The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ic=Before the Senate]Indeed we should send a relief force to the Leonine, first to secure the well being of our colleagues who remain trapped there and then that of our ally, Pierleoni. I would advise caution here. It would be wise that we be seen as mediators, instead of active actors aligned with any of the factions involved. The imperial reichsmarschall seems to be taking action already, and Rolando might well be in the Frangipani camp already, perhaps inciting this one to act immediately to remove Octavian.

Here is a proposition; how about we send for Otto and Frangipani, that we may cool fiery tempers and, thus, buy us more time? In my opninion, Consul Basile seems the best to convince the reichsmarschall not to act rashly and, having good relations with the Prefect, I could speak with Frangipani. In the meantime, Senator Manzinni could lead a small relief force to secure our allies in the Leonine. Does this seem like a suitable plan for the time being?[/ic]

[ic=Senate]

My statesmanship is needed here, but my first son Leonardo will gladly lead ten of my Palatini and the Palatini of the Senate to relieve our allies and the senators who have remained in the Leonine City. Those of my men still on the wall will remain there and the remaining ones will remain with me.

I would suggest that DeVinti and other Senators muster their allies and move to secure the walls against assault from without.

Any meeting between the two challengers would best be done at the wall, I would suggest. Any entreaties should stress how each side can have their safety guaranteed in such a meeting.

[/ic]

[ooc=Orders]
-Use the flags to communicate Leonardo's arrival near the Leonine City and whether he is in distress or not- same with Ronaldo at the wall.

Send Leonardo and 10 Palatini with the 100 of the Council's defenders to relieve the defenders at the Leonine city with instructions to lift the siege, send word of parley that the opposing soldiers may retain their swords but that they must leave the city now, or else they will be slain.
25 Palatini remain on walls with 2d son Ronaldo, along with any other defenders who were previously or are currently dispatched there by the other consuls. (As I understood, at least *some* militia were guarding the walls). If NO militia are left on the walls, then fall back and join DeVinti.
5 Palatini at Estate
1/2th Masnada at Estate.
5 Palatini at the Foundry/Forge. (Couldn't get in contact with them at this point probably)
5 Palatini with Manzinni.
1/2 Masnada with Manzinni. [/ooc]

I guess before I can really do anything Sismondii needs to figure out what's going on. Sorry that I haven't been faster about this.

[ooc]
Sismondii and his men will seek out Pierleoni to figure out exactly what is going on and to offer what assistance they can.
[/ooc]

[ic=Before the Senate]Foremost in my mind is the dignity of our Great Commune, and what action should preserve that dignity. Rolando is no friend of our company, and indeed, we must act now to expel his partisans from the Leonine City, and ensure the safety of His Holiness and our own colleagues. Frangipani will take this opportunity in both hands, and like as not he acts even now.

We cannot delay, Senators! There may yet be a time for negotiation that Rolando should be reconciled to the Church, but that time is not now. A position of absolute strength must first be secured for the Romans. I will not allow that the fortifications of the Leonine should be endangered by the foe. We must summon the militia immediately and save our city![/ic]

[ooc=Orders]- Basile shall have the militia and the senatorial Palatini mustered immediately, and along with seventy of his masnada shall march to the Leonine in force. If Signore Demetri and Rolando refuse to stand down, the Romans will in cooperation with Pierleone and Pope Victor expel the Prefect's men and secure the gates. Frangipani cannot be allowed to gain the city.[/ooc]

OOC: Posted from phone. Actually still in Panama and will be until early august. Probably won't be able to give any more input for this update. Sorry!

[ic=Before the Senate]It grieves me, Senator Manzinni, that you'd think me only good enough to guard the part of walls and rubble surrounding the city. Rome's strategic locations are not the trophies of past foreign tyrants you call wall. Signore Frangipani and the Prefect's men are all mounted. They will be highly vulnerable in the thin and labyrinthine streets of Rome and are unlikely to dare penetrate the city with the current manpower at their disposal.

