Will of the Thengoz - An interactive Swêbóz AAR

[Tyrfingr]

~ Chapter II ~

(262BC - 261BC)

Coughs and Corpses

For whole of the next year Hêruwulfáz traveled all corners of his kingdom, summoning warriors, young and old, for the coming war in the west against the celtae. The thengoz had decided, against the inner feeling of himself, that the western land were more prosperous and ready to be conquered. Hêruwulfáz knew that an invasion of the celtae lands would have to gather many warriors to his armies, unless it would fail.

Hêruwulfáz' lieutenants had advised to start the invasion to the north, through the land of the nervae. The Nervae was of the belgae, a celtae tribe, and lived isolated from their southern kin. The civil war between the Aedui and Arverni had further isolated the belgae tribes, and greatly weakened the nervae tribe.

When Hêruwulfáz finally had gathered a large army capable of invading the belgae lands, strange coughs became to haunt him. The coughing lingered for a week, then progressed into a fever that toppled even the most vigorous of the Swêbóz warriors, and Hêruwulfáz was forced to the furs of the bed for several days.

In his place, he sent his most trusted general, the leader of the Markomannoz, Ansuhárjáz to lead the army. His oldest son, Hárjáwulfáz, followed the army as second-in-command and to be the eyes and ears of the throne. Winter had come to the north, the Swêbóz army crossed the frozen rivers, into the lands of the belgae and laid siege to the city of Bagacos. From Bagacos, the nobles of the Nervae ruled their tribe and the capture of the city would surely subdue the entire tribe.

The winter lingered longer for every year, it seemed, and when spring finally came only a short summer followed, with a cold fall with renewed snowfalls earlier than usual. The siege of Bagacos lasted for almost a year, with no signs of submission, when Ansuhárjáz and Hárjáwulfáz finally decided that the city had to be taken by force. Rams were constructed, and the 14.000 strong army of the Swêbóz broke camp and marched for the city gates.

The nervae were outnumbered by one third, and numbered only 10.000 men. The belgae were never numerous, but their courage and fierceness counted as several men and led by the general Cogidubnos, the Nervae would prove a fair match for the Swêbóz.

There had been ill rumors about the "mighty walls of Bagacos", but they were soon found to be false, the mighty walls of Bagacos were barely more than a fence, probably better to keep out wolves than hungry germans. Ansuhárjáz had his archers fire arrows across the walls and had the defenders hide amongst the houses and trees until the hail of arrows stopped. Meanwhile, Hárjáwulfáz and his personal bodyguard pushed the ram for the gates, as war knows no birth rights and treats every man equal.

On the other side of the walls, the Taramonnos - light cavalry of the belgae tribes, defied both the arrows of the Swêbóz and orders of their leaders and broke cover to harass the men pushing the ram. The arrows did not miss their targets...

As the gates flung open, Ansuhárjáz personally led the nobles and their huscarls through the breach and formed a tight shield wall, determined to stand fast against anything the nervae would throw against them. Among the nervae counted several hundreds of horsemen of the fierce belgae tribe of the Remi, and they were the first to taste the blades of the Swêbóz.

The Remi Mairepos pushed the Swêbóz line further and further backwards, but Ansuhárjáz managed to hold the line. Frustrated by the success of the attackers, Cogidubnos first sent his infantry, the famous Milnaht ("Great Men") and then led his chariot-riding bodyguard into the fray.

On his chariot, a large golden bird - the symbol of The Free Nervae, Cogidubnos rode into battle. The charge of Cogidubnos surprised even Ansuhárjáz and almost threw him off guard, and the Swêbòz were now almost pushed back through the gates when the brass horn blasted three times...

This was the signal that Hárjáwulfáz had waited for. While Ansuhárjáz had charged through the broken gates and chased the nervae out of their hiding places, Hárjáwulfáz had gathered the Swêbóz youths outside the walls, waiting for the three blasts from Ansuhárjáz. The jugunthiz now threw volley after volley of javelins and spears over the walls, causing great despair and casualty amongst the nervae, who fell like flies.

It was in this cruel "rain" that Cogidubnos fell, pierced through the chest by a javelin just as when he was about to gather his men for a final blow against the invaders. As Cogidubnos chariot was toppled, and the golden bird of the Nervae fell to the ground (and mysteriously "lost" and only recovered decades later in the house of a certain Rugóz merchant), the Nervae lost their spirit to fight and began to retreat. Hárjáwulfáz led the youths through the gates and set chase after the running belgae. The nobles under Ansuhárjáz were tired, but the renewed energy of their young comrades enlightened their spirits and joined the chase, a cruel chase were no one was spared the spears and swords of the Swêbóz.

When the soothing dark of the night finally came, the streets of Bagacos were paved with the corpses of the nervae warriors. The victory was nothing less than heroic, as the Swêbóz casualties were 2000 killed and 3000 injured but the entire nervae force had been destroyed. Many of the Swêbóz warriors remembered the raping of the Silengoz with joy, but Ansuhárjáz was different from Hêruwulfáz and furthermore, had other plans for the belgae lands. He forbid any looting taking place, and installed himself as regional governor of Swêbóz Belgae.

Hárjáwulfáz reported everything back to his father, who had been recovering lately and was soon to call for a new gathering of the thengoz...