[AAR] RTW: Sicilia Divided

[Atterdag]

Author: Atterdag
Original Thread: Sicilia Divided


Part One
_______________

Punic Wars

Antonius stood at the gate. Ever since he and his maniple had been transferred to Sicilia all he did was guard duty. There was occasional training of course, but he had yet to taste battle.
Bored, he started to adjust his garment and think of his little village on the Latin border. He missed his family and daily routine, everything was so strict and forced in the camp that he often spent his days dreaming of Italy.

The war had gone on for some 6 years now. It is not that long when you get used to it. Campaigning during the summer resting during winter. It is all a routine. Everything is ultimately. And yet he found himself on guard duty on some random supply fort on the northern cost.

He gave a long sigh and gazed over the tents. His maniple consisted of Italian allies and few Roman citizens. Actually he only knew a few actual Romans here. The rest were allies or vassals. He got lost in his daydreaming again, but was awakened by the signal. Drums rang out and he was relieved of his duty by a decurion. Go to the centre was all that he was told.
The Italians lined up in the centre 50 man wide and 20 deep. The Centurion and military tribune stepped out of the command tent. The tribune lifted his right arm and spoke. ‘Soldiers, the army is on the move!’ A murmur rang out. The Tribune spoke again. ‘The enemy has decided to grant us battle. Right now they assemble at Thermae, not two days of march away from here. Admiral Gaius Duilius has finally broken the Carthaginian naval supremacy. Gentlemen our back is clear – we are ordered to join up with the main force at Thermae and destroy any foe gathered there.’ Antonius could feel a slight rush of adrenaline and he was eager for battle when they marched away the following day.

Two days later – Thermae

He could see the dust rising now. They were close yet so far, far away it was. The Roman rearguard consisting only of Italians, no scouts, no cavalry – only infantry.
Hamilcar shrugged. This detachment would need to be destroyed. Like their predecessors. He knew that the Carthaginians had not yet taken care of the remaining dead. What a shock the rearguard would get when they realised that they faced an entire army alone.
A mounted messenger came galloping towards him, the horse skipping in the loose gravel.
The Punic halted the horse and said with excited voice; ‘The enemy approaches. Three lines, Greek archers in front Italian levis behind them.’
‘Ride to the city and tell them about it. Bar the gates and enforce the curtain. I want a quiet stage.’
With a nod the rider took off again. Around him in the dry grass, Hamilcar’s men understood the message and quickly they rose to their feet. Strapped on their linen armour and bronze helmets. Hamilcar passed through the lines, encouraging every man that needed it. Few did, they all had confidence in him. He reached his bodyguard at the rear and sent up a quick prayer. Hamilcar’s voice rang out, the soldiers amassed and the officers drove the host on, towards the dust rising from the Roman sandals.



‘Left, right, left right – keep on moving lads. We got to relieve the main force!’ The Roman force spread out into battle formation. ‘Onwards!’ the cry rang out from every man in the maniple and was carried on a wave to the others in the force. The Romans began running- towards what they thought was their allies burning Thermae behind the last Carthaginians.



In a relaxed gesture, Hamilcar waved his right hand and gave the order. ‘Every Roman standard brought to me will result in great rewards comrades. Leave none alive!’
The Punics responded in a strong roar and advanced.

Watch out! Antonius saw the javelin before his sideman. It hit the man just below the knee with such a force that he was knocked down. ‘Bloody hell!’ he screamed. The maniple just moved onwards.
Soon javelins were everywhere. It was like walking unprepared into a furious storm.



Then the two lines met. The Punic spears pierced the Romans and the Roman gladius gutted several of the Carthaginians in return. Antonius did what he could. He parried the spears and tried to stab the enemy, but it seemed to have no effect. His comrades fought bitterly and in silence while the enemy roared with joy when a Roman fell on the green grass and made the spot bloody.

It was of no use. On the other flanks – the Greek allies from southern Italy fought viciously, but where attacked in the flank by Punic militia, and routed.

Gallic infantry bought by Punic gold also did what they were best at. Their long swords carved a bloody road through the levied Italics. Leaving dead and dying behind, some crawling through the green and dry grass looking for lost limbs.

The Roman line started to waver. The Greeks had already turned around and fled. Only the Samnites still held the line. Their spearmen were more or less encircled by Punic infantry.
Still, they kept on fighting. More or less mad. Their officer lay dead in the middle and they had planted their colours beside him. Antonius could hear them scream as they were pierced by the enemy’s spears and cut by his swords.

A Carthaginian soldier closed in. Antonius threw his last javelin, striking him on the helmet. The Punic stood confused and this the Roman utilized to slit his throat. The attacker fell and didn’t move or give any sound.
Then he heard the signal for retreat. Finally! He threw his shield in the face of another Punic and ran. He ran as fast as he could and didn’t look back. And beside him ran the remnants of the Italian legion – broken, shattered and dishonoured.



