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Southern Belgica, Winter 109 AD
A new mission
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Tribune Julius Lucius Verus woke up, yawned and stretched his arms and legs before he walked slowly to the pounded bronze sheet he used for a mirror. He looked with displeasure at the big scar on his face and scratched at it while murmuring to himself, ‘Damn barbarians, this disgusting scar will remind me of how savage they are for the rest of my natural life. Well, maybe this new beard will solve the problem...’

After lamenting over his scar, he dressed and armed himself. Although he used the red helmet crest, a dark and long cloak and a muscle cuirass like many others Tribunes, his scabbard and sword that he inherited from his father were not ordinary pieces. The scabbard was silvered and finely embossed with mythological motifs, while the long sword had an ivory hilt, a pommel in silver and the blade was made of fine steel.

Suddenly, Centurion Minucius Lolarius interrupted his thoughts. “Sir, our commander Valens Piso wants to see you right now.”

Tribune Lucius Verus nodded and went to his commanders tent. He saluted Valens Piso and stood in attention while saying, “Hail, Commander! The centurion said you need to speak with me.”

"Yes, I did. I have a new task for you." The Commander sat down. "Given your very adequate performance in the last battle, I feel you are ready for a mission like this."

Tribune Lucius Verus smiled and replied "Thank you Sir. How can I serve you and Rome again?"

The commander continued. "I want you to take a detachment of cavalry, 1000 light and 300 heavy, along the Rhine." He took a sip of water. "Also, raid the people they have brought in to settle, and importantly, disrupt any supply or communication they have across the Rhine."

Tribune Lucius Verus responded. "Yes Sir I will do that. As far I understand you want me to do a terrible and wasting guerrilla war behind enemy lines, destroying the enemies villages and farms, and cut their supply and communication lines. Is that correct?"

The commander nodded. "Quite so. Make it as painful as possible for them. And if you find any surviving Belgicans, especially Belgican warriors, bring them with you if you are able."

Tribune Lucius Verus looked at his commander and said, “If I find any Belgican warriors I will rescue them. I will attack and run, destroying everything in my path. Also I will avoid involving my men in direct fight against the Gothones main army for obvious reasons."

The commander was pleased with his tribune´s answer and continued. "Naturally, we can't afford to throw men away. I'm pleased to see you grasp this Lucius. You've got the makings of a good commander."

Tribune Lucius Verus felt happy for his commander´s compliment and responded. "This is an honour to serve Rome under your command. Do you have more orders for me commander?"

The commander replied. "No, that is all for now. May Mars favor you."

Tribune Lucius Verus again saluted his commander and concluded the conversation with him. "Thank you Sir, all we will need is Mars´ protection. Now I will inform my men and do the necessary preparations for my mission." He then exited Proconsular legate Valens Piso´s command tent.

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Central Belgica, Winter 109 AD
7 miles south from ruins of Noviomagus city
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The Romans watched at a distance with some surprise and indignation at the Gothones´ new settlement near what once was the Roman city of Noviomagus. The Gothones´ houses were simple, made in wood with straw roofs and built in a circle around two main houses. In the center of the village stood the two big houses made of stone and wood, the granary and the chieftain´s house.

The Romans could see that the majority of those Gothones were civilians working in their wheat and barley fields. It was sowing season and hundreds of them were working in the fields. Some men and women alike also took care of their breeds of horses and goats and a few bulls. They used the horses for war, the goats for meat and wool and the bull’s for work in their fields.

Decurion Brutus asked Lucius Verus, “Sir, how many of these Gothones´ villages do you think they have in our lands?”

Tribune Lucius Verus turned to his decurion, hesitated for a while and then responded “I think we will find dozens of villages like this one spread in Central Belgica along the Rhine river. It is quite obvious to me now that our commander was right when he thought they used these villages for getting supplies and continuing thier attack in Roman soil. This must stop and we are here for that- to destroy their supplies and break their morale. So for now on we will attack these villages using our heavy cavalry to fight against the Gothone warriors that we may find and the light cavalry to destroy the village itself. Concentrate on destroying the granaries and all seeds that you may find Kill their horses and their cattle. Destroy their houses and however many Gothone civilians you find too. Remember, we are here to do hit and run attacks and destroy their villages and supplies, not for great battles. Now tell to the men to prepare to attack according my orders.”

