The Curia

**Potocello** · 01-01-2009, 07:40

Tribvnvs Servivs Longvs stands to voice his opinion, addressing Legatvs Cotta he says

"Senator, as the Consul stated, it is not worth it to attack one city with one legion and have it be destroyed when we could just as well send two legions to destroy it and take minimal casualties. There is no point in risking the defeat of one of these legions. You said, "If we fail to defeat the Celts in one battle, we can inflict heavy casualties on them before falling back and attacking again." But why wouldn't we just send the two legions after one city and not risk the massive casualties which would result in more spending and more time to rebuild these legions. With all due respect to Legatvs Cotta and the Dictator, i think it would be just foolish to send one army to fight these brutes alone."

Servivs glances at the Consul and sits, waiting for the replies of his fellow senators.

**YouHaveRecieved** · 01-01-2009, 13:36

Why should we wait to attack?

Why not starve them out?

I'm sure our supply lines would hold for a year or so, and you know what would happen to Celts if they get hungry. They will rush out the gates in an unorganized manner and Roman tactics will win the day. Unless we prefer the other options.

**SwissBarbar** · 01-01-2009, 14:17

I say we crush them by superior force, no risk. You speak of soldiers and retrainig as if they were chessmen. But these soldiers are Romans! Though they are not of high rank, they still are our brothers. Do not lead them into massacre and say "we have enough of them, we'll attack again if we lose in the first place". We don't lose! Roman discipline is great, but its founded on intelligent strategical desicions, and not on leading men into battle and hope they kill enough enemies until they get slaughtered, so the next army may win! One single dead roman is already too much to give to those filthy, smelly naked barbarian in the north, though I know, that a very hard fight is about to happen! If we lose, this will be an invitation to all Barbarians to invade our territories because they see, that we can be beaten. The Carthagians will laugh at us, the Greeks may invade too and many other nations could come to the conclusion, that roman power is to be challenged. Let us make an example once and for all.

**YouHaveRecieved** · 01-01-2009, 14:49

As I said, why need superior numbers when we can easily crush them if we wait for them to sally out of their strongholds. They will be hungry and angry. They will heed no orders and flanking will be easy and at a whim. I give them a year, two at most before they come, less if they are confident. We then just use manoeverabilty to outwit the fools. I differ from you greatly Noble Mamercus. I think the loss of two whole legions is satisfactory for the greater good of the Republic. Would you die watching the Republic fall or watching it flourish?

**everyone** · 01-01-2009, 14:59

The crowd jeers

Asina rises to address Titvs

"Titvs Valerivs Maximvs, I'm afraid what you meant by 'the loss of two whole legions is satisfactory for the greater good of the Republic' is horribly impossible; might I remind you that those two legions are the only legions that we could currently muster, and if they were to be lost, the garrisons of our lands would be vulnerable to an invasion from either direction.

Even if we do not get invaded, rebuilding those two legions would probably take until the next congressional session, which by then things are going to change.

Also, our armies could not maintain a siege for that long, the furthest we can wait is a year before our supplies run low and there are threats of mutiny; and even Bononia would need around 5 seasons before they run out of supplies.

However, I am confident that if they are to sally, we could crush them with our superior strategy and tactics; they have no obstructions to aid them; we just need to get a good reason for them to sally forth."

**Ibn-Khaldun** · 01-01-2009, 15:20

Quintus rises..

I agree with Asina. We can not risk with losing those two legions. And one legion can not win the garrisons of those barbarian villages.

Legio I Apulia (Standard Legion)
1 principes (82 men, full strength)
2 equites romani (50 men each, full strength)
3 Hastati (82 men each, full strength)
2 Accensi (60 men each, full strength)

Is this the legion you want to use against barbarians??

Quintus laughs..

A bunch of poor Hastati and Accensi against bloodthirsty and trained barbarians??
This is a massacre and nothing else!!!

Quintus takes his seat..

**YouHaveRecieved** · 01-01-2009, 15:21

I said the loss of two legions, not the two Legions we have. Five seasons is little over a year and I am sure our commanders keep enough disipline in the Legions to see that they last that long.
Titus smirks at his last sentance.
Do you not believe that you could cope with the stress and bring your troops to win. Of course, I belive and the plebs as well ought to believe. Yes, I still hold true to my statement. If one of fine Generals were to lose your Legions or, by Hades, lose your life but manage to capture the settlement. I'm sure I would be grieving, but that you did your duty to the Republic.

**everyone** · 01-01-2009, 15:31

the crowd continues jeering

"Titvs, it is not a matter of discipline, rather it is a matter of logistics; would supplies be able to reach us? would it reach us on time? there are a myriad of problems in logistics.
Also, isn't 'the loss of two legions' the same as 'the loss of two legions we have'? two legions are all we have, together with some levies and militia"