[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
In light of recent clarification, I am changing my vote, I would really rather the Caradysh Empire not fall. I really do not like our odds of winning against 2 martial heroes and a martial genius by ourselves when we only have the 1.
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
Damn it would've been nice to fight with boarfolk on our side.
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
changed my mind.
Not quite true. You are larger with a bigger population, but translates into more spare manpower rather than more troops. Your population growth has outstripped your recruitment rates massively so you have disproportionately few warriors compared to your population.
This assumes that you can fight on your terms and forgets some social factors. If they attack your vassals, your social values obligate you to go to their defence, which could mean field battles. Furthermore, you might have a Martial Hero of your own, but you are facing a Martial Genius and two Martial Heroes. There is a good chance that they can fight on their own terms and force battles that are undesirable for your strategy.
No battle plan survives contact with the enemy and don't expect the Nersondur to let you fight this war on your terms if they can help it.
I mean. What I'm suggesting is sending raiding groups deep into Nersondur territory to gather intel on their colonies on this landmass. Yeah we are obligated to defend as best we can. But part of that defense is actually having an ability to win a prolonged war. Some of our forces must go on the offense, we will only lose if we commit totally to defending against an overwhelming martial force. It's always been true. We bunker up in our walled holdings, while self-sufficient bands of raiders tear up infrastructure. Our vassals have almost entirely been building walls, and even though our recruitment is low I would expect after the build-up for a potential war with Caradysh that we still have noticeably more numbers than our initial wars against Forluc or Merntir or Urth.
Like. I'm suggesting doing what we have always done, and open up a front in their infrastructure/backline. One to three turns (2-6 years) gathering intel and getting used to the environment. Then start doing what we have done before, tearing up supply lines and straining administrative capacity.
On this front, the main front? We will have little to no control frankly. We're out-strategized by a more militant culture who is more advanced and experienced militarily and the odds anything can be done on the main front but slowly lose until we modernize in some ways are, in my opinion, very small.
This was expected, even back in the original thread. But uh, this is a different thread now.
I mean. It sort of reads to me as "here's a conflict in which you will lose" assuming the Martial Genius doesn't overextend and they decide to annex our vassals instead. There's basically nothing we can expect to do about them taking any unwalled settlement. Walls should help mitigate their massive advantages, but even then we'll probably lose things.
Like. My assumption is that the Nersondur plan is to take a bite out of us, integrate it, and then attack us alongside the warlord (if he lives) and the Caradysh. I think we, alone, have an astronomically small chance of stopping that.
Alone.
I believe the Caradysh would prefer us as neighbors, and I think we can probably ally them as opposed to having to fight them for the second war (if they don't join us in this first one).
If we can bring the Caradysh on board for the first war we have a shot at stalling Nersondur's advance while we modernize and mobilize for the first time in many, many decades. The Caradysh are one of our greatest threats because the undead can play the long game we like to play and truly be peers at it. At the same time, if they could be trusted they'd make excellent allies for the same reason. We both like to play for the long haul, and grind opponents down while protecting our heartlands fiercely.
I, personally, am still pretty sour and paranoid from the not-canon-in-this-timeline assassinations and possessions. But if I let that go, the undead would make an excellent union with us. Apparently they use non-divine magic, and we use divine, and there probably aren't any restrictions on the undead becoming pious, so I think we could ultimately integrate with one another pretty well. We're no strangers to black soil and making beauty from dirt. So long as this incarnation of undead isn't akin to being slavers of souls (which was one of my Big Gripes) then it's fine.
If the choice is to give up grudge or lose our vassals, I'd rather give up grudge. We've been told ooc repeatedly that they're just another fantasy race, not a mindless evil, so. Yeah. Here's hoping the diplo genius works out
The vote is still open. Vote Tally : Chronicles of Nations Redux - Civ Quest Original | Page 162 | Sufficient Velocity [Posts: 4034-4079] ##### NetTally 2.2.0
-[X] Evatine attempts to hire Boarfolk tribes to aid the Arthwyd against the Nersondurans. (Temp Diplo-, Temp Wealth----, Temp Martial+?, ???) No. of Votes: 11
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
I hope the martial hero makes it, Boarfolk would of been valuable.
