The Will of the Senate - Battle reports

[econ21]

[This thread is for write-ups of dramatic battles in the Will of the Senate thread. Please only post write-ups - comments or questions etc should be raised in the out of character thread. Tables listing all battles under each First Consul will also be posted here.]

A list of battles in the reign of First Consul Quintus (aka econ21), 280 BC - 275 BC


v=clear victory
cv=close victory
hv=heroic victory

[econ21]

The Battle of Agrigento, autumn 276BC

From Quintus's journal...

In the same season as I secured Messana, I marched our Consular army quickly back to strike the Carthaginian field army outside Agrigento.




The climactic battle of my consulship. It will be a fair fight.




Fortune favours us - we find the enemy army deployed on the plain as we advance downhill from the heights around Mount Etna.




The enemy place their African elephants at the head of their army and the velites who screen our advance make short work of them.




One of the beast survives, maddened by fear and goes crashing into the Carthaginians own ranks, sowing chaos.



A unit of caetrati cavalry charges the velites on our right, but our equites counter-charge and the matter is decided when our Italian spearmen approach in support.




In the centre, the enemy general bravely charges our infantry, but falls to our spears.


Roused by fury, the main body of Carthaginian infantry and cavalry press forward to attack our advancing line. Our infantry halts, fires pila and javelins, and then a general melee breaks out. But the enemy's heart is not in the contest. Gradually our cavalry moves in from both flanks and the Carthaginian army dissolves in flight.





We pursue the fleeing Carthaginians into Agrigento where we trap and kill the one elephant and two generals who survived the field battle.

[econ21]

A list of battles fought in the reign of First Consul Lucius Aemilius (aka DDW).


Roman casualties : 1339

Gaul casualties : 8555
Carthage casualties : 3662
Rebel casualties : 250
---
enemy casualties : 12467

[econ21]

[An account of a dramatic intervention in the Senate by Tribune Augustus Verginius, as faithfully recorded by a Senate scribe]:
*The Senate doors are thrown open and a man appears in the entrance, his face pale, his body covered in blood.*

Conscript fathers! It was an ambush! I know not how, but they fell on us... Gauls, thousands of them! We had been trudging through a blinding snowstorm to meet up with Consul Aemilius when we heard a mighty roar from the left...



I do not know how it happened, I barely had time to think. The rearguard was still inside a small copse of trees and I ordered the rest of the men to rally around them. In truth, I had little to do with it, it was the centurians who reacted fastest. We had only just formed some semblance of a line when the mass broke upon us!



I... I cannot describe the horror of the sound of that impact. I have seen war before, but not like this. It was like the Underworld, I tell you! Our line bent back on itself as their mass overwhelmed us, pushing us back. For a while it seemed as though the men would break. The Legion, they stood their ground, they made the Gauls pay for every inch of soil, but we had not enough men... not enough...

They flanked us! Bypassed the right wing and turned upon us from the rear! There were no reinforcements, no rescue, no one to fend off the deathblow... so I looked to my men. The seventeen brave souls who have served me on this campaign; it was to them I looked. We all knew it would be our deaths, but it was an end we gladly accepted in defense of the Republic. We charged, oh... what a glorious charge...



The Gauls though would not break, would not let up their relentless assault. My men were too few, their bravery outweighing their numbers. We charged again and again until we were but a scattered few. My men... my brave men... it seemed only a moment had passed, yet I could see not a single one of my companions. The Gauls remained though, the Legion still in crisis and I still drew breath... so I charged again alone.



I took down three of the beasts, but they swarmed up at me without end. I saw my end in a spear thrust to the face, when suddenly a sword caught the deadly point and turned it. I wiped the blood from my eyes and saw Luca Mamilius, the foremost of my guard and a personal friend who had ridden with me since he left the Academy. He had gathered with him the four other survivors of my guard and they had cut their way through the Gauls to aid me. He looked at me hard and gestured to the left flank. I followed his arm and then I saw him... the demon of hell himself, Lucco! He had turned the other flank and was viciously cutting through the unarmored Velites. They were falling quickly, no match for the heavily armored Gallic demons.

