Published at 22nd of January 2024 7:54 pm

Chapter 873: Attacking Nola (I)

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On the other hand, the officials of Irna efficiently organised the massive contingent of more than twenty thousand civilians, comprising the elderly, youngsters, and even women, into several groups: Some cut down the felled trees, carried them down the mountain, and placed them at the location where the military camp's engineers planned to build the earthen rampart. Another portion piled the timber in a criss-cross pattern, gradually extending it toward the city wall. Simultaneously, another group carried baskets filled with soil, using them to fill up the bases formed by the timbers and tamp them down.

Meanwhile, the defenders of Nola were shocked and curious when they observed the enemy making significant movements to the south of the wall. Soon, however, they realised that a mound of earth about fifty meters wide was rising in front of them, advancing toward the wall, with the wooden stockade also being moved forward.

Despite the Nolan defenders persistently attacking the enemies that were constructing the rampart from a distance, the wooden stockades and shields of the heavy infantry effectively intercepted the javelins and arrows they launched. Unfortunately, the enemies remained undeterred, even as the Nolan defenders managed to injure a few and caused some to fall to the ground. Whether it was the Campanians and the Nucerians, who shared animosity towards the Samnites, or the people of Irna assisting in the battle as they knew their contribution in the war is being recorded by the census officials, which will greatly help the future development of their household in the kingdom. As a result, they devoted themselves to this undertaking with fervent enthusiasm.

Finally, the defenders of Nola could only venture out of the city several times to destroy the wooden stockade and rampart. Unfortunately, they were all repelled by the army led by Xanticles, who had already taken precautions. Not only did they fail, but they also suffered significant damage to the already small number of defenders.

Because of that, the defenders of Nola could only watch as the earthen rampart grew closer and higher. It not only approached the trench, but its height was almost the same as the top of the city wall.

No longer requiring the wooden stockade, Xanticles deployed over a thousand Theonian heavy infantry and light infantry to position themselves on the rampart. From this elevated vantage point, they launched attacks on the defenders from a distance of more than ten metres.

Although both sides suffered significant casualties, the defenders of Nola, which had only one-tenth of the enemy's soldiers, could not bear this consumption. Thus, they had to urgently send messengers multiple times to seek help from their Great Chieftain Segobani.

Regarding Xanticles' decision to attack the city of Nola today, the Campanian League's commander, Aeoles, became a bit hesitant as he said, “The rampart is still not yet close to the city wall. Wouldn’t it be too hasty for us to attack at this time? Shouldn't we wait for one more day?”

Xanticles patiently explained, “Our Majesty Davos once said to the high-ranking officers of the Kingdom of Theonia that when fighting against powerful enemies, we must not seek decisive battles and instead carefully look for opportunities. However, once we win crucial victories or the enemy reveals the apparent weakness, attacking continuously and rapidly is necessary. We must not give the enemy any breathing space so that we could completely disrupt their entire deployment…

Now that the Samnite Tribal Alliance had gathered their main force to Beneventum, Nola and Suesula were left with only a thousand or so defenders. They thought they could defend these places with just this number for long, but they obviously underestimated our ability to siege a city. Thus, we must quickly take Nola before they can react, making the entire war situation more favourable to us.

Moreover, the battlefield constantly changes. So far, the gods have favoured us. The weather has been favourable for the past few days, and today also seemed sunny. However, if heavy rain unexpectedly falls tomorrow, it might wash away our earthen rampart, nullifying our people's hard work and, more importantly, missing our chance. Therefore, we should capitalise on the current weather while Hades still smiles upon us! …well, and… based on our regular experience in siege training, the most challenging phase occurs when the earthen rampart nears the city wall, as the enemy's defences will tighten. So to speed up the progress and reduce our casualties, we must launch a vigorous offensive to pressure them into easing their attack on the earthen rampart, enabling us to complete the siege more swiftly…”

Xanticles' earnest explanation had convinced the leaders of the Campanian League, resulting in them unanimously agreeing to attack Nola today. The next thing for them to discuss is the tactics.

Xanticles had already thought of this, “Our earthen rampart is located in the southern wall of Nola, which would be the focus of attack. Therefore, I suggest using one brigade of heavy infantry and a brigade of light infantry from us, plus a thousand light infantry and a thousand heavy infantry from your Campania, a total of four thousand men to focus the attack here!”

Aeoles nodded and said, “I agree with Strategos Xanticles; therefore, our Neapolis will provide these two thousand Campanian soldiers.”

