Chapter 3548
The weakest yet strongest legion!
...
The Scythian Royal Archers were indeed a top-tier archer legion. Coupled with their available warhorses, they could be used as an excellent light cavalry force even when not attacking, possessing at least considerable speed and the ability to quickly relocate across the battlefield.
However, the Scythian Royal Archers, despite possessing these capabilities, would be helpless against another top-tier light cavalry force.
With the enemy rapidly approaching, Filippo has only two options: launch a counterattack or run.
If they chose to launch a counterattack, just considering the fighting power of the American army at Atlato, Filippo knew very well that the best way for his army to inflict effective casualties was to dismount and use longbows on the ground to launch a short burst of volleys.
With dense and unified fire, the most threatening blows can be dealt directly to the Atlatomei forces, inflicting heavy casualties on them in a very short time.
Of course, the cost is also obvious: the Scythian Royal Archers will completely lose any chance of escape.
It wouldn't take long for the Scythian Royal Archers to be wiped out by a fast and renowned light cavalry unit that was known for its offensive power.
In some ways, the time it took for the Scythian Royal Archers to wipe out the Atlatomé legions was also enough for the Atlatomé legions to annihilate the Scythian Royal Archers.
If you don't choose to use a longbow to fight back, then you're left with either escaping on horseback or using a shortbow while on horseback to fight back.
The main difference between the two is their movement speed.
Specializing in escaping or relocating on horseback, the Scythian Royal Archers possessed a speed comparable to light cavalry, not much slower than professional light cavalry.
Choosing to use a shortbow for mounted counterattacks will affect movement speed to some extent, but it will give you the ability to counterattack during a retreat.
Furthermore, due to the characteristics of shortbows, the Scythian royal archer legions are able to unleash a massive barrage of arrows in a very short time, thereby inflicting damage and impact on the enemy.
Atlas's army was, after all, a light cavalry army, not a heavy cavalry army, so even with short bows that prioritized mobility and attack speed, they could still pose a considerable threat.
With this simple thought and comparison, Filippo, who never had the personality of surrendering passively, did not hesitate to choose to use a short bow to launch a mounted counterattack.
Thanks to observing the equipment of the Han Empire's cavalry, the Scythian Royal Archer Legion now also has a three-piece set of warhorses, enabling them to shoot while on the move.
Although the hit rate is relatively low due to fewer shots fired while moving, it is only compared to infantry archers. In actual cavalry shooting, the hit rate is still quite high when combined with the extremely fast-firing short bow.
However, this level of attack was already negligible to the US Army at Atlato.
If the light cavalry's shortbows could have easily taken them down, they wouldn't be alive today. The entire Atlato Army, besides being fearlessly aggressive in their attacks, also possesses the most advanced equipment in the Parthian Empire.
While it cannot be immune to heavy attacks and heavy arrows, it still provides fairly good real defense against light bow attacks.
Thanks to their exceptional attack skills, and by deflecting and parrying in key areas, the Atlas American soldiers were still able to maintain a very low casualty rate and quickly approach the Scythian Royal Archers.
After quickly approaching the Scythian Royal Archers, Atlatomé's army also displayed the characteristics of light cavalry, namely, possessing the ability to attack from a distance.
In terms of proficiency with shortbows, the soldiers of Atlato's Legion were in no way inferior to the Scythian Royal Archers.
Therefore, even though the pursuers were farther away and less lethal at a relative speed, Atlatomé was still able to inflict heavy casualties on Filippo's soldiers.
Especially when the two sides quickly approached each other, the disparity they displayed could be described as a one-sided massacre.
It is said that the intervals between the new Roman legions were not particularly far, and the legion movements after they reacted were quite efficient. Before Atlastomé had even suffered any major casualties, the Second Auxiliary Legion from Rome stepped up and forcibly broke in from the flank, preventing Atlastomé's legions from continuing to pursue Filippo.
At the same time, the Roman Council Guard, displaying the brilliance of the Legion of Soul, released the glory of the Roman Empire, allowing all the Roman legions participating in this war to feel the blessing from the Legion of Soul and the attention from the Empire.
This was a truly index-based, bonus-driven auxiliary military spirit legion. The moment this bonus appeared, all the Roman officers present felt its terrifying power.
The Roman legions, who were not on the same level as the Roman council, such as the First Auxiliary, the Second Trajan, and the Imperial Guard, all felt the terrifying effect that the presence of a legion of the same level added an extra five points to their strength.
In other words, the current Second Trajan, with the Roman Council Guard activated, would gain an additional 20% strength.
"What a pity, it still can't be broken!" Feeling the power empowering his body, Alessandro of the First Auxiliary Legion swung his fist, looked at the distorted air ripples in front of him, ignored the sonic boom in his ears, and silently shook his head.
This boost from the Parliament Guard also works on them, but the effect is negligible.
Once their strength reaches a certain level, even with the bonus from the Military Soul Legion, it's difficult to gain additional power, unless the Military Soul Legion's bonus effect isn't a broad, wide-area bonus.
"You were no match for us before, and you won't be a match for us now. Die with your stupidity!" Feeling the boost he received, Camillo stared at Babak in front of him, sensing the enhanced power, and threw a heavy punch.
Even if they are not as strong as Babak in terms of individual strength, so what?
With the support of the Legion of the Council of Military Spirits, the Second Trajan's Legion has surpassed its opponent in strength. It can simply overwhelm them with legionary power; individual strength is sufficient to merely restrain them. (End of Chapter)