This, and the heavy load they have to carry, gave them their unrivalled endurance. The long time they normally had to serve made it possible to train all soldiers to an equally high standard in the whole army. They received the nickname “mules mariani”, the 'mules of Marius,' for the nearly 50 Kg they carried. To reduce the legion's vulnerable baggage train and increase the mobility of the troops, the legionnaires now had to carry as much of their equipment as possible by themselves. A cohort was big enough to operate separated from the main army, to perform smaller tasks independently. Instead of being limited to a three line battle formation, the soldiers could be positioned as easily in one, two, or even more lines. These changes offered much more tactical flexibility to the legion. However, in most times the late republican legions did not reach their theoretical strength, and around 400 men per cohort was far more common. Three of their maniples, each increased in size to 160 men, now formed one cohort, the new main tactical unit of the Roman infantry, besides the now 80 men strong centuria. The Hastati, Principes and Triarii were now all equipped in the same manner and only their names remained. Historically, the organization of the legion began to change at the end of the 2nd century BC and in the early 1st century BC all but the heavy infantry had disappeared. In battle they will throw their pila as soon as the enemy comes in range to soften his formation and then engage at close quarters. The high quality of the legions equipment has become one of the great strengths of the Roman infantry, besides their strict discipline. Their main armour still remains a coat of lorica hamata (chain mail) and a Montefortino-type helmet. Roman legionnaires are now uniformly equipped with two pila, a gladius, and an elliptical scutum around 1.28m high. Descriptionīesides the regions of Italia, that now have collectively gained citizenship, they can be recruited in all fully Romanized provinces of the Imperium Romanum, where great numbers of our citizens have now their home. Now they can easily be considered the most disciplined and most versatile heavy infantry in the world. Roman legionnaires are now uniformly equipped and trained to an equal high standard. Attributes: Can board ships, Can hide in forests, Hardy.Attributes: thrown before charge, thrown missile.Cohors Reformata (Post-Marian Legionary Cohorts)

Europa barbarorum 1