Ghost Warriors: The German Tribes That Hunted Romans | Ancient Black Ops | Odyssey

They are the elite special forces of the former Germany. They are known as the Phantom Warriors. A fanatical core of experts trained in night combat. These are men who could move silently through the forest. They have been hunting since they were children. Now, although they do not hunt deer, bears and bulls, they are hunting Romans, they appear out of nowhere spreading fear and panic among their enemies in the 1st century AD. C.

ancient

Rome sent a huge army against them, the result still echoes through history, the Roman soldiers were caught in the perfect trap the emperor Augustus was devastated this was a personal defeat as well as a major political defeat this is the true story of the Germanic

ghost

Warriors Germany the first century AD a wild and inhospitable place is a region nestled on the northern borders of Roman times Empire known as Germania to the Romans J Mana was the final frontier was the edge of the world was still dark and deep Ancient Forest this is the epitome of a barbaric landscape as the Roman soldiers enter this landscape their minds are filled with nightmarish images this was as far from the civilization of Italy as it was possible to imagine it was a dark place it was full of people strange it was dangerous the local Germanic

tribes

are fierce and independent they had a proud tradition of independence the German communities were very free very loosely structured the individual member of a German tribe considered himself a free man they are warlike and dangerous the

warriors

are trained in a variety of weapons members of the

german

ic

tribes

were famous for fighting with spears the word

german

y comes from an old germanic word for spear in many ways germany was the land of spears men a spear is a really effective weapon thats why it has been used from the Paleolithic with stone tips.

You spear even using a bayonet on the end of a rifle. All the spear does is increase. the reach of the warrior this means that they can hit in the face, feet and shoulders in any place exposed by the Roman soldier, they will hit him, they are also taught to use the sling, another formidable weapon. John Nayor is an expert in its use. Simple science, all you're doing is doubling the length of your arm, so it makes you twice as powerful as if you threw it by hand, when you add that spinning motion, it's even more powerful with practice, it can be terrifying accurate for a Slinger expert in From 100 m to 200 M one would expect to be able to hit a target the size of a head. 10 to 20 shots in a minute is not impossible and if you have 100 slingers, that could be 2000 stones flying through the air towards the enemy.

Germanic

warriors

often combined this withering fire with another even deadlier missile, the javelin. The javelin has a range of between 10 and 50 m. It is not a huge long-range weapon, however, it is perfect for the forest. Finally, there is the most basic weapon of all the club the club is a very very effective weapon even through the male armor that the Romans wear, it will have an impact, you can break bones, break limbs, concussion through a helmet, dirty hit, fight, almost no There are weapons to defeat him, spears, slings, javelins and clubs a powerful arsenal that all Germanic youth have been using since childhood they have muscle memory around these weapons these weapons become an extension of their own body but are more lethal in the hands of a particular group of fighters, the

ghost

warriors who were an elite group of Special Forces trained to fight at night.

The Ghost Warriors were a highly motivated and mobile aggressive Force, but above all they were familiar with the terrain. They were a Black Ops or Germanic Warriors unit trained specifically to fight at night. Said one of the first fighting forces to employ full-body camouflage, something very familiar to today's Special Forces, some things have remained constant over the centuries and camouflage and concealment are an essential element of Warcraft and survival on the battlefield, they paint their faces. Shields and armor. and

black

weaponry, all they need to do is take the fire ash and sock that accumulates at the bottom of their pots and rub it on themselves.

Instant camouflage, could create the same type of Mel patterns that we see in modern camouflage fabrics. they break their shape and by breaking their shape they are harder for the human eye to recognize at night they know how to darken themselves to their advantage they were familiar with working in low light levels they knew the tricks simple tricks like bending their head They kneel when you look to an enemy, so that the enemy is silhouetted against the light. The night sky is always lighter than the ground. They are masters of stealth, like the Special Forces. Nowadays, they train on how to sneak up on and kill Romans.

Night fighters are a source of legend, fear, even terror, they would appear from the trees as if by magic and attack suddenly and then hide in the trees, hit you hard and then escape before you knew what had happened. They have been absolutely terrifying, although they would disappear Before dawn nothing has changed The Knight is still the special operative's friend It is very typical of Special Forces operations staying still and all actions will take place at night It is a clear weapon that you can use Psychological Weapon It's camouflage, it's concealment, it's capitalizing on your local knowledge advantages, the Ghost Warriors are the equivalent of our Black Ops people today, they are a rebel band of fearsome fighters outside the control of Rome, it is a situation that Rome, accustomed to Total Control, finds it difficult. accept that in the year 7 AD.

