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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
We do not know when Paulinus gave up expecting assistance from the Second Legion (or rather, that part of it commanded by Postumus), if he ever did.  Nevertheless, he could and probably had called up reinforcements from the auxiliary units in South Wales, which would approach him along Akeman Street.  Likewise, he had probably called on some, if not all, of his troops in North Wales, which could have marched south initially along Watling Street and then cut down the Fosse Way or Ryknield Street to Akeman Street.  There is no problem in his being bypassed by the rebels proceeding up Watling Street to the Icknield Way.  As I have suggested, he could in that event go up the Icknield Way and cut them off at Dunstable or shadow them until his reinforcements caught up and attack them then.  He could always move faster than they could.

There was no shame in retreating, if circumstances demanded it.  Vegetius acknowledged that this frequently occurred.  The secret, he advised, was to do so in such a way as not to demoralise the troops.  This could be done by leading them to believe that this was part of a plan to lure the enemy to a more favourable battle site or to a point where they could be ambushed.  I have no doubt that, if called upon to do so, Paulinus could have made a speech to his men to the effect that he had every confidence that they were quite capable of defeating the enemy as they were but that he preferred to join up with 'our friends' and give the rebels such a trouncing that they would never dare to rise again.
Michael King Macdona

And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
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Messages In This Thread
Re: Calling all armchair generals! - by Ensifer - 03-11-2010, 03:13 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-18-2012, 06:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 12:02 AM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 02:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 05:40 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 11:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 05:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 09:42 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 10:10 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:25 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 08:36 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-26-2012, 02:57 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-27-2012, 01:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 08-05-2012, 02:24 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-07-2014, 02:18 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-08-2014, 01:50 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-11-2014, 02:03 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-18-2014, 07:54 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-20-2014, 02:37 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-25-2014, 08:29 AM
RE: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand. - by Renatus - 11-22-2015, 04:32 PM

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