No, your suggestion horrifies me. I shall instead occupy the Vatican Hill, the only high ground on the likely field of battle - should God's children succumb to folly.[/ic]

[ooc=Orders]Gather all my palatinii - equipped with their crossbows and melee weapons, twenty of my masnada and as many horses as I can without having to pay for it (No need if none of my men know how to ride horses), cross the Tiber via the Via Aurelia, then cross the Janiculum and go straight to occupy the Vatican Hill. The first goal is to make sure Frangipani is staying his hand, and that no assault on his part is made. If he moves on me, so be it, I'll order my men to scale the western walls of the Leonine with ladders, while I make good my escape last, and report to Consul Basile if I'm caught. If possible, remain discreet. That can be translated, at worse, in leaving men stationed at discreet locations on the hill and only surrounding myself with about fifteen men. But I'd prefer my presence be unknown, and will put much effort into this.

*An interesting tactic could be to hide my men on the western side of the hill so that they are invisible, and survey the situation myself from the best vantage point. Have a line of communication ready with the bulk of my men to ensure quick response to any of my orders.

If Rolando, Manzinni's second son, joins me on the Vatican Hill, make sure he understands that I am supervising activities here and that if he acts of his own volition and disturbs my plans I will have him arrested for obstructing the duties of a senator in a time of crisis. Be gentle and caring, for Manzinni was once a friend, and I know his children.

Should any men aligned with the Rolando faction try to escape the Leonine into the Vatican Hill from the western walls, my masnada will put them under arrest to eventually turn them over to Pierleoni. If the Prefect makes good his escape in this manner, and that the matter be brought to my attention, turn a blind eye. Any of his men present with him shall remain in my custody. Should that situation happen, I shall no more seek to remain discreet and, instead, look for the best place to strike camp.

Should the Roman army and Frangipani's men make war on the Fields of Nero, I shall wait for the most opportune moment to move in and position myself west of Frangipani's men so as to launch a volley of bolts on their right. Since they will have horses, and I probably won't have much, or any, I can't very well escape them. So I shall stand and fight honorably until death.

Four of my masnada will remain in my palace to protect my family and the estate. They can send one messenger if the need arises.

One masnada shall spy on the Palazza Collonna, where some aligned with Frangipani might be temporarily residing, and report any sightings of senators, or known senatorial servants, at a later time when I get back in the city and recall him. If I am to be killed, and there is actually something to report, the masnada will seek out Consul Basile and inform him.[/ooc]

[ic=To DeVinti and the Senate]
Without men to man the walls, then indeed, the walls make little sense to defend. If no militia join my son Ronaldo and the force at the walls, then he will likely fall back to join your larger force and will attempt to act in concert with your men.

What leaves the forces then; how many are defending here in Rome and how many are headed to the Leonine citadel?
[/ic]

[ic=Before the Senate]My business on the Vatican Hill is a discreet one. I cannot allow family members of senators to waste an opportunity to catch Frangipani unaware should the Field of Nero become a battlefield. If I have your guarantee that he will follow my lead, I will gladly accept that he march alongside me and my men. Otherwise, I will be obligated to refuse your suggestion and forced to deploy efforts so that he be denied presence on the hill.

Furthermore, you seem concerned about Rome itself. Is there a threat to this Senate other than the politics of the Curia centering in the Leonine and the Field of Nero?[/ic]

[ic=Before the Senate]Then he will do as he will; I see not how anyone could participate in an assault against the Frangipani if necessary unless that man has enough troops acting in concert as support, given their numbers and mounted provisions. And a wall tower has special benefits of defense. Given the vagaries of communications at this moment, the best I can do to get word to him is to raise flags according to the system I instituted. And as we all know, the flag signals are simple ones, to signify danger or the need for reinforcement. Although the Senator may wish there to have been a flag instituted that states: we must all bow down to Hugo DeVinti and follow his dictates to the letter, that flag has not yet been implemented. As it is, I will leave you to your fantasies of what is possible.

I also ask the Senator and Rome to think on his odd question: why would we not be concerned about the safety of Rome from the massive force of soldiers camped without who may act and who may lash out due to the current confusion of who truly leads the Church as Pope.

