Chapter 101: The Legion of Steel
Inside the legion commander’s tent, the centurions listened attentively to Marcus’s story.
He had summoned them to show them the new armor and weapons he had brought.
“Legion commander, are you saying that only one cohort can equip the new armor and weapons you have brought? And that we have to keep it a secret from the other legions?”
Lucius asked incredulously.
The other centurions had similar reactions.
The previous new armor and weapons that Marcus had introduced were enough to distribute to all the frontline soldiers.
So they understood why he had shown them a demonstration before.
But this time, he said he would only arm one cohort.
That seemed unnecessary to call all the tribunes and centurions to warn them.
More importantly, they did not understand why they had to keep it a secret from the other legions.
Marcus explained again with some more details.
“The reason I told you to keep it a secret is not to deceive our allies. It’s because the new armor and weapons are of a type that has never been seen in Rome before.
If we suddenly show up with something different in front of a battle, it might cause unnecessary confusion. I called you all here to tell you to maintain secrecy. Of course, that’s not the only reason. There are some changes we need to make in our formation, so I want you to get familiar with them beforehand.”
“Changes in our formation? What kind of changes? Just because we equip one cohort with new weapons?”
“Yes, the formation will change slightly. But the way we fight will change significantly. The cohort in the front will break through the enemy lines first, and then the legionaries will take care of the confused enemies.”
Lucius looked puzzled.
He still could not picture what Marcus was saying.
“You mean you will send one cohort ahead of the others to charge at the enemy? Isn’t that suicide?”
“That’s absolutely not the case. I can assure you.”
“Of course, the armor you brought last time was amazing. But I don’t think one cohort can withstand the enemy’s attack no matter how well they shield themselves. There will be gaps where they will be exposed.”
“That’s true for the armor you are wearing now. But this time, it’s better to show you than to explain it. Come on, see for yourself.”
Marcus unveiled the armor that was covered with cloth, and everyone’s eyes widened.
“Wha, what is this…?”
“Wow…”
“Can we fight wearing that? Is that possible?”
The ancient people who saw the full plate armor for the first time had various reactions.
They were a mixture of surprise, doubt, awe and skepticism.
They had never imagined that they could make armor that covered their whole body with steel without any gaps.
It was not only a technical problem, but also a matter of disbelief that they could move wearing such armor.
Lucius looked at the plate armor with suspicion and asked.
“Legion commander, I’m sure wearing that armor will make you invincible against any attack…but can you fight wearing it? It looks extremely heavy and exhausting.”
Marcus chuckled and shook his head.
“That’s a common misconception. But this armor is not as heavy as you think. Why don’t you try it on?”
One of the prejudices about medieval plate armor was that it was heavy and cumbersome.
But in reality, plate armor made with high technology was not that heavy.
The weight of plate armor was about 25kg, which was not much.
The design structure made this weight evenly distributed over the body, so it was actually less burdensome than other metal armors.
It was a baseless rumor that they could not get up if they fell down or ride a horse by themselves.
Lucius, who tried on the armor, was surprised by how comfortable it was.
He moved his arms and legs around and did not feel any discomfort.
Each piece of armor was like an independent piece of protection, and the joints were well fitted to allow easy movement.
“It’s thinner than I thought. But doesn’t that compromise its defense?”
“Then let’s test it out.”
Marcus told Lucius to take off the armor and brought a bow and arrows.
He fixed the armor and ordered a skilled archer to shoot at it.
The archer pulled his bowstring hard from about 20 meters away.
For a skilled archer, 20 meters was like shooting at point-blank range.
Ping!
A sharp sound of breaking echoed.
At the same time, a dull thud and broken wood pieces flew in the air.
The arrow did not even dent the armor, but broke and bounced off.
“Ooh!”
The centurions’ exclamations filled the tent.
To pierce plate armor with a bow, they would need a medieval longbow and thousands of arrows.
Even so, piercing the armor with a bow was more of a way to inflict physical shock and psychological pressure than anything else.
The centurions wondered how the armor could be so strong without being thickly made of steel.
“The secret of this armor’s defense is not the thickness of the steel. It’s the precise calculation of the armor’s slope and design, and most importantly, the heat treatment. You can’t achieve this kind of defense by simply copying the shape.”
Marcus explained, but no one understood him.
However, they all agreed that it was something amazing.
Lucius, who had tried swinging the longsword after the plate armor, understood why Marcus had to change the formation.
The plate armor itself was much more defensive than any other armor that the Roman army had used before.
That meant they no longer needed to carry heavy shields.
So they no longer needed to wield weapons with one hand.
Using a long weapon like a longsword naturally increased their attack range, and it was impossible to maintain the dense formation they had before.
They obviously needed to make a new line that suited this armor and weapon.
“If a cohort armed with this equipment charges at the enemy…I pity the ones who face them. But this is not something that can be hidden from our allies. As soon as the battle starts, everyone will notice the existence of this armor, won’t they?”
“Of course. That’s why I won’t deploy the cohort equipped with this armor in the next battle. The soldiers also need time to get used to this armor and weapon, right? They need a period of adaptation before they go into action.”
