For a large fleet of nearly 300 three-layer oared ships, plus 350 other ships, it would be time-consuming to get the whole team to complete a tactical move, but the well-trained Syracuse fleet undoubtedly reduced this time considerably.

Led by a dozen clippers far ahead, the entire fleet headed for the waters near Turii......

…………………………………

The warship of the commander of the Dionian detachment, Midorades, was at the forefront of the fleet and served as a pilot. This position requires the pilot captain not only to have rich experience in navigation and naval warfare, but also to be familiar with the tactics and signals of the fleet, as well as to understand the purpose of the expedition and the tactics and tactics to be adopted. As a pioneer, he also had to be very heroic in naval battles in order to be a model for the ships that followed.

With the exception of the first lack of experience in naval warfare (most of the captains of the Dionian fleet lacked naval experience), Midorides excelled in all other aspects, knowing that when Enanilus was sentenced to prison, Davers also considered Midolades in the selection of naval commanders.

At this moment, the captain was sitting under the mast, closing his eyes and resting.

The lookout on top of the mast suddenly shouted: "Sailboat spotted ahead!" ”

Midorides' eyes immediately widened, and he looked up at the sea ahead: there was nothing but clear blue water and blue sky on the vast sea.

But Midorades knew that due to the blockade of the Syracuse Navy, there was hardly a merchant ship in sight in this lively sea, so it was very likely that the ship that could enter the lookout's field of vision belonged to the Syracuse.

"The sailboat turned around and headed south!" The lookout shouted again.

Don't hesitate any longer, it must be the enemy, he found out that we are going back, and is preparing to go back to report the news! Midorades groaned slightly, and immediately shouted: "Blow the horn and hang the warning flag!" ”

Soon, a long strip of orange-yellow linen hung on the mast, and the flagship lookout, who had been keeping a close eye on the pilot ship, immediately reported: "General, the enemy has been found ahead!" ”

"Great!" Seklian excitedly struck each other with his fists, and without thinking, gave the long-awaited order: "Proceed at normal speed first!" Hang the starry banner and get ready for battle! ”

The long horn sounded, and the all-black flag was raised to the mast, which stood out against the clear sky.

Soon, black flags were also hoisted on the ships of the various detachments.

Under the dark night, it is full of stars!

This is the Dionian Navy using the characteristics of the "Crow Drawbridge" and specially invented a tactical formation, which requires the fleet's warships to be scattered and scattered like the stars in the sky, so that the warships and warships are like waves alternately attacking and advancing, not only each warship is brave to fight alone, but also other warships continue to attack to provide protection, which is an orderly melee mode.

"Your Majesty, the enemy has been spotted ahead." Miltias reports to Davers.

Davers nodded, and said calmly: "Do what you order, and don't report to me specifically, so as not to delay the war." ”

"Yes!" After his military salute, Miltias shouted below the gap in the deck, "Normal speed! ”

The flute of the piper immediately increased its rhythm, and one hundred and eighty-eight wooden pulps slapped the sea on both sides of the ship, and the stern helmsman turned the rudder, and the warship gradually staggered the distance from the surrounding ships.

"There is a situation!" Among the people who were watching the movement of the fleet on the shore exclaimed: "Our fleet is changing formation!" ”

To the eyes of ordinary people, the warships on the sea seem to have not changed, but for these old sailors who were born fishermen, they are keenly aware of the changes in the distance and speed between the warships.

"Did you find the enemy?!"

"Is there going to be a war?!"

……

Everyone asked in a gossipy voice, and the chaotic voices were full of concern for the safety of the alliance and the safety of their relatives.

…………………………………

More than ten minutes later.

"Syracuse's fleet! Many, many warships!! Wangshou pointed ahead and shouted.

Midorades was not surprised, they knew in advance that this was supposed to be a naval battle with less and more, and that the Dionian navy was inferior in terms of the number of ships.

"Raise the battle flag!"

A blood-red flag fluttered on the mast.

"General, the enemy has been spotted ahead, prompt battle!"

"Get into combat mode!" Sekrian was succinct and to the point.

"Woooooooooooo Woooooo ......" The rapid sound of the military horn was transmitted from the flagship to the neighboring warships, and then to the periphery.

