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Volume 2: My Country Seven Hundred and Seventy-Nine.  Parthian Rangers

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    A conspiracy against Caesar is quietly going on.  !

    At this time, Yaculius, who had high hopes from Pompey, was finally able to lead his own troops with satisfaction and embarked on a real battlefield for the first time under the command of Hokum.

    His enemies were the Parthians, the greatest enemies of the Roman Republic¡ªthe Parthians!

    The Parthians were a powerful force, far superior to the Persians in the past.  And they also successfully defeated the Roman invasion and killed their commander Crassus!

    The Parthian Kingdom is indeed completely different from the Persian Empire in the past.  Persia, which Alexander conquered, was an ancient civilization dominated by farming people. At that time, except for a few novel weapons, such as war elephants and chariots, the basic tactics of the Persian army were not much different from those of Greece.  The previous Battle of Gaugamela was a European-style battle, with both sides facing the enemy in neatly arranged square formations.  It is true that the Roman army represented the highest level of infantry formation combat in that era. Any nation that fought with the Romans in a grand battle would not have much chance of winning.

    The Parthians who replaced the Persian Empire were out-and-out nomads. They would show the Romans a brand new tactical concept - highly mobile light cavalry tactics, and the Huns and Huns who would carry forward this tactic would  Many years later, the Mongols became a nightmare for all of Europe.

    Crassus will pay the price with his life for his greed and arrogance, and tens of thousands of Roman soldiers will have to be buried with him.  £®  £®  £®  £®  £®

    In the Syrian province of the Roman Republic, the seaside mountains parallel to the Mediterranean coastline acted like a solid barrier. The ridges extended from north to south, protecting the narrow coastal plain and wealthy cities, leaving only three passes to pass through.  Barriers: They are the Pass of Amania, the Pass of the Pillars of Jora, and the Pass of Syria.

    At the northernmost Amanya Pass, the huge stone wall is like a long snake winding across the horizon under the cover of darkness. There are few roads behind the pass, and many roads are dead ends.  As the winding path winds up, the crops become fewer and fewer, and the land becomes increasingly barren.  Hells, an elite soldier of the First Battalion of the Sixth Legion of the Roman Republic, was walking on this rugged road. The strange-shaped rocks that he stumbled on reflected the charming moonlight. The shadows of people who suddenly rose were reflected on the rocks, showing various shapes.  All kinds of wonderful shapes.  £®  £®  £®  £®  £®

    As an elite soldier of the legion, Hells did not have to be on duty, but today all the centurions of the first battalion were called to attend a military meeting, so he, an experienced veteran, came to check the sentry instead of the centurions.

    Hells saw with satisfaction that the sentries on the stone wall stood firm at their posts like pillars. At this time, the sky gradually dawned, and the vast plains appeared in front of him: the land outside the pass was fertile, blocked by cypress trees.  The wind protects the growth and prosperity of the orchards and flower beds, and the citrus fruits are carefully cared for.  Aqueducts ensure the irrigation of crops and vegetables. Wheat fields and sunflowers are stacked alternately, creating a prosperous scene.  To the south of this fertile plain lies the flat Gobi Desert, dotted with only a few oases.

    A cool breeze blew gently, carrying the fragrance of earth and the crisp sound of horse hooves.

    ¡°Damn it, here we go again!¡± Hells cursed angrily and spat outside the thick stone wall.

    A small group of Parthian rangers appeared in the sight of the pass defenders. The Parthians are a people on horseback. The Parthian horses under their crotches are not as tall as the Spanish horses and North African horses in the Roman legions, but they are strong.  Powerful, fast and with good endurance, he has been trained to run fast in small steps since he was a child. He can run fast and steadily.  Therefore, the Parthians could still shoot arrows with great accuracy while riding their horses at a gallop.  What frightened the Roman soldiers the most was that when the Parthians retreated quickly, they could turn around and shoot arrows on horseback, but their accuracy was not affected at all.  The "Parthian Horseback Arrow" simply became a nightmare for Roman legionnaires.  So, as usual, they could only watch as these rangers came to plunder food with great force.

