Chapter IV: Jugunthiz Dugunthizux (The Young and The Experienced)

I have not been campaigning for nearly a year and a half, as our armies needed to retrain and concentrate. Yet finally they have let me out of Bagacos, with a decent army, to join up with Harjawulfaz. Now we are over 1,000 strong and intend to add the Hathinez to the Swebōzez, and to make war on the Arverni from there.

As the rams went forward, we woke up the peasant levies in the front with a hail of arrows, and they began to move to safer ground. The Thegnōzez ran to catch up, after their safety from slings was confirmed.



After the gates broke open, much fell still. Both I and the enemy commander knew that whoever made the first move was putting the battle at risk. However, he was positioning himself, and his archers & levies were vulnerable. So in went many Dugunthiz, to take care of these fools.





As expected, the enemy deployed a couple of warbands to deal with this new threat. As they moved in, my second unit of Dugunthiz entered the front gate, trapping them. Some of our Batacorii advanced to pick up the ram and make another gap in the wall, to add options and provide a reserve unit inside the city. I heard many horses whinnying as loud as the fighting men yelled and screamed; the enemy general had entered the fray. Perfect...the Batacorii could get them, too...

The gate Dugunthiz, though still strong in numbers, had been nearly pushed out by enemy Dugunthiz and Ridonez, but the Batacorii made it in time! The Belgae smashed into the flank of the Hathinez at the gate, causing many casualties. They were well-conditioned, tough, rugged warriors, used to fighting off Aeduic/Arvernian attacks, and many of their brethren had invaded Bretholandam and Dumnolandam, across the sea. They exhibited this proud heritage by executing the most ideal of charges, full of confidence, and unwavering in their step, as they marched towards the killing zone, ignoring the sling bullets falling into their side.





Although they managed to push away the general and nullify the spearmen, the Batacorii rapidly fell to sling bullets at their flank. While our slingers worked hard to lower the number of enemy Iaosatae, they still took nearly 80 losses to these bullets, though eliminating more enemies. Down to below 80 men, they stabilized and turned the tables on the enemy, with a little help...



With the enemy slingmen and the remaining 3 horsemen joining the brawl, we were clearly outnumbered there, but had them like this: \E/, enveloped in a "V". I myself went in to complete the triangle, after getting to meet the foe's general. Before I could fully make it there, the enemy were running for the town square.





I spoke with a Batacorios (I was now fluent in Belgic, after a year and a half in Bagacos). He seemed out of breath, his spear resting on his lap as he sat, leaning on a fence for support. Blood was dripping from a sword-gash on his side, though it was not very bad. He had picked up an enemy's shirt to use it as a bandage. I stooped and told him, "Rest, brave Belgicos. You deserve every second of it." He stood up, shrugging off the wound. "What's next?" he asked. I slapped him lightly on the back, and we ran on towards the town square. "That's the attitude..." I said.