Get your own Free HomepageWamba the greasy offered battle to Nicius Comnenos, cowardly hidden in Neapolis with his army. the Byzantine commander accepted and deployed in the plain before Neapolis.
Wamba lfaced the south and looked at the terrain: on his left were the meditarean sea, with a small village near the byzantine side. A road was running in the center, from north to south: the road to Neapolis. Unfortunally for Nicius Comnenos, Wamba managed to seize the two steepy hill, which were present touching the table edge on the Ostrogothic side. Byzantines deployed as follow: a small infantry corps and baggages in the village (7EP), nicius and his corps in the center (15 Cv, 6 Bw,...= 27EP), the bowmen close to village, and Philagrius with his cavalry and legionaries on the right of the army (11EP).
Wamba deployed with his 13 element of gothic knights (14 EP) in front of philagrius, the gothic bowmen on double line in front of Nicius (13 EP) and the small corps of Uraias in the left of bowmen, facing also Nicius huge corps.
Wamba immediately and urgently charged the few kavalleroi and skutatoi facing him, flanking his right with a colum of Knights. In three bounds he made contact. The Byzantine light cavalry managed to kill some ostrogoth (1E), but after a hard fight were Uraias and Philagrius, the Ostrogothic commander heroikly cut off the head of the poor fighter Philagrius. His troops uncommanded soon disbanded under the furious Ostrogothic pressure who completely overrun the skutatoi.
Meanwhile in the center, Nicius charged with his whole line, and managed to place his bowmen in front to Uraias cavalry. The arrow fire was not sustainable for Ostrogothic valor, they charged impetiously, and were sucked in an disbalanced fight. The impetuosity of Gothic cavalry created a hole between them and their bowmen, in which rushed Nicius and his elite guard (4xCV(S)). Volusian Bryemnes also rushed out of town with his skutatoi and attaked the right flank of Uraias. In few bounds, all the Gothic cavalry was destroyed (4xKn+1xLh), and uraias stayed alone fighting with his incredible valor (Kn(S)), his troops fleeing from battle.
But Wamba saw Uraias in difficulty before the shock, and after destroying byzantine right wing, he rushed with his disordered knights on the Nicius right. Gothic bowmen then advanced, and crippled kavalleroi with their numerous arrows. Hieroman, heroikly defended the bowmen flank and was killed by Elite cataphractoi. Nicius right taken between furious knights and deadly bowmen suffered horrible loses. And just after defeating Uraias, Nicius army lost courage and fled to Neapolis.
Wamba smiled when they bring
the byzantium standarts, and the bloody armor of Philagrius: now
this hated roman army had no chances to escape from Italia.
weather: clear.
Terrain: Attacker placed a road, defender placed a WW, BUA and two
small H(S). Unfortunaly these hills were diced to be placed on the
edge of Gothic army.
Get your own Free Homepage