Preview IV : Excercitus Germania Inferior

[Valkar]

Excercitus Germania Inferior, freely translated; army of Germania Inferior. The Romans were present in Germania Inferior between Caesars conquest [68 BC] and the fall of Germania inferior - it was invaded by a Federation of tribes.
WIP

Units

Cohors Batavorum/Kanninefatum


Batavians were the most famous auxilaries of the Excercitus Germania Inferior. They armed themselves with lanceae (javelin) and a hasta (spear).
The lancae ensured that their enemy was weakend before they charged at them. Auxilliae would rather use a hasta than a gladius, that was custom for them. They have a supporting role, (auxilia = help), mainly to counter cavalry.
They are protected by the Lorica Hamata, the most common choice for Auxiliae. They wear Coolus helmets, because because we know from excavations that they did. A great amount of coolus type helmets was found in Roman camps, mainly those camps where the Batavians resided.

The Batavians didn't pay taxes. Instead they supplied the Roman army with fierce cohorts, for example cohors I Batavorum.
Their soldiers were experienced, which could be dangerous because they could turn against the Romans. This happened in the Batavian revolt, were many Batavian cohorts were to beat the Roman legions.
Not very strange, the Batavians were known to be a fierce tribe.

Because the Batavii and the Kanninefatii are wuite similar, they have the same cohorts.

Ingame Pic:

Spoiler: click to toggle

Cohors Tuihanti/Frisii/Ampsivarii/Chamavii


The Cohors Tuihanti/Frisii/Ampsivarii/Chamavii are armed with a hasta (spear) and a spatha (sword). They prefer the spatha above the gladius, because the spatha is a heavier weapon and its better in keeping distance than the gladius.
They also wear Lorica Hamata, and they have Imperial Italic type helmets, also quite common common under the Auxiliae, because it offers more protection than Coolus or Montefortino helmets.
They are fierce warriors, they fight very brutal. But they can't be used as line infantry and should only be used as support they're not meant to be used in the first line.

The other lowland tribes didn't supply the Roman army as much with Auxilia as the Batavians, but the Romans were always able to recruit some Auxilaries.
The Frisii, Tuihanti or Tubanti, Ampsivarii and Chamavii probably fought in the same Auxilia, that's why we put them together.
The Tuihantii and the Frisii were known to serve in Britain at Hadrians wall. In late Roman times yhe Chamavii were used more frequently than the Batavians because the latter were becoming less powerful.
The relationship between the Ampsivarii and the Romans hasn't been fully determined, but there's a high chanced they served in same cohorts as the Chamavii.

Ingame Pic

Spoiler: click to toggle

Cohors Gallorum


The Cohors Gallorum are a cheap supporting unit which consist of Gallic men from various tribes such as the Volcae, Helvetii, Bellovaci, Avernii and many more. Because of this mixed background, they apparantley fought harder, and because they were so far from home they fought very cruel. They are used to counter cavalry and hold off infantry.
They wear Imperial Gallic helmet, lorica hamata, a hasta and a spatha.

When Caesar invaded Gaul, he levied new soldiers from the native tribes. They were used to stop the Gallic cavalry from flanking the lines of his legionnaires.

Ingame pic:

Spoiler: click to toggle

Cohors III Thracum Equitata

The Cohors III Thracum Equitata is a fierce cavarly force which is capable of distracting an enemy, and then killing it easily. Because they are also strangers in the Lowlands, they are fiercer and harsher then other soldiers.
They are armed with lanceae and a spatha. They wear a Lorica hamata adjusted for cavalry, and the Imperial Italic cavalry helmet.

The Roman empire had very good roads, so supplies and troops could be transported very easy. This resulted in changing tactics around the Empires time. Because Batavian auxiliaries wouldn't kill their own tribe members, and for example Gallic auxiliaries wouldn't kill their tribe members, the romans switched the two auxillia, because the auxilia didn't care if they killed some unknown tribe in a land far from their own.
a good expample: Germanic cohorts were moved to Thrace, and Thracian cohorts were moved to Germania Inferior. This resulted in a extraordinary fierceness, because they had no sympathy for the Germans living in the Netherlands.

