Efstratios lifts his head momentarily, and addresses Apionnas

I quite disagree. The Egyptian Sultan is too predictable. If he doesn't sit his fat arse in Cairo for the next 15 decades, spawning generation after generation of bleedin' idiots, then he will go after Jerusalem and the Teutonic Order.

If we should fear the Egyptians so, then it makes ever more sense to construct a NAVY and sink the bastards en route.

Does no one else see that our generals and a few peasant spearmen can take care of our rebel situation, and that our main forces at this point should be NAVIES?

Our bodyguards alone could likely take care of the inner empire. But we will never HAVE an outer empire without some bloody ships.

He pauses for a moment to let this sink in:



SAILING VESSELS! Masted war machines! Rafts and freaking ROWBOATS!!! ANYTHING!!!!




Efstratios now has a pounding headache, not from his multiple skull fractures and oxygen-deprived brain, but from the utter lack of proper naval forces to defend the realm. He passes out yet again.