Cohort II: Fighting for Rome

Last updated: January 11, 2026

Overview

Cohort II: Fighting for Rome is a real-time tactics game developed and published by Impressions Games in 1993 for DOS, Amiga, and Atari ST platforms¹. Set during the period of approximately 200 BC to 200 AD, the game places players in command of Roman legions or barbarian hordes, allowing them to orchestrate tactical battles across the ancient world². As a sequel to the original Cohort: Fighting for Rome (1991), the game represented a significant upgrade with enhanced VGA graphics and expanded scenario options³.

The game was designed as part of an interlocking game system module that could be linked with Impressions’ city-building title Caesar, allowing players who owned both games to resolve Caesar’s city battles within the tactical framework of Cohort II¹. This cross-game functionality made Cohort II particularly valuable as a companion piece, though critics noted it was “recommended for anyone who wants to delve into Caesar battles in more detail, but definitely not as a stand-alone product”³. Despite offering over two dozen pre-set scenarios and a computer opponent with adaptive tactics, the game received generally poor reviews, with critics citing frustrating controls and outdated presentation⁴.

Game Info

Developer: Impressions Games¹ Designers: Edward Grabowski, Andrew Prime, Jeffrey Von Brakenton⁴ Publisher: Impressions Games¹ Engine: Unknown Platforms: DOS, Amiga, Atari ST¹ Release Year: 1993 Series: Cohort Protagonist: Roman/Barbarian Commander Sierra Lineage: Affiliated Publisher

Story Summary

Cohort II is set during a 400-year period spanning from approximately 200 BC to 200 AD, encompassing the height of Roman military expansion and the various conflicts that defined the era⁵. The game does not feature a narrative campaign in the traditional sense, instead presenting players with historical and hypothetical battle scenarios that pit Roman armies against barbarian forces across various terrain types².

Players can take command of Roman legions of varying sizes and compositions, or alternatively lead barbarian hordes against the disciplined Roman military machine². The game encompasses battles featuring warring races of barbarians fighting amongst themselves, as well as the classic confrontation between Roman civilization and the tribal peoples at the empire’s frontiers¹. The computer opponent employs a variety of different tactics that adapt depending on how the battle progresses, ensuring that “even if you play the same scenario again and again, it won’t be the same game twice”².

The tactical conflicts presented in the game represent the brutal reality of ancient warfare, where legionaries would “draw their swords” and engage in close combat that could decide the fate of entire provinces⁶. However, critics noted that despite the historical setting, “the actual implementation of tactics bears no relation to history: often it feels as if you are commanding a squad of World War II units than ancient Romans”³.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Cohort II employs a top-down perspective with multiple units/characters control interface, operated primarily through click-and-point controls using a mouse¹. The game presents players with a 2D perspective of the battlefield where they must coordinate the movements and attacks of their chosen army⁵. Unfortunately, the control mechanism was widely criticized as one of the game’s primary weaknesses, with reviewers describing it as “pretty much a joke”⁷.

The interface suffered from significant responsiveness issues, with multiple attempts often required to select items or units properly⁵. One reviewer noted that “Control in Cohort II is pretty much a joke and that one shortcoming is enough to trample the game in the dust like one of Hannibal’s elephants”⁷. Problems extended to turning units, directing movements, and regrouping formations, with units frequently defying orders during critical battle moments⁷.

Structure and Progression

The game offers over two dozen pre-set scenarios provided with separate Scenario Cards that outline the historical or hypothetical context for each battle². Players can choose to command either Roman forces or barbarian armies across these varied engagements⁵:

• Historical Battles: Recreations of actual Roman military engagements from the specified era
• Hypothetical Scenarios: Created battles allowing “what if” explorations of ancient warfare
• Custom Battles: Using the scenario editor to create personalized confrontations

The game features up to nineteen different scenarios according to one source⁵, with another mentioning twenty battle scenarios total and ten new arenas of combat⁴. Eight preset armies are available for selection, along with eight different terrain types that affect tactical considerations⁴.

Puzzles and Mechanics

As a real-time tactics game, Cohort II focuses on military strategy rather than traditional puzzle-solving⁸. Players must position their units effectively before battle, then coordinate their movements and attacks in real-time as the engagement unfolds². The game allows for battle planning and strategy setup phases where players can arrange their forces according to tactical doctrine⁵.

The scenario editor/builder allows players to create custom battles, though it was criticized as “difficult to operate and very limited” in its capabilities⁷. One significant criticism was the lack of numerical values for unit attributes, making it difficult to assess troop capabilities and plan accordingly⁹. Perhaps most damning, one reviewer noted that “It’s possible to win a battle without giving a single order, which certainly brings the tactical value of the game into question”⁴.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Cohort II received predominantly negative to mediocre reviews from contemporary gaming publications, particularly in the Amiga gaming press which covered the title extensively in mid-1993¹⁰.

