Roman Prisoner Legions + Marines

[vonBredow]

Hey guys,

I have a couple of questions for you grognards out there:

- Did Romans actually created legions out of their POWs? (in game terms: does a prisoner legion have any disadvantage over a regular legion?)
- Did Romans use their marines on land as well? Romans seem to have even a mounted legion, so this shouldn't really be a suprise.

My knowledge about the Roman history is mediocre at best, so if anyone could perhaps point me to some links, that'd be great I'm just curious.

Regards

[vonBredow]

Oh, and do POW legions spawn randomly?

I have been fighting Pompey's troops mainly so far, and the only POW legion I recruited spawned in Italy (aptly named "Legio(Italy)"). Does your enemy's "country of origin" have any effect? But that would mean, for example, recruiting a legion out of ex-Egyptian soldiers, which probably won't be that realistic, no?

Regards

[Jim-NC]

I believe there are 2 types of prisoner legions you can get. 1 from non Roman prisoners, and 1 from Roman prisoners (I am not 100% sure about that). The non Roman (aka slave) legions are weaker, and playing as Marius, do not replace lost elements (I may just have them in the wrong locations). The Roman legions are almost as strong as a regular legion, but do end up just as strong as your other legions. These are just my observations.

[vonBredow]

I believe there are 2 types of prisoner legions you can get. 1 from non Roman prisoners, and 1 from Roman prisoners (I am not 100% sure about that). The non Roman (aka slave) legions are weaker, and playing as Marius, do not replace lost elements (I may just have them in the wrong locations). The Roman legions are almost as strong as a regular legion, but do end up just as strong as your other legions. These are just my observations.

Thanks for your input; that really would make sense. I am about to fight non-Roman enemies soon as Caesar. I'll try to recruit another legion and see what happens.

[pantsukki]

- Did Romans actually created legions out of their POWs?

It was common practice in various Roman civil wars to recruit defeated legionaires. Sometimes they would simply defect, without battle. Foreigners would mostly have been sold into slavery.

[vonBredow]

Hmm, I see. Thanks for the reply.