ideal composition of a roman army?

[godfather_77]

Based on the changes made to units in radius' mod and patch 4 what is an ideal composition of a roman army? Same question even if not using radius' mod?

[Rittsy]

Depends. Do you mean for historical play, all out best possible units, cheapest or most balanced?

I try and keep my army partially historical:
General
2 Hastati
2 Pincepes
1 Triarii
1 slingers
1 valites
1 allied javelin
1 allied spearmen
1 Allied cavalry
2 allied Hastati/allied swordsmen
1 allied heavy infantry (sometimes)

Excuse my spelling on those.

[Fanaris]

In my last campaign I used the following template in almost all my armies (It was without your mod though):

1 General (Cavalry)

2 Siege Weapons (most of the time one Roman Balista + random other siege weapon)

2 Socii Equites Extraordinarii (=> Type of Shock Cavalry; You need an auxiliary camp in one of the following areas: Italia, Corsica & Sardinia or the regions Brundisium and Cosentia in Magna Greaca)

2 Auxiliary Cavalries (=> everywhere)

3 Cretan Archers (=> auxiliary camp in Hellas)

8-10 Praetorians (my older armies were still a mix "weaker" heavy infantry units like Legionaries)

0-2 Auxiliary Hoplites (=> auxiliary camp in Hellas, Macedonia, Asia or in the region of Syracuse)

---

I designated the Provinces of Italia and Hellas as my military centres. I didn't even manage to research Tier IV barracks before my Legendary campaign was finished, so I'm not sure, if those new unit types would have changed much... Most likely It would have been a simple exchange of the Praetorians... Not considering the Auxiliary Cavalry and the Siege Weapons, nobody will waver within those crazy Roman armies... Praetorians and even the Cretan Arches (compared to other support units) have extremly high moral... They fight like until only 3-10 of them are left... Very funny for those civil war battles...

[freeboy]

I like to mix cav with heavy infantry and catapults
its good offense and defense and you can tweak it to specific needs.

[BSGfan]

go for legionaires AS10 or
11 legionaires cohort
1 eagle cohort the morale bonus radius is a plus
3 or 4 velites
4 equites cav

i hardly bother with arty sincze the AI behaves like flies on a pile of dung when you bring on artillery

naval
4 ballista ouidremes
2 onager quidreme
4 assault quidremes legionaires
3 missile quidreme
6 assault biremes

ùoctp ùanagement is the key here lure the enemy to your artillery ships with the assault ships on the flank ready to bounce / ram any enemy ships that tries to get in range of the arty ships
if done proper you should have little or no losses except for the off bireme

[fws2468]

I haven't reached professional army yet so here's mine:
1 general
2 auxilia cavs
9 praetorians/veterans
3 heavy onagers
4 missile cavs
1 wardogs

OR

1 general
3 auxilia cavs
4 slingers
9 praetorians/veterans
3 heavy onagers

[Yadz]

without considering mods,Early campaign,i usually try to make many legions despite starting economy,thats why units should be cost effective.-General-6 hastati (one of the most cost effective really,can do job if used tactically wise as flanking and attacking rear. I usually group them by 2)-2 velites-3 javelins of lightest type-3 principes-2 triarii-1 war dog-2 cav unitsWith regards to use of archers,i just interchange them with the javs, with a standard of 5-6 range units per stack. When using siege equipment like balista,i usually accompany every 2 legions of above composition with a light legion,w.c carries the siege equipment,and other units to reinforce the stronger legion if they get a harder beating.

[Yadz]

how i use those,here:First light javs as one group are lined in fron,2nd line,3 groups of 2 hastati units each,if im playing defensively,hastati are in defensive mode (in cases of sudden cav attack,first line retreats at the back of 2nd line). Then velites positioned at the back of hastati as support fire against charging enemy units or repositioning javs.principes are positioned on both flanks screened by cavs,either in line with 3rd or 2nd line. Their task is to take opportunity of flanking or rearing when possible. Triarii are positioned wide back as support to center,in cases of larger odds.

[Yadz]

how i use those,here:First light javs as one group are lined in fron,2nd line,3 groups of 2 hastati units each,if im playing defensively,hastati are in defensive mode (in cases of sudden cav attack,first line retreats at the back of 2nd line). Then velites positioned at the back of hastati as support fire against charging enemy units or repositioning javs.principes are positioned on both flanks screened by cavs,either in line with 3rd or 2nd line. Their task is to take opportunity of flanking or rearing when possible. Triarii are positioned wide back as support to center,in cases of larger odds. The cavs are also used to harass enemy light infantry,or flanking and rearing. I see enemy units,who when they attack the 1st line of light infantry,when they get too close to 2nd line of hastati already while under fire by velites,they retreat,thus when they do,the cavs will take the chance of the charge.

[Chewie]

I try to go semi historical marian reform with 10 cohorts but I have a lot more cavalry than actual legions. this is the setup is use for the majority of the game.

1 general
1 onager
1 praetorian
1 1st cohort
2 veteran legionary
6 legionary
2 auxiliary cav
1 regional auxiliary cav (medium or heavy)
1 regional light auxiliary cav
2 regional auxiliary skirmishers
2 regional auxiliary archers/slingers

[Jackal2233]

In my roman campaign, each legion had 8 heavy infantry consisting of 2 praetorians, 2 evocati, and 4 legionary cohorts... than 4 auxiliary cavalry (standard roman cavalry sucks), 2 velites, and 4 ballistas. I like ballistas rather then onagers because of the anti-infantry projectiles. Weak on missile troops but made up for it with artillery.

I normally use the simplex army formation at battle start, have group 1 -> left flank cav, group 2 -> legionaries, group 3 -> velites, group 4 -> right flank cav, and group 5 -> gen. And Ctrl-B for artillery. Very easy to control in large battles without much micromanagement with group attack. In siege I use douplex or whatever its called.