Amiga Format awarded the game 55%, with reviewer Paul Tyrrell writing in the June 1993 issue (#47) that while the concept had potential, the execution fell short¹⁰. Amiga Power gave a score of 52% in their June 1993 issue (#26), with reviewer Mark Winstanley (also credited as Cam Winstanley) noting critically that “It’s possible to win a battle without giving a single order, which certainly brings the tactical value of the game into question”⁴.

The One Amiga provided the highest score among Amiga publications at 63% in their May 1993 issue (#56), reviewed by David Upchurch¹⁰. Amiga Action awarded 59% in their June 1993 issue (#45), with the review handled by Nick Merritt and Steve McNally¹⁰. More negative assessments came from CU Amiga, which gave only 35% in June 1993 (reviewer Mark Patterson)¹⁰, and Amiga Force at 39% in July 1993 issue (#7), reviewed by Ian Osborne¹⁰.

The harshest review came from Amiga Joker, the German gaming publication, which awarded just 28% in their May 1993 issue, reviewed by Manfred Duy¹⁰. The game was priced at DM 79,00 in the German market¹¹.

ST Format provided a somewhat more favorable assessment for the Atari ST version, awarding 68% in their July 1993 issue (#47). Reviewer Rob Mead described it as “An involving, but complicated, war game, unfortunately let down by its graphics and control mechanism”⁵. He noted that “the sprites move around in that jerky, slow-motion style usually associated with hiccuping tortoises”⁵.

One German review quoted that “all the enhanced graphics and sound in the world won’t save a flawed formula,” while another dismissed the visuals entirely, stating that “Roman Legomen still fight barbarian Legomen on a Legoland playing field”⁴. Another reviewer declared the game “an extremely shoddy package which looks as though it was chucked together on a wet weekend”⁴.

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospective assessments remain mixed. MobyGames aggregates a critic score of 42% based on 9 ratings, with a player average of 2.9 out of 5 based on 6 ratings¹². The MobyGames Moby Score sits at 5.3¹. GameFAQs user ratings classify the game as “Poor” based on 3 ratings¹³.

Not all modern assessments are negative. MyAbandonware users have given the game a 4.5 out of 5 rating³, while playold.games shows a perfect 5.0 out of 5 score¹⁴. One modern reviewer noted that Cohort II represents “one of the rare occasions when the sequel did not deteriorate (and even improve) the original”¹⁵. Another retrospective assessment praised it as “somehow as sleek as those more recent RTSes, though surely, not quite there, but miles better and more playable than many of the proto RTSes of the period”⁹.

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames: 42% critic average (9 ratings), 2.9/5 player average (6 ratings)¹²
• Lemon Amiga Average: 47%¹⁰
• GameFAQs: Poor (3 ratings)¹³

Development

Origins

Cohort II was developed by Impressions Games, the British strategy game developer known for city-building titles like Caesar and Lords of the Realm¹. The game served as a direct sequel to the original Cohort: Fighting for Rome released in 1991, with the subtitle “Fighting for Rome” shared between both entries in the series¹. The Amiga version was developed by Micro Miniatures¹⁰.

The game was conceived as part of an interlocking game system that would complement Impressions’ Caesar city-builder³. Owners of Caesar could link up the two games and “drop down” to resolve Caesar’s city battles within Cohort II’s tactical combat engine¹. This modular approach to game design was relatively innovative for its era, allowing players to experience both the strategic city-building layer and tactical combat resolution without sacrificing depth in either area¹⁴.

Production

Development was led by designers Edward Grabowski, Andrew Prime, and Jeffrey Von Brakenton⁴. The team focused on upgrading the original Cohort’s EGA graphics to VGA resolution, representing a significant visual improvement for the DOS platform⁷. The tactical engine was also enhanced to provide more realistic combat simulation, though the execution would prove controversial among reviewers⁹.

Development Credits:⁴

• Designers: Edward Grabowski, Andrew Prime, Jeffrey Von Brakenton

Technical Achievements

The most notable technical advancement in Cohort II was the upgrade to VGA graphics from the original game’s more limited display capabilities⁷. The game featured multiple terrain types across its scenarios and implemented an adaptive AI system that would “vary tactics depending on how the battle progresses”².

Technical Specifications

DOS Version:³

• Graphics: VGA
• Media: 3.5” Floppy Disk¹
• Input: Mouse¹
• File Size: 612 KB³

Amiga Version:⁴

• Hardware: OCS, ECS compatible
• Disks: 1
• Memory Requirement: 1 MB
• Hard Drive Installation: Yes
• Languages: English, French, German (Complete German manual available)
• File Size: 708 KB³

Atari ST Version:¹⁶

• Region: Europe
• Release Year: 1993

Technical Issues

The game suffered from numerous technical and gameplay issues that severely impacted the player experience⁷. Control problems were paramount, with units frequently running into each other and troops retreating from battle due to unresponsive controls⁷. Players reported persistent difficulties with turning units, directing movements, and regrouping formations, with units often defying orders entirely⁷.

