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Legion is an awesome squadmate in Mass Effect 2. I always have him along with Miranda or Grunt, because he's a great sniper and useful as a tech player.

Ah yes, the Roman Legion... All that I can really remember from my World History class was that they usually numbered about 45-50 centuries.

I should do a little research to see if there are any comparable examples to any modern militaries.

A legion consisted of three types of people, equites or cavlary, infantry, and auxiliary. Each legion is split into 10 cohorts, 9 with 400 some men in it. And the first cohort with I think it was 800 men. Each legionnaire was equipped with a gladius(sword), pugio(dagger), pilum(javelin), lorica segementa( armor), scutum(sheild), and caligae(hobnailed sandals). Their symbol was the eagle, and the banner was carried by a soldier know as a signifier.

If I had my latin textbook on me, I would break it down further, but unfortunately this is the best I can do.

The basis of Rome's military might would be its legions. Time for a hastily compiled history lecture. I know of most of this. Whatever specific information I lack, I am filling in.

As I want to talk about mid-Republican legions...

Legions during the mid-Republican days would consist of around 4,200 Roman infantry, 300 equites (cavalrymen), and a similar number of allied soldiers.

Out of 4,200 infantry, 3,000 were heavy and 1,200 were light.

The heavy infantry was divided into three classes, hastati, principes and triarii. The hastati were the youngest and usually the poorest of the heavy infantry, while the triarii were the wealthy and experienced veterans. Roman soldiers were usually classified according to age and experience, more so than social class.

They would all fight in maniples, normally consisting of 120 men (except for triarii maniples with 60). There would be ten maniples for each class of heavy infantry. The three classes would form the front, middle and rear lines. The hastati were at the front, with the triarii in the rear.

The hastati would wear bronze armor, a wooden shield, a gladius and two throwing spears. Principes would have the same, except for better armor, in the form of chain mail. Triarii would have the best armor and a thrusting spear.

In all there were 1,200 hastati, 1,200 principes and 600 triarii in a legion. In battle itself, the hastati would charge first, with the principes going if the hastati were worn out. If the principes were exhausted too, the triarii would engage.

Trust me, that's most of it out of the way.

The light infantry, the velites, were the skirmishers of the legion. They were the poorest and thus had to be relegated to fighting without much equipment. They'd carry throwing javelins and short swords. They would wear little armor at all. They were used as a screening force. In battle they'd usually be at front, launching their javelins to harass the enemy before the hastati would charge in.

Time for the allied soldiers. These men were of the allies of Rome, called on to go into battle with Roman troops. There isn't much info on them, but they were organized into alae (wings) of 4,000-5,000 men. These wings would be placed on the flanks of the Roman infantry.

Cavalry.

Roman cavalrymen numbered around 300 in a legion. These men were drawn from the wealthy citizens who could afford to pay for such equipment. They were divided into ten squadrons of 30 each. Roman cavalrymen would be equipped with bronze (later chainmail) armor, a thrusting spear (some would later use a two-handed lance) and a shield. The usual tactics would include a charge, followed by close-quarters melee combat. Roman cavalry was usually positioned on the far right flank, leaving the left for the allied cavalry.

Allied cavalry would usually be consisted of Italian cavalrymen. Later on, natives were used, such as Numidians. Allied cavalry would outnumber Roman cavalry somewhat.

Thus, we have a legion. I know this is overkill but this thread is making me enthusiastic.

If I have the time to I might as well go into detail about the officers and stuff.

Legion is the coolest geth evar >_>

You're really focused on this whole ME2 thing aren't you? I really need to get that game...

Well, it's another interpretation of 'legion' as a thread title, which has more potential for discussion than Roman legions, which is turning into a statistics orgy . . . .

ME2 is great, but it's a lot more stripped-down than ME1. The combat is much better, though. Also, moar squadmates, more side missions, and overall a bigger galxy to roam.

I can't believe you actually spelled more wrong...

It's the roman legion did you expect anything else? Were it the Spartans we would be learning about the battle of Thermopylae.

What do you mean stripped down, and how's the plot?

I can't believe you actually spelled more wrong...

Were it the Spartans we would be learning about the battle of Thermopylae.

You call 300 men holding back an army of thousands a failure, hell the main reason the lost is because a local man, showed the persians a path to outflank them.

Their training methods were amazing though, it's a shame our armies don't use them.

Roman legions, which is turning into a statistics orgy . . . .

Thermopylae

Their training methods were amazing though, it's a shame our armies don't use them.

We could talk about the demon Legion, though I have no effing idea why anyone here would want to.

they were effective as hell.

Well we would have less, but much better trained soldiers. And when you have a soldier that can take a broken arm/leg and keep moving, your going to scare the hell out of your enemies.

That link is broke. Why did you have to use TinyURL by the way?