    "That's right, the harvest is about to come now. These guys are coming more frequently! Just like fucking locusts!" A sentry said next to him.

    "I really want to go out and fight with them! Apart from us, where else would the Roman soldiers suffer from such cowardice?" Another Roman soldier said angrily.

    No one said anything now. The previous battle at Calle really frightened the Romans.  Crassus, one of the three Roman giants as famous as Caesar and Pompey, led seven legions and 40,000 Roman troops to conquer the Parthian Kingdom. As a result, he was defeated at Calle by the Parthian general Sulena with only 20,000 cavalry.  Annihilated.

    "Have you heard? We have a new commander." Hells saw that the atmosphere was a bit dull and wanted to change the topic.

    "So what if we change? Some of the previous commanders were unconvinced. Every time they led us to kill us, we were not beaten by those barbaricHe beat the crap out of him and escaped?  No matter which time I got the upper hand by luck, I couldn't catch up with them.  If it weren't for the barbarian cavalry not being good at siege, this place wouldn't have been saved.  "The sentry who spoke earlier said listlessly.

    "I heard that this new commander-in-chief also appointed a chief centurion, who seems to be a rich young man from a big family in Rome. He looks like a little girl. Will such a person be able to command battles as a commander-in-chief?"

    "They are probably here to make money again. Who made our place so fertile, filled with silver mines and fertile farmland?"

    The soldiers talked among themselves, and nothing concerned them more than the commander's ability.  A clever commander can make his soldiers pay the minimum price to win victory. Soldiers will naturally be more courageous when they go to war under a commander they trust, otherwise their morale will be low.  !

    As a veteran, Hells certainly understood this truth. Listening to the soldiers' discussions made him feel agitated.

    "Okay, shut up, everyone, and watch your posts!" Hals growled, and the sentries obediently stopped commenting on the new commander and focused on their own duties.

    Hells looked at the sentries with dismay, and then at the Parthian rangers swaggering and robbing outside the wall.

    It seems that I can only stay here until I retire. My original hope of becoming a Roman citizen through meritorious service is probably in vain.  Thinking of this, he was not in the mood to stay on the stone wall any longer, and turned around and walked towards the legion camp with a straight face.

    When Hells returned to the station, he unexpectedly saw another scene: the centurions who had just returned were all busy and sweating profusely, and sets of brand-new weapons and armor were piled like a hill in the center of the camp.

    "Hels, come here quickly!" A centurion glanced at Hells who was standing there in a daze.

    "Try these armors and shields. Our new consul is planning to start a war with the Parthians. This time our sixth legion is in the first row. Our battalion is in the first row of the legion. The consul gave us some new guys.  ¡±

    Hells picked up a new shield and weighed it. The heavy weight made him immediately notice that the new shield was different from the shields he had used before. He observed the new shield carefully.

    In the past, legionnaires used rectangular wooden shields that could cover most of their bodies. The surface was first covered with canvas, then covered with a layer of cowhide fixed with metal strips, and the upper and lower edges were covered with iron edges to increase the sturdiness of the shield.  , to protect it from punctures from above and wear and tear when resting on the ground.  There is also an iron relief ornament nailed on it, which can deflect the powerful blows of stones, hurling spears, and all kinds of heavy throwing weapons.  The one shipped this time is actually made of fine steel, and the area is larger. However, there is a semicircular gap on the four sides of each shield. I don't know what it is used for.

    ¡°Now we are no longer afraid of the Parthian arrows!¡± Goriron felt joyful in his heart.

    Hells looked at the new armor with great interest. Except that the new armor was also made of fine steel and had an additional pair of chain armor made of metal rings, the style had not changed much. It was the same as what he had now.  They wear the same thing, consisting of a helmet, breastplate, and greaves.

