The Will of the Senate - Battle reports

[Death the destroyer of worlds]

Our watchtower at the Danube had reported more Thracian forces moving southwest towards Aquileia. Having left Gnaeus Hordeonius in charge of the occupation of Segestica, I, Lucius Aemilius, commander of the Legio I Italia Victrix, intercepted the largest of the Thracian hordes. The terrain was not very favourable, but we could hardly let the enemy pass by and so I decided to offer battle. The Thracians are very adept in fighting in the woods and I found myself on a forested hillside where my cavalry would be useless. Accordingly I tried to lure them into the open by placing my battle line in the unforested area.


This seemed to succeed at first, but just before their usual charge en masse they retreated and Thracians appeared running from the woods on our right flank, which was held by a unit of Italian swordsmen. It was an excellent move on their commander's part, and I quickly responded by sending another cohort of Italian swordsmen from my left flank to help them out. I held the Roman troops in reserve untill the commander's plan was clear.


Then I heard the hardpressed Italian swordsmen centurion shout out : General, Flanking manouver !!!
Using their natural stealth in the forest, the Thracians were attempting to circle round our right flank and attack the embattled Italian swordsmen in the back. I immediately reacted by ordering the orginal reinforcements to attack the Thracian ambushers instead. This still left the orginal right flank without reinforcements and so I ordered another cohort, of hestati this time, to rush to the aid of our beleagered auxilia.


The lightly armoured auxilia had taken severe losses against the heavy Thracian infantry, slashing away at them with their deadly falxes, but our men doggedly stood their ground. As the battle was a stalemate I ordered the Principes to break formation and encircle the Thracian right flank. The other cohort of Italian swordsmen, fighting the Thracian ambushers, were also in need of assistence. I sent in my skirmishers to outflank the Thracian ambushers.



Now our forces were evenly matched and the Thracians were becoming encircled. Still the Thracians were not about to give up. Then they broke trough at our right flank, creating a dangerous situation. If the Italian swordsmen, encircled now, panicked, my entire right flank might fold. Accordingly, I send in all the remaining troops, the triarii to attack the Thracians in the rear and the Italian spearmen to block the gap and save their brothers, the Italian swordsmen.



The spearmen attacked with gusto and rescued their friends and this setback was the straw that broke the Thracian morale and they routed, pursued by the legion.
Our cavalry had meanwhile been luring the Thracian commander away on a wild goose chase. When he saw his men running from the woods in terror he realised he had lost and attempted to withdraw. This was the moment to strike and I ordered the charge.


When I cornered them against a cliff, they bravely turned and fought, but we ground them under the hooves of our horses.

I beheaded their commander's corpse and ordered the sole cowering surviving Thracian to carry it back to their King, with the warning that such will be the fate of all Thracians who set foot on Roman soil.


Of the Italian swordsmen, who were at the center of the fighting, only 14 men were still standing. If they had broken, the battle might have been lost. I commended them in front of the rest of the troops and they did not want for drink or fellowship in the camp that night. Truly, this is the Legio I Italia Victrix !

Roma Victor !