Imperial Diet & Rules

[Zim]

As the Diet seems to be slowly coming to a close I would like to bring up a few subjects.

First, I nominate myself for the position of Spymaster.

Next, there is an upcoming problem we haven't spoken of here this session. Although the Reich seems to be in much better condition than when my family was driven from their lands in Essen during the Time of Troubles there is still an encroaching danger beyond the usual cadre of enemies we've come to know and loath.

I speak in regard to the mad ravings of that Turk that came in here some time ago. While I am not sure one such as he could truly be representative of a nation, these are heathens we are talking about so we can rule nothing out. The Turks rule vast territories and grow ever closer to our border. In power they are greater than our current enemies combined. I have no doubt German steel can stop them but it may be best to be prepared in case they are belligerent as they seem. Even the Reich is vulnerable when caught unprepared, as some events of the past couple decades have taught us.

[phonicsmonkey]

The Prinz.

Von Essen I admire your foresight but what would you have us do beyond what we currently strive to achieve?

Osterreich will be the Duchy which will face the first assault if these heathens choose to attack us and we move to strengthen our hand by consolidating our hold on the region. By eliminating the Milanese and conquering the western Hungarian provinces we should gain a position of power which will give us the means to resist them.

What more should we do to prepare?

[Zim]

Mein Prinz,

I was thinking of anything at all rather than not discussing them and acting as if they are not an upcoming threat, as seems to have been our strategy up to this point.

By what seems happy chance our current plans will indeed help us prepare to deal with the Turks, but then so would any that involved eliminating some of our many enemies and consolidating our territory.

As an example, I think we should discuss possibly trying to improve our castles so that we may arm peasant fodder with crossbows,a potent weapon when dealing with the Muslims, who favor mounted archers. This requires no edict, just something for current owners of the Reich's castles to keep in mind.

We could also see about sending some kind of envoy to the Turkish court, in order to ascertain their intentions.