Slitherine

According to the list the basic legion gets up to eight bases of cavalry but the allied legions (Ala) only four? Am I reading this correctly as it seems historically backwards in that the Roman legion carried one third the cavalry of the allied Ala legions.


Each Polybian legion contained a cavalry contingent of 300 horse, which does not appear to have been officered by an overall commander. The cavalry contingent was divided into 10 turmae (squadrons) of 30 men each. The squadron members would elect as their officers 3 decurions, of whom the first to be chosen would act as the squadron's commander and the other two as his deputies. In addition, each allied ala contained 900 horse, three times the size of the legionary contingent. The allies would thus supply three-quarters of a consular army's cavalry.


It would actually seem more historically accurate to only have 4 bases in the Roman contingent and up to 12 in the allied one

I think you are misreading the intent of the lists. The 8 bases allowed by the core list are not specifically Roman (or allied) they are just 'cavalry'. So it could represent either of the types you describe.

The Ally list is not a representation of an allied legion, it represents the Roman forces available to a different core list that chooses to have an allied force of M-R Romans.

For example, if you took a list of that allowed Swiss allies - you are not fielding allies of the Swiss... you are fielding 'real' Swiss as allies of your main list.

So I am being too literal with my reading - except for the specific types like Numedian or Ligurian allies and core could both be Roman or Alae

Yep the legions represent both Romans and allies fighting/eqipped in the Roman style.
Italians fighting in the non-Roman style are the optional troops Extraordinarri and the lighter Italians.