The Defense of Baetica

[Pontifex Maximus]

Publius Cornelius Sulla, Pro-Consul: +1 battles
Albinus, Legate of the 4th: +2 sea battles
Maximius Regulus, Legate of the 2nd: +1 Battle, +1 Survival
Sextus Tuccius Alexander, Legate of the 3rd:

1,400 Iberian Conscripts (skirmisher infantry)

Legio II Primigenia

Unit Auxiliaries 200 Medium Cavalry Legionary Retinue none Unit History 1. Republican Legion founded 92 BCE 2. Defeated in the Battle of Tifernus under Consul Publius Cornelius Sulla after taking and inflicting heavy losses upon the Italian rebels. 3. Victorious in the battle of the Crossroads Veteran Status 1 battle won

Legio III Hispana Triumphalis

Unit Auxiliaries 200 Medium Cavalry Legionary Retinue none Unit History 1. Republican Legion founded 92 BCE 2. Defeated in the Battle of Tifernus under Consul Publius Cornelius Sulla after taking and inflicting heavy losses upon the Italian rebels. 3. Victorious in the battle of the Crossroads Veteran Status 1 battle won

Legio IV Victrix

Unit Auxiliaries 200 Medium Cavalry Legionary Retinue none Unit History 1. Republican Legion founded 92 BCE 2. Victorious in Battle of Sutrium under Gauis Julius Iulus Veteran Status 1 battle won

I. Three turmae of cavalry are sent to scout the location of invading Lusitani. They scout Lusitania II and III.

II. The legions will form a fortified camp near the border of the Lusitanian lands.

[Rhapture]

After a few weeks, the scouts begin to return.

roughly 20,000 Lusitanii have gathered it appears with an additional 4300 cavalry

[Pontifex Maximus]

Roman forces encamped at Mellaria remain there waiting on reports from local towns and scouts upon the offensive movements of the Lustani and Punicus.

Spain

[Dirty Chai]

Lusitani warbands

20,000 Iberian infantry 4,300 Iberian cavalry Punicus: +2 Battles, +1 Survival

Scout reports reach the castrum at Mellaria, informing the Romans that the Lusitani have crossed the Fumen Anas (Guadiana River) in mass, and near Segeda, marching inwards through Baetica. They're spread out across the land in wide, loose warbands - the scouts suggest divided into tribes and their tribal chieftains.

[Pontifex Maximus]

The legions advance to Egultuniacum keeping the river north of Regnia on their north-easterly flank. They offer battle at that location to the portions of the Lusitanian army operating in that sector.

[Dirty Chai]

The Roman legions encounter some Lusitani just north of Egultuniacum, less than a mile outside of it. The scouts seem surprised by the presence of the legions and ride back north in a hurry; the Lusitani warband they encounter seems to hesitate or pull back, according to the Roman scouts.

[Pontifex Maximus]

The Legions pursue north attempting to force battle before the warband can cross the river.

[Dirty Chai]

The Lusitani warband faces them on the banks of the small river just northwest of Egultuniacum; the time is late afternoon.

Send in orders. Roman intelligence believes they face approximately four thousand Lusitani.

[Rhapture]

The Lusitanii turn and form up to face the Romans.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Orders sent.

[Rhapture]

The Lusitani set up on a small hill over looking the approaching Romans with two small wings of cavalry
Sulla sent the 1st and 2nd straight towards them to quickly dispatch them

Rolls:
Lusitanni 13
Romans 18
Losses - 900 L, -300 R
Cav:
Lusitani 9
Romans 11
Losses - 50 L, -15 R

The Romans slowly were forcing the Lusitani back towards the river and even the Roman horse was having success.

Just as they began to push forward more, the rest of the wartribe appeared from behind the rolling hills, split into three roughly equal groups of 5000, one supported the center while two engaged in flanking the Romans.
Albinus was quickly sent to the left flank to stop the assault there as the cavalry was the first to signal new troops approaching. The Lusitani now had a significant cavalry advantage.


