One of the most detailed of the ancient period rules, they have a great deal to recommend them, especially the command rules. The first module for the rules, Hannibal, contains one of the few realistic representations of the Manipular Legion, but some unhistorical game mechanics. The designer has created rules that produce a Manipular Roman legion that actually contains ten cohorts, not the three separate lines of the Triplex Acies. One maniple each of Velites, Hastati, Principes, and Triarii are grouped into one unit, for ten tactical units within the legion. Each Ancient Empires Cohort operates as a separate unit, players able to engage Hastati, principes and Triarii maniples at will, with little reference to any other units.

Certainly, Polybius and Livy (25.39.1) do describe cohorts being formed with just such an organization during the period of the Punic Wars for special missions such as the mopping up operation after the Battle of Metaurus River. There is no suggestion, however, that such organizations were ever employed when the entire legion formed for battle -- not by Polybius, Livy, or any other writer, past or present. Neither the term cohort nor the organization are used in the descriptions of set battles before 140 B.C, other than Polybius using the words Ordo, speira, and cohort interchangeably at times in his commentaries, but I have never read anyone suggesting that this means cohors Romana was a battlefield formation during the Punic Wars.

Command Structure

The other ahistorical aspect of this organization concerns the legion command structure. Each legion was assigned six tribunes, who rotated through command of the legion, two tribunes sharing command at any one time.

So What did the other four tribunes do? They did not divide command between the ten cohort units of Ancient Empire, that is for certain. They most likely each commanded one of the four lines. There is little historical evidence to support this other than logic and that any mention of a tribune, other than the two commanding the entire legion, has them making command decisions for individual lines, such as described at the battle of Cynoscephalae.

It is suggested that in addition to the rules modifications aready mentioned that each Roman and each allied legion will now be a major unit with four tactical units constituting the four lines: Velites, Hastati, Principes, and Triarii. A tribune figure should be designated as the commander for each tactical unit.

In Ancient Empires, individual maniples can commit to battle independently of the rest of their respective lines. This is quite uncharacteristic of how the Roman command structure is presented in the commentaries and there are no historical references to support the idea that Hastati, Principes, and Triarii maniples would engage piecemeal in any manner.

In fact, there was no command structure for the Maniple as a whole, just two centurions, one for each century in the maniple. The call to relieve lines was just that, a bugle call issued to the entire line. Livy and Polybius both describe tbis. There are no recorded instances of orders being given to part of a line or individual maniples during battle. While several rules sets suggest that the "flexible" manipular 1egion could commit maniples as discrete units or ad hoc cohorts during battle, there is nothing historical to support that assumption.

Each line/unit will be a separate tactical unit with all the attendant rules. Further, the rule requiring the Hastati to suffer adverse modifiers because they are not engaged in combat with Principes units should be ignored. (I find it odd that this rule even exists in Hannibal) The lines may be relieved using the modifications already provided.

The command to relieve lines is treated like any other move, except that both tactical units must have Tactical Initiative to complete the exchange. Also, the front of each line is considered solid, without any gaps. In the Ancient Empires rules, the designer has each maniple with one figure representing 60 men or a century. They are set on a stand, one behind the other, the Pior then Posterior century. I do not believe this is the maniple formation used to engage in combat, just maneuver. (see my commentary below).

For the game, legions will still set up in the Quincunx as indicated by the Ancient Empire rules at the beginning of the game. This formation should be changed for a line moving to engage the enemy or when preparing to be engaged as did the actual maniples. The maniple stands of the line should be moved so each stand faces the enemy lengthwise, each touching other maniple stands' short ends to form a line. Note that only the lines actually engaged need move into the solid line formation. The maniples will move in this line formation as indicated in the rules for tactical units in line. When disengaging the stands will be placed with the short end facing the enemy, representing a return to the maneuver formation of Prior and Posterier centuries.

If figures are already based according to Ancient Empires, the figures will be facing the wrong direction when in line which is not visually pleasing. Facing them at a 45 degree gives a sense they are facing front from either the long or short side. Placed lengthwise side-by-side the ten maniple stands will come to 7.5 inches or 247.5 scale yards which is close to the actual frontage of 200 yards for ten maniples with a twenty yard front, six lines deep. The Ancient Empires scale has one, two-figure stand of infantry representing a line 30 yards across four deep for 120 men. The legion line should have the smaller base front (3/4 inch) as the line is six deep.

If the legion is engaged by the enemy while the front line is still in the quincunx checkerboard formation and not a solid line, a die is rolled and the results are identical to the Line Relief rule: the maniples will form a line in contact with the enemy without throwing pila, or will start one inch away from the enemy in line and may throw pila and charge. There is a -1 modifier in addition to the other modifiers if the legion is caught with its quincunx still showing.... This is to simulate the responsiveness of the legions (or "flexibility" as the case may be.) and also the possibility to be caught be surprise.

Specific Rules Modifications and More

Roman Army Tactics
Ancient Empires
Tactica
Armati
De Bellis Series

More Historical Commentary and References