NationStates Jolt Archive

The Teotuburger Wald was completely quiet, it was around noon and seemed as if nature slept except for the sound of a steady march, the soldiers of the 17,18,19 legions moved through the forest, one legion up the middle and one on each flank. Formations were difficult to hold on account of the terrian which was muddy, thick with branches, elevations and rivers, officers rode back and fourth up and down the 'lines' ensuring the men under their command were attempting to hold a decent line.

The sky was dark and cloudy looking as if rain would come at any time, the weather was beginning to change, fall was just beginning to set in. Recent reports claimed that the enemy was in the area but nothing to worry about for Rome's mighty legions believed they had the upper hand when it came to the barbarians of Germainia.

Marcellus Regillus Celer, a veteran legionairre with the 17th glanced to his left because he thought he had seen movement in the thick woods....

I don't like this...it's...too quiet...He thought looking foward once more..

He gripped his Pilum and Scutum tighter, he then wisped to the man next to him, his best friend Decius Genucius Sacae,

"Decius, somthing is wrong here....really wrong...my combat sence tells me so, and whens the last time you seen a messenger ride by?...huh?"

An officer on horse back seen him talking,

"You there! quiet and keep your eyes to the front!"

The officer rode off further up the line...

Marcellus was on the far side of the coloum in the outside rank, his attention continued to drift to the left more and more, he felt eyes staring at him from the woods.....animals......human, he looked to his right glancing at the other legionairres trying to see if they were noticing anything, it didn't appear so.....

Marcellus knew that the legions formations were shabby and for the most part un-organized, the terrian made it difficult to move as one which they were trained to do, if an attack was planned this would be the perfect place to launch it, but Marcellus was confident the Romans could easily turn the enemy around with their strength and superior training, he began to grow more confident while fixing his eyes on the legions banners and standard bearers ahead of him boosting his morale for the most part...

A wide river was ahead and the formations slowed as the front ranks made their way across, the water was up to the bottom of their togas.....

The wind was still, the skies clouded. Everything was silent. The Germanic warriors crept through the dense woods, inching ever closer to the Roman columns. The Romans have entered the region to conquer everything they saw. The Germanic tribes united to face this great enemy for one last battle, hopefully. Warriors from every tribe, including their champions clamored t the thought of Roman blood spilt. Alaricus Remitix, champion of his tribe especially desired revenge. For years he saw his fellow tribesmen die for Rome, to get nothing in return. He held his shield close and gripped his sword with weathered knuckles.
"Steady my brothers, we are almost upon them" he whispered to his men. He and fifty warriors from his tribe came to this fight to slaughter the Romans. And a slaughter it would be. Alaricus in this moment thought of his wife and young daughter, wondering if he would see them in this world or the next. Warfare was gruesome. But they all know that and so did he wife. He fought with the love for his family, and his hatred of the Romans.

Bump....

As the centuria began to loosen formation, Tiberius (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12115369&postcount=70) began his growl:

“Close up…you there, get in here! What do you think this is? Some whore’s thighs? Tighten the march!”

The Optio didn’t trust this campaign. The nineteenth had followed Drusus deeper into the blasted woods to the north - but this wasn't the nineteenth and the two idiots in charge of this…well, they weren’t Drusus. The flipping native scouts disappearing wasn’t a good sign either.

Who the hell choose this route? It’s too wet to carry scutum, and the mules were falling behind. This didn’t feel right…

I’m going to get that rat of a Pilus Prior, he thought. Giving me these sons of whores to watch and herd.

“Get that space closed! Close it up – you! I’ll run you through myself…”

Marcellus moved foward slowly, the soldiers in front of him were moving steadily when all of a sudden a massed war cry echoed through the air, the legionairres were suprized and they all shifted left, to right trying to figure out in which direction the attack would come but it sounded as if they were completely surrounded. The war cry continued to roar then barbarians were seen rushing from the trees in a rage swinging their crude weapons in the air, a Centurion rode out in front of the left flank,

"FACE LEFT!! DEFENCIVE POSITIONS!" He bellowed

A projectile from a sling struck him right in the head dismounting him, his horse reared up then made a run for it.....

The line never received the order to loose their piliums at the attacking enemy therefore they were useless...

The legionairres on the left flank turned preparing for battle, in only seconds the wave of barbarians would crash into their ranks....suddenly the sound of metal on metal rang out, Marcellus lifted his shield leveling his spear as the horde was only paces away, he started to breathe heaviliy, adrenline rushing, then let out his own war cry as a Barbarian lifted his sword to strike, the Roman thrust outwards stabbing his enemy in the chest....

Next...

