Chapter 114: Change in Tactics

"Damn it, the French have started their attack. Where can we run to save our lives?" Hearing Philip's confirmation, all the Roman nobles, and even some Austrian commanders, began to panic.

"General Philip, can our army defend Rome?" Mayor Snoke was the first to react. He stepped lightly into the center of the ballroom and asked Philip. Although he was asking, Snoke thought it should be good news. Otherwise, Philip would not have told him this, not to mention convening a meeting.

"Mr. Snoke, it is indeed good news. Everyone! I want to tell you that in the recent battle, the brave Austrian army thwarted the French's attempt to sneak attack Rome. The valiant soldiers of the Austrian Empire defeated the French, causing them heavy casualties. Through the battles from yesterday into tonight, we have proven that we have enough strength to defend Rome! Victory in this battle will be ours," Major General Philip said excitedly.

"Hurrah! Hurrah!"

Upon hearing Philip's words, everyone present cheered. Originally, the sudden gunfire in the early morning had caused panic, as they thought the French were about to break through their defenses. However, no one had expected the situation to turn around, with the Austrian army thwarting the French attack. This was the first time since the beginning of the war!

"Rome has the strongest fortress defenses. It is utterly impossible for those damn French to conquer here. The brave Austrian army will make those damned Frenchmen pay a heavy price. They will shed their last drop of blood in Rome," Philip said with a smile. He seemed to have already envisioned receiving rewards from Emperor Franz II after the war's victorious conclusion. Perhaps, he might even have the chance to be appointed as the new Governor of Italy.

As news of Philippe's impending defeat of the French army spread among the people, everyone present showed joy on their faces. The banquet had now completely turned into an ocean of joy. Many Austrians cheered. They sang and danced, celebrating the victory.

The entire Rome was brightly lit. Not far from Rome, inside the French headquarters, lights were also on.

Inside the headquarters, Napoleon and a group of French generals gathered. Although they still looked weary, everyone forced themselves to be alert. They already knew that the French night raid had failed tonight. This would inevitably force Napoleon to rethink his strategy. So tonight's meeting was very important.

"Everyone, I believe you already know that tonight's operation has failed," Napoleon, sitting at the head of the headquarters, scanned the room with his eyes before speaking.

"Rome's defense is extremely perfect, surrounded by dense fortresses, with even stronger defenses than Toulon. Attacking such a perfectly defended city will require a substantial amount of supplies, not to mention my concern about heavy casualties. Moreover, with Milan and Turin already in our hands, my army has completely seized the initiative of the war," Napoleon looked at the crowd and slowly spoke.

"Prime Minister, are you suggesting abandoning the hasty fierce attack and instead conducting a siege?" Roland said. Facing Rome, it seemed that a siege was the only option besides a direct assault.

"Yes! Since Rome's defense is too strong, we cannot take it in a short time. It's better to use a siege. Besides, Rome has only Philippe's thirty thousand troops. The Austrian reinforcements have also been blocked by us in Venice. They can't come through at all. So I have plenty of time to slowly consume Rome," Napoleon said relaxedly. "Sometimes war relies on gradual accumulation. With the victories I've already achieved in previous battles, I have enough capital to take my time and confront the Austrians. I no longer need victories to increase my prestige."

"Prime Minister, we can only besiege Rome from the land. What about the sea? According to our intelligence, not long ago, Austrian diplomats had already gone to England. If he can convince the British, it is very likely that British warships will reinforce Rome from the sea," Mura said. "Besieging Rome not only needs to be from the land, but also from the sea. Otherwise, the siege of Rome won't be very effective."

"I know, if only we had a powerful navy now. With a strong navy, we might have taken Rome long ago through combined naval and land operations. Nevertheless, we can't let the British become too arrogant. As far as I know, the Mediterranean fleet has been fully assembled. Let's deploy them to the battlefield as well. Although they still have some distance to go compared to the British navy, I believe they can handle smaller tasks like attacking British supply lines," Napoleon said slowly.

France now has enough capital, and this war has entered a stalemate phase. It's now a matter of who can hold out longer. However, Napoleon believes it will be Austria that gives in first.

When that happens, both sides may have to sit back at the negotiating table to resolve the issue. The French government can completely use negotiations to make the Austrians hand over Rome. Of course, the prerequisite is that the French army must have enough cards at that time. Only then can the Austrians be forced to compromise. This is much better than the French army attacking Rome at a great cost.

Inside the French army: Since Napoleon changed the battle plan, the French army has changed its approach to attacking Rome. Under Napoleon's orders, Desai's infantry division began to build defenses. The French artillery concentrated its fire on the Austrian fortresses, attempting to destroy them with cannonballs.

The sudden change in the French army's attack method surprised Philippe. However, Philippe believed that the French army was simply afraid. After two previous failures, the current French army dared not launch large-scale attacks. This was extremely advantageous for defending Rome.

"Yegor, look at that, the French no longer dare to attack!" On the walls of Rome, Philippe watched the movements of the French army, a smile creeping onto his lips. Not long ago, he had sent another dispatch to Vienna. The dispatch naturally detailed how he had crushed the French night raid, embellished with his own account. According to his dispatch, nearly twenty to thirty thousand French soldiers had perished, with four or five generals among them. He wondered if the officials in Vienna would believe his war report.

"Your Excellency, the French no longer dare to commit heavy forces to attack. On the contrary, they are constructing defenses. It seems these Frenchmen want to trap us here," Major General Yegor said.

"Trap us? Those Frenchmen are destined for disappointment. Our diplomats have made progress in London. Soon, our supplies will arrive by sea. It's absolutely impossible for them to trap us here!" Philippe grinned broadly.

Of course, there was one thing he didn't say aloud. Even if the French army did break through Rome's defenses, he could still flee south to Naples seeking refuge. However, he would only do so as a last resort. Otherwise, his career would be over.

"Yes, Your Excellency. Those Frenchmen are destined to achieve nothing. They can't possibly take Rome," Major General Yegor nodded in agreement.

Initially, he had been worried that the French might launch a reckless attack regardless of casualties, eventually breaking through Austria's defenses. However, the French army's current choice finally allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. But when the French artillery regiment, followed by an additional sixty cannons, started to destroy one Austrian fortress after another, Yegor regretted not acting sooner.