ancient greece mediterranean ruler

Chapter 214 Milon’s counterattack

Matonis cursed the cowardly Crotones and reluctantly asked some soldiers to participate in building the bridge.

The Umbria River is not too wide, nor is it too deep, and with sufficient labor, soldiers on both sides of the river, under the command of engineers, will soon complete a wooden bridge according to the bridge-building steps in the "Military Law" After the construction was completed, Matonis received a report from the scout cavalry: about 8000 Crotone light infantry attacked him!

His listless face suddenly became energetic: "Brothers, get up for me, there is a battle to be fought!"

What kind of people lead what kind of soldiers.The soldiers who were lying around and resting immediately stood up, put on their equipment, quickly approached the earthen ramparts, and looked out with excitement. The soldiers who were building the bridge also rushed back after hearing the news.

Not long after, they saw the figures of the Crotones.

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After Milon escaped back to Crimesa, he specifically questioned the few surviving soldiers of Philadephos and came to a surprising conclusion: Philadephos's army was actually defeated by Dionia's light infantry. Defeated!Now the conditions he had were less heavy infantry and more light infantry, so he decided to learn the enemy's tactics.He even asked sailors from part of the fleet docked in the port of Crimesa to join the expedition.

8000 people disembarked from the south bank of the Umbria River outlet. Under his leadership, they marched along the Umbria River and attacked the garrison on the south bank of Dionia.

Seeing the trenches and earthen walls built by the Dionians, Myron smiled instead: The Dionians bound their hands and feet, which is more conducive to the attack of light infantry.

200 meters away from the Dionia, he loosely spread out his troops and surrounded Dionia, a semi-arc temporary defense camp backed by the Umbria River.

With an order, the archers advanced within a hundred meters and began to throw arrows.

For the Dionian heavy infantry protected by earthen walls, the rain of arrows in the sky looks scary, but does not cause much harm to them. They only need to place their bucklers on the wall to block their heads.The Dionian soldiers also joked: "The Crotone people must know that our bows and arrows were almost used up in the last battle, so they kindly sent us arrows." But Dionian heavy The infantry's relaxed mood quickly disappeared.

The Crotone light infantry continued forward, with a distance of about 50 meters, and the accuracy of their bows and arrows greatly increased.

Of course, the Oriya heavy infantry protected by round shields and earth walls would not cause much damage.

However, when Crotone's harpooneers continued to rush forward to 30 meters, the Dionia heavy infantry felt the pressure.Of course, squatting behind the earth wall will not cause any damage at all. The enemies are all light infantry anyway, and you dare not fight them head-on.But it is not Matonis's style to be a coward, not to mention that once they shrink behind the earth wall, they will not be able to understand the opponent's movements at all. What if they bypass the defense line and go down to the river to burn the wooden bridge under construction? !

Matonis was now commander of the South Shore Force and he knew exactly what his responsibilities were.

"Javelin!" He roared angrily, stood up suddenly from behind the earth wall, quickly put down his buckler, leaned back, without running, and with just his waist and hand strength, the javelin in his hand was thrown more than 20 meters, piercing a Crow Thone the harpooneer's chest, then immediately crouch down.

The Dionian soldiers, who had been suppressed by bows and arrows and were suffocating, received the order of Matonis and immediately began to counterattack. Countless javelins flew over the earth walls and trenches, and penetrated into the military formation in Crotone, splashing a flower. A bloody flower.Crotone's arrows and javelins also poured on the Dionian heavy infantry, and the casualties on both sides began to increase.

Milon was in front of the archer formation, paying attention to the development of the battle situation. He began to realize the benefits of using a large number of light infantry to attack pure heavy infantry.Unfortunately, the Dionian heavy infantry was not the traditional Greek heavy infantry. The javelins they threw caused great damage to the weakly protected javelinmen in Crotone, and the casualty ratios between the two sides were also quite different.

But Milon believed that the trade of exchanging several light infantrymen for one heavy infantryman was worth doing. Crotone did not lack freedmen sailors, but citizens who served as heavy infantrymen.

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"Captain Epithenis, the enemy on the south bank is attacking fiercely! Captain Matonis hopes to get your reinforcements!" The messenger brought a message from Matonis.

"I know!" Epithenes frowned and responded. He thought for a while and said: "Ambiolex!"

"Subordinates are here!"

"I want you to lead the slingers and cross the river immediately to support Martonis!" Epithenis looked at his slinger company captain and asked: "Remember! Don't enter Martonis' camp, otherwise it will be too small. The camp will make it impossible for you to avoid the attack of the huge number of light infantry in Crotone! You have to go around the enemy's perimeter and use the super long range of the slingers to attack the enemy!"

"I understand, captain!" Ampioleix hurriedly summoned his soldiers.