Hamilcar’s white teeth were bared in his black beard in a great smile. His bodyguards were resting after their latest visit to the front. The battle had been won. ‘You there’ He pointed at a man who seemed rested - ‘Go find an officer an order him to prevent the men from pursuing the enemies.’
The soldier grabbed his shield and spear and marched away towards the field. He marched on to a field where hundreds of Romans now laid immobilised for ever - dead in an attempt to relieve the dead. The battle of Thermae had been lost before they even arrived.

Part Two
_______________

The Retreat

But Hamilcar’s soldier arrived too late. Three companies had already left the field in sharp pursuit of the Romans. One of them mounted and the two others on foot. With them they had also taken some Numidian mercenaries. The Punic infantry had strapped on their armour and marched away forming up in two squares with cavalry in front. The Numidians scouted ahead across the plain and away from Thermae. They ran quickly and jumped nimbly over the rocky obstacles that dotted the landscape east of the battlefield.
It only took them some minutes to catch up with the retreating enemies. They had organized themselves and marched in a long column beneath the hill where the pursuers stood. Only few of them were armed, so the Africans threw their javelins and screamed a foul war cry. Panic instantly exploded amongst the Roman column. Few realised that it was only a handful of Africans that attacked them. The target of the defeated Romans was a small bridge over a creek further to the east. The Numidians halted as they realised that it was guarded by several hundred Triarii and mercenaries. They halted their advance a stone throw from the bridge allowing the Romans to escape across the bridge. Safe on the other side, the survivors stated to jeer the Africans, but then they saw the standards and plumes of the Punics ascending the hill..

“RUN!” An officer shouted to the survivors. “We’ll hold them off. Just run straight to the east. A new consular army has made camp there. RUN! Tell them to send reinforcements.”
The Italians were already on their way. Antonius humped past some Triarii who were busy strapping on their armour and checking their spear shafts. Some Gallic mercenaries were finding chain mail body armour from a cart by the bridge while others handed out shields.
An arrow had got him in the shoulder while he was running from the enemy at Thermae and Antonius was exhausted.

He had reached a small hill not far from the bridge and collapsed in the high, green grass. He lay on his back, panting, he could see birds flying across the blue sky, and gruntingly turned around on his stomach to see the play.

Antonius was amazed by the resolution of the garrison centurion. He had roughly as many men as the Carthaginians, but he could not count on reinforcements. He concentrated to understand the officer’s yells and orders.

The Carthaginians formed up in a column and advanced. The first of the Punic spearmen was forced back by series of vicious stabs and fell into the creek and, unable to swim in his heavy armour, disappeared into the blue water.
More came to replace him and the Hastati in the front were forced back. Inch by inch they submitted to the pressure.



Minutes later the Romans had been replaced by fresh soldiers. The Triarii fought even fiercer. Forcing the Punics to call for their heavy cavalry reserves. It was a hell down there. The Africans threw their javelins into the unprotected Roman flanks, and the creek became redder and redder.



The African infantry continued to pressure and with a continuing stream of reinforcements arriving to the Punic side the Roman situation looked desperately. The Continuing rain of missiles produced by the Numidians tore the Triarii apart. With a quick decision the Punic commander utilized a second’s weakness and ordered his heavy cavalry to charge.



They pushed friend and foe aside with ease and soon no Roman Triarii stood. With a brave gesture the Roman centurion ordered his Gauls to charge. The northerners forced the cavalry away, but now found themselves against fresh Carthaginian infantry. Still they fought on, desperately trying to hold out.




It never came down to a last stand.
Antonius could hear horns from the far Carthaginian side and soon the opposite hills were crowded with Punic cavalry. Faced with such superiority, the Gauls threw down their weapons and surrendered.
But at that time Antonius was humping away from defeat once again.

Part Three
_______________

Revenge

It was a splendid day in Thermae. The sun was shining from a clear sky and far away to the north the waves of the sea smashed against the white beaches of Sicily.
In the Carthaginian HQ Hamilcar rose from his stool and walked across the yellow brick floor, past the many flowers and exotic plants towards the cloister. He leaned and rested his back on one of the pillars. Through his half closed eyes he could see the two grave senators. Politicians were such a waste of time. The tallest of them took a step forward. He was a strong man with golden skin and a fierce black beard. Just like Hamilcar. ‘Commander, it is the will Carthage that you carry out the decisions of the senate. And for your future as commander of our forces here, you’d be better of accepting this order.’ The other Senator nodded aggressively – probably his best political weapon. Foolish little men, Hamilcar thought. I could have you thrown off this very roof if I wanted to. Still he decided to play along and gestured towards the wooden table in the middle of the room. The three men gathered around the table where a map was displayed. It was a very beautiful map of Sicily. A strong red line went from Thermae in the north to the border of Syracuse in the south. Everything in the west was Carthaginian and to the east the land was under Roman occupation. ‘Now listen carefully commander’ the little man was exited. ‘You will take your forces and embark here’ the senator pointed at a little mark Hamilcar only knew as a small fishing village ‘and then sail to Latium and take Rome with the gift of surprise. The Italians can only have little defence left.’ Hamilcar smiled then answered. ‘And what about the Sicilian front? All the land my soldiers have bled for and fought for?’ The Senator seemed confused. ‘And what about the Roman superiority at sea? Have Carthage thought of that? How will Carthage make sure that its army won’t disappear in the sea?’ He couldn’t hold it back anymore and started laughing loudly. The two senators boiled with anger, but Hamilcar continued. With great steps he reached the edge of the roof and threw the map down into the streets. With a sneer he turned around ‘If you ever come back with ramblings and threats such as this, I’ll throw you after that stupid map. Good day senators.’ He slammed the door after him, leaving the two infuriated men behind.

