Caesar's Legion

Caesar's Legion is an imperialistic, reactionary, and totalitarian dictatorship based on large scale slavery and tribal dominance. Founded in 2247 by Edward Sallow, who then renamed himself Caesar, and Joshua Graham (also known as the Malpais Legate), the Legion uses the idea of the ancient Roman Empire as part of a unifying identity imposed on its tribes but does not recreate any cultural, social, or political institutions of ancient Rome. As of 2281, the Legion operates east of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon, primarily in the former states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.

Background
In the year 2246, the Followers of the Apocalypse sent a group to the Grand Canyon to study the region’s tribal languages. The group included Followers Edward Sallow, Calhoun, a physician, Mormon missionary Joshua Graham, a specialist in tribal dialects. Not long into their travels, the group was captured by the Blackfoot tribe and held for ransom.

With the combined leadership of Caesar and Graham, declared the "Malpais Legate," the Legion led campaigns against more tribes, forming a fanatically loyal army with their captives. In the early days of the Legion, the powerful Twisted Hairs tribe of Arizona would aid the Legion as scouts. However, the Legion would eventually break the alliance and conquer the Twisted Hairs as they had with many other tribes, erasing their tribal identity and crucifying those who resisted along Interstate 40.

In 2271, the Legion's presence served as a catalyst for the Ranger Unification Treaty. President Kimball recounts during that year, the Desert Rangers of Nevada joined the New California Republic's forces to protect the region against "the tyranny of [Caesar's] regime."

Subsequently, the Legion expanded west into the Mojave and established a base of operations on Fortification Hill overlooking Lake Mead and the Colorado River in 2277. The advancing forces eventually made contact with the NCR near New Vegas and began a campaign to take the region with their forces consisting of 87 conquered tribes.

Under the command of the Malpais Legate, Legion forces marched against the New California Republic garrison at Hoover Dam, in an attempt to take the strategic asset and river crossing. In what became known as the First Battle of Hoover Dam, The Malpais Legate advanced against the NCR defenders but his forces were unable to penetrate the Republic's defenses. The NCR 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and NCR Rangers, under the command of Chief Hanlon, executed a tactical retreat west into Boulder City after using their prowess in marksmanship to kill the Legion's centurions and decani from afar, an act that prompted the Malpais Legate to order the Legion's elite forces to push forward in pursuit of the enemy sharpshooters. He realized too late that the Rangers and First Recon had booby-trapped Boulder City, laying explosives all along their route of retreat and throughout the city itself. When the Legion's elite forces entered the city, the Rangers and First Recon detonated the explosives and inflicted severe casualties on the enemy, crippling their offensive. Shortly after the few survivors of the trap at Boulder City were finished off, NCR Troopers under the command of General Lee Oliver then counter-attacked, pushing back and eventually routing the Legion's main force after having successfully held the Dam. Caesar, angered at the failure of his Legate, made an example of him. The Praetorian guard covered the Legate in pitch, set him on fire, and cast him into the depths of the Grand Canyon. Caesar forbade mention of his name and now he is spoken of only in hushed whispers by the lowest legionaries and slaves, who call him the Burned Man.Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide Collector's Edition p. 41: "Caesar's Legion This horde of cruel, yet highly disciplined slavers has spread across the southwest like an all-consuming flame. Founded by a fallen member of the Followers of the Apocalypse, Caesar's Legion is effectively an enormous, conscripted slave army. As Caesar conquers the peoples of the wasteland, he strips them of their tribal identities and turns their young men into ruthless legionaries and women into breeding stock. Unlike the rag-tag Raiders back east, Caesar's "Legionaries" neither look nor act like haphazard, irregular troops. They are well organized, moving and attacking in large packs, and deliberately commit atrocities to terrorize those who might dare oppose them.'' ''True, Caesar is the perfect man. But he is not just a man: he is the Son of Mars, ordained by the god of war to conquer all Earth. To prepare the way, Mars razed the Earth, cleansed it with fire, and brought the weak and the wicked low; and now his son has come to deliver the wasteland from chaos and barbarism. To follow Caesar is to obey the will of Mars; to disobey is to condemn oneself to death. As the Son of Mars, Caesar has the divine right to demand servitude from all he encounters. Not everyone believes that Caesar is the product of a god's loins, of course. The most recently captured slaves tend to be pretty skeptical. But they aren't very vocal in their criticisms, and their children are raised not by skeptical parents but by priestesses appointed to that task by virtue of their knowledge of an adherence to the state religion.'' ''Nearly all physically capable, compliant males are compelled to serve in its armed forces. The primary value of pre-menopausal females is to serve as breeding stock (with Caesar or a legate governing how they are assigned to males), though they, like older females and less physically-capable men, are also used to perform a variety of other tasks. The largest unit of organization in Caesar's Legion is the Cohort, numbering about 480 infantrymen. Cohorts are further divided into Centuriae, which contrary to their name numbers about 80 men, and each Centuriae is divided into ten "tent groups" (Contubernia), making this the squad level of organization. Raiding parties are of this size (about eight men) and will be led by a Decanus (a squad leader, basically). Caesar desires two things: a Carthage, and a Rome. In the NCR he has at last found a grand adversary, against which he can wage a military campaign worthy of history books. And in Vegas, powered and watered by its great dam, he has found a capital worthy of, well, a Caesar. Contrary to the old saw, Rome will be built in a day. All it takes is plentiful slave labor, and Caesar has that in spades."'' (Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide faction profiles)

