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[h3]Legio Mexicanus[/h3][/center]

Aurelius was quite amazed at how these Mexican cities operated. The Frumentarii had found out that the Mexicans had figured out the perfect solution to food problems by walling off vital parts of the city that had work of all sorts in it, while letting the rest get infested with radroaches, radscorpions, feral dogs, molerats and even deathclaws. There were however reinforced gates to allow local huntsmen armed to the teeth to go in, and return with grand hauls of meat and rainwater. It wasn't luxury by any stretch but it was a type of autarky unheard of in America's wastes, which in turn allowed the city centres to return to something akin to life of the early 20th century (though far from those of the 21st). Some factories had even resumed their manufacturing and that was all Aurelius needed to know that these cities were an immediate focus for his campaign to pique the interest of his Emperor. 

Yet he could not so quickly rush towards them. The Empire who's borders he had broken through had at last reacted to its border patrols and gendarmes in the region disappearing, having finally received confirmation this was a product of invasion rather than corruption. In response they sent several reserve divisions of full combined arms with the intent of crushing the incursion as fast as possible so all attention could be diverted to the rival Empire. They would be punished for their arrogance. 

The warrior decided he had no time for a slow campaign of attrition. No, he would meet them in open battle and crush them there. But he could not strike them as a mere tribe either. While not armed with semi-automatic rifles as standard issue the average Mexican trooper was a match for an NCR conscript, though somewhat of a sidegrade rather than an upgrade. 

As the two armies came upon one another they both dug trenches, the Frumentarii having found that trench warfare had created a nearly century long stalemate between the two rival Empires of Mexico, and so it wouldn't be imprudent to mirror this. 

The most important parting gift of the Emperor were a great assortment of parrott guns of varying calibre all the way from small 20 pounders for fast transport in light support fire purposes all the way to great 300 pounders that could with sheer concussive force render tanks inoperable in spite of the very basic technology of the weapon. Rather ironically they would not be used in the first engagement between Legion and Mexican army, improvised wooden cannons being blasted instead. 

The plan was to lull the foe into believing the Legion had a far greater technical inferiority on the strategic scale, and that it had numeric inferiority here on the tactical scale. Bait followed by counterattack had become almost the standard stratagem of the Legion and it would be employed here too. 

Aurelius's goal over this engagement was to route the force before him in a single blow such that he may capitalize the otherwise exposed flank to make great ground. To that end he would have to wait a considerable amount of time which admittedly he wasn't sure he had. But once a critical point of confidence would be reached among enemy officers they would presumably be given the order to charge and take over the Legion's trench, (which would also be made look seemingly primitive, stakes instead of barbed wire and planks instead of sand bags) where they would be met with ferocity they could not imagine. At the half way mark snipers would open fire along side the real artillery of the Legionnaires. When only a third distance would be left carbines would open fire and machine guns would be reserved for when a quarter of the way was left for the charging Mexicans. At the tenth-way mark shotguns, submachine guns, pistols and flamethrowers would be unleashed and just as the Mexicans would be about to hit the stakes and jump into the trenches a counter-charge would meet them of Legionnaires bearing machetes, shields and other weapons of extreme close combat. These reserve Legionnaires would be ordered to give chase to the assaulting Mexican forces once presumably they routed and would follow them into their trenches; they would yet be ordered to not overtake the men they were chasing such that officers staying back to guard their lines would be hesitant to give the order to fire upon their own men (and indeed if they did wisen up and gave the order to fire they would have to get through a line of meatshields that were their fleeing comrades before they could hit Legionnaires). 

Yet as the enemy mustered for the storming of Legion lines the fact plans rarely survived the first few moments of combat washed over Aurelius, giving him great pause. There really were a lot of them it seemed, looking through his binoculars. “Jesus fucking Christ.” the Tributarii beside him muttered, and to be frank he concurred with the sentiment.