Roman Emperor Augustus decides it is time to tame the Germanic hordes and bring them into the Empire. He thinks he knows the right man for the job. Publius quintilius varus is a prominent member of the Roman aristocracy. pentius varas was one of the best generals of his time he had been the emperor's personal secretary knew exactly how the imperial system worked he was even married to a member of the imperial royal family he was the right man at the right time for the right job tarus taming a Germania sounds easy Mission will deploy Rome's tried and tested practice of colonizing foreign lands as the Empire has expanded the Romans have co-opted the local population and put them in Roman uniforms it would take high-ranking members of the tribes it would bring them to the Roman fold and show them the benefits of Roman civilization the idea was that these would become in a sense ambassadors among their own people for Roman rule these co-opted warriors known as auxiliaries would then learn to fight against the Roman star these were effectively mercenaries who had been brought into the Roman army in Germania Varys hopes to meet the auxiliary who can help him tame the rebellious Germanic hordes.

He is the commander of the powerful Chusi tribe that lives in the northwest of the country, near what is now Hanover. His name is Arminio. He is a member. of what we might call the royal family of a very powerful tribe, a very powerful group, if we believe the Roman authors who write that he was more intelligent than any other barbarian they had ever seen, then I think we must assume that he must have been very charismatic, convincing, probably even attractive because these authors even describe his bright dark eyes. He is 28 years old and has spent most of his adult life in the Roman army.

He now commands a unit of auxiliaries through his efforts. He has been rewarded with Roman citizenship. Rome has given him a solid foundation in the art of war. He was a very intelligent man who understood strategy and, above all, he understood how the Romans worked. He knew how the Romans organized an army with 10,000 or 20,000 men. He is considered a friend and ally of Rome. but Arminius is not a loyal subject. He appears to have traveled extensively throughout the Roman Empire and saw up close the violent impact of Roman rule. The experience of a Roman occupying force was very unpleasant.

They would come, they would rape the women. They would take slaves. he would steal money this was an iron fist in an iron glove it was deeply unpleasant arminius hates the idea that this could happen to his people discover the past with exclusive

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The Germanic tribes resented that anyone could come and tell them what to do. They were used to managing their own affairs. Arminius keeps these thoughts to himself, but secretly lays plans that will lead Varys into a historic and deadly battle with the ghost. Today's Warriors Minden is a pretty town on the banks of the Vasa River 2,000 years ago, it is the summer camp of Varis, an isolated Roman garrison in the tribal lands of Arminius and the Chusi in late summer and prepares its legions for their march annual southward until winter. Suddenly, Arminius arrives with important news.

There are reports of a tribal uprising. They marched west for several days. He suggests that the Roman legions, instead of immediately marching south, should first loop west to suppress it. Varis suspects that nothing is agreed because Vos aminos must have been a friend. If you imagine that he lives in this quite hostile environment and then someone comes along who belongs to these Baric people, but is still one of us, the idea that Arminio could be plotting against him is an inconceivable football, he didn't understand it. the people did not want Rome was completely unintelligible to him it is a serious error of judgment to trust arminius it will be varus's first big mistake for weeks arminius has been laying out his plans Amin was clearly cunning he was also clearly charismatic he has been trying to rally the local chief and warning them about Rome's plans to colonize their lands is not an easy task.

The Germans in those days were not the Germans of today. They were not considered the efficient team players they are today. They were disorganized, lazy, inefficient, primitive, annoying tribes. and bellicose that they couldn't 'I can't do anything without everything falling apart. Armenius is great and is all about uniting this rabble. He must have convinced them that I am the guy who will lead them to victory against this equivalent of the US Army to turn these rebellious tribes into even one. task in a lethally effective army in a very short period of time. I mean, he's Napoleonic in his achievements, but to finally win over the tribesmen, Arminius must answer one last question: how can they combat the power of the Roman Empire?

One thing is immediately clear. the Germanic warriors will never be able to defeat the Romans in open battle the Roman army in conventional warfare was the most powerful military machine in the ancient world high technology immensely disciplined highly trained in pitched battle in the first century AD the Romans were practically always a One of the keys to victory lies in luring the Romans into a situation where all this power is useless, the only way to defeat them was to lure them into difficult terrain and then have a gorilla fight against them, you have to take the man on your terms and strictly on your terms. that means you have to use every advantage available to you of knowledge of the terrain, knowledge of the roots of your own people and their capabilities.

