Duchy of Swabia

[Warluster]

You shall hopefully be made a Imperial Knight within the next few years, and from there a capable commander as your own.

It seems Duke Arnold as got it right, ands his plans are all right except that of the retreat from Metz. THis decision lies to Count Ruppel. Do you wish to retreat and fight again, or perhaps wear them down so there a easier target? Either way, I am confident in your decisions.

[Zim]

Thank you for the welcome, mein Duke. I will give King Matthias your regards, although you may yet meet him yourself while he is in town for the Diet.

It is good to be in Swabia again. Despite it's troubles, with such fine men leading the House I have no doubt we shall recover quickly. Since I am not actively participating in campaigns in Swabia, instead spending most of my time in Outremer, I will not pretend to advise you on military matters here. However, I will vote for any bill reccommended by mein Duke von Salza.

[deguerra]

There are some advising me to sally forth to wreak some destruction on the French besiegers. Is this a valid idea?

edit: I just think that with the amount of crossbowmen he has, my lack of cavalry as well as no archers, I will get hurt more than him

[Zim]

A letter arrives bearing the mark of Andreas von Salzgitter

Fellow Swabians, as those of you who have revisited the Diet recently may be aware of already, I have recaptured the city of Antioch. In their haste to flee from Matthias, the Greeks had left the city virtually empty. By the end of the season, Matthias will once again be guarding the Iron Bridge. Meanwhile, our English neighbors in Outremer seem to be guarding their new territories well, recruiting many soldiers. All is not completely well, and the Greeks continue to greatly outnumber us, but it seems Outremer is on the mend.

Regards,
Andreas von Salzgitter, Crusader

[deguerra]

At least one Swabian is getting things done, even if it's in Outremer. Gentlemen, I want more discussion taking place here, I want orders and I want a clear cut plan for how we are going to defeat the French. I am still holed up in Bruges and don't think I can leave with my army in the rather shabby state that it is, and my walls unrepaired.

But leave I shall and challenge any foe I must, so long as I see that it is part of some plan we have and not just squandering of our already preciously few resources.

So Duke, Herr Ruppel, for my humble benefit and that of the newcomers, what exactly is the plan?

[FactionHeir]

On the southern front, Metz has fallen this year and the French are gathering for a crossborder strike I believe.
Our forces are still heavily battered and mostly fresh recruits and garrison troops that would stand little chance against the battle hardened French armies that stand at Metz and Dijon.

Without any additional cavalry being supplied to Swabia by the chancellor nor his steward, I fear that both Staufen and Bern may fall to the onslught of their hordes of chivalric footknight.

In the meantime, I have gathered what forces we have and moved just south of the ford near Staufen to counteract any French advance. It may be a futile undertaking, but I shall sooner die than let the French take more of our homeland.

[deguerra]

Right. Sounds good Ruppel, but what is the grand master plan? Does our Duke even have one? And where is he for that matter? His presence in these discussions, or in any others for that matter is sorely lacking!