I mean. What I'm suggesting is sending raiding groups deep into Nersondur territory to gather intel on their colonies on this landmass. Yeah we are obligated to defend as best we can. But part of that defense is actually having an ability to win a prolonged war. Some of our forces must go on the offense, we will only lose if we commit totally to defending against an overwhelming martial force. It's always been true. We bunker up in our walled holdings, while self-sufficient bands of raiders tear up infrastructure. Our vassals have almost entirely been building walls, and even though our recruitment is low I would expect after the build-up for a potential war with Caradysh that we still have noticeably more numbers than our initial wars against Forluc or Merntir or Urth.
Like. I'm suggesting doing what we have always done, and open up a front in their infrastructure/backline. One to three turns (2-6 years) gathering intel and getting used to the environment. Then start doing what we have done before, tearing up supply lines and straining administrative capacity.
On this front, the main front? We will have little to no control frankly. We're out-strategized by a more militant culture who is more advanced and experienced militarily and the odds anything can be done on the main front but slowly lose until we modernize in some ways are, in my opinion, very small.
Just be aware that this Epic Age will be doing year long turns rather than turns that last several years. One to three turns would be 1-3 years and one year was enough for one of the larger nations around to get blitzkriegged.
Furthermore, while it is possible to focus on your strengths, defending your people and vassals doesn't mean doing your best to win the war. It is certainly possible to bunker down and raid, but if Skjaldur or one of his lieutenants decide to set siege to Caermyr or something like that, the Arthwyd will expect their warriors to go to their aid even if that isn't military optimal. Even if the best strategy would be to let Caermyr hunker down while the Catclaws and Cateyes raid the Nersondur territories, you can expect to get culminative penalties for every turn that you don't go to break the siege of Caermyr.
Like. My assumption is that the Nersondur plan is to take a bite out of us, integrate it, and then attack us alongside the warlord (if he lives) and the Caradysh. I think we, alone, have an astronomically small chance of stopping that.
Alone.
The Nersonduran plan is to go straight for Greenbay as much as feasibly possible to conquer the place. They don't know about the Boarfolk warlord or his plans while Skjaldur has openly stated his intent to conquer Greenbay. He has to follow though on that or his legitimacy crashes.
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
It is late for me while the vote is both close and important so I'm going to leave it open until I get up in the morning. You got the few/several hours to vote before I close it. Vote Tally : Chronicles of Nations Redux - Civ Quest Original | Page 162 | Sufficient Velocity [Posts: 4034-4086] ##### NetTally 2.2.0
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote) No. of Votes: 11
-[X] Evatine attempts to hire Boarfolk tribes to aid the Arthwyd against the Nersondurans. (Temp Diplo-, Temp Wealth----, Temp Martial+?, ???) No. of Votes: 9
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
-[X] Evatine attempts to hire Boarfolk tribes to aid the Arthwyd against the Nersondurans. (Temp Diplo-, Temp Wealth----, Temp Martial+?, ???) No. of Votes: 9
[X] She decides to commit to the fighting in the south. (Pick one sub-vote)
-[X] Evatine moves to liberate the Fornn from its Nersondur conquerors. (Temp Econ-)
While Cadlon Evatine of the Arthwyd strongly desires to continue preparations to get every last advantage she can before the war came to the Arthwyd Empire, she also knows that means that the Nersondur will finish eliminating the Caradysh Empire. Without the Caradysh Empire, the war would end up being between just the Arthwyd Empire and the new Nersondur Empire.
That was not something she could afford to let happen. The fighting needed to be waged on foreign land if possible to spare the Arthwyd Empire from the worst of it and that meant keeping the Caradysh Empire in the fray. Should the Caradysh Empire fall, High King Skjaldur and his Nersondurans would invade Arthwydish lands next.
So as much as Evatine would like to entice some more Boarfolk tribes to aid them or get a few more warriors, she instead marches south. The fall of the Fornn has left the rest of the Caradysh Empire isolated and exposed to unhindered conquest from the Nersondur. Evatine needs to prevent that from happening and so she shall.
