The morale of the Pannonian cavalry had not only dropped, but they were also stranded in place, with many being knocked off their warhorses by the charging enemy. Only a hundred or so cavalry managed to escape on horseback.

Hagux did not lead his soldiers in pursuit, nor did he concern himself with enemy soldiers who had lost their horses and wandered aimlessly on the ground. Instead, he ordered his men to gather up the enemy's surviving warhorses and led them in an outflanking maneuver toward the rear of the enemy formation's right wing.

Upon arrival, they did not immediately launch an attack but halted at a distance. Once again, they brought out their mounted crossbows, pulled the strings taut, drew crossbow arrows from the special quiver hanging on their saddles, and quickly advanced on horseback to within twenty meters of the Pannonian formation's rear right flank before firing their arrows.

The unprepared Pannonian warriors were struck down one after another.

The Nix Cavalry Team scored a successful hit and swiftly withdrew to a distance to reload their crossbows before advancing again.

This time, the Pannonian warriors at the rear of the formation were prepared and held up their shields in defense.

However, the Nix soldiers, mounted on horses and equipped with crossbows, had the advantage of height. They shot directly over the shielded rear ranks of the Pannonian warriors, targeting those in the front ranks.

Meanwhile, the infantry of both sides had already engaged in combat, their formations growing increasingly dense. The Pannonian warriors at the front were locked in bloody close-quarters fighting and paid no heed to the crossbow bolts raining down from behind, leading to a significant number falling victim instantly...

The sudden assault plunged this section of the Pannonian formation into chaos. The Nix soldiers seized the opportunity to advance more ferociously, intensifying the panic among the Pannonian warriors, leading to the onset of a retreat...

The Nix Tribe's army expanded to five legions. The Roman armor captured in Italy was no longer sufficient. After the completion of the Ophelia Weapon Workshop, half of the personnel from the former Snowdonia Iron Workshop were transferred to the new establishment, and all blacksmiths from the Segestica Tribe were absorbed, focusing on weapons manufacturing.

Using contemporary Roman weapon manufacturing techniques, it would have been possible to produce armor with better protection. However, for the sake of mass production and convenience, segmented ring arm armor was adopted as the standard equipment for Roman legionaries. Yet, the cost of segmented ring arm armor remained prohibitively high for the Nix Tribe. Thus, with Maximus's approval, the workshop began producing a cheaper alternative—the "two-panel armor" (consisting of two thin iron plates tied with cloth straps to protect the chest and back)—along with bowl-shaped helmets. These were mass-distributed to new legion recruits. Though crude and unsightly, they provided significantly better protection compared to the Pannonian warriors, who mostly dressed in cloth and relied on wooden shields.

Facing the heavily armored, well-equipped, and formidable Nix army, the poorly equipped Pannonian warriors could only rely on their unyielding courage to defend their homeland as they struggled to resist them.

Initially, Brochi had pinned his hopes on the cavalry to turn the tide, but he did not anticipate the devastating blow dealt by the Nix crossbow cavalry, leading to the complete rout of the Pannonian cavalry forces. The Nix crossbow cavalry swiftly maneuvered to the right flank of the Pannonian army, quickly breaking through the defenses there.

Once a breach is made, it is not only difficult to plug but will also continue to widen until the entire line collapses...

This was Brochi's second experience of losing a major battle, and the consequences of this defeat were far more severe than the previous one. As he witnessed the scene of his tribesmen screaming in desperation and fleeing in panic on the battlefield, his mind remained a blank. Under the protection of the Guard, he barely managed to escape back to the main camp.

Crossing the camp gates, he suddenly came to his senses. He rushed back to the main residence, gathered his family, and promptly fled eastward, heading toward Mazi.

His retreat prompted many nobles of Brochi to follow suit, plunging the camp into utter chaos...

The Nix soldiers pursued the fleeing Pannonian troops relentlessly, unimpeded, and directly stormed into Brochi's main camp...

........................

A day later, Maximus convened a meeting with five legion commanders in the hall of Brochi's main residence. He spoke bluntly, stating, "In yesterday's battle, our army achieved a major victory with minimal losses. After the Pannonian Alliance Army's defeat, more than half of the fleeing soldiers ended up here, and as a result, we successfully captured this fortress, forcing them into surrender.

Now, the major fortresses within Brochi Territory are basically under our control. The next step is to deploy personnel to take over each of Brochi's villages, as we've done before.

Considering Mazi and Andizeti suffered heavy losses in this battle, our next targets for the offensive will be these two major Pannonian tribes.

Since we have just occupied Brochi, there are many significant matters requiring my attention here. After consulting with Quintus, I have decided that you five will lead the separate campaigns, split into two forces, to conquer these two tribes—"

As soon as Maximus finished speaking, the five legion commanders became visibly excited.

