What if a Marine EU went back in time to face Roman Legions?

What started as a conversation on reddit has become a flash fiction phenomenon. The writer is turning out chapters as fast as he can and with thousands of followers overnight we can probably expect some sort of book / screen play to come out of it.

So far it's making for a great story...

Rome Sweet Rome

Alexander vs Julius Ceasar

Julius Caesar vs Patton

Hannable vs Mao

mmmmmmmmm,,,,, i'll help with scripting

reply to post by ecoparity


Better still, how about a Hollywood blockbuster.....

oh, and I did'nt know the Romans used powered mouse brains for toothpaste 2 thousand years ago

Have you read Mark Twain's 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'?

from what i read, the idea is brilliant...yet similar to the film "the final countdown..."


however, for it to be a viable adventure in book form, there has to be extensive elaboration on the human elements within the marine unit, as they are forced to adapt to the ancient population and situation...but realistically.

for that, he would need to seriously consider the effects of the marine unit instantly losing their supply chain...that means food, ammo, and gas, not to mention how much of the MEU actually gets transported to the past.

plus....consider the language barrier as well - the average american marine does not speak latin.

so, if he weighs these elements smartly and plausibly realistic, then weaves them wittingly...then he'll have a fantastic book.

or screenplay, for that matter...an area i am quite versed in.

or

he could simply go the quentin tarantino route (inglourious basterds, anyone?) but that would mean no book, just screenplay.


food for thought.

To answer the title question:

When they ran outta fuel & bullets, (assuming there were still Legionnaires standing, and they were running from the 'boom sticks') they'd get their arses handed to them. Last I checked, Marines aren't training in ancient weaponry. Kind of a huge disadvantage

Originally posted by blamethegreys
To answer the title question:

When they ran outta fuel & bullets, (assuming there were still Legionnaires standing, and they were running from the 'boom sticks') they'd get their arses handed to them. Last I checked, Marines aren't training in ancient weaponry. Kind of a huge disadvantage

tactis,, you forget ,,a good tactition,,
wins many a battle,,
without, using,,
all of his ammo,,

think,, hey Ceasar,,, u want a new guard?or is that a battalion size marine unit,,
,,
start small,,
never know,
might conquer the world,,
using the right
tactics.

Originally posted by solardez


plus....consider the language barrier as well - the average american marine does not speak latin.
.

Sorry, but I just thought that was funny, most Americans can barely understand a modern day English speaking Scottish person let alone be able to speak Latin.

Yeah this is dope, I love flash fiction. S+F

reply to post by blamethegreys


You'll be surprised what "ancient" tactics the Seal units use

reply to post by blamethegreys

When they ran outta fuel & bullets, (assuming there were still Legionnaires standing, and they were running from the 'boom sticks') they'd get their arses handed to them. Last I checked, Marines aren't training in ancient weaponry. Kind of a huge disadvantage

Perhaps, but I'd wager the Marine is more trained in unarmed combat styles, and styles unfamiliar to the Romans, to where he could make up for it pretty well.

Of course, numbers are numbers...even if he isn't out of bullets, can only kill so many.

reply to post by ecoparity


The marine would get his ass handed to him lol. Centurions were pretty badass and cruel to boot. I wouldn't even put them in the same league. One knows how to point a boomstick at you and pull the trigger, and one that would hack you to pieces with a 40 pound sharpened chunk of Iron. Repeatedly.