Woad warriors longsword??

**Juicemisbruk** · January 12, 2009, 07:13 AM

i said wtf first time i saw it... Were there longswords at this time or is it just imaginary? Why are they the only unit with longswords... Why does romans use daggers instead of shortswords...

**Selifator** · January 12, 2009, 12:42 PM

Because of their fighting technique. Do you even know how Romans fought? They used their large shields to protect the entire body from shoulder to shin, then they stab with the short sword. This was rather effective, but needed a lot of space.

**Xavier Dragnesi** · January 12, 2009, 12:49 PM

That was the Romans fighting style at the time. Their policy was that they had a large shield for protection called a scutum, which protected most of their body. Their main weapon was the gladius, which was a short stabbing sword that is said to have emerged in Spain. This initiative was taken because stabs can be far deeper and far more effective than a slash, which could hit some bone and would not cause fatal injuries. This gave them an advantage over their Celtic enemies who always swung and slashed their swords. They had another dagger, a pugio, which was rarely used, but almost the same length to give them comfort of similiarity.

The Romans would line up in their formations with their legendary discipline and order, and the barbarians would charge at them. They would throw their javelins, their pilum, then ready their shields for the enemy assault. When the enemy assault hit, the legionaries were taught to speedily move their shields to the side and give a lightning fast but hard stab before quickly retreating behind their shields. This was very effective as they mowed down the enemy by slowly moving forward each time, yet could also stand to a defensive at any time.

**Juicemisbruk** · January 13, 2009, 01:23 PM

ok, i know all that=P i formulated my question wrong... I meant to say why does the (iberian)roman shortsword look like a dagger in game instead of a shortsword? Do i look at the weapon they used before the gladius was discovered, the ones the hastati use in game for example look like a dagger, is that another weapon, or are they really badly made? And were there longswords at that time?

**OccamR** · January 13, 2009, 04:01 PM

Its just the unit sizes. If you look closely, you can tell that the swords are about the size of their forearm. Though that does raise another point... Why would hastati even use the gladius? They were part of the early armies and one of the first units you can recruit, yet they use the the gladius? You know, maybe they aren't using the gladius after all.

**Lord Thesaurian** · January 14, 2009, 10:49 AM

yes, the celitic civs were using longswords at that time.... and the romans dont use daggers, they use short swords called gladiuses. they had a very specific fighting style and their weapons and armor were specifically suited for this. read up on it

**Scutarii** · January 14, 2009, 07:03 PM

I think in vanilla CA probably gave Hastati etc. gladius's even if it was unrealistic.

Celts used lots of longswords. They weren't uncommon, AFAIK.

**Lord Dakier** · January 14, 2009, 07:15 PM

The famous Italian poke they called it, you dont believe me?... well dont take my world for it then.

I suppose the Barbarians need some kind of edge in the campaign didnt they lol.

**Selifator** · January 15, 2009, 02:35 AM

Quoted from Wiki:
They were armed with a sword known as a gladius and two throwing spears known as pila: one the heavy pilum of popular imagination and one a slender javelin.[26]

Unless Wiki is wrong they did use the Hastati did use the Gladius. Though the Gladius is described on Wiki as having a length of 64-81 centimetres. I'm 1,80ish metre, and my forearms are probably around that length (60 centimetres) so the smaller Italians would have had larger swords in perspective.

**Juicemisbruk** · January 15, 2009, 04:26 AM

well, if it still not clear, i know how the romans and most otherpeople at that time fought!!! Ok, but all the gladiuses ive seen is bigger then the ones in the game... And now i know there were longswords in that period too...=D

**Scutarii** · January 15, 2009, 08:13 PM

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Polybian Hastati would have had a gladius Hispanesus (sp?), or just gladius, adapted from fighting Carthage and Iberian tribes in Spain. The Camillian ones would not have.

**daxypoo** · January 16, 2009, 02:25 PM

i agree w op... roman sword "looks" like a toy compared to the woad warrior's 4.5 ft decapitator

**Selifator** · January 16, 2009, 03:17 PM

True, but the function of the sword is different. The woad warriors cut with theirs in a wide motion, that's why they also don't have large shields. The romans have large shields, and use their gladius (or whatever it is) to thrust and slash in a short motion. A weapon doesn't need to be big to be frightfull, and hastati can easily take on a unit of woads.

**Lord Dakier** · January 16, 2009, 05:58 PM

Geez just make a new sword then theres no complaints lol... everyone picks out the smallest of issues. Scythia being named Sarmaetia is probably the biggest lol.