In fact, Romanus overestimated the enemy's reaction and marching speed.
On March 10th, the second echelon arrived by boat for reinforcements, but Romanus the expected enemy had not yet appeared.
After many days of continuous construction, four trestles were built at the temporary wharf for Medium Galley to dock, which improved the loading and unloading efficiency.
A Galley sailed slowly towards the trestle. After the hull came to a stop, the crew used ropes and pulleys to lift the artillery out of the cabin and carefully transferred it to the sky above the pier.
"Stay steady and don't use too much force."
Under the command of Boatswain, they successfully placed the barrel of a Six-Pounder Cannon gun on the ground. The gunners gathered around, assembled various parts and components into a Field Gun, and pushed it into the warehouse in the camp.
There are a few wooden buildings in the camp, which serve as command post, Field Hospital, warehouse, canteen and stables.
Ordinary soldiers were not assigned to barracks, so they camped in tents in open spaces.
A log wall was built outside the camp, and the east side is adjacent to a small river with shallow water. As the weather warms and rainfall becomes less and less, locals claim that the small river will dry up completely in late April.
Romanus came to the stables and observed the newly arrived war horses and Harness Horse. They were not used to the bumpy and dark environment and looked a little depressed.
Suddenly, a report came from the scouts ahead: The enemy was on its way to the north, numbering nearly 20,000, and would arrive on the southwest coast the day after tomorrow.
"The enemy takes the initiative to attack, probably thinking that my troops are very small. If they find that our number reaches 17,000, they will most likely withdraw Chania, Rethymno and Candia.
It is better to defeat the enemy in the field than to let them stay in a strong fortification. Set out tomorrow to meet those Italy mercenaries."
Early the next morning, a whistle woke the sleeping soldiers. They lined up to go to the canteen and received a steaming bowl of cabbage and bacon soup. Then they broke the hard bread into small pieces and threw them into the broth to soak them until soft.
At seven o'clock in the morning, troops left the camp one after another. Romanus took away all the Army and asked the crew to temporarily guard the camp.
The vanguard was Hermes Brigade and a small number of light cavalry.
Going further inland, the vegetation along the way gradually increases, with patches of olive groves planted in the low areas, and the high hillsides covered with dry yellow and light green shrubs, occasionally mixed with large pieces of gray-white limestone.
"So many wild Thyme."
Orlando observed these low plants. They had not yet reached the flowering stage, and the new shoots were just beginning to sprout new green. He picked a few leaves and rubbed them, using the aroma to refresh his mind.
The priest leaned on a cane, stroking his gray hair that was blown by the wind with his hands, and said slowly:
"When they bloom in summer, these purple flowers are all over the mountains and plains. There are many beekeepers in the local area. They let the bees collect nectar from the flowers, and the honey they get has a unique taste. Your Excellency, Battalion Commander, your accent is somewhat similar to Latins, is it from Northern Italy?"
This question touched Orlando's heart. He was silent for half a minute, and then reluctantly revealed his true identity. "Yes, I come from Montferrat, and the local area is governed by the Palaiologos branch. I am the illegitimate son of a marquis. I couldn't find a way out in my hometown, so I came to join the army."
In an instant, Orlando noticed that the priest's mood fluctuated, and he couldn't tell whether it was his contempt for the illegitimate son or his emphasis on Palaiologos's bloodline.
During the rest of the journey, the two continued to chat, and the priest mentioned Venice's strategy for ruling the island: squeezing profits and taking full precautions.
Venice divided Crete into the capital (Candia) and six districts, and prohibited Eastern Roman Empire's clergy and books from entering Crete. Therefore, the local people's understanding of the outside world was limited, and news often lagged behind for several years.
"Last autumn, I visited Sfakia in the White Mountains. The locals have been resisting intermittently. They don't know that the Ottomans have been destroyed, nor that the empire has recovered Antioch."
Orlando: "If Venice hadn't blocked it, we could have even recovered Jerusalem that time."
At noon, Hermes Brigade detected the enemy's movements. The brigade commander ordered to occupy the barren hills on the northeast side and sent people to report to the main force.
Hermes Brigade and Mountain Infantry are mainly good at fighting in such complex and rugged terrain. They use battalions and companies as units to quickly maneuver along several mountain roads to seize this commanding height with a wide view.
"Quickly, put Three-Pounder in this position."
Upon receiving the order from Orlando, the Artillerys led a group of Pony to the vicinity, untied the ropes binding the heavy objects, and assembled the parts into Three-Pounder.
Not long after, Commander Venice also realized the importance of this hill and sent the most powerful Switzerland mercenaries to attack.
After a short prayer, the Switzerland mercenaries formed three independent square formations, with 400 in the front, 1,200 in the middle, and 400 in the rear.