By 2281, Caesar's Legion has reestablished its power in the west, rebuilt its army, and has slowly encroached on the city of New Vegas. They continue to contest NCR in the Mojave region, destroying several NCR bases such as Ranger Station Charlie and Camp Searchlight, overrunning the NCR town of Nelson, decimating the town of Nipton and creating unease and terror across the region.

Society
The Legion proper is first and foremost a slave army, the sole owner of which is Caesar. As Caesar conquers the peoples of the wasteland, he strips them of their tribal identities and merges them into his forces. There is no other tribe than the Legion itself. Notably, the non-tribal people who live in Legion-controlled territory are not considered legionaries. The Legion brought peace and quiet to the entire state by exterminating and enslaving the raider tribes.

Ideology
The focus of the Legion's ideology is survival and long term stability at all costs. Caesar disregards democracies as ineffective, fostering corruption, and disintegration. Ancient Rome was a militarized autocracy that effectively assimilated the cultures it conquered which he saw as the perfect template for a society that would survive and thrive in the face of the challenges of the post-nuclear world. By dedicating its members to a higher ideal, he seeks to prevent humanity from fracturing and destroying itself again. He believes that the only way to achieve this is through enforcing a nationalist, imperialist, totalitarian, homogeneous culture that obliterates the identity of every group it conquers. The individual has no value beyond his utility to the state, whether as an instrument of war or production.

A natural consequence of this is the emphasis placed on personal sacrifice. Victory cannot be achieved without sacrificing blood and life. To this end, the Legion shuns robots, as they firmly believe that mankind requires warriors and their sacrifice, rather than gadgets that allow for bloodless victories. Naturally, the Legion forbids painkillers and other chems as detrimental to the human condition and Caesar's long-term plans to reshape humanity. Ignorance of medical science among the legionaries also ensures that only the hardiest will survive and go on to become deadly veterans.

