The scipii Faction leader was in a small fleet of 30 Bireme, this was the best fleet he could arrange, the fleet was taking the Scipii faction leader and a full army to Sicily, the force there was having trouble against the greeks stone wall, and the carthaginians had about 24 elephants apparently, as well as 5000 cavalry and 15,000 infantry and 3000 mercenary archers and 4000 pelsasts. It was a nightmare, this was why the faction leader himself was bringing 40,000 infantry which consisted of, 20,000 Hastati, 15,000 principes and 5,000 triarii. naturally he had 40 catapults to help with the seige on the greek town, also in his force were 9,000 archers and 3,000 cavalry.
The scipii faction leader was worried, he had a massive force on a small amount of boats, which were meant for fast transport not war, if the Carthaginians decided to start a naval battle the whole fleet could easily be annilhated. Just at he thought that around 70 boats appeared on the horizon, The boats had catapults on deck as well as large amounts of archers, amongst the strong boats around 3 times bigger than the biremes, there were some small fast persuit boats, The scipii would never get away, so the Faction leader gave the only option he had, a full on charge, it was suicide, but better to attack and hopefully kill a few then be chased after and picked off.
Half way towards the enemy The scipii faction leader was getting hopeful, and at that moment 1 and a half thousand arrows struck his ship many men were dead, the sails were ruined and looking around many other boats were the same, and some were even sinking, with massive holes caused by the catapults. It was a massacre the Scipii didn't have their catapults on decks and many of their archers were asleep.
The faction leader cursed the senate, he spent 6 months getting his force ready, and tried explaining that the senate could pay for his men or give him some boats, the senate had chosen the cheaper option boats, but instead of the 150 he asked for he had only got 30, looking towards the sky more arrows poured down, and with his last breath the senate leaders screamed "CURSE THE SENATE!"
Many weeks later the senate heard what had happened from a fisherman who had saw the whole thing. A few days after that the Scipii's new Faction leader was told. He was a 16 year old boy, named Lacius, the only other general in The scipii was in Sicily trying to defend the settlement their, The settlement hadn't fallen yet but it was rumoured the general had fallen in combat.
Scipii was broken.
Woohoo thats the prologue, im gonna start up the rest of the story, Will Lacius manage to bring the scipii to glory after 3 full quaters of their force was defeated, and the scipii bankrupt, or will he Fail and incur the Senates wrath. Read the rest of my story to find out.