Illyricum

The Boii follow the Romans up into the mountains, where Lepidus has clearly chosen his ground. It was a rocky pass, narrow enough for the tightened ranks of three legions to squeeze into place. With the rocks at their back, the Romans had nowhere to run - but the Consul was backing his veterans to fight all the harder for it. Moreso, he had the cavalry advantage -- with the Gallic horsemen running off to lick their wounds, they had not yet reformed to join the battle.

The Gauls form up in a conventional three line style. To their rear is their wagon train, guarded by a reserve of tribal warriors. Like the Romans, it will severely hamper their attempt to escape in the event of defeat, but they obviously did not consider it a possibility against a force they had already beaten.

Publius remained with the legion he had commanded since Gaul, the eleventh. Like them, he was now a veteran of more than a few battles, and he trusted the military machine to perform to the task. Lepidus, also, had done them all a favour by not letting his heart rule his head. The commander had shown much of his old wisdom in picking a battlefield that would favour the Roman experience in close quarter fighting. The Gauls, confident in their numbers, would be relying upon their brute force to win the day. The one-eyed officer expected no surprises, only hard battle.

The Gauls, as expected, cascade onto the Roman lines in their traditionally formidable charge. Screaming blood curdling war cries at their foe, they leap atop the Roman shield-wall and often into the blades of the prepared Romans. Time after time they came forward, and time after time they could not be broken, the tight mountain passageway making the Romans impossible to flank or draw out of position. Veteran discipline would hold the line, Lepidus' men only limited by the strength of their arms in how many Gauls they could kill as the lines cycled backwards and forwards again. The Gallic onslaught eventually descended into a meatgrinder, one which thousands of their warriors were cut down. Eventually, the sheer mass of corpses would end up forming a fleshy barricade in front of the Roman lines, further hampering the Gallic attacks.

Frustrated, the Gauls kept pushing, and did not notice the Roman cavalry emerge from the trees to crash into the side of their line. From there, the encounter was settled. The Gauls broke and ran, all cohesion lost as the reserve first broke to ensure that the civilians were safely escorted from the battlefield. The Romans, exhausted, could not run all of them down, but a sizeable contingent of Gauls were cut down beneath the blades of the Lepidan legions nonetheless. The Boii flee to the east, their chieftain having been killed during the rout by a roman lance, the remaining elders pleading for peace and promising to settle elsewhere.

Roman victory. All legions gain 1 veterancy point. 9000 is plundered from the captured wagons. 9,900 Gallic captives are taken, yielding the equivalent amount in denarii through slaves.

Roman casualties:
700 legionaries (across the three engaged legions)
138 horsemen

Gallic casualties: 9300 men
4300 Light infantry
3000 heavy infantry
2000 elite infantry

Publius is awarded 4900 Denmark for his achievements.

With the Roman force now at six legions they move to the Dindari seeking diplomatic channels with some power projection. They offer terms which include trading and a non agression pact.

The immense victory had done more than just simply make the Dindari think twice. Certainly, the Boii's catastrophic disaster against the Romans resounded throughout Illyria. Tribes began to question if there was anything to do against the Republic's apparent invincibility and prowess. They had heard of what was going on in the East, and yet, Rome destroyed a tribe of tens of thousands! As such, though the young chieftains desired the means to test their prowess and seek glory, it was the older and wiser leaders of the Dindari that won the day. Within a few days, an entourage of chieftains came to the Roman encampment of Lepidus. Their presence gave a simple and straightforward answer: they would happily accept trade dealings with Rome and accept the beginnings of a diplomatic stance with the Republic.

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=Emissary=
We come as the voice of the collective leaders of the Dindari. We wish to treat with Rome and respond to her offer!

Present with the leaders was the emissary himself, who represented the 'King' of the Dindari, Bato, which seemed to be a popular name among the Illyrians. This emissary was named Demetrius, odd choice, but it did indicate the past influences that had stemmed from the height of Macedonia and Greeks in a time before. The lesser chieftains, grey hair veterans and young lions, several in total, all gathered with Demetrius the Emissary once they were allowed in and brought into the presence of Lepidus, the victorious Roman.

=Demetrius=
Our King, Bato of the Dindari, sees nothing but good reason in accepting your terms, Proconsul.

The ambassador spoke in a rather crude Latin.

=Demetrius=
We fully accept the terms of trade and peaceful diplomacy between Rome and the Dindari tribes.

The question was how far would Rome want this 'non-aggression'. Would that mean client state? Allied tribe? Or something else.

=Demetrius=
What should I convey to the King as to this non-aggression pact and the Dindari's status with Rome?