Roman tribune Most Roman officers, having risen through the ranks, know the trade of war well. The tribune, therefore, combines long years of experience in the Roman legion with the tactical finesse and the strategic skill he was taught in a Roman school of war. One of the highest-ranking officers with a field command, he symbolises the spirit and the might of the Roman military like no other. Mercenary (soldier with spear) At the time of the migration of nations, the Roman armed forces had long had to resort to hired auxiliary troops, which were usually made up from barbarians from the very provinces that were soon to stand up against the Roman Empire with terrible force. Most of these mercenaries were Teutons, who, by the way, stubbornly refused to use the spears allotted to them as projectiles, as was the custom in the legion. Legionary (soldier with pilum) The typical Roman legionary was a well-trained and paid professional soldier able to use his pilum with expert skill both as a projectile and as a close-combat weapon. His discipline, courage and superior equipment make each legionary of the Roman Empire a combat machine that needs to fear hardly any enemy at all while fighting man-to-man. Praetorian (soldier with sword) The Praetorians, the elite troops of the Roman military, were above all responsible for protecting the emperor, but were also frequently deployed in critical military situations, where they saved the Roman armed forces from imminent defeat more than once. The close-combat specialists in their dark armour were famous for their absolute fearlessness and fanatical loyalty towards the Empire. Archer (soldier with bow) The Roman archers were famous for their accuracy and rate of fire. They were often recruited in Asia Minor, where there was a long tradition of handling the bow and arrow, which the Roman army benefited from. In close combat, the archers use long daggers, which they can wield to cause considerable damage to their enemies. Cavalryman (horseman with sword) In the centuries before the migration of nations began, the importance of the Roman cavalry had continuously increased. In an army that relies mainly on slow infantry units and has made the static defence an art form, the cavalry is the only effective tool of mobile warfare, as it will be demonstrated by invading hordes of barbarians in the years to come. Roman spear catapult Roman artillery weapons are considered a great feat of imperial engineering and are unparalleled on the battlegrounds of that era. The spear catapult shoots off heavy wooden spears, whose tips can also be equipped with an incendiary device. In a battle, they are often deployed for a decapitating attack in order to kill the enemy leader or priest. Roman catapult This most terrible of all war machines has already put innumerable barbarian hordes to flight: the Roman catapult can hurl huge rocks or mighty incendiary projectiles across great distances with unfailing accuracy, so that many opponents of the Roman Empire already died a quick, painful death before they even set eyes on a legionary.