Politically, this philosophy is expressed in a general disdain for democracy as a weak and ineffective system that fosters disunity, greed, and self-interest at the expense of the collective and the greater good. Caesar cites the NCR as an example, focusing on government corruption by wealthy brahmin barons and landowners, greed permeating every level of society, all leading to the abandonment of the collective and the greater good. The Legion is intended to be the Republic's opposite, shunning democracy in favor of a strong, centralized rule that would prevent fragmentation and internal weakness. The Courier: "What do you think of the NCR?" Caesar: "Do you want my opinion as a former citizen, or future conqueror? Actually, my opinion's the same either way. As a young man I was taught to venerate President Tandi of Shady Sands. "The Founding Mother of the New California Republic." Did you know her Presidency lasted 52 years? And that her father, Aradesh, was the Republic's first President? Does that sound like democracy to you, or a hereditary dictatorship?" The Courier: "President Tandi was voted into office each time." Caesar: "Because the council didn't dare oppose her. She was too popular. She had the people's love. So things ran smoothly, more or less. And as soon as she was gone, as soon as there really could be "democracy" - what happened then? Ever since losing its queen, the NCR has been weaker, more diffuse. Democracy has been its weakness, not its strength." The Courier: "How is the NCR weak?" Caesar: "Greed runs rampant. The government is corrupt, accepting bribes from Brahmin barons and landowners, to the detriment of citizens. The NCR is a loose conglomerate of individuals looking out for themselves. It's lost virtue. No one cares about the collective, the greater good. It's not built to last. I'm just hastening the inevitable." The Courier: "Surely, the NCR is a powerful foe?" Caesar: "Of course. The most powerful my Legion has faced. Also the first to which I am ideologically opposed. Until now, every tribe I've conquered has been so backwards and stunted, enslavement has been a gift bestowed upon them. My conquest of the Mojave will be a glorious triumph, marking the transition of the Legion from a basically nomadic tribe to a genuine empire. Just as my namesake campaigned in Gaul before he crossed the Rubicon, so have I campaigned, and will cross the Colorado." (Caesar's dialogue)

This opposition is based on a loose interpretation of Hegelian dialectics, where the thesis (NCR) and the antithesis (Caesar's Legion) will inevitably form a synthesis at the resolution of the conflict, eliminating flaws and leaving a new quality, with common elements and ideas. He likens the situation between the NCR and the Legion to the transformation of the ancient Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.

Social structure
Women are expressly forbidden from fighting and act as support corps. They are caretakers, healers, midwives, and breeders, fulfilling roles essential to maintaining the Legion's continuous campaign of expansion. Of particular note are the priestesses, who raise children taken from their parents and raise them in keeping with Caesar's doctrine.Fallout: New Vegas Official Game Guide Collector's Edition pp. 460-461: "True to Caesar" "Many years have passed, and by post-apocalyptic standards, Caesar's accomplishments have been prodigious. But the man's hunger for greatness has never been sated. Having assembled a loose nation of slavers and slaves, having won countless "wars" against inferior peoples, secretly he still feels like an upstart, an amateur-a barbaric King of the Gauls, instead of a lofty emperor of Rome. ''To advance, he needs two things: a Carthage and a Rome. In the NCR he has at last found a great adversary, against which he can wage a military campaign worthy of history books. (Indeed, worth teaching his subordinates how to read and write, so that future generations can read his own Commentarii.) And in Vegas, powered and watered by its great dam, he has found a capital worthy of, well, a Caesar. Contrary to the old saw, Rome will be built in a day. With that out of the way, the next step will be to proclaim his apotheosis. All good Roman emperors became gods, although that was usually done posthumously...'' ''Besides a (highly unlikely) military defeat, Caesar fears one thing only: exposure. The denizens of the wastes are too ignorant to realize that his entire empire is a grand act of plagiarism, but the Followers of the Apocalypse know exactly who he is and what he has done. Should his tribe discover that he cribbed the entire culture from books about ancient Rome, rather than having its customs dictates dictated to him by Mars...well, it's very unlikely that could happen. And he won't let it happen. That is why his forces have a standing order to kill all Followers of the Apocalypse on sight, and to brutalize all 'civilized' or learned captives and haul them before Caesar's interrogators. Those who make the mistake of saying, 'Hey, you guys, it's like you're emulating the ancient Roman empire,' end up as severed heads on poles."'' (Behind the Bright Lights & Big City) Caesar has decreed homosexuality a capital offense and mandated child quotas from all legionaries. Veronica, when asked about the Legion, states that they "Mount their soldiers as much as they mount their women." Cass also states to a male homosexual Courier when asked about caravan life that she "doesn't like soft living or soft men" to which Cass states that he has a "Legion outlook on things". Major Knight also confides to a male homosexual Courier that the Legion is "a little more forgiving about... friendships."

It is unclear how the Legion views cannibalism, but it does not dissuade Caesar from working with members of the White Glove Society to further his goals. It is also believed by some NCR citizens that those in the Legion practice cannibalism.

