Early Roman Army

[Pompey]

I want to know if this army is good for early game with the Romans.
Attachment 176145

[dude21862004]

Needs more Principles, and you don't really need more than 2 Archer units.

[Maiar93]

Replace one or two equites units with principes and one archer unit with triarii/hastati and you're fine

[Jezza93]

I personally try to be historically accurate.

General
2 triarri
2 equites
2 archers
8 Hastati
6 Principes

And one mercenary unit to push the ram in a siege.

[Primo]

I think your army is perfect, you should be able to beat everything the ai throws at you, and for that you have it, right?

[dude21862004]

I never really used Hastati that often. Once I built the Barrack buildings that allowed Principles I stopped creating new Hastati entirely and just stuck with Principles. They are fine units, but I find Principles to be better.

[tudor93]

I never really used Hastati that often. Once I built the Barrack buildings that allowed Principles I stopped creating new Hastati entirely and just stuck with Principles. They are fine units, but I find Principles to be better.

well, they only have 2 more points in defense, it isn't such a big deal really ...

[Pompey]

well, they only have 2 more points in defense, it isn't such a big deal really ...

Yeah i know,there isn't much of a difference between Hastati and Princep except the fact that Principes have slightly more defense.

@tudor93 HAI DINAMO!!!

[Kuroi]

well, they only have 2 more points in defense, it isn't such a big deal really ...

That's incorrect.
Principes unlike Hastati are disciplined(they don't panic this fast when attacked with fire/elephants etc)
They have better formation. ("highly_trained" instead of just "trained")
The have bigger mass(1.3 instead of 1.0) when fighting in close combat.
They have class "heavy" instead of "light". (better defence against missiles and cavalry, I guess)
So difference is a little bit bigger than you said.

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

They have class "heavy" instead of "light". (better defence against missiles and cavalry, I guess)

Nope, that only affects the buildings needed to upgrade their weapons.

[tudor93]

Nope, that only affects the buildings needed to upgrade their weapons.

I thought hastati run faster than principes because they are light and principes are heavy ... so I was wrong ?

[dude21862004]

Well, if you fight a unit of Principles against a unit of Hastati the Principles will usually win.

[tudor93]

Well, if you fight a unit of Principles against a unit of Hastati the Principles will usually win.

well, of course, they have better defense, but as I said before, the difference isn't so big

@tudor93 HAI DINAMO!!!

[ScottishAdam]

well, of course, they have better defense, but as I said before, the difference isn't so big

Not only that but the soldiers are more professional and have better morale. That is a massive advantage in a fight. Principes really outclass hasatii

[Primo]

Not only that but the soldiers are more professional and have better morale. That is a massive advantage in a fight. Principes really outclass hasatii

They don´t have more moral. They simply have 2 armour points more. But you are right that they are more professional

[ScottishAdam]

They don´t have more moral. They simply have 2 armour points more. But you are right that they are more professional

I noticed a huge difference in battle with these two types of units. Hasati will run away much easier and not grit it out as much as principi even if the battle is 50/50. I may be wrong here but they also seem to move better in formation than hasati (especially when leaving castle gates). Maybe that is where the professionalism comes in

[KingofPoland]

I would say replace one archer with a pricipe and one hastati with a triarii. I didn't use those units much because I got the marian reform by 230 BC

[daxypoo]

as far as the original army of the op--- it is fine

as far as playing against ai--- there may be too much infantry (take original army and split it in two)

recruit some of cretans/rhodian slingers to give your missiles some range to add to your 3 archers already and this will force every single ai army you face to engage you on your terms


as far as principes versus hastati there is little difference other than needing a legion barracks to retrain principes versus a militia to retrain hastati--- aka hastati are "better" and more efficient

legion barracks are really only necessary after the reforms-- until then-- they are not essential

[tudor93]

as far as principes versus hastati there is little difference other than needing a legion barracks to retrain principes versus a militia to retrain hastati--- aka hastati are "better" and more efficient

legion barracks are really only necessary after the reforms-- until then-- they are not essential

couldn't say it better

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

I spammed hastati. Nothing stands up to stack after stack after stack of experienced, cheap Romans. I only used principes when money was of no consideration, and when the few extra points were necessary.