CHAPTER 324: CHAPTER 163: WHEELS LAID FLAT! THE PSEUDO EMPEROR MUST DIE! (9,000 WORDS)

The Vandals dared to send envoys to demand the hand of Princess Eudoxia, urging us to fulfill the marriage contract. It can only be said that the ambitious Vandals have been seeking opportunities to expand their territorial influence.

Duncan immediately ordered the envoy to be driven away, and then deployed defenses along the Rhine River. After receiving the first war reparations from the Kingdom of the Western Goths, he promptly led a large army to attack the Italian Peninsula, intending to execute the Pseudo Emperor and overthrow the Senate.

However, he needed to leave some forces to deter the Western Goths, so he led only five main legions, totaling just over ten thousand men including auxiliary units.

The attack on the Italian Peninsula scarcely had any remarkable highlights.

Even before Duncan took to the battlefield personally, Balton and Galavin had already reached modern-day Milan, with imperial troops surrendering along the way. Some even defected on the battlefield, quickly expanding the army’s size to nearly twenty thousand.

Maximus gathered troops to defend Ravenna, but unfortunately, the Senate lacked control over the imperial army’s grassroots, and within just one night of confrontation, more than half of the soldiers had deserted.

Without lifting a finger, Duncan entered the Italian Peninsula.

Nowadays, he no longer needed to personally command such wars. Maximus and the Senate were like meat on the chopping board, only able to make a futile struggle.

Central Army Tent.

"Shall we reclaim Pannonia?"

Severus looked at the map in front of him and slowly said, "If we are to reclaim Pannonia, we must deploy defenses along the Danube River."

"If the attack reaches here, we will have recovered most of the empire’s territory."

Duncan’s expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice, "The two-river defense line must be reclaimed. Only by regaining control of the Rhine and Danube rivers can we prevent the barbarians from advancing south."

"Otherwise, we’ll be worn out constantly, with the border being invaded from time to time."

The Crow Queen, Triss, pondered upon hearing this and said softly, "Are you planning to revive the Field Army?"

Historically, the Field Army gradually declined due to high military expenditures.

This was an important military reform in the later empire, deploying imperial garrison legions on the border, similar to the garrison system like the Great Wall, resembling a military settlement system. Under normal circumstances, the imperial garrison legions could resist small-scale barbarian tribe invasions, but when faced with formidable enemies, their combat effectiveness was somewhat inadequate.

After all, the garrison legions were comprised of militiamen.

At that time, it was the turn of the highly mobile Field Army to take the stage. The imperial Field Army had a large number of horses and transportation tools, leveraging the convenience of the Four Directions Avenue to let enemies in for encirclement and annihilation. Historically, they achieved considerable results, considered top-notch imperial elite forces.

The biggest drawback of the Field Army was its high maintenance cost.

Duncan slowly nodded and said, "Not only the Field Army, but I also intend to create a highly mobile cavalry unit, composed of Sarmatians."

"Signal towers will be set up along the way."

"In case of a massive southward advance by the barbarians, we can react at any time to prevent them from plundering regions."

The tide of barbarian invasions was most nuisance not for territorial disputes, but for their habit of raiding and then retreating. The empire’s territory was quite affluent, and like later nomadic peoples, they would often come to reap the autumn wind.

If there were no troops to deploy defenses, they could plunder near the Alps and then retreat grandly.

In direct confrontation, the British Legion feared nothing.

But the purpose of the barbarian invasions wasn’t to fight battles; their ultimate goal was to rob money, food, and women.

The defending side is perpetually on the passive.

However, currently, it’s unrealistic to launch an expedition to barren Great Germania, so the garrison can only be on the defensive. If there were a highly mobile Field Army, encountering the barbarian raids, they could swiftly respond to encircle and annihilate them.

As long as a few successful ambushes are made, killing thousands to tens of thousands to establish authority, the southern-barbarians would hesitate.

In critical moments, a large scale display can be constructed on the border as a deterrent.

The responsibility and duty of an emperor is to ensure the people live in peace and wellbeing. Duncan wants to reshape the empire, and constant raids by barbarians on the border would be a mockery of that goal.

If you can’t wage war against them, then slaughter them!

Continuously slaughter.

Slaughter until the barbarians are fearful.

Severus slowly said, "Feasible."

"The Third Legion, Sixth Legion, and Seventh Legion can all be converted into Field Armies."

"Many of them have achieved a certain level of riding skill."

The most important aspect of the Field Army is that it must be infantry that can ride like cavalry, and they must be elite, because their numbers can’t be many, and they must be able to fight, crushing the enemies allowed in.

The expenditures of maintaining a Field Army in the past could sustain three regular legions.

Duncan estimated, and even though he spent less, it would still require double the military budget. At present, it’s most feasible to maintain a force of four to five thousand.

At this moment.

The sound of horse hooves approached, followed by a messenger hastily arriving, reporting, "Governor, sir!"

"The city of Milan has surrendered."

"This is information relayed from Rome, suggesting the Vandal army is on the move."

They dare to come!

Duncan took the report, his expression shifting from seriousness to an ironic smile, he said slowly, "Understood. You may withdraw."

Barbarian leaders who made a mark in history were invariably ambitious characters.

In AD 442, Rome finally recognized the Vandal Kingdom’s rule over most areas of North Africa. Subsequently, the Vandals established the Vandal Kingdom, continued expanding their territories in North Africa, and conquered the western part of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica Island, and the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean.

In those days, they might not have defeated the Western Goths, but they found confidence in the North African region.