Instead, the Roman army was surprised by the active movement of the rebels.
They proceeded with all their attention in preparation for a possible surprise attack, but they came out to the plain first.
At first, Crassus was convinced that the enemy would have some trick.
However, unexpectedly, Spartacus expressed his opinion that this would not be the case.
"Crixus is a cautious man. Maybe he was trying to avoid the battle when we got nervous. However, seeing as he is trying to fight with me on the plains, the situation is getting out of control as the number of his men becomes too large.
"Oh.... That's sure. They are not trained soldiers, nor are they a unified group."
Originally, it wasn't easy to lead a unit as it grew in size.
It goes without saying that most of them are low-class people and slaves who have not been properly trained.
Spartacus, who knows Crixus well, read numerous facts just by the movement of the rebels.
"At first glance, it seems like they are about to fight a decisive battle, but the plain where they camped is an easy place to escape if they are defeated. If they run away into the forest, it won't be easy for us to track them down. This would be the maximum compromise that Crixus drew."
"Certainly a convincing reasoning."
Crassus had no choice but to admit that Marcus' judgment, which brought Spartacus, was accurate.
The quality of the troops is also overwhelming on this side, but if you can see through the enemy's psychology, it is a must-win.
He asked, staring hard at the finely drawn map.
"What do you think they'll do if they lose?"
"If they lose, it will be difficult to rally as much power as before, at least within the peninsula...…. If I were in Crixus' situation, I would run away to Sicily. If you try to make a comeback, that place will be the best place."
"I see. There are many slaves on Sicily's big farm. That place might be perfect for rebuilding power."
If you can guess the enemy's next move in advance, your actions will be much easier.
Crassus gave his men some orders with a smile of satisfaction.
In fact, Crassus, not the rebels, was in a hurry.
At first, he thought nothing was urgent, so he marched slowly, but the news from Hispania overturned the whole situation.
Sertorius, who had been persistent, was assassinated by his subordinates, settling the rebellion instantly.
Pompeius, who was dispatched to Hispania, immediately led his troops to Rome.
The purpose is obvious without looking at it.
He intends to suppress Crixus' rebellion and monopolize the military.
Crassus, who doesn't like Pompeius very much, acknowledged his ability.
It may count Pompeius's military talent as one in Roman history.
Even Sulla, who fought the Cimbric War, the Social War, and the First Mithridatic War, praised him as a military genius.
If Pompeius returns to Rome, the rebels will be over.
There was a high possibility that Crassus would be swept away instantly without time to do anything.
In this situation, it was a great fortune for Crassus that the rebels walked out on their own to the plain.
He never thought that the rebel flag over there, which was encamped, would look so welcoming.
Marcus also looked at the tremendous sight from Crassus' side and spoke his tongue.
"That's a hell of a lot."
"Yeah, it looks like it's nearly twice as big as our army."
"It's a relief. And that makes it clear that they're not up to anything. I've really put almost all my energy into this.
At first glance, the arms and costumes of the enemies were not unified but different.
Even the flags they took from the Roman army were modified correctly and used.
But Crassus remained vigilant until the end.
So far, all Roman commanders have been defeated by looking down on their enemies. He should avoid repeating the same mistake.
He cared about every little deployment of the army.
Spartacus' opinion was also of great help.
"The Roman army traditionally uses heavily armed infantry at the front and flanking them with cavalry. If I were in the position of Crixus, I would concentrate my pikemen on the flanks where they would be attacked by cavalry. And we will surround the enemy with a wide spread so that we can take advantage of the maximum numbers."
The rebels are limited in the weapons they can get, so the choice is narrower.
If the initial deployment needs to be corrected, it means that it is challenging to deal with it.
Crassus clenched his fist with excitement as soon as he saw the wide rebel formation.
This is because it was the same as expected in advance.
He patted Spartacus on the shoulder and gave an honest compliment.
"If we win a big victory this time, it's thanks to you. I won't forget the credit."
