Chapter 68 The Youngest Commander

As the chief executive of the region, Asisters was not surprised, he said ponderingly: "If all the allies give full support, about 50,000 to 60,000 people will come, and even if half of them come, there will be 20,000 to 30,000 people, plus Our own army, I think we can rely on our own strength in the Roman region to be able to... repel the invading Gauls, which is also what His Majesty wanted to achieve when he established the Dionian League in central Italy."

Having said that, Asisters looked at the young legion commander in front of him and said solemnly: "Of course, Patroclus legion commander, you are now the highest military commander in the Roman region. It's up to you to decide."

"I also think that the strength of the Roman region alone is enough to fight the invading Gauls!" Patroclus said very confidently: "However, to assemble such a large army to fight, Lord Asistes still needs to provide sufficient supplies. Logistical support and weapons reserves will do.”

"You can rest assured, I will do my best to ensure the army fights." Asisters saw that the young army commander not only agreed with his opinion, but also had a strong fighting spirit and was very happy, and immediately promised: "Also, just now I have sent a messenger to Turii to inform Your Majesty about the 'big invasion of the Gauls'. I believe that soon, the kingdom will concentrate more manpower and material resources to deal with this invasion of the Gauls, so you Don't have any worries at all, first lead the army to prevent the Gauls from invading our territory, and then try to repel them further..."

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In the next few days, the allied armies of the Holy Kingdom of Dionia in the vicinity of Rome came one after another. The Latin allied armies were the first to arrive in Rome, because they were the closest to Rome, and they were also poisoned by the Gauls back then. As a result, more than 10,000 troops were dispatched.

This makes Patroclus very happy, because in the past few years, Dionia has used Rome, Victoria and other towns to have closer and closer relations with the neighboring Latin allies through trade, transportation and other means. In the military training of the XIV Legion, he also asked citizens of the Latin Allies to join from time to time, and it was carried out. Therefore, among these allies near Rome, the Latin Allied troops were the most familiar with Dionysian military tactics, and their soldiers In the majority of the Allied forces, it was convenient for Patroclus to command operations.

Arriving next were the Volsci and the Herniki, who behaved aggressively, but due to heavy losses in the last war, their population was unlikely to change much in just a few years, so less than 5,000 soldiers were sent people.

Then came the army of the Sabines, the Equus...

The Etruscan allies did not send troops, but seized the time to let the people in the territory withdraw to the city. While strengthening the defense of the city, they also sent messengers to Rome every day, urging Dionysus to go north for reinforcements as soon as possible.

Although 30,000 Dionian soldiers from the Roman area had been assembled in the Roman barracks within a few days,

In addition, the Latin Allied Forces, the Volsi Allied Forces, and the Helniki Allied Forces have joined in one after another. The total force has exceeded 50,000, and Patroclus remains on hold.

However, Asisters couldn't sit still and hurried to the barracks: "Commander Patroclus, now there is news from the north that the Gauls have crossed the border defense line we established, Hasdrubal. The situation of the frontier army led by the lord is unknown. However, the Gauls quickly captured Florentia, and then went south, attacking Vilanora and Fufluna successively. Looting the villages and towns along the way, killing the Etruscan people... The Etruscan allies' messengers block the door of the regional administration hall every day. If you don't send troops north, I am afraid that the Etruscan messengers will collectively run to the map. Lie, report us to His Majesty!"

It seemed that Asistus was somewhat resentful towards Patroclus, even omitting the respectful title of "Sir".

But after listening to Patroclus, his expression seemed calm, and he said calmly: "Lord Asistes, from the current situation, the fear of the Etruscans for the Gauls has deepened. Bone marrow, they have completely panicked and lost their normal reason and judgment.

However, as the main force resisting the Gauls, we, Dionia, must remain calm enough, analyze the current chaotic battle situation, and find enough good fighters to attack, instead of rushing north to engage the Gauls in haste Otherwise, once the attack is frustrated, it will undoubtedly greatly dampen our morale and affect the stability of Rome..."

After all, Asisters was a mercenary. He followed Davos to fight in Persia in the early years. The Etruscan messengers were constantly harassing him, and he, who shouldered the heavy responsibility for the entire region, was inevitably getting angry. At this time, he was reminded by Patroclus.

