General description
Caesar's Legion is a massive army inspired by the stories of imperial Rome's might. Though the bulk of Caesar's soldiers have only improvised weapons to fight an enemy armed with modern rifles, their discipline, ferocity, and sheer numbers dampens the impact of the NCR's technological advantage. Combined with their skill in infiltration and sabotage, the warriors of Caesar's Legion have managed to score important victories against the NCR in the Mojave Wasteland and maintain a powerful presence as the most feared faction in the Mojave Wasteland.
Organization
Caesar is the ultimate leader of the legion and his orders are law. Immediately below Caesar is a legate. The legate is essentially a field marshal for the legion, ensuring that Caesar's orders are followed faithfully. The centurions are responsible for directing the legionaries and coordinating their attacks.
Legionaries are assigned to contubernia, tent groups, of eight legionaries, led by one or two decanus, who serve as squad leaders. Ten contubernia form a centuria of eighty men, led by a centurion. Six centuriae form a cohort of four hundred eighty men.
The praetorian guards are an elite group of soldiers who operate as Caesar's personal bodyguards. Though they are not part of the main fighting force, they will accompany the legate in crucial battles and occasionally serve as Caesar's executioners. The praetorian guards are highly respected and their leader answers to none but the legate and Caesar.
The frumentarii are legionaries trained in the arts of espionage and sabotage. Due to the clandestine nature of their work, they operate as an independent unit. Thus, only trusted individuals become frumentarii.
The Legionaries
Legionaries are drawn into Caesar's service through three methods. The first method involves being born in the Legion. The second method is if a tribe is assimilated (albeit forcibly) into the ranks of the legion. The third method involves choosing physically fit slaves for training. However, only males are allowed to serve as infantrymen. Women are forbidden from entering combat.
Once the men or boys are deemed fit to serve as warriors, their training begins. The road to becoming a full-fledged legionary is fraught with hardship and under-performing recruits are threatened with death. If the trainees survive the instructors' trials, they are given the right to join the legion's ranks. As a result, the legion's fighters are skilled, tenacious, and fearless. In comparison to the NCR's recruits, who are sometimes given as little as two weeks of combat training, legionaries are consummate warriors and can easily overpower NCR soldiers in hand-to-hand combat.
However, the recruits must now face the most dangerous time of their lives. The most inexperienced warriors in the legion are given only crude machetes, improvised throwing spears, and antiquated firearms to battle their foes with. To make matters worse for the recruits, they are marched to the front and their armor provides little protection against any weapon stronger than a straight razor. Finally, when faced with an enemy wielding firearms (such as NCR troopers and rangers), beyond throwing spears and whatever guns are available, recruits simply have to wade through enemy fire and hope that they survive long enough to engage their foes up close. In essence, survival is very difficult for a recruit. However because of the low tech nature of the recruits they are mostly deployed on patrols with a higher ranking legionary. Or they take part in small to medium size raids and skirmishes.
Should the recruits survive and even excel through multiple battles, they are granted the right to be promoted to prime legionaries. The prime legionaries are given better equipment and situated further away from the front lines. They are given equipment such as hunting rifles and hunting shotguns. Although all still carry a melee weapon and will use it should they get close enough to the enemy. The ability to adapt to any situation in combat by being able to switch between Firearms and melee makes them excellent fighters. If they continue to demonstrate aptitude in battle, they gain the status of veterans. The veterans boast the thickest armor of the common legionaries and are kept even further away from the front lines. only being deployed if the ranks before them should fail their mission. This method of organization is not out of kindness to the legion's seasoned warriors; it allows the legion to hold its best soldiers in reserve so they may be unleashed if the lesser legionaries fail to defeat their foes.
If legionaries demonstrate aptitude in essential crafts, they will be assigned to such duties. These jobs can range from training the legion's hounds to repairing and expanding the legion's arsenal.
Discipline and Advancement
Caesar's army is highly stratified in terms of rank. A low-ranking soldier must defer to the wishes of his superiors, even if that means facing death. The legion's success comes from the legionaries' fearlessness, cooperation, and fanatic loyalty to Caesar. Thus, cowardice and disobedience will earn the wrath of Caesar and his officers.
Advancement is primarily achieved through valorous or ingenious acts on the battlefield. A legionary who demonstrates leadership potential will be rewarded with greater responsibilities and privileges. If a legionary can earn decisive victory for the legion, even if it involves disobeying orders, he will be recognized for his efforts. Vulpes Inculta is a notable example, as he managed to defeat a tribe by breaking ranks and exploiting a weakness in their formation. The centurion wished to execute Vulpes for his disobedience, but Caesar elevated Vulpes to the position of the Frumentarii commander.
However, while competence is rewarded with leadership positions, incompetence brings the threat of serious injury or death. The first legate, Joshua Graham, failed to seize Hoover Dam and his forces were routed by the NCR. Though he was the second most powerful man in the legion and Caesar's friend, Caesar nonetheless ordered his praetorians to immolate Graham and toss him into the Grand Canyon. Other punishments that may be applied for failure range from crucifixion to decimation. Consequently, legionaries will frequently commit suicide when defeated to avoid suffering at the hands of Caesar's executioners.
Equipment
Because Caesar is determined to maintain a Roman theme for his army, his underlings are equipped as such. The most common armament in the legion are crude machetes and improvised throwing spears, but the legionaries are relatively free to use whatever weapon is available, so long as they can wield them well. As rank improves, the quality of a legionary's armament also increases. In fact, the centurions can be seen wielding weapons that are technologically advanced, ranging from thermic lances to anti-materiel rifles.