I fear... I fear I failed my men. Rage overtook me. The sight of brave Romans falling to a Gallic horde brought back nightmares I have had since childhood... nightmares of Brennus and the sack of Rome. I abandoned my men on the right and rode at Lucco, not caring if I lived or died. I neglected my duty, neglected my men...

It seemed like an eternity that we sparred, he and I. I screamed in his face and spat blood on his armor as our swords clashed. In truth, I remember little. I do not know how it happened, how it ended. My men tell me that he fell, struck by a fatal blow...



...and horrible things. I do not remember, but they say I leaped from my saddle and severed his head in a single blow, screaming wildly and throwing the bloody mass into the melee. As if a witch's spell had been broken, the beasts turned as one and ran...



In a rage, I submitted once again to my rage and ordered my men to pursue. I must have personally ridden down and butchered 50 of the things before I came to my senses. In the end, one Gaul was spared. To him was given the severed head of Lucco, to take back across the Alps as a warning and as a testament to the bravery of my Legion.



Senators... I submit to you as a failed man. I failed my men, failed the Republic. At the moment of greatest crisis, I let my anger overcome me, overcome duty. I abandoned the most threatened part of the line and rode against Lucco. The success of the battle does not counteract my shame at the action. It was the Legion that won the battle, not I. When I let emotion take over, they held true to discipline. I will never be as worthy of praise as the most low-born of soldiers on the field that day. I beg of you, Senators... honor my men for their bravery and forgive me for my failures.

[econ21]

Marcella walks quietly up to the desk where the Senate scribe keeps the First Consuls's reports. She takes out a letter from under her cloak, kisses it lightly and places it with the documents in the box...

Later, an irritated scribe retrieves the letter and angrily files it in the correct box.

Dear Marcella,

I must be the first to tell you - your father is fine, as am I. The battle was won and neither of us was hurt, although our poor horses were run into the ground.

You were right to tell me to vote for the First Consul - he was most wise. He warned your father that there was a chance a landing on Sardinia would be met by a Consular sized army. But your father did not believe it. The old man said that, even if Carthage did mount a seaborne landing, it was better that they do it in Sardinia, where we have no settlements to lose, than in Sicily where we have many.



The Carthaginian army (its two mercenary peltasts are not shown)

First Consul Aemilius was also considerate - he told your father we did not need to fight, that we could withdraw. We looked at the size of the enemy ranged against. We looked at the great heights we were forced to deploy below. We looked at each other, but had no need of words. Your father is a proud man. Twice a Consul, to withdraw from battle after his triumph in Sicily would have been a dishonour he could not bear.

Our ambush had failed, so we were forced to deploy at the bottom of a steep incline, with the Carthaginians above us. Your father decided to set up our battle line as far up the slope as he could, in the hope of wrong-footing the enemy. Some luck was with us, as the enemy appeared some distance away from us and not on the heights overlooking our position. So your father gave the order to the army - we had to race the Carthaginians to the top of the slope.



Quintus orders his army to march for the heights to try to deprive the Carthaginians of their advantageous position.

But the Carthaginians had no intention of racing us. They simply wanted to kill us. They marched straight for us and their cavalry reached us before we could gain a significant height advantage. Fortunately, your father had deployed the legion to the right of the alae, so it was true Romans who bore the brunt of the Carthaginian charge. We beat off the initial attacks by their three troops of cavalry, but the Principes were left exposed on our right flank and soon engulfed in a mass of Carthaginian infantry.



The Carthaginian cavalry leads the assault on the Roman legion. Quintus just manages to extract his escort from a melee with one troop of enemy cavalry before mercenary hoplites can pull off a charge to his rear. But the principes enveloped on the right flank can have no such quick escape.



Ashtzaph charges the surrounded principes in their flank but still they hold.

The principes faught valiantly, but were gradually surrounded on all sides. Then the enemy general, Ashtzaph, charged his escort into their rear. The battle was now at a critical stage - if the principes broke, it would have unravelled our line and caused a chain rout.

I was fighting on the left flank, driving off another cavalry troop. Your father had given me command of that wing. My job was to use the small height advantage our forced march had gained us and try to turn the enemy's right. But it was slow work. We had no numerical advantage and our men were already exhausted by the climbing they had done. The principes had to hold on. Their job that day was to buy me time at the cost of their lives.