But Patroclus' words had a lesson in meaning. As a dignified regional administrator and a high-ranking official of the kingdom, Asisters' face was a little bit awkward. If it was someone else, he might have to shout a few more words to save his face, but the opposite The son-in-law of His Majesty King Davos was sitting, and he was highly regarded by him, so Asisters could only suppress his dissatisfaction, and after a while, he said in a loud voice, "What plan do you have?"

"My lord!" Patroclus saw that Yasis was a little angry. He didn't care too much. Although Yasis had a higher level of officials, the 14th Legion was not under the jurisdiction of the regional administrator. , and Patroclus was reminded by his wife Cynthia before he took office, and he has always deliberately avoided getting too close with Asisters, but considering that Asisters was founded by Dionia, he followed His Majesty. Confidant, with high qualifications, he still softened his tone: "Although no specific news has come out, I don't think the Gauls will be able to conquer the Florentine Barracks and Luka Barracks, Lord Hastruba should still be tenaciously defending.

If the city of Florentisa were to carry out the defensive measures we had laid out for it in earnest, the Gauls would never have been able to break through its city. It is a pity that under the protection of our frontier army for more than a year, they have lost their vigilance. After receiving the alarm, they are still slowly opening the city gate to accommodate the fleeing people. But when the Gauls bypassed the barracks, quickly marched toward Florentia, and rushed to the city within a short time to launch an attack, they panicked and did not close the city gate immediately, causing the Gallic People followed the refugees into the city..."

After Patroclus told the real reason for the fall of Florentia he had learned, he sighed again and said regretfully: "The Gauls occupied Florentia, and they had the property in Etruscan. A foothold in Ria has a relatively sufficient supply of military rations. According to the information I have obtained, there are about 40,000 Gauls, and their morale is high. If I lead the army to cross Taiwan at this time Bohe, who rushed to the north of Etruria to fight against it, even if he could win, he would have suffered heavy losses. It is better not to go north first to avoid arousing the vigilance of the Gauls, while waiting for the confluence of the subsequent Allies, and More material reserves..."

"You don't have to worry about military supplies, Crotokatax has been working hard to prepare!" Asisters reminded in a serious tone: "But it is not the way to keep the army in the barracks and wait for so long. If the Gauls conquer other Etruscan city-states again, I am afraid we will not be able to explain to the Etruscan allies and other allies!"

"The Fourteenth Legion is only responsible to His Majesty and the Kingdom!" Patroclus replied indifferently.

When Asisters heard this, he was a little angry: "But you are now the commander of the entire northern coalition of Dionia! Protecting the Etruscan allies is the responsibility entrusted to you by your majesty!"

"Yes." Patroclus said sternly: "That's why I have to be cautious and wait for the opportunity! Don't worry, Lord Asisters, just a big victory, any accusations and resentments. will fade away.”

Seeing that he was so stubborn, Asisters was so angry that he threw out a sentence: "Okay, then I'll wait for your victory!" Then he left.

Returning to the Executive Office, when Crotokatax reported to him, Asisters still talked about the matter resentfully, and said angrily: "I usually deal with Patroclus, and I feel that he He is still a good talker, how can he become so stubborn when it comes to such a critical moment, and can't listen to suggestions! The entire northern Dionysian coalition is under his control, I'm really worried!"

After listening to Crotokatax, he comforted him and said: "Sir, you are in charge of the huge area of ​​Rome, and at the same time you have to take into account the friendly relations with the surrounding allies. The responsibility is so great. Now that you have been invaded by the Gauls, you have already Threatening the safety of the people in the entire central region is likely to disrupt the stable order you have worked so hard to establish here over the past few years. During this period of time, I see that you have not slept well, which shows that the pressure you are facing How big!

As an army commander, Patroclus looked young, but it was not because he was my brother-in-law. His father made him the commander of the XIV Corps, giving him the ability to command the coalition in an emergency and defend against high The rights of the Lu people, but because he is one of the most outstanding candidates among the younger generation of generals in the Dionysian army. The father, who has always been good at employing people, arranged him here because he must think that he has the ability to undertake this task. important task.

In fact, he was also under a lot of pressure. Every time I sent baggage to the military operation and went to see him, he was either assigning tasks to other generals, listening to reports from sentries, or watching the map by himself, and he didn’t have time to say a word to me.

If you think about it, it is understandable that the Roman region is the northernmost territory of the kingdom, and reinforcements cannot arrive in a short time. The coalition led by Patroclus is the only force against the Gauls at this time. A defeat in the Lu people's battle may allow the Gauls to take the opportunity to rush into the Roman area... So he is cautious, I think it is understandable..."