Rolls:
Lus Cen: 8
Lus Left: 8
Lus Right: 9
Lus Cav: 8
1st: 8
2nd: 13
4th: 10
Cav: 2

Losses:
Lusitanni - 2100
Romans - 1300
L. Cav - 150 R. Cav - 500
The fighting was fierce , but the Romans held up against the initial onslaught of troops. But the horse has gone down, and the needed to hold of the flanking maneuvers of the Lusitani one more time if they hoped to drive them back over the river. But the Romans became more heartened and determined the longer the battle raged, even against the superior numbers.
Rolls:
Lus C 11
Lus L 11
Lus R 14
1st 10
2nd 9
4th 11

Losses
Lusitani: -1100
Romans - 1200
Lus Cav - 200


So Far Remaining
L 1000 c --- 4000 - 3500 --- 3500 ----3400 --- 1200c
R 3800---------3500 --------3500

Although outnumbered they were still killing more than dying, and they could see the fatigue in their enemies eyes, these were not some Italian legions of equal training. Sulla urged them to stand and fight, getting words to his legates that glory would be had by all the legions. Regulus and Albinus quickly took head and joined in the front lines to spur their men on.

Rolls:
Lus C 9
Lus L 7
Lus R 8
1st 18
2nd 14
4th 18

Training and Endurance won the day.
The legions refused to quit and forced the Lusitani from their hills. The Cavalry and fatigue prevented quick pursuit, but they had driven the invaders from Roman territory.

Lusitani Survivors 12150 I 2975 cavalry
Roman legions:
1st: 3100
2nd: 3200 Regulus survives, Corona Aurea
4th: 2900 Albinus survives, Corona Aurea

The legions hail Sulla "Imperator"

[Dirty Chai]

Albinus is not in the death rolls..

[Pontifex Maximus]

Sulla surveyed the field with some trepidation. These rolling hills might be able to conceal additional enemy forces, but it was too late tot run back now. If this was to be more than a simple skirmish, he would prepare for it by holding the 4th legion in reserve. As the battle commenced the first phase went smoothly, until the bulk of the Lusitanian army showed upin support of this separated group. The 1st and 2nd had pushed the first group off the heights and towards the river but soon after became engaged in a sustained battle. Sulla gave the order and the cornicens blew the order. The cavalry and 4th legion were headed towards the fray. Sulla and his small guard trotted their way closer to the lines, shouting encouragement to the legion as it headed to the front of the line to counter a swift flanking manouver by the vastly superior numbers of Iberian horse. "Fight well and fight here to make the province safe from this invader! PLunder awaits you upon the battlefield if we are triumphant here. Do not let your comarades bleed in vain, forward to the final victory!"

After much encouragement such as this and heavy fighting, the Iberians were finally driven from the field. The legionnaries took their turns marching back in good if somewhat ragged order and began their proclamations of "Imperator! Imperator!" Sulla beamed with pride and began preparation to see the legions refitted.

ooc: Were any prisoners taken?

[Pontifex Maximus]

The Legions are ordered into winter quarters in Egultuniacum where they will remain until the spring. they shall contruct a palisade and ditch (Wednesday, I need to do some organizing)

[Rhapture]

400 Prisoners are found among the dead and brought into the Roman camp.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Sulla calls for a meeting of his legati

1. The prisoners are interrogated

2. Prisoners worth any ransom are separated out

3. All others are sold into slavery. 10 are retained as personal slaves and sent to Rome.

4. The 1,400 Iberian militia are ordered to join the legions (I consider these forces light infantry/skirmisher types

5. As of tomorrow, all legions shall be brought up to strength.

[Rhapture]

47 slaves are injured and unsellable
343 slaves sold for 3430 denarii

[Pontifex Maximus]

Sulla turned to Sextus Tuccius Alexander and nodded. "You're in luck." he said. "The Legatus of the 3rd Legion fell in battle. I am looking to replace him. Are you up to the task? I shall require you to lead this legion in battle personally." Sulla rose from the seat in his command tent. "Come, I am going to address the legions this moment and I shall introduce you."

Sulla exited the Praetorium dressed in his ceremonial military garments. He wore a purple cloak and the large red plune of horse hair hung down his back. He wore armor and a gladius at his waist, he cut a gallant figure. He ascended a raised platform above where his men, the survivors of the battle, awaited his address.