The organization of the light infantry brigade (the seventh brigade) in the Dionian Legion is somewhat different from that of the heavy infantry.According to the "Military Law Regulations", the heavy infantry brigade has five companies, each company has 200 men, with a total strength of 1000 men; while the light infantry brigade, although the strength is also 1000 men, has only three companies, namely the slinger company, A company of archers and a company of javelinmen, the number of people under each company is variable.

This is because compared to the heavy infantry, the technical content of the light infantry is higher, and the javelin soldiers are better. It is difficult for archers and slingers to become qualified light infantry without long-term training, so Dionia The composition of the legion's light infantry brigade is often determined based on the actual situation in the area in which it is located.For example: the Light Infantry Brigade of the First Legion has similar numbers among the three arms, but its javelin soldiers are actually Thracian light shield soldiers; the Light Infantry Brigade of the Second Legion mainly comes from reserve citizens of Thurii, most of whom were born in Freemen and sailors, so there are more archers, and there are also some light shield soldiers; while the light infantry brigade of the Third Legion is mainly from Lucaria, so there are mostly javelin soldiers.Since the light infantry has a loose formation, greater flexibility, and rarely comes into direct contact with the enemy, the light infantry has more or less of each branch, which does not have a great impact on command operations.

"Captain, Ampiolex has taken away the slingers. Will the Croto civil war ship parked in the river see our reduced number, take the opportunity to go up the river, and come to destroy the wooden bridge we just built..." Qing Qing Zeniaris, captain of the shield company, said worriedly.

"I really hope they come. Even if we have few troops, I am confident to destroy them! Instead of being like now, where we can neither attack nor retreat, and let the wooden boats staying there constrain us, unable to reinforce our comrades on the other side!" Epithenes said angrily.

"Since they don't come, why don't we go over and attack them!" A handsome young man, a bodyguard next to Epithenes, interjected.

Epithenes lightly slapped him on the back of the head and laughed and cursed: "Idiot, where the enemy warships are parked, the river bank is low. We have to go there to attack those warships, just like attacking the enemies on the city wall. , I have suffered big losses, and the enemy has suffered small losses. In this kind of battle, where I know I will suffer losses, what will I, Epithenes, do?!"

"Now we are located on a high ground on the river bank, and there are barrage ropes on the river. The enemy knows that they will be beaten passively if they row here. Would they do such a stupid thing?!" the handsome guard asked.

Epithenes was speechless for a moment, then he nudged him with his hand, and smiled and scolded: "Okay, you are making great progress now!" Then, he sighed helplessly: "It seems that we are at a loss with the enemy's warships. Come on, the commander asked us to protect the wooden bridge. I thought it was a simple task, but now it seems that it is really a troublesome thing!"

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When Milon and Martonis were fighting, Daves had already received the news. Although Davos was surprised that Milon dared to attack with all light infantry, he had no worries: "Inform Leders that his The cavalry is temporarily placed under the command of the First Corps. I believe Capps will be able to push back the enemy soon!"

Capps, the commander of the First Army who had been authorized by Davers, immediately mobilized three heavy infantry brigades and cavalry, quickly forded across the river, hoping to get around to the rear of the Crotones and cut off their retreat.

Unexpectedly, Milon learned that Dionia's reinforcements were coming, and when he had the upper hand, he simply ordered a retreat.

This battle ended hastily.Among the 2000 heavy infantry led by Martonis, there were 500 casualties, mostly wounded.Milon's 8000 men suffered more than 700 casualties, but many died.But Matonis believed that he had suffered a loss, while Milon believed that Crotone had a small victory because it had dampened the arrogance of the Dionysians and would definitely delay their progress in building camps and besieging Crimesa.

But when Miron returned to the city, he immediately got bad news: a large army came from the north and was entering Dionia's barracks.

That must be Niutum's reinforcements!Milon suddenly became nervous.

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In fact, not only 5000 soldiers from Niutum, but also 3000 Laos allies entered the Dionia military camp, bringing the frontline strength of Dionia to 22000 people.

The Dionia military camp, which was already highly motivated, was filled with cheers at the moment...

Davos left the camp and greeted the Laos consul Avinogis, the first captain of the Third Army, Bagule, the adjutant Asistes, the second captain Lizaru, etc. Several senior team officers.

"Commander, we are late!" Asistes saluted respectfully, and then said with an apologetic look.

"It took more than three days to get from Niutum to Crimesa. Is this a slow march?!" After Davos returned the greeting seriously, he praised with a smile on his face: "You came at the right time. , the next battle will depend on you!"

　Thanks to SoNaive, Bubbly Potato, Zhuoshan Jushi, and Vanishing Maple for their rewards!Your support is my biggest motivation for writing!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)