And finally, I counsel that we must act soon. Every moment we spend here bloviating is one lost that could be used for the defense of Rome.[/ic]

[ic=Before the Senate]Perhaps the Senator is becoming deaf? No matter, I shall depart now and leave you, my fine colleagues of the Senate, with this remarkable statesman whose foresight and great wisdom shall protect the Eternal City from unforeseen dangers.[/ic]

[ic=Privately to Consul Basile]Consul, before we part ways, I wish to let you know that no men under my command will raise their sword unless your army is in need. I am merely taking precautions. Perhaps futile, but I'd be utterly useless anywhere else.[/ic]

[ooc=Leaving the Senate for the Vatican Hill]Immediately leave the Senate to pursue my orders.[/ooc]

By the way, LD, which walls are you constantly talking about? You mean the nice little walls I had restored and improved around the Porta Asinaria or anywhere else?

There are walls all around the map of Rome, presumably that is where the frangipani are camped outside of since they did not enter the gates of Rome. These are the same walls our bowmen patrolled on when horsemen were harrying rome in previous seasons.

If I recall the Aurellian Walls were not really in a good shape; destroyed in the past and then never completely restored.

Oh, there. I found a bit of information on them.

Quote from: On the Aurellian WallsThe Aurelian Walls of Rome are in a rather sorry state.  The Goths razed nearly half the city's wall in the 6th century, and though many repairs have been made there are still numerous weak points and damaged sections, some of them even caused by the Romans themselves who used wall stones for building materials over the years.  Even if it were repaired fully, however, the essential problem remains that the wall perimeter is huge; even if every man of Rome was under arms, they could not possibly defend every section of it.  An enemy force might well scale an undefended section and seize the city that way.  The walls certainly serve a purpose, but they may be more valuable as a delay against a serious attack rather than an absolute defense.

That was my understanding as well. And we've used them in previous defense actions.

Quote from:  Danger in the fieldsAlthough a series of skirmishes just south of the city succeeded in protecting a few mills in the Vallis Marmorea from destruction, in part thanks to the timely arrival of Reatini reinforcements, the attackers have been unopposed elsewhere, destroying fields, mills, cottages, and orchards with fire and iron. A large portion of the Roman harvest has been ruined, and thousands of local peasants have swarmed into the city walls seeking protection, further straining the food supplies of the city.  The price of bread has tripled since June, and many fear the city will likely face famine later in the year.

Quote from:  Danger in the CityThe feast day backfired in spectacular fashion when peasants encamped near the Colosseum rioted, marching on the Forum waving hayforks and scythes.  The Senate scrambled to pull defenders from the walls to deal with the riot

Quote from:  Danger well away from the wallsLeonardo, Manzinni's son, led 50 palatini to the river.  The consul had requested the assistance of an equal number of Pierleoni's men, but they had demurred, saying their orders were to hold the walls, not take the field.  50 Roman pedites were mustered instead...

...recriminations fell on the Senate and the Pierleonists for failing to assist Leonardo's party...

*By the way I wonder why the Senate would be recriminated if 50 Roman pedites were mustered.

Quote from: Light DragonThat was my understanding as well. And we've used them in previous defense actions.

To absolutely no good. But hey, I just wanted to make sure you knew, and you do. So it's all good :)

Quote from: Light DragonI think that makes sense, though I'll add a note- I have been holding off on the orders for the Turn itself (rather than the events) until all the events are done- it is too much work to try to figure out which orders can be done in the shorter timeframes, so I'm holding off on responding to the initial turn actions and dispersing my money accordingly until all these little events are done--is that a completely poor idea?

This event pretty must just covers immediate decisions on this day - there is currently fighting in the Leonine and it may be over, in one way or another, within hours - though a longer stalemate is possible.

If you're not sure if an order is appropriate for this event, you're welcome to PM me and ask.

QuoteI was also waiting to hear if Pierleone had anything to say to Manzinni when Manzinni left the Leonine city.

The situation is a bit chaotic right now - the Patrician wasn't really giving orders when people left, but still trying to figure out what was going on.  He was, after all, not present when the events happened in front of the Vatican Basilica.

Quote from: NomadicI guess before I can really do anything Sismondii needs to figure out what's going on. Sorry that I haven't been faster about this.

No problem.  I've been busy this weekend because of a family visit, but I can give you a summary soon.  I will also go over recent Senate speech and orders later today.