Subjects

Those who escape this fate and become subjects enjoy superior stability and security, thanks to the Legion's governance. People who live in Legion towns enjoy a stable, consistent flow of electricity and water, a steady and ample food supply, and very low crime and corruption levels. Those conquered by Caesar and not enslaved saw peace.

Legion territories are also very profitable for traders. Traders can travel on their own without guards most of the time in Legion lands, as all bandits were either ruthlessly exterminated or chased off. Coupled with the absence of heavy NCR taxation out in the frontier, many traders stick to Legion lands for regular trading, though some cross the river to trade with the NCR from time to time, and the Legion apparently does not try preventing them from doing so. The Legion holds firm to their ideology against drugs and alcohol, punishing those they capture with the illicit substances severely.

Slaves and outsiders

Anyone outside the Legion ranks or under their rule is considered to be "dissolute" or are called "profligates," referring to those lacking morals. Freshly caught individualsare called "captures" and are considered the lowest of the low. Their only right is to be tested as a slave. If they do not meet the requirements, they are killed.

Slaves are one step above captures and consist of captured humans unfit for combat duty as a legionary. They are expected to adhere to the virtues of a slave (honestas, industria, prudentia - honesty, industry, and prudence) and follow their master's orders without question. They are given a new name and wear rags with a bright red X painted over the chest. Some captures and slaves are forced to wear slave collars to ensure their docility. Slavery is managed by the Consul Officiorum ab Famulatus. Consul Officiorum typically acts through his representatives or administrators, who handle sales, bargaining, and issuing legal documents, such as bills of sale. The Legion treats documentation with exceptional care, especially when pregnant women are concerned: Slavers may receive subsequent payments if the child is born.

Language
The vocabulary of Legion members is a mixture of Latin and English. There was no soft ⟨c⟩ in classical Latin, where it was always pronounced as /k/, such as in their pronunciation of Caesar's name as /ˈkaisar/. Individuals outside of the Legion generally use the Modern English pronunciation of /ˈsiːzər/. Legion members are fastidious about classical Latin pronunciations, including the /v/ to (w) phonology, heard in the greeting "ave" (hail) as "ah-wey" or in how Vulpes Inculta introduces himself, pronouncing his first name as "wool-pes." Those outside of the Legion that have come in contact with them may use the pronunciations interchangeably. Legion members are called "legionaries" (as opposed to "legionnaires." Those who are liked by the Legion are called "amicus," Latin for comrade/friend.

Religion
The Legion enforces the Cult of Mars, focused on worshiping Caesar as the Son of Mars, as the state religion. Caesar's divine duty is to deliver the wasteland from chaos and barbarism. Caesar's divine status allows him, in the minds of the Legion, to demand servitude from everyone. The general rule is that obeying and following him is to follow the will of Mars. The religion is strictly enforced. Children of slaves are removed from their families and indoctrinated by priestesses of Mars. Legionaries are taught to believe that all of the customs enforced by Caesar were dictated to him by Mars himself.

Military
One feature of the Legion is that the rank is determined by experience and merit in combat. The least seasoned legionaries are typically fielded first during a battle, allowing them to prove their mettle in combat. Those who survive and prove themselves on the battlefield become prime legionaries eligible for command as a decanus and deployment as second-wave attacks. The top ranks of the legions are occupied by veterans, who form the third wave and rear guard. These elite troops are deployed once the first two waves fail to achieve their objectives, allowing the Legion to field its most powerful, fresh troops against a weakened, tired enemy.

Veterans who prove themselves as leaders may be eligible for centurion status, becoming the deadliest members of the legion and its most skilled commanders. Each has reached their rank through their battlefield accomplishments and their armor reflects that fact - it is made up of trophies taken from defeated enemies. However, they rarely enter the battlefield, as they are few in number and possess valuable leadership skills, essential to maintaining unit cohesion.

The Legion has special postings and branches in addition to regular military ranks. The vexillarius (standard-bearer) carries the Legion's vexillium (banner or flag) into battle and serves as a rallying point for other legionaries. The frumentarii and speculatores are the Legion's special forces, tasked with infiltration, subterfuge, recon, and other essential tasks, both of which have special training that legionaries who show promise in such matter can participate in. The praetorians are an elite unit of bodyguard hand-picked by Caesar to protect him and the legates.

