Megas Logothetes' and Senators' Reports

[OverKnight]

Megas Logothetes' Report for 1083

1081 was a year of frenetic action.


Domestic Affairs:

Buildings and recruitment were started in all settlements. This will not last as we will soon expend our monetary reserves. Our Empire, to be blunt, currently has a poor economy. I ask all Senators to review their taxation and build policies to help alleviate this. Unfortunately this means requests for mercenaries will be denied.

I must commend Comes Markianos Ampelas. Of the Senators in position to pursue the Patriarch's prize, he was the only one who had the sense to build roads in his city first. You may run your holdings as you wish, however without roads, trade and military movement will suffer.

Our agent has moved north to monitor Scopia and Sofia. I hesitate to send our lone priest into heathen territory without some compatriots. For now he is trying to spread the word near Nicaea, a settlement in need of it. Our lone Merchant has been dispatched toward the Levant to take his place in the spice trade.

The Council of Nobles has asked that we take Canakkale. If we do so within 15 years, we have been promised 2500 ducats.

A 45 year old suitor has asked for my daughter's, Anna, hand in marriage. I declined.


Foreign Affairs:

In order to shield my daughter from middle-aged suitors, I have sent her north to negotiate with the Magyars. It will be a few years before she makes contact. I have begun the recruitment of a diplomat to spare Anna further trips.


Military Affairs:

The fielding of proper armies will take time. There are no Castles capable of producing bowmen or heavy cavalry. Our only castles are in Corinth and Nicosia and they are far removed from many parts of the Empire. I will work to rectify this, but even Royal armies will take time to fully form. Since we have to chosen to expand immediately we must do the best with what we have.

Imperial Army:

I have begun marching on Sofia. As requested, Senator Ioannis Kantakouzinos is accompanying me.


Order of St. John:

The Order has begun landing in the Levant, west of Antioch.


The Asteri:

Senators Ioannis Kalameteros and Nevelous ek Philadelphias have departed Athens by ship and are heading towards Rhodes.


The Komnenodoukai:

Caesar Ioannis is marching west from Nicaea towards Canakkale.


The Tagamata:

Comes Aleksios ek Ikoniou and Senator Philippos Eirinikos have led men from Corinth north and met up with two units of troops there. They are now ready to drive on Arta. (OOC: They were chosen because the other two avatars in Corinth had reduced MP)


The Tepaki:

The entire House, well all two of them, has galloped west towards Durazzo from Thessalonica.


Unaligned:

Senator Methodios Tagaris is a bit ahead of the Tepaki however, as he is a Drillmaster.


For 1083, The Order of St. John is granted use of the fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean while the Asteri are granted the use of the fleet on which some of their nobles are embarked. (OOC: The House leaders or their designated proxies can use them during free movement)

Here's the save for 1083 (SS turns are 1.5 years): http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/LOTR-1083-0.zip

Post in this thread when you take the save. Please add the appropriate number for the new save at the end of it's title. (ie the next save would be LOTR-1083-1 instead of -0) Please compress the new save before uploading it, and then post a link to the new save in a new post in this thread. Please summarize what you did with the save in that post.