In early April, the fleet returned to Acre City.
The reinforcements included the first, second Light Cavalry Brigade and third Auxiliary Infantry Brigade. Knights Hospitaller's fleet also followed, unloading five hundred knights and two thousand soldiers.
At this point, Vitus's available troops reached 25,000.
At an estimated time, the enemies in the north of Levant received the news that Acre City was missing, but they had no time to react.
From the Levant border to Acre, the straight-line distance is nearly 300 kilometers, and the actual distance is more than 400 kilometers. The terrain along the way is complicated, and the Mamluk Frontier Army is expected to take more than 20 days while carrying artillery and baggage.
Vitus's idea is to lead his army eastward, capture Sea of Galilee (Sea of Galilee), and then station himself by the lake to cut off the enemy's retreat southward to Egypt.
On April 3, Vitus left Marine Battalion and some auxiliary infantry to defend the city, while the remaining troops left the city and headed east.
The terrain in the suburbs of Acre City is flat. The recent rain has allowed winter wheat to grow vigorously, and the wheat fields spread into the distance like a green carpet. Leo observes the growth of the crops and speculates that their yields are higher than those of Diyarbakir and Lycia.
A few hours later, the army left the plains and entered the gently rolling hills.
Due to sufficient rainfall, the hills were covered with patches of olive trees, fig trees, and grapevines, which greatly exceeded Leo's expectations.
"I thought Levant was full of deserts, but I didn't expect it to be so prosperous here."
At noon, the army rested in a manor. Leo sat under the fig tree, ate dry food and enjoyed this difficult rest time.
The company commander came over and reminded, "Brigade Headquarters informed us to go over for a meeting. We have a task assigned to us. It seems to be to attack a certain castle."
Leo stuffed the half-eaten hard bread into his backpack, patted the crumbs on the surface of the military uniform, and on the way, he was filled with confusion:
"Auxiliary Brigade has only one downsized version of the Artillery battalion. The first company is the Six-Pounder Cannon company, which is the only Artillery directly subordinate to Brigade Headquarters.
Second Company has twelve Three-Pounders. These artillery pieces are usually divided into battalions and used as infantry support firepower.
Neither Six-Pounder Cannon nor Three-Pounder are suitable for siege. This kind of matter should be left to Nine-Pounder Cannon and the heavy artillery directly under the headquarters. Did Brigade Headquarters make a mistake?"
Arriving at the farmhouse where Brigade Headquarters was located, Leo found that he was at the lowest level and did not speak, listening to his superiors discussing tactical details.
In the morning, the light cavalry was ordered to clear out the surrounding enemies. A certain Mamluk lord was hiding in the castle and refused to surrender. The light cavalry believed that the castle was in disrepair and some gaps were repaired with wood and rammed earth. The defense was low and Six-Pounder Cannon could handle it.
The cavalry officer explained, "There is a mountain road along the way, and the transportation of Nine-Pounder Cannon is too troublesome, so I asked you to help."
As an auxiliary force, they are destined to do these dirty jobs. The brigade commander agreed and sent out Six-Pounder Cannon Company, Mountain Company and two infantry companies to get them to finish the matter as soon as possible.
After receiving the order from above, Artillery Company packed up its equipment and followed the friendly forces to turn north onto a country road. The road was full of potholes and the artillery truck bumped along, making a continuous creaking sound.
After walking for more than two hours, a square-shaped castle appeared in front of us. At first glance, it was a legacy building from the Crusaders period.
A group of Tatars light cavalry gathered near the castle. When they saw the reinforcements arriving, they screamed with excitement and couldn't wait to rush into the castle and kill the recalcitrant local Militia.
"Mamluk is staying in Crusaders's castle and resisting. It feels so weird."
Leo took out a notebook and charcoal pen from his pocket, walked around the city wall, and drew a temporary sketch of the siege.
The castle is a typical square structure, with towering towers standing at the four corners, connected to each other by walls, and the overall layout is compact.
The stones that make up the walls are strong, but the mortar connecting them will age over time. Over time, exposed to the sun and rain, and without maintenance, the wall structure will gradually become brittle.
Leo's minor course is engineering and architecture. He used a telescope to carefully observe the details of the wall. The tower in the northwest corner was in very poor condition. There was a crack several feet wide below the top of the tower, and the stones on the edge of the crack were uneven.
"Even without an attack, this castle won't hold out for long."
Leo muttered a few words, then reported to the company commander, suggesting that the main attack direction should be on the west wall.
In view of the limited firing range of the defenders, Six-Pounder Cannon was placed 150 steps outside the city. The gunners skillfully loaded the artillery and fired at the double-sided fence and earth wall of the gap in the city wall.
Leo speculated that the enemy lord usually lived in a more comfortable country manor. He knew that Rome's army was attacking half a month ago. It was too late to repair the castle, so he had to build a makeshift wall.
