Unfortunately the original commandos from the 1st century A.D. have not been saved.
For this reason we choose for a logical mix between the drill commandos of the Ermine Street Guard Armatura (weapon Drill) and that of legio XX VV.
The commandos have been worked out in a way they are suiteble for us.
The drill
itself has been taken over from a combination of bits from Vegetius of Julius caesar, the 16th
century Spanish pikemen drill and practical experience with the equipment.
Most of the commandos are given with a short pause before the last part of the word
(usually "... te"), this is done to give the men some
time to think.
The action which follows on the commando is carried out on the last piece of the word, therefore generally on "....te".
General rule is that most of the action and alignance moves onto the right side.
This means that at one row everyone holds the front and back position of the person to his right.
On the command of Duo Ordines, from 1 to 2 in a row, every even person steps to the right side of the person in front of him.
On the command of Quator Ordines, from 2 to 4 in a row, every even row splits up and both step up to the outer side of the person in front of him.
On the command of Liniam Formate all rows split up in the right order and form one line.
The Testudo Formate is made when the first row lifts up their shields and the rows behind them put their shields on top as a roof.
This formation is also known as the turtleformation.
A short list of the commands used by us:
AD SIGNA |
(Fall in) |
STATE |
(Attention) |
LAXATE |
(Stand at ease) |
SCUTA SURSUM |
(Pick up shield) |
SCUTA DEORSUM |
(Put down shield) |
PILA SURSUM |
(Pick up spear) |
PILA DEORSUM |
(Put down spear) |
PILA SCUTA SURSUM |
(Pick up shield and spear) |
AD DEXTRAM |
(Turn right, at place) |
AD SINISTRAM |
(Turn left, at place) |
IN LOCO CALCATE |
(At place march) |
DEXTRORSUM VERTITE |
(Turn right) |
SINISTRORSUM VERTITE |
(Turn left) |
RETRORSUM VERTITE |
(Turn around and march) |
UNUM ORDINEM FACITE |
(Form 1 in a row) |
DUOS ORDINES FACITE |
(Form 2 in a row) |
QUATTUOR ORDINES FACITE |
(Form 4 in a row) |
OCTO ORDINES FACITE |
(Form 8 in a row) |
SALUTATE |
(Salute) |
AB SIGNIS DISCEDITE |
(Fall out) |
PILA SUMITE |
(Take up spear) |
PROCEDITE |
(March) |
CONSISTITE |
(Halt) |
INTER ACCELERATE |
(Faster march) |
INTER TARDATE |
(Slower march) |
GLADIOS STRINGITE |
(Draw sword) |
GLADIOS RECONDITE |
(Stick sword back) |
PILA VOLLITE |
(Take spear throwing positions) |
PILA IACITE |
(Throw spear) |
PRIMUS ORDO, UNUM PASSUM PROCEDITE |
(Row 1, 1 step forward) |
NOVISSIMUS ORDO, DUOS PASSUS PROCEDITE |
(Last row, 2 steps forward) |
UNUM PASSUM RECIDITE |
(1 step back) |
NUMEROS CLAMATE |
(Numbering) |
Numeros Latini (Latin numbers):
1 Unus |
2 Duo |
3 Tres |
4 Quattor |
5 Quinque |
6 Sex |
7 Septem |
8 Octo |
9 Novem |
10 Decem |
11 Undecim |
12 Duodecim |
13 Tredecim |
14 Quattuordecim |
15 Quindecim |
16 Sedecim |
17 Septendecim |
18 Duodeviginti |
19 Undeviginti |
20 Veginti |