The sailors of each ship began to move, and at the reminder of the boatswain, they began to swallow the field rations made of oat bread and a little wine and olive oil that they had brought with them, while taking turns to get up and move their hands and feet. In fact, it had only been an hour since they had been on board, and they were still very physically strong, and they had only done this to prepare them for the long and fierce battle that might ensue.

In the sharp eyes of Midorades: a wooden pole rose from the sea in the far distance, and then one after another, and soon the outline of a ship appeared, and then another ...... In the blink of an eye, the skyline in the far distance began to be densely covered with warships.

"Here we are......" Midorades whispered in his mind.

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At the same time, on the flagship of the Syracuse fleet, Reptines waited for his long-awaited answer: "General, there is a golden glow on the mast in the center of the enemy's fleet ahead, it should be the ship you are looking for with a statue of Hades!" The lookout shouted from the mainmast.

When Reptines heard this, he excitedly shouted: "The captive is right, Davers! Davers, the consul of Ionia, is on that ship!! ”

Reptines was well aware: Dionysius had said that it was best to destroy Dionys, so his brother had sent assassins to carry out assassinations, but to no avail. Now a great opportunity was in front of him, if he could capture or kill Davers in this naval battle, not only would he be impressed by his brother, but he would also be able to end this huge war that had almost consumed Syracuse as soon as possible!

"Order, each detachment adopts a two-column tactic!" He gave the order decisively.

"General, don't you use circumnavigation tactics?" The captain of the flagship next to him reminded him.

Reptines shook his head: "The use of circumnavigation is too time-consuming, and it also distracts the shock force of the fleet, and then that Davers will be scared out of his soul because of the sinking of one warship after another in front of him, and it will be troublesome to turn around and run away." We have many more ships than theirs, and we are better at manoeuvring than theirs, and the Archon of Ionia thinks that this naval battle will be as easy for him as a land battle, so he dares to attack us, and I will crush the Dionian fleet from the front, and capture the arrogant Davers! Reptines said with pride, his outstretched right hand clenched into a fist, as if it were the new king of Dionya in the heart of the fist.

…………………………………

Midorades stared ahead, the Syracuse fleet fully visible and rushing towards him like a great wave.

Midorides was not intimidated by the overwhelming momentum of the Syracuse fleet, but showed a smile: because the Syracuse did not take advantage of their large number of ships and sent a detachment to form a ring around their flanks to attack their flanks, because in this way, it would be more difficult for the Dionian fleet to win in battle, and the losses would be greater. But, apparently, the plan of the brave Majesty to bait by example worked! The enemy resorted to the tactics of a frontal assault!

At this glance, the depth of the layers of warships is probably more than ten, and the enemy still has the advantage of a tailwind (there is a weak north wind at this time), but what is that?! The Dionian fleet has a lack of flexibility and speed because of the "Raven Drawbridge" and the number of heavy infantry equipped with conventional three-layer oared warships (the normal warship infantry configuration ranges from zero to ten people on a warship, and the Dionian fleet is a heavy infantry detachment for one warship), so it is lacking in flexibility and speed, and now it is avoided to the greatest extent because the enemy does not use circumnavigation tactics, and the Dionian fleet does not rely on speed and flexibility to win, but relies on hand-to-hand combat!

Midorades was more confident, and he knew that although it now seemed that the enemy was more than two miles away from his nearest ship, once the speed of the ship was raised, the voyage of several miles would be reached in the blink of an eye.

"Attack speed!" After he gave the order, he turned to Zantiparis, who was resting on the deck, and said in a straight voice: "Captain, the battle is about to start, please get ready!" ”

As the commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Legion, Zantiparis, his status as a senior officer was completely useless in this naval battle, because it was a battle with a heavy infantry detachment, but he did not want to miss this important naval battle, so he chose to follow the 1st detachment.

"Inias, it's time for you to give orders." He told the detachment leader that he did not want to interfere with the command of his subordinates.

"Brothers, assemble, pack your equipment, go down to the cabin, the ship is going to speed up!" As soon as Inias gave the order, the heavy infantry sitting on the deck immediately stood up, put on their helmets, took their spears, hung their short swords, and quickly formed two columns, from the entrance between the two decks, down to the lower cabins.

The paddlers in the cabin didn't pay any attention to the influx of soldiers, they listened intently to the sound of the flute, sliding the pulp.

"Drop! Drip! Drip! ......" The piper did not raise the rhythm of the paddle all at once, but gradually increased it.