While the Romans were busy with their agonizingly slow plan of destroying the fortifications at Ratae, we initiated phase two of our own war plan - another sea invasion, this time at the city of Cumae.
First Battle of Cumae
1180 CE
The troops boarded what was left of our naval transport fleet just to the south of Ratae, and we headed across the Sulevia Sea. They barely had enough time to disembarked into the coastal forest outside Cumae, before the Roman navy arrived. Again, the fight began at sea.
Naval Defeat At Cumae
The Roman triremes took down many of our unprotected galleys before they were finally overwhelmed. All told, over two-thirds of our fleet was sunk, along with 4,400 sailors.
Meanwhile, outside the city walls the land battle raged. Though Cumae was walled, it was not well manned. Just 12,000 longbowmen were garrisoned inside, compared to our 27,000 macemen, 6,000 axemen, and 16,000 men manning the trebuchet battalions. We led off the battle with bombardment, softing the Roman defense. Our first wave of macemen discovered the path was not yet laid for easy victory, and suffered heavy casualties, but took 3,700 longbowmen defenders with them. Already the Roman soliders were on their heels, and our next charge took out 6,000 more. The final blow was laid by our axemen, securing our second city and completing the conquest of the southern coast of Rome.
Battle for Cumae
Total Casualties
Rome - 15,000 (12,000 Army, 3,000 Navy)
Celtia - 31,088 (26,688 Army, 4,400 Navy)