However, even if the lord carefully maintains the city wall and survives this Six-Pounder Cannon bombardment, there will be Nine-Pounder Cannon and Twelve-Pounder Cannon with larger caliber tomorrow, and the castle will fall sooner or later.
The bombardment continued for a period of time, and the outer wooden piles of the fence wall were destroyed, exposing the rammed earth inside. Every time the shell hit the soil, a large piece of earth always collapsed downward.
After a long time, the rammed earth layer in the middle was completely destroyed, and the inner fence was blasted open by artillery. The long-awaited Eastern Roman Empire soldiers began to gather and prepare to launch an assault.
After the coordination of the officers, Mountain Company was responsible for the first round of assault, Tatars cavalry was in the second echelon, and the infantry company was in the third echelon.
As a member of the royal family, Leo didn't care about the spoils after breaking the city. He sat on the grass to rest and ate the small half piece of black bread left at lunch.
In front, the Tatars cavalry lined up in three horizontal lines, throwing arrows at the city wall. Mountain Company arrived near the gap, and a small group of soldiers aimed at the gap and threw Iron Bomb behind it, achieving an effect similar to Mortar bombing.
After throwing out hundreds of Iron Bomb, Mountain Company took advantage of the chaos to launch an assault and broke through the formation of the defenders inside the wall...
After the battle, Leo walked into the castle. More than a hundred corpses were lying in the open space, most of which were Saracens (Eastern Roman Empire's collective name for Arabs and other desert peoples). Some soldiers were searching the corpses for their belongings.
Suddenly, a survivor stood up from under the corpse and rushed towards the nearest Eastern Roman Empire soldier with a knife. Leo instinctively pulled out his sword and assisted the friendly forces in killing the survivor.
Looking at the sword that was still dripping with blood, Leo's face turned pale, and his whole body was uneasy. This was the first time he killed an enemy with his own hands, and the psychological impact it brought far exceeded that of killing an enemy with a cannon.
"What was Romanus's mood like when he first went into battle?"
Leo thought for a long time, wiped the blood on the sword with the corpse's clothes, and walked back to Artillery's position in a daze.
The officers were used to this guy's silence and ignored him, urging the soldiers to assemble the gun carriage and put on Harness Horse's harness.
Half an hour later, twenty gunners returned with a pile of trophies, and the company commander began to distribute the trophies.
"Hey, here's your share."
The company commander handed Leo five coins, two of which were silver coins cast by Kingdom of Jerusalem. Leo silently took the coins and followed the company back home.
April 6th, morning.
After climbing over a hillside, a wide freshwater lake appeared in front of us. The surface of the lake was blue and calm, and some people were working on the farmland beside the lake.
The water source of Sea of Galilee comes from the Jordan River. The river water flows into the north bank of the lake, flows out from the south bank, and finally flows into the Dead Sea a hundred kilometers away.
The largest settlement by the lake is Tiberias, which has a history of thousands of years and has left many Ancient Rome buildings. Due to the sharp decline in population, most urban areas are in a state of abandonment, and the situation is similar to Acre City.
"Tiberias, does this name come from Emperor Tiberius?"
Before the city was destroyed by shelling, Vitus took a careful look with a telescope and used a sketchbook to describe the city's overall layout and landmark buildings.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, the Eastern Roman Empire army broke through the city wall and successfully broke into the city.
The combat effectiveness of the local defenders was not as good as that of the Acre City defenders, and the street fighting phase almost collapsed. Some people fled to the dock and fled eastward in famous boats. As a result, they were bombarded by shore artillery. All fishing boats were destroyed. Those who fell into the water could only swim back to the west bank and surrender to the attackers.
In the follow-up, the main force of the expeditionary force will stay in Tiberias. There is no shortage of water and food here, and it is most suitable for long-term stationing.
According to the estimated time of Vitus, Mamluk Frontier Army is expected to arrive at Sea of Galilee in late April.
If it is a small group of enemies, they can make a large circle to the east, from the desert area in the east to the south. There are some small settlements in the desert that can supply water.
However, these wells cannot meet the needs of large-scale troops. They must retreat south along traditional routes, otherwise they will face the risk of water shortages.
"When fighting in Levant and North Africa, the commander must always pay attention to the water source. Battle of Hattin is the most typical example."
In July 1187, Jerusalem's army marched north. There was a shortage of water on the way, and the combat effectiveness of the troops declined. Finally, they were ambushed by Saladin in Harding.
In this battle, Jerusalem's entire army was wiped out, with a loss of thirteen thousand men. Jerusalem King Guy de Lusignan and Knights Templar's grand commander were captured, and Knights Hospitaller's grand commander was killed.
In order to retaliate for the killing of Crusaders, Saladin executed Raynald of Châtillon and more than 200 knights.
Three months later, Saladin occupied Jerusalem...
Now, Vitus's situation is similar to that of Saladin before Battle of Hattin. They are all waiting for work, waiting for the enemy to arrive after a long journey, and then give them a fatal blow.
