Chapter 179 Capture the outer camp

At first, Pecot considered leading a team to circle the mountains with the Pannonians and fight guerrillas. However, these 2,000 slaves who had just joined the team and had not received any military training were undoubtedly a huge burden. What was more important was the food stored in the camp. Not enough to support so many people...

So Pecot had to reluctantly evacuate, but after finally getting the opportunity to lead the army independently and make meritorious deeds, how could he allow himself to return to Maximus so quickly.

Pecot did indeed withdraw from the mountains to the southwest of the camp as Pulicas had judged, but then he did not continue westward to the Korana River and enter the territory of the Ardei tribe. He led the team and marched eastward.

"Adobagh, how far away is the Pannoni tribe you mentioned?" Pecot asked.

Merobdam is one of the 2,000 new Scott slaves who joined the team. Like Yadobag, he also herds cattle and sheep for the Segestika people, but he belongs to the Kupa River. The easternmost of the four Segostika villages along the coast.

"Chief——" Merobdam was interrupted by Pecot as soon as he spoke: "I have said it many times, don't call me leader, call me captain!"

"Yes, captain." Merobdam immediately changed his mind and pointed to a small river not far away and said: "This is a tributary of the Kupa River. Let's go east along it and we can reach Kupa in half a day. The Pa River, the Pannoni tribe I mentioned is right by the river.”

"I remember you said that the Pannoni tribe belongs to the B...Brochi tribe. Is it really weak?" Pecot asked seriously.

"It's true!" Merobdam hurriedly explained: "I saw it many times when I was herding sheep. There are really not many people in that tribe, and there are no people like the village where I am. The entire village was surrounded by wood, and there were also some of our tribesmen in that tribe...

I heard others say that these places originally belonged to the territory of the Ardei people. Later, the Segostika tribe of the Pannoni declared war on the Ardei people and won many times.

Then the Brochi tribe also declared war on the Ardi people, and the Ardi people suffered another disastrous defeat. The Ardi tribes that were originally here were forced to move to the west of the Cordona River.

The Brochs easily occupied the lands abandoned by the Ardie people, but they disliked the mountains. They only settled on some flat land along the lower reaches of the Kupa River and close to Broch's original territory... So far, the Brochs have not There has been a battle with the Aldi people again, so they should not have much defense against the west. "

It turns out that these were once the territories of the Ardi people... Pecot looked at the low rolling hills to the south. None of the Panoni people wanted such good land. He couldn't help but feel sad for the Ardi people.

Pecot looked up at the sky, then raised his arms and shouted: "Brothers, we have to speed up and try to reach the Kupa River at dusk. Tonight we will not only capture the Pannoni stronghold, but also Kill pigs and sheep there, have a good meal, and have a good sleep!”

"Okay!!!..." Pecot's men cheered in unison, which also boosted the morale of the new slaves who joined the team. They also shouted excitedly, even though most of them did not have weapons, they just Holding a wooden stick, but the power of hatred can make them forget their fatigue and fear.

In this way, Pecot led his team to rush eastward. He had decided to capture the Broch village in the east. He would first solve the food problem for his more than 2,000 people. Then he would look at the situation and decide whether to go to Broch's territory. There was a big fuss inside.

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During the rest of the Pannoni coalition, Andres did not let the soldiers idle. They were sent in batches to fill the traps and trenches in front of the camp with soil.

The Knicks also sent troops out of the camp several times to stop them, but Andres was well prepared. He first used his cavalry to entangle the Knicks team who came out of the camp to attack, and then the soldiers who had been waiting in line in the camp quickly followed up. First cut off the enemy's way back to camp, and then encircle them...

After suffering a loss, the Knick camp no longer attacked rashly and allowed the enemy to operate outside its camp.

Three days later, the traps outside the Nix camp were cleared, the trenches were mostly filled, and new siege engines were ready. The Pannoni army once again launched a full-scale attack on the Nix camp.

Most of the Nyx's javelins, short spears, stones, and wooden blocks were consumed in the previous siege battle, so the Pannoni warriors attacked the wooden wall without suffering too many casualties.

