Chapter 34: Destroying the Camp and Setting Up the Camp (Part 2)
Just after David Ankit landed, he heard the shouts and clashes of swords and shields from the fortress on the other side. After entering the Yazda Gate, he hurriedly waited for the wooden ladder and stood on the observation tower, but saw that the surrounding soldiers were also stunned, watching the Romans' fierce attack on the other side in the morning light on the river.
Especially on the water, ten huge ships connected end to end pressed in the direction and slashed into the middle of the east and west fortresses, like a huge moving wall, blocking Akilo's fortress inside.
Akilo only remembered the commander-in-chief's warning before, but even David Ankit did not expect the Romans to come so quickly. At such a distance, these soldiers quickly completed the raid and tacitly coordinated with their fleet to seal the fleet fortress of Xishan, making it impossible for Akilo to retreat.
Several oared boats of the Hashidi small river defense fleet jumped out of the water wall and bravely rushed towards the flagship of Phaobinus. This might be their only chance to defeat the enemy, that is, to capture the king first, especially the golden Centaur flag with a red ribbon tied to the bow. But when Phaobinus observed the enemy's raiding ship in the tower cabin, he ordered all personnel to use bellows cannons.
Amid the sound of "ouch ouch ouch", the oarsmen and helmsmen turned the bow of the ship through precise and complex coordinated actions, facing the swarming Hashidi light raiding ships. Then Yazda, Xishan Fortress, and everyone on the river bank saw that at the bow of the Roman flagship, three flamethrowers on the upper, middle and lower sides successively spewed out fire dragons with thunderous sounds. It passed by the sea. The two raiding ships in the front were caught off guard. They were originally prepared to throw javelins at a certain distance, as in a usual naval battle, then raise their scythes to cut the oars or rudders of the Roman flagship, and then surround the subsequent ships with wolf pack tactics, using ramming and chaos to destroy the flagship, or even capture it.
But a few fierce flames burned all the dreams of these Hashidis. The crew on their decks were unprepared, their hair and clothes were burned, the entire side and hull of the ship were twisted and deformed in the flames, and the two raiding ships were like fast-burning candles, gradually turning into two dim lights on the river amid screams. The rest of the raiding ships hurriedly turned around and prepared to flee back to the fortress. The armed ships of Lepidus behind them spewed flames from time to time, chasing them all the way. In the area of two furlongs in front of the water wall, three or four large ships completely dispersed the various Hashidis' ships. Behind the high wooden wall of the deck, the heavy infantry threw javelins down. The javelins thrown by the crew on the Hashidi deck were difficult to reach the large ship. Soon, after the ballistae and javelins were fired in all directions, Hashidi's small boats were sunk one after another.
After a fierce friction, the two large ships leaned against the water wall. The infantry on them raised their shields above their heads, which bounced back the stones and arrows shot from the water wall tower. Just as they were about to put the crow suspension bridge hanging on the side of the ship on the battlement of the water wall and rush up to seize the water wall along the crow, Faobinas noticed that "the position of this water wall is too forward, and the bricks are a little uneven." Then he suddenly realized and hesitated to blow the horn of attack, "Because it is a trap, a fake wall!"
Indicated by the reflection of flags and shields, several large ships behind them fiercely crushed the wreckage of the Hashedi boat floating on the water, and stretched out the terrifying huge bronze rams in front, hitting the water wall fiercely. As expected by Faobinas, the water wall collapsed fragilely in the water amid the exclamations of the soldiers on both sides! Behind the fake wall in the splashes and smoke was the real water wall. The helmets of the Hashidi warriors could be seen flashing on it. Behind the battlements, there were towers firing crosswise. The battlements were at the same height as the deck of the ship. Phaobinas waved his hand in the cabin, meaning that the ships should line up and engage in crossfire with the water wall towers!
Akilo built a fake wall to attract the Cyrene legion to climb up, and then use ropes to pull them down, so that they would fall into the water and be annihilated. Now this strategy was seen through by Phaobinas. The mighty Roman ships were put together like a huge floating fortress, and they fired flaming stone bullets at Akilo's fortress without fear.
Over there, the land was also bustling with activity. Two thousand-man battalions and several auxiliary battalions arrived at the wall on the side of the West Mountain Fortress. This section of the wall was built along the mountain, and the terrain below was all steep. The Roman infantry seemed to have completely ignored these factors. They set up cavalry cannons and wild donkeys and fired without thinking. Then the infantry began to raise their shields and build ladders and harp carts under the shooting of the wall.
Lepidus and Peteneus stood in front of the first-line centurions to observe the battle and boost morale. Many centurions came to salute the two. At this time, the defenders threw stones. Alp hurriedly raised his shield and stood in front of the commander-in-chief. Who wanted to be pushed away by him? "It is not the duty of your Medgete Guards to protect me. A legion that only knows how to protect the general cannot win. A legion that is determined to win is qualified to enjoy victory." Alp gritted his teeth and gathered all the Medgete Guards. Under the cover of two auxiliary battalions, he followed the back mountain of the fortress and rushed up along the mountain path.
Originally, at the top of the mountain, there was the observation room of the naval commander, with a lighthouse for command. An excellent and calm general should have taken his guards to climb here at this moment, overlooking the entire battle situation and commanding the amphibious forces to dispatch the battlefield. However, our General Akilo was only a blacksmith, and there was no way that the officers here in the Hashidi were too scarce. He was promoted because of his bravery in battle, just like Pation. When he saw the lively battle on the water wall, he actually raised his sword and fought with the soldiers of the Cyrene Legion who rushed up on the suspension bridge, completely ignoring the overall occupation. All the Hashidi troops in the fleet fortresses fought on their own without a unified plan.
Arp rushed to the top of the mountain and saw only a simple wooden fence under the lighthouse. The Eos rushed forward and cut off a section of it with the long sickle used by the navy. Then the Medjet Guards rushed in briskly, occupied the terrace and command post at the back of the mountain, and began to shoot arrows at the fleet base in the belly of the mountain. This time, Akilo's men were in a state of panic. They could only crawl on the ground in front of the powerful arrows falling from the sky. (To be continued...)