How do you strengthen your legions

[Largepaws]

So I am curious what techniques some of you use when deploying your legions. Do you keep your legions somewhat close to their AOR in order to reinforce them when numbers begin to dwindle? Or do you send them far away campaigning? If so, what strategy do you use to keep thier numbers strong when their AOR may be far away.

I personally will build a fort next a legions AOR city. I may keep two to three cohorts available in that fort. Should a legion's numbers begin to go down, I will send the cohort reinforcements or their like legion....I am not a big fan of mixing and matching legions.

[Ian Altano]

I tend to go campaigning with several legions, using one as back-up while the other goes back to retrain when the casualties become too great. So yes, you coulds say I don't let my legions go very far from their AOR city.
That changes when your empire becomes bigger: if the distance to retrain is getting really troublesome, I use that legion as a protective force in the area, and raise new legions closer to enemy borders.

But, in several cases, due to sheer necessity, I have been forced to merge legions.. But I un-merge them after the danger is over.
The fort idea is a good one, I use that one too from time to time.

For me, the key to strong campaigning armies is rotation; auxiliary legions have a purpose: to seal the lands while my main fighting force retrains!

Ian

[century x]

A lot of player find this use full.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=151875

Hope you like it.

[Largepaws]

I tend to go campaigning with several legions, using one as back-up while the other goes back to retrain when the casualties become too great. So yes, you coulds say I don't let my legions go very far from their AOR city.
That changes when your empire becomes bigger: if the distance to retrain is getting really troublesome, I use that legion as a protective force in the area, and raise new legions closer to enemy borders.

But, in several cases, due to sheer necessity, I have been forced to merge legions.. But I un-merge them after the danger is over.
The fort idea is a good one, I use that one too from time to time.

For me, the key to strong campaigning armies is rotation; auxiliary legions have a purpose: to seal the lands while my main fighting force retrains!

Ian

I assume you play based on the house rules, 9 cohorts, 1 first cohort, etc?
When you say "Seal the lands" are you talking about protect/guard?

Auxiliary legions are a must, I always try to send each main legion out with one Auxiliary legion with it.....

[century x]

I assume you play based on the house rules, 9 cohorts, 1 first cohort, etc?
When you say "Seal the lands" are you talking about protect/guard?

Auxiliary legions are a must, I always try to send each main legion out with one Auxiliary legion with it.....

Well yes that is what that system is called.

Auxilia legion system

[Largepaws]

Well yes that is what that system is called.

Auxilia legion system

But I am sure thats not how everyone uses them.

[century x]

But I am sure thats not how everyone uses them.

Well of course not but it can help him in some shape or form.

[Ian Altano]

Yes Largepaws, I follow the house rules of army composition. And by 'seal the lands' I mean defend, but also build some forts on strategically important locations and things like that.

[Swagg Lyke Myne]

Generally what I tend to do, (with just legions and a general) is place them in the 3 row deployment with my general in between the 2nd and 3rd line of attack. I cautiously send my legion in testudo formation to get the range of the enemy's missles. I then move up my first line of legions directly behind the testudo legion. At this time I also bring up the other 2 lines for defence against flanking manuevers. Now here's the fun part, I play on H/VH campaign difficulty/battle difficulty and the enemy never seems to charge right away. I let my first line close in close enough to barrage the enemy with pila. I then Testudo the whole first line and bring up the 2nd line and repeat the process again. I keep my 3rd line in the back for reinforcements. I then have the first line of romans engage the enemy's first line of men and gradually work my way through them like fire to wicker. But that's just me

[Brusilov]

If the legion is operating within sensible distance from thier AOR (a turn or two) then I will send them home for a bit of R&R. I will make sure that I have other front line legions around to take thier place in the line. If I am being attacked by numerous armies then I will keep a legion in the line for a reasonable length of time and then send them back to be retrained.

I like my generals to acquire the churigeon trait which helps them heal casulatlies after each battle. This allows units to remain 'in the line' for longer.

When a legion os operating far form base I will have a reseve stack that contains a number of units. These will either be used to merge with the depleted units or I will replace the depleted unit in the line and send it home for some R&R.