Ala I Batavorum

The Ala I Batavorum are the absolute elite of what the Batavians can offer. Only the finest riders can have a chance of becoming a member of the Ala I Batavorum.
They are armed with lanceae, which they are trained to throw very far. If they run out of their lancae, they pick up their hasta and charge at their enemy and kill them with their deadly charge.
They wear, just like the Cohors III Thracum Equitata, the Lorica Hamata adjusted to cavalry, it's important a cavalier has free movement, so they're a little bit different from the infantry Lorica Hamata. They also have a cavalry-modified Imperial Gallic helmet, optimized for Cavalry use.

They wear the (in)famous face masks,  which were originally used by the Romans for ceremonial purposes. But the Ala I batavorum did use it permanently. This is stated because of the huge amount of face masks found in the Lowlands. We don't really know why they wore it, but it's generally accepted it was to terrify the enemy.

The Batavians were famous for their cavalry, the Romans used them quite allot. The Imperial Bodyguard, the praetorians, even consisted of mostly Batavians, until the Batavians revolted under Julius Civlis, and the the Emperor discharged the Batavian praetorians.
It's actually quite strange for the Batavians the have such good cavalry, the tribe from whom the orignate, the Chatii, barely used cavarly. Only very few used a horse, and purely to ride to battle and then to fight further a foot.
It is most likely that the Batavians came in touch with cavalry when they split up from the Chatii and moved to the low lands, were they came in contact with the Belgae, who also had some notable cavalry, for example the Remii.

Archus Auxilia

The Roman archer auxilia is formed from men all across the empire. They support the Legions, by weakening the enemy before the Legions start their attack.
They wear a very simple jockey cap type helmet, lorica Squamata, a pugio (dagger) and a simple bow.

Auxilia Toxandrii


The Auxilia Toxandrii are very simple auxiliary soldiers made from the Toxandrii tribe. they are levied into service, they get an optio officer and they are ready to fight.
This undisciplined rabble of men is not very good in both line fighting and supporting. They are best at flanking a enemy and kill it.
They wear simple leather cloths or no armour at all, a scutum in Germanic style, and a spatha for keeping distance to the enemy.

The Toxandrii were a Germanic tribe that arrived in the area which was almost deserted after the massacre of the Eburoni. They were quickly assimilated by the Romans, and they used them as mercenaries with a low price.

Legio V Alaudae

WIP!!!!

Legio XXI Rapax

Legio XXI Rapax is like all Roman legions: Disciplined, formed, shaved, mentally strong and both defensive and offensive.
They wear Lorica Segementata, Imperial Italic helmets and a gladius and a pilum.

Legio XXI Rapax was a legion that was formed by Augustus, probably for his use in the Cantabrian wars. After the defeat at Teutoborger wald, they were sent to Germania inferior to guard the borders. After that they were enlisted to Germania Superior, to help restore the order there.
When Julius Civilis started the Batavian revolt, Legio XXI Rapax was sent to restore the order. They succeeded .
They were also fighting in the Trajan-Dacian wars, where they were surrounded and completely destroyed by the Dacians.

Legio XV Prigmenia

Legio XV Prigmenia is like all Roman legions: Disciplined, formed, shaved, mentally strong and both defensive and offensive.
They wear Lorica Segementata, Imperial Gallic helmets and a gladius with a pilum.

Legio XV Prigmenia was levied by Caligula, probably for the conquest of Britain. They were stationed later in Germania inferior, where they would become a part in the Roman-Frisian wars.
They were enlisted in Colonia Ulpia Traiana, modern Xanten, before the Batavian rebellion started. They were trapped in CUT, which surrendered to Civilis and his army. They tried to escape the fortress, but were chased by Batavian cohorts and were killed together with V Alaudae.

Officers:


Here you see the roman officers, except the Aquifiler.
You see a Centurio and a optio.
WIP

[Jubal]

Nice, I particularly like the semi-barbaric look of the Toxandrii.

[Silver Wolf]

I really like the style of these units... Good job !

[Irishguy]

very well done my friend I'm sorry I couldn't "improve" the preview, my sickness still wasn't really over yet :S

[Valkar]

no problem, the content is more important then the grammar

[Irishguy]

now the grammar is also better (:

[debux]

Great to see this advancement! Keep up the great work.

Is it just me or the Cohors Tuihanti/Frisii/Ampsivarii/Chamavii and the Cohors Gallorum use the same skin?

[Irishguy]

different face + helmet

[debux]

Oh, I see, that's right. Didn't see that.

Anyways, looking great, and good luck!