposed to a single intentional reform, a new military system referred to as Polybian gradually comes into being.
Infantry is sorted into classes according to age and experience rather than wealth, the triarii being the most experienced. The distinction between the heavy infantry types of hastati and principes begins to blur, while supportive troops like Rorarii completely disappear, the extensive use of Italic Allies still continues.
The Roman Army, now better drilled and better logistically supported, is based on improved tactical system, including efficient anti-phalanx and anti-elephant tactics. Thanks to the reformed system, Roman troops can now be trained all over Italy.

The latest patch features the new Camillan (Early) and Polybian (Late) Romans. In order to trigger the new Polybian reforms these conditions must be met: After 80 turns (239 BC), Hold all of Italy, Corsica and Sardinia, Sicily and Epidamnos in Epirus.

The Polybian Reforms function the same way as Marian reforms would, completely replacing the selection of available infantry and missile types, while the Cavalry remains the same. The Pre-Reform Camillan troops will only be available in Roma, Beneventum and Arretium. After the reforms, the player will be able to train core Roman units in all of Italy.

The complete Camillan roster


The complete Polybian roster



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Units:

Camillan Leves - Light Skirmishers | Camillan Accensi - Slingers



Camillan Rorarii - Light Infantry | Camillan Hastati - Heavy Infantry


Camillan Principes - Heavy Spearmen | Camillan Triarii - Elite Spearmen


Camillan Equites - Medium Cavalry | Camillan Bodyguard - Heavy Cavalry


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Polybian Velites - Javelin Skirmishers


Polybian Hastati - Heavy Infantry | Polybian Principes - Heavy Infantry


Polybian Triarii - Elite Spearmen | Polybian Wedge Triarii - Elite Anti-Phalanx Spearmen


Polybian Equites - Medium Cavalry | Polybian Bodyguard - Heavy Cavalry

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Socii Spearmen - Allied Samnites | Socii Hoplites - Allied Italics


Socii Cavalry - Medium Skirmisher Cavalry

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Some Images straight from the game:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

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Patch v0.94b can be downloaded here

[Athenogoras]

Superrep++++
Excellent Redfox

[Giovi]

wow awesome

[Agisilaos]

you deserve a lot of rep for your hard efforts redfox! it seems great the new plan u have in mind!

[Stilgar CG]

Thank you, SantaFox .

P.S. Awesome units. I love this switch from Marian to Polybian reforms.

[Dom9127]

Great preview, presumably this wont be save game compatible.

[CaesarVincens]

Congrats on the release. I'll be trying out the Romans shortly.

Though I have to say, I was looking through EDB, and I noticed that the recruitment lines for the Romans went "and not marian_reforms and camillan" and "and marian_reforms and italia". It's my understanding that whenever the marian reforms are used for a condition, it must come last. I just thought you ought to know.

[RedFox]

It seems to be working fine here, but I'll change it around nevertheless just to be sure.

[CaesarVincens]

Well, TBH, I've never tried it the other way, I've only heard it that way though. It may be that the requirement works, but is buggy or something.

[rogergargantua]

OMG!! seeing these units almost makes me give up my Carthage AAR and campaign and play with the Romans!! They look so awesome now!!

Somebody stop RedFox and his incredible good looking stuff!!
Damn, this looks smoking hot!!! Hah!

[Zarax]

Excellent work as usual Redfox, only one little thing: polybian hastati were still pretty light armoured so you may want to look for breastplate instead of chain mail.

[Maraxus]

Excellent work as usual Redfox, only one little thing: polybian hastati were still pretty light armoured so you may want to look for breastplate instead of chain mail.

Well I like to think of the Polybian Romans as the blurry line between the old school roman infantry and the earliest legionaries. From the brief research I did it seemed that over time the hastati got heavier and heavier until the Hastati and the Princeps were almost the same as far as equipment was concerned due to the state now providing it, The Polybian reforms had reorganized them by age and experience instead of social status then BAM, Marius' reforms renamed them Legionaries. I guess I wanted to focus on a different snapshot of Rome's military evolution, less jumping and more blurry lines.

[Zarax]

If you want to change that then you could do an intermediate reform, based on history.
The progression between polybian and marian had an intermediate step, where the roles of hastati, principes and triarii got blurry while still keeping the same formal organization and that is between the 2nd and 3rd punic wars.

The reformer was Scipio Africanus, he was the real precursor to the marian organization as first roman general to abandon the three battle lines in favour of a more elastic organization.
You can look at the battle of Baecula for more details as it was the first major engagement in which Scipio broke the tradition.

[RedFox]

I think what Maraxus is trying to say is that the Polybian Romans also represent early legionary type units. The Hastati and Principes have the Testudo ability and a minor resemblance to Legionaries.
The reform itself is supposed to represent Roman units from 210bc ~ 100bc. Even though the reforms happen way earlier, it is just a gameplay element and the Reforms trigger when the player has gained enough territory. The trigger might change in the future though - I'm thinking of adding Carthage and some cities in Iberia. So, there is not that much historical accuracy here, more of gameplay balance.
But you do have to agree that this is better than XGM Imperial Legionaries in ~200BC?

Script triggered Counsil Missions would be possible too, but that would be somewhat linear (although there is a way to randomize selection in scripts). Would direct the player into the correct locations to capture the reform trigger settlements, but I guess the background script would grow a little bit too complex.

[Zarax]

The marians should represent the early legionaries, imperial ones should appear much later in the game... This unless you want to make multiple, extra gradual reforms.

[RedFox]

Like I have said before, only one reform will happen - the Polybian Reform. And we wanted to rather depict the slow change towards heavy infantry on the Roman part. For game balance it suits rather well and doesn't deviate that much from history.

[Zarax]

I see, even though I don't agree with your decision I respect it.

[stryker290]

What file do i open to adjust the year and turn amount for reforms?

[Mr.Gorby]

Hey authors! And I wish to convey his thanks for the great mod! I tortured you problems playing for my favorite Carthaginian, if you remember there were mistakes in clashes with the Spaniards, you have decided to temporarily. But after the Roman patch last, I tried to play outside Rome. What was my surprise! Strategic intelligence pleasantly surprised me. It is very difficult lot, I was able to raise Rome in a constant struggle on all sides. Landing Carthaginian in Lacium and Kapue attacking barbarians in the north of map, the war with the Greeks in Sicily and in the Greater Greece .... game came out tasty and fun, great, you guys RESPECT. The distinguishing feature of your mod boldly declare there is a nice game of chess. I am pleased to follow the development of your creations.

[Stilgar CG]

Game of chess is the word I would use as well. In principle, it's still an RTW mod, but there are significanlty fewer pathways to victory and the price one has to pay for mistake is bigger. For small factions, the path to victory is very narrow (e.g. Achaean League, Epirus). One wrong step and game over.