Playing Rome in RSII – A Basic Survival Guide

[Julianus Flavius]

Thanks Dani In the end I just exterminated and now two legions are converging on Akragas and the full stack of Greeks ensconsioned there. I'm having loads of trouble putting down the rebel alliance though, they keep finding full stacks to throw at me full of silver shield troops

[Hanti]

Dani, thanks for this guide. It's very nice.

I'd like to make a little suggestion about legion's composition for those without money:
They say that standard legion can have:
1 General
8 Republican Cohorts
4 Triarii
4 Velite
2 Equites
1 Latin Cavalry

I would replace Triarii with Bruttian Spearmen units (mercenaries from around Rhegion) which are basically the same unit but with half upkeep costs.

There is also mercenary archer unit around Aleria/Caralis called Corsico-Sardinian Infantry (upkeep 335) with good fighting abilities: melee 12, missile 8, defence 22. I would use them instead two Velite units because of small number of ammunition Velites have.

About money: garrison duties can perform Greek Slingers (upkeep 150) and Lucani Light Infantry (upkeep 347). Both units can be recruited in southern Italy (Crotona or mercenaries).

Using mercenaries helps growing population in your cities (will not depopulate them) and after initial high costs, lowers your upkeep.

Anyway Roman army used allied/auxilia units heavily.

Hope it helps.

[Julianus Flavius]

I actually find that having variation in legion composition lends itself to better roleplaying And I also maintain allied legions, and use siege weapons. But that's just me

[chris10]

I actually find that having variation in legion composition lends itself to better roleplaying And I also maintain allied legions, and use siege weapons. But that's just me

I agree...

[5th Lieutenant]

Great guide, am still wondering if I made the right choice about economic vs fortified region designations and holding Hispania while foregoing the Balkans...

For the 'legions', should not each one be half Roman and half Roman Allied? That ws my understanding of the Polybian system. I try to emulate this with:

1 x General
1 x Subordinate Commander
2 x Medium Cavalry
5 x Roman Cohorts
2 x Roman Triarii
5 x Allied Cohorts
2 x Allied Triarii

That gives 18 with 2 slots of skirmishers or other ranged weapons. The nice thing is, you can detach the Roman and Allied contingents to operate separately but in support, bolstering one or the other with extra infantry or mercenaries. Each of the 7 infantry formations can form a dual acies that can handle most enemies with support for operations against multiple enemy stacks (as I'm now facing outside Emporiae )

[chris10]

Great guide, am still wondering if I made the right choice about economic vs fortified region designations and holding Hispania while foregoing the Balkans...

For the 'legions', should not each one be half Roman and half Roman Allied? That ws my understanding of the Polybian system. I try to emulate this with:

1 x General
1 x Subordinate Commander
2 x Medium Cavalry
5 x Roman Cohorts
2 x Roman Triarii
5 x Allied Cohorts
2 x Allied Triarii

That gives 18 with 2 slots of skirmishers or other ranged weapons. The nice thing is, you can detach the Roman and Allied contingents to operate separately but in support, bolstering one or the other with extra infantry or mercenaries. Each of the 7 infantry formations can form a dual acies that can handle most enemies with support for operations against multiple enemy stacks (as I'm now facing outside Emporiae )

Good idea....maybe a bit overpowered with 4 Triarii and I see no skirmishers which where 100% part of the Roman Army...
2-3 Triarii and at least 3 skirmishers would make it more accurate...
although once you meet the Reforms this becomes obsolete

[Beetlecat]

Great guide, am still wondering if I made the right choice about economic vs fortified region designations and holding Hispania while foregoing the Balkans...

