The Royal Council

**SwissBarbar** · 12-17-2008, 22:51

Hilarion is right. We must help our makedonian brothers. I am personally interested in helping and liberating them, and so is my master for whom i speak.

Turning to the Basileus

My Lord, in my opinion we are able to fight them for at least as long as one of them has been destroyed. Our empire is huge and surrounded by potential enemies. But exactly this is the point. We have to show the world, that we do not let take us down by some eye-make-uped wannabe hellenes living in egypt or false rulers of hellas. Let us signalize to the east to take heed of the warning!

And let us not forget, that we could conquer very rich regions, if we marched into Hellas in the west and the Delta Nilou, Heptanomis and Thebais in the south.

**MerlinusCDXX** · 12-17-2008, 23:30

No offense taken Basileus, I know I don't stand a chance alone against a full Army off the steppe, the best I could honestly do would be to delay them and harass them. Why do you think I've been agitating to bring the 1st Parthian Army back to the East and slowly replacing my light cavalry with horse-archers of my own. We do need to increase our income substantially, I have a plan to counter them, but it does require the development of some rather expensive infrastructure, I've been developing what I can, given the limited budget we are on, but I can only do so much with what I have available.

Now Alexandros, what I was suggesting about the Sabaean Arabs was simply an idea of expediency. Of course I don't suggest that we actively pursue the screaming barbaroi of the southern desert, but if we find that they keep "flea-biting" us with slave-soldiers from the south, it may be a good idea to take what men could be spared from more important tasks and let them rampage, hell we could use our own criminals and trouble-makers (OOC: cheap expendable troops). We could then just hand the useless towns over to the Arabs. I know it seems like trading one fleabite for another, but how hard would it be to defeat naked primitives, surely it would be easier than beating even the worst soldiers the Ptolemaioi have. We must remember, for all that the Ptolemiaioi are freakish and most un-hellenic, they do train their soldiers in the Hellenic style.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**The Celtic Viking** · 12-18-2008, 00:03

"I will echo Antiochos' words for peace with the Ptolemaioi. What point is there in chasing the dogs to the gates of Hades? If we take Alexandreia, they will be broken, and going on a fool's errand down the Nile would be most unwise. Take a look north and west, my friends! Bloody wars are raging anywhere you look, and we have allies suffering on both ends. If the Ptolemies no longer pose any threat, why then should we waste resources running after them, when friends are dying, and in need of help?

Let me say this once and for all: if we spend our time and resources against the Ptolemaioi, we will be unlikely to get any help in time for either the Baktrians or the Makedonians. If we fail to help them, and they as a result should fall, then we would have enemies on all borders who are now free to focus all they have on us, while we're still struggling with three different fronts! Trust me also when I say that this scenario is not far away from becoming reality. To the west, the Makedonians are losing. From the south the Hellenes are pushing them further and further north, while from the north and west, the Epeirotes are pushing them south and east - until they reach the sea. Makedonia is a little candle burning from both ends - and sideways as well. What time do you think they have left? Meanwhile to the north, Pahlavan regiments show absolutely no respect of our borders. The cross them as they wish, and they know we're powerless to stop them. If they defeat the Baktrians, do you believe even for a second that they would think twice about taking our lands too?

No. Chasing after a beaten foe when strong enemies are gathering up at our flanks and rear is madness."

Hilarion turns to Antiochos.

"If you want my advice, you shouldn't wait with that edict. Andromachos has always been a lazy coward, and we literally can't afford giving crucial economic positions such as satrapies to incompetent men."

**everyone** · 12-18-2008, 03:22

Apparently entering unnoticed a few moments ago, Hermokrates stands up looking wearied, after speaking to his retainer

Apologies for being rather late in this emergency session, for I was in Phrygia after a long march when I received the messenger.

Carrying on, yes, I agree with Hilarion, if we were to capture Alexandreia, we would cripple the ptolemaioi until they are unable to strike, though some may agree on going further up the Nile until Dispolis, the Economic advantages are greater if we force the Ptolemaioi to capitulate; we would need not spend resources to govern and maintain those areas, for it would be done by the subjugated; they would have to pay us a tribute so sizable, we could maintain a few more armies with that; and we need not worry about them becoming a major threat.

**Incitatus** · 12-18-2008, 04:45

Alexandros addresses Hilarion and Hermokrates

If what you say it true about Alexandria, then we are of one mind. It is clearly foolish to pursue a weak enemy when there are stronger ones on other borders. I only question whether or not Ptolemy will be broken after losing only one city (a grand city though it its). As I said before, I do not like nasty surprises. But upon further reflection, I believe that even if Ptolemy is not broken, an Alexandrian frontier would still be defensible. This would allow us to reinforce other fronts. But I will repeat – sooner or later we will have to finish off Ptolemy, and the earlier this is done the better.

**MerlinusCDXX** · 12-18-2008, 05:42

Hmmm, yes Alexandros, I agree that we will eventually need to finish the Aigyptoi, but they would be as biting fleas compared to some of the others we will be facing. I think Memphis would be a good place to stop chasing the Ptolemaioi, once we take it. I'm against the wanton destruction of the city Alexandros Megas founded, but I hold no such compunctions about sacking Memphis back to the state of the screaming primitives the Ptolemaioi love so much, hell, it's not even a true Hellenic city. The sack of Memphis could help fund the building of the infrastructure so badly needed in the East, with the Pahlava on the prowl and the Baktrioi in a bit of trouble. And we could always, in a "magnanimous gesture" give Memphis back in exchange for peace and a hefty tribute, after the sack, of course. We must remember that, once they are broken, the Ptolemaioi will be as fleas in the wool, but the Pahlava are as wolves among the lambs. I know I'd rather suffer the annoyance of a fleabite than the deadly danger of a wolf bite. I do know we have other things to think about than these Aigyptoi upstarts, but I don't think for one minute that losing only Alexandria will break them. I say Memphis, with a severe sack to teach them about toying with the heirs of Alexandros, and then peace, while we fortify the Nile crossings and the Sinai.

**Celtic_Punk** · 12-18-2008, 17:37

Give these people an amount of respect. They have been tricked into thinking these people are their ancient kings. Whom might I add came before the Greeks, and had forged their own empire by conquest in the age of the chariots! We should be freeing them. Not making them slaves, that will make us no better than the Ptolemai.

We must cripple their Army first! once Memphis is secure, aswell as the Eastern Deserts, we should march a way's down the nile. With intent to destroy resistance, but leave the cities. then march back up the nile and secure a front line and build defences. This is a realistic goal, and the cities we'd have obtained from the sieges would give us a sizable boost to our economy. We must be willing to put things on the line. Or else how can we ever know our limits? 2 armies will be enough to support each other if the other gets in trouble. Our Generals on that front are experienced enough to not even need support. Holding a border at Byantion is ideal because it is a choke point. This will allow us time to regroup after we have made the two Egyptian additions to the Arche on both ends. We will also have a better idea of the military situation in the East. whether or not they need support of another army or not. Once we have all the details we can then think on what our next operation will be.