After trying several breakthroughs, the Duke of Marsen, who was besieged in Veletri, finally ran out of ammunition and food, and then they chose to surrender with a decent surrender.

The captured army was collectively escorted into the ship, and Duke Marsen was sent to Crete as a senior prisoner along with ordinary prisoners.

However, Duke Marsen's persistence was not useless. He bought time for the 15,000-man French division to evacuate the battlefield. Now this French army, along with their Italian allies, stood in the fortress between the Principality of Ferrara and the Principality of Milan.

However, the main force of the French army of nearly 60,000 people was swept. Although there was a French army of 15,000 people on the Italian Peninsula, there was no other army that could compete with our Italian army in terms of quantity and quality. If we continue to pursue and fight, the Italian Peninsula would become our world.

However, compared with Hungary and Germany, the Italian Peninsula is not so important that it makes us give up on Austria in Hungary. You must know that the main force of the French army has not been severely damaged for a day, and the French cannot realize that they cannot win this war. Only by severely attacking the main force of the French can we withdraw our hands and deal with Russia in the north and pagans in the south, and swallow the interests placed on the plate and digest them.

So, seeing that the French army and its allies could not conquer the fortresses and castles in Italy in a short period of time, Alexander chose to divide the division.

A general who I had never heard of the name cooperated with Berdrick to lead a cavalry unit of 32,000 infantry and 5,000 people. 110 cannons continued to maintain our advantage on the Italian battlefield. At the same time, the Austrians who had been huddled for more than a year also jumped out at this time, sending 22,000 troops, 15,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 60 cannons, echoing us from the side.

In other words, even if Alexander left, we still maintained a force of nearly 60,000 on the battlefield in Italy. Compared with the French army's 15,000 and its allies, Savoy, Milan, Ferrara and Florence, we maintained a relatively advantageous level.

But the real situation is probably only through Assassin's message and Alexander that we knew that we were unable to launch an attack on the Italian battlefield, because half of the nearly 40,000 troops were disabled. They could not fight again without half a year of rest.

Therefore, in response to this situation, we also turned offensive to defend in Italy, defending several fortresses in the plains and mountains below the Alps, consolidating our original results, and forcing the French allies to choose neutrality through our results. There are many ways to neutrality, such as delivering food and ammunition to us, or cutting off us through the ** line and stopping the delivery of ammunition and other important supplies to the French. The French allies naturally chose the latter, which was the choice not to offend us, and to offend the French as little as possible.

After so many battles, the key point that decided the war had arrived. After a brief rest, Alexander, who had gained an advantage in the Italian battlefield, immediately led 30,000 infantry, 18,000 cavalry, and 110 artillery to cross the Alps and advance towards the deep hinterland of the French army.

At this time, Duke Vendome was used to fighting in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and other regions, and the shortcomings and limitations of the generals who fought in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, etc. were reflected, but this cannot be blamed. After all, they have fought for so many years, and the areas they fought are in the same region, so it is difficult to encounter such large-scale cross-regional operations.

The implication is that the French army's deep hinterland ranges from Württemberg to Vienna, which runs for more than 500 kilometers. Apart from the defense lines governed by the Duke of Luxembourg in the north, the territory occupied by the French was either managed by their allies, or the fence behind them, and the supply lines and transportation lines were also managed by them.

The advantage of this is that the troops are concentrated and the main force will not be too dispersed due to occupying too much territory, and the disadvantages are also obvious.

When Alexander and his friends came down from the Alps, this army that had been baptized by war from Italy would sweep across all the enemies in front of them, cut off the French supply line, cut off the French retreat, and put the Duke of Luxembourg's army in the middle of the attack by the two armies of Sviatus and Alexander!

Why did the French army reveal this huge flaw?

This is a mistake in one move, and he fell into a passive state. Originally, Duke Vandom's flank was well protected by Duke Malsen. If the French army had a conservative strategy on the Italian battlefield and used fortresses and fortresses to defend, the flanks of Duke Vandom's main force would always be taken care of. But the French strategy was to sweep the fortresses and strongholds of the empire in Naples through Duke Malsen, forcing the empire's army to come out to fight them in decisive battles.

The French won the game, but lost it, and the situation is now.

However, I cannot say that there is nothing wrong with the French doing this, because once the French army in Italy chooses to stick to it, it means that Alexander's mobile troops can attack any place that the Imperial Navy can touch on the sea. The French army in Aragon, Castile and Italian troops could not even move.

Now, for me, the most favorable situation for the empire, the action that the French most longed for is that the Duke of Vendorm would continue to siege Budapest, so that Alexander could join forces with Sviatus to pack the sandwich of the Duke of Luxembourg. More than 100,000 to fight less than 40,000. Unless the Duke of Luxembourg descended to the earth, we would definitely win. After eating this French army, our three imperial troops surrounded the Duke of Vendorm, and nearly 200,000 to fight less than 120,000, which is very exciting to think about. Or, the Duke of Vendorm divided his troops and sent half of his troops to the Duke of Luxembourg, and he stayed to siege Budapest himself.

Of course, this is impossible. Unless the Duke of Wandome is stupid, I will not be able to see such a situation no matter what. For the French army, the safest way at this time is to withdraw, retreat from Budapest, and then join the Duke of Luxembourg, and defeat our three Roman regiments one by one in the German region before we merge. If Duke of Wandome, before leaving, I would give me a big gift, such as blowing up the river bank and delaying our pursuit.

A week passed, and I thought that the French army should have received the war from southern Italy. The situation was a bit beyond my expectations. Duke Vandom was very calm. He did not choose to retreat quickly after receiving the message of Duke Marsen's defeat. Instead, he sent 10,000 people to the Duke of Luxembourg and continued to stay in Budapest and wait and see what Alexander would do behind him, and continued to put pressure on me here in Budapest.

This kind of action is not bad, but it may be a little better for us, at least to buy time for Alexander. But I just want to lift the siege of Budapest and stop the French's violence on the border of the empire. Why didn't they evacuate them cleanly?

Forget it, it doesn't matter. Duke Vandome will continue to watch and wait and see. Anyway, I know the pressure on him. It may be that the French don't want to give up the fat meat that they swallowed into their mouths.

According to the plan, Alexander left the rifled infantry regiment that I sent to the place to find Austrian nobles to cooperate in the fight against guerrillas. He led his main force to the north, trying to bypass the Duke of Luxembourg and advance towards the Duchy of Prussia to the east.
Chapter completed!