The German tribesmen crashed into the shabby lines of legionaiires fighting like wild animals, Marcellus found himself facing another man immeditly, he threw his pilium catching the attacker in his middle then drew his Gladius meeting another mans blade instantly, if things continued like this the entire left flank would collasp in minutes!

The front lines were engauged aswell and soldiers were still in the river while others were trying to climb out, the barbarian warriors attacked from the left and front with great numbers fighting ferice, wild, with no mercy....

They have broken through...they broke though!.. panic was setting in..

He looked to his right to see Romans falling back terrifyed, confused and in a state of complete and utter chao's.....to his front he looked into the face of the man he locked blades with,

"Ahhhh!!"

Marcellus lifted his sheild and struck outwards with it, the line was no longer a line...every man was fighting the overwhelming enemy force the best he could, the German staggered backwards from the blow of the sheild and Marcellus took this time to turn around and make a break for it himself...

Secundus stood with his unit only a few miles from the battle with the 17th. They could hear the carnage, the screams, the entire sounds of battle. Something Secundus was ready to enter. His legion, more or less a small company, began to move forward. They're orders were to reinforce the 17th in anything should happen, now that it was they wondered if the Germans might attack them as well.

"FORWARD, MARCH!!!." The company commander shouted, and in response unit commanders shouted "Forward." as to acknowledge the order.

"Looks like were going to get to see some action huh?" A young, new, mercenary soldier asked Secundus. Why he placed a newbie next to his side confused the entire unit, but he saw the newbie as simple fodder. A human shield.

"Yes we are, scared?" Secundus asked in a deep tone, he still faced forward something the less disciplined soldiers didn't do.

"No sir, I'm ready to die for Rome." The soldier replied.

"We aren't dieing for rome, were dieing for out paycheck." Secundus shot back at the soldier, which got the young man to stop talking.

The company continued forward, they walked along the Roman paved roads with forest on either side of them. Every step took them closer to the screams of battle, in about 20 minutes they would charge in and hopefully flank the barbarians. Secundus's unit led the other four units who walked with officers on either side. The Romans seemed not to trust mercenaries enough to let them command themselves entirely.

"Watch your sides. Roads are prone to sneak attacks. Barbarians will get the upper hand if we are not prepared to engage them at all times!!" An officer shouted from the left of Secundus, the officer road horseback along with six others on the left and seven on the right. They were the only calvary the company had but would be of no use sense they expected the mercenaries to protect them and most likely would run during a battle to save their own hides.

In few minutes the whole column of calmly marching men was turned into a mass of twisting, roaring, stabbing, bleeding and dying savages. Decius had barely managed to fling his pilum before the enemy were all over them, getting one barbarian down, but as usual, when Germans charged few losses didn't make to even blink, not to mention slow their speed. Most of the Romans didn't even get to use their throwing spears, so quickly the Germans came.
Decius saw Marcellus killing a big tribesmen with a thrust of his pilum, before he disappeared into the chaos. Such acts of desperation were seen everywhere - this wasn't a battle, more like a streetfight.

Streetfight that would, it seemed, soon turn into a pure massacre.

Decius stabbed, slashed, cut and hacked in the chaos, just like everyone did,
but tried at the same time desperately look for Marcellus. He had just removed the right hand of some sort of a tribe leader with a well aimed strike, when, while sweeping blood and sweat from his forehead, he noticed his friend, who at the very moment turned his back to a confused barbarian (understandably - getting hit by a massive, square bronze shield would confuse even the best of us!) and made a run towards the forest.

From the top of his lungs he shouted;

"Marcellus! WAIT!"

and jumped over a couple of bodies in front of him, hacking and slashing again, in desperate attempt to get to his friend. If Marcellus still was his friend... for if he wasn't, he would keep running instead of turning and coming to help Decious with the group of four barbarians with longswords and axes that appeared out of nowhere, blocking Decius' path. As he took the first blow to his shield, stepping side to get from the way of the second, he thought that if Marcellus wouldn't turn, they would never again meet, in this world atleast.
Which would be ashame, for he owed that bastard a decent punch in the face for leaving him into a shit of this sort while trying to save his own ass only.

Wise move, but not one of a blood brother.

Marcellus heard his name being called through the noise of the battle, he knew exactly who it was for he spun around to see Desius being attacked by a group of enemys, another took a desperate swing at his best friend....

"Desius!" he yelled back raising his gladius in the air..