It requires coordination intelligence and a very deep knowledge of the terrain you are fighting on. Arminius now reveals to the Doubting tribesman, he has identified the perfect place to maximize his advantages. The Roman legions will have to pass through the vast Tberg Forest here, at a point between a wooded hill on one side and a swamp on the other. The track narrows at a natural pinch point. it meant that the Roman army could not march in their normal formation instead of marching 10 to a breast the Roman soldiers could at most march six to a breast they would have felt slightly ill and bothered they were out of their normal way of doing things it is the perfect place for an ambush here, the Romans will be trapped.

Arminius will be free to attack them day and night. This is when the ghost warriors will come to life. It's an inspired plan, but can it really work against 20,000 Roman soldiers from where the Roman Force departs? Minden The Germanic spies follow their progress the legions are accompanied by Arminius and his auxiliaries ahead of them deep in the forest the Germanic warriors prepare their trap Amus has informed them on what exactly to do they build adefensive wall next to the runway that extends for 400 m is carefully disguised to blend into the landscape, mastering the terrain is a basic part of Black Ops Warcraft and training it is absolutely essential to identify good locations for the main attack group and the isolated teams, each person may not necessarily need a tree to hide behind. but you know they might need a bench or a natural edge in the ground, it's a complex multi-stage operation and not everyone can do it with the full wall.

The warriors spread across the densely forested hillside and wait as Varus's forces approach Arminius's ambush. makes their movement one of the things that the Roman auxiliary soldiers did was that they were used as reconnaissance forces. Amus suggests to Varus that he bring his auxiliaries ahead of the main Force to determine the route. It is a perfectly normal practice. Vars suspects that nothing agrees. It is his second. big mistake Arminius and his troops are heading to a pre-arranged meeting point here they meet fellow tribesmen, can you tell us all your allegations about R now Fall Away, the combined Force moves towards the Ambush among the Roman troops who are not used to the forest, as growing concern that the formation would have to break up they had to form a line and it was like a became even more problematic that at first there was no way for the back to know what the front was doing The Roman legion never came back like marching through the forest they were scary places bad things happened it's very disconcerting you don't have local knowledge of the area normally knowledge dispels fear and that's something you don't have at all at every level of every step there is a massive feeling of uncertainty It's a feeling that former SAS member Ken Jones has experienced personally in Afghanistan.

You know these guys have grown up with a gun in their hand since they were 11 years old and this extremely hostile environment is their backyard. You know they already have it. that advantage to you, no matter your level of training or skill set, this was an incredibly delicate and dangerous situation for the Roman army, but varo still suspected that nothing pushes it, it was suffering from what we now call sunk costs for the fiscal year , which is what you put. So much effort and so much trust invested in this case in Armenius that you simply cannot believe that he is not worth it and that he will turn against you and destroy all your dreams.

It's Varis' third mistake in the ambush. Germanic javelin throwers prepare their positions. The slingshots are ready, the ammunition gathered to the end to arm the order of less below them they can hear the approaching Roman column. They would have heard the sound of trumpets. They would have heard the sound of armor jingling. This was strong. There was no doubt that this was the Roman. The army is approaching, that's when the search for adrenaline appears again. Your body is completely charged with adrenaline and a kind of sick feeling of excitement almost makes you want to vomit. You can feel your stomach churning.

You start to swallow. Your mouth becomes extremely dry and you may sweat. and sweat a little too, it's a huge emotion you're facing, but less I hold back the fire, the plan is to attack the Roman column at several points, dividing it into sections, breaking the communications between the head and the tail and forcing each section to fight in isolation. The minutes pass, time seems to stop and his consciousness system seems to shrink, he is only focused on that moment, suddenly, Arminio gives the order. A shower of javelins and slingshots falls from the trees. The Germanic tribes are in their element.

The Romans try to form a defensive shield but they have been caught very off guard, the Roman soldiers will not have known what to do and rumors will have spread up and down the line of soldiers very, very quickly, shortly after, the volley will be followed by a hand-to-hand combat. the warriors descend through the trees and leave the forest there is no room for hesitation, everything happens so quickly in such an intense confusion in which you are so intensely concentrated that the time of an action disappears it is a feeling that soldiers never forget a firefight 15 minutes may just seem like a couple of minutes, it's so physically and mentally intense that Varas is completely caught off guard even before the thought that there could be something wrong with this scenario.

