""Legionarii skirmishers"?" Topic
11 Posts
All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.
Please use the Complaint button (!) to report problems on the forums.
For more information, see the TMP FAQ.
Back to the Ancients Discussion Message Board
Areas of InterestAncients
Featured Hobby News Article
Featured Link
Featured Ruleset
Featured Workbench ArticleMinidragon finishes his Temple project by painting the kit he previously assembled.
Featured Profile ArticleWargame groundcloths as seen at Bayou Wars.
Featured Book Review
|
Paskal | 09 Sep 2021 3:50 a.m. PST |
Hello everyone, In the old army lists WRG N ° 77 & 81, it is a question of "Legionarii skirmishers"? They are javelin throwers, archers, crossbowmen, slingers and fustibaliers. Never heard of this type of legionaries in the last legions? How were they incorporated into the organization chart of the legion? How were they dressed? Thank you. |
clibinarium | 09 Sep 2021 6:35 a.m. PST |
|
Frederick | 09 Sep 2021 7:22 a.m. PST |
|
79thPA | 09 Sep 2021 8:37 a.m. PST |
My guess is auxiliary troops. |
IanWillcocks | 09 Sep 2021 9:02 a.m. PST |
By the late Empire, I think Legions had integral archers to provide supporting fire over the heavy infantry. You also have the Exculcators (Squashers) who were javelin armed light troops attached I think? |
Huscarle | 09 Sep 2021 9:45 a.m. PST |
Imperial Legionaries were originally issued slings for about 25% of their strength, then later the legions were issued darts & javelins with about 1 in 4 or 1 in 3 being primarily bow-armed. This WRG termed legionarii skirmishers could just be part of the legion being more lightly armed to act as slingers etc., and possibly these legionary skirmishers also include the Lanciarii? link Not sure if the crossbow was used by the military, apart from when out hunting. However, it's possible that the "balistarii" used by Julian were crossbowmen, rather than what is seen as the artillery (Ballista, scorpions, etc). |
Grelber | 09 Sep 2021 10:50 a.m. PST |
List 77 Late Imperial Roman, 307 AD to 425 AD Legionary skirmishers "Regular C" LI: B, Sh @ 4 points CB, Sh @ 4 points S, Sh @ 4 points SS (staff Sling), Sh @ 4 points JLS, D, Sh @ 5 points List 81 Patrician Roman 425 AD to 475 AD Legionary skirmishers "Regular D" LI: B, Sh @ 4 points CB, Sh @ 4 points S, Sh @ 4 points SS (staff Sling), Sh @ 4 points JLS, D, Sh @ 5 points For the JLS (Javelin or light spear) you can have up to 12 figures, for the others, up to six. These seem to be different from Lanciarii, the next item on List 77. In both cases, Auxilia is listed separately, so these would seem to be something other than them There also seems to be an option to upgrade these figures from "Regular C" on List 77 to "Regular B" @ 1 point each. On list 81, they can be upgraded from "Regular D" to "Regular C." Grelber |
johannes55 | 09 Sep 2021 3:09 p.m. PST |
Greiber, but what is the historical proof of these list? |
Paskal | 10 Sep 2021 1:05 a.m. PST |
Good in the 4th and 5th centuries, if the workforce is 1200 legionnaires per legio of 6 ordines of two centuriae, we find 1/4 who are archers ("helmeted") or half a centuria per ordine of integral archers to provide supporting fire over the heavy infantry. The "Legionarii skirmishers" are listed separately, so their archers would seem to be something other than the integral archers which provides supporting fire over the heavy Legionarii infantry. Let's imagine that the "Legionarii skirmishers" are indeed legionnaires and I believe it, there are not more than 300, half a centuria by ordine? This will only leave us 600 "heavy legionarii" for the melee … I believe that the "Legionarii skirmishers" are not helmeted and that the "Legionarii skirmishers archers" are not used in the same way as the other archers which were helmeted. |
Grelber | 10 Sep 2021 8:22 p.m. PST |
Johannes55, these are from the lists that go with WRG Ancients rules. I bought them at the local hobby store years ago. For any actual historical proof, you would have to go back to the author. My goal in posting them was to help clarify the discussion. Grelber |
Paskal | 13 Sep 2021 10:24 a.m. PST |
Phil Barker of the Wargames Research Group created them, no ? |
|