Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1207: Prelude to the Great War (2)

Since the founding of Daionia, operations on this scale had occurred only twice. During the Western Mediterranean War, King Davos had personally led the main force into Sicily to fight the Carthaginian army. However, allied states had provided a portion of those troops, meaning the 100,000-man figure was somewhat inflated. The second instance was the Gallic War, where Leotychides led a massive army to conquer Cisalpine Gaul. Even then, his direct command fell short of 100,000 men; it only surpassed that threshold when Patroclus's flanking force was included.

This time, however, it was a genuine 100,000-man army composed entirely of Daionia's Regular Legions executing an amphibious landing. (The Balearic Slingers were a special Daionian unit with an official designation in the Ministry of Military Affairs. They typically trained with the Eighteenth Legion stationed in the Iberian region and occasionally participated in campaigns against the indigenous Iberians. The Gallic Battalion was also a regular unit. The Ministry of Military Affairs had modeled it after the former Roman Reserve Cohort, hoping to eventually transition it into a full regular legion over time. It continuously trained under the command of the 14th Legion stationed in the Po River Region and fought alongside the Border Legion against the Ligurians. Now, aside from a few pockets of sporadic resistance, Liguria was essentially pacified, and the Gallic Battalion deserved much of the credit.) That Patroclus could command such a massive army in so critical an operation at his young age was truly enviable!

Watching Patroclus speak with such assurance, officers like Oliphus and Tagetinos felt a strong sense of envy and jealousy, but not a trace of disdain. After all, Patroclus's past achievements were simply too stunning. In Etruria, he had executed a series of brilliant stratagems to annihilate the invading Roman army in a very short time. Following that, he stationed his troops in Cisalpine Gaul, stabilizing the Po River Region within a few years and nearly conquering all of Liguria. He had been appointed supreme commander of this amphibious operation entirely on the strength of his exceptional command abilities and past military merits, not his status as King Davos's son-in-law.

Plintors harbored none of these complicated thoughts. His mind remained entirely focused on the impending landing operation. Furrowing his brows, he asked, "Transporting 100,000 soldiers will require at least 2,000 ships, and we have multiple landing zones. The Eastern Coast of Greece has numerous islands and a winding coastline. How can we ensure the Fleet reaches these locations as quickly and accurately as possible? And how will we guarantee their safety at sea...?"

"I will answer that," Secilian said, smoothly taking over the conversation. "The maritime security for this landing operation is the responsibility of Midorades, Straphacus, and myself. The 1st Fleet, 2nd Fleet, and 3rd Fleet—totaling 1,200 Warships—will escort all the Fleets transporting soldiers and supplies, and will engage in combat when necessary.

"Currently, only two city-states in the Greek League have the potential to cause trouble for our transport Fleet: Athens and Thessaly. According to our intelligence, the Athenian Navy possesses over eighty Warships, fifty of which are Trireme Warships. With recent reinforcements from their maritime allies, that number may have surpassed a hundred. The Athenian Navy boasts strong tactical capabilities, high-level sailing skills, and an aggressive posture. Seven days ago, while our main naval force was on the west coast assisting the army in capturing islands, the Athenian Fleet managed to stealthily approach the Laconian Gulf. They even engaged in battle with the 1st Squadron of the 1st Fleet, which had stayed behind to guard the area. Because the Athenians were unfamiliar with our tactics, they lost several Warships and eventually retreated on their own initiative. It was a minor victory for our navy...

"On the other hand, Thessaly's fleet was established only a few years ago. Rumor has it that Jason invested heavily in it, however, and they now possess nearly a hundred Warships. Yet they have never participated in any major battles. To this day, our intelligence operatives have not once seen this fleet leave port to patrol. A fleet that prefers to hide in its harbor possesses no real combat power.

"Therefore, based on our analysis of the enemy, the navy has laid out the following combat deployment for the day of the landing. The 2nd Fleet and 3rd Fleet will depart port before the transport Fleet sets sail. The 2nd Fleet's Warships will blockade the Saronic Gulf, and the 3rd Fleet will blockade the Pagasetic Gulf (the gulf bordering eastern Thessaly). This will prevent the Warships of Athens and Thessaly from heading out to sea to attack the transports. Meanwhile, the five squadrons of the 1st Fleet will separately escort each transport Fleet to their respective landing zones—"

Secilian paused to swallow, moistening his throat before continuing. "Additionally, I want to discuss the transport Fleet for this landing. A month ago, when the Ministry of Military Affairs recruited transport vessels from various port towns across the kingdom, they deliberately selected merchant ships familiar with the coastal routes of Northern Greece. The merchant guilds from every region provided immense assistance in this regard, so there is no need to worry about the crews being unfamiliar with the routes.