Since the rebellion began, they had participated in numerous battles, accumulating considerable experience. However, most of these battles had been fought under Maximus's command. To independently lead a campaign to annihilate a major tribe was their first such opportunity, and every commander's breath quickened in anticipation.

Maximus looked at them with a solemn expression and continued, "However, since Brochi has just been captured and the situation here is still unstable, one legion must remain behind to garrison the area—"

The five legion commanders felt their hearts tighten as they exchanged glances before quickly averting their eyes.

Maximus extended his right hand and spread his five fingers, speaking firmly, "Every legion is essential to me, and I do not favor any one over the others. To ensure fairness, I have prepared five slips of paper. Only one slip contains the word 'Stay.' Whoever draws it must remain here with their legion. Do you understand?!"

The five commanders focused nervously on the slips of paper in Maximus's palm and replied in unison, "Understood!"

Before Maximus could issue instructions, Torrelugo impatiently reached out first. However, Maximus immediately closed his hand and said gravely, "Order must be observed in every matter. We will proceed in the order of the First through Fifth Legions."

Torrelugo stepped back, his face betraying no embarrassment.

First Legion Commander Fesaros stepped forward confidently, scrutinized the slips of paper in Maximus's palm closely, and chose one without immediately opening it for everyone to see.

After the others had come forward one by one to select their slips, they simultaneously unfolded and examined them.

At that instant, every commander's demeanor was tense.

Suddenly, Fesaros cursed lightly, "Damn it, I drew the 'Stay' slip."

Maximus extended his hand to take the slip from Fesaros, glanced at it, and reassured him, "You were the first to choose and still drew the 'Stay' slip. This indicates that the Goddess Danu is watching over you."

Maximus observed the relieved expressions of the other four commanders and continued, "Garrisoning Brochi, stabilizing the order here, and assisting the tribe in swiftly annexing this territory—this is the task at hand. The First Legion successfully carried out similar duties in the Ophelia Region before. I trust the First Legion can do even better here in Brochi. If everything proceeds smoothly and without major blunders, the Military Department will award the First Legion with merits."

Quintus interjected, stating earnestly, "Before the tribe officially declared war on Brochi, the leader discussed the matter with the Military Department. Winning battles is important, but stabilizing the occupied territories afterward is equally crucial. Therefore, we have resolved that the legion successfully completing the garrisoning of Brochi and assisting the various departments in fully integrating the territory will be awarded third-class merit—"

Hearing this, Fesaros exhaled a sigh of relief. He was not by nature a combative person, but for the benefit of his soldiers, he felt compelled to act with enthusiasm. He had worried that he might face complaints from his men due to unfavorable luck in the draw, but now he was reassured.

"Since Mazi and Andizeti have clearly suffered a loss of power, and the tribes of Desitia, Perustai, and Disone must concentrate their forces on handling the northern Boyi people, our march on Mazi and Andizeti is unlikely to encounter significant resistance. Hence, the Military Department has preliminarily classified the conquest of Mazi and Andizeti as a third-level campaign.

Of course, if any Centurion or battalion excels during the course of these operations, we will assess the battle reports afterward to assign special merits accordingly."

Instantly, the four legion commanders struggled to conceal visible disappointment, while Fesaros's face displayed a hint of satisfaction.

Maximus coughed lightly and declared in a clear voice, "Now I order: The Second Legion and Third Legion will advance on Mazi, with Torrelugo as the main commander and Camillus as his deputy! The Fourth Legion and Fifth Legion will march on Andizeti, with Oluus as the main commander and Pequot as his deputy!

Tomorrow morning, you shall set forth. I hope you work together closely and achieve success. I will remain here awaiting news of your victories!"

"Understood!" the four legion commanders replied in unison.

Subsequently, Torrelugo hurriedly asked, "Leader, will the 'Giant's Fury' and similar siege weapons follow any specific army?"

Torrelugo's question hit a critical point. During the conquest of Brochi, the 'Giant's Fury' had played a decisive role. If he could secure these weapons, launching attacks on fortifications in future campaigns would be far easier.

Facing the expectant gazes of the four legion commanders, Maximus replied without hesitation, "The 'Giant's Fury' catapults will be evenly distributed between the two groups. Don't worry about reduced catapult numbers weakening your siege capabilities.

According to intelligence reports, only Brochi has heavily invested in improving the defensive infrastructure of their fortresses over the years. Mazi and Andizeti have shown little change. To be frank, using 'Giant's Fury' against their fortifications might be overkill.

The 'Well Railing,' being overly cumbersome, would prove challenging to transport on the mountainous roads of Mazi and would slow your progress. Thus, all of them will be assigned to the Third and Fourth Legions.

Oluus, Pequot, your route features flat terrain with access to waterborne transport, making both marching and combat more advantageous compared to Torrelugo and Camillus. However, there's one point you must pay close attention to! ——"

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