Yet by the time that Evatine reaches the south alongside an army with warriors from all over the Arthwyd Empire, dire news reaches her. With his goal focused on conquering the Arthwyd Empire, Skjaldur has attempted to win other parts of the war with diplomacy as he reaches out to what remains of the Caradysh Empire and beyond.
Isolated and alone, the people of the Hamefordysh, Diondairysh and the Sinsearysh all bend knee to Skjaldur as they cast aside their old Forester overlords in favour of Nersonduran ones. It would not mean much overall as their lands are small and already ravaged by the Nersondur over past generations, but it means less fighting for Nersondur and less Nersonduran warriors dying before they turn their attention to the Arthwyd Empire.
Yet that is the end of Skjaldur's success on the diplomatic front. Embolden by the Arthwydish warriors arriving in the southern Lowlands, the Fordysh reject the Nersonduran demands of submission and continue to fight even as Raonul leads an army of Nersonduran-aligned Lowlander warriors into Fordysh territory.
And then there is the reaction of the Forluc and the Forden. For whatever reason, High King Skjaldur had decided to reach out to them as he had sent several envoys to convince the Forlucans to turn against the Arthwyd. The Forlucans took offence at the very existence of the offer and when it comes to how they vented their fury on Skjaldur's envoys as a result of that outrage, the less said, the better.
Then when it came to magic-hating, outsider-hating Lochanysh, all the Arthwyd Empire could tell is that they neither joined forces with Skjaldur nor did they get invaded by the Nersonduran High King.
Ultimately, the lines had been carved in the stone as the fighting began in earnest. Eradan had not only survived his wounds from the seasons prior, but the Fornn war hero had made a full recovery so while Evatine led the Arthwydish forces in the Fornn territories, Eradan did the same with what remained of the Fornn warriors.
While Raonul went with his Lowlanders to conquer the Fornn, High King Skjaldur and his Nersonduran warriors joined up with his right hand Arnulfur in the land of the Fornn to repel the Arthwydish liberators.
Over the rest of the year, thousands on both sides would die in the southern Lowlands. Raonul would go onto find great success in his invasion of the Fordysh as the Lowlander warlord took the majority of the important sites. The Fordysh continued to fight on, but they had taken losses of three to one fighting against Raonul and perhaps as much as two thirds of their territory had been conquered with that remaining third most consisting of the least important land.
The fighting in the Fornn easily outstrips what had taken place in the Fordysh as while thousands had died in the east of the Caradysh Empire, tens of thousands had died in the west of the Caradysh Empire. The Fornn had lost perhaps as many as the Fordysh had except in this case, Eradan had turned the tables on Arnulfur and inflicted more losses than he had taken.
The fight between Cadlon Evatine and the Arthwydish forces against High King Skjaldur and his Nersonduran forces had been even greater in scale. Both the Cadlon and the High King had tens of thousands of warriors following them and both had seen thousands of their warriors dead or maimed in the ongoing warfare.
While the majority of the deaths belonged to the militia, levies or other part time warriors, hundreds of professional warriors had met their deaths on the battlefield as well. Even about ten dozen Catclaws and Cateyes had been lost to the fighting alongside a few dozen of the Forlucan Sun Warriors.
As the next winter rolls around, the fighting is still ongoing with both sides having multiple victories, defeats and draws. Yet the war is not a stalemate as active fighting continues across the northern Caradysh Empire. The Fordysh are not so slowly being overrun by Raonul while the combined efforts of the Fornn and the Arthwyd Empire have seen the Nersondur driven out of a decent portion of the Fornn lands, even with Skjaldur leading his people in person.
***
"The Caradysh still refuse to take action despite your pleas," inquires Cadlon Evatine of the Arthwyd at the allied war council, trying to keep her distaste for the monstrous masters of her allies.
No matter how rightful it is, she does not need to pick unnecessary fights. Not when Skjaldur, Arnulfur and all of the other Nersonduran curs will give her plenty of battles to win.
"Nay," replies Warlord Eradan, the leader by default of the Fornn thanks to his victories and a lack of rivals for the position, "Paled cowards, the lot of them. Well, not all of them. We had a few overseers showing up with their servants, but they are acting of their own accord and not on the behalf of Cadlon Morgyn."
"Undead abominations," mutters Rhoswyn, a senior Catclaw from the Merntir, "You cannot trust any unnatural like that."
