Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

"Stop attacking Katana?" Marco said angrily, "Don't forget, the Senate is forcing me to drive the Dionysians out of Sicily within a year. Time is running out It’s more, so I need to step up my offensive effort!"

"Can't attack anymore, Master Marco!" Pormirka exhorted urgently: "I will write to the Senate and explain to them in detail why we stopped the attack."

"Useless, those of Hanno will not listen to your explanation." Marco sneered disapprovingly.

Pomilka heard a trace of looseness in Marco's words, and he immediately said: "But Lord Essaluba will support me, and there is Pretacouba..."

When Marco heard this, he put down the leg of lamb in his hand and said indifferently: "Well, as you said, we will withdraw to the west first."

Pomilka didn't expect that Marco, who had always been stubborn, would promise to be so simple, and he was a little dazed.

Of course, he would not know that after the unsuccessful attack on Paragonia during this period, Marco had already felt a little uneasy. He had realized that whether it was Serinus or Paragonia, Dionia Everyone showed a terrible ability to defend the city. The Carthage army with many cavalry, especially the Iberian army, gave up the field and mountain battles they were good at, and carried out brutal siege battles one after another. Giving up his strengths is totally outweighing the gains, and today's fire has made him determined.

"You mean withdrawing to the west of Sicily?!" Pomirka went back and was surprised. He just suggested to stop the siege, but he never thought of giving up the results obtained in the previous months.

"It's no way!" Marco, without disguising the hatred in his eyes, thumped his fist on the table: "We went deeper in the east, the transportation line was quite long, and the dominance of the Sicilian waters was still occupied by the Dionysians, But the Senate has also sent the newly formed fleet to Sardinia. We can only rely on land to transport military food. You should know how huge our army is, and the daily consumption of military food is also very huge. If the labor for transporting food is not some food reserves before, plus some assistance from the Syracuse, I am afraid that our military food supply is already very tight! Now, the fleet of Dionysia is increasing food for us Attacks by the transport team and the empty rear...

As you said, the Dionysians have a strong ability to defend the city. We can’t capture Katane in a short period of time. The main force of Dionysian is coming soon. If at this time our military food transportation Something went wrong..."

Marco didn't talk about it anymore, but Pomirka couldn't help but fought a chill and fell into contemplation.

Marco continued to nibble the leg of lamb until Pomirka resolved to say: "...Since the situation is so severe, I agree with your opinion... I will write to tell Master Essaluba about the situation here, he is experienced Wisdom, we will understand our current situation and intercede for us in the senate to reduce the criticism of other veterans...but once we retreat back to the west, what will happen to Syracuse?"

With a sneer, Marco said disdainfully: "Siracusa wants to be our ally of Carthage, but that is their wishful thinking. The noble Carthage will never do with these cunning and shameless Syracuses. Friends! They thought I didn’t know that they hadn’t moved their troops in Taonis for such a long period of time, and they did not put any threats on the Dionysian allies. Is this fighting the Dionysians?! Our Carthage merchant ship is in There were more people killed and injured in the ten-day storm because of the sea storm than they died in the city of Tonis! Since Syracuse wants to take advantage of our battle with Dionia, save strength and gain more benefits... hehe , It only serves as a stone that we use to involve the Dionysian reinforcements and prevent them from going west!"

Looking at the resentful expression on Marco’s face, Pomilka suddenly remembered that Marco and his cousin Similco had suffered a fiasco in front of the Syracuse people more than 10 years ago. This attitude is naturally not surprising, and the practice of the Syracuse people during this period did indeed displease Pomilka, so he did not want to persuade any more about the fulfillment of the covenant, but just reminded: "Without our support, Xi The Rakuza faced the offensive of the Dionysian army alone, and they are likely to surrender."

"Surrender? Become the second Tarantum?" Marco suddenly smiled: "The shameless Syracuse people think they are the masters of Sicily, born to be noble than the people of other Sicilian city-states, they will be easy Give in to the Dionysians?!"

Indeed, over the past 10 years, Syracuse has been surrounded by the increasingly powerful Kingdom of Dionysia and its allies and friendly city-states, and there are still conflicts. It can be seen how unwilling in the hearts of its people...Pomirka is thinking However, listening to Marco continued: "As long as our Carthage maintains strong strength, the Syracuse will not easily fall to Dionysian, so before retreating, we must conquer Phrae tomorrow. Lagonia!"

