Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1122: Daionia's Counterattack Plan

Davos stroked the stubble on his jaw, a hint of genuine pleasure finally coloring his expression. He glanced around the room before his gaze settled on Alexis. "The Gauls came in with such ferocity. I thought this sudden war would drag on, which is why I had everyone draft such meticulous counterattack plans... I never expected them to break so easily. All our preparations were for nothing. Do you have any new proposals for the current state of the war?"

"Your Majesty," Alexis said, exchanging a brief glance with Plintors. "Before arriving at the palace, Lord Plintors and I briefly discussed the current situation in Etruria. Patroclus and the Northern Coalition have crushed the main Gallic force. Inevitably, his next step will be to press the attack against the remnants of their army.

"Furthermore, we do not believe the Gauls could have overrun the Border Legion's three camps in such a short timeframe. It is highly likely they left only a token force to pin the camps down, while their main army bypassed them entirely to invade Etruria—"

"There is no need for speculation. I already have concrete intelligence," Davos interrupted with certainty. "At the very least, Hasdrubal's camp is still putting up a stubborn defense. It has not fallen."

Alexis showed no surprise; he knew full well the formidable capabilities of King Davos's Intelligence Department. After a brief thought, he took the opportunity to make a proposal. "Your Majesty, could you send word to Lord Hasdrubal to coordinate with the Northern Coalition's offensive? Have him seal the mountain passes leading to the Po River Plain and intercept any Gauls attempting to flee back to their territory. We can completely surround and annihilate them south of the mountains!"

"I will dispatch a messenger with orders for Hasdrubal," Davos said without hesitation. "But even if our word doesn't reach him in time, I trust his competence. He can make the appropriate decisions based on the shifting tides of battle."

"Your Majesty," Plintors interjected, his voice ringing out. "We wish to annihilate the invading Gauls south of the mountains because they are a highly aggressive people. With their vast population, they pose a massive threat. It has been merely sixteen years since their last large-scale invasion, yet they have already mustered an army of well over fifty thousand men. Maintaining a purely defensive strategy leaves us far too passive. Furthermore, the Gauls will learn from this disastrous defeat. The next time they march south, they will undoubtedly cause us even greater trouble. To resolve the Gallic threat once and for all, we must seize this golden opportunity while their strength is crippled. We must pivot from defense to offense, send our troops straight into their territory, and conquer them entirely!"

This bold declaration stirred a ripple of commotion through the meeting hall. Several of the Rotating Chairmen leaned in to whisper among themselves.

The corners of Davos's mouth curled up in a faint smile; Plintors's proposal aligned perfectly with his own thoughts. He swept his gaze over the whispering Rotating Chairmen and asked calmly, "Hmm... A proactive offensive. Do you have a specific plan?"

"Right now, the soldiers of the First Legion, the Second Legion, the fourth legion of Theonia, and the third legion of Theonia are fully assembled. They were originally preparing to reinforce the Northern Coalition, but that is clearly no longer necessary. Instead, we should redirect these legions to Brindisi, transport them north by ship, and land near Ariminum (modern Rimini)." Alexis pointed a firm finger at a spot on the map. "We strike directly into Gallic territory!"

By now, Davos and the other officials had gathered around the map, their eyes locked on the landing site Alexis had indicated.

Upon closer inspection of the map, the other ministers quickly realized that launching a direct assault on Gallic territory would be no easy feat.

The Gallic territories were backed by the towering, treacherous peaks of The Alps to the north. To their west lay the domain of the Ligurians, and to their east, the Veneti. The coastlines were almost entirely controlled by these two peoples, leaving the Gauls wedged in the middle. While the territory of the Etruscans lay to their south, a continuous stretch of mountains separated the two regions. The direct overland distance exceeded a hundred li, filled with impassable terrain. The few lower-lying areas were already heavily settled by Gallic tribes—primarily the Senones.

If the Daionian Army were to march through the mountains to strike Gallic territory, they could certainly achieve it, especially now that the Gallic forces had suffered heavy losses. However, the Daionian troops were unfamiliar with the terrain, faced immense logistical challenges, and possessed comparatively weaker mountain warfare capabilities than the Gauls. These disadvantages would not only inflict heavy attrition on the Daionian Army but also drastically slow their march. The delay would grant the Gauls on the Po River Plain ample time to prepare their defenses, severely blunting the offensive's impact and needlessly prolonging the war. Therefore, after careful analysis, the Ministry of Military Affairs had concluded this was a poor option.

