In today's post there is further news from Picenia (text and pictures are the intellectual property of Mark Cordone).
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The battle of Teanum. 30th day of the seventh month of the year of the Anteater.
Anaxander of Sentis invaded Picenian Luss in support of his Therissian allies before receiving news of their defeat at the battle of Frourus. His advance was slow as he methodically looted and devastated the countryside as he advanced. Multiflavious allowed this to continue as he had a plan of his own to defeat the thus far undefeated Anaxander. A couple of days march east of the city of Dubrovium near the town of Teanum was a naturally very strong position which would require a long exposed march to bypass. Banking on Anaxander's impetuousity Multiflavious chose to await him there. As the seventh month of the year of the Anteater drew to a close Anaxander's army approached, made camp unmolested and prepared for battle.
The next day saw Multiflavious deploy his army defending a narrow defile with a range of rugged coastal hills on his right and an extensive ancient forest on his left. In the center was a steep hill. On his left he placed the 4th legion, on the hill were his limitari archers and on the right the 5th legion. In reserve behind the hill he had the veteran (disaplined) 3rd Legion and his cavalry.
Anaxander, unable to see Multiflavious's reserves, thought he had a significant numerical advantage. This assumption was reinforced by the lack of opposition offered by the Picenians thus far. On his left he deployed his elite phalanx, in the center his peltasrs and on the right his ferocious elphas (elephant) corps. In reserve he had his cavalry and a second phalanx. The weather was clear and bright as he confidentiality prepared to sweep away the Picenian force in front of him.
He opened the battle with a ferocious charge by the elphas and the 5th legion quickly broke under the pressure and fled. Anaxander was then unpleasantly surprised when the veteran 3rd Legion moved out from behind the hill and methodically began the process of containing the great beasts. The rest of the day would see a stalemate in this sector.
Meanwhile, the limitari quickly put the peltasts to flight as Multiflavious rallied the 5th. A general and inconclusive engagement then developed along the whole line until the 4th legion eventually wore down Anaxander's elite phalanx and drove them from the field. As Anaxander tried unsuccessfully to rally them his other phalanx managed to drive the limitari from the heights, only to be driven back in disorder by the rallied 5th legion. On the left the 4th and Anaxander's cavalry fought each other to a standstill but the Multiflavious committed his cavalry to the fight and they swept all before them giving the victory to the Picenians.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms that night allowed Anaxander and his bodyguard to escape. The rest of his army were not so fortunate. He fled back to Sentis, closely pursued by Multiflavious. Gathering as much of the portable wealth from his treasury as he could, he fled the city after making hasty arrangements for its defense while he attempted to raise a relief army.
As Multiflavious began the siege of the city Anaxander made stops at the other cities of the Tetrapolis. All refused to even grant him an audience. In despair and rage he fled into Inconnu with his bodyguard and treasure......
Meanwhile Sentis fell and was subjected to a brutal and comprehensive sack.
( Having rolled the Oracle dice and determined Anaxander would be unable to raise a relief army I determined the fall of the city was inevitable so I just rolled an average dice to see how long they held out.)
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The Picenian juggernaut rolls on! Thank you Mark for another great report. The Cyraenian Tetrapolis has failed one of its members; from here on they are independent City States, unless they can form and new alignment.....
