Augustus Road

The final result came out. Between the camp where the Antonine legions were deployed and the mountains, there was a narrow pass that seemed unguarded and could lead to the city of Mutina.

After hearing Agrippa's report, Octavian's eyes were shining. He had already made up his mind to make a fuss on this pass, but when he gathered all the generals and commanders together, he made his plan public. When he was alive, there were boos and boos. People simply did not believe that Antony did not deploy troops on this pass. Octavian, who was ridiculed, became angry - he ordered the chief centurions of each legion to come out and follow Ague. Ripa did a second reconnaissance job to convince the crowd.

In the evening, all the chief centurions returned, and they had sworn to each other not to lie: there was indeed a pass through which elite troops could pass through to get in touch with the city of Mutina, and cooperate inside and outside to break Antony.

"How?" Octavian said to everyone, meaning to ask the other party to express their position as soon as possible.

As a result, the commander of the Twelve Legions, Carlenus, said bluntly, "We believe in the reconnaissance results of our centurions, and we also believe in the cavalry captain who was appointed by you, Caesar, but what we don't believe is your decision-making and Luck."

"What decision and destiny? Why use such vague words." Octavian said with a sullen expression.

"To put it bluntly, the soldiers and centurions do not obey your command, you understand, Young Caesar. They think that you are a child, and only a child, so your recklessness on the battlefield will bring disaster to the entire army." Kallenus's explanation below was even more unkind.

Octavian's face turned red and white, and he moved his fingers on the map table. "There is no old man who is completely right. There is no child who is completely wrong. That's why I need all of you to work together, isn't it? In this way, my guards are at the front, while General Carlenus's Twelve Legions and Pan The forty-second legion of Sa followed; the sixth legion of General Angandinus maintained a frontal attack, while the forty-third legion of Hegius acted as a swimming bait, walking towards the left side of the city of Mutina, attracting Antony's Focus so that he doesn’t know about our surprise attack.”

this arrangement. It is equivalent to asking all the mountains and factions in the army to contribute, and Octavian has to set an example and take the lead.

In the end, everyone approved Young Caesar's plan, and they found the local guide. Then Octavian's five brigades, all composed of veterans, all set off at the second sentry at night, led by Avinus. ; and the two legions of Pansa and Carenus followed.

When going into battle, the incoordination of these armies was revealed. The Veteran Guards were on the pass in the pass at night, and the Twelve Legions did not give in. Followed closely, but the 42nd Army Corps, which was mainly composed of new recruits, had a difficult time. They seemed very unaccustomed to it. The soldiers could not find the centurion, and the beasts of burden also liked to wander around randomly, which delayed them for a long time.

After crossing the pass and reaching the highest point of the hillside, according to the prior agreement, Avinus tied a red legionary shirt on the tallest tree above, like a signal flag, informing all the troops behind and the houses. News of the success of David's main business.

At this moment, Octavian, who was praying in front of the idol in the camp, was ecstatic. Then according to the plan, Hedius led the forty-three legions out of the camp and marched in the opposite direction.

"Venditis, the enemy really used a very boring strategy." Anthony, who was standing on the high ground near the camp and observing all this, laughed and said to his general, "Just allocate three brigades from the Eighth Army to accompany them. Let’s march with this group of people. Then, the command over there will be left to you, Ventis.”

"Yes, I will kill the opponent to pieces." Ventis responded, and then rode away.

At this time, on the pass, Carlenus suddenly said, for the sake of safety, I must leave six brigades in the legion and build a small forward camp here. If the war goes unfavorably, we can retreat, so as not to turn into rout.

At this time, Avinus, who was leading the veteran guard, looked down. There was a long grassland, and some scattered irrigation canals, which had all dried up. It seemed that there were fields under this pass before, and they were later removed. Abandoned, "Just go through it. Since it is a surprise attack, it is not a joke to build a camp. It also makes others underestimate our loyalty to His Excellency Young Caesar." Avinus said enthusiastically, and then ignored Kalenu He said, "He likes to give me four brigades, so four brigades will be fine." He directly ordered the five brigades to line up in a long column and walked down the mountain road, because the city of Mutina was looming in front of him. It can be touched by the naked eye, and there is no Antony's camp in front, and there are no patrolling cavalry. The terrain here makes it impossible for Antony to form an iron wall.

Since most of Pansa's 42nd legion were still walking on the pass, the impatient Pansa also took the first four groups to arrive and went down together with Avinus.

When he was halfway through, Avinus was surprised to find that the bottom of the grass was not dry ground at all, but wet mud. What was horrifying to him was that the soldiers' military shoes were increasingly stained with mud. The more we go, the harder it becomes to move. It looks like this grassland is nothing more than a swamp.

At this time, he, who was walking at the front, faced the hot sunshine and fog, and smelled the unpleasant smell coming from the mud under his feet. A herald who had abandoned his mount trudged to him with difficulty. , "Sir, what should we do?"

"Don't retreat in a hurry. Let our people line up in front. The four large columns of the 12th Legion and the 42nd Legion will be on the two wings in the rear, forming a triangle to support each other. Then slowly retreat. There may be enemy ambushes here." Avinus shouted.

Then, he heard sharp whistles from all directions - many soldiers stood up behind the deserted embankment, in the bushes, and in the reeds. They originally had firecrackers on their helmets, and their shields and flags were covered with cloth. Now they were all taken off and flashed everywhere in the sun. Some soldiers had elephants on their shields, and some had grapes on their shields.

"The Fifth Legion and the Tenth Legion... It's the Elephant Legion and the Bacchus Legion!" The first soldier who knew the goods in the front shouted in panic, and then this emotion spread like a gust of wind throughout the entire position.

"Don't panic, form a battle formation." The five battalions of veterans led by Avinus were the most senior guys. They had long been numb to death and injury, so they stood closely together, holding their daggers tightly, and shouted at the Fifth and Tenth Legions that were surrounding them from all sides, "Traitors to Caesar."

The soldiers on the opposite side also shouted, "Traitors to Julius' cause."

Antony's centurion guards also walked in the front, and soon they fought with Octavian's guards in the swamp. (To be continued...)