"Thank you. Your words are enough."
Finally, the distance between the two armies began to narrow, and the moment of fate came.
With the tip of the sword, Crassus aimed at the approaching rebels.
"Soldiers of Rome, trample your enemies!"
As soon as the order fell, eight Roman legions rushed forward.
"Waaaaaa!"
"Let's wipe out all the rebels!"
Even with a double troop difference, the Roman army was not discouraged at all.
The dust rising on the galloping horse's hoof marked the beginning of a fierce battle.
The rebels did not escape either. They, who are full of confidence in successive wins, have also faced each other head-on. In the meantime, all the anger suppressed in Rome erupted in unison.
"Let's kill all the Romans!"
"Let's fight, if we win here, Rome is ours!"
"Whoaaaa!"
Soldiers from both sides spread widely in a row and rushed toward each other.
However, the center of the Roman army stopped in the middle and waited in their seats, overshadowing the shouts they were shouting at first.
On the contrary, Roman cavalry deliberately ran on the side as predicted by the enemy.
"Here comes the cavalry! Stand in front of the spear and stop the enemy's rush!"
The commander in charge of commanding the flanks raised his voice vigorously. The fact that the enemy moved as expected made him confident of victory.
The rebels had their own strategy in place.
It was an ideal and powerful plan to spread widely and then surround and annihilate the enemy at once.
There's no way the enemy will stand still, but this side outnumbers the enemy twice.
It is possible to check the cavalry approach from the side and press the superiority of numbers from the center.
And, as expected, the majority of the enemy cavalry moved to cut into the flanks.
But that's what the prediction exactly was about. The cavalry only approached the rebel side at a certain distance. Instead of charging, they took out their bows and fired a containment shot from medium to long range.
Peeing! Bubbubuck!
"Gasp!"
"Hey, these guys are shooting arrows! Whoa!"
Unlike the previous Roman army, the current Roman army-operated cavalry equipped all of them with stirrups.
Thanks to this, the Roman light cavalry poured down a barrage of bows while maintaining a certain distance as if mocking the flanks of the slow-moving rebels.
There was nothing they could do for the rebels, who had almost no cavalry power except open their eyes and greet them.
"Shield, send the shield soldier forward! Those horsemen shoot bows!"
While the pikemen on the flanks fell helplessly, the shield soldiers, who arrived late, covered the front and the top with a large shield. This prevented the baptism of arrows to some extent, but they noticeably slowed the movement speed of the sides, creating cracks in the ranks.
The situation at the front was equally serious.
The Roman army, who pretended to charge in the beginning, intensively fired the Scorpio that had been set up in advance, throwing the rebels into confusion.
Scorpio is one of the most representative weapons of the Roman army, an improved version of the siege weapon, Ballista, for field use.
The giant crossbow had a range of 400 meters and was able to fire three to four shots per minute.
There are about 60 units deployed in one legion, so there are a total of 480 Scorpios on the plain.
The poor equipment of the rebels could never stop this Scorpio's arrows.
Kiriririk! Poop!
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Every time they released Scorpio's twisted rope, a creepy sound and a scream from the rebels erupted.
It far exceeded the firepower that the rebel shield could prevent.
Dozens of rebels who bravely rushed forward were skewered by large arrows and fell while spurting blood.
"Rush forward! If you approach it faster, that weapon won't shoot any more!"
The central rebels added more strength to the running steps by reacting to the shouts of one of the commanders.
The flanks halted to block the arrows of the cavalry archers, and the center disorganized to block the Scorpio's fire.
Crassus aimed at this very moment.
"Send out the heavily armed cavalry!"
200 Roman heavy-armed cavalry, referring to Parthia's Kataphraktos, appeared in the center.
The purpose of the Roman army was not to break through the flanks from the beginning.
They intended to drive the pikemen to the left and right under the guise of breaking through the flanks and breaking through the center at once.
