Next update will contain few units that will have their visuals updated:

Auxiliary Celtic Skirmishers - These will now use "Roman" equipment, as it was typical for Auxiliary units to adopt weapons and equipment provided by Romans. Unit will carry Roman style shields mixed with some Celtic ones, Roman style helmets and will use Roman style light javelins, which will make them slightly more effective vs typical Celtic Skirmishers.

Auxiliary Cretan Archers -another auxiliary unit with Roman style weapons and equipment. Unit will be now also available in Caesar in Gaul, as regional auxiliary unit, recruitable from tier 4 barracks in Massilia region.

Both units will also use updated Unit Icon to distinguish them from their national couterparts.

With next update there will be major Roman Army overhaul.

- Romans will start with Republican Maniples unit as main heavy infantry. These will be equipped with standard bronze armor of Latin and Italic types, with small portion of men equipped with higher quality armor to simulate Roman census where Legions were composed middle class citizens of varying wealth (despite popular belief, young men could sometimes wear more expensive armor than old men if they belong to wealthier family.. therefore not all Hastati were equipped in worse armor than Principes...)
These "early" Roman infantry will also carry greek style thrusting swords

- First reform (Renumeration reform in tech tree) will give player ability to "reform" his army into Late Republican Maniples. These will now use Gladius Hispaniensis instead of Xyphos, and will wear Lorica Hamata along with traditional bronze cuirasses. These late units simulate progressive upgrade of Roman forces which happened sometimes during Second Punnic war, when Gladius and higher quality armors were addopted in larger scale.

- Similar reform will happen with skirmishers - Romans will start with ordinary levy skirmishers, which will be "reformed" into Velites during Renumeration reforms.


Second (Marian) and Third (Augustan) reforms will be kept as before.


Another major change for Romans will be how Veteran and Elite units will be handled.

- Triarii will be not recruitable from any barracks, but will be only available as "Commander unit". Triarii were never used in large numbers, and sometimes (during second Punnic War) were not even drafted into legions. This change will also prevent AI to recruit more Triarii than it should.

-Similar approach will be applied to First Cohort units and Evocati units. Main difference between these two will be that Evocati will be more costly to get, but will have better stats than First Cohort. Both Evocati and First Cohort will receive "inspire nearby troops" ability, for situations when these will be a Garrison force (without General)


These changes should seamlessly apply for Hannibal at the Gates, and Grand Campaign.

@JaM: I like the changes you are planning. However, I am not sure I completely understand the change regarding Triarii. If I understand well, you plan that only a General´s unit could be Triarii? But how I am supposed to defend effectively against cavalry attacks? Certainly not with Rorarii, who were a reserve unit and were normally placed behind the Triarii...I know that Triarii were not used in large numbers, yet, they were deployed as third line, so their numbers must have been considerable enough to play the role as last defence line if needed. And did Scipio not use them in the battle of Zama even as flanking force, together with the Principes? What unit will play the role of anti-cavalry in the early Republican army? If you could explain further, please?

Heavy infantry on its own is anti-cavalry capable.. they all have anti-cavalry bonuses, and charge reflect ability.. so charging into roman infantry frontally is suicide even without them having spears.. (they got the anti-cav bonus simulating use of pila as anticavalry weapon, while spear armed units have 8 anti-cav bonus, roman legionary units have 4 anticav bonus)

One of the main goals of this mod was to make combat less "rock-paper-scissors" and more about proper positioning and tactics. there is still some of R-P-S present, but i try to minimize its effects so its less obvious.

I like the proposed changes, it's a progressive and innovative way of gameplay, especially with the republican cohorts etc. I like it!

Republican Maniples and Cohorts are practically a necessity of game systems.. whole game is build around unit experience, yet there are units that were practically differentiated by experience.. Imagine you have unit of Hastati recruited in Turn 1, and you keep using that unit until it gains 9XP levels.. at that point, that unit cannot be called Hastati in any way, because its no longer formed of young rookies... historically, these men would gradually move to Principes and then to Triarii, but not in Rome 2... Thats why i decided to drop that Hastati-Principes differentiation, and instead use name Republican Maniple/Cohort. This way, player can consider unit with more experience "Principes" while freshly recruited unit with 0xp Hastati...

And if you look at other games that handle this period, they use quite similar approach.. Field of Glory II for example, also dropped that name, and rather combines them together for same reasons...