Tribune Titus Vatinus gets into a dangerous spot. Again and again, the Roman generals must use their mobility in hit and run tactics. Against so many Carthaginian spears, to be stationary would be suicide.

Gradually, the brave principes fell. They were utterly surrounded and whole cohorts of Carthaginian came up behind them to march on my forces. The only support available for the principes was your father’s escort and with so many enemies falling upon our poor infantry, your father could not directly charge to their aid. He could only charge around them, trying to drive off harassing skirmishers.



The mid-point of the battle. The Romans have gained the ascendancy on the left but the cohort of principes is being overwhelmed on the right. The white horses of Quintus’s escort charge some peltasts but dare not engage the mass of spearmen who are mobbing the principes.

Your father’s efforts to support the principes attracted the attention of Ashtzaph, who fortunately had a much smaller escort and by now had squandered the three troops of cavalry he started the battle with. The two generals and their escorts duelled for a while and again your father had to withdraw when the fighting attracted the attention of the enemy infantry.



Quintus extracts his escort from the melee but the over-eager Carthaginian general pursues

His men say your father personally slew Ashtzaph. Your father refuses to say whether this is true. He says it was like a frenzy, like hounds tearing at a fox and it is impossible to know who struck the fatal blow. Whatever the truth, the old man was certainly in at the kill.



Quintus’s horse rears up as that of his rival falls.

With the death of their leader, the tide had turned. Ashtzaph was an outstanding commander - in his way, as good as your father, and his presence inspired his men to fight fiercely. But with his death, their resolve began to falter. I led my wing to overrun the Carthaginian right, while slowly our men began to move down to where a lone principes fought doggedly on.



The turning point of the battle. With their leader dead, the Carthaginian morale is fragile and units begin to rout. In the distance, the white horses of Tribune Vatinius's escort start to envelope the enemy right while in the foreground, the velites move to support the heroic last principes on the enemy's left.

Now, with their resolve wavering, it was safe for your father and I to charge the enemy infantry. Your father moved to support the brave velites who had drawn their swords and were fighting in close order like heavy infantry.



As the Carthaginian right dissolves, Quintus charges their left. But his targets, although exhausted, are still steady and the charge will not be enough

Again and again, your father charged until eventually the enemy broke.



Quintus, on the mid-left of the picture, leads the charge against the last unbroken Carthaginian infantry

After that, my dear, it was slaughter. We let only twenty of the enemy escape. My escort claim they killed 221 of the enemy. Your father’s boast of 511 kills. But the best news was that the chirurgeons did their work wonderfully. Although 181 of our men fell, the chirurgeons were able to revive 92 of them. These included 60 of the brave principes - the Carthaginians had so respected the bravery of these men, they had spared the wounded and these were rescued when the battle was over.



What happens next, my dear, is up to the First Consul. The worst of it is, we have spotted two more Carthaginian armies near Caralis, both of full Consular size. While we could probably triumph over another, it would be folly to risk attacking two. Your father is requesting that the Consular I Army be restored to full strength, with another legion and alae sent to our aid. But whether Aemilius chooses us to lead the inevitable confrontation is a decision only for him.

I am sorry to write so impersonally to you my dear. But I know your interest in our campaigns and I suspect that you will wish to show this account to others of our friends in the Senate. I will write a private letter to you soon, but for this now, I must take my leave and wish you every happiness in these troubled times,

Your loving husband,


Titus Vatinius

[shifty157]

My Consul Lucius,

I write to you now by the light of my candle as I sit within my tent and look out upon the river. The stench of blood is still strong and the moonlight sparkles over the dulling swords and shields and spears and helms that litter the pass. We have abandoned the western shore as it is too dangerous. The Gauls are known for their tricks and ambushes and I would not risk an envelopement of my forces during the third watch. But I digress as I write to you to tell you of the battle and what occured.

The Gauls arrived on the western shore early before noon. My scouts had reported their movement and I knew that two forces were converging here, the single ford on the length of this river which you have tasked me to protect and defend at all costs to keep our new lands in italy safe and unmolested by the ravages of war and Gauls.

Indeed, the men had a splendid time when we arrived. Having marched through the night immediatly following the sacking of the town of Massilia without rest we arrived at the ford and then men bathed and swam in its waters. We had arrived a week ago.

