General Pontius, with red eyes and a pale face, gave orders for the Samnite and Lucanian army to retreat.
Continuing the battle meant certain death for the Samnite and Lucanian coalition army.
The Samnite generals mounted their horses and rode directly to the Samnite troops that belonged to their tribes.
The Lucanians and Samnites had different ethnic names, but they were also divided into small tribes.
The great difference between a regular Roman army and a Samnite army was centered on their social classes.
The nobles and elites within the Roman army occupied high military positions.
On the other hand, within the Samnite army, the strength of the warrior was valued, as well as the status of the descendants of the tribal leader and the priest.
The Samnite generals came from different Samnite tribes, and when an emergency occurred, they automatically prioritized the safety of their own tribes.
The retreat of the Lucanian army was faster and more disorganized.
The Lucanians were an army with little discipline that attempted to imitate the Roman military style.
The Lucanian soldiers, following the leaders of their respective tribes, split into nearly a dozen groups as they retreated.
Pontius reacted slowly, and when he realized the situation of the Lucanian army, it was already too late.
Pontius's plan consisted of taking advantage of the difficult mountain terrain to deter enemy reinforcements.
The Lucanians and Samnites had confidence when facing a Roman army in mountainous terrain.
Many Samnites and Lucanians came from tribes in mountainous regions.
On the other hand, the clone soldiers did not insist on pursuing the enemy.
The Samnite legions retreated like a great tide, ceasing their attack against the exhausted clone army.
Two clone legions, a total of 10,000 soldiers, were reduced to 2,873 soldiers.
More than 10 hours of uninterrupted combat, a feat difficult to replicate in human history.
Only the clone army, which functions like an ant colony and shares a single will and intelligence, can accomplish such an impossible feat.
The sounds of horns and shouts were heard across the battlefield, signaling the Samnite soldiers to retreat.
Pontius coldly observed the clone army one last time before turning around and leaving the battlefield.
The three clone legions that were 10 kilometers away advanced at a steady pace, prepared to fight at any moment.
The Samnite horsemen attempted to harass the clone army from a distance with javelins, but their efforts were useless.
The three clone legions advanced relentlessly, and the Samnite horsemen who tried to slow them down were like children trying to stop a tank by throwing stones at it.
One hour later, the legions of the clone army approached the battlefield.
Crows and vultures flew in the sky, forming clouds of birds waiting to feast on the corpses.
The two clone legions that had faced the enemy army were temporarily unable to continue fighting.
The casualties of the two clone legions had to be replenished to compensate for their heavy losses.
The three clone legions marched and briefly stopped at the place where the Samnite and Lucanian army had entered the Campania region from the mountains.
Septimus had no intention of leaving a hidden danger in the Campania region.
The Samnites and the Lucanians had to be completely defeated.
The two Samnite and Lucanian tribes were too close to the Campania region and threatened the security of the entire region.
The three clone legions were like machines recharging before beginning a difficult pursuit.
The clones had little experience moving through complex mountainous terrain with trees that blocked visibility.
Fortunately for the clone army, the hundreds of deaths from various accidents in the mountainous terrain would generate great experience in deployment in difficult areas for all the clones.
Septimus was willing to sacrifice the lives of a large number of clones for the purpose of gaining combat experience in complex terrain.
Rome had many enemies, and several tribes opposed to Rome were located in places difficult for the formation of the Roman army.
The clone soldiers entered the steep mountainous terrain, following the tracks of the Samnite and Lucanian army.
On the other hand, the Samnites and Lucanians, with an hour's advantage, became disorganized and fled on their own.
Pontius was angry and frustrated by the defeat in battle and by the stubbornness of the tribal leaders in maintaining basic military order.
Pontius's plans consisted of preparing defenses by taking advantage of the mountainous terrain to lure the enemy and, if possible, change the outcome of the battle and defeat the enemy reinforcements.
Unfortunately for Pontius, the defeat in battle had a severe impact on his prestige as leader of the Samnites, and the tribal leaders refused to follow his orders.
The Samnites and Lucanians came from the same direction; otherwise, they would have dispersed long ago.
Pontius, with a dejected expression, watched the retreat of his demoralized army.
A Samnite scout, moving swiftly along the mountain path, approached Pontius's group.
"General, the enemy has entered the mountains and is pursuing us," said the scout with a serious expression.
Pontius was stunned for a moment, but his expression quickly changed and became serious.
The Roman army almost always avoided confronting the Samnites and Lucanians in mountainous terrain.
On the contrary, the enemy army in black armor was very abnormal.
Unfortunately, Pontius could not take advantage of the terrain.
The Samnite army was very disorganized, and the Lucanian allies were internally divided without a clear leader.
Pontius frowned and gave orders to inform the main leaders of the Samnite tribes.
The news quickly spread through the Samnite army, becoming known among the leaders of the Lucanian army.
Unfortunately, the Samnites and Lucanians had no intention of fighting.
The last rays of the sun were disappearing.
At the beginning, Pontius's strategic intention was to launch a rapid attack on the city of Capua and move toward Rome without giving Sulla time to react.
The Samnite and Lucanian soldiers, taking advantage of their familiarity with the mountainous terrain, carried out a forced march over the last two days, slowing their pace on the last day to unite with the Lucanian allies, and as a result causing the army to be very fatigued.
The subsequent long battle with two enemy legions also caused the Samnite and Lucanian soldiers to become quickly exhausted.
The soldiers of both tribes did not have the morale or the strength to face the enemy that was approaching to pursue them.
Fortunately for the Lucanians and Samnites, night was approaching, and the clone army would have to stop to camp.
Septimus intended to continue advancing to finish off the Samnites and Lucanians quickly, but unfortunately, a night march through unknown mountainous terrain was very difficult.
Various venomous animals and insects were more active during the night, and the steep and complex mountain path became difficult to cross at night.
The clones stopped and began to build a simple camp.
The clone army would resume its attack the next day at first light.
On the other hand, more reinforcements arrived at the battlefield.
Three more legions joined and began to clear the battlefield.
The tradition of cutting off heads and impaling them on spears was temporarily suspended by the clone army.
The forest of human heads was used to deter the enemy and instill fear.
The Campania region was firmly controlled by the clones, and it would be unnecessary to build a forest of human heads.
Septimus did not need to frighten himself.