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Principes RomeRome Melee Infantry

Principes

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.

Principes Principes Principes Principes
Principes

Unit Name

Principes

Main Unit Key

Rom_Principes

Land Unit Key

Rom_Principes

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

160

Category

Melee Infantry

Class

Melee Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

680

Recruitment Cost

680

Upkeep Cost

120

Missile Damage

30

├ Missile Weapon

rome_pilum_light

├ Projectile

pilum_light

├ Missile Damage

20

├ Missile Ap Damage

10

└ Base Reload Time

15

Accuracy

5

Range

40

Reload

0

Shots Per Minute

4

Ammunition

2

Melee Attack

47

Weapon Damage

35

├ Melee Weapon

rome_gladius

├ Melee Damage Base

30

├ Melee Damage Ap

5

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

0

├ Bonus vs Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

14

Melee Defence

53

├ Base Defence

23

├ Shield

scutum

└ Shield Defence

30

Armour

75

├ Armour

mail

├ Armour Defence

40

└ Shield Armour

35

Health

60

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_very_heavy

├ Man Health

45

└ Bonus Hit Points

15

Base Morale

55

Abilities

Principes
  • Attacking Testudo
    The troops of this unit raise their shields above their heads in a defensive formation.
    Protection against missiles
    Limited speed

Attributes

  • Disciplined
    This unit does not suffer a morale penalty when the general dies. It can also rally after routing more often.
  • Formation Attack
    The unit will try to stay in formation when in melee.
  • 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
Principes
  • Good attack
  • Average defence
  • Average damage but low armour penetration
  • Normal morale
Upgrade
Required Technology Cohort Organisation Cost 150 Upgrade To Legionaries
Required Technology Professional Soldiery Cost 450 Upgrade To Legionary Cohort
Requires Buildings
Principes Lv. 0 Manipular Barracks
Manipular Barracks
(rome_military_main_2)
Level 1
Cohort Barracks
Cohort Barracks
(rome_military_main_3)
Level 2
Legionary Barracks
Legionary Barracks
(rome_military_main_4)
Level 3
Garrison Buildings
Principes x 1 Village (Amber Shore)
Village (Amber Shore)
(rome_amber_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Amber Collector)
Settlement (Amber Collector)
(rome_amber_2)
Level 1
Town (Amber Trader)
Town (Amber Trader)
(rome_amber_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Amber Road)
Colonia (Amber Road)
(rome_amber_4)
Level 3
City
City
(rome_city_1)
Level 0
Civil Colonia
Civil Colonia
(rome_city_civil_2)
Level 1
Civil Municipium
Civil Municipium
(rome_city_civil_3)
Level 2
Civil Urbs
Civil Urbs
(rome_city_civil_4)
Level 3
Garrison Colonia
Garrison Colonia
(rome_city_garrison_2)
Level 1
Garrison Municipium
Garrison Municipium
(rome_city_garrison_3)
Level 2
Garrison Urbs
Garrison Urbs
(rome_city_garrison_4)
Level 3
Village (Glassware)
Village (Glassware)
(rome_glass_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Glass Blower)
Settlement (Glass Blower)
(rome_glass_2)
Level 1
Town (Glass Maker)
Town (Glass Maker)
(rome_glass_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Master Glass Maker)
Colonia (Master Glass Maker)
(rome_glass_4)
Level 3
Village (Gold Mine)
Village (Gold Mine)
(rome_gold_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Trench Mine)
Settlement (Trench Mine)
(rome_gold_2)
Level 1
Town (Shaft Mine)
Town (Shaft Mine)
(rome_gold_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Sluiced Mine)
Colonia (Sluiced Mine)
(rome_gold_4)
Level 3
Village (Grain Fields)
Village (Grain Fields)
(rome_grain_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Grain Farms)
Settlement (Grain Farms)
(rome_grain_2)
Level 1
Town (Grain Irrigated Farm)
Town (Grain Irrigated Farm)
(rome_grain_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Grain Estate)
Colonia (Grain Estate)
(rome_grain_4)
Level 3
Village (Horse Trainers)
Village (Horse Trainers)
(rome_horse_1)
Level 0
Town (Horse Breeders)
Town (Horse Breeders)
(rome_horse_2)
Level 1
Colonia (Master Horse Breeders)