I suspected the Gauls to rest for the upon their arrival as I was very surprised. I had not expected them until the evening or the next morning but it seems they forcemarched through the night to reach the ford. Whether or not they knew of the defenses of the third legion I know not but seeing as they marched hurriedly and without rest for well over a day I assumed them to set up camp until the evening or next morning when they would launch the attack. I was mistaken however and it seems completely defying human stamina after an hour or so of preparation they formed ranks for their attack.

I quickly called my men, a much smaller force by several times, and they formed ranks as I had instructed them to upon our arrival. My triarii, my rock, I placed in my center with my principes on the right flank and my hastati on the left. Being that the shield is carried on the left arm it is clear that a man will charge to his left before he will charge to his right so that he may have the full protection of his shield. For this reason I placed the principes on the right flank because I knew they were more capable to handle the additional men than were the hastati. These men I placed directly on the shore as I would not concede an inch of the eastern side unfought. Directly behind them I placed my skirmishers and I placed my funditores on the left flank. As cavalry has little role in such confined areas I stayed behind along with my good friend, the brave Luca, and the remainder of the cavalry.



These preparations made the Gauls wasted no time in cahrging into the water. Only after they had reached the eastern shore did I order the skirmishers to begin their fire along with the hastati and principes. Hails of javelins rained down upon the charging Gauls but soon I realised that the Gaulish general had sent in the inexperienced fresh recruits first to bear the brunt of my missile fire and our swords. Regardless, as the bulk of the enemy host entered the waters I commanded my funditores to begin their fire and they proceeded with a certain relish to hurl their stones into the midst of the gathered and waiting enemy. So many Gauls were killed in the river by the funditores and the skirmishers that a veritable bridge of stones and bodies formed across the river allowing a man to cross without ever touching water.

For a time we held the horde contained in the small box of shields which my men constituted but soon small gaps began to appear at the joints in the formation and seeing this I ordered the skirmishers (their javelins expended) to hurry and seal them before they grew any worse. Unable to join the battle, I and Luca rode the battle lines and encouraged our forces and they fought the fiercer for it.

It was at this moment that I spotted the Gaulish general moving swiftly with his cavalry escort to the front line. He personally charged the ranks of triarii which up to this point had remained intact and undaunted. He charged with his escort, throwing their ranks into disarray and laying low men on all his sides but his foolish charge into the spearpoints of the triarii quickly took its toll and his escort was quickly reduced to only a few men. Sensing the complete collapse of the line under the weight I personally charged with my own escort through the ranks of triarii and pushed back the enemy horde along with its commander. The triarii knew such a tactic could not hold the enemy at bay for long and quickly readdressed their ranks and prepared to accept the charge of Gauls. With a signal of their readiness I and my escort withdrew from the battle and as the Gauls fell back on the triarii. Quickly questioning my men I found that none had slain the enemy general but they had accounted for all of his elite escort. Perhaps not realising he was without an escort, the Gaulish general again charged the triarii line and again broke it but this time, alone, he quickly found himself surrounded and cut down.

Word of his death spread quickly and the Gauls fled the field of battle back into the river. Calling forth my cavalry, I and Luca side by side and eager to account for some kills of our own, we charged through the infantry line after them into the river. Immediatly before I gave strict orders that no infantryman should break rank and pursue as well and this was egnerally followed until to my horror I realized it had not in only one instance later.

Riding over the bridge of corpses our cavalry had reached the opposite shore before we realized that the rout had been a trick by the clever Gauls. Unable to distinguish between the enemy fleeing and the enemy standing firm our cavalry unexpectedly met stiff resistence. After a few minutes of feverish fighting I realized that this enemy was not quite so ready to flee and so I retreated to the riverbank when suddenly from behind me charged my funditores. I can only guess as to what brought them to charge across the ford against my orders. Perhaps it was because I had purposely kept them from battle and now they wished to use their swords. I cannot say but they had passed me before I could call them back and those that could perhaps hear me ignored me. They almost instantly enveloped in the Gaulish mob and I lost sight of them completely. Knowing their tactical importance to the defense of the ford I called for all my infantry to cross the river and engage with all haste and this they began to do but time was against me. The funditores could not survive long surrounded by Gauls eager to enact revenge. I again personally charged the Gaulish mob with my escort in the hopes of breaking the line to reach the funditores. I got withing sight of them but the Gaulish line held and I was repulsed. By the time my infantry led by the principes charged the Gaulish lines the few funditores left were fighting to the death. The Gauls only began to flee after every last of the sixty funditores was slain.