Woo~
Three short horns sounded, and the front team took the lead, using the woods at the foot of the mountain to cover their bodies. Not long after, more than a dozen artillery shells roared in, smashing a large amount of sawdust in the woods.
At this moment, the front group erupted into a terrifying chorus of roars. They no longer pursued concealment, but instead accelerated their pace, pressing up the hillside at an almost trotting speed.
This is the typical tactics of Switzerland people. Once they enter the enemy's long-range fire range, they will never hesitate or dodge. They will pass through the kill zone at maximum speed and overwhelm the enemy's formation in one go.
At the forefront were three rows of long-range infantry. They ran quickly with their heads lowered. From time to time, their companions screamed and fell. The remaining members did not stop and rushed to a distance of fifty steps, shooting the enemy with Matchlock or Steel Crossbow.
After the shooting ended, the long-range infantry spread out towards the two wings to make way for the Halberd soldier phalanx behind.
In less than a minute, Halberd soldiers rushed across the limestone hillside and started a melee with the Eastern Roman Empire's Mountain Infantry.
The Switzerland halberdier in the front row hooked the defender's spear shaft and yanked it hard, forcing a gap open. The nearby halberdier swarmed forward and tried their best to tear the hole wide, waiting for the main force behind to launch an attack.
Orlando stood on the top of the mountain, staring blankly at the friendly battle line. He was suddenly confused, "Damn it, when did Italy people become so good at fighting?"
More than ten steps away, two soldiers carried the brigade commander on a stretcher to the top of the mountain. The medical soldiers rushed over and hurriedly cut open the brigade commander's clothes with scissors to treat the senior officer who was in a coma.
At this time, a gust of cold wind blew across the top of the mountain, recalling Orlando's consciousness. He quickly found the deputy brigade commander and asked for the next order.
The other party had never seen this kind of scene before. He didn't know how to deal with it for a while, so he hurriedly said, "Blast the enemy with artillery, yes, that's it."
Orlando Looking at the artillery positions on the top of the mountain, they are located too high, and their firing range is blocked by the rocks on the hillside, so their lethality is limited.
Orlando suggested to another battalion commander, "The enemy seems to be Switzerland mercenaries with extremely strong combat capabilities. I will go over and block the gap. Your troops will dig trenches on the top of the mountain, build breastworks with stones, and collect the broken troops. How long can they hold out?"
After saying that, Orlando led his troops and rushed towards a certain front line halfway up the mountain to block the crazy-looking Halberd soldiers.
At one o'clock in the afternoon, Romanus arrived at the battlefield.
From his perspective, the terrain of this area is complex. There is a hill on the northeast side, and the terrain gradually decreases to the west. The low-lying area in the west is a winding river with extremely shallow water and rugged gravels all over the shore.
Between the hills and the creek is a gentle slope about two miles wide, dotted with low limestone hills, dense shrubs and scattered cypress trees.
Looking around, we can see large groups of mercenaries walking out of the northern woods one after another. They are slow in movement and disorganized, which is perfect for Dong Roman Legion to launch an attack.
Romanus told this idea to Renaf, who was thoughtful:
"My original idea was to take a detour from the mountains to the east or the shoals to the west. However, it is also possible to launch an attack from the front. After all, the Hermes Brigade on the top of the mountain cannot hold out for long.
Your Highness, I will launch an attack immediately. No matter what happens on the front line, you must remember to keep a reserve force. The terrain here is really complex, and the enemy will turn around if you are not careful. Without a reserve force, the entire army is in danger."
After saying that, Renaf commanded Sakarya Legion to press forward across the board and launch a fierce attack on a certain Mercenary Regiment who was in disarray.
As soon as the two armies fought, Romanus found that the army had the advantage and suppressed the larger enemy army.
"The front should be fine."
He observed the left and right wings and placed Artillery on the left wing (west side) with a wide view. Once the enemy tried to bypass the river bank, the Six-Pounder Cannon group would definitely be able to scatter their array.
At this moment, Romanus still has 1,600 light cavalry, Dragon Cavalry Brigade without horses, more than 800 volunteers, as well as guards and some miscellaneous personnel.
The terrain on the east side is rugged, and locals have planted many olive trees. The soil here is relatively poor, and the distance between olive trees is maintained at 10 to 15 meters to obtain sufficient nutrients and water.
The light cavalry is not suitable to be deployed on the east side. Romanus has no choice but to dismount Dragoons and place the rebels at the edge of the woods.
Finally, there was the central military area. He surrounded the baggage trains into three Wagon Forts and asked the orderlies to stay inside.
"The orderlies are only suitable for defense. The only troops I can use are light cavalry and four hundred guards. If I bring two Marine Battalion, the situation will be much better."
