The Royal Council

[LeoCordis]

I thank you for seconding Edict E1.5 Meleagros Ptolemaios. I see you have wisdom in your years and I will support your election to Chancellor.

If, Gods willing, Edict E1.5 does pass I would be more than happy to Ankhwennefer Philometer serve as my second-in-command on my detached detail. All Asiatikons have heard the tales of 'The Anchor' and it would be a pleasure and an honour to have him accompany me.

I have hardly any funds left for a fleet I am afraid my brothers. The fortune my father gave me for my stay in Aegypten has sadly being wittled away and the recent purchase of an estate and supervisors has left me with barely a couple of hundred mnai.

[Visor]

Ankhwennefer stands once more.

It would be a pleasure to serve our glorious nation with you. If the edict passes, I will accept.

I too have barely a mnai to rub between my hands. Maybe some of the more wealthier of us could provide?

[The Celtic Viking]

"Greetings to you all, noble Strategoi!

I am very glad to see that this Council is a strong one, and many good points and suggestions have already been made. Be assured that none of them have fallen on deaf ears, comrades. For example, I was not aware of the weakness of our naval forces before, but thanks to Eunostos, the silence has been broken. However, if admiral Naukrates has become a bleeding-heart pacifist since his loss and thinks this is his ticket out of war, he is quite mistaken if I can have a say in it, which I of course can. I very much agree with Ankhwennefer Philometer and my brother when they voice their view that we should all be selfless enough to chip in when the kingdom is in need. I have decided to take matters on my own and spend my money to build some ships for him to finish the job with. Any strategos who, out of his own free will, donates his money to help this cause will earn my gratitude. As such I withdraw Edict E1.1 and replace it with this:

Edict E1.1: The Basileus Philadelphos Ptolemaios, and any strategos who so chooses, may spend his own money to build a fleet in order to eliminate the immediate threat that the Seleukid naval supremacy now pose us. If this is done, the recruitment cost will be repaid by the Kingdom as soon as possible; the fleet will be disbanded as soon as the threat is dealt with, though.

Until that is done, though, I have decided to Change Edict E1.2 as well. It shall say this:

Edict E1.2: The heir's Royal Army shall be escorted by admiral Naukrates to Kilikia where they shall relieve or reclaim Tarsos from the Seleukids.

I will add that I support leaving a few units from it in Aigyptos to defend Alexandreia, though I am quite sceptical as to the wisdom of going on the offensive on a second front at this moment.

Now onwards and forwards, comrades. The idea of creating a Nomarchy in the upper Nile has been suggested and proposed, and it is one I can say I neither outright reject or endorse. Meleagros, my brother, you seem to be the main objector to this idea, and I take your opinion of this seriously. I have in fact decided that, should Law E1.1 pass, I will indeed grant it to you. Does this influence your position on the matter at all?"

[LeoCordis]

If, Basileus you are to leave those troops specifically for the defence of Aegyptos to defend the borders of the Kingdom then I will propose another edict.

Edict E1.7 - On the condition that Edict E1.5 passes then the troops that have been left to Bothos Lapethou Kypriakou will become a regular army.

[The Celtic Viking]

Philadelphos Ptolemaios coughs.

"Excuse me, Bothos, but I believe you are mistaken, or perhaps I just misunderstand you. Probably I'm just too technically minded about this sort of thing. Whatever the case may be, I would not be the one leaving any men anywhere; it is the heir who would do it. Speaking of which, where is my son? I would very, very much like to hear his opinion on this; it is his army we are talking about, after all."

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Eunostos turns towards Bothos..

I hesitate supporting this Edict. The old laws say:

4.3 Army Replenishment

If a Regular or Royal Army falls below the minimum strength level, all military recruitment must be allocated to restoring the Army to minimum strength before money can be spent on other recruitment, unless the Basileus agrees otherwise.
In the event of a conflict, a Royal Army takes priority over a Regular Army.

If the Basileus agrees with this I have no problem..

[LeoCordis]

My Basileus, you said you supported leaving units in Aigyptos, so I thought it would be right to propose such a decision. If the Edict E1.5 does come to pass then the units will be split from the Royal Army no matter what.

Eunostos, I understand the severe financial burdens we are under, but these are vital possessions of the Kingdom we are talking about defending. The indignity we face from Kyrenese forces if insufferable and that outweighs all other concerns in the south. The ancient laws stand of course, but it states that 'all military recruitment' not, 'all military units' will be allocated to restoring the army.

As thus I do not see anything lawfully wrong with my Edict. Of course, in my youth I could be overseeing something important.

[The Celtic Viking]

"Well, the law does say that I (and I presume the Chancellor) could agree to ignore this law. I would be willing to do that in this case if necessary; what I would not be willing to do is to take men away from my son without his consent. Thus I would like to hear from him before I take my side in this."

Philadelphos turns to Bothos.

"That is true, but as long as it isn't made into a Regular Army, those men would still belong to my son. This would change if we made them into a Regular Army, which is why I won't support it without my son's approval. In fact, I won't even support taking men away from my son in the way specified in Edict E1.5 if he doesn't consent with it."

[LeoCordis]

I suppose you are right my Basileus.

I will eagerly await your sons return from Syria.

[The Celtic Viking]

"I have been thinking about this problem of the blockaded port. So far we have concentrated on the 'blockaded' part. As it has come to light that we do not have the navy required to lift it, and the means to create one will delay, so perhaps for the most immediate future we should instead focus on the 'port' part. I think I shall simply move south and have the supplies shipped to Hierosolyma instead, from where I shall strike at Damaskos and end the threat that city poses us. This doesn't mean that their navy no longer poses as a threat; it just means that it isn't as immediate as it was before. As such, I have edited Edict E1.1 to reflect this."