In truth, Alpheo would never have expected Sorza to adopt the very tactic that had denied him victory in the field some seven years ago or so.
Enemy or not, credit was due where it was deserved, and in that regard Alpheo could admit a measure of respect.
It took a certain clearance of mind to strip the enemy of their methods and make them your own, unclouded by pride or shame really.
That spirit, cold, practical, and willing to learn, was worth acknowledging for sure.
But it was the spirit he respected, not the decision itself.
That was a different matter, for when Alpheo first read of Sorza's reforms, the very first thought that crossed his mind was:
What a dumbass.
Alpheo mused as he wondered if this was what the Romans of the Republic had felt when they marched out to meet the army of Mithridates of Pontus,a king who had tried, and failed, to mimic the Roman legionary system.
And just as Pontus had failed against Rome, so too would Sorza fail against him.
