Bononia is a lost cause. Having been occupied by no fewer than 5 legions, the province falls quickly, opening a path directly to Caesar’s capital at Gallia Cisalpine, up the Po River Valley.
But this word is largely – perhaps completely! – overshadowed by the great news from Picenum, where Cotta and Pictor have thoroughly thrashed the Loyalists! The enemy was dying at a rate of more than a thousand a day… On average!!! For two weeks!
In Spain, Marcus Lepidus was marshalling various separated legions against the north of that region. Appius Postumius Drusus, for his part, was moving north toward Santones, and was intending to harry and hassle the Roman legions there. Agrippa maintained his position in Ilergetes, but he was receiving persistent rumors of a number of Loyalist legions headed north toward his positions. His armies would surely meet this opposition soon.
At the end of November, Caesar had joined with more, newly recruited, cavalry, and began marching again on Etruria. Meanwhile, Quintus Licinius Cinna was eyeing the massive legions in Bononia. Their commander had left Publius Vergilius Maro in charge, so he could run off to who knows where. Cinna began to move north to protect the capital at Gallia Cisalpina. Another small enemy force was working their way quickly toward him, up the Po River Valley.
The first Illyrian province falls to Caesar’s men in January. And Gracchus unwisely leads a small force of cavalry against the two cohorts of Roman Loyalists who occupied Paleoveneti. He was lured into thinking, from reports from the town, that the enemy was ready to drop their shields and spears at the very first opportunity. These were wrong, and his cavalry was obliterated! (EDITOR’S NOTE: Actually, for whatever reason, the city view (siege view) showed 0% morale for the enemy – I figured they’d be easy pickings, and so I only sent one fast cohort. Instead, once the battle was joined, I find they are doing quite well, thank you! I don’t know why the discrepancy.
In northern Spain, Agrippa was finally met by the Spanish legions which were rushing north to stop the gap. However, despite the enemy’s great skill in attacking, Agrippa dominated the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Marcus Lepidus, a short way north, engaged four enemy cohorts under Cornelius Lentulus. He, also, did fairly well. The enemy was outnumbered, in any case.
As battles raged in Spain, warfare threatened Picenum again. Caesar certainly wasn’t holding the upper hand at this point, but things were seemingly turning around.