A bit north of Syracuse the consular army was assembling.
Survivors from the Italian legion and first consular army had arrived and were now being reequipped and enrolled into the legions maniples. Antonius had a scar on his shoulder but besides that only memory reminded him that he had fought at Thermae. It was rather tragicomically actually. A whole legion sent to assist another one, only the other was already annihilated. Just like the Triarii that had covered the Italian retreat. He was forced out of his thoughts by the signal to advance. The army formed up in a long column and slowly the Romans advanced west – dust rising from their sandals.

It only took the Roman army some time before they met the enemy. The consul Aulus Atilius Calatinus sent out scouts to determine the size of the Carthaginian defenders. Antonius saw them leave the camp the Romans were erecting - a bunch of Italian riders on study brown horses. They returned a few hours later and reported directly to the consul.



The enemy was already advancing across the plain with Carthaginian citizen infantry in the middle, Gallic mercenaries on the left flank, medium Carthaginian infantry on the right and Greek hoplites in reserve. The consul was satisfied. A quick victory would enforce his popularity in Rome. Without hesitation he gave the order to halt the work on the fortifications and arrange the troops instead. It would be sweet revenge.



The Romans arranged for battle and with a sound from the signallers, the legion advanced towards the Punics.




The consul lead the army from behind, directing the Italian forces through his many subordinates. Antonius could hear him quite well from his position with the Triarii. After he had escaped from the bridge he had grabbed some Triarii's abandoned armour and spear and when safely in the consular camp introduced himself as a surviving Triarii. He had then been enrolled in one of the fiercest maniples in the legion.



On the Punic side, the Gallic spearmen were eager to taste battle. They jeered their paymasters onward and had difficulties in keeping the line.



The two liners came ever closer and closer. The Romans advanced in silence while there was a much noise in the enemy’s ranks. From the rear Antonius could see the difficulties the Carthaginian officers had with keeping their soldiers in line.
There was now little distance between the two opposing armies. The three first lines of Romans prepared and threw their spears at the enemy. To the enemy it would be like walking into a wall of iron or a storm of pain.



The Hastatii met the Punic infantry in the middle and from above passing birds could see how the two other flanks smashed into each other in great clashes.



Antonius could see the fighting but his unit had not yet been committed to the fighting. It seemed as all sense of battle plans had been abandoned by the Carthaginians. Their units and maniples mixed in a strange fighting manoeuvre. It only eased the work of the Roman reapers.



As the Greek reserves were sent in by the Punic commander Antonius knew that the battle had been decided. The Romans had the upper hand and as the line stabilized the ground became filled with Carthaginian corpses.



However it appeared that the enemy had reorganized themselves. Once again they fought in units and fiercely halted any Roman attempt to break through.
Antonius then spotted a band of Gauls trying to flank the Roman left flank. ‘Centurion! Centurion!’ The grizzled officer turned to his newest member. ‘What is it?’ Antonius pointed at the Gauls and the centurion nodded in recognition and turned to the consul behind their maniple. ‘Consul! The enemy is attempting to flank us to the left.’ Then followed a short conversation between the centurion and the consul. Onwards! The cry came from the Consul’s bodyguard and swiftly the Riders had intercepted the Gauls, slowing them down with hit and run attacks. ‘Get moving boys – we’re going to end this battle!’ the centurion raised his gladius and Antonius followed his new brothers in arms into the breach.



On the other flank battle was even bloodier. The Romans massacred any opposition and panic began to spread amongst the Gauls.



But in the centre the Punic citizens held their ground. Staunch and unbreakable they stood – standing shoulder by shoulder fighting their hated enemy.



However the Roman pressure became too hard and the Gauls on the right turned around and fled.
The Romans hesitated for a moment to catch their breath – but the Carthaginian commanders utilized this and stabilized their front.



The Carthaginian strategy had been broken though. Their units were scattered and the initiative was in the hands of the Romans who kept pushing their offensive.



The Triarii and the consul’s bodyguard smashed the Gauls into bloody pulps and very slowly the Gauls started to waver. Steadily panic spread in their lines. They wondered why they fought so hard. Many of thought of their homes far to the north and about the pay they were to receive. Finally many found that it was not worth the trouble and either surrendered or fled.



With both Carthaginian flanks in wild retreat the Romans smashed into the Punic centre.
Antonius had been left behind with four other spearmen to guard the Gauls, who lay uncaring in the green grass. After a few minutes the fighting stopped as the Punic commander was cut down and the remainders of his brothers turned around and ran for the hills.



Antonius cheered as a maniac with his allies as the consul’s riders chased them down.