How exactly do legions work?

[Fox Sterlingworth]

I am pre-marius at the moment (not even VE yet) and I don't understand how legions work. Are they just a collection of men (army) that the player arbitrarily names a 'legion', or is the game itself supposed to give them a name (or number, 7th, 8th, etc.)

Please illuminate me!

[Nellup]

A legion is just a stack arranged to be roughly historically accurate for a legion.

Eg. a pre-marian legion consists of hastati, principe and triarii supported by velites, equites and a general.

VE legions consist of one first cohort and nine normal cohorts backed up by triarii, velites and horsemen (usually medium cavalry by then).

Then with the named and numbered legions you can create proper legions, with one first cohort, nine other cohorts (all of the same legion) backed up by whatever you want. Most people use a couple of auxilia (infantry and archers), cavalry and sometimes siege equipment.

So to answer your question, it is fairly arbitrary as to what consists a legion, and different players have different ideas about what to put in a legion, but post marius it is usually to properly equipped legions.

Read this for more info: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71519

[Fox Sterlingworth]

Thanks, that answers my question perfectly!