Semi OT: How would a middle era Republican army fare...

[Retreat_in_shambles]

... against a late era Republican/Empire army (Roman, of course)? Say, the forces that defeated Hannibal pitched against those of Pompey.

How much did technology and methodology change?

[deadtorius]

I think its mostly in how the armies are organized as opposed to how they are equipped. The later Roman armies get some rear rank archers who can only shoot at mounted and only if their unit is being charged. Add in also that the later armies are all armoured instead of having protected troops with less lights about. Off hand from the TT army lists that is pretty much what comes to mind without going really in depth of comparing the actual lists. Hope that helped answer some of your questions.

[Aryaman]

Add in also that the later armies are all armoured instead of having protected troops with less lights about. Off hand from the TT army lists that is pretty much what comes to mind without going really in depth of comparing the actual lists. Hope that helped answer some of your questions.

However, at least in some scenarios of the PC game, Hastati and Principes are armoured, although they carried just the scutum as protection, or in the case of Principes, according to Polybius, some would also carry a breast plaque, that could hardly being counted as armour.

[deadtorius]

I thin those troops get the protected classification, which in melee makes the biggest difference getting that extra + for having better armoured than most of your protected opponents

[batesmotel]

The biggest difference between the late Republican armies and the mid Republican ones is that after the Marian reforms the legionaries are long time serving professional soldiers versus the earlier who are essentially the equivalent of draftees serving on the basis of how much property they own. On average this means that the general quality level of troops in a late republican army should be higher than those in a mid-Republican although this would certainly vary based on the amount of experience the actual troops involved had seen. Veteran mid republican legionaries with extensive experience would probably be roughly equivalent to their late Republican descendants.

Maybe the right way to think about would be to see the average mid Republican legionary as an average grade troops versus superior for the late Republican legionary. This is what the TT army lists use.

Chris

[Eques]

Also the LRR and Principate Armies would be heavier and have less faffing around with all the different troop grades. Plus they would have a stringer bond with their commander.

It would be a close fight I think, though, as the basic tactical principles and individual troop qualtiy would be the same.

The "Camillan Legions@ would have their own "in house" cavalry and skirmishers whihc would help.