"hc republican rome quick ref?" Topic

Anybody know where to find quick ref sheets for early republican Rome?
I'm looking to run a big Punic wars demo next weekend, and would like the noobs to have the rulebooks whilst us "veterans" (a whole 3 games under our belts) would just use the quick ref.

Let me know!

Heavy Infantry 7 7 3 0 4+6 Drilled, Triarii have Long Spears
Skirmishers (Velites) 5 4 3 0 0 6
Medium Cavalry 8 5 3 0 5+ 6

Princeps would also have the pilum rule, right?

Hastati and Pinceps were armed with Pilum. Triarri with long spears ala Hoplites.

Velites are more like light infantry than skirmishers, right?
So what is the difference between hastati and princeps? (I'm playing Carthage, with little knowledge of Rome)
Any of these guys drilled?
What about artillery? Thanks so far guys.
Italian infantry should be standard medium right?

Hastati and Pinceps were armed with Pilum.

Late Republican Hastati and Princeps would have Pilum. I'm not sure about Early Republican though.

Velites are more like light infantry than skirmishers, right?

No, i don't think so. In HC, Light Infantry are more like Peltasts than true light infantry such as Velites.

So what is the difference between hastati and princeps? (I'm playing Carthage, with little knowledge of Rome)

In practice there is no difference.

Any of these guys drilled?

All Roman legionary troops would count as Drilled.

What about artillery? Thanks so far guys.

I'm not sure that the Republican Roman army had any artillery, but if you want to include it:
Light Artillery 1 1 2 2 0 3

Italian infantry should be standard medium right?

I presume you mean the Allied legions. They were armed and equipped similar to the Roman legions so would also be Heavy Infantry + Skirmishers.

Thanks guys

Actually as they are named Hastati and Princeps, they would have pilum in any period. Earlier Republic had troops raised from the citizenry and armed according to their wealth. Normally, we class these as I, II, III and IVth class citizens. I have not seen them called Hastati, Princeps or Triarii in earlier periods of the Republic.

One must remember that Rome was essentially an Etruscan city-state that began to dominate the other Etruscan city-states. The Etruscan League was formed to protect each other from barbarians and Rome itself. As such, they initially followed along the lines of being armed as Etruscans. Very early, we would have seen Hoplite type armament along with skirmishers of various weapons (not bow though). The pilum was adopted from Etrusca n influence. At some point, the Etruscan influence waned and Rome was truly unique.

"It is unclear when exactly the Pilum entered regular use within the Ancient Roman legions. The earliest mention Livy makes of it (book 10) coincides with the third Samnitic war around 293BC although it is likely that its use goes back further, possibly copied and refined from a weapon used by the same Iberian mercenaries used by the Carthaginians in the First Punic War: "
link

The earlier Princepes may or may not have had pilum.
The Velites are skirmishers until later in the Second Punic War when they become light infantry.
Non-Latin allies would be more like hoplites.

I have created some quick reference unit cards for Hail Caesar. There is a file for the Carthaginians and I am currently working on the Republican Romans, which I hope to have completed and posted soon.

link

Cheers,
Jonathan

The Velites are skirmishers until later in the Second Punic War when they become light infantry.

That's interesting. What changes to make them light infantry rather than skirmishers?

@ Major Bumsore, as far as I'm aware the 2 are the same, early Leves armed with long spear and javelins (no shield), gave way to velites armed with a variety of javelins, spanish sword (gladius) and a round shield about 212 BC, believed to be due to the poor showing of Leves against Carthaginian African and Spanish light infantry

I agree with Caesar, hastati apparently adopted the pila prior to their adoption by principes, possibly due to Samnite influence

as far as I'm aware the 2 are the same,

Which of course doesn't answer my question. If the two are the same then there is no reason to change their representation in HC from skirmishers to light infantry.

That's interesting. What changes to make them light infantry rather than skirmishers?

Unlike most ancient skirmishers, Roman velites and Spanish caetrati were also armed with swords, and on occasion did engage in hand-to-hand combat. For those reasons, a number of different Ancients rule sets treat velites and caetrati as being somewhat better at melee than most other light troops armed only with javelins, including earlier Roman leves.

If the two are the same then there is no reason to change their representation in HC from skirmishers to light infantry.

Just to clarify, the main HC rulebook simply provides a set of general troop types and useful special rules from which players then develop their own forces, based on their own preferences and understanding of ancient history. In the HC Biblical & Classical Army Lists book, the Republican Roman section gives players the choice of fielding velites "as skirmishers or light infantry depending on their experience and effectiveness."

According to my AMPW, Velites make an appearance as light infantry in 211.

@ALoG: Thanks for that clarification.