The morning sun illuminated the entire world, and the gentle sea breeze awakened all sleeping things. Crystal clear dew hung on the lush vegetation, refracting shifting light.
People came and went in the camp. The soldiers woke up early to check their weapons and equipment, and the soldiers and sailors assigned to the captured Venice ships further familiarized themselves with the vessels.
Giovanni promised the sailors who were temporarily conscripted that if this battle was won, all the rowing slaves would be freed and given extra pay for resettlement. Those who earned merits in battle would receive additional rewards. For those who sacrificed their lives in this battle, regardless of their status, their families would be properly settled, and their names would be recorded as martyrs on a monument and entered into historical records.
Giovanni's promise was not only backed by the strong support of the Pope, but also by the Papal States' solid material foundation accumulated over many years, combined with Faol's diligent efforts in earning money through various industries this year.
Therefore, even the newly conscripted sailors were in high spirits, and some even diligently crammed, learning some combat skills from the soldiers on the same ship.
Augustus stood on the watchtower, his heart surging, silently observing all of this.
In this battle, the Papal States assembled a total of 251 ships. Among them, 98 belonged to the Papal States, 56 were brought by Riccardo, and 97 were sent by Pisani.
There were a total of 40,000 personnel at sea, including rowers. Among them, Karl's National Defense Force had 50,000 men, Riccardo had 3,000, Giovanni's navy had 8,000, mercenaries had 2,000, and sailors and various odd-job workers totaled 60,000.
Along the long coastline, 251 ships of various sizes were lined up, divided into three formations: left, center, and right. The central army consisted of 7 Papal States galleons and 91 other types of ships, personally commanded by Giovanni; the left wing was composed of 56 ships from Tuscany led by Riccardo; the right wing was commanded by Karl, consisting of 97 ships captured from Venice, with the National Defense Force and mercenaries stationed there.
In terms of numbers: Riccardo on the left wing seemed to be the weakest link, but in reality, his ships were well-equipped, and his soldiers were seasoned regular Tuscan naval forces, whose combat power could very possibly be on par with the central army.
Karl on the right wing, although his number of ships was only one less than the central army and his troop count exceeded the central army, his ships were sent by Venice, all small vessels with relatively backward equipment. Furthermore, Karl and his troops were land army soldiers, weak in naval combat, and the crew were unfamiliar with the ships, which could instead become a breakthrough point.
The hour of departure had arrived. Soldiers and sailors orderly took their positions. In a short while, they were ready, awaiting only the Pope's command, and these 251 warships carrying 40,000 people would charge straight towards Venice!
At the same time, Duke's Field Army was also ready and about to cross the border to attack the Verona region of Venice. According to reliable sources, Venice's main forces were stationed in Verona.
Looking at the endless fleet and the high-spirited army, Augustus felt himself filled with power and could no longer suppress his excited heart, shouting, "Soldiers, I await your triumphant return in Rome! I will lead all civil and military officials to celebrate your achievements!"
"Victory!" The shouts of 60,000 people echoed through the sky, shaking the world of Europa.
All that needed to be said had been said. After receiving Augustus's instructions, Giovanni and Duke wasted no time and led their respective armies north by sea and land.
Watching the distant sails of the fleet, Augustus knew that after spending so many days there, it was time for him to return to Rome. With the war beginning and the army marching, Ferrara was no longer a safe place. His continued presence there would not only be of no benefit to the war but might also become a burden to the frontline soldiers.
Looking at the vast, empty camp, Augustus suddenly felt a sense of emptiness in his heart. He didn't know when, but he had grown to like, even depend on, the feeling of being with his soldiers. Because within the loyal legions, under the protection of tens of thousands of soldiers, he could constantly feel a strong sense of security and the power to change the world!
Suddenly, he looked back and saw Dracula and the guards behind him, tirelessly watching him. Augustus felt much better, and a faint smile inadvertently appeared on his lips.
Before leaving, Augustus had Claudio called over and repeatedly instructed him on matters concerning logistics and supplies, and even verbally granted Claudio the authority to act expediently in certain emergencies.
Augustus had never fully trusted Lorenzo, and after learning of his close ties with Venice, he became even more uneasy. If there were any problems with logistics and supplies, the soldiers fighting desperately on the front lines would face immense difficulties.
...
Meanwhile, in Venice, due to Pisani's escape, they were not as unprepared as Augustus had hoped. As early as the previous night, a letter from the Dodge's Palace requesting the Verona garrison to return to defend the capital had already been sent, but it was intercepted by Stirile's Assassins, who were unaware of their true role, along with the messengers seeking help, and the letter was destroyed by the messenger on the spot.
But even without receiving the letter, the Verona garrison, alerted by Pisani, had already entered a state of readiness.
On the island of Venice, although they suffered heavy losses in the Ferrara campaign, they were still able to assemble all remaining forces overnight, forming a navy of 197 ships, including 23 sailing warships. They vowed to engage in an unprecedented naval battle with the Papal States, annihilating the Papal States' fleet and its troops on the battlefield where Venetians were most skilled, thereby completely crushing the Pope's plot to land in Venice once and for all.
Several agile small boats, disguised as fishing boats, patrolled Venice Bay. As soon as they discovered anything, they would immediately return to report. The remaining ships were ready in the harbor before dawn, with 8,000 soldiers and 30,000 sailors all boarded. Due to a shortage of soldiers, a large number of sailors were reluctantly conscripted to make up the numbers.
The Venetian fleet was also lined up in a single file. In the center was the complacent Veronese, personally leading 105 ships, including 21 heavy warships. He left 46 warships each for Pisani on the left wing and Lavallette on the right wing, each with only 1 sailing warship.
The reason was simple: Veronese neither trusted these two men nor wanted to monopolize most of the military achievements, so he made such arrangements, claiming to concentrate superior forces to destroy the Papal States' flagship in one fell swoop.
Pisani, who had brought all of his family's armed forces, had just shown a hint of dissatisfaction when he was severely reprimanded by Veronese for deserting in the face of battle. Though furious, he found it difficult to express his anger and forcibly endured it.
Lavallette was originally a pirate from the Knights Hospitaller. Through an accidental opportunity, he joined Venice with his unique naval combat skills, but he had been excluded from the core of power for many years. Only at this critical juncture of life and death was he thought of for deployment.
He was initially very happy that an opportunity to show off his skills had come, but he didn't expect to be given so few ships, which inevitably made him somewhat unhappy. Nevertheless, he wholeheartedly managed and drilled his fleet, tirelessly offering advice to Veronese and trying to indirectly request more ships. Most of his strategies were adopted, but any mention of ships was immediately rejected.
In Venice Bay, a grand naval battle was about to begin.