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Triarii RomeRome Spear Infantry

Triarii

Wealth, experience and age make these battle-hardened veterans a fearsome 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.

Triarii Triarii
Triarii

Unit Name

Triarii

Main Unit Key

Rom_Triarii

Land Unit Key

Rom_Triarii

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

160

Category

Melee Infantry

Class

Spear Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

790

Recruitment Cost

790

Upkeep Cost

140

Melee Attack

31

Weapon Damage

29

├ Melee Weapon

rome_spear_elite

├ Melee Damage Base

24

├ Melee Damage Ap

5

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

20

├ Bonus vs Elephants

20

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

24

Melee Defence

64

├ Base Defence

34

├ Shield

scutum

└ Shield Defence

30

Armour

95

├ Armour

bronze

├ Armour Defence

60

└ Shield Armour

35

Health

65

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_very_heavy

├ Man Health

45

└ Bonus Hit Points

20

Base Morale

65

Abilities

Triarii
  • Square
    The unit moves into a close square formation.
    Bracing, morale, melee defence
    Can't move
  • Defensive Testudo
    The troops of this unit raise their shields above their heads in a static defensive formation.
    Bracing, protection against missiles
    Can't move

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
Triarii
  • Very good defensive unit
  • Low damage but average armour penetration
  • Average attack
  • Good morale
Upgrade
Required Technology Cohort Organisation Cost 150 Upgrade To Veteran Legionaries
Required Technology Professional Soldiery Cost 450 Upgrade To Evocati Cohort
Requires Buildings
Triarii 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