Kepharonia is, after all, the largest island in the Ionian archipelago, and even if Pardeo has a certain size of garrison on the island, there is no guarantee that every coastline will be watertight.

Francisco eventually chose the landing site in Beseda Bay on the west side of Scala Fortress, and further west, the dense reefs could cause damage to the fleet's hulls. But Parthio's army still found the fleet that had been anchored at the second time. Beseda Bay was not a natural harbor, and the armored Phoenix Legion infantry was unlikely to swim to Kephalonian in the rough sea. If the troops are sent to the shore in a small boat, it is very likely to become a live target for these mercenaries.

"What to do? Withdraw again? Giovanni smiled wryly at the heavily guarded shore. The mercenaries gathered quickly on the beach, and the heavily armed mercenaries gathered three or four hundred people in just an hour, including a small number of light cavalry.

"I've walked around Kephallonia, and there are only a few places where I can land, except for the harbor with the handles of soldiers. Parthio's men had outposts near these landing sites, and as soon as our fleet appeared, the whole island was filled with smoke, and it was too difficult to get to the island. Francisco told the sailors to put away their sails, and the fleet and the army faced each other in and out of Beseda Bay.

"But then again, the fact that Parthenus was so afraid of us landing only shows that the garrison on Kepharonia isn't actually very strong. After our main force landed on the island, including the offshore fortress, there should be no room to fight back. In this way, Patian would have to use the only dangerous bay to stop our landing force. ”

Francisco wandered around the deck for a long time, and finally took two flags of different colors and tassels from the flag-bearer, and stood on the deck.

The Admiral has never been good-tempered, he knows that Pardeo is definitely not stupid, but with the near-invincible naval force of the Phoenix fleet in front of him, and the strength of the entire army in the back, not many people can bear to be blocked outside Kepharonia and look directly at these mercenaries.

"Francisco, what do you mean by the flag phrase you just said?"

Giovanni looked at Francisco waving the flag and felt a little amused. But the rest of the fleet, including the Fourth Fleet, which followed the Phoenix Fleet, actually slowly raised the anchor after seeing the order.

"Meaning, disperse."

"Scattered?"

"General Giovanni, you will not forget your old book with a large legion like the Phoenix Legion to fight in the north and south, right? Like what...... How to judge the number of enemy troops in a closed area? ”

This was a course taught to Giovanni in the first year of the Genoa Army University, and although it was brought up from Francesco to Giovanni a little surprised, it did not prevent him from making a correct judgment immediately.

"Kepharonia is no more than 100 kilometers north and south, and before the Empire took over, there were only a few fishing villages, not even towns with large populations. Relying on the resources of the island alone, a heavily armed force like the coastline, if it does not rely on external supplies, can supply up to 500 people with food and equipment. And in the most ideal case. ”

"Yes, yes, it's only five hundred. But if you look at these coastlines, which are densely packed with people, to say the least, nearly a thousand people have gathered now, and the two offshore fortresses add up to four or five hundred people, not counting the troops stationed at the outposts in other fishing villages, ports, and other places where they can land, and they will only add up to more than two thousand people. In this way, there must be other external supplies on this island. ”

Giovanni watched the island's servants and craftsmen of Pardeo scrambling to build the fence, and suddenly felt a little pitiful for them. The mercenaries trapped on the isolated island of Kepharonia are very similar to Constantinople back then.

"So Pātio burned, killed, and plundered in Morea...... It's all about raising more troops. Yes, this mercenary army is not a descendant of Muhammad with your change, and the Sultan should only give some financial support to the opposition forces in the empire on a regular basis before Padeo's victory is truly worth remembering, and the supply should still need to be solved by Pathio himself, under this condition, Pardeo can still achieve this scale, there are still some means. ”

……

The siege of the city and the siege of the island are actually a relative concept. Kepharonia and the Peloponnese were separated by only one strait, and the supplies needed by the besieging fleet could be transported by requisitioning civilian ships from the Morea. And when Kepharonia was cut off from the Peloponnese, Parthio's troops stationed on the island of Morea would probably have nowhere to go.

Immediately after the dispatch was sent to Morea, Prince Thomas gathered a large number of troops and headed for the port of Killini. But as expected, Pätleo's mercenaries were once again aware of the army's movements in advance, and the port of Killini was once again empty. However, the weapons and tools scattered in the harbor, including the few remaining supplies in the harbor warehouse, proved that their departure was rather hasty, and at present, the Ionian Islands have been directly controlled or blockaded by the Empire, and in the absence of other islands or countries to provide supply depots, Partheon's army on the Morea can only go into exile, and finally end up with the same fate as the defenders of Kepharonia.

"General Giovanni, now there is one last question left."

"Huh?" Giovanni was enjoying the sea breeze with his eyes closed, and on the shores of Beseda Bay, Pátleo's mercenaries had built three battalions out of logs, although there were not many troops, but the beach was more than enough to resist the Empire's attack.

However, after the two sides looked at each other on the coast for several days, the mercenaries suddenly reacted, and the Empire had no intention of attacking at all.

Francisco peeled an orange and swallowed: "We have a constant supply from the Peloponnese at sea, but sooner or later the army on the island will run out of food. So, if they don't give up their resistance, how will they solve the food problem? ”

"Mercenaries, with money and food, discipline may still be guaranteed, but in this case, the most likely thing they will do should be burning, killing and looting."

"There should still be civilians on the island."

Giovanni opened his eyes and looked at Francisco with a half-tilted head: "Reluctant? ”

"They are also citizens of the Empire." Francisco avoided Giovanni's gaze.

He, of course, knew the risks of a forced landing. The undersurge of the sea is a graveyard for the heavily armoured, and the attrition of drowning alone is likely to far exceed the direct damage caused by battle.

"Try it, it's not impossible."

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