"...As the sun rose to its summer heights, the Emperor Justinian hurled three javelins at his enemies in the Mediterranean. Two were launched at the Vandals -- the authors of his greatest defeat in preceding years. In North Africa, his army was marching on the Vandal capital, while across the straits, a huge Byzantine fleet crossed the stormy Adriatic to Vandal Italy. In the East, his trusted chancellor Narses was bringing the last main Sassanid army to battle in Persian-occupied Syria. The other kingdoms were not meekly awaiting Byzantine blows, though. The Slavs were pouring beneath the trees to contest control of the forests of Dneister, while the Vandals were marching to smash Justinian's newly-won toehold in North Africa. The Vandals also sent a force to pacify their rebellious Berber subjects in Tingintania. Meanwhile, the Byzantines allies, the kingdom of the Gepids, were attempting to break out onto the plains of Gaul...."
Vandal Capital Well-guarded
After securing a foothold in North Africa, once again, Justinian's forces marched north on the Vandal capital of Carthage. They were met by a larger Vandal army, led by the warhero Ammatas. The veteran general cut the Byzantine invaders to pieces, sending them fleeing back to their beachhead in Tripolitania.
Rough Landfall
Now that the Vandals were truly chased out of Greece, the Emperor Justinian felt it was time to turn the tables on them. A massive fleet led by General Diogenes put ashore in Tuscia, where the local warlord Homeric was forced to call out a general levy to oppose the landing. The rough passage through the Adriatic had left Diogenes horses and men with wobbly legs, and the Vandal horsemen took advantage of the fact to ride them down. The survivors fled north, hoping for refuge with the Gepids.
Empire Set to Fall
The showdown was set -- the last main Persian army faced off against Justinian's finest general, the aged eunuch Narses. At one point it appeared the Persian cavalry found a gap in the Byzantine lines, and were ready to pour through. However, Narses quickly closed it, and counterattacked, smashing the Persian center. All that remained of the empire's Mediterranean possessions was the deserts of Al-Nafud. Persia's fall was not far off.
Slavs Repulsed
It was summer, and the warlord Piastes said it was past time that the Slavs retook their ancestral homeland -- the forests along the banks of the Dneister. The Byzantine army, led by the governor Ambrosius, was ready, though, and met them in a partial clearing near the border. Once again, the tribesmen proved no match for the paid Byzantine professionals, and the beaten Slavs were sent streaming back across the border.
Byzantines Retain Toehold
While the Byzantine invaders were battling Ammatas' army, another Vandal force led by Gelimer was marching on the Byzantine-held province of Tripolitania. General Gaius was forced to draft sailors from the fleet, sympathetic townsmen and North African tribesmen to scrape together a force. He met them at a swiftly-flowing river created by recent downpours, which served to split the Vandal forces. First, he first turned back the Vandal light foot, then repelled their cavalry. The Vandals withdrew, leaving Tripolitania in Byzantine hands.
Hilltop Fastness Too Strong
Having broken out of their central European fastness, the Gepids were looking to expand into the plains of Gauls. Only the foothills of Liguria and a small Visigothic garrison blocked their path. The Gepid warlord Elemendus tried to be too tricky, though, sending his warbands on a flank march, which the Visigothic cavalry discovered and pounced on, slaughtering them to a man. Elemendus' main force was unable to roust the Visigoths out of their secure hilltop position, and was forced to withdraw, beaten.
Berbers vs. Vandals
In the rough and rolling hills of Tingintania, the Vandal warlord Thrasamund tracked down the rebel chieftain Bomilcar. He massed his cavalry in two lines and swung wide of the rocky hills, sending in only a token force of light infantry. The Berber foot would soon swamp his men, there, but he hoped to have mopped up their lighter cavalry by then. It was a near thing, though, as the Berbers fought desperately. He'd crushed their left flank, but the tribesmen very nearly put his men to flight. Eventually, the Berbers broke, and they scattered, effectively ending the rebellion in the province.