Chapter 451: Concentrate All Your Efforts
"The Fifth Skylark Legion has assembled in New Carthage, with a total of more than 6,000 people."
"After the losses in the surprise attack two weeks ago, the Fourth Auxiliary Corps now has 4,500 men, which is equivalent to the number of soldiers in a field regiment."
"Palermo's entourage has three thousand troops. They are on standby outside the city of New Carthage." It was Mateolius' helpless tone again.
"Six thousand, four thousand five hundred, three thousand!" Luka counted on his fingers, "plus three thousand auxiliary troops, a total of more than sixteen thousand!"
"With nearly 20,000 troops, if we gather together, we will be able to fight against the Alans and even the Vandals." Mateolius said confidently: "Sir Luca, we are fully capable of competing with them."
"The army that Gaiseric brought is enough to have 10,000 people. We may have underestimated them. Just look at their fleet and you will know!" Andrew retorted to Mateolius dissatisfiedly: "How can you make such a rash decision without having experienced war?"
"Ha, I don't believe that the Vandals who just suffered a heavy blow have such a strong fighting power?" Mateolius smiled indifferently, which attracted the disgusted looks of others present. He still said indifferently: "Anyway, if you think I'm annoying, just fire me and go back to Palermo. Anyway, I don't want to stay in this damn place anymore."
"People can go, but the army stays!" Marenius said coldly, but Mateolius snorted coldly and ignored him.
"Enough!" At this time, Luca finally stood up and shouted at everyone present: "I am calling you all here to discuss countermeasures, not to quarrel because of your mutual rejection now!"
In response to Luga's scolding, everyone else present stopped talking and looked at the map below in silence.
"So, who has a good way to deal with this situation? Tell me."
Andrew looked around and saw that no one else was talking. He pointed to the map and said to Luca, "According to the scouts' report, the Alans have become much more active since Gaiseric's army tried to land from the sea. Now they have mobilized a large number of troops along the Malaga and Cordoba lines."
"How many people?" Luca asked.
"Thousands and tens of thousands." Andrew nodded and said to Luca, "They have done their best to organize the army and brought as many men as possible. Their current strength cannot be underestimated."
"Let's count their 10,000 combatants, plus the 10,000 brought by Gaiseric, and we estimate they have a total of 20,000 or more. That means they have 4,000 or more people than us!" Luca pointed to Malaga and Cordoba on the map, and said to everyone present: "I think everyone here can see the combat capability of the Alans' cavalry. Their heavy cavalry can cooperate with the infantry to tear apart our army's lines, so we must far exceed them in numbers and be able to occupy an absolute advantage in the battle to compete with them!"
"So, where did these more than 4,000 people come from?" Mateolius' question stumped everyone. They were all troubled and didn't know what to do.
Seeing the generals in a dilemma, Mateolius sneered and said, "Well, let me tell you an effective method! Don't forget the nobles of New Carthage. Their private guards are all rare and excellent warriors. Lord Luca, what are you still hesitating about? Ask them to contribute their strength just like you asked my father to be loyal to Rome. Anyway, you are already very familiar with this kind of action, so why don't you use it now?"
"That's enough, Mateolius!" Andrew interrupted Mateolius loudly, "The nobles of New Carthage have expressed their willingness to donate 200 pounds of gold to support our army. This is already very generous!"
"Two hundred pounds, haha!" Mateolius sneered and looked disdainful of him. After all, he was a kid from a wealthy family. Although Andrew attached great importance to the two hundred pounds of gold, in Mateolius' eyes it was simply a trivial item not worth mentioning.
"It can only be said that our soldiers are more elite than theirs." At this time, Luca finally spoke, and then he asked Sergius: "So what's the news on the sea?"
"The Vandal fleet has not stopped, Mr. Luca," Sergius replied. "They are still on the sea, and are wandering between Malaca and New Carthage. They have cut off all our sea routes."
"The land road from New Carthage to Tarraco has also been blocked. Now we are really completely isolated!" Andrew added.
Everyone was talking at once, and all they said was bad news, not a single good one. This made Luca very disappointed. They were all talking about what the enemy did, how they deployed, and what role such deployment played, but they didn't say anything about what we should do, or they simply couldn't think of how to solve the current dilemma.
Luca had heard enough. Needless to say, Luca could understand what was going on just by imagining the situation. He wanted to hear a solution, but no one could offer one.
"They must be looking for an opportunity to force a landing again. The Vandals are really determined to fight us to the end this time!" Luca said, and with a "snap" he threw the stick in his hand on the map, and said to everyone present: "Well, that's it for today, everyone disperse, disperse!"
They must have something else to say, but Luca didn't want to hear a word. Luca quickly stretched out his hand to signal them to shut up, then waved his hand, allowing the officers to understand and turn around and leave, leaving Andrew alone.
"The current situation is very bad, isn't it?" Andrew looked at Luca, not knowing what to say, so he fixed the topic and added: "It seems that our options are getting fewer and fewer."
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"Of course, the choice becomes difficult. Every next step must be taken carefully. If you are not careful, you will fall into the abyss." Luga took a glass of water and drank it, because he was disgusted with the taste of wine. Those damn nobles actually ate things that could make them sick in order to make the wine sweet. Luga didn't want to get sick.
"Perhaps, we can talk to Gaiseric," said Andrew.
"I've thought about this, Andrew!" Luca said, shaking his head. "He will definitely ask for a huge compensation. Not only will we lose money, but I will also be humiliated. I have no way to retreat, so I must fight them!"
"But we still have coastal defense!" Andrew said, "The nobles are in a panic now. No one knows how much their so-called loyalty is worth."
"So try not to disturb them," Luka said, "Don't take this step unless it's absolutely necessary!"
(End of this chapter)