What if: US marines vs Roman legions

[Sir Og]

The marines don't stand a chance in the long run.

If they are lucky they can start some dynasty and manage not loose all their "knowledge base" within two generations.

[Lorizael]

I read Dune. I actually didn't like it that much, I found it depressing.

[The Mad Monk]

I can understand that. There is very little optimism about the future in that series.

[Felch]

Yep, but what his account shows was the marines quickly losing discipline and morale and becoming increasingly desperate. That's not intended to denigrate an incredible achievement by them btw, but it does quickly cut through the 'superhuman marine' myth that some people have. Marines are just people who have had good training, cut them off from their support and they start to break like anyone else. Their training just means they break at a slower pace than most others.

2,000 Marines would have an easier time foraging in Roman territory than on a Pacific island. As long as their ammunition held up, they'd be much better off than the marines were on Guadalcanal.

[Lorizael]

I can understand that. There is very little optimism about the future in that series.

Certainly, but I think that's a terrible reason not to like the book.

[kentonio]

2,000 Marines would have an easier time foraging in Roman territory than on a Pacific island. As long as their ammunition held up, they'd be much better off than the marines were on Guadalcanal.

True but on Guadalcanal they could hope for the fleet to come back and resupply them. Suddenly being stranded 2000 years from home would be a bit more stressful I imagine.

[Al B. Sure!]

Look, the entire question was Marines vs. Legions. All this stuff about what happens one, two, ten, or twenty years after the Marines arrive in the past, all this stuff about the psychological effects of being sent back in time, etc. are irrelevant to the question!

The Marines slaughter every legion they face, they seize Rome, and it's mission accomplished.

[The Mad Monk]

...and then they die of typhus. The End.

[Felch]

Why? Nobody is shooting at you, your NVGs and radios give you superhuman abilities, not to mention the rifles and heavy weapons. Food is relatively plentiful, and people would be much happier feeding a couple thousand Marines than being slaughtered. They'd just have to conserve their resources. The lethality of a modern Marine is so far beyond what a Roman could do, that they would never need to fire off all their ammo.

At Guadalcanal the Marine were facing a much more modern enemy, one that had successfully chased away the U.S. Navy. 36,000 Japanese with rifles are way more stressful than 300,000 Romans with swords and javelins.

[Al B. Sure!]

And we've had several occurrences in history of more technologically advanced people coming to a 'new world' and conquering empires of hundreds of thousands.

[Flubber]

Hmmm

I skipped much of the thread but isn't this simply a case where they call a quick truce to talk to the Roman general in charge and then have their men kill some Roman horses at 1000 yards while the Marine General says "Behold our power"-- If the Roman general decides to fight anyway the Marines have some snipers kill every one of his colonels majors etc etc and they mow down the first rank of marching soldiers. I figure one bullet from each of 2000 Marines would result in 1500+ dead or wounded Romans--Do you really see a second wave coming at them? Or just have snipers kill anyone that steps in front to lead--- man walks out-- boom dead


Also everyone assumes the Marines would not be able to resupply-- I am not certain this is the case. If they appropriated enough oxen they could tow their vehicles and only use fuel to fight for a brief demonstration-- I would hope they could learn to make some basic ammunition or could "invent" more rudimentary cannon or muskets-- Take Rome or better still some seaport that is easier to defend and has a smaller population which you ask to leave as your secure base--- If they could get set up as trading city for even a short time, they could probably import petroleum products, metals for making ammo etc etc. and live behind a fairly secure wall

Bottom line is if they even 10 science guys or even one good functioning database, They could invent many things and still be ridiculously well armed for the times and resort to their modern weapons in time of great need--- Most people would not want to mess with them and I don't care how well the Roman Legions were trained-- If you are half a kilometre from the enemy and suddenly every third guy in your line is "struck down" I think a lot of the mercenarys can suddenly think of better places to be.


__ I am just imagining the first time some foreign power tried to attack in triemes and their first 10 ships blow up 500 yards offshore-- hell even a rudimentry cannon filled with grape would be quite a surprise-- If the force had any zodiaks or similar-- double wow

[Al B. Sure!]

The Romans would lose their **** when the Marines start firing. They will never have heard anything like the sound of a rifle in their lives. It will be like thunder or a volcano eruption...

A few Marine snipers with Barrett M82's, hidden half a mile away while the Romans approach. A clap of an unholy thunder and a man is struck down, a limb sheared off by a .50 cal round. They would think the Marines have the power of Zeus' lightning bolts!

[Al B. Sure!]

Frankly, the Romans lost their **** when the Huns arrived. I think most of you overestimate the modernity of the Romans or their ability to react coherently to something completely foreign.

[kentonio]

In a straight battle obviously the marines win, but the ground back then isn't modern highway, its a few roads through lots of woodland and mountains for one thing. Even if the marines have air support they don't have any GPS so how useful is that really going to be? The marines could probably smash any organized defense of course, but you have 2000 modern Americans thousands of years from home, grieving for lost families, clinging to their sanity and getting picked off by ambush. They don't speak the language, they don't understand the culture and they don't have a mission. If the Romans are going to be freaked out to **** (which they are) spare a second for how completely fried the marines are going to feel Al.

[Al B. Sure!]

Who needs roads?

The Romans will need roads more than the Marines.

Humvees don't need roads.