[UNIT PREVIEW] The Late Roman Army - 3rd to 5th centuries

[Emperor Caesar]

This thread will give a rundown of the composition and equipping of the Roman army from the 3rd century onwards. It will also feature several units and pieces of equipment that have been added to the mod Pax Romana.

The Army of the 3rd Century:
The Roman army in the 3rd century was a force in development. The rise of new enemies such as the Sassanids and more mobile barbarian tribes like the Goths forced the Romans to change their tactics in order to adapt. However, the army would not experience complete reform until Diocletian in 284 AD. The equipment was very different from that of the classic Principate legion, yet also very different from the armies of Constantine and his successors.

Helmets

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The helmets of the 3rd century army are in wide variety and are seen as the epitomy of Roman helmet design, namely the Italic H Niedermormter. With the lines between auxiliaries and legionnaires becoming blurred, the equipment did as well and the helmets.

The Italic H Niedermormter - late 2nd century - mid 3rd century. The last of the Italic helmets.


The Heddernheims - late 2nd century - late 3rd century - one of the more popular designs during the time of crisis




The Theilenhofen - 3rd century - a very intricate and decorative helmet, based on the Attic-style helmets of old


The Niederbieber - 2nd century - mid 3rd century - originally an auxiliary cavalry helmet, that became popular with infantry


Other - A Praetorian cavalryman's helmet

Armor

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The armor worn by Romans in the 3rd century became largely varied. The famed lorica segmentata was beginning to fall out of use due to its cost and maintenance. Lorica Hamata became very popular once more and lorica squamata began to be worn more frequently. The hamata, unlike before, became more simple, usually not being shouldered anymore like the style of the former legions. Rome also started to make use of lamellar armors.

Lorica Segmentata


Lorica Hamata





Lorica Squamata







Lamellar Armor

Weaponry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

By the 3rd century, the famed gladius had fallen out of use. It its place, the spatha, formerly a cavalry sword, became extremely popular as it could function more or less the same but had a longer reach than its predecessor. Lighter versions of the pilum were being used, the weighted versions still in use but beginning to be forgotten. Also, the hasta became very popular and many front-line legionnaires began to carry it in order to counter cavalry.

Shields

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Shields int he 3rd century were more or less the same. However, the large rectangular scutum was becoming less popular, used in the time of Gallienus mainly by legionnaires who would have stood in the front lines. The patterns on shields during the 3rd century could be very intricate and decorative or extremely simple.

The famed Dura Europos shield


Others

Unit Preview

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Some Previews of units.

The reason the army of Diocletian will make an appearance in the mod is because due to the timeframe, the player will be able to upgrade to the late army via tech.

The Army of Diocletian and later

Helmets

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The helmets of the 4th century Roman army onwards were quite different then their predecessors. Some were cheaper made and had less protection while others were very intricate and very protective.

The Intercisa Helmet - 4th-5th centuries



Roman Ridge types - 4th-5th centuries
Berkasovo


Concesti


Spangenhelm types - 3rd-5th centuries



There are some others and the helmets will vary, having different colored versions and versions that have crests for high-tier units and such.

Armor

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

​coming soon

Weaponry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The weapons used by the legions of Diocletian and his successors were very much the same as before, except the once popular pilum began to fall out of use in favor of other lighter javelins and then the well-known plumbata - a small throwing dart.

Shields

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

​
By the end of the third century, the large rectangular scutum had fallen out of use, and from then on oval suctums would be the shield of choice for Roman soldier.

Unit Preview

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Credits:
Helmets: Dontfearme22, Ahiga, asterion2005, The_Germans_are_coming, CA
Armor: CA, Ahiga, Dresden, The_Germans_are_coming
Weaponry: CA
Shields: The_Germans_are_coming, Dresden

[Diocle75]

This thread will give a rundown of the composition and equipping of the Roman army from the 3rd century onwards. It will also feature several units and pieces of equipment that have been added to the mod Pax Romana.

The Army of the 3rd Century:
The Roman army in the 3rd century was a force in development. The rise of new enemies such as the Sassanids and more mobile barbarian tribes like the Goths forced the Romans to change their tactics in order to adapt. However, the army would not experience complete reform until Diocletian in 284 AD. The equipment was very different from that of the classic Principate legion, yet also very different from the armies of Constantine and his successors.

Helmets

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The helmets of the 3rd century army are in wide variety and are seen as the epitomy of Roman helmet design, namely the Italic H Niedermormter. With the lines between auxiliaries and legionnaires becoming blurred, the equipment did as well and the helmets.

The Italic H Niedermormter - late 2nd century - mid 3rd century. The last of the Italic helmets.






