The javelins were put back up.
Crassus walked straight up to Longinus, apparently ignoring Velius altogether.
“Longinus, I want to talk about the cavalry.”
Longinus glanced sidelong at Velius and then sighed.
“What about the cavalry.”
“I’ve been thinking about it and I think you need to reorganise.”
“What?”
Crassus grounded his staff and leaned forward on it, emphasising his words with a waving finger.
“You’re going to be up against around six thousand cavalry when we meet the Germans. I know they’re only barbarians, but that’s far more than we’ve ever fought in one group.”
Longinus growled.
“I’m aware of the odds, Crassus.”
“Are you also aware of the danger of having your auxiliary cavalry so separate from the regulars?”
“Crassus, I’m tired and I’m bored and you’re annoying me. Get to the point.”
Crassus’ face was slowly gaining in colour.
“Nearly all of your auxiliary alae are controlled by Gauls. They’ve got more in common with the Germans than with us. What makes you think they won’t just turn round and join Ariovistus? You should split your regulars among the Auxilia to keep them in line. Use your prefects and decurions to lead them.”
Longinus sighed again.
“Crassus, the Auxilia fight much better under their own leaders than under ours. They feel more loyalty and the Gauls understand their troops’ fighting techniques better. And they hate the Germans probably more than we do. You may be a big man in Rome, and you may even be a competent legionary commander, but you’re not a horseman and you don’t understand the cavalry. Kindly stop sticking your nose in where it’s not wanted and go put it back up the General’s backside, where you habitually keep it.”
As Crassus’ mouth opened and closed, trying to find words through his rage, Longinus turned his back on the man and walked off. Velius trotted to catch up and, once they were out of earshot, turned to Longinus, grinning.
“I’m fair impressed. It’s not often a man comes out with a more outrageous line than me, but I like that. Don’t you think he’s a dangerous man to cross, though?”
Longinus shook his head.
“The man’s an arsehole and he wants my job, you mark my words. I’ll talk to Caesar later. I’m not having that man running any of my cavalry. Let’s go find Balbus. I really need that drink now.”
* * * * *
The morning dawned bright and pale, a heavy dew still resting on the grass and the leather tents. The legions were now on permanent standby. Five days ago, Ariovistus had marched his army in a wide arc past the Roman camp and settled on the other side, effectively blocking the supply route to the Sequani and the Aedui. For the last five days, Caesar had brought the entire army out in force onto the field between the two camps. The men were marshalled and ready for battle; even eager. The last four days the army had waited, taunting the Germans, trying everything they could to draw Ariovistus out of his camp and onto a field of battle, but the German leader had not yet moved from his camp.
At the rear of the lines of men, Fronto sat on horseback next to Caesar and Longinus. His head was sore, but he was in full command of his faculties again.
“Can we not just go in and take him in the camp sir?”
Caesar shook his head.
“We can’t take them effectively in their own camp and I won’t risk the casualties we’d receive doing it that way. We need to draw them into the field.”
Fronto sighed.
“They won’t be drawn. We’ve done this for days. I reckon we’ve got maybe a week left before the supply situation becomes dangerous, then we’ll have to take them in their camp. Supply wagons aren’t even trying to get to us now.”
Longinus tapped his temple and smiled. Leaning forward in his saddle he gestured to Fronto and Caesar.
“I think I might be able to draw the cavalry out. They’re not coming out as long as the legions are here. We’ve established several times now to what lengths Ariovistus is willing to go to avoid an engagement with the legions. If you pull the legions back to camp I might be able to get the German cavalry to commit.”
Caesar looked unsure.
“There are supposedly six thousand of them and they’ll almost certainly bring some infantry support out with them. How many horse have we got?”
“Some nine or ten thousand at the moment. To be honest, I haven’t had a chance to take an accurate census since we left Bibracte. Extra units were still drifting in from various tribes when we left Vesontio.”
A frown.
“Do you think it’s wise, Longinus? You outnumber them, but not if they bring out enough support. Are you willing to take the risk? I don’t want to find myself in a few days fighting the entire German army with no cavalry support.”
Longinus smiled.
“Fronto?”
“Mm?”
“How long d’you think it would take to get two legions out of the camp and to our current position?”
“If we were prepared, ten minutes at the most.”
“Right. If we need any kind of cover, we’ll sound the retreat and start to pull back towards the camp. You can come out from behind us and give us the support we need to escape the field, yes?”
Fronto nodded.
“Fine by me. Balbus and I’ll have our men on standby. One sound from that horn and we’ll be out to protect you.”
Longinus looked at Caesar and shrugged.
“Well sir?”
“I still don’t like it, but if you think it will gain us in any way, do as you see fit.”
Longinus grinned and rode off to the cavalry, massed at one end of the Roman lines. Fronto nodded at Caesar and then approached the staff cornicen.
“Sound the recall. Get everyone back to camp.”
As the cornicen began to play, Fronto rode along the lines looking for Priscus and Balbus. Spotting them relatively close together, where the Tenth stood alongside the Eighth in the line, he called out to them.
Fronto explained the contingency plan to the others as the legions backed in perfect unison from the field. Longinus, however, reached the cavalry as they were starting to pull back. Looking around he spotted Varus and Ingenuus and waved them over.
“Right, lads. We’ve got permission to draw the bastards out and give them a beating. The legions are heading back to camp, but the Eight and the Tenth will be on standby to help if we need them. I need you to relay all the orders to the native contingents and to the regular officers. We’re going to split into three wings. Varus, you take the right. Ingenuus: the left. I’ll lead the central unit. We should have around six alae each, and probably more Auxilia besides.”
Varus, the prefect of the Ninth and a longstanding companion of Longinus, sat up straight in his saddle.
“What’s the plan sir?”
“We’re going to move to just outside missile range of the German camp. When we’re in position, each of you is going to make one major sweep into range with all of your troops carrying spare spears. A volley at the defenders will hopefully incense them enough that they’ll come out and attack. Make the sweep quick, though, and then pull back to the line. I want minimal losses.”
Ingenuus nodded and gestured to the commander.
“And what will the central section be doing sir?”
“I’ll be dividing my unit into two and doing the same as you, but in both directions at once.”
Varus smiled. It was a little disconcerting due to the unfortunate scar that gave him a lopsided mouth and a slightly hare-lip.
“We’ve got a lot of people among the Auxilia that will speak their language, sir. Maybe we should get them to egg the Germans on; insult them and so forth?”
“Good, yes. Pass the word around the Auxilia. Caesar’s worried that we’ll all vanish under the weight of Germans. Let’s show him just what cavalry can do, eh?”