Pormir Kahran was shocked and hurriedly said: "These days, the Numbian army stormed Paragonia, and the losses were not small. Coupled with today's fire, without rest, we want them to attack Para immediately. Gonia, I am afraid—"

"Tomorrow let the Iberian army and the Phoenician army take charge of the siege!" Marco suddenly interrupted, causing Pomirka to choke on his mouth.

The more than 10,000 Iberian troops who followed Marco to the plains of Catania have strong combat effectiveness, but these days have been guarding against the Dionysians and Leotini’s barracks in Kataney against Paragonia The reinforcements were not invested in siege warfare, but there were several battles with the enemies attacking from the north. The loss was very small, and it can be said that it was a fresh army.In order to capture Paragonia, Marco finally was willing to send his own troops to the battlefield!And there is also the Phoenician army that is not weak in combat. Pomirka is sullied in the heart, but he continues to say: "Who will defend the enemy in the two directions of Katana and Leotini? After a lot of siege of the army, the loss is not small, the morale is low?"

Marco heard some of the blame implied in Pomilka’s words. He sneered: “Although they are blocked from siege, defense is still possible. After all, there are more soldiers than enemies. The young team officers sent by the Senate Haven’t we been clamoring to lead troops to the battlefield, I’ll give them a chance."

Pomilka was shocked and was about to dissuade. Marco suddenly stood up and said in a deep voice: "I have sent a messenger to Agilion to inform Hasdrubal that he will lead the army early here tomorrow morning !If Katane’s enemies really dare to attack, we can just expand the results!"

Speaking of which, Marco stared directly at Pomirka: “Even if we are to retreat, let the soldiers understand that nothing in Sicily, in the Western Mediterranean can stop their attack! Therefore, Paragonha must be destroy!"

"Bloating!" Marco hit the table with a punch.

……………………………………

Lieutenant Taglu walked hurriedly into the hall: "Master Commander, I just received a return from the scout ride. The head of the Breru Army led 4,000 soldiers to Palagonia!"

"What?" Leotichides, who had always been expressionless, could not keep calm at the moment, and said angrily: "I haven't given him an order to hold him to the camp, not to lead the army to attack?! It’s damn violating military orders!

Tagulu is a Bruty after all, and Breru is also a General Bruti he respects. He can’t help but want to defend Breru: "Uh... maybe because the Carthaginians are suffering from Par After the fire in Lagonia, without a rest, he launched a storming attack on Paragonia today. The commander of the Breru Army may be worried that Paragonia is difficult to hold on, so he sent troops to attack and suppress Carthage. People don’t dare to attack the city with all their strength...Although he has few soldiers, but he has led a few times in these days and he can return safely. I believe there will be no problems this time."

"Stupid!" Leotizides said coldly: "In the past, Carthage's cavalry was armed in the south, and it was difficult for our reconnaissance to detect the situation of Paragonia, but this time it was easy to obtain, What does this mean? And, because we burned the grass on the plains of Catania, the Carthaginian cavalry has seldom penetrated into the hinterland of the plain these days, but today a large number of the Carthaginian cavalry ran to the west of Katana Face, cut off our contact with Henna, and could not understand the movement of the enemy in Agilion, what is the problem?"

At the hint of Leotizides, Tagrou thought a moment, and was immediately shocked: "This is... this is a trap?! Chief Breru is in danger! Lord Commander, you... you should Lead the soldiers to rescue them!"

Leotizides tarnished his face and did not respond.

……………………………………………

Two days later, it was still in this hall, but it was no longer just a few people such as Leotizides and Tagru, Amintas, Matonis, Lizaru, Olivers, Trotti 7 army commanders of Russ, Breru, Leotizides, three cavalry commanders of Ledes, Kuzius, and Asitmis, commander of the Sicilian Fleet, Seclian, and captain of the mountain reconnaissance Izam, Tormid and Printols, the two staff officers, in addition to the Sicilian Governor Ciprous... crowded the hall.

In the middle of shining the star, he sat King Daphne of Dionysia.