He probably already found himself in this bottleneck. The Roman soldiers were caught in the perfect trap in front. of them were the Germanic warriors and the weight of numbers from behind meant that there was no way the Roman soldiers could turn around and return as the Romans fell, they were stripped of anything of value to the Roman army, this was terrifying . they understood an army that was sitting in front of them and then they could have a formal battle these warriors did not play by the rules r the battle drags on until nightfall finally arminius gives the order to retreat the knight descends upon a bewildered roman army whoever was in the forest now at night military exercises or they will not know that it is a very, very mysterious place, they are gods and terrors and ghosts and spirits and fairies and malicious things that shout at you in the night and surprise you when you should be asleep it is a place very different in By night than by day, the normal Roman forest tactic would have been to dig and set up camp, but Varus was worried that he would not be able to escape the forest alive and opts to escape.

This is his mistake. Now it's the ghost's turn. Warriors,

black

en your face, the process of getting close is very psychological and also the physical action of putting it on your hands, your neck, your face, your ears, the back of your ears, adds an extra layer of defense. You retreat into yourself and you know when you put the camera on, you know, then it's getting real. They stare into the night, preparing their eyes for the darkness. You usually give yourself 15 to 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the level of darkness. All your senses are heightened. It's much more intense.

At night, they finally camouflage their weapons to prevent them from shining in the moonlight. Then when the Roman forces appear beneath the night, the fighters coming in to kill silently like ghosts, creeping through the trees, knowing every sound and Shadow, you get a kind of sick feeling. for what lurks around the next corner, these are men who could move silently through the forest they had been hunting since they were children, although now they are not hunting deer or bear and B, they are hunting Romans, the first thing a legionnaire would do Roman. What you see was the whites of a German's eyes and his sword falling on you.

They appear out of the darkness as if by magic the Romans had never faced anything like this. They are fighting men or spirits. The ghost warriors must have looked like demons. The Roman army. would have been completely under pressure psychologically this was not the type of war the Romans were trained for they didn't know what was going on from the Roman perspective it was probably completely chaotic and extremely terrifying they were surrounded by the enemy Mystery by the terrible forests the ghost warriors they cut SES through the Roman legions and then disappear before dawn the next day the Germans attack again you do as much damage as you can with overwhelming local superiority requiring mobility and flexibility command and control that even today is notable, it is followed by another terrifying night what the German tribesmen are doing is playing with their feeling of being at home in nature being at home in the forest our men's strategy was non-stop war was to crush the Roman legionaries was to make sure that he had no chance of a breakthrough on the third morning the Romans are scattered through the forest the exhausted legions are divided and isolated while Varas contemplates the slaughter the defeat stares him in the face the question now for Varis in his own mind was: What could I do?

There was no chance for a legionary commander to come back and say, "I'm so sorry, I've lost all the legions." He was now at the edge of his life. He now makes a terrible decision. Varis knew exactly what. kind of reception he might have received from the Germanic tribesman they would have cut him off they would have nailed him to a tree they did terrible things to the Roman soldiers they found that morning ashamed and in fear varo falls on his sword the Roman forces collapse Germanic combatants advance for the final slaughter Three Roman legions have been completely annihilated It is a historic victory for the least arm The surviving Germanic warriors The Romans pass to the priestesses for the bloodletting ritual The ears and hands are nailed to the trees after a battle that There were a large number of ritual sacrificial priestesses who would have huge cauldrons and would cut up the rob soldiers until their blood ran into these cauldrons.

It is said that bloodletting purifies the land of Roman influence. The Battle of Tberg Forest is the largest Roman defeat in more than 200 years. 900 miles south in Rome there is blissful ignorance, then a messenger arrives with a box for Emperor Augustus. He contains the bloody head of varus. Emperor Augustus was devastated. It was a personal defeat and also an important political defeat. We are told that he goes around the palace tearing out his hair and moaning vars varas give me back my legions in just 3 days the Roman Empire has lost 10% of its fighting strength it is difficult to exaggerate the magnitude of the defeat suffered by the Romans a huge breach explodes in the border defenses of the Roman Empire, it was a shame such was the magnitude of the defeat that the 17th, 18th and 19th legions were eliminated by the Roman army, they were never used again, no soldier would have wanted to serve in those units today.

Germany's victory at the Battle of Tberg Forest is commemorated with a monument to Arminius. Elsewhere, excavations of the battle site have unearthed a tangle of bones and weapons smashed by a brown bear, and the defensive wall of the less arm has been rebuilt. The Germanic ghost. The warriors have become a legend. a new generation of germans