Another group of updated units:

Illirian Slave Javelinmen and Slave Slingers - this time its relatively "lightweight" update - both units represent armed slaves and servants, and therefore as such, would be armed with cheapest weapons - in both cases originally, these carried metal daggers which were not really cheap in ancient times (Roman legionaries for example took Iberian daggers as a prize, which eventually became their standard issue daggers)

therefore Slave Javelinmen will use their javelins as spears (as short spear), while Slave Slingers will actually get wooden clubs. Interestingly enough, both these weapons are actually a lot more useful in melee than daggers ever was, so both units will be now slightly more effective (clubs are particularly effective against heavy armor)

Illirian Heavy Marines - completely new unit for Illirian factions - heavier armored, using typical Illirian equipment (Illirian Pelta, Illirian open crested helmet) will give Illirian faction a lot more punch on sea. These men will serve as crew on board of their assault ships and will be quite capable in boarding actions! Yet, combined with their famous Liburnians, they will be quite a menace on seas! (fast, maneuverable, excellent in ramming with strong detachment of marines)

https://imgur.com/PtdaeKZ

Ligurian Skirmishers - excellent skirmisher unit from Liguria, equipped with distinct horned helmets and large shields. Will represent high quality skirmisher unit from the area, which Romans quite commonly used as a replacement for their Velites.

Unit will be available to Ligurians and Massilians. Romans will have separate Auxillary unit through Aux barracks. Technically, Ligurians were present in Genua area but also in Massalia area, which they actually founded until Greeks came and took it from them. At the same time, Ligurians were most likely also presend in Corsica, therefore i might add Area of Recruitment to these regions as well.

Area of Recruitment will be only enabled for Roman Auxiliary version, to minimize impact on ongoing play-thoughts you have. This way, Liguria and Massilia will be able to recruit these units (anywhere), while Romans will be able to use them if they subjugate Liguria. With new game though, Romans will be also able to recruit Auxiliary Ligurian Skirmishers from their Auxilliary barracks

Italic units rework:

Italic units will be now divided - Italic Citizen Infantry - unit drafted from richer portion of citizens (higher middle class), dressed in good armor, and Italic Levy Infantry, formed from lower middle class citizens, with much less effective equipment. Both units will have similar combat stats, only difference will be in quality of their equipment.

Pedites Socii will now represent mix of both classes in Roman service, while Extraordinarii represent custom picked best men for "special operations"

Will the Armenian faction get a reskin of its units?

I'm open for suggestions with Armenia. Vanilla unit setup is not very good, so it definitely requires an update.

New units in next update:

- Illirian Light Marines - to be consistent with other marine units, Illirians will get their own light marines. Yet, these guys will be quite effective in boarding actions.

- Illirian Heavy Infantry - replacement unit for Illirian Marines. Illirian faction lacks good sword armed unit, therefore former Marines will now adopt this role. They will use Thureos shield, will have decent armor, and use kopis swords (proper illirian swords models are not in the game sadly)

Another batch of new units added to next update:

Ligurian Nobles - heavy infantry (replacing Oathsworn), will use shorter Antenae swords, mail, and Ligurian style helmets. as all Ligurians, they are closer to Italians than Celts, therefore their dress mix of two.

Ligurian Swordsmen - standard Ligurian melee unit. Antenae swords, heavy javelins, some armor and helmets.

Ligurian Spearmen - standard Ligurian spear armed unit. will use short spear, and multiple javelins, ideal defensive unit. Will be also assigned to garrison, together with Ligurian skirmishers.

Units will be present in Grand Campaign and Hannibal at the Gates Campaign.

And last unit added with next update - Socii Expediti - Italic Skirmishers formed from volunteers who wanted to distinguish themselves in front of their fellow citizens. Romans commonly used Italic allies to perform various roles (historians commonly mention Extraordinarii, but also Expediti), light infantry was typically responsible for screening duty and scouting, and they were commonly attached to cavalry units for special tasks. Roman Velites eventually were also assigned these duties..

From gameplay perspective, Romans will gain decent skirmisher unit available from Auxiliary barracks located in Italy. Unit will be available in Grand Campaign and Hannibal at the Gates.

And regarding equipment, they will use light javelins,swords, light round shields, helmets, but no armor. Occasionally some might have greaves, as these men were not poorest of Italic allies, but volunteers for this dangerous role.