Principes (Early)
(Camillan Heavy Spear Maniple)Wealthy, older Roman citizens, the principes are a heavy infantry force.
During the 4th century BC the Romans abandoned the phalanx in favour of armies consisting chiefly of hastati, principes and triarii. These were deployed in maniples: compact blocks of men, arranged in a checkerboard formation. This allowed flexibility when moving across the battlefield, particularly when compared to the sluggish movements of a solid pike phalanx. Like most sophisticated city-states of the ancient world, Rome expected its men to fight, and supply their own war gear when they did so. A cynical observer might be tempted to note that the manipular Legion also made sure that the hierarchy of Rome was preserved. The youngest and least wealthy became hastati, the first line of battle in a Roman Legion. Behind them came the second line of principes, older and richer men, and finally came the triarii, the most experienced warriors. “Going to the triarii” was a Roman saying that came to be used in all kinds of situations, implying that everything else had been tried and found wanting.
Unit Name Principes (Early) |
Main Unit Key Rom_Principes |
Land Unit Key Rom_Principes |
Naval Unit Key pel_transport |
Soldiers 200 |
Category Melee Infantry |
Class Spear Infantry |
Custom Battle Cost 1102 |
Recruitment Cost 1102 |
Upkeep Cost 220 |
15 |
├ Missile Weapon pilum1 |
├ Projectile pilum1 |
├ Missile Damage 12 |
├ Missile Ap Damage 3 |
└ Base Reload Time 6 |
Accuracy 5 |
Range 80 |
Reload 0 |
Shots Per Minute 10 |
Ammunition 1 |
Melee Attack 32 |
9 |
├ Melee Weapon spear2 |
├ Weapon Damage 9 |
├ Weapon Deadliness 0 |
├ Armour Piercing No |
├ Bonus vs. Cavalry 3 |
├ Bonus vs. Elephants 10 |
└ Bonus vs Infantry 0 |
Charge Bonus 11 |
79 |
├ Base Defence 21 |
├ Shield shield6 |
└ Shield Defence 58 |
14 |
├ Armour arm8 |
├ Armour Defence 14 |
└ Shield Armour 0 |
20 |
├ Man Entity medium_medium |
├ Man Health 20 |
└ Bonus Hit Points 0 |
Base Morale 60 |
Abilities
Principes (Early)- Stamina (low)
Governs how fast the unit tires and restores fatigue, and is dependent on type of unit, weight and approach to combat. - Hollow Square
The unit forms a hollow square formation to cover all four sides and improve morale and defense but renders itself unable to move with lower attack - Fulcum (Repel Cavalry)
The unit forms a wall with shields and spears that increases bracing and enhances their ability to fight against cavalry but while in the formation the unit can't move
Attributes
- Expert Charge Defence
This unit’s melee attack and damage are increased against charging enemies. - Disciplined
This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often. - Hide (forest)
This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Transport- Very poor hull strength
- Very slow speed
- Weak ramming
- Good attack
- Average defence
- Average damage but low armour penetration
- Normal morale
Faction Availability | |
---|---|
Grand Campaign | |
Samnite Wars | |
Hannibal at the Gates | |
Macedonian Wars |