‘Change where we land, then,’ Sabinus suggested.
‘That’s what I’m considering. Tribune Alienus, the large map.’ Plautius stood and walked to his map table; his legates joined him. A young thin-stripe tribune unrolled a map showing the south and east coasts of Britannia and the Gallic coastline closest to the island. Plautius pointed to Gesoriacum and then to a point just northeast of the nearest part of the Britannic coast. ‘I planned to land here, just as Caesar did, for three reasons: first because I didn’t want to risk a longer voyage than necessary, second because we have Caesar’s record of the landing place and these fucking tides that they’re so fond of up here, and third it’s the shortest crossing for our line of supply. From here I planned to cut up north to the Cantiaci’s main town and restore Adminios to his throne.’ He traced his finger up to a town just inland from an island on the eastern tip of Britannia. ‘At the same time the fleet would take control of the channel between this island, Tanatis, and the mainland giving it access to the Tamesis estuary and the mainland. I would also send a secondary force south to secure the small natural harbour under the white cliffs here.’ He pointed to the closest part of Britannia to Gaul. ‘With our rear secure and a pro-Roman administration in place along our supply lines, we would force-march the thirty miles from the Cantiaci town, or Cantiacum as I shall now refer to it, along the estuary, keeping to the north of this range of hills to shield our flank, to seize the only bridge over this river, the Afon Cantiacii, which flows into the Tamesis estuary here. This route has two major advantages: we can receive support and supplies from our fleet in the estuary and we can take advantage of the hills, which Adminios tells me are only partially wooded, for feeding our animals.’ Plautius traced his finger along a line almost parallel with the estuary. ‘From here I would head west until this ford on the Tamesis, here, cross into Catuvellauni lands and then push east to their capital, the Fort of Camulos, so named after their patron god of war.’
‘What happens if the Britons destroy the bridge before we get to it?’ Vespasian asked, looking at the river that seemed to be the only major obstacle before the Tamesis ford.
‘In all likelihood they would and will try to hold the river against us; in fact that’s what I expect them to do. But we’ll probably have to fight them crossing the Tamesis so it’s no bad thing to give the lads a bit of practice with this river first.’
‘And we’ve got eight infantry cohorts and one cavalry ala of Batavians; I’ve seen them cross rivers, it’s not a problem for them. We should play to our strengths, sir.’
‘Oh, we will; we’ll bring light boats in the baggage train to bridge the river, they won’t expect that. But all this is going to have to change now if we’ve got a hundred thousand hairy-arsed savages covered in that hideous blue-green clay waiting for us on the beach, with bags full of slingshot and an unwelcoming demeanour.’
‘Why not land near the Fort of Camulos itself,’ Corvinus suggested, with a look in his eye that immediately confirmed to Vespasian that Narcissus’ theory had some foundation.
‘I can’t take that without the Emperor.’
‘Then land well to the north of it in the lands of the Parisi, with whom we have a peace treaty,’ Sabinus said, pointing to an area well to the north on the east coast, ‘and come down the coast; it all has to be conquered at some point.’
‘That would be military madness, legate, putting our forces at the end of such a long sea route supply line; only a woman would think that feasible.’
Sabinus tensed at the insult.
‘I apologise, Sabinus, that was unworthy of me; all possibilities should be discussed.’
Sabinus relaxed and raised his hand in acceptance of the apology; Corvinus, next to him, smirked.
‘What if we should land further west?’ Geta suggested, putting his finger on an island along the south coast. ‘The channel between Vectis and the mainland would protect the fleet; or there’s this natural harbour just east of it, which I believe is Verica’s capital, so we may get a friendly welcome.’
Verica inclined his head in agreement. ‘From my people, the Regni, you would, but they are just one sub-tribe of the Atrebates; you would have to fight your way north and before you did so you would have to defeat my nephew on Vectis.’
Plautius shook his head. ‘And on the way north we wouldn’t be able to receive support from the fleet. We’d have an overland supply line over seventy miles long by the time we got to the Tamesis and we would be open to attack from east and west as we went north; it’s too risky. One reverse and we could be cut off and humiliated. So, bearing in mind that only a fool would split his forces in such hostile country before a decisive victory, we have to work out a way of landing the whole force in the southeast.’
Vespasian cleared his throat and pointed at the channel between Tanatis on the extreme eastern tip of Britannia and the mainland. ‘Then do your original plan backwards, sir. Land here behind them and then come south and take them in the rear. We’re going to have to fight them at some point so if they’re going to oblige us by putting all their men in one place I think we should take advantage of it.’
‘What are the beaches like here, Adminios?’
‘Good for our purpose.’ He pointed to a promontory on the mainland. ‘We call this place “Rhudd yr epis” or “horse ford” in Latin. It’s a gently rising beach protected by the island and from it there’s a good trackway for all of the ten miles to the Cantiaci town.’
‘So we would need to land a force on Tanatis first to take that before the main body lands at this Rutupis, or whatever it’s called, secures the bridgehead and then moves on to the town. Once we have that we turn south and deal with your troublesome brothers. Will they fight us or try to run to ground of their choosing?’
‘They’ll fight, they’ll have no option. They can’t run west because of the great oak forest. No one lives there; an army that size would find it impenetrable, so they’ll have to fight us either to defeat us or get round us.’
Plautius stared at the map for a few moments. ‘Yes, that idea has merit, although no matter how effectively we do the job a goodly amount of them will escape. I’ll leave Sentius with a small secondary force down where we would have landed to secure the supply line and press on northwest with the main force following the remnants of the Britons’ army. They’ll have no option but to cross the bridge and destroy it and try to hold the river against us; that will be a bloody day. Then, whatever’s left of them will fall back across the Tamesis.’ Plautius ruminated for a while weighing the matter in his mind. ‘Yes, this would work and we could be across the Tamesis within a month and a half of landing, having destroyed this Britannic force in three battles.’
‘And then we sit there with our thumbs up our arses for three months, waiting for my brother-in-law, whilst the Britons muster another army?’ Corvinus asked, giving Plautius a questioning look.
‘Legate, I would remind you that your brother-in-law is our Emperor and if those are his orders then I have to obey them.’
‘They’re not his orders; they came from that jumped-up freedman of his and you know it … sir.’
‘It makes no difference; he spoke with the Emperor’s authority.’
‘We could have the whole of the southeast under our control by the end of June!’
‘Do not raise your voice to me, legate; argue any more and, by the gods of my household, I’ll remove you from your command and write to your precious brother-in-law telling him that I suspect you of treason.’
‘I’m sure my colleague was just expressing the frustration that we all feel at the delay,’ Vespasian put in quickly, earning a confused glare from Corvinus. ‘And I’m sure that he understands, as well as any of us, the political necessity behind that delay.’