"Me da and grandpa might have tried to knock yah head for that, but I am inclined to agree with yah myself," says Eradan with a shrug, "Me people are dying and bleeding, but they sit in their forest."
"They are waiting to see which way the rock falls," says Evatine thoughtfully, "Most of the Caradysh Empire has fallen and Skjaldur is no easily overcome threat. The supply of bodies from the Lowlands is nice, but not nice enough for them to risk their immortal hides to protect it from a threat as dangerous as the Nersondurans currently are."
"Well burn them," declares Eradan to approving looks of pretty much everyone from the Arthwyd Empire, which is the majority of the people at the war council, "They are not going to get anything from my people if they are not going to protect us."
"Which brings me to a point that I would like to raise," says the sole representative from the Fordysh, a man with only one arm and one eye called Narkae, "The Caradysh Empire is over. The south has been conquered one way or another by the Nersondurans and the north would have been if it was not for you Northerners. The Caradysh hide in their forest and have abandoned us while the Arthwyd come to our aid. You have fought and died alongside us and have uphold the burdens that the Caradysh took responsibility for in exchange for the loyalty of our people."
"What are you saying?" asks Evatine even as she knows exactly where Narkae is going and what the man is talking about.
"He is saying that the Arthwyd have come to our aid and not the Caradysh," cuts in Eradan as he gives Narkae a look.
"The Caradysh Empire has fallen," continues Narkae, "The Caradysh have abandoned it and what has not been conquered by the Southerners is protected by the Arthwyd Empire. I speak for my people that we would rather be part of the Arthwyd Empire than the Caradysh Empire for it has been the Arthwyd who have stood by us and came to our aid."
"Aye, I will say the same for ma own people," says Eradan as he gives Narkae an approving nod before turning to Evatine, "Yah and yah people have been fighting alongside while lassie Morgyn has been sitting on her pretty little head in her big arse forest. Shows me and mine who we want to be in charge of us."
"I would be honoured to have the Fornn and Fordysh as part of the Arthwyd Empire," says Evatine even as the Champion of Arthryn thinks about what this means.
On the one hand, it is official acknowledging a simple fact as the Arthwyd did come to the aid of the Fornn and the Fordysh while the Caradysh abandoned them. The Arthwyd Empire is already down here, committed to defending them as they fight Skjaldur and the Nersondur. It might cause some difficulties after the war, but nothing that a Cadlon of Evatine's calibre cannot handle.
Where does Evatine commit the Arthwydish forces?
[] She keeps all of her forces committed to retaking the Fornn.
[] She splits her forces between liberating both the Fornn and the Fordysh.
[] She tries to launch an offensive assault into Nersondur territory.
***
This update has been a mixed bag with both sides seeing success and failure in different areas. The Caradysh have basically called it quits while the Nersondur have convinced half of what was left of the Caradysh to semi-peaceful defect, but you successful got the other half thanks to your actions. So the Nersondur got a third, you got two thirds except the Nersondur in practice control closer to two thirds while you only have actual control over a third.
The fighting itself has been mixed with the only consistent thing being how bloody it is been. With all of the Martial Heroes running about, there has been a lot of death. Raonul has been overrunning the Fordysh, but Eradan won against Arnulfur and Evatine and Skjaldur fought each other to a draw. Like they literally got the same result after everything had been added up.
At the moment, this attrition is favouring you because you can afford to trade equal losses better than the Nersondur can. That said, you don't want Skjaldur getting the upper hand and you want to be strong enough that Novikov doesn't decide to take a swing at you once he gets back.
The current vote is between continuing to commit everything to the Fornn, weakening your Fornn force to send troops to help out the Fordysh and launching a surprise attack on the Nersondur lines. Both Evatine and Eradan think that the Fordysh will fall without help and unlike the Arthwyd, the Fornn don't have any troops to spare.
Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes that you spot. Please quote them in the thread and explain what you think is wrong so I know what you are referring to. Feel to ask questions for more details and information.
