Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 71: Dionia’s interests first

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"I'm worried that Tarantum will not save Manduria first, but let us go and rescue Brindisi first! Because Manduria is still safe at least for now, and there are only two thousand soldiers stationed. , Brindisi who is far from Tarantum is much more dangerous!" Capus said worriedly.

"If that's the case, we absolutely can't agree!" Dracos looked at Daves and said firmly.

"My lord, don’t repel Manduria’s enemies and head north. Once Manduria is captured, the Mesapi can cut off our transportation line, and we will also be caught in a double-sided attack. Dangerous. Therefore, it is best if you can get the command of the coalition forces. If you can’t, we must also ensure the autonomy of our Dionian army!” Felicius also solemnly suggested.

Davers nodded in agreement.

…………………………

After Capus and Drax are gone, Daves left Felicius alone.

"How is the preparation for the troops going out?"

"All the soldiers of the First and Second Army have all returned to the city to stand by, but there are still many soldiers who have not replaced with new weapons and equipment." Felicius said, seeing Daves's face slightly He did not hesitate, and explained again: "It's not that they didn't actively replace it, but Turri and Amendorala had only three weapon shops in total. They couldn't complete tens of thousands of new armors in a few months. The production of shields, just tanning cowhide is a very time-consuming process, and its quantity is so huge, if it weren’t for the fact that we had Lukanian citizens of Niutum and Grumentum grazing her husband. For a large number of cattle and sheep, it will take several years to just raise the cowhide..."

"Since this is the case, let's use the old equipment for this battle. Let the soldiers go to the weapon shop and temporarily exchange their original copper helmets and shields." Daves said with a little regret. Suddenly, he remembered something: "I heard that a Corinthian businessman had built a large weapons workshop in the handicraft area of ​​Amendorara. I can consider giving him part of the order, but I don’t know if he is willing to accept the terms of trade-in. ."

"The businessman is called Theos. I have already talked to him and he is very happy to accept it."

"Oh, this is a clever man, but unfortunately he is a Gentile." Daves remembered the simple hydraulic forging hammer that the Institute of Mathematics had successfully developed, and was considering finding a suitable large business to cooperate with it as a kind of A machine that greatly saves manpower and improves the efficiency of forging copper and ironware. Of course, Daves must put it in his own hands to keep it secret.

"In addition, I have already contacted the Port Civilian Vessel Association (this is a non-union official shipping organization proposed by Daves and planned by Mariji). All Dionian merchant ships and passenger ships have joined Among them, its purpose is to maintain port order, prevent vicious competition, improve industry efficiency, and facilitate cost management). Polydorus also said that ships from Tarantum will also come to the port to help transport, so that we can do it all at once. All the soldiers of the two legions can be transported to the port of Tarantum. About the day after tomorrow, our army will be ready to go to Tarantum by boat." Felicius continued with a little excitement.

"Felicius, how many days does it take from the mobilization of citizens to the expedition when a war occurs in the usual Greek city-states?"

Daves’ question caught Felicius for a moment. He thought Daves was making comparisons, so he said: “From war mobilization, to selecting citizens, arranging family affairs, preparing weapons, equipment and food, It will take three or four days to prepare the army and determine the team officers, but we only need two days at most."

"What if tens of thousands of people are dispatched?"

"Then the time may be longer, maybe six or seven days, but for us Dionia—" Before Felicius had finished speaking, Daves waved his hand and said, "Then Don't be too anxious, let's go out in five days."

Felicius thought he had heard wrong, Daves leaned forward, looked at Felicius, and said in a deep voice: "Although Tarantum used to fight with Mesapi, Never have you attacked Mesapi with all your strength, disregarding the lives of citizens like this time, do you know why?"

Feirisius is not a fool. After more than a year of experience as a military officer, both administrative experience and vision have improved a lot. He immediately replied: "It's because of us."

"Yes, we!" Daves repeated forcefully: "The rapid strength of our alliance has put pressure on Tarantum. Southern Italy is not too big. It can only accommodate the next overlord, and this The overlord can only be Dionia! Now that Hades has helped us, and Tarantum is in trouble, we must seize this opportunity."

Davers showed a sneer: "Abiding by the covenant and helping Tarantum to repel the Maple coalition forces can do, but it is by no means to help Tarantum destroy his enemies and stabilize their new territory!"

Daves was very calm, even cold, and his friendship with Aceta did not affect his decision on political affairs.

