>>5296571
“Reika,” Reika greets the mayor with a curt bow.

“Justina,” Justina adds her name to the list.

Valentina, who has waited patiently, nods. “And I’m Valentina… I’m the talker of the three of us.”

“I make no apologies,” Justina chimes in.

“I just don’t know what else to say,” Reika admits quietly to Valentina.

“Fair.”

“Needless to say they’re here because I asked for them to travel with me,” you add your own commentary as a framing device of sorts. “I have total confidence in their abilities as well as their trustworthiness. Captain?”

After gesturing to the cavalry captain with a small nod and a wave of your hand, the officer introduces himself as well. “Captain Horatio Loughty, First Sgurr Na Dean Hussars.”

“I have to admit,” the mayor wipes his brow for a moment, “my knowledge of Hazari geography is somewhat lacking still, where is that?”

“This is a light cavalry unit from the hills and valleys near Dean,” you clarify, “which is outside the capital, to the west.”

This unit, being relatively close to the capital, is one of the first to have been supplied with a new set of equipment - along with their light cuirasses, their heavy, brutally effective sabres, and their typical pair of flintlock “horse pistols”, these riders have been issued the first weapons based loosely on guns captured from the invaders. They’re still a rarity, as only a few of the top lock-makers and metalsmiths in the nation can actually work with the precision required.

These rely on a needle mechanism that fits within a metal housing with a handle attached - it rotates to pull out and expose the breech, then forward to meet the breach and seal with a small, soft gasket. The needle is then driven by a compressed spring, which strikes a small igniter made from quicksilver, strong acid, and grain alcohol (a design suggested by captured personnel as the basis for the technology being imitated). The igniter is buried in a paper cartridge, which ignites to drive a conical bullet through a shorter-than-usual rifled barrel.
>2/3

>>5296573
“Will you be staying long?” the mayor asks you.

Now that he mentions it, you’re here as a necessary stopover on your way to represent your interests to the neighboring government of Tarsus, which is run by a senior council of peers. But that doesn’t mean that this stop can’t be dual-purpose, or even triple-purpose. There’s a benefit to showing the colors as an exercise every now and then, and the defenses around Merced are fairly new and untested since the time of the territorial agreements with Tarsus. Either topic could be worth attending to in the mean time, while your hussars are feeding themselves and their horses, and stocking up on supplies at the last guaranteed ‘friendly’ stop before crossing over into non-allied territory.

>Visit the new defenses and give a speech to the civilians. Be seen as much as possible taking a leadership position at home.
>Just visit the new defenses. Emphasize your role as protector of the lands under your domain and within your responsibility.
>Give a public speech. It’s too late to adjust the local defenses anyway, and you’d rather not rile the locals up too badly.
>Do neither. Instead, save those things for when you know how Tarsus has replied to your entreaties as queen.
>Other?

>>5296628
>Do neither. Instead, save those things for when you know how Tarsus has replied to your entreaties as queen.

>>5296628
>>Visit the new defenses and give a speech to the civilians. Be seen as much as possible taking a leadership position at home.

>>5296628
>>Do neither. Instead, save those things for when you know how Tarsus has replied to your entreaties as queen.

>>5296628
>Give a public speech. It’s too late to adjust the local defenses anyway, and you’d rather not rile the locals up too badly.

>>5296628
>>Do neither. Instead, save those things for when you know how Tarsus has replied to your entreaties as queen.

>>5296628
>Do neither. Instead, save those things for when you know how Tarsus has replied to your entreaties as queen.

>>5296628
>3d10, best of three

Rolled 9, 8, 3 = 20 (3d10)

>>5298824

Rolled 7, 7, 1 = 15 (3d10)

>>5298824

Rolled 5, 2, 2 = 9 (3d10)

>>5298824

>>5298824
“I will speak to my people when I have something to tell them,” you decide. “Until that time knowledge of my intentions, and my visible presence, will have to suffice.”