The Roman's blood boiled and his fear seemed to dissapear instantly as he ran back like a wild animal full speed to help his friend ,hopping over the dead and dying that were scattered about all over the ground. Marcellus ran up behind one of the attackers and dove his sword in his kidney, another turned around swinging a large two handed sword that was deflected by Marcellus's sheild, it hit with great force almost knocking the legionairre off his feet but he quickly lowered himself before the man could bring the weapon back around and thrust outwards driving his sword into the middle of his chest, Marcellus then tripped over a body and fell to the ground...

A large barbarian brought his battle axe over his head and down smashing into his sheild,

"Ahhhh!" he cryed out as part of the blade periced it....

Fear and panic quickly returned all at once!

Marcellus' ferocious attack had surprised the barbarians, and two of them were already down. Of the other two, other turned and stroke his axe through Marcellus' shield, while the other was still facing Decius. However, In 1-on-1 this young lad - for he wasn't but a boy, propably not more than 15 - was no match for a seasoned Roman veteran. A fake dive to left, quick jump to right leg and a feint strike with the shield got him off balance, and Decius' gladious made its way into his belly. Decius continued his move without stopping, and as he passed the boy he pulled his sword out so that it now completely opened his stomach, making his intestines to leak out of the terrible wound.

Decius, however, didn't see this. His moves were automatical, determined by his reflexes, mussle memory and instincts, and those all knew the results of what he had just done, even without turning to watch. However, in front of him there was something that required his attention. A big, massive bearded German with an axe.
Gladly this unfortunate person was facing Marcellus, his weapon stuck into the Roman's shield, and was tehreby unable to prevent Decius of striking his sword straight into the right lung of his, blade tearing its way between his ribs.
The man, however, was a big one. The bastard didn't die. Instead of dying like a gentleman he forgot his axe, turned on his heels, left fist swinging high, and gave Decious the punch of his life. He was thrown back for a metre or so, and he landed on his back, stars dancing in his eyes.

The thick smell of blood began to dawn on the company of mercenaries. Every step they took they could hear the battle louder and clearer. The officers around the company had evened backed off from the lead of the group. Secundus prepared himself for the oncoming fight as the officers ordered a left turn into the forest. It seemed the company was going to pull a sneak attack of the barbarians.

The company officers walked a little head this time, they walked up the hull and surveyed the surroundings, the company was only a mile from the battle. They in plain sight sat a unit of Barbarians ready to enter combat, the company began to march on the barbarians. Now it was only a matter of minutes before the companies first engagement.

Marcellus dropped his sheild with the axe still stuck, he regained confidence and then quickly got to his feet retrieving his gladius aswell as another fallen Roman soldiers, with both gripped firmly he moved towards the large man who now had his back turned going for the wounded Desius, lifting both weapons over his shoulders he drove one of them into the top of the mans back, the other skimed his side cutting him open as the warrior spun around....

Marcellus stepped back quickly as the German turned around, the mans cold blue icey stare cut into the Romans soul, he knew this man was going to kill him if it was the las thing he did. The warrior stumbled over to his axe pulling it out of the sheild then started to make his way towards Marcellus who was still backing up drawing the German away from Desius...

The German looked to his left bringing the axe over his head then came down full force on the collar bone of a legionairre who was facing the other way, the man was practicly split in half...

Even the gods cannot save me now.....

Marcellus took a stance and prepared to be taken down, sweat poured down his face, his hands around the sword handle were slippery and bloody....the gladius was no match for his enemys axe, he had never seen one of it's size and weight..but then again he never seen a man this big in his life, which was about to end....

"Come and get me! common!!" Marcellus urged the man on..gesturing with his sword towards himself...

All around the battle raged on, it reaked of blood and sweat, the entire left flank was over run.....Marcellus had no regrets about running, even now....his friend had the chance to escape..

The company began to spread out into a line formation. They stood only a few tens of yards from the barbarians, judging the distance they were about the charge.

A officer road out in front of the line and began to do rounds as the commanding officer pulled up front and spoke.

"Men, pick your targets and kill them. These barbarians aren't worthy of a death any more than you mercenaries but we know you will win. Take this fight to them and force into their ranks, let them know that Romans never loose." The group cheered ready to charge.

The commanding officer road left to right then rose his sword and swiped it down. The company screamed out and charged...

“Form, damn you! Form up!”

Tiberius’s bellows went unheard. He was trying to get the men to form around the mules and get all the arms distributed. Right now he wished he was back with the nineteenth, but judging from what was happening here the ambush was probably spreading up and down the column.

The handfuls of ordinaires that had actually equipped fell in and were ready to go. They just might make it to the center if they held together. As they moved off, Tiberius killed the mule. No need to make another gift to the barbarians. They were going to get all the armor and weapons they needed today.