I will try and take a settlement that has the ability to train it's own legionaires. Then the problem of what to do is reduced as once again the units don't have far to return to base.

When I do raise a new army I will attempt to ensure that the legionaries are from two settlements and not all from a single settlement - this means that the army takes less time to be raised in the first place and be retrained (I play 1 turn recruitment).

When I next play as Rome I will have a go with century X's 'Auxillia System' (but I don't usually play Rome).

[lanartruc]

I'm at my first campaing as Romans and been platying the campaing for 6 months now. (can't play that much due to family duties).

In my campaing i raging war on 3 fronts (iberia, germany, anatolia). I follow the auxilia system but i bring legion reinforcements for AOR city's and when numbers in my armies start do a problem i reinforce (merge) with extra legion units ready for battle. When my boot camps become short on troops i train more in AOR city and send then to the front (by sea usually, which is faster). I station my reinforcements in forts along the path of my main armies.

I capture cities with good AOR units (us spies to check buildings) and cites with iron as ressources first.

[ZayanK]

I overuse my legions to the point their numbers are too low to do any real fighting. Then I settle them in the recently conquered lands.

Sometimes I merge legions if the need is dire.

[Legionary Titus Pullo]

always use the Auxillary or mercenary troops as the first line.

[Dark_horse_spirit]

I recruit every merc possible in foreign land and use them as front liners. This protects the bulk of my army. I march my armies anywhere they please. The second thing that I do is make half my army low pieces that can be recruited in any region. The core of my army is rarely ever touched, I use them for breaking wavering lines or boosting my lines. Essentially my armies once created are self sufficient. Sometimes, if I have a general that I am particularly fond of, I will exchange him from army to army to boost moral and add a packing punch.

DHS

[Largepaws]

I recruit every merc possible in foreign land and use them as front liners. This protects the bulk of my army. I march my armies anywhere they please. The second thing that I do is make half my army low pieces that can be recruited in any region. The core of my army is rarely ever touched, I use them for breaking wavering lines or boosting my lines. Essentially my armies once created are self sufficient. Sometimes, if I have a general that I am particularly fond of, I will exchange him from army to army to boost moral and add a packing punch.

DHS

Thats an interesting one, I like it.

[tinha]

I mostly always train the legions to maximum potential in the appropriate settlement, unless there is no time for that.

I Also do what Legionary Titus Pullo and Dark_horse_spirit said, by using mercenaries and auxiliaries as a front screen to engage enemy skirmishers and therefore protect legions from unnecessary losses. The longer i can keep legions away from combat the more effective they are and the less casualties they suffer.
Sometimes as a variation to the above, i will use one or two seperate legions as a frontline. They take a pounding and then the remaining legions jump in and make the enemy pay. I mix the units and bring up reinforcements. Small sacrifice for the greater good

Having a great General always helps too. And with the retinue that heals wounds, there are two different ones you can get, and that gives you really good healing from battles. Two of my current generals have these, and the % of healed is really noticeable in comparison to battles with generals without these retinue. Physician, Priest of Apollo and Chirugeon too! One of my finest young generals has all 3!

I use forts but thats interesting Large Paws, having reinforcement forts, will have to try that. Thanks.

Century x , that Auxilia legion system rocks, I will make use of that well presented guide on legion deployment and usage, bookmarked the thread will go through it in time. Thankyou.

Swagg, That is an interesting strategy with the testudo formation out on an open field. How do you avoid the enemy attacking your legions while getting in testudo formation to give you enough time to bring up the second line? Dont they normally charge you once you unleash the first round of pila? :hmmm: Something to look into also. Thanks.

[century x]

Century x , that Auxilia legion system rocks, I will make use of that well presented guide on legion deployment and usage, bookmarked the thread will go through it in time. Thank you.

Glad it helped you out. Actually I will be expaning on it very soon as more elements I have developed for the Romans.

[Krum De Kraziie King]

wow, you guys us a lot of strategy compared to me, all i do is have 11 heavy infantry units in the front line and 6 archer units in the back, and get close enough to shoot my arrows at the enemy, then us my 3 general units to protect the flanks and deliver my final blow to the enemy from the back while there attacking, then kill off routing enemies, ill try to us the strategy's used here thou, they seem more fun and challenging.