The Amiga version exhibited particularly poor performance, with critics noting “jerky scrolling” and “very sluggish mouse response”⁴. The animation quality was described as poor, and the sound effects were dismissed as “tinny, unrealistic”⁴. Additional issues included an unclear German manual that failed to explain important interface icons⁴, a confusing screen display layout⁴, and a scenario editor that was both difficult to operate and severely limited in functionality⁷.

One especially problematic gameplay issue was that units would stop moving when only one of their number was engaged in fighting, breaking tactical formations and rendering coordinated attacks nearly impossible⁴.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• Both Cohort and Cohort II share the identical subtitle “Fighting for Rome”¹
• The game can be linked with Caesar as a data disk, allowing tactical resolution of city battles⁴
• Contains 10 new arenas of combat compared to the original⁴
• The game is sometimes inaccurately described as “medieval” despite its Roman-era setting⁹
• DOSBox is required to run the game on modern systems⁹

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	1993	DOS	Initial release, VGA graphics1
1.0	1993	Amiga	European release, OCS/ECS compatible10
1.0	1993	Atari ST	European release16

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

No specific sales figures have been documented for Cohort II. The game’s primary commercial value lay in its integration with Impressions’ more successful Caesar franchise³. As a standalone product, the game struggled to find an audience, with contemporary reviewers specifically advising that it was “definitely not as a stand-alone product”³.

Collections

Cohort II does not appear to have been included in any major game collections or compilations. The game was notably absent from Sierra Entertainment’s official games lists and catalogs¹⁷, suggesting limited distribution outside of Impressions’ direct publishing channels.

Fan Projects

No significant fan projects, remakes, or modifications have been documented for Cohort II. The game remains primarily available through abandonware preservation sites and Internet Archive hosting²³.

Related Publications

No official hint books, strategy guides, or novelizations have been documented for Cohort II. The game included a manual with scenario cards, though the German version’s manual was criticized for failing to adequately explain important gameplay elements⁴.

Critical Perspective

Cohort II represents an interesting but flawed entry in the early real-time tactics genre, arriving during a transitional period for strategy gaming before the explosive success of titles like Warcraft and Command & Conquer would define the RTS paradigm⁹. While the game attempted to simulate ancient Roman warfare, its execution betrayed its historical pretensions, with reviewers noting that the tactical implementation “bears no relation to history”³.

The game’s most significant contribution to gaming history may be its innovative approach to cross-game integration with Caesar, presaging the modular design philosophy that would later become common in strategy gaming¹. However, the poor critical reception and fundamental control issues prevented the game from achieving lasting recognition. Modern retrospectives tend to view Cohort II as a curiosity of early 1990s strategy gaming—ambitious in concept but severely limited in execution, remembered primarily as a companion piece to the more successful Caesar franchise rather than as a standalone achievement⁹.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• Not currently available for digital purchase

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive - Browser playable version²
• MyAbandonware - DOS and Amiga versions³

Series Continuity

Cohort II is the second and final entry in the Cohort series, following the original Cohort: Fighting for Rome released in 1991¹⁰. Both games share the “Fighting for Rome” subtitle and focus on tactical Roman-era combat¹. The sequel represented a significant technical upgrade over its predecessor, particularly in graphics quality, while maintaining the same fundamental gameplay structure¹⁵.

The game’s integration with the Caesar city-building series positioned it as part of a larger interconnected game system, though this cross-title functionality was considered its primary value proposition rather than its standalone merits³. No further sequels were produced in the Cohort series, with Impressions Games subsequently focusing on their more successful city-builder franchises.

• Previous: 1993 - Cohort II - Fighting for Rome

References

Footnotes

1. MobyGames – Cohort II – developer, publisher, platforms, technical specs, series information, trivia ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷

2. Internet Archive – Cohort II (1993) – release dates, platforms, game description, gameplay features ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

3. MyAbandonware – Cohort II – developer, publisher, user rating, file sizes, critical quotes ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴

4. Amiga Reviews Archive – designers, review scores, technical specs, trivia, bug reports, critical quotes ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹

5. Every Game Going – ST Format Review – ST Format 68% review, gameplay details, critical quotes ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

6. [Consolidated Research Data] – “draw their swords” quote from game description ↩

7. Old-Games.com – Cohort II – control issues, bug reports, critical analysis ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

8. Wikidata – Cohort II – genre classification as real-time tactics ↩

9. Squakenet – Cohort 2: Fighting for Rome – retrospective analysis, technical notes ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

10. Lemon Amiga – Cohort II – comprehensive review scores, reviewer names, publication dates, average rating ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

11. Amiga Magazine Rack Archive – Amiga Joker review, German pricing ↩

12. MobyGames – Cohort II Reviews – aggregate critic and player scores ↩ ↩²

13. GameFAQs – Cohort II (PC) – user ratings ↩ ↩²

14. Playold.games – Cohort II – user rating, gameplay description ↩ ↩²

15. Online Classic Games – Cohort II – retrospective assessment quote ↩ ↩²

16. GameFAQs – Cohort II: Fighting for Rome (Atari ST) – Atari ST release information ↩ ↩²

17. Wikipedia – List of Sierra Entertainment Video Games – absence from Sierra catalog noted ↩