At this time, the Knicks used their new defensive weapons-boiling water and kerosene.

A fire tray is placed every twenty meters on the wooden wall walkway. Wooden frames are set up on both sides, and a copper pot filled with water is hung in the middle. Once it boils, it is immediately picked up and poured towards the enemies climbing the wall to protect again. Strictly armored warriors will also scream due to burns, resulting in temporary loss of combat effectiveness.

During the past few days when the Pannonians were resting, the Knicks were not idle either. At the suggestion of Quintus, Maximus asked the soldiers to slaughter most of the pigs and sheep obtained from the two villages of the Segestica a few days ago, obtain the fat and refine it into liquid , used as kerosene.

Seeing each of the Pannoni warriors turn into burning men, screaming and running around under the wooden wall, all the companions around them were frightened.

The last time the Nyx people didn't use these two defensive weapons, it was because the weather was dry in autumn and it was easy to set the wooden walls on fire with fire. But now they don't care much anymore, because the Panroni people use "Battery Ram".

This is a large tree specially selected by the Pannoni people in the mountains that can be hugged by one person. After cutting it down, the trunk is planed smooth and the front end is sharpened. A dozen soldiers carry it across the filled trench to the wooden wall. Down, hitting the earth wall below.

Although the earthen wall had been tamped by the Nix soldiers, it was not stone after all. It loosened under the constant impact, revealing the roots of the wooden wall that were deeply embedded in it.

During the collision of the wood, the soldiers on the wall would throw boiling water and kerosene at the warriors carrying the wood. A soldier would fall down screaming, and new soldiers would take his place.

Finally, under the constant impact of the wood, the roots of the wooden wall gradually loosened and finally broke and collapsed.

Pannoni warriors cheered and poured in from the gap in the wooden wall, but what greeted them was a dense shield formation formed by Nyx soldiers.

The Pannoni warriors were surrounded in a small space, unable to use their spears and swords, and fell to the ground one after another under the thrusts of Roman daggers...

Although, this method effectively killed the opponent and effectively prevented the Pannoni warriors from breaking through the gap.

However, this was not the place where the wood was lifted and hit the wooden wall.

Andres organized more than a dozen groups of these wooden attack teams, which were scattered under the wooden walls on the east and north sides of the Knicks camp. As the wooden walls were knocked down one after another, Knicks had no more The troops formed a shield formation to intercept, and the garrison strength became tight. Maximus, who was standing on the tower of the inner camp, saw this situation and decisively gave the order to retreat.

The sharp brass horn sounded urgently, and the Knick soldiers who had been well prepared relied on their repeated drill experience to quickly evacuate to the inner camp through several roads in the outer camp...

However, the Pannoni warriors who broke through the outer camp were in the excitement of pursuit, and fell to the ground because they stepped on the traps, so scared that their successors had to stop.

The only safe passages were blocked by Knick soldiers. In the end, most of the Knick soldiers fighting in the outer camp successfully withdrew to the inner camp.

Andres saw from the rear that the soldiers had broken through the enemy camp and was extremely happy.

However, not long after, he received news: there was another camp inside the enemy camp, which also had wooden walls, towers, trenches, and traps, and the mercenaries hid in it...

Andres rushed to Nix's outer camp and after personally inspecting it, he had to accept the fact that they had only captured the periphery of the mercenary camp at a huge cost. If they wanted to completely eliminate this enemy, We still have to break through their inner camp. How much time will it take? How many soldiers were sacrificed? …

Thinking of this, Andres was a little discouraged, because in today's attack on the camp, the Pannoni side once again suffered close to 3,000 casualties, and most of them were dead. Most of the soldiers died after rushing into the gap in the wooden wall and being killed by the enemy. Surrounded, killed by dagger thrusts...

Andres was both heartbroken and frightened: in the two battles against the mercenary camps, the army lost nearly 6,000 people, nearly one-fifth of the entire army. If the mercenaries were to be completely destroyed next, they would still die. how many people? !