The Arthwyd Ancient Theocratic Elective Monarchy UpperCentralisationLimit: 8 Lower CentralisationLimit: -2 Admin Strain Free Provinces: 6 Penalty Accumulation: Additional +2 Lower Centralisation required per 1 Province Player Actions: 1 Main Action + 1 Secondary Action +1 Secondary Action per 2 Provinces Passive Policies: 1 +1 per 2 Provinces. Subordinates: 2 + Prestige/10 Special: Gain Crisis Resistance+ per Province Special: Free Subordinate Slot for Subordinates that share the same religion per a point of Legitimacy. Special: Monarchs are more likely to be competent.
Early Ancient Palace Economy Crisis Damage: Event, Crisis Damage- per 1 Centralisation. Wealth Generation: 1 per Dominant. Passive Policies: 1 +1 per 2 Provinces. Additional Actions: None Special: Negative Centralisation or lower than Minimum Centralisation will lead to collapse.
Statuses Centre of Trade (Caermyr): Temp Wealth+ every Turn. Centre of Trade (Greenbay): Temp Wealth+ every Turn. Coughing Plague (Medium Plague): d6 Crisis every Turn. Expensive Free Labour: All Wealth Costs are greatly increased, +2 to Innovation Rolls, King of the Hill: Temp Diplo+ at the start of every Turn. Trade Dominance (Bronze Goods): Wealth++ Trade Dominance (Copper Goods): Wealth+ Trade Dominance (Gold Goods): Wealth++ Trade Dominance (Silver Goods): Wealth+ Trade Deficit (Honey): Wealth--
Values & Legacies Agricultural Innovators: +1 Temp Econ to Farming actions. Ancient Bureaucracy: +2 Passive Policies Ancient Centre of Civilisation (Great Bay): Extra Innovation Roll at the start of each turn. Blessing of Bronwyn: Gain +1 to all Diplomacy Rolls. Blessing of Mairyn: Gain +2 to all Exploration Rolls. Bronze Blooded: +2 Temp Econ to Econ Generation Actions. Chosen of Arthryn: Gain +1 to all Innovation Rolls. Colonial Empire: +1 Colony Slot. Rush Builders: Extended Projects take less actions, but each action is more expensive. Tech Discoverers: +1 Temp Tech to Tech generating actions Wealth Discoverers: +1 Temp Wealth to Wealth generating actions
Born Equal While the choices of a person and the world around them can make a person greater or lesser, everyone is born equal to each other.
Pros: Decreased social stratification,
Cons: Decreased social stratification,
Bloodied, but Unbowed (Linked to Charitable Haven)Your people have suffered great loss, but you survive and you will recover. Blows that would break others merely leave you limping and your people have suffered enough of such blows to know how to recover and that they can recover.
Pros: Better at surviving and getting by in hard times, Bonus to dealing with disasters, Better resilience and recovery after suffering losses,
Cons: Harsher and ruthless,
Caretakers of Nature The Arthwyd are the guardians of their land and that means looking after the place that they call home. They will safeguard and preserve their lands lest they fail in their duty.
Pros: Bonus to land management projects,
Cons: Additional consequences for harming the land,
Charitable Haven The lands of the Arthwyd are prosperous and peaceful. Free from war, slavery and other forms of suffering, many seek sanctuary in Arthwyd lands in times of turmoil and the Arthwyd are more than happy to grant it.
Pros: Increased Idea Spread, Increased Refugee Arrivals, Gain a Value from current or historical neighbour,
Cons: Reduced Social Cohesion, Many think you weak,
Communal Mandate As per the words of the goddess, loyalty and kindness to one's people is of the highest importance and even when times are tough or when it is not personally beneficial, one should stick by their community.
Pros: Reduced Internal Discontent, Increased Resistance to Foreign Intrigue,
Cons: Increase stability loss from taking actions which harm the People,
Pioneering Ways The world is wonderous and ripe for the taking. The Arthwyd regularly seek out new lands to make them their own as they funnel their plentiful population into the frontier to settle the wilderness.
Pros: Increased Population Growth, Common Independent Exploration, Common Independent Expansion,
Cons: More mouths to feed, Common Uncontrolled Expansion,
Sacred Defence The People do not abandon their own for it is their sacred duty to protect each other. They stand by their neighbours and community through thick and thin and do not yield when it comes to protecting their fellows for that is their duty as commanded by the goddesses.