Enraged I called all the cavalry to me and we rode hard after the Gauls who fled. Passing the mound of dead funditores where those last men fell upon eachother and fought literally upon their fallen comrades I let up a cry that was echoed by even the horses and we rode all the harder.

The Gauls it seems, having seen how well their trick worked the first time, attempt to pull the same trick again and rallied and assembled to charge us. My cavalry broke upon them and swept them ahead of us in our steel furry and none of those men were left alive. We ran our horses raw the rest of the day hunting down any of those Gauls who managed to escape the field alive.

Tomorrow we shall bury our dead and burn theirs but tonight the men rejoice the victory and those brave men who have fallen. I rejoice with them.

I have heard a rather humorous and pleasing story from a few of the scouts who I dispatched immediatly after the battle. Infiltrating several Gaulish settlements those witnesses of the battle have begun to spread stories and rumors about the third legion and myself in particular. It is true that I allowed the heat of battle overtake me at times but some of the stories they whisper are simply absurd. One in particular states that I rode out and met the fornt ranks of the Gauls in the middle of the river and there fought and slew men as I was surrounded. The rumor claims my horse stood perfectly still for the length of the battle as I fought men on all sides until my infantry line could push back the Gauls to meet my position. I laughed heartily when I heard this.



I have compiled the relevent lists of men and casualties. It seems that I and my escort personally accounted for over 400 enemy dead. Luca showed his bravery many times and he has given me the figure of about 100 enemies slain by his hand though I believe this figure to be excessively modest on his part. I personally saw him slay more men than he claims.

The sixty funditores cut down accounted for nearly half of all of our casualties.





Your faithful commander,

Publius Laevinius

[TinCow]

Legate Verginius,

You have been tasked with preventing the Macedonian armies invading from the north from entering Epirus. The lead invading army has entered the place known as Valley of Greeks with the intention of moving south into Epirus. You have intercepted it.

The Macedonian army is about 1000 men strong and is led by a captain. You command Legion II, slightly understrength. I am sure you will be able to annihilate this army, but, and I can't stress this enough, there are two more similar armies trailing this one, with similar intentions, and our reinforcements out of Italy are at least two or three seasons away. Do not take any unnecessary risks; your primary objective is preserving your force. Any delay or annihilation you can impart upon the Macedonians is a bonus. Good luck.

Tiberius Coruncanius.

So read the letter and so it was. The first of three invading Macedonian armies was before me, and it was to be stopped by a single Legion with few losses. Easier said than done.



Upon sighting us, the Macedonian captain spurred him men after us. Though we had made the first aggressive move, their superiority in numbers gave them confidence enough to sieze the initiative. In response, I urged my men to the top of one of the high hills surrounding the valley. They men quickly tired, but they would get a chance to rest before the fight, while our enemies would not.



As the Macedonian wave closed on us, we darkened the skies with pilia and lead and many an enemy fell. But for each man that died, nine more marched on.



Their approach was slow and tedious. Their energy sapped from the strong climb. Well before they reached our lines, I ordered the charge. The Triarii, Italian Spearmen and Principes rushed directly into the middle of the enemy, to anchor them in place and hold, while the Hastati, Velites and Italian Swordsmen caught the flanking troops. I personally led the cavalry charges with Secundus Salvidienus by my side. First we ran headlong into a group of Hypaspistai who were attempting to countercharge our left flank. Though not routing them, we killed two-thirds of them in a single charge, before moving off to engage the main body.



From there we charged, again and again, into the foe. Breaking their spirit and churning their exhausted bodies to pulp beneath the hooves of our horses. The Italian horsemen suffered greatly and all but two fell in the melee, but the Praetoria stood strong and inflicted great hurt upon the Macedonians.




At the same time, the Velites found their way around the enemy's left flank and put their light infantry to the rout.



