Question.

[Blackshamrock.]

Hey all. I ve been doing some reserch from a book calld in the name of rome. Its about the men who won the roman empire. Anywas I have been looking at some of the formations they used , and some of the units they used. Plase feal free to creect me i'm rong, and as always exquse my spellings.

The Standard cunsular army (2 legions+2 alae)
The fourmation consisted of Allied Cavalery on the left right of the acf was calld the left Ala where 3 units of missile right agin where 2 legions then right of that was 3 more units of missile and right agin was the Roman cavarly.
One legion conseted of 3 ranks of Soilders, in the first line Hastati, the secend principes and the 3th Tariarii

and behind them was One Maniple of Hastati or Principes.It had a centurion on the let and right and at the back on the left and right Optio one been calld on the left a Posterior Century and on the right been calld a Prior Century. It would be easyer to explain if I could uplad a pic. I'm going to try this out and see what happens I'll keep ye posted of the out come theres pics in the book to of what a full inpereall Legion also I'll post thei at a later dtae. Anyways if I'm rong could you help out thanks and agin exquse my spellings.

[Coldcall]

Sounds cool, let us know.

What I like doing is keeping a seperate stack on say 500 horse as a reinforcement. Because from what I have read the horse and infantry often travelled seperately and would come into battle from different angles. This allows cool ambushes of cavalry just when the enemy is only focused on your infantry army/legion. It also makes them change formations when they notice the horse army charging at them from a different angle.

Only problem is when they get delayed as reinforcments, which i think should happen a lot less if the reinforcing army is full of horse because theoretically they could outrun and manouvre any stalling tactics so they should show up on the field of battle most of the time when needed/requested.

[Blackshamrock.]

Well, Ive triyed it out. And it works Like a dream. Every battle ive gone into useing that fourmation I have sastaned casuties, but less than what I would of had before, and Ive come out vicktoreus eact time. Alsought I must corect my self I was looking at the pic rong. There wasent 3 stacks of misiles on eadter sied. It was 3 deep and the misels where infrount to take done as many of the eanemy as possable beofre they ingaid you forces. exquse the spellings again soory about that. Anywas it works so try it and let me know what you think thanks.

[MarcusTullius]

Well, Ive triyed it out. And it works Like a dream. Every battle ive gone into useing that fourmation I have sastaned casuties, but less than what I would of had before, and Ive come out vicktoreus eact time. Alsought I must corect my self I was looking at the pic rong. There wasent 3 stacks of misiles on eadter sied. It was 3 deep and the misels where infrount to take done as many of the eanemy as possable beofre they ingaid you forces. exquse the spellings again soory about that. Anywas it works so try it and let me know what you think thanks.

Any chance of a screen cap to show exactly what you mean?

[century x]

Any chance of a screen cap to show exactly what you mean?

Yea a visual confirmation of it will be great.

[Sandrus Castus]

Is this about the Acies Triplex? I have some screens of that, it's an old Roman formation. (These are, when I did it, with Legionaries after Marius, but I can try and make one with the Republican units too. )

Otherwise, your information is (+/-) correct.
The first wave of attacks was for the Hastati, the youngest (or poorest) soldiers of those three types. (now ignoring other infantry-types)
The second line existed of Principes, strong men with an age of about 40. They were the core of the army and did the hard fighting.
The third line was made up of Triarii. They were the oldest soldiers, and were only brought in battle if it was going the wrong way. The expression 'it has come to the triarii' was used in ancient Rome, and indicated a danger or a last deed to save a situation.

And yes, cavalry on the flanks, avoiding the enemy to flank the army, or to flank the enemy themselves.

[Blackshamrock.]

I tryed to get pics for you. But google is not doing much for me to be honest. What I will do when i get the chance is make a copy of the pic and scan it so i can upload for you all.

[Sandrus Castus]

Here I have a screenshot. Yes, the units are cheated, but it's quick to let you see. These are legionaries (so not the hastati-principes-triarii-system), but it gives an impression.



Result: crushing victory ofcourse.

[Coldcall]

Here I have a screenshot. Yes, the units are cheated, but it's quick to let you see. These are legionaries (so not the hastati-principes-triarii-system), but it gives an impression.



Result: crushing victory ofcourse.

That works well with some opponents but I think its too narrow a formation if you are fighting elite hoplites, phalanx units. I'll do screenies but i like having some extra cohorts at the wings for flanking because i find that is the quickest way to make the enemy route.

Also i noticed that legions are better at holding a line than actually attacking an enemy head on. So I let my legions hold a tight line while i periodically charge the flanks with heavy cavalry or extra cohorts.

[century x]

Here I have a screenshot. Yes, the units are cheated, but it's quick to let you see. These are legionaries (so not the hastati-principes-triarii-system), but it gives an impression.



Result: crushing victory ofcourse.

I did this formation in a custom battle to see it it works for me and it does. But when fighting a phalanx army it a little difficult to win. I'll have to re arrange some troops to win. But this formation is awesome for Barbarians. I just steam roll over them.

[Brusilov]

I did this formation in a custom battle to see it it works for me and it does. But when fighting a phalanx army it a little difficult to win. I'll have to re arrange some troops to win. But this formation is awesome for Barbarians. I just steam roll over them.

If you guys reply to a post with an image and you want to include the image can you make the image into a spoiler so we don't have to keep seeing the same image over and over again? Leave the text outside of the spoiler so we can read what the post was about.

It must cause problems with people who have slowish internet connections.

To enclose an image as a post just use the following structure (removing the asterisk);

[*spoiler]
image form post
[*/spoiler]

Thanks

[Sandrus Castus]

@Coldcall: I do have Praetorian Cavalry on the flanks. They work just fine for flanking.
@Blackshamrock.: Did you perhaps read the book of Peter Connolly, Greece and Rome at War?

[Blackshamrock.]

lol I love Rome.

[Blackshamrock.]

An Imperial (Cohort) Legion.

Well we all know how that works. 9 Singel Cohorts and one first Cohort. Now its on the right insted of the left. Its also telling me that a Cohort consisted of 80 Legionaries and was commanded by a centurion whos title is geven insied the box. I'm looking at 6 boxes and and in the boxes from 1 to 6 are the difrent Titles of the Centurion 1 hastatus posterior, 2 hastatus prior, 3 princeps posterior, 4 princeps prior, 5 pilus posterior, and 6 pilius prior.

And a first cohort. 5 boxes each box calld a century. 1 hastatus posterior, 2 hastatus, 3 princeps posterior, 4 princeps, and 5 primus pilus.

It also states the each century in a first cohort, each century consisted of 160 Legionaries commanded by a cenenturion. And the centurions of the first cohort where known as the primi ordines and possessed immense prestige. Sorry for going on abot this, but i'm even more confused now than i was before. The book is calld in the name of rome, the men who won the roman empire the orter is adrian goldsworthy. Man this guy must know his stuff.
Ps exquse the grammer whats up with my spell cheack today its not working.

[century x]

Interesting formation.

[MarcusTullius]

That would be the normal pre-marian formation:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Rom-mnpl-2.png

And here's some more in depth talk about formations

http://numbera.com/rome/strategy/legform.aspx

[Blackshamrock.]

They look sweet I must try out one or to and see what will happen.