Legionaries
The Legion invests much of its time and effort into hardening its soldiers into some of the most capable combatants the wasteland has ever seen. The Legion draws its manpower from the dozens of assimilated tribes that it has conquered over the years and any male children given birth to in the Legion. The physical conditioning regimen is brutal and extremely demanding, on par with the NCR Rangers. Legionaries are uniformly fast, strong, and extremely dangerous. They can run half again as fast as the best of NCR troops and are capable of closing distances with frightening speed. Developing resistance to pain is also an integral part of the training, usually carried out via brutal hand-to-hand combat and melee weapons exercises.

Even more impressive than their physical traits is their discipline. Rank and file legionaries are trained to not have to think for themselves, to have conflict removed from their minds. The resulting discipline in the field is beyond the ken of their closest competitor, the NCR, as the legionaries will perform any order given by their superiors and will not back down until they are dead or recalled by their commanders. If training fails, fear will motivate legionaries to succeed. Legionaries who fail or disobey orders end up crucified or torn apart in front of Caesar. In extreme cases, the Legate may order one tenth of the unit's troops are beaten to death by the other nine-tenths, as an extreme disciplinary action.

These traits make them ferocious close-quarters combatants, where they have few equals. NCR soldiers are generally advised to take down legionaries at long range before they can engage them in close combat. Of course, while the standard kit is light armor and a melee weapon, the Legion is a pragmatic fighting force. Legionaries also receive training in ranged combat and firearms are not uncommon, though most are in poor condition. Legionaries are authorized to and will scavenge better weapons from fallen enemies and use them in combat. As such, the NCR orders troops to destroy their weapons (eg. by throwing them over the edge of Hoover Dam) if fatally wounded, to avoid bolstering the firepower of the legionaries. Higher ranking legionaries, like veterans and centurions, are commonly provided with high quality, well maintained firearms, like the anti-materiel rifle or 12.7mm submachine gun, which they can use with frightening efficiency.

The result is a well rounded military force that is capable of fighting on all distances, using all types of weapons, and particularly adept at taking enemy fortifications and bases. Of course, the Legion has weak sides. The extreme discipline and obedience of the lower ranks require a strong chain of command to exist, to guide the soldiers on the field of battle. Without decani and centurions, the legionaries will become a disorganized mass, easy to rout and destroy. This reliance on veterans has been exploited to great effect by Chief Hanlon during the First Battle of Hoover Dam. By eliminating officers, the Legion's forces were easily drawn into a trap at Boulder City and destroyed.

Military doctrine
The Legion employs an organized method of warfare. In larger battles, legionaries are deployed in waves, with recruits upfront, prime soldiers behind them, and veterans, the old guard, bringing up the rear. The enemy wears himself out dealing with the first two waves, with the veterans mopping up any remaining resistance when their turn comes. This is not an omnipresent, cardinal rule, however: Caesar can adapt and run any mix of legionaries as skirmishes, whilst retaining order in the ranks.

Smaller Legion raids typically involve suddenly attacking, killing everyone (sometimes taking slaves), and leaving quickly. As Legate Lanius states, their forces are much better suited at taking positions than holding them due to their up-close style of fighting. Furthermore, legionaries will deliberately commit atrocities to terrorize their enemies and break their morale. On occasion, they are known to use children as traps and soldiers, and rape to terrorize civilian populations. The Legion also seeks to demoralize opposing armies before the battle even begins by torturing prisoners in sight of the army's position.

Relations with the outside
The Legion's aim is to dominate the known world and unite it under its banner. In 2281, it is locked in conflict with the New California Republic at the Colorado River. Tribes that weren't pressed into it are also openly hostile to the Legion, fearing that they too will become victims of its campaign of conquest, as even with guarantees of safety and independence, Caesar has gone against his word and assimilated tribes he previously promised he'd leave alone. This causes even ruthless organizations like the Van Graffs to oppose the Legion in addition to organizations like the Desert Rangers. However, while many civilized groups dislike the Legion's ways, they have great success in assimilating tribal groups. Tribals, with their general respect for power over anything else, typically side with the Legion over the NCR. The White Legs are firm allies of the Legion and are used as proxies for the Legion in the war for Zion.