Philipsius, as the army’s deputy, assisted Daves for more than two years. He knew more about his leader than the other generals. Like deliberately delaying the offensive, the citizens of Amendora suffered heavy losses and deceived Cornelus. He became a consul for life and so on. This young consul was not as honest and honest as he showed, but perhaps because of this, he led the mercenaries to the heights they are today. This is like him and Karp. S., Amintas and others who only know how to fight can't do it.

Philipsius sighed lightly, and exhaled the enthusiasm that Daves had faced Polytorus just now and the now cold expression from his mind...

"I see, my lord," he said.

………………………

In the next few days, Daves commissioned Avinojis, the Archon of Laos, who was still watching the game and tasting the food in Turei, to find a way to understand the situation of the Bruti in order to confirm Terry. Whether the words of Naren Cipros are true.

The rest of the time, he carefully read some information about Tarantum and Mesapi collected by Aristilas in the mansion. When I have time, I accompany his wife Christoya and his son Croto Kataks, who is more than half a year old.

Polytorus' mood is getting more and more anxious day by day. He has visited Daves or Felicius several times, but they have been persuaded by them for legitimate reasons. Indeed, the number of soldiers converging in the city of Turiyi is increasing day by day, and it does take a long time to mobilize tens of thousands of soldiers on the expedition. However, the situation in Tarantum is getting worse every day, and Dionia’s needs are urgently needed. Army rescue.

On the second day after Archita’s defeat, Brindisi’s Clippers returned to Tarantum and told the Senate: Archita was killed in battle, and the Maple coalition threw his head into the city, and Thousands of corpses of Tarantum soldiers were used to build a "corpse mountain" outside the city to intimidate the Brindisi defenders to surrender, and the people in the city were very panicked. The Maple Allied Forces waited for a long time and did not see a reply. They had already begun the siege.

Brindisi urgently appealed to Tarantum for help, claiming that the enemy is strong and the defenders are few, and since Brindisi was captured last time, the broken walls did not have enough time for complete restoration. If you don't get reinforcements, I'm afraid it will fall within two or three days.

When the Tarantum Senate was urgently discussing "how to rescue Brindisi," another news came: the Mesapi army that besieged Manduria has disappeared!

The elders of the Senate, headed by Umarcas and Diomilas, did not feel relieved when they heard the news, although the blockade of the Mesapi cavalry could not detect the whereabouts of the main force of Mesapi. But everyone does not need to think about it, and they can roughly guess: The most likely thing for the Mesapi is to advance eastward and join the Puchetti army. Brindisi is in danger!

Although Turriy has been rewarded, Dionia will send tens of thousands of soldiers to reinforce it. But it will definitely not be there in a short time, but Tarantum must send his own troops to reinforce from the land. Facing the blockade of tens of thousands of Mepp coalition forces, the Senate feels that this is simply going to die, so it finally decided: transport by sea The soldiers reinforce Brindisi so that it can hold on to the rescue of the coalition forces of the Tarantum League and Dionia.

Tarantum dispatched 80 warships, including 40 three-layered paddle warships, almost all of Tarantum’s naval force, and escorted a troop carrier full of 4,000 soldiers to the cloth Lindy West.

After the fleet bypassed the "heel" of the Italian peninsula, it was intercepted by the Maple Joint Fleet near the sea near the city-state of Hordrum in Mesapi.

Puchetti’s navy is not strong, there is only one seaport city, Barium (now Bari), and it’s good to be able to make up six or seven warships. However, the Mesapi people are different. Most of its city-states are port cities. Igratia, Brindisi, Ugentum, Mesagne, and Khodrum are all seaport cities, but they are the largest city-states. ——Udia is an inland city, located in the center of the Mesapi region, once the capital of the Mesapi Kingdom. Therefore, the Mesapi people’s sailing ability is not weak, and the sea trade is relatively developed. Later, thanks to the help of the Athenians, they can not only make their own three-layer oar warships, but also proficiently use the advanced sea warfare skills of the Greeks. The sea also brought a lot of trouble to the Tarantum people, and this time, it was the biggest naval battle that broke out between Tarantum and Mesapi. The Mesapi gathered all the warships of all the city-states. 58 ships, including 25 three-layer paddle warships, plus Puchetti's six warships, a total of 64 warships.

One is anxious to reinforce, the other is desperately intercepted, and the two sides are fighting fiercely at sea...

Although Mesapi has few warships, his offensive is fierce; although Tarantum has many ships, he has to take into account the troop transport fleet behind him, and instead attacks with a dreadful attack.