Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 955

Episode 955: South and North, and the Middle (2)

After completing the formation of troops, the Empire-(tentative name) Allied Army of Italy marched towards Venice. The imperial and Florentine military commands used a little trick. The Imperial Army Command and the Florentine Army Command were divided into three routes.

One route was to use a passage at the edge of the Alps to pass through Virenza to Venice, and the other was to travel further south through Padua to Venice, and finally, a route south of the route was used to travel along the Venetian Lagoon.

On the Virenza route, troops from Milan were deployed as the center, and a mountain warfare unit composed of Swiss troops was added. The mission of the Swiss mountain warfare unit was to scout and clear the hills and mountains along the route in advance. Although it was blocked by the Alps, it was right next to the Habsburg sphere of influence, so there was concern about ambush.

The Padua route in the middle placed Genoese troops at the front and Florentine troops at the rear. The final route consisted of Imperial Army and Swiss units. This was because the road from Bologna, the supply base for the imperial army, to Venice all passed through the plains. Because of this, the artillery force, the center of the imperial army’s power, was able to move without much difficulty.

That was not the only reason the Imperial Army chose this route. Because it was the closest route to Bologna, the supply base, both assault vehicles and tow trucks were able to operate without difficulty. Here, the trick used by the imperial army and the Florentine army command was to designate different routes for the troops from Milan and Genoa.

-It is important to arrive in Venice as quickly as possible in order to gain a greater political stake after unification!

This political calculation was used to stimulate competition between units from Milan and Genoa. They were appointed based on military talent and ability, and imperial army officers were assigned to assistant or staff positions, but basically, the commanders of the units were from the upper classes of Milan and Genoa. Therefore, it was certain that units from Milan and Genoa would compete fiercely.

“Wait? Doesn’t this only benefit Milan?”

Simply looking at the route, Milan was the most advantageous as it had the shortest travel distance. The Genoese and Imperial armies were to depart from Genoa and cross the Po River at Parma, and the Florentine army was to cross the Epennines and join Genoese units at Parma.

The Imperial Army and the Swiss Army were to move to Bologna, replenish supplies, and then cross the Po River at Ferrara to Venice. This is why such complaints arose. However, the Imperial Army and the Florentine Army command adjusted the difficulty level exquisitely.

The Vicenza route was the shortest, but it had to deal with the Habsburg army crossing the Alps. Padua was a problem along the route where the Genoese troops were deployed. Padua, a transportation hub connecting Venice with other regions of Italy, was tightly defended by Venice and the Habsburgs.

Therefore, it was certain that a fierce battle would take place on the axis connecting Vicenza and Padua. The outline of the operation was that during the fierce battle on the Vicenza-Padua axis, the Imperial Army and the Swiss Army, who had bypassed along the lagoon, would attack the flank of the axis, collapse the defenses, and attack Venice.

* * *

As the Imperial Army, which had completed its preparations, was departing from Genoa and Milan, the Imperial Navy, which had taken a breather, also began to move again. After completing maintenance at the shipyard, the Challenger-class ships went out to sea again, loaded with ammunition and other supplies.

The Imperial Navy and the Portuguese Navy divided their fleets into three major divisions. The 1st Fleet, consisting of 60 main Portuguese battleships, including one assault ship and four challenger-class battleships, was tasked with going around the Italian peninsula and entering the Adriatic Sea to strike Venice.

The 2nd Fleet, consisting of 6 Challenger-class ships and 30 Portuguese main battleships, was tasked with blocking the movements of the Spanish fleet by striking the military ports of Naples and Sicily. Finally, the 3rd Fleet, consisting of one assault ship and two Challenger-class ships, 12 Imperial frigates and 20 Portuguese auxiliary ships, was tasked with pounding the French fleet trapped in Calvi.

The last remaining assault ship and a few frigates were responsible for the defense of Livorno harbor. It was the beginning of an operation named ‘Prison’.

“If you receive a friendly visit, it is the duty of a gentleman to give a definite reciprocation.”

The command of the Imperial Navy, including Son Il-won, said so, but the goal was to turn the remaining fleets of Spain and France into ‘prisoners in prison.’

* * *

In this way, the ‘Battle of Venice’, which was carried out on both land and land, was so successful that it remained in military textbooks.

While the assault return ship assigned to the 1st Fleet and 40 Portuguese battleships pounded Venice, the 4 Challenger-class ships and 20 Portuguese battleships pounded Trieste, located opposite Venice. ‘Operation Prison’, which included naval attacks on Venice and Trieste, was based on a thorough reflection of the Battle of Corsica.

-Those guys are not pirates or famous people who run away after one hit. These are the guys who will bite you until you die. Close combat should be avoided. Based on this conclusion, the strategy was decided.

In the case of Venice, the assault return ship that entered deep enough to run aground was stirred up, and then challenger-class fronts pounded the port. At this time, the Challenger-class ships used the superior performance of their naval guns to fire shells from outside the range of the Venetian harbor defense batteries.