As the emperor's order spread, small riots occurred among the members of the Knights.
From Tiberias to Jerusalem, it only takes four days on foot and one and a half days on horseback. Some knights can't wait to return to the Holy Land and are clamoring for division of troops.
Vitus ignored the request from the middle management of the Knights and directly asked Cesarini and Grand Leader Rastique, "What do you think?"
Cesarini knew Vitus's behavior style and answered before the head of the group:
"According to the agreement you reached with Pope, Knights Hospitaller will assist you in fighting and will never act alone."
In fact, regardless of whether the Knights acted alone, the impact on the Eastern Roman Empire army was limited. After the two parties reached an agreement, Vitus returned to the temporary command post and began to plan the next phase of the battle plan.
On April 20th, news came from the east of Sea of Galilee that an unknown number of enemy troops entered the desert. They moved very quickly and were all cavalry.
Now, Vitus has five thousand light cavalry (including Knights Hospitaller's mounted attendants). The number is not as good as Mamluk's light cavalry. They can only conduct reconnaissance and cannot seal off the entire area.
He marked it on the map and let this small force go.
The next day, the light cavalry again sent news that another enemy force had penetrated deep into the eastern desert and disappeared beyond our reconnaissance range.
Now we face two possibilities:
First, the enemy troops are dispersing and evacuating. The cost of doing so is to weaken the organization of the troops and trigger large-scale fleeing.
Second, this is a trap. The enemy deliberately lures Eastern Roman Empire into pursuit, and then sets an ambush somewhere to recreate Battle of Hattin's victory.
Vitus concluded that the enemy was executing the second strategy.
At this point, he was not in a hurry to go to war and moved the main force of the army from Tiberias on the west side of Sea of Galilee to the southeast of the lake.
If the enemy moves south, he also moves south.
The enemy detoured to the inland desert in the east. The local people were sparsely populated and could not find enough water and food, making the march more difficult.
Rome The army marches along the traditional route in the west and can obtain enough fresh water. It can also obtain some food from the villages along the way to relieve the supply pressure.
A horse needs to drink 20 to 40 liters of water every day, which is equivalent to the drinking water of more than ten soldiers. Tens of thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of war horses need to consume thousands of tons of fresh water every day. If the opposite party insists on a forced march in the desert, the few wells along the way cannot meet the drinking water demand, and a large number of horses will inevitably be lost.
Every day they travel, Mamluk's army suffers astonishing losses. Vitus If this continues, how many horses will they have left?
On April 25, news came from the light cavalry: enemy troops were suspected to be gathered thirty miles east of Sea of Galilee.
Vitus Observe the map. There are some small settlements and streams there, which can meet the enemy's short-term needs. If you go further south, the enemy will enter a real desert area.
"An immediate decisive battle, or risk crossing the southern desert. These are two difficult choices. It is estimated that the enemies are quarreling."
Vitus left the command headquarters and walked outside to relax.
Summer has not yet entered, and the temperature is moderate. Soldiers are cutting down trees on nearby hillsides, strengthening camp walls, and repairing more wooden barracks.
During inspections, Vitus usually summons the sergeants of each battalion and company to understand the emotions of ordinary soldiers through them.
Attica Legion is in a positive mood and is looking forward to defeating Mamluk as soon as possible and getting more achievements and rewards.
Hermes Brigade and Light Cavalry Brigade also remain optimistic. The risk of light cavalry is higher, but there are more opportunities to obtain loot.
A Tatars officer excitedly explained to the emperor, "The Mamluk nobles have a lot of money. The handles of their Damascus Blade are inlaid with gems, and their bows, helmets, belts, and saddles are ornately decorated. Everything is a good thing..."
Vitus admired the saddle captured by the other party. The seat was made of red velvet and embroidered with exquisite floral patterns. The front and back of the saddle bridge were inlaid with pearls and gems. The surface of the stirrups was plated with gold.
"You have seized a treasure. If it is sold at Constantinople, it is expected to sell for one hundred Florin. If it is combined with other accessories and equipment to make a complete Mamluk noble outfit, the price will be even higher."
Hearing the emperor's approval, the officer became even more excited and vowed to grab the best saddle and give it to the emperor. Seeing this, the brigade commander Kazhuo dragged the guy aside to prevent him from delaying the emperor's schedule.
Third Auxiliary Brigade is a newly formed unit. Its overall quality is not as good as that of the standing army. The atmosphere is dull and full of tension of the impending war.
Vitus's requirements for Auxiliary Brigade are not as strict as those of the standing army. It is enough to be able to perform the functions of the second-line army.
He had even lower expectations for Knights Hospitaller, and did not even patrol friendly camps.
At the moment of the decisive battle, Vitus expected to assign the knights to a marginal position. Even if they were defeated and retreated, they would not impact the Eastern Roman Empire army's formation.