Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 62: The First Battle Between Dionia and the Samnites (Part 2)

“I can say for certain!” Krigolu pointed confidently at the mountain range ahead. “These Samnites chased the tribe from Potentia all the way here, but I don’t know where they got the news—they tried to ambush us, yet they had no idea my men were watching every move they made.”

“Krigolu, your squad has done a good deed today, and I’ve noted it,” Alexis patted the restless warhorse beneath him. “Even though our corps hasn’t trained in Potentia, I think none of you—Lizaru especially—have forgotten the terrain here.”

“You’ve taken us disguised in civilian clothes to the southern mountains of Potentia several times, how could I forget! The Military Code strictly states that every officer at all levels must have the terrain of their area etched into their minds!” Lizeru tapped his head.

“Lord Davos is a great man,” Alexis sighed. It was precisely because of the Military Code Davos had established, forcing officers and soldiers to execute it rigorously, that the army was prepared in times of war. He then recalled the instructions Davos had given him when he took command of the Third Army Corps, and said seriously, “Now is the time to test you, and also to let us see just how formidable the Samnites really are!”

…

Gairni saw the flags waving in the opposite mountains—clearly the enemy was simultaneously attacking Abrini’s unit. For the moment, he had no mind to worry for his friend; leading more than a thousand of his warriors, he charged down the slope. Except for the colorful crest on his helmet, his equipment was no different from that of the other warriors: a golden bronze helmet, a loose red short-sleeved tunic reaching only to the knees, fastened at the waist with a leather belt, a long spear gripped in his right hand, and four or five javelins held in his left—nothing else.

Because they had planned to ambush the Daonian army in advance, Gairni had brought only lightly armed warriors. They treated the steep slopes as if they were flat ground, weaving between rocks and trees, agile as monkeys, feeling no pain as their bare feet trod on thorns and gravel. Soon they closed in on the Daonian troops climbing uphill.

Compared to the Samnites’ swift descent, the Daonian units climbed slowly. They were a mixed formation of light infantry, light-armored infantry, and heavy infantry, spread out in a loose arc to encircle the whole forest side, hoping to trap the Samnites, never expecting the Samnites to arrive so quickly.

Kxima, battalion commander of the Third Army Corps’ Second Battalion and temporary commander of this mixed force, was not flustered at all. A few years ago, before the Lucanian region had been incorporated into the Daonia Alliance, he would have led his tribe’s warriors straight into a melee. But now he was a qualified officer in the Daonian legion.

“Archers, prepare! Heavy infantry, protect!” As Kxima gave the order, the legion’s heavy infantry leaned against trees and rocks, raising their long curved shields to guard both themselves and the archers behind them. The light-armored infantry and javelin men retreated further back—unless the Samnites broke through the heavy infantry line, they would have difficulty attacking them.

Protected by the long shields, the archers calmly drew their bows and aimed at the Samnites racing toward them. The Samnites’ formation was even looser, and the hills were thick with lush trees; volley fire would likely be ineffective, so more precise single shots were needed.

The Samnites held the high ground. Though still a hundred meters away, the javelins they hurled while running carried fierce kinetic energy and flew to the heavy infantry in an instant. A continuous thud-thud-thud rang out—more than half the javelins actually struck the long shields squarely. The heavy infantry saw the sharp spearheads poking through and felt a jolt of fear: these were heavy javelins!

But the Daonian archers’ arrows also flew. Unprotected and lightly equipped, the Samnite warriors quickly crouched under rocks or hid behind tree trunks to dodge the missiles.

For a time, javelins and arrows flew back and forth in the forest.

The Daonian soldiers had sturdier protection, and the archers, shooting from a stationary position, had a more stable platform. The Samnites relied on their agile movements and the sheer penetrating power of their javelins. Even though their lack of protection caused casualties to mount gradually, their fighting spirit did not wane.

Gairni and his men, using trees for cover, had closed to within forty meters of the Daonians. When he saw that the javelin he’d thrown with all his strength made the long shields of the Daonian heavy infantry sway—and a soldier nearly stumbled—he hefted the last javelin in his hand, thinking silently: Closer, just a little closer, I can definitely take down another one!

Confident in that thought, he suddenly darted out from behind his tree, ran a zigzag path, and continued his downhill rush.