For the 'legions', should not each one be half Roman and half Roman Allied? That ws my understanding of the Polybian system. I try to emulate this with:

1 x General
1 x Subordinate Commander
2 x Medium Cavalry
5 x Roman Cohorts
2 x Roman Triarii
5 x Allied Cohorts
2 x Allied Triarii

That gives 18 with 2 slots of skirmishers or other ranged weapons. The nice thing is, you can detach the Roman and Allied contingents to operate separately but in support, bolstering one or the other with extra infantry or mercenaries. Each of the 7 infantry formations can form a dual acies that can handle most enemies with support for operations against multiple enemy stacks (as I'm now facing outside Emporiae )

Hmm. I like the mix of half Roman, half Allied. That makes a lot of sense.

Do you find that having a subordinate commander actually allows that general to gain traits and skills, or does it simply allow for experience gain? That sounds like a great way to train new governors and generals immediately after recruiting them.

[Julianus Flavius]

What legion composition do you use after the reforms?

[chris10]

What legion composition do you use after the reforms?

For me it depends where and whom the Legion is fighting....
As for the numbered field Legions the default is obvious:

1 General
1 First Cohort
9 Cohorts

Rest is depending on area,enemy and whats recruitable in the area closest to where the Legion fights

1. Against Barbarians:Gaul,German,Belgae,Hispanics etc :

2 Aux with ability "Bonus fighting Cavalry" for the flanks
2-3 Barbarian Merc Cavalry
3-4 Skirmishers (Velites)
1-2 slots free for whatever suits me in the moment

2. Against Phalanx and other Factions except Parthia :
2 Speer (Local Merc Recruitment for protecting Flanks of Archers)
4 Archers
2-3 Cavalry

Battle Formation working against all Factions is as follows:

1st line: Cohort__Cohort__Cohort__Cohort__Cohort Fire at Will/Guard Position

2nd line: Cohort__Cohort__ First__Cohort__Cohort Manually Select Fire at will when enemy Infantry reaches 1st line to avoid wasting pilum against skirmishers closing in

2. 3rd line: Speer_Archer_Archer__Archer_Archer_Speer Fire at will/Guard Position
or
1. 3rd line: Auxilia_Skirm_Skirm_Skirm_Skirm_Auxilia Fire at will/Guard Position/ Manually if Elephants or Chariots are present.
4th line Cavalry_Cavalry___General________ Cavalry Cavalry going to outflank enemy if possible or
counter enemy Cavalry

Sometimes I put the Cavalry all on one flank if the Terrain allows it for a strong flank blow.

Against Parthia: Against Parthia the player has to expect higher losses

3d line: Skirm_____Archer_____Archer_____Archer_____Skirm Skirm. manually target Elephants, Archers manually target Horsearchers
4th line: Cavalry_Cavalry____General____Cavalry_Cavalry Cavalry avoiding flank blow into 3rd line then finishing off weakend Horse Archers or other Cavalry then outflanking enemy line for charges into rear of enemy Infantry once it closes into melee with 1st Line.

As for Cavalry: Generally I dont use Missile Cavalry because its uselss for melee and charges
Only exception is the African Legion III Augusta which uses the Numidian
Missile Cavalry cause its the only recruitable in the area.

[EternalSlayer]

What legion composition do you use after the reforms?

This composition has worked fine against Barbarian/Greek factions/Carthage, not yet tried it in the East though.

1x Senior General
1x Junior General
8x Cohort
1x 1st Cohort
2x Heavy Cav
2x Light Cav (Numidian)
2x Slingers (Balearic)
2x Archers (Eyrytanes Toxotai mercs)
1x Siege Artillery

Battle formation and tactics:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Cohorts are lined up in a basic line formation. This weakens the middle, but unless your opponent spams elite pikemen down the middle (which has happened one or twice), your line will always hold. Putting units in guard mode is something I still have to experiment with, I find that it tends to cause more casualties, so I usually only have the units in front of the siege artillery on guard mode.