“Increase the engagement range for all except the last lines. Seventy-five meters approximately, tell the Decanii to exercise their own judgement as the enemy nears.”

Aurelius took off his helmet and wiped his brow, before ramming it back on. The Mexicans were now exiting their trench, marching forth in a great series of long rows. Their rifles were still slung, at this range discernible as hunting rifles or similar bolt action variants. Bayonets were not mounted upon them yet but they had them at their belts and were clearly to be mounted once closer. Whatever manual of arms they had most certainly drilled it well. Thus the wooden cannons opened fire with their iron balls, the things dropping inaccurately only occasionally striking near the rows of Mexicans let alone actually hitting a man, with no explosion following their fall leading to casualties in the single digits from each gun. A whistle was heard in the far distance, a clear command from one of the foe’s officers. They stopped, affixed bayonets, and finally charged. They had their fair share of war cries and such, but nothing too savage. Finally, the true artillery and Legionnaire snipers opened fire now that the appropriate threshold was hit. The Parrott guns were a design four centuries old just like the rifles of about half the Legionnaires in the trenches, but much like the small arms they were nevertheless devastating. A mixture of direct and indirect fire struck out with some balls flying horizontally to knock down many men in a line, while others were let fall down upon the men further back in the Mexican assault such that those in the rear would not be spared the morale shock of their comrades at the front. 

The enemy did not buckle under this sudden onslaught yet, however, as officers gave out commands and battle chants. Many Mexican soldiers dropped to the ground without seemingly being hit, these soon evident to be their own snipers with optic and laser mounted on picattiny rail. 

Aurelius smiled. He had in spite of all his best efforts underestimated his foe. Well, he would bring them to the state he had hoped they’d be in. From it’s leather sheathe he removed his own rifle, ramming a stripper clip into the masterpiece before sighting down it. In spite of calls of his advisors to return to the safety of the previous vantage point Aurelius ran forth to the front shelter, assisting his troops where they failed. While they focused upon eliminating the officers of the enemy, each shot he took removed one of their counter snipers.

[i]Clack.[/i]

Already all ten bullets were expended. He looked about, then went on to reach for the FAL held by one of the Grey Frumentarii that had followed him. The man didn’t let go, and so Aurelius struck him before returning to his previous position. Down on his arse the Frumentarius reached for his sidearm in furor but his commander put a placating hand on his shoulder. For himself the disgraced Phoenician removed sniper after sniper, continuing on even after a shot bounced off of his helmet; he only saw it as the enemy doing the work of being found for him, in spite of his recent vows to gird his arrogance. 

Thus it was that threshold after threshold was crossed by the charging Mexicans, more and more weapons held in reserve opening up on them. The force was now a fraction of what had set out but it was still a great amount of men running forth with bayoneted rifle. Not just that it seemed, the enemy having specially dedicated many weapons for the storming of Legion positions like machine pistols, exotic laser RCWs and even…. “[b]Grenades![/b]” 

They were flash grenades, clearly from occupational riot police centuries past. New Model Legionnaires were well drilled in how to react to grenades and thus appropriately hit the deck, covering head and ears. But no amount of drilling and preparation can actually save you from the concussive blasts that followed. As the explosive barrage quietened down the Mexican troops did not immediately charge in afterwards, first doing their best to form impromptu ranks to fire off the entirety of the magazines in the bolt action rifles, a strategy no doubt honed upon their rival Empire. A hysterical giggle erupted from the commander as the enemy’s own case of a plan not surviving first minutes came into play. Though their well drilled rank fire did bring many Legionnaires down it gave time for Aurelius to give two crucial orders. First, for medics to run ahead and distribute stimulants to the disoriented Legionnaires to bring them into a warrior’s rage and up from their knees. Second, it would allow his reserved men held back in preparation for a counter-charge to go at the enemy without them having loaded ammunition to cut them down. Only barely coherent in his ecstatic state Aurelius barked the orders into his receiver, laughing as a carnage unfolded before him. The enemy did react very well to the sudden burst of angry men in funny looking outfits coming at them with machetes, forming a sort of quasi-phalanx with their bayonets. Many a Legionnaire was impaled then and there, but the first martyrs drove enough chaos into the Mexican ranks that the following Legionnaires created a true carnage.  

