05-31-2014, 09:57 PM
Depends... a century is quite a heavy unit to send out as scouts. As an escort yes, as a garrison sure, but to scout ahead, some miles before the main army or in forests? Very unlikely unless a more sizable, fuller force was necessary for the task, such as a cohort, in which case, the centuries would be included. A century is a small unsupported body of heavily armed infantrymen, so why would you send them out as scouts without cavalry and light infantry? So,
1. If you want your men to be patrolling ahead, you should send out a small body of cavalry a turma or even an ala if resistance is expected.
2. If you want your men to patrol near a camp, then a few horsemen would be sufficient.
3. If you want stationary guards around the camp, then a few horsemen, auxilia or light infantry would do the job.
4. If you want guards inside the camp or just outside the trench, then a few legionaries would also be OK.
5. If you want an aggressive unit that may act on its own, then you would send out a whole cohort (even more than one), maybe some cavalry too, assuming your main force is a legion or more. In later times, when cohorts are only heavy infantry, you would certainly send out auxiliary units along.
6. If your main force is a cohort or small legion and you would like to set up an ambush, attack a certain village etc, then you might send out a century supported by light infantry and some horse.
7. If allies are present, they would be preferred as scouts.
As you see the possibilities are many, but the timeframe, the terrain, the task at hand, the nature of the enemy and the size and composition of the main force are all variables that must be taken into account. I understand your wish to have a century of men who trust and depend on each other, but I really doubt that a regular republican or even early imperial century would be REGULARLY sent out alone and unsupported by light infantry and/or cavalry. I think that the rest of the posts more or less also support this opinion, albeit a bit less directly.
1. If you want your men to be patrolling ahead, you should send out a small body of cavalry a turma or even an ala if resistance is expected.
2. If you want your men to patrol near a camp, then a few horsemen would be sufficient.
3. If you want stationary guards around the camp, then a few horsemen, auxilia or light infantry would do the job.
4. If you want guards inside the camp or just outside the trench, then a few legionaries would also be OK.
5. If you want an aggressive unit that may act on its own, then you would send out a whole cohort (even more than one), maybe some cavalry too, assuming your main force is a legion or more. In later times, when cohorts are only heavy infantry, you would certainly send out auxiliary units along.
6. If your main force is a cohort or small legion and you would like to set up an ambush, attack a certain village etc, then you might send out a century supported by light infantry and some horse.
7. If allies are present, they would be preferred as scouts.
As you see the possibilities are many, but the timeframe, the terrain, the task at hand, the nature of the enemy and the size and composition of the main force are all variables that must be taken into account. I understand your wish to have a century of men who trust and depend on each other, but I really doubt that a regular republican or even early imperial century would be REGULARLY sent out alone and unsupported by light infantry and/or cavalry. I think that the rest of the posts more or less also support this opinion, albeit a bit less directly.