The real crisis in the war against the Belgae alliance was not now, but in the next battle.
He did not need to send out soldiers armed with plate armor and longswords to chase after retreating enemies.
Marcus did not want to show other legionaries how the soldiers wearing plate armor fought.
Of course, rumors would spread through the soldiers’ mouths after the battle, but rumors and reality were completely different.
The centurions themselves did not fully understand the value of plate armor until they saw it with their own eyes.
The centurions’ eyes shone brightly as they understood Marcus’s explanation.
They were genuinely curious about how their allies wearing that armor would sweep through the enemy.
It would probably be a nightmare for the enemy and a hopeful sight for their allies.
The tribunes and centurions of the 12th legion were itching to go into battle as soon as possible.
They had not looked forward to a battlefield like this in a long time.
※※※※
Caesar sensed that it was time to switch to offensive when he received a report that the enemy was secretly retreating under cover of night.
He sent out his remaining cavalry first to strike at the enemy’s rear and slow them down, and then deployed his heavy infantry.
The rear guard of the Belgae alliance bravely fought back against the Roman army’s surprise attack.
But their morale collapsed when they heard that the Romans were chasing them.
The tribal alliance that was not united from the beginning fell into chaos in an instant.
The warriors ran in all directions, pushing and tripping each other, causing self-destruction.
The number of people who died from fighting with Roman soldiers and those who died from running around in panic was similar.
In the end, more than 200,000 Belgae alliance troops were completely annihilated without even fighting a proper battle.
Caesar steadily expanded his territory by crushing them one by one.
The Suessiones tribe, which played a major role in forming the alliance, was the first to surrender.
Their chief Galba offered his two sons as hostages and expressed his unconditional surrender.
Then, the Bellovaci tribe, which was considered the strongest among the Belgae tribes, also requested peace.
The hardliners who advocated war against Rome had already fled to Britannia.
Caesar accepted their peace offer under the persuasion of the Haedui and Remi tribes, giving them face as allied tribes.
The Haedui and Remi tribes also realized Caesar’s generosity.
Their goodwill towards Rome deepened as a result of this incident.
The next destination of the Roman army was the Nervii tribe.
Marcus knew beforehand that this Nervii tribe would pose a great threat to Rome.
The Nervii tribe was praised for their unparalleled bravery in northeastern Gaul.
They were known for their excellent infantry and aggressive temperament.
They had more than 50,000 male warriors available for mobilization.
In addition, 10 tribes that still wanted to fight against Rome joined forces with them.
More than 70,000 warriors were waiting for Rome’s army to enter their territory, hiding in silence.
Caesar initially planned to build a camp on the plain near the Sabis river.
It was easy to get water and materials for building a campsite, as there was a river and a forest nearby.
But there was a Gallic spy in the Roman army who leaked information to the Nervii tribe.
The Nervii tribe, who noticed the approach of the Roman army, ambushed them from the forest behind the river, looking for a chance to attack.
In the original history, Caesar found out about this after being attacked by surprise.
He won the battle thanks to his quick response and the combat power of the Roman army, but he did not suffer little damage.
It was recorded that one of his legates died and many officers lost their lives.
The fact that he suffered a lot from a surprise attack became known, and it spread among the Gallic tribes that the Roman army was not invincible.
Marcus was not going to let that happen again.
He requested a private meeting with Caesar and devised a plan to use the spy’s existence against him.
“So you’re saying we should pretend to fall for their trap?”
“Yes. They don’t know that we have discovered their ambush. We should take advantage of that as much as possible.”
“What about launching a preemptive strike?”
“They are hiding in the forest, so if we cross the river and attack them, they will just run away. Wouldn’t it be better to lure them out and annihilate them?”
Caesar nodded.
Indeed, if they could wipe out the Nervii tribe here, the remaining Belgae tribes would likely give up resistance.
“Then how do you suggest we lure them out? Tell me your idea.”
“According to my investigation, the Nervii tribe used the approach of our supply convoy as a signal to attack. They planned to exploit the gap when we were scattered and the convoy was exposed, while we were building our camp.”
“They were quite clever. If we had been unaware, we would have suffered a lot of damage.”
Marcus smiled and replied.
“But now we know everything.”
“Yes. Let’s play along with their trap. They will be surprised when they find out that what they caught was not a fish, but a huge whale.”
Caesar looked at Marcus with a pleased eye.
He had not expected it when he first came to Gaul, but now Marcus was an indispensable strategist for him.
He regretted having to send him back to Rome next year.
‘If only he was my son instead of my son-in-law…I never thought I would envy Crassus.’
Caesar shook his head and got up from his seat.
His principle was to act swiftly and coldly once he was on the battlefield.
He put aside his personal feelings and immediately convened a commanders’ meeting to issue orders.
As planned, the Roman army approached the Sabis river as if they were unaware of the Nervii tribe’s ambush.
The Nervii tribe, who were lying in wait, rejoiced that the information from the Gallic spy was true.
They also had no doubt that the 12th legion, the elite force, had fallen back to secure the supply line.
They could not see the legion’s standards anywhere.
The Roman army pretended to build a camp by installing palisades first to block the enemy’s view.