In 2281, after suffering an incredibly devastating defeat at Hoover Dam, the Legion has resorted to finding ways to gain the allegiance of local factions so that they can sow the seeds of their enemy's demise closer to home. They have allied with the Great Khans and Omertas and plan to use them to aid their plans in the Mojave before assimilating or exterminating them.

Dale Barton often prefers to trade in Legion territories, saying that he finds it cheaper as he doesn't have to hire protection on most occasions, nor does he have to pay extortionate taxes, due to the effectiveness of Legion suppression of raiders and wasteland creatures. Rose of Sharon Cassidy admits that caravan life would be much easier if the Legion controlled the roadways instead of the NCR, as the Legion does not require the same exorbitant tolls and simultaneously provides consistent and effective protection of routes in their territory. She states that for the same reasons caravans side with the Legion, if towns could be provided the same level of security, they would likewise be tempted to capitulate.

According to Ulysses, Caesar has commanded Legion couriers not to kill another courier (even if they appear to not be Legion), as many couriers are disguised frumentarii.

Equipment
What the Legion lacks in technological prowess it makes up for in resourcefulness. Combat gear is built with a focus on reliability and ease of manufacture, standardized across the Legion. Furthermore, the Legion is capable of establishing supply chains for its massive army, and, as mentioned above, mass-produce standardized weapons and armor for its legionaries. Caesar firmly believes that reliance on technology weakens humans, and was partially responsible for the Great War. The technological refinement of an individual legionary's gear is directly tied to his status. Lower ranks typically use either simple firearms (typically revolvers or lever-action rifles), power fists, or melee weapons in the form of machetes and throwing spears. Higher ranks, such as prime legionaries, decani, and centurions have access to superior weapons, such as anti-materiel rifles, marksman carbines, and super sledges. The personal guards of Caesar themselves are equipped with high tech ballistic fists. The Legion's lack of technical expertise means that many legionaries are untrained in the use of certain weapons, with some unaware that land mines can be disarmed.

While no Legion member wields energy weapons, they show interest in purchasing them from the Van Graffs. The Legion has a large number of Stealth Boys. These Stealth Boys are never seen used by Legion soldiers in the Mojave but are used by the Legion at Dry Wells and the Legion marked men in the Divide. All troops wear standardized Legion armor, created from pre-War sports gear and armored with metal plates, including the helmet. The gear is worn over a tunic. Centurions make their own armor, crafted from elements of body armor scavenged from felled foes.

The only absolute opposition to technology is in robotics. Caesar dislikes the thought of having robots win a war fought by men, as it defeats the need for a sacrifice for the greater good. Beyond that, the Legion is opportunistic and will use any kind of technology to further its goals, whether it be using a howitzer to suppress NCR snipers or occupying HELIOS One after the Courier wipes the NCR out with Archimedes I.

Interactions with the player character

 * Siding with the Legion can make keeping companions very difficult while following the main questline, and most human companions will likely abandon the player character over time. Veronica Santangelo will likely leave when the Brotherhood bunker is destroyed, Craig Boone will leave when one kills several NCR soldiers, and Arcade Gannon will leave when the Courier's reputation with the Legion rises too high. Rose of Sharon Cassidy allows the player character to work with the Legion despite her dislike for them, and Raul Tejada is somewhat supportive due to their ability to provide security. It is possible to maintain all companions through a mix of not speaking to Gannon, not traveling with Boone while killing NCR soldiers, and for Veronica, destroying the bunker when she is not present.
 * Although initially neutral towards the player character, Legion patrols in the Mojave Wasteland are openly hostile towards most travelers, including prospectors and traveling merchants, and will attack them on sight.
 * A female Courier will not be allowed to fight in the arena, regardless of reputation or progress in the game. An exception is made, should the female Courier choose to fight Benny to the death during Render Unto Caesar.
 * Many characters make comments about the Legion's future leadership, in that without Caesar, the Legion will fall to in-fighting without him, including Mr. House, Marcus, and Joshua Graham.

Appearances
Caesar's Legion appears only in Fallout: New Vegas. They were also to appear in Black Isle Studios' canceled Van Buren and the canceled Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel 2.