Legio XVII: Battle of the Danube (25 page)

When the group was about one mile (1.6km) from the end of the forest, the center valley spilled out into a manmade cleared area that appeared to be a perfect one half mile (.8km) square.  In the center of the square were several deserted huts, barns, and corrals.  Calvus stopped his horse and stared intently.  He was envisioning the Teutons coming down the valley and seeing only the Suevi Legions at the south end of the square, which is where they were now standing.  He could see Legio XVII hidden off in the woods to the left and V Etrusci hidden in the woods to the right.  Once the Teutons charge the Suevi, the two Legions in the woods would initiate their attack.  At the same time, the 50 Scorpio aligned with the Suevi Legions would open fire and the 300 strong cavalry would move to close the valley at the north end of the square.

Calvus led the group over to the tree line where they all dismounted.  He said, “I think this is where we will fight the Teutons.”  He then explained his tactics for the battle.  After lunch and general agreement to the battle plan, the men remounted and continued up the valley.

Calvus could see the forest opening up in the distance; he led the group closer to the tree line.  When they were about 100 yards (91m) from the end of the forest, Calvus dismounted and led the men on foot into the woods where they gingerly picked their way to the edge of the tree line.  They were now standing at the edge of a huge open expanse and 2 miles (3.2km) away from 20,000 Teutons.

In the distance, Calvus could see smoke and the very tops of the huts.  About a mile forward of their position was a small ridge running across the open space, which obscured their view of the Teuton settlement.  Calvus said to the men, “Let’s camp here tonight and at about 2:00 A.M., I want us all to walk to that ridge line.  The group backed up deeper into the woods and found enough open space to set up their tents.  Fires were kept small and the men and animals ate.

At 1:00 A.M., the group was up.  They took down their tents and hobbled the horses. It was bitter cold with a strong south west wind.  Half a moon hung in the night sky and reflected off the frosty ground.  The men walked slowly forward in single file making soft crunching sounds with each step.  Their hearts were racing.  None expected to encounter Teuton guard posts, but they didn’t know for sure.  When they reached the eight foot high ridge, they lay on their bellies to peer over the top.  They saw about 450 huts, barns, corrals and various other building.  Smoke rose from each hut and disappeared rapidly to the south west.  Nothing moved and it was quiet.

Calvus softly called Nasua and his two Suevi Commanders.  He said to them, “I want you to place your 10,000 men on this ridgeline to challenge the Teutons and force them to arm and come out to fight you.  I do not want them to see your new pila.  Leave them back where we will fight the battle, in the open square.  Form a triplex acies and slowly advance on their position so they will feel under attack.  Yell, scream, make false rushes, do what you have to do to force them to form up into a battle array, but do not actually engage them.  In a sense, you are the bait to lure them down into the valley we just came up.”

“Put on your demonstration at dawn so they will not have time to eat.  When the Teutons get within a quarter mile (.4km) of your forces, turn around and slowly back down the valley to the open square we were in yesterday.  There you will form a triplex acies and have 50 Scorpio interspersed among your troop.  Wait until the Teutons are within 50 (15m) to 60 feet (18m) to fire the Scorpio and hurl your pila.  When you start the battle, the Legions on the left and right of you will charge out of the wood and close with the Teutons.  Is this clear?”

Nasua and the two Suevi commanders replied, “Yes Sir, perfectly clear.”  The recon party returned to their horses and began the long ride back to Bad Tolz.  It had been a cold and difficult trip, but Calvus was extraordinarily pleased with the results.  Six men remained in the area to watch the Teuton garrison.

During the return trip, Calvus said to Nasua, “Your Suevi warriors are critical to this entire attack.  You have to lure the Teutons out of their garrison by presenting a credible threat; walk one mile (1.6km) down the valley, assume a new position, entice the Teutons to charge you, and throw the pila effectively.  Nasua, your men must rehearse these actions: the triplex acies, and throwing the pila accurately.  Let’s talk more about this when we get back to Bad Tolz.”

On 13 February, two days after Calvus returned to Bad Tolz, he briefed the result of his trip and battle plan to his staff with Proconsul Manius Tullus and the other Legates in attendance.  When he completed the briefing, Manius said, “Well done Legate for a thorough recon and well thought out plan.”  He then got up from his seat and said, “Let’s all assemble around the terrain model; I would like to add another factor for you to consider.”  Calvus’ face transformed immediately from that of a professional, confident leader to that of a child expecting a scolding.

“What have I forgotten?” he thought to himself.

When the group stood around the 10 foot by 10 foot terrain model, Manius took up a pointer and pointed to the 200 foot wide center valley used by the recon party. He then noted that, “The Teuton Commander may not try to squeeze his 20,000 troops down this very narrow funnel.  He may opt to send only 10,000 men after the ‘retreating’ Suevi Legions and send 5,000 off to the east valley and another 5,000 men down the west valley.  He may tell them that when they hear the sounds of battle, to cut into the woods and hit the Suevi on the flanks or try to get behind them to cut off any further retreat.”

Manius continued and was mindful not to embarrass Calvus or appear to belittle his staff.  “One possible remedy to counter this Teuton tactics would be to place Legio XVII and 500 archers in the woods closer to the west valley.  I believe you said that the woods are about a half mile (.8km) wide.  From their position in the west, they could ambush the Teutons coming down the valley or easily return to the open space if the Teutons all come down the center valley as you planned; the same for V Etrusci and 500 archers on the east side.  I believe that the two Suevi Legions and the 50 Scorpio in good defensive positions should be able to effectively deal with the Teutons coming down the center valley.”

