Legionairy Mascots

**Pearce1982** · August 01, 2010, 10:48 PM

I know this doesn't exactly fall in-line with the house rules, but I normally pick up a mercenary unit for specific legions almost as a mascot. The legion who takes Carthage I hire mercenary war elephants, legion that takes Greece I hire a unit of Spartans. I also keep a unit of gladiators in my legion from Capua.

Does anyone else do this? If you don't do this then how do you utilize some of the mercenary/special units in SPQR?

**Ejergard** · August 02, 2010, 08:53 AM

I do something similar, to give a touch to some legions stationed in certain regions. Like using local skirmishers/auxilia or cavalry at times.

**lt1956** · August 02, 2010, 06:09 PM

Yes I do the same, auxilia from different areas I use for that legion, but then that is historical. I dont use alot of mercs, they are used for emergencies and with SPQR 8.0 if you use to many mercs you general may be less loyal. Also Mercs will not be super in morale anymore, if they die they cant get paid, so expect them to run at times! ;-)

**SirGejor** · August 02, 2010, 06:25 PM

AVE!

I particularly don't like playing with mercenaries. Besides being expensive to recruit and retain, they take the original formations of the legion. Mischaracterizes the army.
Only recruit in the latter case and if it is a last resort.

**czePowerslave** · August 03, 2010, 10:20 AM

I got a full mercenary legion that started off as regular one, then after being almost entirely wiped out by Spartan garrison, I made them full merc. Just single cavalry unit, it used to have 3 stacks of Spartans (now one last), then mix of phalanx and sword greek infantry, now being replaced by African mercs, and my jewel, 5 units of Cretan archers, currently totalling about 900 men roughly. In such number, they can put down elephants.

**SirGejor** · August 03, 2010, 11:53 AM

Excellent archers General!

It is analyzing it this way czePowerslave is really nice to have a legion of them.

A question and curiosity, as you name this legion in "Killsheet? And the general, is a Roman?

Another detail that intrigues me, is a Legion is 100% composed of mercenaries, soldiers is easy to lose or do not have any loyalty, especially when the empire is no denarii, what do you think friend General?

**czePowerslave** · August 03, 2010, 12:09 PM

Well,
there is the same general that was there when I recruited the legion in southern Italy. As of now it is composed entirely of mercenaries except for Roman general and is listed as mercenary legion in the killsheet. Provided I have excessive income and 24 legions (still about 40k+ each turn), I can easily manage the flow of mercenaries.

Currently, I am fielding 2 or 3 full merc armies at my borders. Used to have one VERY experienced one, but it rebelled and disbanded. Germans were taking really bad pounding from them. Swordsman and gallian infantry are excellent against them.

**SirGejor** · August 03, 2010, 12:41 PM

Yeah ... that's why I asked.

As I have these "denarii" all manage to spend and I do not recruit. Also in another year ago, my experience with mercenaries was not very good. The generals lived cheating on me and doing "bribe" all the time. Should also be so because it was in VH / VH, which makes our career as Emperor almost impossible.

General Thanks for the replies

AVE SPQR!!

**czePowerslave** · August 03, 2010, 12:54 PM

VH/VH tends to make it easier actually for reasons I believe.
Thats why I play on what is suggested. I still feel defeating Scythians is nigh impossible. In my 6.4 campaign they have about 150+ full stacks.