Legion Gold
| Legion Gold | |
|---|---|
|
Title screen | |
| Developer(s) | Slitherine |
| Publisher(s) | Strategy First |
| Designer(s) | Iain McNeill |
| Platform(s) | PC, IPad |
| Release date(s) | June 6, 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Turn-based strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Legion Gold, or simply Legion, is a turn-based strategy game with a historical setting, designed by Slitherine and first released in 2002. In Legion Gold, the player attempts to build a powerful army by controlling villages and defeating enemies with the ultimate game of dominating a region.
Gameplay
Legion Gold is a turn-based single-player wargame. The strategy of battle involves fighting on favorable terrain with enemies weak against the player's units. Other concerns are capturing cities that produce food, stone and wood. Upgrading the cities' buildings leads to the production of stronger units.
Each unit in Legion Gold has its own strengths and weaknesses, different types of attacks (melee and ranged) and weapon.
Setting
Legion takes place in the historic setting of the Roman expansion, from the conquest of Italy, Britain, Hispania, Gaul and Germania.
Campaigns
Legion Gold comes with eight campaign maps (including tutorial), each of which has three difficulty levels and options for historical and non-historical gameplay settings. The maps are generally well-researched and correspond closely to historical geography in the names of tribes and locations of cities.
- A Tutorial (400 BC)
- An introductory campaign outlining basic gameplay. Tribes active in this campaign (besides Romans) are the Latins and Hernici.
- Unification of Italy (367 BC)
- This campaign focuses on the initial growth of the Roman city-state, culminating in its domination of the Italian Peninsula. Tribes active in this campaign (besides Romans) are the Aequians, Ligurians, Volscians, Cispadene Gauls, Etruscans, Senones, Umbrians, Faliscans, Sabines, Picentines, North Oscans, Frentanians, Campanians, Samnites, Caeretans, Iapygians, Calabrians, Lucanians, Thurians and Bruttians.
- Hispania (237 BC)
- This campaign focuses on the Roman acquisition of the Iberian Peninsula, starting with the Carthaginian landings by Hamilcar Barca. Tribes active in this campaign (besides Romans) are the Kallaikes, Astures, Vettones, Lusitanes, Keltikes, Baitures, Karthaginians, Turdetanes, Bastetanes, Oretanes, Karpetanes, Vakkaies, Kantabres, Vaskones, Keltiberes, Edetanes, Kontestanes, Arsetanes, Ilurgetes and Aquitanians.
- The Gallic Wars (60 BC)
- This campaign focuses on Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul. Tribes active in this campaign (besides Romans) are the Germans, Menappi and Morini, Belgae, Aremoricans, Gauls (Western, Southern, Central, Eastern and Transalpine), Aquitanians, Helvetians and Vasconians.
- Conquest of Britain (AD 43)
- This campaign focuses on the Claudian invasion of Britain. Tribes active in this campaign (besides Romans) are the Carvetii, Cantii, Atrebates, Trinobantes, Iceni, Catuvellauni, Dobunni, Durotriges, Dumnonii, Silures, Demetae, Ordovices, Deceangli, Cornovii, Corieltauvi, Parisii and the Brigantes.
- Pacifying the North (AD 70)
- This campaign focuses on Roman expansion into Scotland following their conquest of England and Wales. Tribes active in this campaign (besides Romans) are the Brigantes, Votadinii, Selguvae, Novantae, Dumnonii, Venicones, Taexali, Maeatae, Caledones, Attacotti and Picti.
- Germania (AD 81)
- This semi-fictional campaign depicts a hypothetical Roman reconquest of Magna Germania during the reign of Domitian, following the earlier Varian Disaster of AD 9. Tribes active in this campaign (besides Romans) are the Mediomatrici, Boii, Batavii, Frisii, Usipatii, Marsii, Tencterii, Sugambrii, Hermandurii, Lugii, Suebii, Langobardii, Chatii, Lesser Chaucii and Greater Chaucii.
- Elysium Fields (999 BC)
- A fantasy campaign located on a fictional continent reminiscent of Ancient Greece. Tribes active in this campaign are the Marsii, Taranites, Zeusians, Mogonii, Nodenites, Belinusians, Apollons, Herans, Cocidii, Minaervans, Neptunites, Cernunnosii, Hadesians, Venusians, Arians, Condatites, Aphrodites, Danians, Keridwenii, Hermians and Vitrisii. These names are mythological or fictitious in origin; from Greek and Roman mythology, Star Trek etc. The Romans do not appear as a polity in this campaign.
Factions
Each tribe in Legion Gold belongs to one of six default factions. Each faction has its own distinct military units and building architecture (albeit with some overlaps).
- Roman: In each of the eight campaign maps, only the Romans belong to this faction. As such, they have unique access to Roman units such as Legionaries (standard infantry), Praetorians, Gladiators, Auxilia, Velites (spearmen), Auxiliary Archers and Equites (cavalry). The Roman architectural style is highly distinct from most of the other factions due to its relatively modernised look, with buildings in stone and marble.
- Tribal: The most common faction, prevalent in the Tutorial, Unification of Italy, Hispania, and Germania. Featured units include Archers, Javelinmen (both of which are also available to all other non-Roman factions), various infantry (Hill Tribe Warriors, German and Spanish Mercenaries) and cavalry (Italiot Greek Cavalry). Tribal buildings are mostly brown and have a rustic look.
- Greek: A less common faction, prevalent in Unification of Italy and Elysium Fields. Unique units include Hoplites (infantry) and Peltasts (spearmen). Greek buildings are blocky and resemble Roman ones in their use of stone and marble.
- Celtic: The second most common faction, prevalent in The Gallic Wars, Conquest of Britain and Pacifying the North. Unique units include the Celtic Warband (infantry), Celtic Fanatics and Celtic Cavalry. Celtic buildings are distinctly green, featuring domed city halls topped with grass.
- British: This faction only exists in Conquest of Britain and Pacifying the North. Unique units include the British Warband (infantry) and British Cavalry. British buildings are largely wooden, featuring castle-like city halls on hilltops, ringed by palisades.
- Pictish: This least common faction only exists in Conquest of Britain and Pacifying the North. Unique units include the Pictish Warband (infantry). Pictish buildings are a light green, with city halls resembling round thatched huts.
Modding
No possible alterations are known.
Art
The art development team was directed by a "Fad", named in the credits.
Music
The music was made by Iain Stevens and Davind Reeks
Releases
The first development release of Legion Gold happened in 2002. An iPad version was released on December 31, 2012.[1]
Reception
Legion Gold got a 6.9 on Gamezone,[2] an 8 on Gamevortex[3] and a 7.5 on the Entertainment Depot,[4] amongst others.
See also
- Slitherine, Wikipage of the manufacturer
References
- ↑ "Legion coming to the IPad". 2012-10-19.
- ↑ "Legion Gold Review". 2003-06-03.
- ↑ "Legion Gold Review". 2002.
- ↑ "Legion Gold Review". 2002.