re house rule 6 and auxilia

[WeeBubba]

am i correct in saying pre marius armies are not subject to rule 6, so i can replenish my hastati etc. at the beginning of the game at will?

also, regarding the auxilia, do auxilia and house rules applying to them also only relate to post marius?

thanks for clearing this up

[Ejergard]

Yeah, the Polybian legions (with hastati etc) can be replenished at will. Although, I played one campaign where I didn't allow myself to do it more than every 5 years, which was fun too. But I don't care about it this campaign. And there is no auxilia until after the reforms, so that one should be pretty easy. However, if you are far away, unable to recruit principe i guess it would be ok to fill those spots out with hastati until that operation is over.

[saienga]

I certainly use all Hastati legions in emergencies. I justify it by reasoning that, in a time of crisis, a smart general (in any age) would certainly bend the established rules for the order of battle in favor of actually having a snowball's chance in hell of victory.
I promptly replace the Hastati with Principes and Triarii as soon as I can, though.
All's fair in love and war, right?

Specific to Bubba's question: I do this all the time with Polybian legions. My legion takes it in the teeth (or is just bled down) and I'll combine the depleted units and then send in fresh replacement units (of the appropriate type--Hastati, Principes, etc.). I don't play it so the replacements need to be "cheap" or auxiliary troops. I see it that Rule 6 really amplifies the value of the trained cohort post Marius. Before Marius, the soldier was a self-equipped volunteer. If my cities are rich enough to provide me better troops, I'll take them with nary a qualm of conscience.

Also, reinforcing my legions in such an ad hoc fashion will make for an interesting exercise in strategic thinking when along comes Marius and I have to totally revolutionize my order of battle and logistics. Seems more true-to-life to have a piecemeal, fill-as-you-go system replaced by a regimented, keep-your-war-machine-protected system.

Some of the greatest victories and most crushing defeats in history have come as a result of generals either grasping and implementing or overlooking and ignoring technological and methodological advancements.

Got a bit tangential. Hope that it helps anyway.

[czePowerslave]

The pre-marian legions are to be replenished as well. NO auxilia there, maybe merc or cavalry armies are possible, do as you wish. And yes, it is not really cheating to use emergency all hastati or most-hastati army if you need.