A Late Roman Faction?

[Flavius Aetius]

I've wanted to contribute ideas towards 0AD for a little while now, and thought the best thing I could do would be the discussion of a faction I had ideas for: Late Rome. It was mentioned that you guys are looking to add one in the future, and I thought I could help by contributing ideas.

I posted a bit in the Byzantine Thread, but as a faction Late Rome needs it's own thread.

Also, if this is in the wrong location please move it.

Here are some ideas (I will update OP as discussion develops) And basic information.

I have specified this for an Eastern and Western Empire, although a General Late Rome could work too.

Recruitment Tree:

Barracks:

Infantry:

Limitanei (Village Phase: Spearmen)

-Limitanei were the border Legions. They were pretty much just as well equipped and trained as Comitatenses, but served a different purpose. They have a Contus (Spear), large ovoid shield, and sometimes a helmet and sometimes armor.

Comitatenses (Town Phase: Swordsmen)

- Comitatenses were the mobile field forces, originally designed for putting down internal revolts, they later were required to combat the Barbarians and Sassanid Persians. They have a large circular shield, Spatha (longsword), helmet, and armor.

Auxilia Palatina (City Phase: Champion)

- Auxilia Palatina Were the "crack troops" of the Late Roman era, better than the Comitatenses and they also served in specialist roles. They have a large ovoid shield, a Spatha, and have a helmet, greaves, and armor.

Ranged:

Sagittarii (Village Phase: Archers)

- Sagittarii were Roman archers. They were usually armed with a symmetric composite bow, and sometimes they had armor. Sagittarii were now an integral part of a Roman Legion, rather than just being Auxiliary support like in the Principate.

Arcuballistarii (Town Phase: Crossbowmen)

- The Arcuballista was the Late Roman Crossbow. Although it was uncommon, it could be more powerful than a bow, and was generally easier to use. They were not the same as medieval crossbows, as they seemed to have had a different trigger mechanism and used a wooden prod without a stirrup, and were spanned in a different method.

Cavalry:

Scutarii (Village Phase: Javelineers)

- The Scutarii were screening cavalry of the Limitanei grade, equipped with a large infantry shield, spatha, and light javelins.

Promoti (Town Phase: Sword Cavalry)

- The Promoti were Late Roman Comitatensian cavalry, descended from the cavalry detachments of Principate Roman Legions, they had a smaller shield and used a Spatha or Contus. They were armored cavalry, and used to chase off enemy cavalry and exploit gaps in an enemy formation.

Unnigardae (City Phase: Western Empire Champion Cavalry)

- Unnigardae were specialist Hunnic Bucellarii, or private retainers of Roman Generals, used heavily in the Western Empire. Aetius used them most prominently, but they had been in use since Theodosius I and remained in use until the time of the Emperor Maurice. Unnigardae are armed with the powerful Hunnic Asymmetric bow, and (provided the game does not go past 600 AD) would be the best horse archers in the game.

Catafractarii (City Phase: Eastern Empire Champion Cavalry)

- Cataphracts were super-heavy cavalry, designed to crush enemy cavalry and smash into openings in an enemy formation in order to turn the tide of a battle. They were armored head to toe, and some even had armor for their horses, who were called Clibanarii.

Siege Weapons:

Tragularii (Bolt Shooters)

- Tragularii were soldiers who operated siege engines, in this case the Manuballista, a small, metal-framed version of the earlier Roman Scorpio. Although carried by a single person, they still needed 2 operators and were mounted on a stand. It was famed that these devices could shoot across the Danube.

Onager (Catapult)

- Onagers were Roman catapults. These are already in the game, but not developed or assigned to any faction. The Onager didn't come about until the 1st Century AD, and the Sassanids later used it to invent the Mangonel.

Navy:

Piscator (Lit. Fisherman, Fishing Boat)

- A Piscator was a Fisherman. He operates a Fishing Boat. Can't say much more.

Merchant Vessel

- Can't Remember the Latin word for a generic Merchant Ship. There were a lot of classifications though.

Liburna

- The Liburna was the only warship of the Late Roman era, as others had been phased out. Although small, it had a lot of technological advances that made up for this: Lateen Sails, Skeleton-First Construction, and the Spur rather than a Ram. This should help counterbalance the Late Roman Navy against the other factions, as it would have slightly higher attack than a normal liburna and would be slightly cheaper and slightly quicker to build.

Heroes:

Western:

Constantinus Magnus (Barracks Cavalry Bonus)

- Constantine the Great was the legendary Emperor who supposedly converted to Christianity before the Battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312. By 324, he had reunited the Empire and instituted the Late Roman military and administrative system, or at least had made it official. By the time he died in 337, Christianity had become the dominant religion in the Empire.

Iulianus Apostatus (Barracks Infantry Bonus)

- Julian the Apostate is famed for trying to restore the Pagan religions of Rome, and was a masterful infantry general. He united the divided Empire, defeated Chnodomarius' Alemanni, and invaded Sassanid Persia, where he was struck by a Javelin and died in combat. He was considered a true Roman Emperor, but his legacy fell apart with the Christians who succeeded him.

