Chapter 46: The March to Rome
Aloyos flexibly adjusted the Roman army's offensive formation.
Instead of lengthening the formation with the enemy's long snake formation, he turned the infantry phalanx on both wings inward to cope with the enemy's encirclement. The two squares at the turning point are gently connected at 45°, and there is no section as much as possible. The Macedonian cavalry was protected in formation, ready to support either side. The light infantry is deployed in the second line, and the archers are in the core, which is responsible for counter-striking the enemy's long-range units.
Aloyos quickly adjusted his formation. Get ready to see the enemy's movements.
The Roman general Decius had his men march in the same line. While urging the soldiers to pay attention to the formation press, he made a mobilization speech to encourage the soldiers:
"Now that the city of Rome is behind us, it is up to you how you want to behave in this battle. However, I would like to remind you that the attitude you will adopt will affect this battle, and will determine the fate of the Roman Eagle in your hands, the fate of your relatives behind you, and the fate of your own homeland, Rome!
How are you going to fight? I invite you to ask yourselves to inquire into your conscience.
Look at the many brothers around you! Our strength here is strong: half of our warriors are here. We're going to win, and we're going to get the honor—not to mention the plunder—and everyone has the right to it! We have so many people, who else do we need to be afraid of? Feel relieved!
We are the largest of the troops that our country has sent. So they want us to accomplish great things. We are the ones who do great things! Other things are simply not worth mentioning!
We are here to make our last resistance, right on the walls of the last city. If we fail today, our names will be completely forgotten and our women and children will be sold into slavery...... It's all over!
So let's fight like a man - even with our lives, if necessary!
Don't cringe! Be firm! Be bold! ”
On this side, Aloyos also said a few words casually, and he began the very incendiary speech:
"My fellow Macedonians:
We have defeated the 1st Elite Legion of Rome after a bloody battle. Today their comrades came to their deaths again. These defeated Romans will not be able to defeat us.
I tell you that the formation I have laid out for you is the magic weapon to defeat them. I need you to be disciplined and hold your place. When the enemy forces rush in, you must show your courage and fight with all your might. Then we're done.
See! Don't worry about the enemy on the opposite side, even if it appears to be outnumbered. That's all the possessions of the Roman Senate. That is to say, kill them, and we will enter the city of Rome, to enjoy their luxurious life, to crush their resistance once and for all.
We're going to win this war! ”
The Roman army approached, and the Macedonian archers released their arrows.
"Wow"
The crisp sound of the bowstring was heard here, and the Roman soldiers were hit at long range over there. So they picked up their pace and ran instead, in order to get into hand-to-hand combat as quickly as possible.
The Senate army was unique in its operations, with elite general guards often rushing to the front, opening gaps for the infantry. Of course, this has something to do with the fact that the Romans attached importance to infantry combat and cavalry coordination. In addition, Rome was an agrarian society, which determined that their troops would be mainly infantry.
The Roman cavalry charged the Macedonian gun formation. The infantry clenched their spears and held them to the death. The front row of the Roman heavy cavalry fell, and the rear continued to rise. Successive servants are not afraid of casualties. Sure enough, a gap in the middle of the left flank was opened, and the Roman infantry followed suit.
The Macedonian Janissaries reacted quickly and sent a phalanx of royal pikes to plug the gap, thus keeping the left front intact.
The right flank front was composed of Macedonian phalanx infantry, which was relatively reliable. The Roman cavalry attacking here did not break through, but lost everything. Gaius, who had received the order to die, had no choice but to break into the Macedonian infantry line with his guards. According to the tradition of the Romans, if you don't succeed, you will be benevolent. He was killed in battle.
At this time, the infantry on both sides fell into a fierce battle.
The Roman infantry was unable to attack the large flanks of the Macedonian phalanx, and most of the infantry had to meet the battle as it should. And the few infantry units that reached into depth were attacked by the Macedonian cavalry and retreated. The Roman attack on all fronts was skillfully blocked by Macedonia and inflicted heavy losses.
Under the spears of the Macedonian infantry phalanx, the Roman infantry and cavalry who only knew how to blindly advance suffered many casualties.
On the left, the Roman generals Atalos Senica and Augustus Scipio lost more than half of their soldiers. They chose to withdraw to the second line and join the Roman marshal.
Seeing that the plan was thwarted and the main attack was ineffective, the Roman commander-in-chief Decius was furious.
Decius, who was calm, quickly calmed down. After weighing up, it was decided to play a wave of surprise attacks in the middle to try to salvage the defeat.
Ordered all the light infantry around him to concentrate their fire, and the javelins fired at the Macedonian center infantry. After four rounds of throwing, the cavalry broke through the enemy infantry line.
He gathered all the cavalry, and the warriors were ordered to go into battle.
At this time, the Macedonian center infantry had only two phalanxes maintaining the continuity of the battle line. In order to relieve the pressure on the left and right wings, the other phalanxes were transferred to help.
The two phalanxes were hit by javelin fire and suffered heavy casualties. Immediately after that, the Roman general led the assault team to launch a surprise attack. The infantry phalanx was in disarray, and before they could figure out what was going on, they were scattered. The Roman cavalry struck a blow and broke through the Macedonian center.
But their actions stop there. Aloyos counterattacked with the main force of cavalry. After some chaotic fighting, the main force of the Roman cavalry was completely wiped out.
Along with them were the generals appointed by the Roman Senate: Decius Maxentius, Atalos Senica, and Augustus Scipio.
The Macedonian cavalry units completed their task and began to launch a wanton counteroffensive. They rushed to the left and right, slaying countless Roman soldiers. The Roman general was gone, and the soldiers did not resist long before they were defeated. As usual, the Macedonian light cavalry did not easily let go of the enemy and pursued to expand the results of the battle.
After Macedonia won the battle, the city of Rome was left without any further defenses. It's like a city with its gates open, waiting for the occupation forces to enter. The northern allies, the Julius family, had taken care of themselves, and the Gauls tore up the contract and invaded their northern border.
With his victorious army, Aloyos marched on Rome.
This time he was sure of the capture of Rome. There were too few defenders in Rome to resist the fierce attack of his army, no matter how powerful the soldiers were. If Julius's reinforcements did not arrive within three days, he had fortified the city of Rome.
He was proud that he now had a new siege weapon in his hand, and the king sent him a stone catapult to open the city and break the wall.
This kind of big guy can make him no longer use soldiers to climb the city to fight the enemy, but directly enter the city.