The Theilenhofen - 3rd century - a very intricate and decorative helmet, based on the Attic-style helmets of old




Other - A Praetorian cavalryman's helmet

Armor

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The armor worn by Romans in the 3rd century became largely varied. The famed lorica segmentata was beginning to fall out of use due to its cost and maintenance. Lorica Hamata became very popular once more and lorica squamata began to be worn more frequently. The hamata, unlike before, became more simple, usually not being shouldered anymore like the style of the former legions. Rome also started to make use of lamellar armors.

Lorica Segmentata


Lorica Hamata





Lorica Squamata







Lamellar Armor

Weaponry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

By the 3rd century, the famed gladius had fallen out of use. It its place, the spatha, formerly a cavalry sword, became extremely popular as it could function more or less the same but had a longer reach than its predecessor. Lighter versions of the pilum were being used, the weighted versions still in use but beginning to be forgotten. Also, the hasta became very popular and many front-line legionnaires began to carry it in order to counter cavalry.

Shields

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Shields int he 3rd century were more or less the same. However, the large rectangular scutum was becoming less popular, used in the time of Gallienus mainly by legionnaires who would have stood in the front lines. The patterns on shields during the 3rd century could be very intricate and decorative or extremely simple.

The famed Dura Europos shield


Others

Unit Preview

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Some Previews of units.

The reason the army of Diocletian will make an appearance in the mod is because due to the timeframe, the player will be able to upgrade to the late army via tech.

The Army of Diocletian and later - coming soon

Helmets

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

​coming soon

Armor

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

​coming soon

Weaponry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

​coming soon

Shields

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

​coming soon

Unit Preview

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

​coming soon

Credits:
Helmets: Dontfearme22, Ahiga, asterion2005, The_Germans_are_coming
Armor: CA, Ahiga, Dresden, The_Germans_are_coming
Weaponry: CA
Shields: The_Germans_are_coming

[bobbyr]

Fantastic work.

Looking forward to play this mod some day

[Dontfearme22]

Just a tip, this thread shows you how to fix the variant editor being really dark:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...or-is-too-dark

[Emperor Caesar]

Just a tip, this thread shows you how to fix the variant editor being really dark:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...or-is-too-dark

Thanks for that, didn't even notice it before ha.

[First Citizen Gallienus]

Cool stuff Emp. If I had one gripe about the mod however, it'd be the shields that are missing shields bosses. For some reason I always felt the Roman shields without shield bosses were always kind of 'off.' Anyway, keep up the great work!

[Emperor Caesar]

Cool stuff Emp. If I had one gripe about the mod however, it'd be the shields that are missing shields bosses. For some reason I always felt the Roman shields without shield bosses were always kind of 'off.' Anyway, keep up the great work!

It's only because the shields for those are using Attila shields which have a separate things for shield bosses so they don't show up in the Rome 2 assembly kit. However, they will be present in game.

[Diocle]

Great work Emp! +rep!

Just a small note: the segmented armour should be of Newstead type, this:



without the leathar strips lacings of the previous models.

[Emperor Caesar]

Great work Emp! +rep!

Just a small note: the segmented armour should be of Newstead type, this:



without the leathar strips lacings of the previous models.

Yeah that is the hard part. Finding someone willing to do body armor. For now we have to make due with the vanilla type.

[Diocle]

Actually the example I posted wasn't the correct one, sorry (Actually it was a Cordbridge B/C following Robinson classification)!

The actual Newstead is this one, no leather strips at all:



Anyway, no problem for me, go on using what you have, I was just trying to give you a suggestion but it's a small detail almost invisible in game, we need your Mod Emp, Newstead or Corbridge is an irrilevant detail!

dammit TWC tells me I can't give you more rep, well, OK, I'll give you my +Rep later ..

[Emperor Caesar]

Actually the example I posted wasn't the correct one, sorry (Actually it was a Cordbridge B/C following Robinson classification)!

The actual Newstead is this one, no leather strips at all:



Anyway, no problem for me, go on using what you have, I was just trying to give you a suggestion but it's a small detail almost invisible in game, we need your Mod Emp, Newstead or Corbridge is an irrilevant detail!

dammit TWC tells me I can't give you more rep, well, OK, I'll give you my +Rep later ..

Haha I need this mod too!

[tomySVK]

Great work!

[Tango12345]

Thats enough. If either of you have anything you want to say regarding this, forward it to me, not in this thread, and preferably not to each other directly. Moderation will look into it.

In order for things to calm down a bit I've locked this thread temporarily. I do not want to see this spread to other threads either.

[Tango12345]

Investigation complete. Reopened.

[Emperor Caesar]

Updated with new niederbieber and some previews of Diocletian-era and later era equipment.

[Diocle75]

[Majorien]

Emperor, do you have an idea for release date ?

[Emperor Caesar]

Emperor, do you have an idea for release date ?

Not at the moment.

[Majorien]

i guess you give up...

[Emperor Caesar]

i guess you give up...

No not even close.