Second Battle of Bedriacum
The Second Battle of Bedriacum is reaching its climax as forces loyal to Vitellius and Vespasian clash in a desperate struggle for control of the Roman Empire. The battlefield is chaotic, with both si
Setting
A vast, open plain near Calvatone, Cremona, Italy, with scattered patches of wildflowers and grasses swaying in the breeze. The battlefield is marked by trampled earth, scattered weapons, and the occasional remnants of hastily abandoned camps.
Characters
Legion Commander
primary
A battle-hardened Roman officer in his late 40s, with a muscular build from years of military service. His face is weathered and scarred, with a prominent chin and a close-cropped beard streaked with grey. His dark eyes are sharp and calculating, missing little on the battlefield.
Centurion
secondary
A battle-hardened Roman centurion in his early 40s, with a muscular build and numerous scars from previous campaigns. His face is weathered from years of exposure to the elements, with a square jaw and piercing dark eyes that have seen too much bloodshed. His hair is cropped short in military fashion, streaked with gray at the temples.
Legionary
secondary
A weary Roman soldier in his late 20s, with a lean but muscular build from years of marching and combat. His face is streaked with sweat and dirt, and his short-cropped hair is matted beneath his helmet. A fresh cut on his left forearm shows through a torn sleeve.
Vespasian's Scout
background
A lean, wiry man in his early 30s with sun-browned skin and sharp, observant eyes. His face is partially concealed by a shadow from his helmet, but his focused gaze and the slight squint of his eyes reveal his intense concentration. A thin scar runs along his left cheekbone, a remnant of past battles.
Dialog
Legion Commander
Form the acies duplex on the right flank—Mars damn them, they're pushing through our auxiliaries!
Centurion
The Eighth Cohort is spent, Legate. We must pull them back or lose the standard.
Legion Commander
Jupiter Victor, must I think for every pilus in this legion? Rotate the Praetorians forward!
Centurion
The reserves are already engaged, Dominus. Those are Vespasian's Dacians breaking through.
Legion Commander
Then sound the Cornicines—we fold the left like a Gaul's tunic and gut them from the flank.
Centurion
At your command. Optio! Signal the maniples—wedge formation on the standard.
Legion Commander
This ends before sunset—either with Otho's head on a pike or ours.