Karl Laskas  - May 1, 2009 9:08 am (#21173 Total: 21175)  
Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints. 	 

An After-Action Report: Germania Strategy & Tactics #175 Replay of
Scenario 1: Teutobergiensis Saltus 

In the 762nd year of the founding of Rome, the poison of rebellion was
spreading throughout Germania. Quinctilius Varus, its new governor, was
blind to the threat. He had taken as his military advisor, and some say
as his companion in bed, one named Arminius, a German who had been
educated in Rome. Arminius proved to be a viper, for while pretending
friendship to Rome, he secretly organized the German tribes into a
military alliance. Plotting betrayal, he gave false counsel to Varus,
who was misled to disperse his six legions across a wide area where they
could not support one another. 

In the month of Junius, Arminius showed his true face. He disappeared
from Varus’ camp shortly before Roman advance elements was decimated in
a German ambush. Arminius himself was the leader of the Cheruscii
rebels. His soldiers were as impossible to count as the waves of Mare
Nostrum. 

The first target of the German host was Colonia Germanae, which was the
farthest outpost of Roman power and garrisoned by the XIX legion and
various auxiliaries. Although it was isolated and vulnerable, Varus sent
word that the XIX should not abandon this position. The XIX erected a
fortified camp which the Germans attempted to storm under the leadership
of Arpus of the Chatti. Undoubtedly history will show that these Germans
shall never be known for engineering; they were unable to make progress
due to their lack of siege engines and had no answer for Roman
ballistae. 

In the face of overwhelming odds, Roman strategy had four parts. The
great concern was to defend the cities on the Danuvius River, which were
being threatened by the king of the Marcomanni, Maroboduus. Varus’
nephew, Asprenus, was sent with two legions and recruited a third to
address this threat. Second, Varus himself would take the XVII and XVIII
legions and march to relieve Colonia Germanae. Third, a swift-moving
cavalry force under Numonius Vala would be appointed to react quickly to
German movements and secure Rome’s far-flung towns. Finally, Caedicius,
well-respected despite his plebeian rank, would employ the IV legion to
delay the Chatti in a delaying action in the mountains between the
Visurgis and Albis rivers. 

The IV was too slow. Arpus had among their numbers many montani, who
knew those hills well. The Chatti sprang an ambush on Caedicius and
forced a hasty retreat. Abandoning many of his supplies, he fell back
all the way to Locoritum. Having reached the plain, Arpus had room to
use his cavalry arm and set upon that dullard Vala. Taken unawares,
Vala’s cavalry was scattered. Few men survived to reach the safety of
the Danuvius line. Vala himself died of a brain fever on the way. 

Asprenus, however, enjoyed success. He pushed his men hard on the march
at a pace which his veterans could maintain but which proved too quick
for the new recruits. Nevertheless he reached Caruntum with two legions.
He then marched on the settlement of Felicia, which earlier had fallen
to the Germans. His substantial gift averted a battle and Asprenus
walked into Felicia without danger to his men. There he fought back the
attack of Maroboduus, or He Who Walks on the Bottom of the Lake, so
named because of his allegiance to some soggy lake spirit. His infernal
patron did not come to his aid, and the men of the II and V legions
carved the Marcomanni up like a roasted beast. 

As for Varus, he proved himself a man of rare cunning. [NB: In the
so-called Capua text, the words “dumb luck” replace the word “rare
cunning”.] After marching to the Albis River, he gave the appearance of
being lost so as to lure the scoundrel Arminius into a trap. He
reinforced this illusion by wandering in a circle for a full month. So
convincing was this illusion that many of his men were grumbling that
perhaps a less cunning commander might give them a better chance of
avoiding death in a German forest. However, this too was part of the
illusion, for Varus knew that the spies of Arminius were everywhere and
this appearance of unrest certainly would induce an unwise attack.
Exactly this occurred. On the east bank of the Albis River, Arminius of
the Cheruscii and Arpus of the Chatti joined and attacked the XVII and
XVIII legions. The barbarians under Arminius and Arpus outnumbered the
men of Varus by a margin of 4 to 1. However, sheer numbers are never a
match for Roman discipline and cunning leadership. The XVII and XVIII
legions slaughtered the German host. 

The victories at Felicia and Albis River decided the campaign, and Varus
has gone down in history for a famous victory that extended the borders
of the empire.