"As the Spring thaw unclogged frozen rivers across Europe, armies began to flow across the land. Emperor Justinian's forces were everywhere, plying the sealanes and bringing war to his enemies or standing off invasions. Justinian's Chamberlain, the eunuch Narses, heard of an impending Persian thrust into Cappodokia, and sailed massive forces north to meet it. Another Persian army sallied out of the desert to attack recently-conquered Hidjaz. Byzantines also marched to defend Epirus from Vandals seeking to expand their Achaen toehold. The imperial navy countered by dropping off an army in the Vandal rear. Meanwhile, the Slavs crossed the northern frontier into forested Dneister. Where Byzantine armies could not reach, Byzantine silver did, as bribes to the Basques spurred them to invade Visigothic Aquitania. Finally, the Gepids rode against the last Lombard province, while the Vandals sought to once more stamp out Berber independence..."
Persians shocked by Byzantine gambit
Expecting only a minimal garrison to oppose his invasion of Cappodokia, the Persian General Shapur was stunned to see Narses' huge army deploying across the battlefield from him. Shapur numbly made his dispositions and the Persian noble cavalry bravely charged into the center of the Byzantine battleline. They were taken in the flank and routed by the Byzantine cavalry and light troops. Mentally defeated before the battle began, the Persian army broke and fled the field.
Persians seize Byzantine prize
The idea that the Byzantine and Persian conquest of Arabia was the result of a secret agreement was quickly disproved when the Persian General Nabedes continued his march into the hills of Hidjaz. Constantius was forced to call up the garrisons to face the Persians, as most of the invasion troops had been withdrawn. Although his enemy quickly seized the upper hand, Constantius led a valiant counterattack that nearly won the day. His forces were only reluctantly forced out of Hidjaz as the Persians seized control.
Vandals push into Epirus
Scouts told the Byzantine Exarch Akritus about the size of the Vandal army invading Epirus. Akritus summoned the garrison troops and met the invaders in a narrow pass. His forces fought valiantly, but the Vandals forced their way through his line on the left. They poured through the breach iand Akritus' troops were chased off the battlefield and out of the province.
Vandal toehold smashed
As Heleric's Vandals were pushing Akritus out of the mountain pass, the Byzantine General Maurice was disembarking his army in the Vandal rear. His veterans met a hurriedly patched together Vandal force in an Achaen valley hemmed in by steep hills. Much to Maurice's surprise, the Vandal cavalry drove in his flanks and began squeeze his center. His spearmen and cavalry pressed through and broke the Vandal center, though, salvaging a victory and retaking the province of Achaea.
Slavic Ferocity Tamed
The Byzantines had heard tales of the ferocity of the approaching Slavic warlord, Santilaus. Quietly, the Byzantine Governor Basileus gathered his army at a relative clearing in the forested province, where a week later he met the invaders. Basileus found the Slavs were none-too-fierce when opposed by Byzantine cavalry. After a sharp struggle, they drove the invaders off.
Basque raid chased off
Mired in turmoil as they settled their huge new empire, the Visigoths began to wonder if the supply of Byzantine silver was as endless as the Basque tribesmen who would accept it. Aquitania was the latest target of a Byzantine-prompted Basque raid. The lightly-armed Basques hurled themselves at the Visigoths bravely, but were ridden down by Visigothic cavalry, who then harried them out of the province.
Gepid flank march fatal
The fortunes of the Lombard kingdom had never been lower -- down to their last province with a larger Gepid army riding against them. The king called out all men and even armed some of the subject Bavarians as well. Watching the Gepid attack develop, he noticed a large flanking force detach. Knowing the route it took would delay them too much to affect the battle, he charged forward and drove the now outnumbered Gepids from the field, saving his kingdom.
Berbers brought to heel
The Vandal warlord Gelimer cursed as he watched the Berbers fall upon his cavalry thrust and cut it to pieces. He'd been warned to beware Berber ambushes in the rocky hills of Tingintania, and had fallen afoul of one nonetheless. His left wing was having success, though, enough that he saw the rebel general Jugurtha riding to stabilize that flank. Suddenly, the Berber standard fell and he saw the tribesmen fleeing in shock. He later found out Jugurtha had been slain, and his army disintegrated without his presence, allowing him to retake the Berber enclave.