"During this season, the Aegean Sea experiences many days with southerly winds. We will select a day when the south wind is particularly strong as our landing day. Based on my judgment, it will likely only take the better part of a day for the entire Fleet to reach its destinations."

Plintors listened intently, though his furrowed brows had not completely relaxed. "As our massive Fleet sails north, the threats it faces might not be limited to the navies of Athens and Thessaly—"

"I know Lord Plintors is referring to the Persian navy," Midorades chimed in this time. He exchanged a glance with Secilian and smiled. "We haven't let our guard down against them. Ever since the 1st Fleet was stationed in the waters south of the Peloponnese, we have continuously dispatched fast ships to monitor the movements of the various Persian regional fleets in Asia Minor. To date, we haven't discovered any anomalies.

"After our 2nd Fleet returned from Egypt, we deployed additional fast ships to the waters near Crete to reinforce our observation of the Phoenician waters. Based on the information we've received, the Persians are already preparing to launch an offensive against Egypt. A massive number of Warships are currently massing in Tyre and Sidon in Phoenicia. There isn't the slightest indication that they intend to sail west in force to aid Greece."

Plintors remained somewhat concerned as he asked, "That is 100,000 soldiers. The amount of military rations they will consume every day is enormous. How will you resolve this issue once you land?"

Patroclus answered without the slightest hesitation, "The Ministry of Military Affairs requires every soldier to carry five days' worth of rations. Once the landing is successful, we will quickly seize nearby port towns, such as Lamia and Peleus, to ensure that our supply-carrying vessels can enter the harbor and unload their cargo.

"Of course, this is only a temporary measure. The true base capable of smoothly supplying the entire army's logistics should be Pherae. According to our intelligence, a vast amount of grain has already been stockpiled within the city of Pherae. Those supplies were prepared for Jason's army. Therefore, our landing forces must thrust into the heartland of Thessaly and capture Pherae as swiftly as possible."

A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Patroclus's mouth as he spoke with confidence. "His Majesty also places extreme importance on Pherae and has already made certain arrangements in advance. I believe these will be of great help in smoothly capturing the city. It is already late July. By the time we launch our attack, it will be August, and the wheat will be close to ripening. Thessaly has vast, fertile wheat fields that can absolutely supply our army's rations for the ensuing months of the campaign..."

Only then did Plintors's expression finally ease a little. Looking at the officers who had just arrived in Sparta, he said earnestly, "It seems His Majesty attaches great importance to this landing operation and has had the Ministry of Military Affairs make extensive preparations. I am confident that you have all led your legions through numerous amphibious assault drills. I no longer harbor any doubts. I only hope that in the coming days, you will continue to closely monitor the movements in the Aegean Sea and refine your landing plans according to the actual situation."

Plintors was clearly speaking in his capacity as the chief staff officer. Patroclus and the other officers all nodded seriously in acknowledgment.

Next, Patroclus turned to look at Crotokatax, asking with concern, "Whether the landing in Thessaly is successful or not, holding the line here is the key. I heard your forces suffered considerable losses during the battles against Sparta, and now you're facing a massive offensive from the Greek expeditionary army. Are you stretched too thin in terms of manpower? Do you need me to detach some troops to support you?"

After campaigning in the Peloponnese for over two months, Crotokatax was no longer the young man he had been at the beginning, lacking confidence and consulting Plintors before making every decision. He answered with quiet assurance, "Actually, our losses in the battles against Sparta weren't that great. Four legions and a cavalry legion remain intact. Furthermore, we can organize about 15,000 young helots and perioikoi from Messenia and Laconia. Our total troop strength can reach 45,000, which isn't too far off from the numbers of the Greek expeditionary army.

"Moreover, they are the ones attacking while we are defending; our troop numbers are entirely sufficient. Judging by the previous combat situations, the Greek expeditionary army does not excel at sieges. Their siege weapons are simple, their methods are monotonous, and they aren't even particularly courageous in battle. They haven't posed a major threat to our defensive camps. In fact, even without your amphibious landing, we are confident in holding our ground until the Greek expeditionary army's morale plummets and they are ultimately forced to retreat."

Hearing this, Patroclus suddenly frowned and bluntly cautioned, "I advise against defending too rigidly. You should also make some tactical concessions to let the Greek expeditionary army taste a bit of success, keeping them from wanting to retreat. We need to pin them down in the Peloponnese so they cannot reinforce Thessaly in time!"

Crotokatax stared blankly for a moment.

Plintors caught on quickly and immediately urged, "Commander Patroclus makes a very good point. Previously, we defended so stubbornly in order to hold onto Messenia and Laconia. Now, to guarantee the smooth execution of the landing plan, we can consider yielding slightly—perhaps by deliberately abandoning one of our defensive camps..."

(End of Chapter)