The task of securing water was assigned to the cavalry, who could escape quickly if attacked.
They did not intend to fetch water in the first place.
A few soldiers prepared to flee and approached the forest with axes as if they were going to cut down trees.
From across the river, they looked like fools who were building a camp without knowing anything.
Finally, when the Roman army’s supply convoy appeared, the Nervii tribe sensed that it was time.
Whoo-oo-oo!
The horn sound announcing the attack echoed through the clear sky, and the Nervii tribe and their allies sprang out of the forest at once.
“Waaaaaah! Kill the Romans!”
“They don’t expect our surprise attack. Let’s take their camp as quickly as possible!”
The Roman soldiers near the river ran frantically toward their camp, screaming in panic.
“Uaaaah! It’s the enemy! They were hiding!”
The Belgae tribes, who were encouraged by the sight of the Roman army fleeing, rushed after them.
They saw Roman soldiers who had not even properly armed themselves and were hastily returning to their camp.
As soon as they jumped over those palisades, they would see the pale faces of the Roman army.
“Now, kill them all…huh?”
The Belgae tribes who had reached the Roman camp with great momentum were bewildered by what they saw.
The Roman army should have had no time or opportunity to arm themselves or gather in order, but somehow they were waiting for them fully armed.
The word ‘tricked’ flashed through the minds of the Belgae tribes who could not grasp the situation.
Caesar pointed his sword at them with a stunned look and shouted.
“They are rats caught in a trap. Wipe them all out!”
The horn player next to Caesar sent a signal to attack.
The Roman army’s rough shouts and footsteps shook the ground.
The horn sound that spread through the air reached Marcus’s 12th legion as well.
The claim that they were securing the supply line was obviously a lie to deceive the spy.
The 12th legion had circled around and entered from the side of the forest where the Nervii tribe was hiding.
The Nervii tribe, who only focused on the main force of Rome, noticed their presence only after they had approached close enough.
The horn sound announcing that the main force had switched to offensive, Marcus’s 12th legion marched confidently toward the side of the Nervii tribe.
They were only one legion, but the Nervii tribe’s half had already rushed to the front of the Roman army.
There were only about 15,000 warriors who could face the 12th legion.
Still, they outnumbered the 12th legion by more than twice.
The Belgae commander waved his axe at Marcus’s army and yelled.
“Stop them from breaking through our side. They are only a few. They are not trying to attack aggressively, but to distract us. Don’t panic!”
Although he felt slightly offended, he still had an overwhelming advantage in numbers.
The Belgae warriors exuded a fierce aura as they slowly approached the 12th Legion.
Marcus smiled triumphantly as he confirmed the enemy’s numbers.
This was the perfect amount for an experiment.
He gave a signal and the soldiers who were shielding the front with their shields moved aside in unison, creating a space.
Through the gap, a hundred men armed with plate armor and longswords emerged from the rear where they had been hiding.
The leader of this elite force was none other than Spartacus.
Spartacus walked casually towards the Belgae warriors as if he had come out for a stroll.
The hundred men he led followed him with the same ease.
The Belgae warriors stiffened at the sight of the enemy clad in steel.
Even the Nervii tribe, who always practiced their martial arts, could not hide their agitation.
They felt a chill in their hearts at the presence of an enemy with such different armor from the usual Roman army.
“What is that? Is that the Roman army? Do they wear that kind of armor?”
“I don’t know… No, wait, is that armor made entirely of iron?”
“Ha! Stupid Romans. How can they swing their weapons with all that iron on them? It doesn’t matter if we chop them once or twice with our axes, they’ll die anyway.”
One of the Nervii soldiers sneered and threw a hand axe at Spartacus.
The hand axe spun and flew straight at Spartacus’ body.
Whing! Thud!
Spartacus slapped away the flying axe with his forearm as if it was annoying.
The axe bounced off and fell to the ground with a clatter.
“······!”
“What, what? He blocked it with his bare hand?”
The warrior who threw the axe gaped in disbelief.
Spartacus drew his longsword and adjusted his stance.
Swoosh.
The smooth sound of the sword coming out added to the bleak atmosphere.
No one could remain unaffected by the unreal sight of him deflecting a throwing axe with his bare hand.
The Belgae warriors who were about to charge with a scream hesitated and looked at each other nervously.
Marcus stepped forward to the front of the legion with a leisurely voice.
His voice was so calm that it was hard to believe he was facing a battle.
“Gentlemen, this is not a war. This is a judgment from Mars, the god of war, on these foolish enemies. We, the Roman army, are the agents who carry out Mars’ judgment.”
The hands of the Roman soldiers holding their weapons tightened and their breaths became rough.
They were sure.
As Marcus said, this fight would be a slaughter and a humiliation, not a battle.
One last word came out of his mouth softly.
“So go and kill them all.”
This command was the fuse that made the soldiers of the 12th Legion burst into a fierce roar and advance forward.
Spartacus’ hundred men, who were already close to the enemy’s noses, pulled out their longswords and plunged into the Belgae camp head-on.
<101. Legion of Steel> End
New n𝙤vel chapters are published on fre(e)webnov(l).com