Re: Daggers of the Republic: A Romani AAR
The Sicilian Conflict
Part One: Syracuse.
Four years of peace in the Republic following the Po Valley campaign saw Drusus and his men receive four years of freedom, the Senate only called up one legion in each of the four years and veterans from the campaign against the Celts were generally given exemption. Legio I based itself outside Mediolanium and a few punitive assaults against unruly tribes soon showed the residents of the region the Romes temper should not be tested. This period of peace was ended by the actions of a group of mercenaries in Sicily, they had taken the main city in the northeast of the island in a move similar to the capture of Rhegium which had embarrased Rome. The Punic enclave in the southwest accused the mercenaries of impounding their trading vessels and stealing the cargo. The situation escalated and a Punic army marched toward Messana and the Senate hurriedly debated this shift in the balance of power in the region. A legion was sent to Sicily with one of the Consuls, he negotiated with the mercenaries in the city and agreed to take the city under Roman protection. The Punic army moved on toward the city and rumours of a double cross reached the Consul, Punic agents were caught returning from Messana with papers showing collusion with the mercs. The Roman army marched into the city and slaughtered the garrison. Realising they had no hope against a full legion imbeded within the city the Punic force withdrew. No offensive moves had been made against the other by either nation, but a state of war was the result and the war would only end when one side had control of the island.
There was one other obstacle to either side taking control of the entire island, Syracuse. One of the most influential Greek cities in the Mediterranean, so long as she was independent the war would always be on a knife edge. A number of Punic attempts on the city were repulsed before Rome sent a second legion to the island. Legion I laid seige to the city and Legion II guarded the approach from Punic territory, the Roman fleet block all access to and from the port and the city slowly starved.
The call up of Legion II was when Drusus and his colleagues were drafted back into the army. Reporting for duty Drusus knew he would be returning as a Princeps, there was no guarantee he would keep his old position however, and he certainly didn't expect to have his old team back. As he approached the recruitment tents he saw a familiar face, Gaius Septimus Severus, son of a Senator and part of his old team awaited him. "Hey, Drusus. Good to see you, how you been?" "Oh, you know, miss killing barbarians. Life gets pretty boring here in Rome. You in with the Principes this time?" Severus looked shifty, "Yeah, the old man pulled a few strings behind my back. I've got a centurions commision. Get to select anybody I want for my century however, you're one of my decani and you got all your old team. Apart from me of course." Drusus smiled, "At least I know I've got men I can trust at my side. Err, Camillus?." Severus laughed, "Admit it, it wouldn't be the same without him."
They sailed from Ostia a few days later and landed in Messana, the gibbets where the Mamertines had been hung were still standing, a few bones bleached by the sun still hanging. No time to acclimatize, they marched out that same day and headed south in the shadow of the volcano and moved toward Syracuse. Legio I had already surrounded the city, they were relieved by the newcomers and moved west to guard against a Punic attack.
That had been two years ago, seiging a city like Syracuse was a totally different prospect to the Celtic hovels they had attacked in the Po valley. It had stores of food, and even the entire Roman navy blockading the port couldn't stop every ship attempting to resupply the beleaguered city. Two years was a long time however and the civilian populace as well as the garrison suffered horrendously, the shattered remnants of a once proud city eventually marched out in a show of defiance. Drusus watched the battle begin from a new position, in the centre of the lines even further back than before. The army had been placed on a hill however, which gave him a good view of the Syracusan forces as they approached.
As they watched the sallying army moved toward the Roman right flank. "That's were we would have been, we aren't going to see any action back here." complained Camillus. Drusus ignored him.
The entire Syracusan army were moving toward the Roman right, the Principes began edging in that direction. "Hold!" came the call from Severus.
As the enemy moved toward the skirmishers they began to get into pilum range. "Ready pila!"
The skirmishers moved back in the face of the Syracusan infantry. "Steady!" came the call. Loss of discipline in moving forward to fill the suddenly empty space in front of them could prove fatal.
The battle then moved back from the Roman lines as the cavalry engaged, the Principes stood with the rest of the infantry watching, awaiting the order to advance.
When the order to advance came it was only the Hastati ordered forward to mop up the remnants of the enemy infantry. The Roman cavalry had decimated their opponents and were now routing the rest of the defenders from the field, the Hastati moved to assist them with the rest of the legion ordered to hold position.
Soon the city surrendered and the rest of the army returned to camp. Not the day Drusus and his men had expected.
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Originally Posted by Sonic
Brav.... eh.... 
from plutoboyz
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