Flavius Aetius (Champion Cavalry Bonus)

- Flavius Aetius is usually known as the "Last of the Romans" and managed to hold together the Dying Empire from 425-454 AD. He is also famed for beating Attila the Hun at the Battle of Chalons, and his various generals and associates would be the ones who tore the empire apart with their bids to replace him. He was a master of Gothic, Roman, and Hunnic warfare and used large numbers of Huns to defeat his enemies.

Eastern:

Valens (Barracks Cavalry Bonus)

- Valens was the Emperor who was defeated at the Battle of Adrianople. He was a very capable, skilled man, and it was the incompetence of his subordinates who lead to his death. He fought the Goths and Sassanids with effect before being slain in 378.

Theodosius Magnus (Champion Infantry Bonus)

- Theodosius the Great was the man who made Christianity the only Legal Religion of the Empire (it had been official for about 12 years when he did) and reunited the Empire for the last time after defeating the western Romans at the Battle of the River Frigidus. His Eastern Empire would live for a thousand years more than the Western one.

Belisarius (Champion Cavalry Bonus)

- Belisarius was the General who reconqured North Africa, Italy, and fought in the final round of Gothic Wars with Totila. He was a masterful commander of Byzantine Cavalry, and skilled Infantry general as well. He and Justinian, although bitter political rivals, brought about major administrative, legal, and military reforms in the Eastern Roman Empire that distinguished it significantly from earlier times.

Buildings:

Any building not mentioned is the same as the early Roman faction.

Castra (Barracks)

- Castra meant a Roman Miltiary marching camp, but also a Barracks. For training infantry and some upgrades.

Fabrica (Blacksmith)

- The Fabricae were massive industrial complexes, one even being found at Amiens, that mass-produced all the equipment necessary for the Roman Army, including clothes and other necessities. For military armor and weapons upgrades.

Praesidium (Fortress)

- The Praesidium was the central headquarters of a permanent Late Roman Fort. It was the office of the Tribunis/Praepositus/Praefectus of the unit and served for logistics and administration as well. Used for Siege Equipment and Champion units.

Arcus Constantinus (Western Empire Wonder)

- The Arch of Constantine commemorated his triumph as an Usurper and his reunification of the Western Half of the Roman Empire. Used to research Late Roman Special Idea Codex Theodosiani.

Vallum Theodosianum (Eastern Empire Wonder)

- The Theodosian Landwalls were built to prevent Constantinople from ever being taken by land, and they did for over 1000 years, when cannons finally shook them down. In-game they could be used to replace the normal wall maybe. Used to research Late Roman Special Idea Codex Theodosiani.

Burgus (Outpost)

- The Burgus was a Latinized Germanic word for the Roman Outposts that adorned the frontiers of the Empire. Used to research outpost related tech.

Castellum (Roman Camp)

- The Roman Miltiary Camp used in the Republican Roman Faction, but a different word for it. Used for recruitment of units in neutral territory.

Basilica (Temple)

- The Basilica was re-purposed from being an office building to a Church in the Late Roman Era. Used for Priests and associated upgrades.

Technologies

Blacksmith

Infantry Attack (Incomplete)

- Spatha (Swords +1) or Spiculum (Javelins +2)

Infantry Armor (Incomplete)

- Thorocomachus (Hack Def. +1) or Planked Scutum (Pierce Def. +1)

- Intermediate

- Intermediate

- Clibanus (Hack Def. and Iron requirement) or (Metal Shield Replacement Needed)

Cavalry Attack/Armor

- Contus et Arcus (Melee Attack +2) or (Chamfron Replacement Needed)

Wonder

Codex Theodosiani (Wonder Tech)

- The Codex Theodosiani was a consolidation of the past 200 years of Roman laws, compiled in 438 and added to until the reign of Justinian I. Effect: Improved Administration (-10% build time for all military units).

Ideas and Suggestions Everyone? I know a lot but not everything, although I could probably finish this list on my own if I went back and looked through all of my books.

Please add to or offer replacements for this list.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Flavius Aetius

[LordGood]

Imperial Rome will be implemented in 0 AD part 2, Empires besieged, but not Empires ascendant.

[Thorfinn the Shallow Minded]

Shouldn't Foederatii be in the unit line since at large they began filling in for the ever dwindling pool of citizen soldiers?

[Flavius Aetius]

Thanks for the information LordGood.

As for Foederati. That was something I was wondering about. The Romans had always recruited barbarians into their army, but Foederati were entirely different. Foederati were barbarians settled on Roman lands under Roman terms and had to equip, command, and supply their own units to serve alongside the Roman Army, like allies. They did not replace it.

And Foederati came in lots of different types. Some were recruited into Roman units and just became Roman Soldiers (remember our concepts of ethnicity and nationalism were irrelevant back then).

Unnigardae, the elite unit I suggested for the West, were a form of Foederati known as Bucellarii.

And I was thinking that one of the unique Late Roman buildings could recruit Foederati. Maybe replace the Roman Camp (Republic) with

a Laetus (Barbarian Settlement)? And then one could recruit like 2-3 types of Foederati there, which would be weaker than Roman units but with a lower cost and faster train time?