At first the group was left alone, no one wanted to tangle with formed legionnaires. Then the hungry wolf like ones came. They danced, picked and separated the slow and unwary. Discipline suffered a final fatal snap and the Optio found himself advancing alone. He broke into a trot.

As usual, the tribesmen were only dangerous in their onslaught. Again and again, the same. A warcry, a hurtling giant starting to blot out the sky, a block or buffet with the scutum, a thrust to chest or belly around the rim and move on. Twice had hulking, painted red heads borne him down to the musty ground with their great strength and size. And both had proven to know less about the grapple than they did the shield. The surprised look on their face while being tossed by someone so much smaller was second in comedy only to their eye bulge as the gladius slid between their ribs.

Tiberius knew he couldn’t keep this up, but he was fast out of options and ways to go. Then he heard the roar of an officer and the charging cry of trained soldiers. He made his way toward the sounds…walking, stabbing, slashing and walking….

Alaricus stood erect, his powerful shoulders arching back as he raised his sword and let out a war cry. The other warriors did so in turn, banging their shields, blowing horns, and whooping. They came for blood and blood they would get. Up and down the line the warriors attacked, now it was Alaricus's turn. They began to charge through the woods. The Romans were confused and disorganized, the attacks came from both sides. Suddenly, the Germanic warriors clashed into the Romans. Alaricus heaved his shoulder into a legionaire, knocking him to the ground. The warrior thrusted his sword deep into his enemy's belly. The fighting was fierce. It was more or less a slaughter as thousands of Germanic warriors came upon the Roman cokumns with fierce determination. Blood splurted into the air, men screamed in agnony, limbs came apart and the bodies mounted. The warriors got in close, the Romans were too close together to form ranks.
"Press on!" Alaricus yelled over the sounds of battle "They will be ours!" he was frenzied in the slaughter. A Roman came at him, Alaricus blocked his attacks with his shield; however, the Roman shoved his much larger shield causing Alaricus to lose his balance. A gladius headed straight for his throat when he dodge out of the way, grappling the Roman and throwing him to another German who slit his throat.

Decius had to try a couple of times before getting up, and his knees felt weak. He was still unable to see clearly, and his head felt heavy, but he managed to locate the back of the massive German, and started to make his way towards it. There was battle raging all around them, but he kept his eyes locked to the German, completely ignoring everything around him, and amazingly the battle around him seemed to be ignoring him as well. No one even attempted to strike him down.

Those few metres that it took to get to Marcellus and the German were the longest in his life. He saw Marcellus taking a desperate last stand against the German, who was still refusing to fall down. His wounds were terrible, and defeinitely fatal, but it didn't seem to be even slowing down. Only few steps from the German back, he got a hit to his helmet, and fell down, face hitting the bloody ground beneath him. The one who had stroke him from behind was luckily drawn back into the chaos, before finishing his job, and Decious raised his head, now lying almost under the massive German. The man was just preparing to give his final blow, to slaughter Marcellus.
Decius made one last attempt, summoning all of his strentgh. He rose up to his knees and slashed desperately, cutting the tendons from the knees of his enemy. The German fell to the ground, face downwards. He was still alive, but now unable to stand up.

Decius passed out.

No battle lines, no formations, did have one advantage…no organization. Tiberius (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12115369&postcount=70) had successfully survived the first waves of the screaming hoard. Now, it a temporary clear space, he could look at the slaughter.

Nothing for it now, he thought. We’ve been cut off from the main body. Got to make it to a camp.

What was that? - Come and get me!- ? Damnit, what was that lice-bag yelling? He was disappearing under a huge german... He moved even as he cursed himself for doing it.

Tiberius started running toward the legionnaire readying a retrieved pilum, when he spied some others and began the bellow:

Seventeenth! Seventeenth! Form on Seventeenth!

Of course that also brought the attention of the barbarians back to him…

Alaricus and the other warriors smashed their way through the disorganized and scared Roman soldiers who tried to stand against the tide. Many were swamped and taken under while other drowned in the torrent.
"Slaughter them all, my brothers!" Alaricus shouted in the glory of the moment. Years ago he saw his kinsmen slaughtered now it was time for the Romans. "Put them under your swords!" he encouraged as the warriors continued their relentless attacks. Alaricus, champion of his tribe hacked and slashed through the mass of Italians. Cutting down one after the other. He suffered a cut across his arm but it didn't phase him.
"Alaricus, the Romans are trying to rally!" one of his men told him.
"We shall rally to them as well" he laughed and fought on.