"Brothers in arms, we have won a great victory today, and this time over a hostile tribe attempting to drive us from Spain forever. Many of you fought with me in Italia, and to me this victory tastes sweeter, for it is over a foreign foe. You have trusted in my leadership and served faithfully, indeed for a year without pay. That shall be rectified immediately. Quaestors!" At Sulla's order, several large chests were hauled forward by the military quaestors of each legion and some slaves. The coins had been minted in the previous year, and the silver coins bore the face and profile of Publius Cornelius Sulla on one side, and the god Bacchus on the obverse, a god whom the Sullae had a special devotion to owing to an apocryphal family story. "Let this serve as good payment for your service this past year." He declared. "I also announce the appointment of this man, Sextus Tuccius Alexander as Legatus of the 3rd Legion and a special dispensation and award to the Legates of the 2nd and 3rd legions of 1,000 Denarii each for their outstanding leadership in the field." Sulla drew himself up and began what was for him the most emotional aspect of his address.

"Brothers in arms, you have honored me with an acclamation of Imperator, an honor I shall not soon forget. I hope now to honor you in a similar way. To the men of the Second Legion, you were among the first men to attack the enemy on the hills, but we did not know at that time the Lusitanian host hid behind them. Still you did not falter upon the realization. You held firm and killed your foe. For this feat of courage, I rename you after the goddess of fate, Primigenia. You shall henceforth in the legionary rosters be known as Legio II Primigenia so that you may remember that fate is inexorable. To the men of the third legion, you shared the initial shock of battle with the Second and stood up to a charge of enemy horse that greatly outnumbered our own. UNder such impossible circumstances, you wrested victory from the hands of the Lusitanians and refused to flee. For this I name you Legio III Hispana Triumphalis." He turned to the 4th. "You men are new to my command, but you dispelled any notion of cowardice on the field with your stout charge into the fray in the instant your presence was most required to win the final victory. For this I name you Legio IV Victrix, so that you may always remember the successes of this battle and that such an attitude may become embedded in your espirit d'corp."

To the stamping of feet and the sound of spear on shield, Sulla descended.

[Dirty Chai]

Aulus Postumius Albinus (the Younger, to differentiate him from his priestly father in Rome) stood outside the tent, just behind Sulla after he appeared before the three legions, and watched conscientiously how the man turned to each legion in turn and lauded them as if they were his own children - much better than his own children, rather, but Aulus could not think of something more valuable and lovable than one's own children.

It threw him off to see them roar. Of course, gold would do that, but they loved Sulla it seemed. Albinus had never seen this before. Not in person. It was quite something to witness, first hand.

The newly bloodied legate of the fourth legion glanced at the back of Sulla's head, blinking a few times as his understanding the man changed. Aulus smiled, and looked back to the legions. A thousand denarii was after all in his pocket, all said and done.

The battle that had been fought was another matter entirely. His armor was just cleaned of the blood and dirt, just an hour ago. He could remember, when he blinked as he looked out over the victorious crowds of legionaries, how in a similar manner they were arrayed before him, but looking in the opposite direction, with their shields forward. They threw pilum, and then it began. Aulus and the fourth legion remained in reserve, watching patiently. The legate had been quite thrown off when the rest of the tribal warriors appeared over the crests of the nearby hills, charging down on three different sides.

It occurred to him instantly that Sulla had seen this coming, and place Aulus and the fourth legion in reserve. He led said legion into the fray against these new warbands, protecting Regulus' flank, beckoning the legion forth with commands from horseback. At some point, he recalled descending from the horse and jumping into the combat himself.

Aulus frowned. He had done that? Impossible.. I would never..
The Albinus looked over at Sulla again, this time more furtively. He now remembered the proconsul's voice in the midst of the battle, calling them to hold fast, to stand strong. He felt foolish, being somehow convinced into the bloodshed himself, where he could have died.

Finally, he looked back to the legions again, with an ever more wary look. Sulla was a powerful man, in ever way.

[Lucius Malfoy]

If only my uncle Gaius were here to see this...

Maximinius remembered the battle that raged just mere moments ago as if it were still happening. He remembered the rush of adrenaline as he moved forward to spur his soldiers onward. He remembered seeing the Lusitani throw themselves against the ranks of Roman soldiers. He remembered seeing them flee, an enemy who was once numerically superior to themselves. He looks at Sulla, listening to the men cheer 'Imperator' over and over again. Sulla was no ordinary man, he was an ascending one. No wonder his adopted father sent him here, service to Sulla was service to the Republic and experience that Maximinius would need.

Quietly, the Regulan walks over and looks at the Proconsul before gazing up at the sky above them.

Gaius is surely smiling today, Proconsul. I know he would want to see this victory with his own eyes if he were here today.