    However, when Hells¡¯ eyes fell on the weapons that the soldiers were receiving, he was immediately surprised.

    "Centurion, what's going on? Are we going to use spears this time?"

    Since the Roman legions defeated the spear phalanx and Roman short sword left by Alexander the Great in the Second Macedonian War, they have dominated Europe for nearly two hundred years.  Since the pike phalanx was broken through, the pikemen could only fight with daggers without the protection of shields. Now the pikemen have basically been eliminated. Each Roman legion is equipped with only about 300 pikemen for attack.  To disperse the opponent's array, they are usually placed in the second and third columns. During the battle, they rush out through the channels between the square arrays to launch attacks.

    "It seems that I want to use it to deal with the Parthian cavalry." The centurion said with a frown.

    "The Parthians can shoot us like rabbits from outside the range of our guns! They will not be stupid enough to charge our phalanx. Even if they attack us and are defeated by us, how can we do it with these stupid guys?  Catch up with them? Have you warned the new governor?"

    ¡°You have to say, you think we are all idiots? Are you the only one who has fought?!¡± the centurion of the first battalion replied angrily.

    Hells shut his mouth. There were sixty centurions in a Roman legion, which means there were sixty centurions.  The power of these sixty centurions is arranged in order. The centurions of the first battalion have greater power than the centurions of the second battalion, and so on. The centurions of the last battalion, the tenth battalion, have greater power.  Husbands have the least power.

    The promotion of Roman centurions also followed this order, from low-level centurions to senior centurions.A first-class centurion.  There are six centurions in each battalion. The centurions of the first battalion are called "centurions of the first line". Their power is greater than that of all the centurions of the following battalions.

    The first centurions of the first battalion are all appointed by veterans with the most combat experience. The most powerful among them is the centurion of the first centurion, who is called the "chief centurion".  This is the centurion with the highest status in the entire legion. Sometimes he can even command the military operations of the entire legion.  For the sake of the safety of the soldiers, if the commander-in-chief makes unreasonable arrangements, he will definitely fight for it.  Now that he has said this, it can only be implemented. The military law of the Roman Legion is no joke.

    "Hels, get familiar with the new equipment. The battle will begin soon." The new chief centurion, young Yaculius, warned again. After all, he still liked this experienced veteran.  of.

    "Yes!" Hells, who knew the power of the Parthians, replied weakly.

    Three days later in the morning, Hulls first put on his clean linen underwear, then put on a short-sleeved woolen tunic that reached to his knees, and then put his feet into what was called the "Calligu".  "Military boots.

    This kind of military boots is made of leather. The soles are four layers of leather and have empty rivets.  Hulls tied the straps halfway up his shins and stamped on the ground twice, satisfied that the boots were in place.  Then, after the legion slaves helped him put on his armor, Hells walked out of his tent. Outside, Roman soldiers were walking out of various tents.

    When Hells and his comrades from the Sixth Army Regiment walked a third of the way along the main road on the Syrian plain, a small hill suddenly appeared in front of them.  A beam of red sunlight shines on the hills ahead, the dewdrops on the leaves of the trees beside the road shine like gems, the trees are like burning torches, and the entire plain is bathed in the bright sunshine.  After a while there was a sound, and Parthian cavalry came running towards them from all directions in twos and threes.

    "The first battalion stops advancing! The front row sets up shields!" Yaculius's majestic voice came from behind.

    Hells, who was standing in the first row, grasped the handle of the shield tightly and stood the shield on the ground. The shields of his companions immediately joined his shield tightly.  Almost at the same time, the sharp arrows of the Parthian cavalry began to pour on the Roman defense lines.

    "First battalion, form a turtle formation!" Yaculius calmly gave the order.

    The first battalion quickly gathered its formation. Hells and the Roman soldiers in the first row immediately squatted and leaned their shields on the ground. The soldiers in the second row placed their shields on top of the shields in the front row. The soldiers in the third row and behind raised their shields.  Overhead, they overlap like tiles, so that each centurion is formed into six airtight shield formations, which look like fish scales from a distance.