Colonia (Master Horse Breeders)
(rome_horse_3)
Level 2
Village (Iron Workshop)
Village (Iron Workshop)
(rome_iron_1)
Level 0
Town (Shieldmaker)
Town (Shieldmaker)
(rome_iron_armour_2)
Level 1
Colonia (Armourer)
Colonia (Armourer)
(rome_iron_armour_3)
Level 2
Town (Blacksmith)
Town (Blacksmith)
(rome_iron_weapon_2)
Level 1
Colonia (Weaponsmith)
Colonia (Weaponsmith)
(rome_iron_weapon_3)
Level 2
Village (Lead Mine)
Village (Lead Mine)
(rome_lead_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Trench Mine)
Settlement (Trench Mine)
(rome_lead_2)
Level 1
Town (Shaft Mine)
Town (Shaft Mine)
(rome_lead_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Sluiced Mine)
Colonia (Sluiced Mine)
(rome_lead_4)
Level 3
Village (Tannery)
Village (Tannery)
(rome_leather_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Open Air Tannery)
Settlement (Open Air Tannery)
(rome_leather_2)
Level 1
Town (Leather Workshop)
Town (Leather Workshop)
(rome_leather_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Master Leather Workshop)
Colonia (Master Leather Workshop)
(rome_leather_4)
Level 3
Village (Loggers)
Village (Loggers)
(rome_lumber_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Logging Camp)
Settlement (Logging Camp)
(rome_lumber_2)
Level 1
Town (Timber Yard)
Town (Timber Yard)
(rome_lumber_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Timber Trader)
Colonia (Timber Trader)
(rome_lumber_4)
Level 3
Village (Marble Pit)
Village (Marble Pit)
(rome_marble_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Marble Quarry)
Settlement (Marble Quarry)
(rome_marble_2)
Level 1
Town (Marble Cutter)
Town (Marble Cutter)
(rome_marble_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Marble Architect)
Colonia (Marble Architect)
(rome_marble_4)
Level 3
Village (Olive Grove)
Village (Olive Grove)
(rome_olive_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Olive Press)
Settlement (Olive Press)
(rome_olive_2)
Level 1
Town (Mola Olearia)
Town (Mola Olearia)
(rome_olive_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Olive Oil Trader)
Colonia (Olive Oil Trader)
(rome_olive_4)
Level 3
Village (Murex Snail Farm)
Village (Murex Snail Farm)
(rome_purple_dye_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Snail Vats)
Settlement (Snail Vats)
(rome_purple_dye_2)
Level 1
Town (Dye Works)
Town (Dye Works)
(rome_purple_dye_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Master Dye Works)
Colonia (Master Dye Works)
(rome_purple_dye_4)
Level 3
Village (Silk Trader)
Village (Silk Trader)
(rome_silk_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Silk Caravan)
Settlement (Silk Caravan)
(rome_silk_2)
Level 1
Town (Silk Market)
Town (Silk Market)
(rome_silk_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Silk Road)
Colonia (Silk Road)
(rome_silk_4)
Level 3
Village (Spice Depot)
Village (Spice Depot)
(rome_spice_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Large Spice Depot)
Settlement (Large Spice Depot)
(rome_spice_2)
Level 1
Town (Spice Producer)
Town (Spice Producer)
(rome_spice_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Master Spice Producer)
Colonia (Master Spice Producer)
(rome_spice_4)
Level 3
Village
Village
(rome_town_1)
Level 0
Civil Settlement
Civil Settlement
(rome_town_civil_2)
Level 1
Civil Town
Civil Town
(rome_town_civil_3)
Level 2
Civil Colonia
Civil Colonia
(rome_town_civil_4)
Level 3
Farming Settlement
Farming Settlement
(rome_town_farm_2)
Level 1
Farming Town
Farming Town
(rome_town_farm_3)
Level 2
Farming Colonia
Farming Colonia
(rome_town_farm_4)
Level 3
Market Settlement
Market Settlement
(rome_town_trade_2)
Level 1
Market Town
Market Town
(rome_town_trade_3)
Level 2
Market Colonia
Market Colonia
(rome_town_trade_4)
Level 3
Village (Vineyard)
Village (Vineyard)
(rome_wine_1)
Level 0
Settlement (Large Vineyard)
Settlement (Large Vineyard)
(rome_wine_2)
Level 1
Town (Winemaker)
Town (Winemaker)
(rome_wine_3)
Level 2
Colonia (Master Winemaker)
Colonia (Master Winemaker)
(rome_wine_4)
Level 3
Principes x 2 Cohort Barracks
Cohort Barracks
(rome_military_main_3)
Level 2
Legionary Barracks
Legionary Barracks
(rome_military_main_4)
Level 3