With both flanks broken, the enemy turned to flee and we cut them down with ease. Yet, one in five of our men had been injured and one in ten would not rise again. We are weakened and two more armies yet remain.

[x-dANGEr]

Summer, 263 BC, West of Athens.

I, Publius Pansa enter the horizon of the battle from a high hill.. Shyly; since it is my first battle as the first commander, I order my men into formation. I put the two units of Italian Spearmen in the front, backed up with a unit of Hesitati, Principals and Italian Swordsmen each. I deploy the Velitas on the right flank. The tops aren't that far, and that will give the army a bonus to benifit throughly.

The enemy forces appear on sight. Surprisingly, the general of the enemy army rides alone, daring the whole legion to kill him. And his wishs are carried out. I, with my tribune and a unit of Italian Cavalry charge through at him. Strangely, his army doesn't dare to step one foot in the direction of my units.. It seems the fame of Romans have has trembled their morale.

At all costs, I carry out my charge on the enemy general, and his brave -though weak- escort. They all die as the tip of our spears hit their chests. Only the general is alive still:


I give the order to disengage and fall back, for I want the enemy general to be litterly slaughtered, to install more fear into the Greek warriors, and make them ponder with no avail. As soon as I retreat, I give the order to the Hesitati, Principals and Italian Swordsmen to rain him with Javelins, and they do. The greek general falls down with dozens of Javelines into his body.

After that scene, the army that came with the general froze still, and came the other army from the south, which was running up the hil, ranting, to better describe them.

I order my legion into formation again, to face the incoming shivering masses of Hoplitais. The enemy Hoplitais charge my infantry, after being weared down by the many javs into their necks. After the initial charge, I gave the orders to my tribune, and the Italian Cavalry unit to sway around the enemy backs causing fear into their soul, and when I order to charge. A well corporated charge leads to a wave of screams that finally led to the whole greek army fleeing off the field.

And now, remained the enemy general's army.. And it timidly standing there, with no desire to move.

In a desperate try to stirr them up, I sent in the Velitas, to rain some death on them, with no avail.

I tried to march one of my units up.. But I couldn't, the passage was so narrow, close to impassable.

And so, I kept on surrounding, maybe they will attack sometime.

The battleground is brutal. Too many gree bodies, no wonder they don't dare to come down.



I don't blame them.. Just look at their general.



Battle End:


Statistics:


P.S. Do you guys have any idea why non of my men got healed !!! It is really annoying!

[x-dANGEr]

Autumn, 262 BC, North east of Corinth


I order my men into formation, and fast they arrange. The men, so confident; for they intimidated the enemy last battle, march uniformly to the incoming army. Just another battle, another bloodshed near the beautiful river..

The 2 armies approach each other. The main enemy army is formed of 3 Hoplitai units and 1 Peltast unit, led by a man in one of the Hoplitai units, the assising army is formed of 1 Hoplitai unit, with it's captain in it. I send my Velitas unit to the right flank, in the rear of the enemy. And advance along with my tribune, and the Italian Cavalry unit, and stand still in the rear of the enemy, too. Bringing them fear, whole masses of fear. The enemy sends 2 Hoplitai units to the Roman mass of infantry, sends another Hoplitai chasing the Velitas unit and one last Hoplitai chasing me, and my companions.



I manouver the Hoplitai unit, and strike down the enemy Peltasts unit, then order my tribune to charge it in the rear, causing it's men to flee in panic. I order the Italian Cavalry unit to chase it, and go along with my tribune to charge one of the Hoplitai units engaged with the infantry in the back, and we do so, causing it to flee, too. So, I chase it along with my tribune. The numbers of the other Hoplitai unit go down fast, considering it is surrounded from each side by brave Romans, and so it flees, as well. Now, the enemy 2 captains charge my infantry. Of course I haven't spotted this, as I was away mobbing up the runners, and after I did, I went back to the scene along with all the cavalry, and managed the army closely.



Now, I wait for the right moment, and then order my tribune and the Italian Cavalry unit to charge the captain on the left, while I charge the one on the right. One second before our charges reached, both the captains died, and their men were dazzled for a second, allowing for an easier job for me, and all the cavalry. At all cost, as soon as the charge hits, all the enemy men rout.