Standard legionary armor is composed of pre-War athletic gear reinforced with metal and leather and worn over a studded leather cuirass. Again, rank dictates the quality of armor. A recruit will be given armor that is ineffective against even crude bludgeons while centurions are equipped with armor that can resist knives and SMG bullets.
Due to a ban on modern medicine, alcohol, and synthetic chems, the legionaries are provided with medicines derived from the local flora and fauna. Healing powder and bitter drinks are the most common remedies used to heal wounds. In order to restore crippled limbs, the Legion uses a chem called hydra, a potent brew derived from the Mojave Wasteland's wildlife and cave fungus. Legionaries also carry antivenom as a precaution against poisoning from encounters with the venomous creatures of the desert. In addition, many legionaries carry purified water and food gathered from the wasteland for rations.
Legion divisions
The legionaries can be divided according to experience as such:
Recruit legionary
Recruits are freshly trained legionaries who are given only basic equipment. They are the most common type of legionaries and are forced to take the brunt of any blow from the enemy. They are mostly used for patrolling legion territory or to conduct small to medium scale raids.
Prime legionary
Prime legionaries are better equipped than recruits. They also have the benefit of greater experience and training than the standard legionaries. In short, the prime legionaries are a full step above Caesar's recruits.
Veteran legionary
Veteran legionaries are not only the best equipped amongst the standard legionaries, they are also the most experienced as well. They are typically held in reserve until the recruit and the prime legionaries are defeated.
Legionary decanus
Legionaries are given the position of decanus when they display leadership potential consistently in battle. A legionary decanus has the authority to run small camps as well as act as a deputy for the local centurion. Seniority determines the quality of the decanus' armor; a standard decanus will only have the recruit's armor whereas a seasoned decanus will be given a veteran legionary's armor. They are easily distinguished by their helmets, which are adorned with multiple feathers.
Centurion
Centurions serve as field commanders during major operations. They are often appointed to their position through years of dedicated service and their martial prowess reflects the rigors they have endured. They are clad in heavy armor cobbled together from their fallen foes and use various weapons to great effect. However, they are generally kept away from danger due to the strategic value of each centurion. Outside of battle, centurions act as administrators of Legion camps with the assistance of the decanus.
Legate
The legate is the commander of the legionaries and is subservient to none but Caesar. The position of legate is only given to individuals who demonstrate unshakable loyalty, leadership skills, and unrestrained ferocity. Consequently, the legate is feared by Caesar's foes, as he is essentially the face of the Legion. Joshua Graham was the first legate but was executed for his defeat at Hoover Dam. Lanius was appointed as Joshua's successor.
Some legionaries are given different assignments such as reconnaissance, assassination, and scouting duties:
Legionary scout
The legionary scout is trained in the arts of reconnaissance. These legionaries are equipped with hunting rifles and lighter versions of the standard recruit armor. They are often accompanied by Legion mongrels as support.
Explorer legionary
The explorer legionary is a veteran scout legionary. They are not intended for combat and will thus carry only basic weaponry. They serve as scouts, messengers, and sentries in various Legion camps.
Legionary assassin
The Legionary assassin is a specially trained legionary, sent after Caesar's most hated enemies. They are extremely dangerous due to the fact that they travel in packs and utilize powerful firearms and melee weapons. Legionary assassins are typically led into battle by a vexillarius. Though when encountering Legionary assassins, they may have Praetorian guards in the group and they may unusually use fire arms as well as their ballistic fists.
Other positions
- Frumentarii - The eyes and ears of Caesar, the Frumentarii serve as spies, saboteurs, and assassins. They operate separately from the main Legion forces and are hand picked by Caesar himself. In 2281, the leader of this unit is Vulpes Inculta.
- Vexillarius - A soldier chosen as a vexillarius is a standard bearer that carries the Vexillum, a military standard displaying the emblem of the Legion. The vexillarii provide troops with a rallying point and morale during heated exchanges, but rarely are seen in combat. These soldiers are given luxuries including firearms, superior armor, and distinctive helmets in comparison to the standard legionary.
- Praetorian - They are soldiers or officers with the potential to become centurions but operate as members of Caesar's security detail. Prospective praetorians must challenge the praetorian they think is the weakest. The two men will then fight to the death in hand-to-hand combat for the title of praetorian. The praetorians are proficient in unarmed combat and augment their innate fighting abilities with lethal ballistic fists. Some praetorians may accompany Legionary assassins, and will sometimes unusually equip fire arms (See above). In 2281, the leader of this section is Lucius, who is the third most powerful man in the Legion.
- Blacksmith - The blacksmiths are responsible for the maintenance of the Legion's weapons and armor. While their role in the Legion does not involve direct combat, they are well-armored and skilled with handling chainsaws, which serve as their tools and weapons. These men are generally found in legion camps.
- Legionary Instructor - The legionary instructor is responsible for the training of future legionaries. They are trusted with turning boys into potent warriors and thus are encouraged to subject their charges to rigorous training. They frequently threaten to kill their students should they not give full attention to improving their skills.
- Speculatores - Though there is nothing known about this group of the Legion, they are featured in the collector's deck that came with the Fallout: New Vegas collector's edition. They are the 8 of clubs, and the card features a sword in the ground and a quote about Mars, making them undeniably Legion. They are also mentioned in the quest Oh My Papa by Melissa. She is told she could become one by a Frumentarii agent named Karl. However, it is apparent that Karl is lying to Melissa given the fact that the legion does not allow women to serve. Ancient Roman Speculatores filled scouting roles.