The senior decurion rode off and did exactly as Tribune Lucius Verus ordered him to. In a few minutes the Romans attacked their first enemy village.

As planned, the heavy cavalry engaged the few Gothone warriors they found and killed them all, while the light cavalry acted as horse-archers and used flaming arrows to destroy the village. Many Gothone civilians tried to escape but they were butchered. The destruction was complete in a very short period of time.

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Central Belgica, Spring 110 AD
Spreading terror and the Gothone response
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In the next six months tribune Lucius Verus and his cavalrymen spread terror and destruction in dozens of Gothone villages in all of Central Belgica and along the western side of the Rhine river. The hit and run attacks were successful because their speed and brutality. The Romans also destroyed several important bridges that the Gohtones used to cross the Rhine river. In a few villages, they managed to find and release some captive Belgicans as well.
The great destruction and severe cut of supplies and communication was quickly noticed by King Sava of the Gothones. He gave orders to his warriors to find and destroy at all costs the raiding Romans. However, despite all of their efforts to catch the Romans, they were useless. The Romans seemed to attack like ghosts due the speed and efficiency of their attacks.

But the Romans luck didn´t last forever, and one day during one particular attack on a Gothones´ village …

“Ambush!” yelled one auxiliary cavalryman. Tribune Lucius Verus turned his head and saw with horror that almost 3.000 Gothone infantry warriors and 700 Gothone cavalry were moving quickly toward him and his men from the nearest forest. Tribune Lucius Verus ordered the retreat but was to late- the enemy cavalry engaged the Romans and started a fierce battle.

This was the last thing tribune Lucius Verus wanted, so he called to his trusted decurion. “Brutus, the situation is very dangerous we need to act quickly, if the enemy infantry surrounds us we are finished!”

The Decurion nodded his head and asked, “Yes, Sir what we do now?”

Tribune Lucius Verus gave orders. “The enemy infantry is relatively far in the forest, they will need at least eight or nine minutes to reach our position. So use this time and run immediately with all auxiliary cavalry through that old road over there. Avoid the forests for now. I will hold the enemy in the next five minutes with our heavy cavalry. Then I will run too …”

The decurion replied, cutting Lucius off. “Very well Sir, may the gods smile upon you.” He then retreated with all auxiliary cavalry as ordered.

Tribune Lucius Verus and his heavy cavalry continued to fight fiercely, exchanging blows with the enemy. Finally when tribune Lucius Verus understood his auxiliary cavalry was safe, he too fled. Unfortunately, this move cost him many casualties among his heavy cavalry.

*** three hours later ***

“Sir, you are wounded?” asked one soldier to Tribune Lucius Verus when he saw his commander´s wounds.

The young tribune replied, painfully. “I am wounded, but the very worst wound is that we lost many comrades here today.”

He looked around at all his men and continued his brief speech. “Today our luck saw us through and I believe our mission here is over. We have already achieved our goal, besides, we lack the medicine to heal our wounded and the food for us and our horses. Today we will return to our castra.”

The Roman detachment returned quickly to his castra in Southern Belgica without any more incidents.


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Scenario results : Mostl of the Gothone villages, wheat and barley farms, breeding horses and cattle were destroyed in Central Belgica. As result the Gothones now have a lack of food, weapons and clothes. Some important bridges on Rhine river were also destroyed by the Romans and the Gothones´ communication were also affected. Due the ambush the Romans lost 2/3 of their heavy cavalry, but the rest of the troops returned safely to their castra in Southern Belgica.

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Roman casualties : 211 dead (mostly heavy cavalry) ; 87 wounded (mostly light cavalry)

Gothones casualties : 518 warriors dead (infantry and cavalry) ; thousands of civilians butchered.

Authors : Julius Lucius Verus and Suetonius Valens Piso
Edited by: Ferus Juventas

AD 110