This Ain't Siluria Two - cont'd. (Part Three)

Decisions, decisions, Day Six.

At Isca there is intelligence to process and decisions to be made.

Reports from various sources, including from the forts, make it clear that something serious, in the form of a revolt, is taking place in the north beyond the Black Mountains and in the Central Hills. The problem is spreading rabidly and the situation changing daily, and there seems to be a clear need for local decisions to be made without constant referral to headquarters. It is decided to create two independent vexillations.

The following will take place: 

The 2nd Cohort (Trib.Caesetius) and 8th Cohort (Trib. Flaccus) will proceed from Isca, along with II Vascones, along the Via Firmia to Ft. Firmium. Caesetius is to take command locally, form an independent vexillation from the units of Augusta and the garrison, and at once move to subdue those septs north and east of the Black Mountains. It will take one full day to get the force ready, another to force march to Fort Firmium, then a day to recover, form the vexillation, sent out reconnaissance and plan matters (Say four days before affirmative action can begin).

The 3rd Cohort (Trib. Albinius) and I Morini will march from Isca to Bovium via the via Bovia, pick up the Auxiliary (only) units deployed there, then proceed to Fort Difforum (Via Diffa). Albinus will take command here, form an independent vexillation, and move north along the Diffa Valley with whatever forces he deems sufficient to secure the valley and the hills to the north west. It will take one full day to get the force ready, best part of another to march to Bovium, then most of the following day to reorganise at Bovium, march to Difforum and assess local conditions (again, say four days before affirmative action).

The force at Ft. Serrovium is to patrol and prevent any minor incursions down the Serrova valley or across/southwards in the Serrova/Isca hills. It will take at least four hours before despatches reach Serrovium, maybe more. However, some scouting/patrolling SHOULD be routine. 

The 8th Coh. (Trib. Caninia) road-building units attached to Leuca (NOT the centuries at Bovium) are to concentrate at Fort Nidenum by the quickest routes. Once concentrated Canina and the garrison will coordinate with and support Albinus to subdue the central hills. It will take at around eleven hours before despatches reach Leuca, maybe more, then another day for the units here to concentrate. Thus it may be up to three days before units get to Nindanum (say four days before action, to allow local assessment of the situation and coordination with Albinus). 

The Auxilia at Fort Leuca are to follow Standing Orders to patrol the borders and highland to the north, and prevent any minor incursions from the north and west.

So, basically four days before we can start hitting the rebels - partly because with ALL of the above there is the factor of not looking too hurried or panicked; in case THIS discourages loyalists/encourages would-be rebels. 

The Roman Plans: detailed view of north/centre

From patrols, intelligence assessments and census returns it is estimated that the rebels in arms will at this stage number no more than two to two and a half thousand warriors of all types, these likely to be scattered across the areas in revolt, with concentrations only in the vicinity of the Black Mountains/northern Isca valley.  

The main force will remain on stand-by at Isca pending the success of the vexilliations.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the hill: 

A force of some 780 men have gathered in the hills just south of Fort Firmium under a tribal leader named Buan. He moves up towards the leader of the revolt, Caeog of the Mountain, who has gathered some seven hundred men from the northern hills to his banner - but seems to lack the drive to use them.

[All the result of dice tests. These numbers are diced for for each zone occupied by the testing leader and each adjacent revolting zone. Totals are diced for in "thirds" on a 6D, with potential numbers for each terrain type as follows: Each Hillfort Cluster – 600 potential warriors. Each hill zone - 150, plains zone - 270, woods/mountains - 90. 

The attitudes of the leaders are likewise dice-driven.]

By end of Day Six more areas have risen, including the area along the River Serova (and around Fort Serovium) and the Diffa Valley. This NOT good for the Romans, as the long river routes and open valleys allow contacts with many other adjacent zones. However, the septs in the Bagadiffa Valley have remained loyal to Rome.

In addition, a leader named Twrch has risen in the Central Hills, and is also gathering forces.

All in all the Romans have been caught on the hop. The distances involved are, in the grand scheme of things, small, but everything takes time. Meanwhile, the native rumour mill (just as fast and far less vulnerable than despatch riders) spreads word of the revolt. The rebels have four days before the Romans start to bite.

AND we still haven't got up to date details of Roman effective strengths.  

Thus it goes....

This Ain't Siluria Two - cont'd.

Trouble In T'Hills

So, we have the map and the basic procedures. On with the show.

My available troops form a reasonably large force; 

Ten cohorts of IInd Augusta Legion (though the restrictions on how I can use them were mentioned in the last post) and the various Auxilia Units attached to the base at Isca.

