In playing BOR, Samnite War scenario, I have pretty much kept legions in the field forever.
To be realistic, after a few months in the good campaigning season, shouldn't I pull those legions back to Rome to represent dispersal back to the farms, etc? How many months would be a realistic campaigning season?
I realize the AI is not going to do this.
I read a few entries on the internet about the Roman campaigning season. Many suggest that it would generally have lasted from late Spring to harvest time. Livy however mentions paying soldiers to stay enrolled during the winter, as early as the 5th century, during the war with Veii.
I haven't played the game enough to see whether penalties are high enough in the Winter to make campaigning too costly, reflecting not only the winter conditions, but the extra costs of maintaining an army in the winter, and the loss of organization and initiative during the changeover of Consuls. In playing the Samnite war scenario, it doesn't seem like it.
What do you more experienced players think?
Well, noone else seems interested in this idea, but anyway ... I did a test game, making all my forces go idle in Rome (for the most part) during the winter, and about 2/3 through the Samnite scenario I'm getting totally creamed by the AI. Can't sustain any kind of attack plan.
The issue is a moot point in later scenarios, but I thought I'd give it a try.
The issue is a moot point in later scenarios, but I thought I'd give it a try.
This is an interesting subject. As far as I know, the Roman republic was nearly always at war, and usually had two field armies, with the rest of their large manpower reserves staying on the farm. I think they kept their armies in the field all year round, though I am not certain. The climate was warmer back then, and the winters in much of Italy were fairly mild, something that appears to be reflected in the game. I do know there were some sieges that went on for years during the period of the republic, and the Romans did not go home for the winter during these sieges.
I do not really think that the Roman's ever really ceased campaigning and like Vaalen writes, the armies of the Republic were pretty much deployed from mobilization to war's end. This actually contributed to the downfall of the Republic since citizen-soldiers serving in the Legions could lose their farms to the wealthy patrician class while away on their service and then would become part of the urban poor or take up as criminals after hostilities ceased.
Just reading Carthage Mvst Be Destroyed by Richard Miles and there certainly does not appear to be anything resembling the "winter quarters" that became doctrinal to early gunpowder armies. Indeed, the Battle of Trebia was fought on the winter solstice and it was hardly unique and had seen considerable manoeuvring on both sides up to and after the battle itself.
Winter slows things down and increases attrition but I think that the overall effect is representative of strategic combat at that time and place. Also, sea movement in the winter is very risky and even the AI can succumb to naval disaster in winter.
-C
Just reading Carthage Mvst Be Destroyed by Richard Miles and there certainly does not appear to be anything resembling the "winter quarters" that became doctrinal to early gunpowder armies. Indeed, the Battle of Trebia was fought on the winter solstice and it was hardly unique and had seen considerable manoeuvring on both sides up to and after the battle itself.
Winter slows things down and increases attrition but I think that the overall effect is representative of strategic combat at that time and place. Also, sea movement in the winter is very risky and even the AI can succumb to naval disaster in winter.
-C
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FleetingThought
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Random wrote:I do not really think that the Roman's ever really ceased campaigning and like Vaalen writes, the armies of the Republic were pretty much deployed from mobilization to war's end. This actually contributed to the downfall of the Republic since citizen-soldiers serving in the Legions could lose their farms to the wealthy patrician class while away on their service and then would become part of the urban poor or take up as criminals after hostilities ceased.
Just reading Carthage Mvst Be Destroyed by Richard Miles and there certainly does not appear to be anything resembling the "winter quarters" that became doctrinal to early gunpowder armies. Indeed, the Battle of Trebia was fought on the winter solstice and it was unique and had seen considerable manoeuvring on both sides up to and after the battle itself.
Winter slows things down and increases attrition but I think that the overall effect is representative of strategic combat at that time and place. Also, sea movement in the winter is very risky and even the AI can succumb to naval disaster in winter.
-C
Some things never change....
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