Pros: Increased Unity during times of crisis, Sacred Warriors, Increased loyalty from religious subordinates,
Cons: Legitimacy loss when abandoning members of the People to harm and danger, increased Legitimacy loss when the threat is from those with conflicting beliefs,
Completed Megaprojects
The Aqueduct A series of waterways built throughout the city of Greenbay, the aqueduct allows easy access to fresh, clean water for all those within Greenbay.
Effects: Reduces True City Upkeep for Greenbay, Bonus to Greenbay's rolls,
Arthrynite First Temple A large stone building that resides on a hill overlooking Greenbay, the Arthrynite Temple is the first temple in the known world. With a centre piece built around stone statues of Arthryn and her Daughters, this temple is one of the holiest places in the world.
Effects: Increased Stability Gains from Venerating the Goddesses, Temp Mysticism+ every Turn.
Arthrynite Grand Temple (Tier 2) Built in the heart of Greenbay, the Arthrynite Grand Temple is the largest building of its time. Equal in size to a village or neighbourhood, the Grand Temple is both a massive centre of worship for the Arthrynite religion, an extensive administrative centre for the Arthrynite priesthood and a nexus for the power of Arthryn and her Daughters.
Effects: Enhances the Faction Power of the Theocrats, Doubles of the Mystic Gains of religious actions, Boosts diplomacy with Arthrynites.
The Census (Bronze Age) (Tier 2) A grand administrative project to give the Cadlon information about the population such as how many people there are, where they are and what they need to get by in life.
Effects: Temp Econ+ every Turn, Temp Wealth+ every Turn, Crisis Resistance++,
Code of Laws (Bronze Age) A standardised set of laws that all of the Arthwyd must follow, these laws are focused on following the teachings and guidance of Arthryn and her Daughters.
Effects: Increased Loyalty from Religious Subordinates, Reduced Internal Discontent from Arthrynites.
The Evalynite Walls The Evalynite Walls are the first stone walls in the known world and are devoted to Evalyn, the Arthrynite Goddess of Battle. They stand guard around the ancient capital of the Arthwyd and the religious centre of the Arthrynite religion.
Effects: Bonus to defending walled settlements, Bonus to defending Greenbay,
First Library The Library of Greenbay is the greatest collection of information in the world and the first library. Containing almost countless records, this was the first great collection of information that is semi-available to all.
Effects: +1 to Innovation Rolls
Grand Sacred Forest A grand forest planted throughout the settlement of Greenbay, this forest is the supposed to be the opposite of the Cursed Forest and is sacred to Arthryn and her Daughters.
Effects: Additional Temp Mystic+ from Venerate the Goddesses, Bonus to Study Nature,
Greenbay Palace While not as impressive as the Forlucan Royal Palace, the Greenbay Palace does its job just as well. Acting as a centre of administration for the vast Arthwyd Empire, the palace is a boon for any Cadlon.
Effects: +1 Upper Centralisation Limit, +1 Admin Strain Free Provinces, Crisis Resistance+
Extended Sunrise Mountain Passage A grand pathway through the Sunrise Mountains, this passage was carved out over generations with hard work and divine aid. Now it stands completing, forging a safe route overland between the Arthwyd in the south and the Merntir in the north.
Effects: Gain Temp Mysticism+ whenever a travel-based infrastructure project is completed,
[x] She tries to launch an offensive assault into Nersondur territory.
We can hopefully hit something that really makes them hurt. Also good to see that the Caradysh empire have been totally disbanded, all we need to do now is win this war and we should be in a really good position.
[X] She splits her forces between liberating both the Fornn and the Fordysh.
We don't actually have a choice here and I'm not talking in the moral imperative sense. The Fornn and Fordysh are now official parts of the Arthwyd Empire which means our Sacred Defence value applies to them. Refusing to attempt to defend our vassals causes major cracks in our civilisation and is something the GM said will start a death spiral. The Fornn and Fordysh are under attack so we either go to both of their aid or we destroy our civilisation. I wish this were hyperbole.
It was mixture of rolling a bit higher and having bonuses such as superior logistics, better equipment and heavy cav. Your modifiers don't quite match for Skjaldur brings when he is personally commanding, but they make it close.