The entire Samnite skirmish line had roughly closed to thirty meters from the enemy. Gairni took cover behind a large tree, dodged an enemy volley like the other warriors, and when the archers paused to nock new arrows, he sprang out again, ready to hurl his javelin at the heavy infantry ahead. Then he saw something astonishing: those Daonian heavy infantry suddenly dropped their long shields and made a throwing motion.

“Damn—javelins!” Gairni’s eyes went wide.

Those heavy infantry had actually thrown javelins. More than a thousand javelins mixed with arrows flew out, catching the Samnites completely off guard. Many Samnite warriors who had not taken cover in time were stabbed by javelins, and the hills echoed with screams.

Gairni had no time to assess. The moment the Daonian heavy infantry threw their javelins, the javelin men ten meters behind them rushed forward and hurled another volley. Close on their heels came the light-armored infantry. While the Samnites were dodging the javelin storm, they crossed the heavy infantry line and rapidly closed in on the enemy.

“Retreat! Retreat now!...” Gairni knew he could no longer press the attack. The Daonians’ unconventional tactical combination had shattered their assault rhythm; if they delayed any longer, they might not escape.

Gairni waved his hand and pulled back quickly. The trumpeter following him immediately sounded the war horn.

But the Daonian light-armored infantry were no slower. As Lucanians, climbing mountains was their specialty, and with their light gear and well-rested condition, they caught up to any Samnite who hesitated—especially the wounded.

On the slope, tangled with trees and scattered with rocks, fighting with spear against leather shield and short sword, it was no easy thing for Samnite warriors to keep their distance and exploit their longer weapons. Once the Daonian light-armored infantry closed in, the Samnites were in danger.

Up and down the hill, it became a chase—one fleeing, one pursuing—with frequent single combats of spear versus sword.

When Gairni finally crested the ridge, escaped pursuit, and regrouped his men, he found only about five hundred left. He had lost nearly half his warriors.

When he met up with Abrini’s unit, his good friend was mortally wounded by a javelin, barely breathing, and the thousand men he had led were reduced to just over three hundred.

They had intended to ambush the Daonian army but had been ambushed themselves. Rage and frustration mingled; Gairni took his battered survivors and hurried north without rest.

“So this is what Samnites are like?!” Alexis scrutinized the bodies on the ground. He even unbothered by the filth, reached down and felt the thick calluses on their bare feet with his hand. “Very hard, like they’re wearing shoes. Kxima, you just fought the Samnites—tell us what you felt in the battle.”

Kxima thought for a moment, then said, “Legion commander, the Samnites are extremely courageous. Look—they were all light infantry, yet they dared to charge within thirty meters of our line to throw javelins... Their formation was very loose, with wide gaps, which reduced the accuracy of our light infantry’s ranged attacks. Their tactics are quite similar to our light infantry’s... And also, look—” Kxima picked up a Samnite javelin and handed it to Alexis.

Alexis hefted it in his hand, then brought the spearhead close to his eyes for a closer look. His expression grew serious. “The spearhead is weighted. It’s about the same weight as our javelins. So about a hundred of your men were wounded because of this?”

Kxima nodded and said gravely, “I think their javelin technique is no worse than that of Epithenis’s peltasts. When a javelin strikes a long shield squarely, it can often pierce the board. That’s how our brothers were hurt...”

Alexis bent down to inspect a long shield that had been stuck by several javelins, then said, “The soldiers say the Samnites run very fast in the mountains—you couldn’t catch them no matter how hard you chased, and that’s how they got away.”

Kxima retorted, unwilling to concede, “The Samnites are fast, but we Lucanians are no slouches at climbing mountains either. If we weren’t carrying slightly heavier gear, we’d have caught them long ago!”

“According to the Potentians, although the Samnites do have heavy infantry in breastplates, most are javelin-throwing light infantry...” Alexis gazed at the endless ridges ahead, a new worry creeping into his heart. “Order the corps to speed up the march. We’ll camp in the nearest upper valley of the Barento River!”

In a former Potentian village less than a li north of the city of Potentia, Gairni stood dejectedly before Velanni, the Great Chief of the Hirpini.

Velanni did not harshly reproach his son for attacking the Daonians without authorization, resulting in heavy losses. He knew that Abrini’s death had already filled Gairni with self-blame. So his voice was gentle as he asked, “Gairni, you are the first Samnite chief to have fought the Daonians. Though you suffered a small defeat, it has allowed you to understand our powerful southern enemy. Tell me, how are the Daonians different from the Campanians in battle?”