Republican Rome Army Project – Wargames Factory birthed a thousand Roman armies from their $9.99 sale. I picked up 3 boxes – 150 Romans should be more than enough for any project. The army list below will be used as an opposition force to my Carthage army. Its not 100% legal, lacking a 2nd Hastatus unit, but its primarily intended to be used on the demo table. If I should chose to play the army, I’ll convert the Italian Spearmen into Hastatus to meet the army list requirements.
Military Tribune, Sword and light Armor, 69pts
#16 Hastatus, Full command, 144pts
#16 Princeps, Full command, Pilum and light armor, 176pts
#16 Princeps, Full command, Pilum and light armor, 176pts
#12 Triarius, Full Command, light armor, 180pts
#10 Velite, 70pts
#12 Italian Spearmen, Full Command, 99 pts
#8 Cretan Archers, 80pts
Armor Options:
- Mail armour – first used by wealthy citizens, then in general distribution after 123BC when furnished at public expense
- Pectorale – 22.5 cm square bronze chest plate. Inexpensive armor option, pre-dating mail.
- Muscle cuirass – archeological evidence of use into the 1st century BC.
- None – light gear increasingly worn by Hastati in the years following the Marian reforms 105BC.
Plume vs. Feathers: various sources are giving contradictory information about head gear. A reference to the Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus indicates Republican soldures wearing plumes from the time of the Punic Wars up to the time of Ceasar.
Cavalry: Polybuis notes that the cavalry were armed in his day in ‘Greek fashion’ (i.e. with linen corslets, strong circular shields and long spears), but he observes that perhaps up to 190BC they had lacked body armour & carried only a short thrusting spear and a light shield.
Colors: Crests could be white, red or black. Tunics could be white, sand or red. Shields red or white.
Time Line:
- Servian Constitution – 580-530BC. Established the 5 class system and introduces Hoplite style of warfare.
- Maniples Reform – 390-340BC. Wars with Gauls and Samnites motivate a change from phalanx to Maniple sub-units.
- Marian Reforms – 105BC. End of the Maniple system. Standardized equipment for all members of the legion.
Resources:
Republican Roman Army 200-104BC by Nicholas Sekunda, Osprey Publishing
The Making of the Roman Army by Lawrence Keppie
Chronicle of the Roman Republic by Philip Matyszak
Colour Guide Republican Romans by Michael Farnworth
Pyrrhic War Roman Shields on TMP
Figures are WarGames Factory Romans combined with Numidians. Metal shields from Gorgon, wire spears from On Military Matters.
Velite
Triarius
Hastatus
#1 by Robert Sulentic on December 14, 2009 - 8:03 pm
How’s this coming along? I picked up 3 boxes of those guys myself, along with some Celtic Cavalry and the Numidians (who are going to be Cretan archers) I’m going to do basically a Caesarian army, and dispense with the velites, and just go with lots of legionnaires.
#2 by chicagoterrainfactory on December 14, 2009 - 9:39 pm
I have nearly all of the army base coated and ready for dip. The WF Romans actually look better with a bit of paint than their naked plastic selves. I expect to have painted pics up in the new year.