45. The Battle Outside of Andria

  Sauromates organised on behalf of the Republic 2500 Shadows to assist Gocelin, digging trenches and booby traps on the western flank of Gocelin’s army. A man came to Gocelin to warn Gocelin of this development, the Shadows were not visible, wading through the grass some pretending to be passersby as the Christian army put up papal banners and crosses.

  “Today is the day we drive this scourge back from Italy! The Saracens also set up an infidel stronghold at Bari, and we drove them back and we will drive these bastards back and hopefully with lots of graves as reminders.” He said, “no!” Richard began, “graves are too good for them, let them get a taste of hell!”

  The Christian army was roaring like lions, lifting their arms in the air and making clattering sounds. Gocelin on the other hand commanded silence, Roman silence like in the times of old to unnerve the opponent. Their they stood still, caltrops were hidden in the grass on the western approach, hidden holes, with The Shadows hidden behind Gocelin’s army. 11,500 against almost double that, Gocelin felt the pressure, 5500 infantry, 6000 technicians for the bolt shooters, 2500 agents awaited patiently, they dug surreptitiously on the eastern flank as well, advising Gocelin to not move his flanks. Hidden ditches covered with foliage on either side, with caltrops, Gocelin could still be outflanked, for they could still make the long journey around the Republic’s lines, to finish the job, but the Christians did not know what was in store for them. Sauromates quick work was achieved with finesse and a lot of hard work. The 2nd of April would be the sight of the most cataclysmic and decisive battle.

  “This could change the fate of Italy,” Gocelin said, “and I have to bear the brunt alone, with nearly half the number of the enemy, even more than last time.”

  4500 glaivemen held the front, and sides, while the artillery got their positions ready, with thousands upon thousands of bolts. Sauromates had positioned himself and most of his men on the western flank, but had a sizeable contingent on the eastern flank numbering some 500. It was clearly noon, when the Christian archers, came up and began hurling arrows. The bolt shooters shot at them, and quickly the archers had run away being having been halved, 3000 turning to 1500. The Christian army still vastly outnumbered the Pagan one, 19,000 troops began their charge, the infantry and cavalry in tandem. The cavalry stunting their charge until the infantry had almost made it, then they charged for the western and eastern flanks. The bolts were being reloaded and the glaives readied, and the frontal charge came; the charge collapsed as horses fell into the ditches, and men were caught in the caltrops, brutal things that chomped at the men’s heels. Mace-men smashed any impudent soldiers who attempted to flank them, infantry attempted to climb out the trench, as horses and men trampled each other, the mace-men cycled out and the glaive-men slashed the men as they scrambled out. In the next moment Sauromates’s western forces came out of the dirt, and began throwing axes and knives in rapid succession, spears hit the side profiles of completely flabbergasted Christian forces. One singular pot filled with oil was lit and chucked into the trench, with astonishing results. Men were on fire, and they screamed, and the entire western flank collapsed. 1000 cavalry had withdrawn avoiding the mess, but a solid amount were trapped in ditches, with broken horse legs and killed riders, with infantry at the front being blasted by another round of artillery from the bolt shooters. The cavalry charged the Shadows, but they withdrew instead, again setting up a trap, as taut hidden rope collapsed the first line of horses and collapsed the charge. Sauromates took his time humiliating the western flank, but the infantry came and despite accurate knife and axe throws, his men were not enough to hold such a large mass of infantry at bay. They picked up enemy swords, and threw them into the Christians who attempted to flank. 6000 Christian lives had been lost, for the price of some men on the front line. There were gaps in the trenches, but they were not large enough to have proper formations, and Christian foot soldiers found themselves clobbered by maces or attacked by swiping glaive strikes. Sauromates had to withdraw, as the Christian western wing began to envelop Gocelin’s army. The fighting was ferocious with Gocelin’s men beginning to have casualties inflicted upon them despite the artillery support. Sauromates made their way to the eastern wing of the battlefield, where his Shadows immediately enacted brutal punishment on the enemy army who began routing, granted they didn’t have anyone burning, but they were met with even more knives and even more spears and axes, as well as the metal of the dead who were thrown directly into the faces and weak spots of the Eastern flank.

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  “Drive them from the field!” Sauromates screamed.

  200 Shadow cavalry came throwing darts, spears and knives, smashing into the rear and duelling with the continents of cavalry on the eastern flank. Glaive-men and mace-men despite strong weaponry had to face a strong assault that nearly broke through, cracking in places. Another salvo of bolt shooters collapsed the progress of the western assault, while the Shadows threw blades at the eastern flanks that were not in the ditch. The caltrops likewise had all been spent, and were more there for a psychological effect. The Christian coalition army nearly broke through the front, but the eastern flank was now dominated by the Shadows who despite some casualties were ripping through the exposed Christian eastern flank. Guiscard was on the east and he watched some unknown force rip through cavalry and infantry alike, withdrawing his personal horse as watched the carnage.

  Who the fuck are they? How did that traitor get this, this is a catastrophe! But we can still grind down those Pagans into the dust.

  Amazingly the Christians didn’t run, still believing they had the day.