* After expanding into the Mediterranean last season, the Vandals spent the summer securing their African dominions. Twin invasions crushed the Berber tribesmen, who had alternately been at war or allied with the Vandals since their arrival here a century ago. After Spring's conquest of Sicily, the warleader Huneric loaded his troops aboard the Vandal fleet and sailed to Tingintania. In the hills, he fought his way out of a Berber ambush, defeating the tribal army and conquering the province. Meanwhile, Gaesaric's army trotted into the deserts of Libya and utterly smashed the lightly-armed Berbers who they met there. Vandal power is on the rise, with most of North Africa and the islands of the Mediterranean now in their control.
* Relentless in their drive to dominate the Iberian peninsula, the Visigoths once again cantered north into the plains of Gallaecia. The Suevian general Ricimer, who had routed them in the Spring, faced the army of Thordoric this time. Ricimer's army was torn to pieces, with barely a man escaping the pursuit of the Visigoth cavalry. The last of the Suevian lands submitted to Visigoth control. Not content with merely Iberia, though, the Visigothic general Vigdonic crossed the Pyrenees and invaded Frankish Aquitania. The Frankish general Goderic, who had been preparing for his own invasion of the Burgundians, hastily returned to meet the Visigoths. It was a hard fought struggle. Vigdonic fell wounded and was carried from the field by his bodyguard. The Visigoths did not lose heart, though, and prevailed.
* Summer turned into a grievous season for the Franks. While Goderic's army was retreating dejectedly out of Aquitania, the Frankish general Alberic invaded the Burgundian province of Sequania. Scipuar mustered a large force of Burgundian warriors to defend their fertile farmlands. Outnumbering the Franks, they began to slowly grind them down. Desperate to seize victory, Alberic fought in the front ranks, slaying enemies until he was pierced by a javelin. Casualties were high in both battlelines, but the Franks broke first and hurried home, leaderless and beaten.
* The Byzantine Emperor Justinian's first move against the barbarian kingdoms of the West took place when Belisarius' lieutenant, Procopius, marched an army into the Ostrogothic lands of Dalmatia. The Ostrogothic commander, Teias, bragged that his horsemen would ride over the bodies of the effete Greeks, and launched an immediate charge. Teias' words proved prophetic and the Byzantine cavalry melted away. Procopius tried to rally them, but was cut down and trampled. The first imperial thrust westward had failed, and coupled with the loss of Sicily in Spring, it seems the empire had underestimated the might of the western kingdoms. Reconquest would be a difficult task.
* In the forests of the North, warfare continued between the Saxons and the Thuringians. The Saxon general Ulrich, triumphant in Spring against them, led his army south into the last of the Thuringi lands. This time he faced wily, old Hermenefridas -- veteran warleader of the Thuringi. Hermenefridas outmaneuvered the overconfident Saxons. Ulrich, trying to inspire them to a second effort and victory, was slain in the fighting.
* The Slavic migration into the lands of the Mediterranean made a thrust southward, picking the Gepid ruled hills of Dacia as its goal. The Slavic warleader, Zwentibald, sent his small cavalry force and light troops to envelop both flanks of the army of Asbadus, the Gepid general, while his foot troops pushed through the steep hills in the center of the battlefield. In a swirling, confused battle, the Gepids were able to turn aside the Slavic thrust and force them to retire home to the Dneister region.