Which Roman Klickies Compose Your Legions?

[Justindo]

For those of you who have built or are building Roman legions, I’m wondering who uses the lorica segmentata (horizontal plate) armored klickies versus the lorica hamata (chainmail) armored klickies.  The former would be best for an Imperial legion while the latter would be best for a late Republican or early Imperial legion.  Is there a particular period in Roman history that you’re trying to create?

[OLCESE]

  I use both, as does my centurie is composed of regulatory number of soldiers, and I use the Lorica Hamata for home workers.

[GaiusIulius]

I also use both, cuz i think it fits the reality best. They always used differents weapons/asrmors in all periods.

[Timotheos]

I'm warming to the lorica hamata guys with the spangenhelms.

They can be used anywhere (with maybe a change of helmets) whereas the guys with the laminated armor are almost exclusively legionairres.*  (*I've been reading a little that suggests in some places in the east cavalry may have worn the laminated armor).

BTW, the with the spangenhelms--if we pretend those have ear pieces, then they become a common Roman helmet.  The medieval spangenhelm appears to have been derived from the roman helmets, minus the attachments.

[Justindo]

The Add On men with the lorica hamata and spanglehelms have potential, but are kind of a mess, in my opinion.  They could be auxiliary infantry, but they have greaves and pilums, so that doesn't work.  Of course the latter is an easy switch, but the former is not.  They could be late Republican legionaries, but there's the issue with the greaves again and their shields are wrong for this function.  I've decided to make them auxiliary cavalrymen and have equipped them with long lances and Gallic helmets.  Although greaves were rare with cavalrymen, it makes more sense than keeping them as infantrymen.

The helmet included with these Add On men isn't quite right either, as it could be, sort of, either a late Republican or late Empire (when it was falling apart) helmet, but it has no ear and face guards, so it ends up looking more medieval.  I've decided not to use these helmets at all with my Romans (except for the Hamian archers) and instead I have given them to my "barbarians" to wear.

[Pyrrhus]

As far as I know, spangenhelms did not replaced the galea or Imperial helmet in Roman armies. I think it is possible that some, possibly eastern, Roman soldiers used the spangenhelm, because they were fighting the Sassanid Persians, where spangenhelms were already in use (I heard the spangenhelm was copied in Europe from Iranian and Scythian -today Russia- tribes). Possibly the Syrian archers on Roman service. But I can give no proof of this.

[tanotrooper]

I'm going to post a pic of my 10 legionaries (more to come) but I'll describe them:

My legionaries are using lorica segmentata, lorica hamata and the "fish scales" armour. Fish plate armour comes from the Roman legionary special with the green shield. These types of armour were all used. The lorica segmentata offered the best protection and costed the most. Soldiers who couldn't afford those yet or wanted more movement could use the lorica hamata. A more older armour that was still found was the fish scale armour, although this armour was also loved by officers such as Centurions, signifer etc.

Both bronze and iron helmets were used, but seeing as Playmobil hasn't made a bronze imperial gallic helmet yet, I use the iron ones.

My front troops use the pila, but the second rows use a thrusting spear. (I believe  this was in the 1ste century AD) But I'll change these to all pila.

Finally, a little extra is the "new" sculpted arm armour from knights, wich I use as right arm to resemble the armour worn in the Dacian wars.

My praetorians will wear lorica segmentata, an iron helmet with white plumes and use the shield from the special (with scorpion on it).

TT

[Justindo]

Tanotrooper, I look forward to your pictures!