"So, tell me, Asterix, what are you going to do when you get your citizenship?"
"Go back to my home in Gaul, certainly, get married and have childrens."
"Looks like you don't have your father's blood at all." Asterix frowned a little. He had always claimed that he was Julius Caesar's bastard due to his more 'Roman' looks than other Gauls in the legion. And also to made himself seem better than other Gauls in the cohort.
The auxilaries began to laugh when all of a sudden Decumius felt an arrow whistling past his ear, and then a loud thud. "Lucius!" The soldier behind him was struck by an arrow in the neck, killing him instantly. Before Decumius had time to say anything, countless arrows and javelins were unleashed from the woods flanking the road. "Germans! Form up, prepare for combat!" He must be mad, how could horsemen fight in such an area? Thought Decumius.
The cavalrymen formed two lines facing the woods, shields locked together, spears up.

Decius had to try a couple of times before getting up, and his knees felt weak. He was still unable to see clearly, and his head felt heavy, but he managed to locate the back of the massive German, and started to make his way towards it. There was battle raging all around them, but he kept his eyes locked to the German, completely ignoring everything around him, and amazingly the battle around him seemed to be ignoring him as well. No one even attempted to strike him down.

Those few metres that it took to get to Marcellus and the German were the longest in his life. He saw Marcellus taking a desperate last stand against the German, who was still refusing to fall down. His wounds were terrible, and defeinitely fatal, but it didn't seem to be even slowing down. Only few steps from the German back, he got a hit to his helmet, and fell down, face hitting the bloody ground beneath him. The one who had stroke him from behind was luckily drawn back into the chaos, before finishing his job, and Decious raised his head, now lying almost under the massive German. The man was just preparing to give his final blow, to slaughter Marcellus.
Decius made one last attempt, summoning all of his strentgh. He rose up to his knees and slashed desperately, cutting the tendons from the knees of his enemy. The German fell to the ground, face downwards. He was still alive, but now unable to stand up.

Decius passed out.

Marcellus watched the large man crash to the ground and moved in for the kill,

"AHHHHHH!!"

He raised both gladius's over his head and drove them into the man's back full force, the sliced through him like a knife into warm butter...the warrior let out an angry cry, Marcellus pulled both weapons out and drove them in again...

"Desius!! Desius!!" The Roman yelled to his commrade rushing over..

"Come! fall back! we must go before we face the same fate as this beast!"

He knelt down and helped his friend up, he was exausted and over heating, the smell of the battle almost made him want to vomit, blood, limbs and bodys scattered across the ground at his feet.....

OOC: We need an officer to pull some of these guys back, we need to rally and get the hell out of there..i don't wanna stick around for Kulikovia's guys to reach us (Legionairres)

Alaricus threw a freshly slain Roman to the blood soaked ground. It was not a battle, but a slaughter.
"I've killed pigs that gave more of a fight than these bastards!" he taunted as the fight pressed on. The Romans were scared and disorganized, his warriors fought bravely and with determination. The war captai by now was soaked with blood, his shield chipped, and his body sore. This was how he liked it.
"Is there no one in the whole of Rome who can challenge me?!" he asked aloud, continuing to kill and kill and kill...

Fredrick Mannstein tore his sword out of the Roman. The slaughter was immense. The Romans were slowly rallying, but they wouls be dead one way or the other. Mannstein ran at a small group of three and heards one scream as he put the pommel of his sword into his skull. The second fell to the swords backswing as Mannstein spun around. The third, a very young man probably just joined the army, had turned and ran. Mannstein ran after him and stabbed him through the back. 'All to easy.' He thought before heading towards more slaughter.

Hurtling the pilum into a tribesman as he ran up, Tiberius snatched his gladius from the reverse grip in the shield hand. Even as he did this, he didn’t know why he was trying to save the young man. But glancing at the bodies around, maybe this trooper could watch his back.

As the speared tribesman staggered and fell down, two of his fellows moved on Tiberius. One threw a spear and readied another for fighting, the other closed with a wicked looking axe. As Tiberius focused and time grew slower… he thought of twelve ways to take the axe man down as the spear struck dead center on the scutum. It was balked with a quick elbow sweep to the left. This left his front open and the axe man began his swing, just as the Optic had planned. With a step and feint to the right, the axe glanced off his segmentata . He exhaled violently as he extended his feint into a low lunge and choppd the barbarian’s knee with the gladius. The sword rang with a solid hit in his hand. The thin wail starting was the confirmation he needed.

Spear boy finally figured out that he was between two roman groups and wisely decided to fade back a few paces. That saved him for now. To chase him would place Tiberius back into the hands of he barbarians. He could get to the legionaire and the man he was trying to wake.

Sheathing the sword as he stooped over, he yelled to Marcellus:

“Get the other arm, we’re going to drag him! Can you walk?”