Although Andres was in a heavy heart, when the three reinforcement commanders headed by Temagis found him, he loudly encouraged the three people who were also frustrated, reminding them that the coalition forces had already paid a heavy price. If these mercenaries are eliminated, so many warriors will die in vain. Although the mercenaries still built trenches and wooden walls in the camp, which was beyond everyone's expectations, the materials used by the mercenaries to defend the camp have been almost exhausted, but they have experience in breaking through the camp and only need to make some more preparations. , it will take a few more days to finally win, thereby preventing this mercenary army from becoming a hidden danger to all Pannonians.

In fact, the three Temagis also understood that the battle had reached this level and they could not give up easily.

The main reason why they complained was to let Andres know that they had indeed suffered a lot of losses in aiding Segestica this time.

After the four people reached an agreement, they began to discuss how to arrange each team to occupy the outer camp of the mercenaries that had just been captured.

The Knicks had made preparations in advance, scattering all the tents in the outer camp and using the free space to lay traps.

If the Pannoni coalition wants to enter the outer camp, they must first dismantle the traps and then move some of the tents in their own camp. Fortunately, it is not dusk yet, and the Pannoni people still have some time to prepare for camping.

While the Pannoni warriors were busy in the outer camp, Maximus was watching all this from the tower of the inner camp.

At this time, Frontinus climbed up: "Chief, according to our careful observation, the Pannonians have arranged about 5,000 people in the east camp, about 5,000 people in the west camp, and about 7,000 people in the north camp. In addition, They originally stationed 2,000 people on the other side of the south camp, and the Pannoni deployed about 19,000 people in our outer camp (Nix's inner and outer camps are not concentric circles, because the southern camp was originally built when the temporary camp was built. Close to the river, the outer camp was later built, and there was only one wooden wall on the south side, but the wooden walls of the outer camp were staggered and not connected).”

"19,000 people... It seems that the Pannonians are determined to trap us and eliminate us here." Maximus joked with a relaxed expression.

Quintus on the side said in deep thought: "The Pannoni attacked our camp twice and suffered at least 5,000 casualties. Those wounded should all be in their camp outside, and the number of Pannoni warriors stationed in that camp was at most 5,000. There will be more than 6,000 people.”

"6,000 people, no more, no less, just enough for us to have a meal." Maximus pointed at the Pannonians busy in the outer camp and said meaningfully: "Look at their tired faces, they will definitely be here tonight." Sleeping deeply."

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Late at night, Andres had a nightmare. He dreamed that he had turned into a stag and was running in the wilderness. When he was tired, he lay down on the grass to rest. However, a strange snake sprang out from nowhere, opening its mouth full of teeth. The big mouth with teeth bites towards it.

He fought with it without showing any weakness, but the strange snake was very flexible and easily avoided his horns and hooves. Instead, it chewed up wounds all over his hooves. In the end, he suffered a leg injury. He fell to the ground heavily and was bitten by a strange snake on the neck——

Andres woke up from his nightmare. Before he could think about it, his guard captain broke in with a look of panic on his face: "Big Chief, no... it's not good! Our camp outside was attacked and burned!"

"What?!"

Andres hurried to the wooden wall of the outer camp. The corridor was already crowded with soldiers, all of whom looked outside in panic.

Hundreds of meters away from the Knicks camp, countless tents were burning in the Pannoni coalition camp. The raging firelight illuminated the dark night sky. From a distance, it looked like a huge red light belt surrounding the Knicks camp... ...The figures in the firelight, the flash of swords, and the endless screams are like howls in the night, making people feel heart-stopping.

At that moment, Andres felt a sharp pain in his head, and only one thought came to his mind: Oops! 3,000 soldiers stationed in the camp, more than 3,000 injured soldiers, and countless food supplies collected...

"Andres, there are enemies attacking the camp, we must go to the rescue!" Temagis's shout woke up the distracted Andres.

He suppressed the panic in his heart and shouted to Temagis who was holding a torch not far away: "You lead people to rescue quickly. You have cavalry and can move faster! I will stay here and watch the mercenaries inside! "