Early vs Late Romans?

[hearts261]

Hey everyone, my plan for sometime this next year is to do some sort of ancients project.
I'll probably end up using Hail Caesar though I'm always open to new suggestions.
Does anyone have a pro or con list of Early vs Late Romans?
I did some searching but without doing hours of research its hard to pick one to start with. All of the people I've had the chance to ask say they do both. I know almost nothing about the period so far so just a general question really.

[von Lucky]

What do your reguar opponents game?

If it's still an even mix, what does your heart tell you (ie is there a book or film you like)?

[janner]

Early will be predominantly elite Legionaries with auxiliary support. Whilst late will see more elite heavy cavalry with more static foot units. Both are fun 

[Shahbahraz]

If by Early, you mean the classic Early Imperial with banded armour (Lorica Segmentata) then you will find (if the rule system is historically based) the army is based around the heavy foot, with some supports from good quality auxiliary infantry, and a small number of mounted and skirmishers.

The later armies are much more varied in composition, with some of them barely Roman at all, the legionaries become lighter equipped, and the army will have large contingents of foederati such as Goths, Huns, and so on.

A lot will depend on scale, and rules. So for example, if you intend to use 28mm then there are a lot of cheap plastic options for the Early version. In terms of rules, if heavy infantry aren't that great under the rules, then avoid the earlier version.

Of course, real Early Romans would be Etruscan period, or even  - at a stretch, the armies of the Republic.

[FramFramson]

I think a lot of the choice will simply come down to which enemies you want to fight.

[traveller]

To me the Caesarian period is the most appealing. i guess we shold blame Mr Copplestone for that 

[Sangennaru]

In my very Italian experience, Romans are never early. They're usually quite late. Expecially for dinner.

[jamesmanto]

also think about what  you like the look of. I find if I don't like how an army looks I really can't get into painting it. I find I really like the looks of the Late Republican/Caesarian and Late Imperial armies. Helps that they've got lots of interesting opponents too.

[Lowtardog]

also think about what  you like the look of. I find if I don't like how an army looks I really can't get into painting it. I find I really like the looks of the Late Republican/Caesarian and Late Imperial armies. Helps that they've got lots of interesting opponents too.

I think I would go for this period too, have done late romans but very much more vanilla

[killshot]

also think about what  you like the look of. I find if I don't like how an army looks I really can't get into painting it. I find I really like the looks of the Late Republican/Caesarian and Late Imperial armies. Helps that they've got lots of interesting opponents too.

I second this opinion as well.  My personal favorite is the Late Roman period. 

[hearts261]

Thanks for the advice. Im not sure who fought who. Ive narrowed it down to either this box
http://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/early-imperial-romans/products/early-imperial-romans-legionaries-and-scorpion-boxed-set
or this
http://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/caesarian-romans/products/caesarian-romans-with-pilum

Im a little more sold on the early imperial ones. Who did they fight. Or more specifically who did they fight in plastic?

[Lt. Hazel]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Rome

1st and 2nd Century ad offers a nice variety. Warlord has plastic box Sets for several enemies.

[jamesmanto]

Early Imperial Romans you've got the conquest of Britain, Dacian Wars, Jewish Revolt, Parthians, other Early Imperial Romans ( a couple of short civil wars in there) and Germans. Always the Germans. Sooo much fighting of the Germans. Lots of scope for little campaigns over the Rhine. Although sadly the Dacian Wars were quite big, involved about 10-12 legions and lasted for years, but we know very little...

but I suppose that just leaves you lots of room to fill in the blanks and not worry. 

Late Republican/Caesarian Romans fought just about everybody: Numidians, Spanish, Celts, Britons, Germans, Thracians, Seleucid Greeks, Ptolemaic Egyptians, Pontics, pirates (think Successor mercenaries), Parthians and of course each other, lots of times and in many large and bloody civil wars.

If you want plastic opponents you're limited to Germans, Celts, Numidians, other Romans.

James

[commissarmoody]

I believe that Warlord games make plastic Greeks, and Macedonians. And I think Victrixe mins is starting a Punic war line of plastics.

[FramFramson]

In my very Italian experience, Romans are never early. They're usually quite late. Expecially for dinner.