The rebels were astonished at the majesty of the heavily armed cavalry armed with armor and the riders and horses.
It is because they were those who had not even been able to see when they fought against Rome before.
"What, what! There weren't any guys like that!"
"You said the Roman cavalry would come on the flanks! What happened!"
"Don't panic! The bow of the Romans has stopped! If all come together in tight formation, such a few cavalrymen can do nothing! Everyone do as you have been trained beforehand!"
The rebels' commanders roared and took control of the central army in confusion for an instant.
The rebels, who had not forgotten that they still had an absolute numerical advantage, quickly got out of the mess.
However, by the time the rebels in the center formed their ranks, the Roman heavy cavalry had already reached them right in front of them.
The horses that ran at full speed from afar had already accelerated to the limit.
On top of that, it was possible to project the kinetic energy of the horse and rider to the enemy soldiers using Couched Lance and stirrup.
The rebels had no idea how terrifying this destructive power was.
A disastrous blow fell upon them, who were holding up their shields and waiting for the enemy cavalry to slip away.
Kwaaaaang! Kwajajajajak!
The bodies of the rebel infantry were crushed with a terrible burst that they had never heard before.
It was a destructive force that shocked even the Roman infantry, who ran after the cavalry.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
"Help me!"
The spear-stabbed soldiers did not make the frightened cry. The rebels, caught up in charge of heavily armed cavalry, died instantly without even screaming.
The rebel foot soldiers who watched the scene trembled in fear, forgetting even their hatred for the Roman army.
"No, stop it!"
One of the commanders shouted desperately. But that became his last will.
Four infantrymen, including the commander, were pierced like skewers at the same time by the spear that extended at a frightening speed in front of them.
There is an expression called 'per Diem'. It is a word that is so brave that one person can defeat a hundred people.
Although there were only 200 in number, the destructive power of the heavily armed cavalry was worthy of being called a hundred per unit.
The most important thing in war is the morale of the army.
The army, whose morale has been dampened once, cannot strengthen its fighting spirit again.
And those who have lost the will to fight quickly fall prey on the battlefield.
"Argh! Run away!"
"You didn't say there were monsters like that!"
Whenever the cavalry, who were running together like an awl, passing, the screams of the rebels reached the sky.
Those who collided legitimately were rather lucky. It was a happy ending, as he died instantly without even screaming.
Those who were vaguely swept away by the charge were broken bones, stepped on by horses' hoofs, and died in hellish pain.
It is an attack that they cannot prevent in the first place with the infantry power of this era.
Even if it is Rome, it is similar.
If you block it in advance so that you can't even approach it, you won't know, and once you allow the distance, no one will be able to escape this situation.
Even more so, the relatively poorly armed rebels could do nothing other than be slaughtered unilaterally.
Marcus, who was watching the situation from afar, also spoke out.
"This is more powerful than I thought."
The original operation was to stir up the enemy with heavy cavalry and then neutralize the pirates in organic connection with the infantry. However, the heavy cavalry did not stir up the enemy but literally crushed it.
The game ended with the jab that was blown to keep it in check.
Even after that, the heavy cavalry units thoroughly trampled the enemies to the extent they wondered if this was okay.
The rebels ran away from the cavalry without even daring to fight back.
It's already been a long time since the ranks collapsed.
On top of the rebels, whose morale was at rock bottom, the Roman army fell like a wave.
The heavily armed Roman infantry mercilessly speared and cut the rebels, who had lost their fighting spirit.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
"Run away! Everyone run away!"
The Central Army was disintegrated entirely, along with the desperate wails of the rebels.
The Roman army pushed forward and wholly divided the rebel camp in two.
As a result, the rebels were divided into two camps and surrounded by Roman troops.
In particular, some of the commanders remained in the center until Roman troops surrounded the end, and they were completely trapped.
Even if you look around everywhere, you can't describe the fear that only enemies can be seen in language.
"Ugh... Oh, no...…."
"Run away!"
