Stat	Value
Category	infantry
Class	heavy
Morale	10
Hit Points	1
Primary Attack	13
Primary Charge	3
Secondary Attack	9
Secondary Charge	3
Armour	12
Defense Skill	5
Shield	5
Recruitment Cost	1220
Upkeep Cost	310

• Legionary Eagle
• Disciplined
• Hardy
• Can Use Testudo Formation
• Sapping Capability

The Roman first cohort consists of well-armed and armoured infantrymen, who go into combat carrying the symbol of Roman power, a Legionary Eagle. This is inspirational for other Roman troops. Legionaries are tough, professional troops with good armour and superb weapons. Their hallmarks are discipline, obedience and tactical flexibility. When approaching enemy fortifications, for example, they can use the turtle formation, or testudo, overlapping their shields for protection.

Every legionary's banded metal armour, the lorica segmenta, is of very good quality, as is the rest of his gear: a metal helmet and a large curved shield. They fight with two throwing spears (the pilum, plural pila) and a short stabbing sword, the gladius. Each pilum has a soft iron shaft behind the piercing head that is designed to bend as soon as it hits a target, making it impossible to pull out and throw back. Embedded in a shield a pilum hampers an enemy. Embedded in a man, it usually kills. Once the pila have been thrown, the first cohort close and continue fighting with the stabbing gladius.

Historically, the lorica segmenta was slightly easier and cheaper to manufacture than chainmail, an important consideration when Rome had so many troops in the field.