    While the first battalion was well-trained and quickly formed the turtle formation, the second and third battalions on its left and right also formed the turtle formation. However, since their number was only half of the first battalion, the scale of the turtle formation was much smaller.  Behind these three battalions are the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh battalions, and the remaining three battalions, the eighth, ninth and tenth, are in the third line of the corps.

    This time the Romans dispatched three legions. The entire army did not arrange the legions in parallel formations like in the past. The entire formation looked like a huge "pin".  The Roman Third Legion called the "Legion of the Roses", and the 12th Roman Legion known as the "Legion of the Lightning Throwers" on the right wing. The distance between the three legions can only accommodate four or five horses riding together.

    More and more Parthian light cavalry emerged from all directions, and there was no visible formation at all.  These skilled cavalrymen wore only light leather armor, a long knife at their waist, and held the famous Parthian recurve bow.  The bow string is attached to the curve, the two ends are fixed with horns, and the central grip is concave. The shape of the entire bow is like the outline of the back of a Bactrian camel.  This kind of bow is extremely powerful, with a range of up to 300 meters. It can shoot through scale armor at a distance of 50 meters. The bows made of straight wooden sticks in the Roman legions are unmatched in terms of range and penetration.

    The locust-like rain of arrows fell on the shields of Hells and the others. The soldiers' ears were filled with the "swish, swish" sound of the arrow tip cutting through the air and the "dong, dong" sound of hitting the shield.  The Parthians carefully kept a distance of about fifty meters from the Roman defense line. They fired arrows quickly, without aiming at all, and just tried to shoot the arrows with maximum power.

    "Thankfully I got a new shield!"

    Hells' gratitude to the new commander is beyond description. The wooden shields of the past could not stop the sharp arrows fired by the Parthian combination bow at such a close range.  In more than one battle in the past, Parthian arrows penetrated the shield and nailed the Roman soldier's shield hand to the shield.  That being said, they are still in a position to take a beatingThere was no chance to fight back.  Soon, Hells' gratitude was replaced by resentment:

    "Damn it, how long are we going to last like this? Do you think we can win the war by blocking the Parthian bows and arrows with some shields? What a young man who has never fought before!" Hells cursed in his heart.

    "Woo, woo", a new loud sound that had never appeared on the battlefield overwhelmed the harsh sound caused by the arrow rain. Hells, who was hiding behind the shield, couldn't see what was happening, and only heard what came next.  There were bursts of human screams and horses' neighing, and soon, the dense rain of arrows falling on the shield began to become sparse.  As the sound of "woo, woo" continued to sound, after a while, there were no more sharp arrows flying towards them.

    "The first battalion resumes its formation! Each centurion relaxes the distance between each other."

    Hearing Jakulius¡¯s order, Hells finally breathed a sigh of relief and stood up straight.  He moved his numb arms and knees and looked forward. The sight in front of him shocked him and his companions:

    Stone bullets several sizes larger than coconuts were still whizzing past their heads. Parthian corpses were scattered in front of them. Some people's heads were smashed by stone bullets, and their brains were all white.  Mixed with the red blood, it looked like a big bowl filled with flesh and blood; some people had only the lower half of their bodies left squirming, and they didn't know where they flew above the waist; some people had stone bullets embedded in their chests  In front of him, he could only exhale with a little difficulty; in the distance, several camels loaded with bows and arrows were screaming with their tenacious vitality after being hit.  £®  £®  £®  £®  £®  The Parthian light cavalry was overwhelmed by this sudden blow. They stayed away from the Romans and regrouped in the distance.

    Hells and his comrades let out a deafening cheer. The first battalion suffered very little losses in the confrontation just now. Only a few soldiers were injured by bows and arrows shot through the gaps between shields.  Amid their cheers, the four battalions of the second column quickly passed through the gap between them to form a new first column, allowing the three battalions just to recover their strength and care for the wounded.
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