One legionary cohort (9th) is dispersed at the ports at Leuca and Bovium and along the road links west of Fort Occamium on construction duties. There is a small (three century) temporary camp at the junction of the Leuca/ Nidenum/Occamium roads, engaged in road building.

Two centuries from another cohort (8th) are at Fort Serovium, also engaged on road building.

Several elements of the Auxilia are deployed at the various forts for policing, tax gathering, general security duties etc.

The auxiliary units (with paper strengths) are as follows: 

II Vascones  500 foot (Isca).

I Dalmations 500 foot (Isca).

I Morini 500 foot (Isca, with a detachment of two centuries at Fort Bovium).

IV Gallic (mixed cohort) 500 (1 century, 30 horse at Fort Oceamium, rest at Fort Difforum).

II Dalmations (mixed cohort) 500 (1 century, 30 horse at Fort Leuca, rest at Fort Nidenum)

III Bracarii (mixed cohort) 500 (Fort Serovium).

VI Nervii 500 foot (Fort Firmium).

I Tungrians  500 horse (Fort Firmium).

I Spanish 500 horse (Isca).

II Asturians 500 horse (Isca).

HOWEVER... These (and indeed the legion numbers) are paper strengths. I will only discover their actual field strengths once operations commence (local administration at Isca has been lax and the returns have just not been coming in to London they should have. There may be a number of "ghost" soldiers on the books, as well as the usual attrition due to sickness, leave, detachments,  secondments etc. etc.  As the Vidolanda documents et al. have shown, unit effective strengths are potentially wildly different from the ideal).  

Meanwhile, I have tested for the first moves in the campaign, and two areas (in orange above) have revolted; with the locals killing any Roman traders/officials in said areas and attacking any patrols/foragers etc. (the latter to be tested for, as will be the "time lag" between the events and my being informed of matters; this including any local decisions by my "men on the spot").

Revolting Zone VI has also produced a "Leader" (a throw of 6 on a dice throw 1xD6). The Leader will affect neighbouring Zones by prompting them to test next go. Leaders can also lead rebel forces to other rebellious zones and "accumulate" Field Armies.

The zones in pink are currently quiet, but will test as other zones from now on. 

The Zones in green above have refused to be part of the revolt. They will not test again unless surrounded by zones in revolt. 

Day One:

There are no Roman patrols in the revolting zones (dice test result), and no news of the revolt reaches any of the forts on the first day (dice test - as time passes the likelihood of a report coming in increases).

Day Two:

Two more zones revolt (no Roman patrols are affected), but in the north west one zone comes out as pro-Roman (perhaps they have benefited from increased trade up the Leuca - or, being a border sept, feel safer backed by Rome's soldiery). 

Still, no reports of the revolt have come into the forts.

Day Three:

A fleeing trader arrives at Fort Nidenum, telling of the revolt of the central sept. No news has yet arrived at any other fort. The local commander at Nidenum discounts the trader's story; assuming he has simply had a brush with brigands, and panicked.

The revolt appears to be spreading - but another north-western sept remains loyal, blocking rebel messengers from fomenting trouble.

Day Four:

The commander at Nindenum is made aware of local rumours of trouble in the central hills, and, having a rethink, decides to send a patrol to investigate matters.

Fort Firmium receives news of the revolt in the north (but not of concerns in the centre). Patrols are sent out. A message indicating that worrying rumours are circulating is sent to Isca.

The revolt continues to spread - but slowly; especially with the rebel leader being hesitant to leave the seat of the revolt. 

Day Five:

The rumours reach Fort Difforum, as the revolt spreads. The commander here sends a message to Isca about the rumours and dispatches a patrol northwards.

Fort Leuca hears of the revolt from friendly locals, but no message is sent to Isca.
Ditto Fort Oceamium.

In the north it is clear that this is escalating into a major issue; the patrols from Firmium confirming hostile activity. A message confirming the revolt is sent from Firmium to Isca. A messenger is also sent to Serrovium - which itself only becomes aware of whispers (from local sources) of the dangers at day's end; just before the arrival of the message.

Meanwhile, the senior Tribune (Ist. Tungrians) at Firmium calls a council of war. He thinks a force should be sent at once to crush the revolt at source. However,  the Tribune of the Nervii urges caution, and the two centurions of the IInd. are divided; not least because in the chain of command they answer to Isca, rather than to the c.o. of Firmium. No action is therefore taken. THIS may prove to be a lost opportunity. The senior of the two legionary centurions sends a messenger to Isca asking for guidance.

Isca has not, so far, reacted in any way.

The situation at close of Day Five below. There have been no clashes of yet.....

However, we shall see...