GM NOTE: This scenario reflects the game style, ranks, and practices of the "Old Roman Legion" and may not accurately represent the history of the current game's storyline. Consult with a GM before referencing any component of this scenario.

Legions XVI, X, and XI were fresh off victories in Gaul. Tomidius still moved
with all the speed of a drunken slug, but slowly the countryside became pacified
by the might of the Roman army. Tucallue continued his Gallic raids into supply
carts and reinforcement columns, but it was all a waste. Tomidius was building
makeshift forts and depots to collect supply and parcel out patrols and other
functions to ensure the country would slowly turn Roman so the last four
provinces of a one time huge Gallic state would finally come

under Roman dominion.



There was one problem that Rome might have to encounter, and that was
Villandorix, a strong tribal chief who now had much support. Perhaps enough
support to even overthrow Tucallue. Unlike Tucallue, he did not accept the
eventuality of Roman dominion, in fact it believed it impossible. Many Gauls
thought that the constant attacks against Rome by their ancestors had brought
this Roman fury upon them, and they were right. The only solution, Villandorix
believed, was to crush the Roman state wholly and utterly...but he would need
help.



----------

Meanwhile

----------



Legions under Marius Aelius prepared a huge strike into the flesh of Macedonian
pride. Dominus Carus and others had prepared to meet the Macedonian army, but on
their own terms. Thracian and Dacian forces still closed in on the east, and
only two legions stood in their way, the IX and the VIII legions under the
control of General Maximus Carus. It would be their job to hold fast against the
attackers allowing Maximus to pit his five strong legions, including the second
legion under Aelianus Maxus, against Macedonia.



Now that the Romans had a chance to make battle on their own terms, Marius
Aelius ordered the combined attack on eastern and southern fronts. It would,
needless to say, be crucial to the success of the entire war.



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TANAE

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A little sleepy group of pastures known as the Tanae region in northern
Macedonia were the scene of the Roman fury. Marius Aelius determined to break
the spine of his Macedonian foes charged headlong into their archers and phalanx
to open the battle with a show of sheer power. Despite early failures,
eventually Roman cavalry broke the lines. With a legion coming from the right of
the Macedonians they found themselves outnumbering the Romans, but being
outmaneuvered.



Marius Aelius pulled the final kill shot when he surrounded three thousand
Macedonian cavalrymen with the XII legion under Dominus Carus. Dominus
slaughtered them to a man. By the end of the day, you would hardly know that
Rome had suffered greater losses. Macedonia's greatest army it had ever fielded
against a smaller Roman one, had been decisively beaten.



ROME - 6,100 killed; 4,200 wounded

Darius Maximus Maxus, Centurion, XII legion, killed in battle Cornelius Aelius,
Officer, XII legion, wounded in battle...will survive MACEDONIA - 5,800 killed,
3,000 wounded



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IZMIT-QUINACT

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The battle began early in the morning in Izmit Quinact town on the very eastern
boarder of Dalmatia. Maximus Carus knew what his job was. It was so simple this
task. All Maximus had to do was keep 50,000 vicious and prepared Dacians and
Thracians away from Marius Aelius' main force of just over 60,000. Maximus Carus
had just under 20,000 romans to accomplish this task.



By eleven in the morning, the Romans were split into three, and some seven
divisions of Thracians totaling thirty seven thousand were pushing up against
Manlius Varro's centuries on the left. Despite brilliance and bravery by the
ninth legion, they were hacked to pieces. Decius Alus himself was killed on the
field his body hacked and maimed and his horse with no fewer than forty arrows.




The left began collapsing around noon and Maximus Carus was already thrice
wounded. Manlius Varro had long began to break on the left and by one his
soldiers were fleeing the field. In order to allow Manlius retreat, Maximus
Carus ordered his line to reform and they did for another two hours they took
the combined fury of the Thracian and Dacian armies who wanted so badly to see
the Roman army break in front of them. By the end of the afternoon, the
remaining forces under Maximus Carus had fought off the attackers, and were
fleeing the field back to the safety of Dalmatian forts.



Maximus Carus did not make the journey back. Manlius Varro was the highest
ranking officer left of an army once more than 19,000 strong. Sixty two men
above him had died, including his friend Marcus Julianus. Needless to say, the
bloody slaughter of Izmit will not easily be forgotten by the families of the
five thousand who fell, nor by those who managed to somehow survive.



ROME - 5,200 killed; 3,000 wounded

Maximus Carus, General, died of wounds

Sarius Probus, Centurion, killed in battle

Marcus Julianus, officer, killed in battle

Decius Alus, General, killed in battle

THRACE/DACIA - 5,000 killed, 4,300 wounded



----------

Meanwhile

----------



The celebrations lasted hours as the soldiers of Marius' legions talked and
marched back into Dalmatia to regroup and meet the VIII and IX armies under
Maximus Carus. Upon arrival to the fortresses, Marius wondered aloud where
Maximus Carus and Decius Alus could be and what a great triumph Rome had with
their help.



Manlius Varro, a young officer in the VIII legion came and saluted Marius
Aelius. "Commander, I return to you your legions. Our mission was overwhelmingly
successful and we managed to turn back all attacking forces."



Marius Aelius looked at his condition "Where are your superiors?"



Manlius Varro brought a tear to his eye "Those in front of me are gone, and so
are a great many others, but we did for Rome what had to be done, and we were
successful. They died as a Roman should, on their feet."



Marius Aelius knew the terrible price paid, but Roman assertion in the east was
now undeniable, and it was clear Rome had the power to assert itself whenever it
felt the need.

---------------------------------

Maximus Carus, Marius Aelius, Tomidius Servo, Postumus Varro, Manlius Varro