Originally posted by IKerensky: If you find it hard not to field army of princips that is logical, principes are the Last evolution in legionnaires and where the only kind fielded in thoses times ( perhaps some auxiliaries velites still, but with sling or bow I guess ). The 4 other kind were earlier Version that where supposed to fight by ranks... a tactics you can try in the game ....
Hmmmm. That's quite different than what I've read...
IIRC Hastati, Principes, and Triari all date from the Republic of Rome -- i.e. before the Roman Empire, and not exactly "the Last evolution in legionnaires". I have a hard time imagining Principes without Hastati, as Principes were basically just Hastati veterans placed in the second row as they were more likely to hold than "green" Hastati should units in the first row rout.