Xanticles continued, “I suggest using all of the siege equipment made in the past few days to attack the western walls of Nola, and since our Theonian soldiers can utilise them skillfully, we will provide a brigade of heavy infantry to serve as the main attacker, with an additional one thousand Campanian soldiers as support… For the east and northern walls, we would also arrange two thousand soldiers each to attack using siege ladders, thereby distracting the already small number of defenders in Nola and weakening their defending capabilities… Finally, there is still one brigade of Theonian light infantry and a thousand Campanian soldiers left, which I suggest we reserve for the final assault. ”

Aeoles spoke up as soon as Xanticles finished his words, “I believe Strategos Xanticles' plan is excellent, and so our Neapolis is willing to dispatch a thousand soldiers to attack the western wall, another thousand to assail the north, and the remaining thousand as a reserve, as suggested by Strategos Xanticles. Meanwhile, your city-state will be responsible for filling the remaining gap in the number of soldiers.” Aeoles addressed Xanticles with respect but spoke to the other strategoi of the Campanian League in a somewhat commanding tone.

Xanticles suddenly realised that Neapolis was the leader of the Campanian League. But as a military officer, he didn't think too much and instead felt that having Aeoles in charge of the strategoi of these Campanian city-states saved him a lot of time.

Once they confirmed the plan, they immediately began the implementation.

The first to act were the soldiers outside the southern wall of Nola. This is because the people are already ready, each carrying sacks filled with soil, ready to complete the final portion of the earthen rampart and the city wall. Of course, this is also a critical moment.

Although they called it a rampart, it's essentially a massive inclining mound. According to the Theonian engineers' design, its starting slope is only about twenty degrees—relatively gentle—and extends from forty metres away all the way to the city walls. Thanks to the wood serving as the bone and the compacted earth as flesh and blood, the soldiers walking on it neither slip nor fall easily.

More than two hundred Theonian infantry, each holding a long shield in their left and right hand, climbed the earthen rampart in two rows and advanced towards the city wall.

The defenders immediately launched long-range attacks on them, mainly with javelins.

Despite the two columns of Theonian soldiers protecting themselves tightly with their dual shields, some soldiers still get shot by javelins penetrating the long shield. However, new heavy infantry from the rear would constantly fill up the gaps in the formation.

The light infantry following the Theonian heavy infantry also began attacking the city. They not only threw javelins but also shot arrows. After all, the city's defenders didn't have armour as thick as that of the Theonian heavy infantry. Although some of their warriors wore armour, at least half were light infantry, resulting in the Theonian arrows causing damage to them.

Once the heavy infantry reached the top of the earthen rampart, they squatted down and erected their dual long shields to form a closely aligned shield wall whose height was almost level with the opposing wall. With less than ten metres separating the two sides, the defenders' attack on those soldiers atop the rampart became even more violent. But the Theonian light infantry fought back with equal ferocity, suppressing the defenders' attack to ensure the safety of their comrades.

Javelins and arrows swish through the air within a distance of ten metres, their density occasionally resulting in collisions. Screams echoed from both sides as soldiers were injured and fell to the ground.

On both sides of the rampart, a thousand Campanian light infantry took advantage of when the rampart drew the defenders' attention to quickly approach the trench and launched an attack atop the city wall to alleviate the pressure on their allies on the rampart.

At this moment, the people carrying sacks filled with soil bent down in a long line, lowering their heads to reduce the risk of getting hit by javelins and arrows as they quickly ran up the rampart.

On the rampart, the Theonian heavy infantry and light infantry left a gap for one person to pass through, thus creating a passageway that would lead straight towards the front of the rampart. Once the people reached the wall of shields, the heavy infantry on either side would raise their long shields a bit higher to create a gap underneath just enough for the people to push their sacks filled with soil down the rampart, and then the empty-handed people would turn back and run back towards the ground.

As countless sacks filled with soil continued to roll down into the ‘valley’ formed between the city wall and the earthen rampart, the wounded Theonian soldiers and Nolan defenders occasionally falling in would end quickly getting buried before they could climb out and become a cornerstone of this man-made mound.

Not only did the people move up and down on the rampart, but the Theonian light infantry and heavy infantry would also rotate continuously due to their stamina, wounds, and need to replenish javelins and arrows. Below the rampart, medical camps quickly provided emergency treatment to the wounded people and soldiers.

Such a busy yet relatively orderly tense scene caught the eye of the Neapolitan army strategos Aeoles behind, making him exclaim in admiration at how the Theonians turned a gruelling siege into a well-organised, lively and efficient construction project, which was not something that any Greek city-state could do. ‘The capabilities of the Theonian Kingdom's military are too terrifying!’

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