“One additional comment for your consideration, I would place the 300 cavalry well out of sight to the east, maybe even by the river.  Once the Teutons enter the valley, I would have the cavalry ride to the open fields at the entrance to the valleys to catch any retreating survivors trying to get back to Augsburg.  If any of the Teutons seek to surrender, take them prisoners.  They can serve as a work force.”

Calvus did not feel humiliated, but recognized that he had not considered all the possible options.  When the Proconsul put the pointer down, Calvus said, “Thank you Proconsul, I see that there are other possibilities.  We will expand our plans to account for these options.”  He then thanked everyone for attending and dismissed the group.  He then looked at his staff and said, “Damn!”

Bethica, Davenhardt, and Nasua hung on every word.  This entire planning process used by the Romans was a learning experience not only for the Suevi, but also the Raeti.  As they left Legio XVII Headquarters, Bethica told Nasua, “Make immediate plans to conduct a Leaders’ Recon.  I want Legates Justus and Lugano, Tribune Valerian, and the two Suevi Legion commanders to accompany me.  Also find a few Suevi soldiers who used to live in the settlements along the route we will take and in Landshut itself.  They will know the lay of the land better than anyone.  Bring along six men to act as a stay behind force.  Plan to leave in three days.”

Calvus and his Legates immediately began adjusting the plan as suggested by the Proconsul.  Once the work was completed, Calvus’ staff began building terrain models for each of his Legions.  The plan was to move the models to the Legions’ headquarters in early May and to brief the Centurions of the Legions.  He did not delegate these briefings to the Legions for fear that the information would be distorted as it passed from man to man.  He wanted his key leaders to know exactly what the plan was.  It took until mid May to inform the Centurions.  The Centurions then briefed their men on the mission and battle plan just before they departed Bad Tolz.

*******

Bethica, Nasua, and the Legates studied the terrain model that had been built by the staff of Legio XX.  It was to scale and detailed.  From it, Bethica identified a likely route to follow for the recon.  They identified several courses of action for the actual attack developed by the Legio XX staff and then the pros and cons of each course of action.

In the end, the final decision is a judgment call by the person responsible for the outcome of the mission, Bethica.  After the presentation, she chaired a wide ranging discussion as they tried to determine the best option among several.  Bethica decided on the tentative route, a deception plan, and the battle’s tactics.  Everyone agreed.  It was time to look at the actual terrain.

On 16 February, 13 riders quietly departed Bad Tolz for Landshut.  They were seen off by Manius and the other Legates.

A straight line distance to Landshut was 60 miles (96.5km), but the recon party would add another 20 miles (32km) while they explored the routes and stream crossings.  The group prepared for the trip using Calvus’ experience as an example.

Because of the snow and ice, it took Bethica two days to ride the 25 miles (40km) northeast to the abandoned settlement at Rosenheim.  They made camp in an abandoned hut and soon had a huge fire blazing in the long unused fireplace.  She was fascinated to learn that the same Inn River that flowed through Innsbruck also flowed by Rosenheim on its journey to the Danube.

Following the river, it took another day and a half to ride the 20 miles (32km) to Wasserburg am Inn where the group separated from the river and headed due north for seven miles (11km) to another empty series of huts and barns at Haag in Oberbayern.  They were 30 miles (48km) due south of their target, Landshut, and 20,000 Teutons.  They had also just crossed the Ulm, Munich, Passau line and were entering the territory claimed by the Cimbri/Teuton Tribes.

Bethica was now much more cautious as she proceeded northwest.  Her intent was to cross the Isar River well west of Landshut and circle back to the north of the Teuton garrison.  Her target was a dense patch of forest about three miles (4.8km) north of Landshut.  The terrain model at Bad Tolz pointed to this area as the best option from which to engage the Teutons.

The winds had picked up since departing Haag and the going was made even more difficult by the blowing snow and reduced visibility.  Despite the discomfort caused by the weather, the recon party was grateful for the concealment it provided.  They doubted any Teutons would be out scouting in near zero temperatures.  At night, they occupied an abandoned hut and even lit up the fireplace to keep warm.  It probably was not the safest thing to do, but the group needed warmth and warm food to survive.

Bethica was keenly aware that the men, whether Roman or Suevi, looked at her as a woman.  She was attractive and feminine.  Like the men, she wore loose trousers.  To urinate, she simply squatted down and pulled up one leg of her pants.  She would do this publically since nothing private was visible.  To defecate, she would seek the security of a tree or brush, the same as the men.  Bethica, like all women of her era, used a tampon made of linen, cotton, or papyrus wrapped around a small piece of wood during her monthly menses.  She would also seek out a source of water to clean herself.  Her body guards were accustomed to her habits and provided security and privacy.  Despite the inconvenience, it did not affect her ability to lead effectively.

Figure 9: Bad Tolz, Rosenheim, Haag, Landshut (Goggle Maps)

The battle plan agreed upon at Bad Tolz was that Legio XX would separate from the other Legions at Haag.  They would march north in the direction of Landshut and cross the Isar River at night using a bridge east of the settlement.  Once across the river, the Legion would move west and into dense underbrush closer to Landshut.  There they would conceal themselves along the river until Bethica initiated the attack.  Once the Teuton garrison advanced toward Bethica, Legio XX would advance into the settlement, kill any Teutons there, and set everything ablaze.  The purpose of Legio XX actions was to disrupt the Teutons’ attack on Bethica and cause some or most of their warriors to run back to the settlement to protect their valuables.