BATTLE OF ZAMA 202 b.C. - Roman Legion 1:1
As far as I know, no one in the history of wargaming ever tried to replicate a Roman Legion as Polibius described at the 1:1 ratio (i.e. 1 figure = 1 roman legionar).
I wanted to try to fill this lack, reproducing a complete Roman Legion during the Battle of Zama in 202 b.C.
As it si known Scipio formed at the beginning of the campaign huge legions with about 6.000 men each. The centuries indead of the normal 60 men, were made up with almost 100 men.
I started to reproduce the second line of the Legion, i.e. the Pricepes, on 10 maniples each of 2 centuries. The width of every century has expanded to 12 men in line instead of the normal 10.
I wanted to try to fill this lack, reproducing a complete Roman Legion during the Battle of Zama in 202 b.C.
As it si known Scipio formed at the beginning of the campaign huge legions with about 6.000 men each. The centuries indead of the normal 60 men, were made up with almost 100 men.
I started to reproduce the second line of the Legion, i.e. the Pricepes, on 10 maniples each of 2 centuries. The width of every century has expanded to 12 men in line instead of the normal 10.
According to some sources the plumes on the helms were of two colours only: black and red. Possibly they were not used if the man was not in battle. Cesar said that during a sudden attack his men were indeed not capable to wear the feathers on the helms. It is to be noted that this passage gives the idea that the colour of the feathers had some importance in the formation. It is to suppose - and so I reproduced my Legion - that the centuries in the front (10) wore red feathers, while the 10 centuries on the back wore black feathers.
Each stand has 12 papersoldiers, on 7 rows, for 2 centuries. This allows the player to form up the Legion in loosen order as upon showed, or the the deep orede as underneath.