After receiving the order, Dragon Cavalry Brigade where Boranov was located immediately set off, followed by a group of chaotic rebels.
The rebels were poorly equipped, and most of them were equipped with pitchforks or wooden sticks. Before departure, Romanus temporarily transferred some spears and excess armor from various troops and distributed them to this group of enthusiastic farmers.
While marching, a mason pestered Boranov and asked:
"Your Excellency, Battalion Commander, your saber is too light. Will it break during battle?"
Before Boranov could answer, the mason pulled off his leather jacket and continued to complain, "Why are the other troops wearing iron armor, but you are the only ones wearing leather jackets? Is it possible that Rome Finance is so nervous that even the regular army can't fully wear armor?"
Boranov was really speechless and replied impatiently:
"Dragoons's tactics are to maneuver on horseback, dismount and fire, and there are very few opportunities to draw a sword to kill someone. Secondly, the protection of a leather jacket is indeed not as good as that of iron armor. After defeating the enemy, you can search for enemy armor on the battlefield, and you can choose any style you want."
Arriving at the edge of the woods, more than two thousand Dragoons were busy digging soil, cutting down trees, and building some temporary fortifications.
Dragoons is not good at close combat, so he can only use this method to improve his defense. The more prepared he is, the greater the possibility of withstanding the enemy's attack.
Boranov did not participate in the construction. He stood on top of a rock and looked at the battlefield ahead.
Within a moment, he found the brigade commander of Dragon Cavalry Brigade, "The enemy's frontal front is loosening. Opportunities are difficult. We should move back to their flanks."
The brigade commander also wanted to attack, but he was more afraid that after Dragoons left, the Chinese army would be in danger.
"How about this? You lead your headquarters and the four hundred rebels to reconnoiter northward, and send people back regularly to report the news."
Boranov knew the character of the brigade commander and expected such a result. He returned to his position, gathered his troops and set off, slowly entering the depths of the woods.
It is now the hottest time of the day, the sun is strong, and the silver-white olive leaves are gently swaying in the breeze. Boranov led a company and more than ten guides to explore the road ahead, and the remaining troops followed dozens of steps away.
During the march, his attention was focused on the mountain top where gunfire was a mess. Hermes Brigade and the enemy were still in a stalemate. If he went around to the enemy's rear, he would probably defeat this army.
Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, gunshots rang out from behind Boranov, mixed with two roars of Three-Pounder. He turned around and observed that his own soldiers were fighting with a group of Germany mercenaries.
"What a coincidence, the enemy also sent out a roundabout force?"
Boranov led the company to run quickly. When they reached a distance of thirty steps, they raised their guns and fired. Then they pulled out Sabre and rushed into the battlefield.
In the melee stage, Dragoons's leather jacket and Sabre were obviously weaker than the enemy's armor, Two-Handed Sword, and pole weapons. Fortunately, Boranov's charge timing was just right, disrupting the enemy's formation from the flanks, and winning this unexpected encounter.
"Chase them, don't let them get away!"
Seeing that the enemy retreated, the rebels, led by several leaders, continued their pursuit. Their morale was high and they dared to fight the enemy in close combat, but the disadvantage was that they were disorganized.
"Come back! Don't pursue!" Boranov shouted at the top of his lungs for a long time. Most of the rebels ignored him and excitedly rushed deep into the woods, as if they were on a country hunt.
At this point, Boranov had no choice. A few soldiers stayed to transport the wounded, and he led the remaining troops to chase after the farmers who were in a state of excitement.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, Romanus received the message:
Sakarya Legion is about to break through the enemy's line. In addition, a small amount of Dragoons has gone around the enemy's rear, and the specific battle situation is unknown.
"Bypassed?"
Romanus wants to send troops for reinforcements, but he really can't spare the manpower.
Now, the guards and a few dismounted light cavalry were sent to the top of the mountain to reinforce Hermes Brigade. The Chinese army still had a thousand light cavalry and two thousand handymen with low combat effectiveness. He had to wait patiently.
"Tell Dragon Cavalry Brigade that I cannot send reinforcements and let the brigade commander decide whether to send reinforcements."
After some time, Romanus discovered from the telescope that the enemy flags on the frontal battlefield fell one after another, and Sakarya Legion's flag moved forward. There was a high probability that the battle was won.
On the barren hills to the northeast, soldiers from both sides are still entangled. It is said that Switzerland mercenaries have arrived for some reinforcements and are resting on the rocky mountainside, waiting for an opportunity to launch a new round of attack.
However, even if they capture the top of the mountain, it will not change the overall situation of the defeat of Venice's army.
"The combat effectiveness of the Switzerland mercenaries is one level higher than that of ordinary mercenaries. In fact, I should bring two Marine Battalion. Whether I let them help defend the hills or launch a detour through the woods, it will be easier to win this battle."