Quick question about legate retinue

[Arni the Terminator]

Hello there,

I have just recently started a new Roman campaign with the 2.6 patch, and after making it through all the reforms I have one question: Is there any way to influence who gets the Legion command retinue (e.g. "Legio I Germanica") for a certain legion; and if so, how?

Thanks in advance.

[ur-Lord Tedric]

The Legion ancilliaries will be given out in turn (in order) to the next 'General' in the queue in Roma that doesn't currently have one. Put a bunch of Generals in Roma and they will all get one. They are then completely transferrable so you can give them to whomsoever you wish.

Keep a couple of 'spare' Generals and they can hold up to 8 each - then you can assign them in any order you wish too.

[Arni the Terminator]

Thank you very much for the quick response!
Another question, is there any limitation on who can get it? I had some generals in Roma (with less than 8 ancillaries of course) who didn't get it at all. Do they have to be patrician and not a governor?

[ur-Lord Tedric]

The criteria for getting the next Legion Ancilliary in the queue are: 1 - you are not the Governor; 2 - you don't have one at the moment; 3 - you have less than 8 total.

Meet those and you should be fine.

The 'exceptions' are the Praetorian Guard ones (2of) - they have separate criteria: 1 - you are not the Governor; 2 - you are an Equestrian officer of Rank 3 or above (Praefectus Alae); 3 - you have less than 8 total.

[Arni the Terminator]

Ah great, that's exactly what I needed to know, much appreciated! Thanks again.

[tjohnsoniv1200]

I have a different but related question. My plebeians see to progress through the military ranks without any problems.

Correct me if I am wrong, but here is the 2.6 career ladder for plebs:
Optio Centurion, Aquilifer, Centurion, Primus Pilus, and finally Praefectus Castrorum. Then they move up to the Equestrian rank.

My Equestrians haven't had any issue moving up the ladder.

My problem is with the Patricians...They get the imperium and legate traits, but none of them move beyond that even if they become praetors, consuls, or proconsuls. I thought there was a legates legionis trait, and possible a legates agusti pro praetore? Are there specific criteria for moving beyond legate?

[ur-Lord Tedric]

The Patricians only have 3 levels (which don't change with the Marian Reforms & Roman Fortress like the Equestrian ones do (the Plebeian ones remain the same throughout)): Tribunus to Legatus to Legatus Legionis. However, the last is only achieved after the FL is proclaimed Imperator and thus only happens after the Civil War.

'Historically' a Legatus represented Rome and the Senate before Augustus - thereafter a legate represented the Emperor. Pre-Augustus legions do not seem to have been commanded by senatorial legates, but by whomsoever was placed in charge of them by the overall commander who may have been a Consul, Proconsul or Praetor. They may certainly have still had their 5 or 6 Tribunes.

After Augustus Patricians were appointed Legionary Legates for all legions individually except for the ones in Egypt. Hence the link to the Imperator trait.