What if: US marines vs Roman legions

[Al B. Sure!]

Where the heck did you get that idea from ?

Historical anthropology.

While the Romans rarely buried their dead, isn't it well-known that Iron Age agricultural cultures did not produce particularly nourished people, compared to 21st century Westerners? Realistically, what do you think the average Roman's caloric intake was like and do you think they would have received all necessary nutrients in their diet? I highly doubt that, compared to a modern Marine.

[BlackCat]

MCMAP

Or are we giving them swords and spears? You said hand to hand, not melee weapons.

Sure, US marines not using close combat regularily can easily beat some romans that are experts in such since that is their normal way of fight

[Felch]

A marine can carry hundreds of rounds with him. Hand to hand combat would be the exception, not the rule.

[giblets]

Use the Banana Wars as a guide. The Marine Corps essentially ran the Dominican Republic for many years between the world wars.

Well, no wonder that place is such a ****hole.

[BlackCat]

A marine can carry hundreds of rounds with him. Hand to hand combat would be the exception, not the rule.

Sure, but they also rely on lots of wasted shots and supplies, but here there are no supply flow so those rounds will soon be used and it will be bayonets and close combat.

[Felch]

I don't think there'd be much need for suppression fire against men with spears and swords. The only weapons in the Roman arsenal that could match an M4's range would be their siege engines.

[Al B. Sure!]

Sure, but they also rely on lots of wasted shots and supplies, but here there are no supply flow so those rounds will soon be used and it will be bayonets and close combat.

Why would they need to suppress some Romans who MARCH IN FORMATION AS A WAY OF FIGHTING?!

You can just shoot a SAW and mow them down by the thousands!

[Hauldren Collider]

I'd just use a single rifle grenade. That would probably scare them ****less enough to run away.

[BlackCat]

Why would they need to suppress some Romans who MARCH IN FORMATION AS A WAY OF FIGHTING?!

You can just shoot a SAW and mow them down by the thousands!

Yup, you are right, the romans aren't able to learn from their fault, so they of course just send in the legions as they arrive

[Al B. Sure!]

Sure, US marines not using close combat regularily can easily beat some romans that are experts in such since that is their normal way of fight

The Marines will have like 50lbs on the average Roman soldier.

And Romans relied on their formations to fight. They were not skilled at one-on-one combat. The use of m249's would completely force the Romans to break ranks which would eliminate their one strength they had over their contemporary opponents.

[Barnabas]

Wouldn't the abilities of a Legionary be very similar to those of modern cop infantry corps who specialize in fighting demonstrators, large crowds, commies who throw stones and molotov bombs?

I think the term in English is different, but in Spanish we use infantry

I mean cops like this

[Felch]

The Marines don't have to kill every Roman. They just have to kill enough to convince a powerful faction to align with them.

[BlackCat]

I'd just use a single rifle grenade. That would probably scare them ****less enough to run away.

True, that would work for about five minutes.

[Al B. Sure!]

Yup, you are right, the romans aren't able to learn from their fault, so they of course just send in the legions as they arrive

Yes, and as soon as their ranked formations splinter, the Romans will just be a bunch of dudes in armor with gladii who have lost their biggest advantage over their contemporaries that made them formidable at their time.

I can't reiterate enough that the keys to Roman success, in their time, were their military tactics, particularly the concentration on forming formidable lines to close with the enemy. You break them out of their formations and the Romans struggled (Battle of Teutoburg)

[Al B. Sure!]

Wouldn't the abilities of a Legionary be very similar to those of modern cop infantry corps who specialize in fighting demonstrators, large crowds, commies who throw stones and molotov bombs?

I think the term in English is different, but in Spanish we use infantry

I mean cops like this

Yes, now take away the vests and the bullet-proof (?) shields and give them gladii and pila instead of batons and they're still trying to climb over their dead buddies in front as M4's rock them from 880m away!