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[Alpha Pink]

I was inspired by this post on reddit:
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/k067x/could_i_destroy_the_entire_roman_empire_during/c2giwm4
I've been thinking about it, and it seems like something that could transfer well into a game.
Something along the lines of a RTS with base management systems, and maybe random events?
What do you people think?
Lets get a discussion going.

[CK]

and maybe random events?

Marines mowing everything down under god's eyes with M4's may get repetitive.  
I'd like to see a "survival" RTS.  Like, you control the Mayor of some Polis and future marines invade and you must keep throwing bodies at them, placing traps, escaping to different parts of the city.  Maybe you're goal could be to revive some ancient god to come and kill all of the invaders, you just have to satisfy some weird ass requirements (some god demands 500 goats).  Something something.

Or, then again, marines from the 19th century?

[Edit] That's all from the Roman perspective of course.  If you just had a battalion of marines (dunno how much that is) it would be challenging, but still, realistically - I think - easy.

[mcc]

and maybe random events?

Marines mowing everything down under god's eyes with M4's may get repetitive.  

An interesting potential left-field direction to take this: Maybe you have a limited amount of ammo from the start of the game.

And once it is gone it is gone. Period. No one can make c4 or machine gun ammunition in ancient rome.

So if you run out blasting and blowing thigns up in level 1... well, you'll be dead by level 3.

[moi]

The marines will repel the enemies for a couple weeks at best.
then their food and fuel will start running low.
Unless they make arrangements with local powers their demise will start unfolding about two months afterward.

[knight]

Also don't forget about disease. The marines have limited medical supplies and there aren't any doctors or hospitals. The Romans don't have anything either but there bodies have naturally built an immunity to some of the diseases of the time giving them a home field advantage. 

[_Tommo_]

Also don't forget about disease. The marines have limited medical supplies and there aren't any doctors or hospitals. The Romans don't have anything either but there bodies have naturally built an immunity to some of the diseases of the time giving them a home field advantage.  

Well, that's just the opposite according to history... atzecs (home field) were largely exterminated by smallpox and other european diseases.
Also, marines have much better medical aid than ancient men.

Also, romans weren't a bronze civilization that had no real diplomacy or war expertise, so I think that modern weapons in small number would have a surprise bonus, but then modern soldiers would still be captured and killed in days, or they would be sieged and left to starve.

How do you stop a cavalry + archers + compact foot units charge on foot with only a rifle? You wouldn't have even the time to reload before being owned.

Btw, this is some interesting fanta-bullshit.

[Alpha Pink]

An interesting potential left-field direction to take this: Maybe you have a limited amount of ammo from the start of the game.

And once it is gone it is gone. Period. No one can make c4 or machine gun ammunition in ancient rome.

So if you run out blasting and blowing thigns up in level 1... well, you'll be dead by level 3.

This is kind of like the idea I had as far as gameplay for the marines.
If players had a choice of choosing which army they play as (or have two different campaigns) some different play styles could be addressed.

Like, the marines are super powerful and one can take like, 10 legionaries, but ammo, food and troops are limited. And while the romans aren't powerful at all by comparison, they have near infinite resources to throw at the marines.

It would be interesting to see both sides of this scenario, and especially how each army deals with non-combat problems. For example, I doubt roman army doctors have had to deal with removing bullets...

 

[iffi]

There's an FPS called

where you travel back in time to various battles and use modern weapons against them, like this concept except as an FPS. I've heard that it's not the greatest of games, but it's interesting.

[Alpha Pink]

I don't recall playing Darkest of Days, but I do remember it coming out. It seems the whole idea of that is to mow down everything. Maybe (if you were thinking big) something like that, but with a fallout/deus ex/mass effect/etc. Negotiation system? And maybe an RPG leveling and skill system while you're at it. It would have to be more story-centric.
Basically Deus Ex in the past.

[Ultima Ratio Regum]

It would be interesting to see both sides of this scenario, and especially how each army deals with non-combat problems. For example, I doubt roman army doctors have had to deal with removing bullets...
 

Having two totally asymmetric armies is interesting. On the other hand, the modern army generally doesn't deal with sword wounds, too much blunt trauma, and - though I'm no Roman-era historian - presumably assorted diseases they might have been immune to which would affect us?  For balance purposes, presumably you'd have 10/20/50 Romans per marine, perhaps, and they'd have superior logistics/supplies as the game went on, given that you're fighting in their era, on their land, etc...

[Belimoth]

and maybe random events?

Marines mowing everything down under god's eyes with M4's may get repetitive.  
I'd like to see a "survival" RTS.  Like, you control the Mayor of some Polis and future marines invade and you must keep throwing bodies at them, placing traps, escaping to different parts of the city.  Maybe you're goal could be to revive some ancient god to come and kill all of the invaders, you just have to satisfy some weird ass requirements (some god demands 500 goats).  Something something.

That's a great take on the idea, I'd play it. Horde vs Elite Survival RTS from the perspective of the horde is compelling and I think there's a lot of potential here for humor. The Romans would have no idea what is going on so they'd come up with some wacky explanations, I'd bet.

Mass panic always brings the funny.

[Ultima Ratio Regum]

Horde vs Elite Survival RTS from the perspective of the horde is compelling

Agreed - one of the reasons L4D Versus mode is (I think) such good fun, even if you obviously don't have total control over the entire horde. Thinking about this, I'm reminded of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thud_(game)#Thud, and also various other asymmetric board games, like Peg Solitaire, or Fox and Hounds, or any of those, really...