Man after man fell, and eventually nerves cracked. Though grabbing and pulling back a few runners and threatening to shoot a few more, the officers of the assault soon knew it was time to retreat. A complex series of whistles announced the retreat, and back across the dirt they ran.  

"Forwards!" Roared a Decanus, both close quarters Legionnaires and the riflemen maddened on drugs following close behind. As ordered they rarely actually caught up to the fleeing Mexicans, preferring to keep them live as human shields. Of course they made sure to cut one down every so often to keep them on their toes, but for now they were happy to just make ground. 

They got closer, and could now see into the enemy trenches over the shoulders of the cowardly foe. Advancing some distance behind his men on a motorbike Aurelius looked through binoculars and he wasn’t sure he liked what he saw. The enemy was hoisting HMGs into positions. Their artillery remained quiet for now, so at least part of his plan had worked but what was happening at the front of the enemy trenches nevertheless unnerved him. 

He soon found out why. 

As the Legionnaires were close to finally entering enemy positions a series of whistled signals were made, and as one the retreating Mexicans dropped to the ground covering their heads. Instantly the remaining defenders of the Mexican trenches opened fire with all that they had cutting down hundreds of Legionnaires that weren’t wise enough to likewise hit the deck in mere seconds. Aurelius braked and dropped to the ground so as to not be shot down from here, observing from his telescope. There was now an impasse, which while not great for the foe was far better than their entire assaulting force being decimated to the last man and their trench being taken over. Aurelius however thought he had a way of breaking the little stalemate, oh yes he did!

He crawled some distance back to get to the Frumentarii who had followed him on their own bicycles, and spoke to them. To their frontlines the Legion had brought many caged dogs, the commander having suspected they might be needed rather than staying in logistical reserve. He would give the command by radio to have them be released, and he’d give a blow to the horn that would get most of them running to him. From then on he’d crawl as close to the Mexican trenches as he could, giving the horn another blow every so often to give the dogs fresh bloodlust running forth. 

The Frumentarii initially hesitated to concur to the waste of resources, but then they considered that in his modernization efforts Vulpes cared less and less for Legion Mongrels and thus they were disposable. The plan went through, and it had success. Many dogs were shot down on their approach, but they were much shorter than a man and much faster, not to mention Mexican gunners were hesitant to fire upon them instead of the men they had to keep suppressed while their comrades slowly tried to crawl back to their lines away from the Legionnaires in turn crawling towards them. 

Their indecision would cost them, as Aurelius ordered the Parrott guns to all stop fire, reload, and prepare two successive volleys to suppress the Mexicans just before the dogs hit them. One line of bombards fired, and then another, and then the concussed Mexicans had to face the full brunt of a great many dogs barking and howling breaking right into their positions. Many pounced upon the retreating Mexicans, and many got caught in barbed wire, but just enough broke through to silence some MGs to in turn allow the suppressed Legionnaires to arise, and charge yet again. Many died, indeed the majority of those who stormed the Mexican position died but just enough remained to hold the line for their reinforcements to arrive to frighten a surrender into the surviving Mexicans. 

The battle was over, and the enemy officer knelt before Aurelius on his improvised Throne with his sword upraised as offering. The disgraced Legate took it, testing the balance once or twice before sheathing it and placing it at his belt. “The Sword of the South.” he dubbed it, before turning to one of the Frumentarii that spoke Spanish. “It will be a fine gift for the Emperor. Inform Colonel Alvarez that he has a choice of either being impressed into our troops, dying an honourable death, or as a coward being sent Northwards. I wish to rest now. Let the men do likewise, we move South in two days time.” and as far as the man was concerned that was that.