Stage 1: Engagement

Clearly, casualties can be much reduced if you're playing on defence, though the only real difference is over who gets to throw sticks at each other first. I engage the enemy infantry first, setting my missile units to attack nearby heavy cav/archers. The advantage of a line formation (especially on huge unit sizes) is that you can achieve a wonderful crossfire. The other advantage is that your opponent will usually send too many stacks down the middle, meaning you can overlap on the flanks. Sending out your cavalry is a good idea once they've committed most of their troops.



Stage 2: Cavalry Battle

Once the infantry is engaged (this can take a while if your opponent has two lines, if the army is something like 90% infantry, move once the majority of units are engaged), it's your turn to start causing them problems. The main aim is to use your cavalry to take out their non-infantry units, which shouldn't be a problem unless they have a load of annoying jav cav.



Stage 3: Annihilation

Assuming the AI follows normal procedure, the General unit will run headlong into your infantry at some stage. However you should probably use your General units to chase him down, because Roman infantry SUCKS at taking down Heavy Cav. Once he's dead you're left with the easy option of a) Hammer and anvil or b) Anvil and slinger/archer/javcav Doom of Hell (DoH!). I recommend the DoH! option for pikes and phalanxes, as it makes them rout a lot faster than cavalry charges do. For barbarians, killing their general will usually make the lower end units rout, with the better ones following suit once you've 'hammered' or javcav'd them a bit.



Result (an unrepresentative bridge battle, which I randomly saved):


(Usually around 200 casualties, mostly infantry)

[DarthLazy]

For cavalry use tarentine, they have a shield so they can absorb some arrows, and are fast so they can lure their units away from you. Using anything heavier is a waste since it takes 5 seconds MAX for Dahae to chew up cavalry

[chris10]

For cavalry use tarentine, they have a shield so they can absorb some arrows, and are fast so they can lure their units away from you. Using anything heavier is a waste since it takes 5 seconds MAX for Dahae to chew up cavalry

Tarentine ??? Missile Cavalry....brrrrrrrrrrr....I dont like runaways.....
Against Horse Factions without Elephants I simply bring in more Archers.
5 archers in the 3rd line will clean up any Horsearcher the enemy fields in nothing of time because of their greater range. They dont have to wipe the units out but once the Horse Archer Units are down to 10-15 they hardly cause casualties anymore.
Enemy Horse Archers will not even get close to my Cavalry as I keep It a fair bit behind my 3rd line to counter (and provoke) an eventual flank raid against my archers but once the enemy Horse Archers switch mode from ranged to melee they wont run away anymore and then my heavier cavalry will finish them off without taking much losses...
trap..trap..trap...I saw them coming

but thats just my style...there are so many approaches the player can take...sometimes I try new tactics just to see how different unit compositions perform against certain enemys...

[DarthLazy]

Typical Romaoi Barbaroi, that "cowardice" you speak of is a warfare above you peoples understanding, it is a type of warfare that the Parthaoi have perfected, you either adapt or lost.

[Grouchio]

Patch is released. Please continue!

[chris10]

Patch is released. Please continue!

yeah..maybe I could announce Shieldwall for Roman Legions for Roman 0Turn and 1Turn here...
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=405970


If enough people use it... new tactics will arise and new discussions will come up....

[Grouchio]

Please continue this!

[drecie14]

Please continue this!

I totally agree with you sir
This guide helped me a lot
gave me some strategies
(i'm not really a beginner but man RS2 is tough)

I hope you continue this guide dude
my bad you are a girl(just found out)

[naq]

This guide was made before patch 1.2. Maybe many things changed.

But she said:

So please bear with me and as soon as the patch is released, I'll resume this. I promise.

What should I do after mopped up the rebellion and totally erased Hannibal's presence in Italy?

[Beetlecat]

This guide was made before patch 1.2. Maybe many things changed.

But she said:


What should I do after mopped up the rebellion and totally erased Hannibal's presence in Italy?

Go West, young man!

[naq]

Go West, young man!

Sure. Firstly I must enhance my defense in Iberia and Macedonia. Then building a large fleet and make an invasion of Carthago.