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Chapter 62: Planning the next step

Following the encounter with the rest of the Ghibellin communes' generals, Conradin agreed to hold a meeting to map out the next actions to take. Soon, all of the commanders were seated in the same room, their hands on a table stocked with wine and light snacks to chew on while they talked. After all, this was a business meeting, not a feast.

Conradin was the first to start the conversation, announcing the outcome of the recent naval battle: ''It is probably unknown to you, but six days ago a Genoese navy collided with a Venice-provencal fleet, and the result was an incredible victory for our cause. Apart from being an excellent way to boost morale among our troops, according to my reports, Charles employed all of his fleets, and now that it has been beaten, we should have supremacy at sea, and I am more than willing to use it''. After Conradin dropped the bombshell, a smile appeared on everyone's face, excited by the news of the coalition's first triumph.

The news of the naval triumph energized the meeting, convincing the generals that they had a chance of victory that had before appeared a remote possibility. The Ghibellin generals were adamant about maintaining the momentum gained by the triumph and gaining some territorial victory this time.

The news of the new battle propagated with pride, especially for Oberto Doria, whose republic had won the coalition's first win, bringing great credit to its name.

Conradin requested the other Ghibeline leaders to report their troop numbers to the meeting after relaying the news of the win so he could understand what kind of force he had to work with. He wanted to ensure that he had the resources and forces he needed to continue opposing the Guelfs and pushing his cause forward.

The first to talk was Alberto della Scala: '' With me, I have brought 2,000 troops, of which 400 are light cavalry, 600 men at arms, 500 levied freemen, and 500 archers." After Alberto's report, the Pisan general Nino Visconti listed his troops "As it was promised, the Republic of Pisa also brought 2,000 men, of which 300 are light cavalry, 1000 levied freemen, 500 men at arms, and 200 archers." And lastly, it was Gugliemi Tiepolo who announced that he brought 1500 men, of which 400 were light cavalry, 400 were at arms, 200 were heavy cavalry, and the rest were levy .

The figures were encouraging, and Conradin was relieved to learn that his supporters were dedicated to the Ghibelline cause and had brought a considerable force of their own. The Ghibellines clearly had a large number of resources at their disposal and would be able to mount a significant army on the battlefield. He was pleased that he had been able to assemble such a powerful coalition of allies, and he was grateful for their assistance. Conradin could expect to use 12,500 soldiers on the battlefield, a sizable number when compared to the initial 3,000 at its disposal at the start of the fight.

''Generals, I am grateful to all of you because you are the ones who pledged your support to me, something that without it would have deprived me of any chance of success, and I can swear in my name that at the end of my campaign, I will reward every one of you and I also promise to show you the same of what you are doing to me now.'' Conradin took advantage of the opportunity to express his gratitude to the group for providing him with the opportunity; he remembered how, one year ago, he had nothing and now he had enough gold and troops to make his dream comes true

After receiving a report on their overall force and hearing Conradin's brief speech, it was time to determine what to do. The first to speak this time was Galvano, Conradin's most experienced commander, who presented the group with two options: ''We have to choose between these two options: remain here and wait for opportunities to deliver damage to any support that Charles may have from the other communes, or we could instead start marching towards Tuscany to engage in battle with Charles' army''.

Many thought that the Ghibellines needed to take the fight to the Guelfs, and that they needed to engage their enemies in battle in order to gain the upper hand and push the Ghibelline cause forward. The next steps were a huge moment, and the outcome would have significant consequences for the Ghibelline cause. It was up to the coalition of allies to make a decision about what to do next , Galvano's options would be considered carefully as they deliberated on the plan . Nino Visconti was one of the staunchest supporters of taking an active stance'' I think that we should capitalize on the fact that our morale is high from the naval victory , to engage the main enemy army in battle .'' Said Nino in an attempt to convince the others.

The group discussed much about the pros and cons of every choice, and it was Conradin who raised his voice to express his opinion. ''As for me, I am of the opinion that we should stay here. I believe that Charles still did not receive any support from Milan, and as such, I think that we should build a perimeter at the possible point of passage in the Po rivers to annihilate the Milan auxiliary troops. It is probable that the army will depart from Milan and get through Piacenza towards Florence; as such, we could make use of that to prepare for an engagement against the Milanese; after all, every chance is good to shorten Charles' number.'' The plan proposed by Conradin made sense, and the Genoese and Veronese generals were in agreement with him while only the Pisan one thought that they should engage Charles in battle as fast as possible ; in the end , it was decided what the next step to take was the one Conradin voted for . It was important to reduce the numbers of Charles' army as much as possible, and this plan would give the Ghibelline cause an opportunity to do just that. A decisive and strategic victory over the Milanese would be important for the Ghibelline cause, and it would certainly weaken Charles' forces. It was a risk, but Conradin and his commanders were confident in their ability to execute the plan, and they were determined to make every advantage of it.

To ensure that the ambushing army was quick and could be disguised, it was determined that only a portion of the army would be employed for this since it would be easier to conceal.

The cavalry would be crucial in ambushing the Milanese force. The light cavalry would explore the road from Milan to Piacenza for signs of the enemy, then lead the heavy cavalry in the attack once they were discovered. The cavalry's ability to maneuver rapidly and swiftly would be critical in giving the Ghibellines the upper hand in the battle.

It was a well-thought-out plan, and it would give the Ghibelline cause an opportunity to strike a decisive and crushing blow against the Milanese forces. The man chosen to coordinate such an assault was none other than Galvano, who asked Conradin if his son could partake in the military plan. Conradin saw no clear reason to stop him from doing so, and as such, he allowed father and son to work together. After all, Conradin also knew the importance of nurturing the future generation of generals, and this was a great opportunity for young Enrico to learn and grow in the ways of war and the art of command. It was also important for the Ghibelline cause, as it would provide them with more commanders and generals who could fight and lead on the field of battle.

Now that the plan had been decided, it was only a matter of putting it into action and executing it correctly. The timing and the execution would be crucial to the success or failure of the plan, and it was important to be meticulous and careful in its execution. It was up to the Ghibelline leaders to ensure that the plan was executed properly and without error, and this would be one of the most critical moments of the entire Ghibelline campaign. Any mistake or hesitation could cost the Ghibellines dearly, and it could give Charles the edge in the battle since failing to do so would allow Charles to receive even more troops for his war efforts, clearly lowering Conradin's chance of victory.

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