NEWS:
-I'm back, and planning to release a new version of this mod, here are my proposed features:
-non-essential raid camp centurion
-full compatibility and integration with CNR
-fully fleshed-out companion recruit system featuring new hire-able ranks and unit costs in caps.
-A new location in the wasteland for the legion home, for reasons of compatibility.
-potentially new legion troop types added to leveled lists.
-Removal of old or lower quality graphical assets, like that scutum that broke peoples pip boys.

---
REQUIRES NVSE TO RUN.
Link to NVSE: http://nvse.silverlock.org/

NOTE: Please do not use the freeside shop.esp. It was bugged and untested when I included it in the final version, and is probably broken/will crash your games. For a stable experience, do not use this .esp. Besides that, the mod is largely bug-free. It is compatable with most legion mods out there right now, and if you have any doubts, get Nvamp, they make everything work together.

So here it is, the long awaited release. Im happy with it, but expect continued support and patching. Not too much new in this issue, but stuff works better and hopefully without crashing.

NOTE: To get this mod running well, use BOSS, it can be found on the nexus here. THEN, use FNVEdit to create a merged patch of all your mods, and once thats all done, this sucker should run right.

--------Caesar Protects---------
Legionary ! Welcome to the most sophisticated and impressive fighting force the new irradiated world has ever known ! Bask in the glory of the ranks of these magnificent warriors, brought up from the dregs of the wasteland through courage steel and honour !

No longer will we, the mighty legion, dress in mere FOOTBALL outfits, oh no, we shall expand the armories, my good trooper, we will incorporate what we find loot and steal ! The men shall be dressed in Leather, In Metal, in the mighty hulks of deactivated and no longer powered t-45d's !

Our Centurions shall no longer hide in their camps and ambiguously remain with "the main army" instead of heeding caesars call, Oh no ! They shall be present, commanding, and authoratative, in combat where they will be needed most ! Alongside them will fight the mighty shock-troopers, hulking men akin to the lord-legate, taken from the mightiest and most animalistic of the tribal stock and forged in the deathly melee force that they are ! Behind them will be the sprightly velites, ready to pull back and harass our foes from afar with rifles from the dark. No armored foe will ever again attempt to best us when our fire support legionaries are on the field, armed with the best looted weapons we could find, they provide much needed heavy weapons to the legion.

Hail Caesar !

------------
Description:
------------
This mod aims to add new armor weapons and npcs to the game to flesh out the Caesars Legion faction and add new sensical armors and weapons to their loadout without compromising the legions feel. For the moment, there are no custom textures, though in time there will be, all of them fitting the original style the legion was presented in, just without looking silly and unbelievable as before.

For example: Recruit legionaries have numerous types of head pieces now:

Slave- hoods, goggles, and mouth-wrap (these guys did come from slaves after all, and the hood just makes sense and looks nice)

Head-wraps (several kinda) and the traditional goggles and mouth bit

Recon helmet and goggles/mouth bit

etc. The explorers and vexillarii now wear goggles and mouth-bandanas too, just because that fits them nicely

Praetorian guard no longer have stupid sun-glasses, and wear centurion helmets, with a small 1-in-5 chance of getting centurion armor.

The mod also includes a revamp of the legion raid camp, and a new player home for legion fans at the fort.

----------------
Recommended mods:
----------------

Increased Legion Presence http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=35521

Populated wasteland http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=36432

Legion Enhancement http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=39323

Note: to make compatible with Populated wasteland, load the file AFTER pop. Wasteland.
----------
KNOWN BUGS:
----------
-The player is not charged any caps for purchasing companion legionaries

-Legion raid camp centurion is essential, and does not sell items (that Ive seen, anyway)

-Legion raid camp npcs tend to leave the camp and wander around after percieved threats. So it may well be that by the time you get there half the people in camp have wandered after some bloatfly.

-Raid camp guards don't return to there positions after combat. Will make it so that they never move in future versions.

A note: current bugs:
-For some, the metal armor's texture will be bugged, will make a special hotfix for that soon.
NOTE: THE HOTFIX IS NOW AVAILABLE, GET IT IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS
-This mod is not compatible with mods that edit the legion safehouse, since thats where the legion recruiter is.
-While most glaring issues about the fort home got fixed, expect small ownership bugs on some of the more trivial items located inside. This should be fine since there isnt anyone around in there to call you out for stealing.
-due to the way the armor system works, legion troops may strain machines if seen in large numbers. This is because of the numerous additional meshes of each equipment piece- this mod might not be for low range computers, youve been warned.

-----------
Installation/Uninstallation
-----------
First, download NVSE- http://nvse.silverlock.org/
Place the esp and meshes/textures folders into your data folder, and overwrite if necessary
enable the mod .esp (using the mod manager or the NV launcher tool), and make sure to enable EZ_CompanionNVSE, and place it among your other.esms
load a save and wait in a house 3 days !

Uninstall: delete the new esp/esm, and the texture/mesh files added.

