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A New Game For Roman Gurus...
#1
Hello,<br>
<br>
I was requested to do some research on the Romans for a new game a few friends and I are developing. The game is called Rome and is based around the empire...although you can be other races.<br>
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I have a few questions which hopefully this group would be able to answer...<br>
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1. Does anyone have a complete list of the different siege equipment they had (onagers etc.)... a list of the unit types (ie. Veles, Funditor, Sagittarius etc.)?<br>
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2. What currency did the romans use? (Denaire or something like that...)<br>
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3. Other then the turtle formation what other strategicly genius moves did they make?<br>
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It would be much easier if we had someone on the development team to help out with the history...I am offering the best Roman buff here a spot on the team...of coarse we wouldn't pay you, but recognition on the site would be a must for us to add...<br>
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Thanks for any help people can post here...if you got any info then e-mail me...<br>
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thanks! <p></p><i></i>
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#2
Hi,<br>
<br>
welcome to the board. Well, you are making a game. Great, I used to do that also. Lets see if i can answer some of your questions.<br>
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1) Types of siege equipments. Weel, by my memory the types of siege equipments by the Romans were onagers (catapults), Ballista (bolt-throwers, if i am not mistaking) and scorpio's (stone-throwers). Good info about roman sieges are the stories of the sieges of Jerusalem, Masada and Alesia.<br>
The different types of units is immense. This realy depends on which area you are talking about (kingdom, republic, early empire or late empire). You can get good info about this on this site :<br>
<br>
members.tripod.com/~S_van_Dorst/legio.html<br>
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2) type of currency. Also depens on the area : see link :<br>
www.geocities.com/~stilicho/coinage.html<br>
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3) types of formations. hmmm. the testudo-formation was only used in sieges. Other formations were more normal ones : lines, columns and march-columns. Overall battle-deployment were placing the units in single, two, three and four lines (all in a 'Quincunx'-formation (this is a modern term for the chequerboard manipular battle order resembling the five dots on dice. This was NOT a term used by the Romans for this type of battle deployment).<br>
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The book "Caesar" by Theodore Aryault Dodge gives good info about question 1) and 3).<br>
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I hope that this will help you (i am doing this by memory..). Good luck with the game!<br>
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Greetings Jeroen<br>
<p></p><i></i>
gr,
Jeroen Pelgrom
Rules for Posting

I would rather have fire storms of atmospheres than this cruel descent from a thousand years of dreams.
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#3
Well if your game is at a strategic level then formations etc. don't really matter do they? You've got a legion or two, a counter or two of auxiliaries and a "siege train counter", go storm a city.<br>
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Even on a more regional level (like Rome vs. Parthia or Rome vs. the Rhine frontier) formations etc. and different siege weapons wouldn't really come into it.<br>
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If the game is tactical level then you have to specify which period we're talking about. is this a board, computer, card or miniatures game?<br>
<br>
James <p></p><i></i>
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#4
To speak for Ddibiase... =) (he's gonna scream at me for this.. or maybe not)<br>
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The game is on a slight stretegic as well as tactical level. The slight mix makes the game a bit spicer.<br>
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From what I can tell you the game will be on the computer, it's engine and specs I cannot.<br>
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The goal we are looking for on Roman history Is quite hopefully, as much information on standard roman tactics.<br>
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Column, Turtle, Line, Are some which I may be able to think of off the top of my head. As said before.<br>
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I need to talk to you about this Falc, asking these experts will only take us so far.<br>
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The combat will be on terrian. Regional open ended battles will not be included. hence reasons why we needed the formations. I guess the guy explained it pretty well.<br>
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But I think what we really needed it basic tactics.<br>
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Also if anyone would be intrested. Be a historical consultant on the roman army as this is in procces?<br>
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EDIT: Pax roma i think =) Actually. We were thinking on several different time fronts to be exact. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/urnrcryogenic.showPublicProfile?language=EN>RnR CrYoGeniC</A> at: 10/19/01 12:53:54 am<br></i>
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#5
The basic infantry formation is the "maniple," sometimes called the "manipular formation". This is unit four ranks deep, but I can't remember how many men across the maniple was. I wish I had my books at work with me. I know exactly where to look this up...<br>
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Typically maniples would be deployed with auxilliary cavalrymen on the flanks. <p><BR><p align=center><font color=gold><font size=3>
__________________<BR>
CASCA TARQUINIUS<BR>
<a href=http://www.legio-ix-hispana.org> LEGIO IX HISPANA</font></font><BR><font color=gold><font size=3>
__________________</font></font></p><i></i>
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#6
hi,<br>
<br>
i haved looked this up in a book of mine (John Warry : Oorlogsvoering in de klassieke wereld). He says that a maniple was 8 to 10 men wide.<br>
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Also : for RnR Cryogenic and ddibiase -> regarding a historical consultant in your process. I would be delighted to help you. For your info : i live in the Netherlands. My e-mail adres ( it is also in de control center of ezboard, click on my name to the left) is : [email protected] <br>
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succes with your game-making!.<br>
<br>
greetings Jeroen <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/upelgr003.showPublicProfile?language=EN>pelgr003</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/h/665/34/26653437.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 10/19/01 8:27:02 am<br></i>
gr,
Jeroen Pelgrom
Rules for Posting

I would rather have fire storms of atmospheres than this cruel descent from a thousand years of dreams.
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#7
Salve,<br>
<br>
Some more information on the timespan to be covered by the game would be helpful. For various subjects already covered on this forum use this index of past threads. Here is but a very general overview.<br>
<br>
Roman armies were centered around the heavy infantry. This consisted of armoured infantrymen equipped with large body shields and a combination of heavy javelins and swords for close quarter fighting. Infantrymen were generally deployed in several battle lines (usually three), with the rear lines used to relieve the first battle line or to exploit any breakthrough made by the first. Light troops armed with javelins, bows or slings, both unarmoured as well as armoured, were used in a skirmishing line before the heavy infantry lines or to overshoot the heavy infantry formations. Cavalry, armoured and usually equipped with a combination ofstabbing as well as throwing spears and swords, was stationed at the wings and used to protect the heavy infantry battle lines and to pursue fleeing enemies. Horsed troops were only of limited value against enemy heavy infantry with but a limited number of true shock cavalry, and best used against other cavalry, light infantry and broken heavy infantry. Roman armies were generally composed of both citizen forces and allied or auxiliary troops, each providing both heavy and light and both foot and horse. In general though allied and auxiliary cavalry outnumbered citizen troops and provided a larger share of specialised light infantry like archers.<br>
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Heavy infantry usually deployed in shallow lines, three to four men deep, against enemy infantry. Roman troops of dubious morale and those deployed against heavy cavalry deployed in deeper formations, six to ten deep. Lines were favoured over columns, though these were also used. Heavy infantry was organised in small units, the main tactical divisions being the <i> manipulus</i> or <i> cohors</i>, whose establishment varied. In general though a maniple would be some 120 men strong and a cohort (three maniples) about 480 men. Cavalry was organised in units of some thirty troopers apiece and deployed three or ten deep.<br>
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Regards,<br>
<br>
Sander van Dorst <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showLocalUserPublicProfile?login=sandervandorst>Sander van Dorst</A> at: 10/19/01 8:48:43 am<br></i>
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