Chương 54: The sighted sea lion
April 11, 1267
Lorenzo Zeno, the nephew of the Venetian doge dispatched to help Charles with a fleet, had granted his men a night's rest while the fleet procured the provisions required for the crew to subsist at sea.
The soldiers at the head of the naval convoy had finally left after a successful night of celebration and pleasure. They were well rested and prepared for the work at hand and willing to go to any length to ensure the campaign's success and their objectives were realized. The departure was rapid and efficient, and they were soon on their way, ready to give naval support to Charles.
They were determined to get the job done and be back soon, and there would be no stopping them from fulfilling their duty and carrying out their mission.
The fleet was not formed by Venice ships alone; for also, the fleet that Charles had while being in Provence was dispatched, so in total they had:
18 ships from Venice and 12 from Provence; nevertheless, 16 of these were galley ships, true and strong war maritime vessels, while the remaining 14 were civil ships converted from trade to fighting. They had a huge and powerful fleet at their disposal, which provided them with a lot of flexibility and options in terms of how they could use their naval forces. With so many ships at their disposal and with the support of both the Venetians and the Provences on their side, Charles was overall in a strong position to take on the Genoese navy and its allies, this was achieved by the fact that he was willing to go to any length to achieve success and triumph, and was not reluctant to use diplomacy and words to achieve more support from foreign countries.They would not back down or surrender to the Genoese, and they would do everything in their power to assure victory in the next battle.
Naval engagement can be carried out in two ways: ramming and breaking the ship, causing it to sink, or jumping from ship to ship and fighting with white weaponry. Ramming could clearly only be done by galleys, which were fortified on the front to provide destructive power, whilst civil ships, with little alterations, could only fight hand-to-hand.Both styles of naval battle had distinct advantages and disadvantages, and either could be employed effectively against the adversary. Ramming was more of a shock and awe strategy that could easily be used to destroy an enemy ship, whereas civil ships were more agile and could be used to execute more advanced tactics and maneuver themselves to gain an advantage over their opponents. It would eventually come down to how each side chose to use its ships and which style they prefer when engaged, and these factors would be considered when developing a war strategy and plan.
Lorenzo Zeno gave the signal for the ships to get underway and move to their destination after ensuring that their fleet was armed and ready for the conflict. Their mission was obvious, their goal was well-defined, and they were all anxious to get started on the task at hand. They were aware that the assignment would be tough and risky, but they were prepared and determined to complete it and prevent the Genoese naval from interfering with the campaign's plans and aims. They were going to win, and nothing was going to stand in their way.
A high level of precision and order. There was a lot of planning and organization that went into making sure all of the ships were ready to go. After Lorenzo delivered the command to his right personnel, Marco,who then gave the order to the guy on the mainmast to use the flag to communicate with the other ship in the fleet. The crew member on the right raised the yellow flag, indicating that it was time to go , while the man on the left of the maist, raised a white flag with 4 black points, indicating they were to go an 4 ship per line.
Marco was well suited for this task, and he had obviously been picked for his position for a reason. His knowledge and experience in the navy were well known, and he was very experienced in giving orders and taking control of situations with authority and confidence. It was a task that required experience and skill, and Marco was clearly capable and qualified for it. The men around him followed his orders quickly and efficiently, and soon the fleet was on the move in a 4-line formation, ready to face whatever challenges came up. Their mission was clear, and they were all eager to complete it as efficiently and effectively as possible.The ships moved through the sea with considerable authority and power.
The sound of the waves breaking against the sides of the ships was a constant and loud roar, but the crew members were trained and experienced in coping with this noise, and it did not distract them from their work of properly moving the ships. The men worked together with precision and synchronization, holding their stations within the formation and precisely following orders. The crew's sound was equally amazing and strong, as if they were a well-oiled machine that worked in unison. They were attentive and professional, and they were serious about their work.
During every naval journey, the crew was always straining to manage the ships, while the captain and officers only needed to issue orders. As a result, the captain had plenty of time to kill on every cruise. As such Lorenzo attempted to start up a discussion with his right-hand guy in order to avoid boredom. ''So, Marco, when do you think we'll arrive at our destination?'' Lorenzo inquired, his gaze fixed on his helper. ''Well, we should be there in five days, four if the wind is on our side." Marco replied, his gaze shifting from the sea to his skipper.
"Four days is the absolute best-case scenario,but anything could happen between now and then that could delay us and throw off our calculations. For example the wind and weather could change. There are a lot of things that could happen that could derail our original timeline, so we should plan for as many contingencies as possible and be ready to adjust on the fly, sir." Marco said he was known for being a cautious man when it came to planning and preparing for missions, and to Lorenzo, his advice and insight were always valued. "But yes, sir, if everything is good, the best-case scenario is that we will arrive in four days."
''So... how about a drink on my private deck after we wrap things up?" Lorenzo asked Marco while winking; after all, he always likes to have a few drinks with him. "Yes, I think that would be good for us to do." Marco agreed, saying, "It will give us an opportunity to decompress and relax a bit before we get to our destination. We need to clear our heads and refresh ourselves before taking on such a critical mission, and I think a drink would help to do that," responded Marco, prompting an agreement from Lorenzo.
''It had surely been a whirlwind of activity and preparation; we deserve to have a little bit of downtime and relax, don't we?''
After agreeing that it would be a good idea for them to take a break and relax before they had to deal with something of such importance, the two men headed down to the private area of the captain's cabin. There they would have the chance to talk and relax in private, which would be beneficial in light of the upcoming events and responsibilities that they would soon be facing. It was important for them to be able to talk in private and prepare themselves for the task ahead, and the private area of the captain's cabin was a perfect place for such a conversation.
After that, the crew could readily hear laughter coming down from the private cabin of the captain. The good mood of the captains, however, did not help relieve the crew members, for they had to work while the two were having fun, not that this aroused their anger; after all, they were simple sailors, and it would be crazy for them to be treated as the captains are.
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Author note:
Hey guys , thanks for reading , just wanted to say that in three or two chapters the first battle of the series will start, just wanted to apologise for having taken my time , but I wanted to build the right atmosphere for the campaign , for I have always been a lover of detail-writing , hope you gonna like the battle , for I sure did writing it
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