On the other hand, the Ligurians and the Veneti were both conservative peoples who had little prior contact with Daionia. Even if Daionian envoys swore that the army was only targeting the Gauls and would not infringe upon their interests, they would never allow a massive, foreign military force to land on their shores and march across their lands.

And if the Daionian Army forced a landing on their coastlines, it would undoubtedly spark a brand-new war. That, of course, would be incredibly unwise.

So, considering all options, the best—and indeed, the only—viable location to launch the initial invasion was Ariminum. It was the only coastal town the Gauls possessed, nestled south of Veneti territory and north of the Apennines, right along the shores of the Adriatic Sea.

"Ariminum..." Davos murmured, staring at its marker on the map as he recalled the relevant intelligence. He had been drowning in state affairs over the past few years, and since an invasion of Gallic territory had never been on his agenda, he hadn't paid much attention to the detailed situation within their lands. With little coming to mind, he simply asked, "Are the shores there suitable for a landing? What is the situation in Ariminum? Are their defenses tight...?"

"Your Majesty," Plintors explained in detail, "Ariminum was originally a Veneti town before the Senones conquered it over twenty years ago. Initially, it seems they were only interested in the flat lands surrounding it, using them to cultivate crops and graze livestock. It is said that this changed when pirates from the Adriatic Sea risked landing at the small town to trade. They successfully bartered plundered goods for Senones horses, which made the Senones realize the benefits of maritime commerce. Over the last decade or so, the Senones have steadily developed Ariminum's sea trade. They expanded the urban area, erecting markets and constructing a port. While their maritime trade has made steady progress, they lack sailors and rely primarily on merchants from other city-states sailing into Ariminum to conduct business."

"However, the Gauls are infamous, and since their development has just begun, few merchants are actually willing to risk doing business in Ariminum. Their main trading partners are Adriatic Sea pirates or merchants from the Illyria region across the water. Occasionally, Umbrians and Frentani will take small boats over to barter for goods."

"When the patrol ships of the 1st Fleet were cruising the Adriatic Sea, they carefully observed Ariminum. Their reports state that its defensive walls are low and constructed entirely of wood. The urban area is small; it is less a true city and more of a Gallic encampment. Furthermore, its internal security is lax. As for its coastline, it features multiple gently sloping sandy beaches capable of accommodating over a hundred ships landing simultaneously..."

Davos listened carefully, his eyes fixed on the map where the Gallic territory extended a slender tendril toward the southeast. That tiny sliver of land represented the inland-dwelling Gauls' first tentative steps toward the ocean. But now, Daionia was about to shatter their maritime ambitions.

Davos glanced back at the Rotating Chairmen and asked, "What are your thoughts on the Ministry of Military Affairs' proposal?"

Despite seeing the glint of excitement in Davos's eyes, Lysias felt compelled to offer a reminder. "Your Majesty, we all know there are three Gallic tribes south of the Alps. The Senones and the Cenomani suffered heavy losses during this invasion, and their territories may indeed be utterly defenseless. But what of the Salyes? They did not participate in this expedition.

"Moreover, according to our intelligence on the Gauls, that particular tribe has long focused on its internal development, rarely expanding outward, yet their strength is the greatest of the three. If our army invades their kinsmen's territory, I fear the Salyes will mobilize their full strength to assist in the defense. This war might not be so easily concluded."

Davos fell silent, mulling this over without immediately responding.

Antaoris, however, laughed aloud. "The Salyes joining the war would be no bad thing! It would give us the perfect pretext to conquer them as well, solving the problem of the Gauls south of the Alps once and for all. Lord Lysias believes their involvement will make the war difficult, but that is only because we previously planned to deploy just the First Legion, the third legion of Theonia, the fourth legion of Theonia, and the Fifth Legion. Given our kingdom's overflowing treasury and fully stocked granaries, we are more than capable of deploying several additional legions. We can strike with absolute superiority and crush all the Gauls in one fell swoop!"

Davos's eyes lit up as he listened, and he cast Antaoris an approving gaze.