-----------
Companion system details
-----------
COMPANION SYSTEM:
-Recruit: Low level grunt of the legion. Can come equipped with a light melee weapon, or a basic gun. May potentially have explosives (basic dynamite sticks) and throwing spears as well.
-Velites: scout-sniper unit, armed with a rifle or some kind. Designed for long range combat- weak in melee, and prone to fleeing in battle due to low morale. A good supporting soldier, but poor when fighting melee troops, monsters, and in tight spaces.
-Prime legionary: Like the recruit, only more competent. Generally has similar weaponry, but favors automatic ranged weapons. Jack of all trades, master of none.
-Veterans: Considerably tougher than recruits, have access to heavier armor- will survive longer in combat, generally uses better weaponry. May have explosives.
-----------
FAQ
-----------
Oh my god ! Your taking so long to make an update ! Cripes man hurry the frak up !
-Your absolutely right im taking a long time. Thats because im involved with alot of stuff in the *real world* right now, and i might not even have NV installed. Now, i do have ideas and plans for future releases, and believe me when i say i will not stop work on this, but understand that i am going by *my* schedule, which is dominated by real work, and real university, in the real world. Things that are infinitely more important than fiddling with the geck. If you cant understand that, then find another modder to annoy. Believe me when i say this mod will be updated. I dont have release dates or charts, but i do have a promise and guarantee.

This mod is cool, but its incompatible with mod X, can you make a patch to fix it ?
-No, its not my responsibility to make this mod compatible with everything. However, i would recommend you try out Nvamp, by following the links above. Nvamp lives to make mods like this work together, and fully supports CLO.

-NVSE sucks, I want a NVSE free version
Asking for an NVSE version is asking for reduced functionality. The entire companion system and recruit option would be scrapped and all you would have left is essentially a legion buff and a mediocre fort home. Its also asking me to take time out of potentially making this a better mod by adding in content, in order to actually remove things. I realize if your a german gamer you cant use NVSE due to the gore thing- and im sorry, i really am, but I have precious little time as it is for this mod- i cant dedicate more to it in order to simply make it worse. Sorry. To those who dont have a legitimate reason to not use NVSE. Please get it. It takes perhaps a minuite or two to install, and makes mods like this one possible.

Im crashing at X because of Y, when Z...
-Post a comment on the comments section of this file. Explain in detail how the crash happened, and make sure to check if it was in fact this mod that caused it. If it WAS this mod, check to see if any of your mods conflict. I check the comments often, and I would be glad to help if I can.

I have an idea for your mod....
-Cool ! Post it in the comments and ill consider it, but be forewarned: I will contest an idea that i dont like, and will explain to you why I do or do not like it. If i do like it, your name might be added to the credits (if the idea was good enough, anyway) and it would be included. I tend to be very argumentative though. Please note this isn't because I'm constantly mad at you- its just my nature. I do appreciate your interest and time, even if i don't accept any of your ideas.

Where can i recruit my own legion troops ?
-Legion safehouse

Why the hell cant i get into my legion house ? This mod sucks !
-Needs Legion Safehouse key. Get liked by the legion then speak to the captain of the praetorian guard in Caesars quarters

OMG best mod ever, will you include XYZ ? The Roman Empire used it !
-This is a debate thats been raging among this mods fans for a while. On the one hand people justify wanting to add stuff in due to the roman empire connection. On the other hand
some people thing its a bit of a stretch to think about the legion in this mod as anything like the roman empire, since the legion in this mod lives in a world of mutants, guns,
and in the wreckage of a nuclear holocaust. Ive tried my best to accommodate the wishes of both but im going to say this one time and one time only- The. Legion. Is. Not. The. Roman.
Empire. Period. I wont just add something in on the basis that rome had it and its cool. Ill add it in only if the change is worth it, it supplements what the legions already got,
and it fits with the the known FALLOUT legion lore. I put emphasis on "KNOWN" here since frankly we dont know jack sh** about the legion due to obsidian giving us like a half dozen
named legion npcs, none of whom say much of anything about the faction at all, really. Its my opinion that the legion is still largely tribal, that they have no large manufacturing
centers, that all weapons and armor are scavenged or made by hand, and that the legion settlements that DO exist are little more than semi tribal villages that have obligations and
quotas that need to be met to fullfill legion needs.

----------------
In the future...
----------------
-More named legion npc's, with different stories to tell, and new functions ingame. Specifically, I intend to add a named centurion to Nelson, who you can recruit troops from.

-Thinking of expanding legion presence along the colorado river, including beached legion patrols, supply bases, small scale outpost/landings onto the NCR side, and a fully fledged
"dungeon" where players are show JUST HOW THE HELL legion troops can get from the bloody fort to the river without committing suicide by jumping. Should be alot of fun, I have
many plans for the "dungeon"- Legion troops vs deathclaws ? hell yes. :)

-New armors, specifically: leather, and t45d

-Hopefully, some kind of new lore-friendly "lorica Hamata" chainmail armor- new helmets would also be great.

-expand the concept to include the NCR with snipers ranked troopers, heavy weapons, recon teams, commandos, etc.
- this NCR thing will probably be my next mod... when i get around to it.

---------------------
How can YOU help ME ?
---------------------
I cannot create 3d models or custom textures or even normal maps (i know, fail, all i can do is retexture existing models and use existing normals) So custom ready made armors could and would be added to the mod if offered (unless it looked completely out of place)

If you have a mod that adds a new bit of Caesars legion goodness, please consider collaborating, I like new ideas and maybe you and I can come to an agreement on a sharing of resources or something. Even small things like adding tailor maid type armor bits would be an incredible boon to my efforts !


------------
Criticism and Feedback
------------
I appreciate constructive criticism, if you dont like something dont just say "the mod sux ur lame" instead go "I thought this could use a little work, have you considered this ?" etc. Due to limited time and skills, i cant say ill fit in all your ideas, especially anything big like adding new forts or legion locations, or scripted companions, but ill do my best to accommodate you.
Thanks and enjoy !