"...With the clearing of the weather in Spring, many armies were on the march again around the Mediterranean. Last year's conquests by the Vandals had led several of their neighbor kings to eye them jealously -- and messengers beat paths between plotting crowns. The Ostrogoths in Italy made the first move, shipping an army across the straits in attempt seize the island provinces of Sardo. The Byzantine general Narses sent his trusted lieutenant Maurice to drive the Vandals from Libya. Meanwhile, the war between the Franks and the Visigoths raged on, as each kingdom launched fleets to the other's borders. And in north, Saxons boiled out from the forests in a two-prong invasion of Slavic lands. Eastward, on the wide steppes of Eurasia, the Byzantines and Persians both sent armies in pursuit of the Huns..."
A Risky Gambit
The Frankish kingdom's only general to know success last year, the warleader Dagobert, led a bold and risky strike at the Visigoths. Scraping together a fleet, he landed his army on the west coast of Spain, in the province of Gallaecia. He knew, if defeated, there would be little chance of escape. The Visigothic general Euderic, reinforced by hasty levies, met him in battle not far from the coast. The battle seemed to rage all day. When Visigoths troops broke into and looted the Frankish camp, far behind the lines, it was only Dagobert's iron control that staved off panic. The Franks parried the thrust by pouring into the Visigothic camp, hours later. This proved to be the decisive blow, as Euderic's troops fled the field, carrying their wounded general with them.
Your Friend, My Enemy
Only days after the Frankish fleet had landed in Spain, a Visigothic one sailed northwards past it. The Visigothic general Deodoric also seemed willing to tempt fate with a seaborne invasion. He put into a cove on the rocky shores of the Bretons, friends and neighbors of the Franks. Days later, he was met in battle by their general Ambrosius and his well-drilled cavalry. The Breton sent his lighter-armed horse to encircle the right flank of the Visigoths, while his mailed cavalry met the Visigoth troopers head-on. Deodoric had rested his right on a gentle hill, and the advantage of higher ground proved enough to tip the scales initially in his favor. The Breton light horse soon closed in, though, and the battle swayed back and forth. Eventually, the infantry battlelines closed. The Breton spearmen were no match for the ferocious charge of the Visigothic warbands, and soon routed. Breton morale crumbled, and with it, their kingdom.
A Bitter Taste Remembered Too Well
No major fleets were needed by Theodoric the Ostrogoth when he ferried his army across to the Vandal-held islands of Sardo -- small boats would do for the short distance. The time spend collecting them enabled the Vandal general Heleric to levy more troops and counterattack to push them from their shores. Heleric weighted his left wing heavily with his hard-charging horsemen, and launched an immediate attack on the invader's right. Light-armed skirmishers delayed the Ostrogothic spearmen in the center, and a smaller force of heavy and light cavalry did the same on the right. Theodoric sensed Heleric's battle plan too late, and was unable to shift troops or push strongly enough on the opposite flank to salvage victory. Once again, the Ostrogothic kingdom tasted bitter defeat at the hands of the Vandals.
A Thirst for Revenge
In the desert of Libya, the Vandals were facing another attack -- this time from the Byzantines. Narses's lieutenant Martinus, victor of Winter's Battle of the Nile, was pursuing the retreating forces of the Vandal general Huneric. Reinforced by garrisons he'd left in the towns and forts of Libya, Huneric halted his army's retreat and deployed for battle. Parading up and down in front of his lines, he stirred their hearts with reminders of their glories and inflamed a thirst to wipe out Winter's shame. Martinus' men expected to fight an army already broken in spirit. They were suprised when the Vandals launced their famous thundering charge. The Byzantine cavalry was swept aside and the army pursued and slaughtered all the way to the border of Egyptus.
Hard Fighting, A Hard Enemy
Narses' rival, the Byzantine general Belisarius, was having more success across the Mediterranean. Belisarius sent his general Maurice to chase down and defeat the Huns of Scythia. When Maurice finally drew the horsemen into battle, he was suprised by their speed as they raced across the battlefield, enveloping both his wings. Hard fighting ensued, with horsemen falling in droves on both sides. Slowly, the superior weight of the Byzantine army prevailed, though, and the Huns were beaten. Maurice felt fortunate he had not faced the Huns of the old days -- when they were at the height of their power. Nevertheless, he had a victory to report to his commander and also the emperor, Justinian. That would help his career in the future.
Hunting the Huns
Across the steppes, the Huns of Utigur were also being hunted. The Sassanid Persians bypassed the unbreachable kingdom of the Alans and poured onto the eastern grasslands. Unlike the Byzantine Maurice, the Persian general Chosroes had been taught by defeat to respect tribal light horsemen. He used his armored clibanarii and lighter horse to herd the horse archers, then pin and slaughter them. Chosroes sighed in secret relief when the battle was over. Another defeat and the King of Kings perhaps would have called for his head.
A Trap Amidst the Trees
As his scout returned, the Slavic chieftain Santilaus chuckled. "What is it with Spring and the Saxons?" Last year, they had launced two Spring invasions, then nothing else all year. This Spring, two more Saxon armies on the march. One was headed his way, to the Slavic province of Baltica. "We will meet them in the forests," Santilaus announced, "where they cannot huddle together like the cattle they are!" His men cheered. A week later, his men stood watching as a shieldwall of Saxons advanced towards their position. To their left, another force of Saxons had hoped to turn their flank, but had been met and slowed by more Slavs. Santilaus waited until he saw the dust clouds towering behind the Saxon army. His own flank march had arrived -- the Slavic noble cavalry galloped towards the Saxon rear. "Now, men!" he roared. The Slavic tribesmen poured out of the woods and fell upon the Saxon line. Caught from all sides, the Saxons fought hard, but died, including their general Dietrich. Santilaus smiled. The Saxon's skull would make a fine ornament above his hearth.
Spooked Saxons
The Slavic general Ratislav nodded as the messenger from his young cousin Santilaus spoke. Yes, it had been a good plan -- and one that had been proven to work. He would try to do the same, and meet the Saxon cows amidst the trees. However, the Saxon general Jurgen refused to enter, perhaps also hearing of the outcome in nearby Baltica. Instead, as Ratislav watched, he began to devastate the villages in the area. Ratislav knew in a straight-up fight, the deeper Saxon battleline was deadlier. However, there were more Slavs than Saxons, so he made the decision to attack. His tribesmen swarmed the Saxons from both sides and front. Ratislav was suprised by the ease with which they broke. Doubtless, they'd been hearing stories of Baltica, and were spooked by his cousin's Santilaus' savagery. The Saxon invasion of Germania had failed. Now, perhaps it was time to take the war to them, again!