When the charging return ship took out the opponent’s soul and the challenger-class battle lines knocked out the opponent’s teeth, the waiting Portuguese fleet invaded. The Portuguese fleet stormed into the defenseless port and completely destroyed the remaining ships and facilities. After this smooth operation, the Venetian and Habsburg fleets that remained in Venice and Trieste were no longer able to be called fleets.

This happened similarly in Naples and Calvi in Corsica. The difference was that while Venice and Trieste focused on destroying ports, Naples and Calvi, Sicily focused on destroying French and Spanish ships.

“And that is until the capture of Venice is over… If only the capture of Venice is over…”

The captains of the Imperial Navy gritted their teeth as they looked at the distant ports of Naples and Sicily.

* * *

After hearing the news that the operation to block the passage from Venice to the sea was successful, the Imperial Army and the (tentative name) Italian Army began to attack the Vicenza-Padova axis in earnest. The Italian Army, which succeeded in taking control of the mountainous area north of Vicenza sooner than expected, set up a Milanese unit at the vanguard and began its attack on Vicenza.

At the center of the Vicenza attack were the artillery pieces handed over to the Italian Army by the Imperial Army. These guns were handed over to the Italian Army – to be exact, the Florentine Artillery – after confirming the ‘lack of firepower’ in the Battle of Pavia. Although they were ‘insufficient in firepower’ by the Imperial Army’s standards, these guns boasted sufficient firepower for the Italian Army and the opposing Venetian Habsburg Army.

“You mean this place, not Pavia, was the main attack!”

Surprised by the Italian Army’s stronger-than-expected firepower, the Habsburgs and Venice quickly concentrated their forces in the Vicenza area. While the Habsburgs and Venetians were focused on Vicenza, the Genoese-Florentine troops advanced through Parma and Mantua and began their attack on Padua. The Italian Army, which launched an attack on Padua, also carried out operations centered on powerful artillery firepower.

“So many cannons! You crazy people! Your money is rotting!”

“Where did you get so many cannons… Ah!”

The Habsburg and Venetian commanders, who were surprised by the powerful artillery force that overwhelmed the Habsburgs, one of the powers that controlled Europe, soon fell silent.

“Empire…”

“There were crazy people with those cannons…”

The Venetian and Habsburg commanders, who immediately understood the situation, soon had other questions.

“Then… Where are these crazy people from the Empire now? They’re not just watching from behind, are they?”

“Once the scouts go out, they never come back…”

Thanks to the performance of the cavalry of the Empire and the Italian Army, Venice and Habsburg were blinded. Because of this, they had to fight passively in battles in Vicenza and Padua.

“The real enemy is not those hillbillies! It’s the Empire! Release the scouts! Release whatever you can!”

Habsburg and Venetian commanders accepted heavy losses and released reconnaissance units. After gathering not only cavalry units but also those who could ride horses and sending them out on reconnaissance, they were finally able to obtain the desired results.

– Found in the Imperial Army Piove di Sacco!

The faces of the Habsburg and Venetian commanders became colored at the words delivered by the scout who returned covered in blood. Piove di Sacco was located southeast of Padua. The problem was its exquisite location.

From there, it was possible to hit the flank of the Vicenza-Padua axis or to go straight to Venice. And no matter which one of the two was chosen, both were fatal. Of course, a unit in charge of mute language was stationed here as well. However, compared to the imperial army, it was nothing.

In the end, the Venetian and Habsburg commanders, who had been pondering over and over again, had to make a decision.

“Retreat.”

“There will be no choice but to retreat.”

According to the decision of the command, the Habsburg and Venetian armies in the direction of Vicenza retreated. And here began the rupture between Venice and Habsburg. The places where the troops withdrew from Vicenza were positioned were Mirano and Noale.

Noale-Mirano-Venice

The Venetian commanders who saw the defense line stretching from Noale in the north to Venice in the south all had the same thought.

‘I’m thinking of running away if I have to!’

Although it was considered a major European power, the Habsburgs were the weakest among them. This was because although it was the owner of the largest country in Europe called the ‘Holy Roman Empire’, it had the weakest control. Now that Trieste was in ruins, the Habsburgs were at a dead end. If he suffered further losses here, it was almost certain that he would be pushed out of his position as the master of the ‘Holy Roman Empire.’

“Then…”

After learning of the Habsburgs’ intentions, the Venetian commanders began to think differently.

‘In the end, the end of defeat is in sight. then?’

‘Then… wouldn’t it be better to raise a white flag?’

‘Anyway, it was a battle to show our capabilities. ‘Wouldn’t this be enough?’

The Venetian commanders, who had been making various calculations, secretly sent men to their subordinates.

* * *

While those in power in Venice were busy with betrayal, betrayal, conspiracies, and collusion, the imperial army and the Italian army walked their own path step by step. The Imperial Army and the Italian Army, which joined in Padua, settled the situation. Lee Si-ae, who confirmed the defense lines of the Habsburg and Venetian armies, opened his mouth by pointing at a place on the map with his baton.

“Let’s hit Mirano in Venice. If we hit Mirano, we’ll know their reaction for sure.”