No matter how much he stepped back, he couldn't see his colleagues. The only people visible to the eye are Roman soldiers who are flashing to live.
Like pieces of wood thrown into the sea, the spears and knives of the angry Roman soldiers rained down on their bodies as they were being swept away by the crowd.
The victory or defeat of the fight has already been decided at a time when the center is open.
The battalion commanders, who judged the situation appropriately, were convinced of victory at this moment and shifted their policy to an annihilation war.
"The enemy has already fallen! Kill them all!"
"Don't let it retreat! We're going to drive them to the ground and wipe them out at once!"
The rebels on the left flank were completely stunned by the unexpected situation.
The center is completely destroyed, and the light cavalry on this side is constantly shooting arrows, so it is impossible to do this or that.
The face of the former slave shepherd commander who confidently insisted on a decisive battle at the meeting was already contemplative.
The rebels he led were also brandishing their weapons as if they were desperate. Their faces turned pale.
"Everyone, don't panic! Regroup and retreat!"
Suddenly, the goal of battle became survival, not victory. However, even if they tried to escape, they were surrounded on three sides, and there was no way out except from the back.
The problem is that heavy-armed cavalry, which passed through the center, began to strike again from the rear and started killing indiscriminately.
"Cheak!"
"Sa, save me! Please save me!"
The only sounds they can hear are the screams of their allies and the crash of their bodies against the ground.
The Romans had no mercy. As if releasing all the resentment accumulated from the defeat so far, they brutally suppressed the rebels.
Following the center, they drove even the left wing to the brink of annihilation.
Fortunately, however, the right-wing managed to retreat back and began to flee to the forest.
Thanks to Crixus, who saw the center being breached, it ordered a retreat without looking back.
"Everyone get out of the forest and gather at the place we talked about before! Don't try to fight back! Just retreat unconditionally!"
Crixus could not bear to order the final resistance.
What happens here is just simple slaughter.
Giving up one's life in a place like this will only make it a dog's death, and nothing will be achieved.
Not long after the fight began, nearly half of the rebels died.
In comparison, the Romans suffered very little damage.
It was likely that there would be 1,000 at the maximum.
It's all because of that monstrous cavalry.
Because they completely destroyed the center at first, the formation collapsed, and they could do nothing.
It was a crushing defeat.
In this single clash, the rebels lost everything they had ever built.
But he hasn't given up yet.
This is because if they can save only one-third of the people, they can run away to other places and plan for the future.
Fortunately, thanks to the quick judgment of the situation, the soldiers on the right wing safely fled to the forest.
Even Roman monstrous cavalry will need help to keep up with the dense forest.
Crixus threw off his helmet and armor, which prevented him from fleeing, and rode his horse with all his might.
At the end of his gaze, as he fled, he saw his left-wing men surrounded and slaughtered.
"I'm sorry."
The desire to help was so high that it reached the sky, but he would add only a few more corpses if he jumped there.
"The Romans... You mean you've been hiding that power all this time? How much you've been looking down on us so far!"
Crixus had a misunderstanding that differed from the truth, but it had to be the case due to the circumstances. In addition, it could have been more questionable how they saw their aim perfectly and took advantage of it.
He turned his eyes for the last time before jumping into the forest and observing the Roman army's center.
It was to clearly engrave the image of the enemy general who had completely destroyed them to this extent.
Although it was quite a long distance, Crixus was able to distinguish the enemy's appearance accurately.
The stern impression of Crassus, the enemy commander in a scarlet cloak, penetrated his eyes like a knife.
But he soon stopped, forgetting that he had to run away.
This is because he found someone he never thought he would see here.
Surprisingly, the other person looked straight at Crixus from a long distance.
The eyes of the two intertwined in the air.
Crixus could understand why they had read his thoughts so perfectly.
Anger, passion, resentment, and even a bit of joy.
A voice mixed with all sorts of emotions came through his mouth.
"Was it you.... Spartacus."