With the Imperator Del Monte being in Brittany, Mauricius set about invading the Imperators recent Dumonian conquests. On hearing this Del Monte quickly hired a Frankish minor noble, the aptly named Wolfsbreath, as his 2iC , Maximus Tittius having been recently slain during the treacherous Frankish Princess Keiras' depredations in Brittany, and set off back across the channel.
The two forces confronted each other at the ruined Temple of Venus somewhere in the wilds of Dumonia, though only recently constructed the temple was soon abandoned as a rain-soaked, windswept moor was found to not lend itself to the temples itinerary of activities.
The battle was for control of the South West and both leaders aimed to carve their names in both the temple ruins and in history.
Mauricius allocated the right flank to his 2iC Ludicrus Maximus whilst he aimed for the left and centre. Later in the battle he'd realise this was a mistake in deployment and he'd rather have the right flank but more of that later.
The Imperator gaining the initiative sent a force of heavy infantry up the road to occupy the ruined temple and some skirmishers and light cavalry to harass on the flanks whilst hanging back with his elite cavalry. Wolfsbreath meanwhile surged forward through the rough terrain on the right flank to envelope Mauircius forces.
Mauricius' sent forward pedyts and heavy cavalry to throw back the flank attack but got the worst of it and attempting not to be flanked ended up falling further and further back until he occupied the position he'd originally allocated to his 2iC Ludicrus Maximus. On the whole the right flank seemed a much more favourable position.
With the Imperators infantry in the temple coming under heavy fire they wavered but rallied and though Ludicris was making progress on the Imperators left it was slow going.
As Mauricius lost another unit of infantry he was forced to charge the by now diminishing warband of Wolfsbreath but between rounds of fighting and being preoccupied by the Frankish threat he didn't notice the Imperators light cavalry led by the rather unpleasant Frumentarii Nastius Optimus sneak into javelin range.
As the numbers in Mauricius cavalry unit dwindled the Frumentarii took careful aim and skewered Mauricius in the eye with a javelin. And so ended the imperial ambitions of Mauricius, now destined to become an obscure footnote in Romano British history. Maybe he'll make it into an Arthurian tale as a minor baddie.
Ludicrus Maximus fought on but as the light faded the last of his peasant units fled the field leaving the unscathed Imperator as victor and new ruler of Brittany and Britannia. Did I mention that his cavalry hung around the rear of the hill carrying out a bit of shooting and leaving all the fighting to the other units?
With his Foederati well thinned out, his enemies defeated and Maricius skewered the Imperator felt it had on the whole been a successful day and set about planning to reconsecrate the temple but in his honour rather than that of Venus as his (few) remaining troops hailed the new Dux Britannorium , the Imperator Del Monte.