I start chasing those runners along with all the cavalry.. One unit almost had fled, but I managed to catch it at the last moment, before it went out of the horizon.

Battle end:



Statistics:

[x-dANGEr]

Winter, 262 BC, Corinth.

The filthy Greeks dared and attacked us.. A thing I haven't imagined, not at all..



The battle starts, and I order all my men out of the town, at once. I first go and attack the weaker army, or in the other words, the one with Levi Hoplitais and a regular Hoplitai unit.

I first order the Spearmen to engage, and order the Principals and the Hesitati to charge in the rear, and the enemy routs. I chase the routers along with the other cavalry.



Then, I order the re-depolyment to face the other army, that was formed of a Spartian Hoplitai unit, and a regular Hoplitai unit.



The enemy army rattles our way..



The engagement is soon.



The Spartan Hoplitai unit tries to charge me, and so I retreat; along with all the cavalry of the army, and drag it away of the main event.



So, I order my men to encircle the Hoplitai unit. And you know what happens next..





After that, I go back with the cavalry behind our now re-deployed infantry lines and wait the Spartan Hoplitai unit.



You know what happens next..










Game End:



Statistics:

[TinCow]

Spring, 261 BC

The garrison of Scodra was besieged by a force many times their size which formed a solid ring of steel around the city walls. Without the aid of Legio II Sabina Quintia, they would surely die.



And so, we marched on them, to save lives by taking them. Great efforts were made to get a message to Marcus Laevinus in the city, but the Macedonian pickets were too cunning. None of our attempts succeeded and we were forced to attack without a coordinated sally from the garrison. Legio II, heavily understrength, but with skill and pride enough for an entire Consular Army, formed up and prepared themselves for what was to come.

As the lines were drawn, the Funditores began harassing the enemy formations.



After a prolonged bombardment, some of the Macedonians lost their discipline and deserted the main line in an attempt to rid themselves of the painful lead rain. This was exactly what I had hoped for. Legio II quickly enveloped the exposed Macedonians and slew them before their comrades could react.



As the sounds of battle grew ever louder, a runner came to report that Marcus Laevinus had arrived with the Scodra garrison. His presence was most welcome, but the chaos of the scene prevented me from speaking with him personally and thus our forces operated independantly of one another. The Macedonians saw the new arrivals as well, and quickly sent a force of light cavalry to delay their progress.



The garrions's Italian Skirmishers took many casualties in the initial charge, but held firm and eventually repelled the enemy horse. Seeing this, the Macedonian general himself led a charge on the garrison. His impact was vicious and men all over the field shuddered at the horror of the blow. The Italian Swordsmen melted before him and the survivors fled for their lives.



Seeing his force in danger of collapsing against this onslaught, Marcus Laevinus orded the body into formation with Legio II and then went to cover their flank personally. He was intercepted by the Macedonian second in command and a great melee ensued. Many a foe was felled, but I fear that Marcus' inexperience in battle was his undoing. A shudder went through the Scodra garrison as news of his death spread.



Seeing the Scodra garrison about to break completely, Legio II's Tribune, Secundus Salvidienus, took the initiative and charged the men who had slain the brave Laevinus. With revenge formost in his mind, Salvidienus plunged his sword into the Macedonian's chest.



With their commander avenged, most of the Scodra garrison regained their composure and returned to the fight. I joined Salvidienus and together we trapped and slew the commanding Macedonian general. Yet, for all that the main enemy line held firm. We surrounded it and they began to fall, but they inflicted a heavy price.



Every man on the field was called on to ensure that the Macedonians were finally broken. The Funditores, their lead long since exhausted, were led into the melee while the two Italian Cavalrymen who had survived the previous battle were sent after the enemy skirmishers. In a remarkable feat of bravery, they single-handedly routed and slew in excess of forty of them.



Eventually the Macedonians fell, until but a single group of spearmen remained. With one last, great effort, these men were surrounded and eliminated.



The battle had been won, Scodra had been saved, but at a high price. A Senator has fallen in the line of battle and Legio II is less than half the strength of a full Legion.





The Macedonian armies continue to flood the passes with no end, yet we have received no reinforcements and the situation is growing dire. I can only hope that the next report the Senate receives from Legio II does not recount my own fate.