The Samnite army advanced slowly along the mountainous road and finally, after half a day, managed to meet with the Lucanian army.
The army of the two tribes reached a total of 45,000 soldiers, 3,000 scouts, and 2,000 cavalry soldiers, totaling the amount of 50,000 soldiers.
Pontius Telesinus was chosen by the tribal leaders of the Samnites and Lucanians to command the army of both tribes.
On the other hand, the Lucanian army, with its uneven military equipment, was a mixture of tribal warriors and regular Roman soldiers.
The only thing that could ease General Pontius upon observing the disorganized Lucanian army was that all the soldiers had a Roman shield and a short sword.
The Lucanian soldiers were more disorganized than the Samnites but also more reckless and capable in guerrilla combat in a mountainous environment.
The Samnites and the Lucanians mainly inhabited mountainous and hostile regions of Italy.
Pontius planned to order the army to construct a temporary camp after leaving the mountainous road.
The Samnite and Lucanian army needed to rest and reorganize in order to besiege the city of Capua.
Since Septimus' conquest of the entire region of Campania, it can be said that the whole region was completely controlled by the clones.
The clones replaced more than half of the population of the entire region, managing to replace the original male population.
The intelligence network of the clone army was like a spiderweb without weak points.
The spies who attempted to infiltrate the region of Campania were easily discovered.
Any peasant, vendor, hunter, guard, worker, and even a vagabond were clones who monitored any stranger who entered the region.
The clones could easily identify a stranger.
The spies who attempted to infiltrate the region of Campania were like a black stain on a blank sheet.
Septimus wanted to build an autonomous state within Rome in the region of Campania, but he did not want to drastically alter historical events.
The construction throughout the entire region of Campania was focused on the creation of roads, reservoirs, and mills with the purpose of increasing grain production.
No matter the era, the construction of roads facilitates trade, the transport of goods, and the movement of armies.
Septimus desired complete control of the entire region of Campania, and to fulfill that purpose it was necessary to have a large network of roads connecting villages and cities.
On the other hand, the invention of the windmill was also a great technological leap that Septimus implemented in the villages and agricultural estates of the region of Campania.
The mills used during the late Republican era in Rome functioned using animal power or the force of slaves.
In summary, there were mills, but they were technologically simple and depended on human or animal power, not yet on natural energy on a large scale.
The region of Campania controlled by Septimus began the construction of large mills that used the traction force of the wind.
The immense task of constructing hundreds of large mills was in its initial phases due to the war and the lack of construction materials; it would take quite a long time to complete.
It was normal to observe throughout the plains of the region of Campania hundreds of clones preparing the foundations for the construction of roads or mills.
The vibrant scene of men building and peasants working in the fields created a vibrant atmosphere that made it hard to believe that a massacre had occurred a year earlier.
While the Samnite and Lucanian army was advancing along the rugged mountain road, the legions of the clone army that were spread throughout the region of Campania also mobilized.
The clone legions deployed when the disguised clone discovered the enemy army.
The two closest clone legions arrived before the Samnite and Lucanian army.
The legionaries in black armor, without time to build a defensive position with sacks of earth, logs, and spears, organized themselves into a tight formation while waiting for the enemy.
Although the clone army was quickly alerted to the enemy attack, the clone legions were spread throughout the region.
The two closest legions only had time to rest briefly and form combat formations while waiting for the enemy army emerging from the mountains.
Six clone legions were half a day away and advanced at a steady pace to support the two legions.
Two clone legions versus nine Samnite and Lucanian legions.
The Samnite and Lucanian army did not disappoint the clone army.
At a corner of the mountain road, birds flew out from the mountain, signaling the arrival of enemy scouts.
A dozen burly, bearded men stopped before leaving the mountain and observed the clone army forming a defensive formation.
The group of Lucanian scouts carefully observed the clone army.
Strange noises began to echo throughout the mountainous area.
At a distance of 3 kilometers, the Samnite and Lucanian army advanced slowly, and the strange noises, following a straight path, quickly reached the army and were heard by the Lucanian scouts.
A Lucanian captain quickly approached Pontius.
"General, the enemy has deployed two legions to block our path," the captain reported humbly to Pontius.
Pontius frowned upon hearing the news; his army had advanced slowly, but the unbearable heat and the various insects or snakes were truly causing discomfort to the soldiers of the Samnite and Lucanian army.
The Lucanian and Samnite men were accustomed to living in a mountainous environment, but they were not immune to the heat or to insect bites or snake bites.
The Samnite and Lucanian army needed to rest for a day before being able to head toward the city of Capua in optimal condition.
"How many enemy soldiers are blocking our path?" Pontius asked seriously.
"The scouts were only able to observe two legions," the captain responded humbly.
Pontius sighed in relief at the answer, confirming that it was not an ambush.
The Samnite and Lucanian army could easily deal with two enemy legions, but the matter would become complicated when facing an army of equal numbers.
The Samnites and the Lucanians could use the hostile mountainous terrain to their advantage when facing the Roman army, but they had a disadvantage when confronting the disciplined Roman army.
On the other hand, Pontius had full confidence in being able to retreat to the mountains if he lost the battle against a Roman army of equal numbers.
The two clone legions blocking the path, in Pontius' opinion, did not represent a considerable threat.
Pontius gave orders to his generals to prepare for battle.
The Samnite and Lucanian army, motivated by the thirst for battle, was quickly encouraged.
Two hours passed, and a large army emerged from the mountainous road and formed into a classic Roman formation.
The Lucanian and Samnite soldiers shouted curses and insults at the silent army in black armor standing before them.
The Samnite riders rode around the surroundings with the intention of scouting for possible traces of enemy armies.
The clone legions maintained a defensive formation, with their shields protecting their entire bodies while they raised their short swords.
Pontius breathed a sigh of relief upon confirming that he was only facing two enemy legions and that there were no signs of an ambush in the surroundings.
"General, the soldiers are ready to attack," a captain reported to Pontius.
"Attack and eliminate the enemy quickly; we must accelerate our offensive. It is very likely that the sadist Septimus and Rome will learn of our plans very soon," Pontius said with a serious expression.
With the orders transmitted by Pontius, the Samnite and Lucanian army advanced quickly.
The clone army had two legions, and in the estimation of the generals of the Samnite and Lucanian tribes, the battle would not last long.