“You don’t feel like saying anything to them anyway?” Reika wonders. “Is it really okay to delay like that?”

“Most people are not idiots,” you shrug. “When a leader starts prattling without any substance to speak of, it’s obvious. It only does harm to the speaker’s reputation in the long run. I think the first order of business should be to inspect the fortifications while our accommodations for the night are being arranged.”

…

“So how did you find them?” Valentina asks you curiously. “Cause I have some issues there.”

You nod in agreement. “They were clearly designed with the border treaty and the Tarsan defenses in mind. Not something like what’s on the way.”

“Why have they not attacked before?” Justina asks the prescient question.

“Could it be the fact that they would need to deal with the Tarsan defenses as well?” Reika guesses.

You nod again. “I believe so, yes. Between both nation’s defenses, any invader passing through the region would be caught in a crossfire.”

“And if they picked one of their targets?” Valentina muses. “Do you think they could break through?”

“At heavy loss,” you reason, “but yes. I do think that even were the Tarsan defenses to coordinate with our own, our positions here would be overrun all the way up to the old border.”

“Which has lost some of its power since the treaty,” Valentina observes.

“That’s right.”

“Could the successes on the northern border be replicated in the same way?”

“Doubtful,” Justina thinks aloud.

>She’s right. Terrain works in our favor there, not so much here.
>In principle, it could still work. We just need to ‘deny’ certain areas.
>Defensive overlap already exists, we just need to maximize the effect.
>Other?

>>5299942
>>In principle, it could still work. We just need to ‘deny’ certain areas.

>>5300001
>>5299942
This one

>>5299942
>>Defensive overlap already exists, we just need to maximize the effect.

>>5299942
>She’s right. Terrain works in our favor there, not so much here.

>>5299942
>3d10 best of three

Rolled 5, 4, 6 = 15 (3d10)

>>5301004

Rolled 7, 7, 7 = 21 (3d10)

>>5301004

Rolled 2, 7, 2 = 11 (3d10)

>>5301004

>>5301004
“The same principle can be applied here,” you decide. “We should find a map.”

…

In the upper level of one of the fortified block houses that were hastily constructed as part of the border renegotiation, you meet with an artillery sergeant who happens to have an up to date map of the area including positions on both sides of the arbitrary boundary.

“Anti-vehicle defenses could be produced and emplaced fairly quickly,” you suggest, “and ditches could be dug quickly as well.”

You tap your fingertips at a small bridge along the main road into Merced. “This would be the main choke point. We could create two or three lines of trenches with iron-shod tree trunks at the bottoms as traps, funneling an enemy force into a few limited locations. Defensive guns could be pre-sighted on those locations.”

“So deny access to some areas, focusing our active defenses on the areas which remain open,” Valentina nods along with your reasoning. “Not bad.”

“It’s basic strategy,” you admit. “Getting it done would be a matter of rallying the locals.”

“What about the artillery itself?” Reika asks.

“Fair point,” Justina agrees with a frown.

Placing the guns in houses like these does present something of a risk - a hit that penetrated the defenses and blew up the magazine would disable the defenders’ ability to attack the armored vehicles once they maneuvered into the areas where you wanted them.

>Stagger our guns in two lines - artillery behind, mortars somewhat more forward set into trenches.
>We could spread the guns out. Find high spots for some of them, dig others in deep.
>They were using buried explosives. In the long term that might serve our purposes as well.
>Other?

>>5301586
>>They were using buried explosives. In the long term that might serve our purposes as well.

>>5301586
>We could spread the guns out. Find high spots for some of them, dig others in deep.

>>5301586
>Stagger our guns in two lines - artillery behind, mortars somewhat more forward set into trenches.

>>5301586
>>We could spread the guns out. Find high spots for some of them, dig others in deep.

>>5301586
>Stagger our guns in two lines - artillery behind, mortars somewhat more forward set into trenches.

>>5301586
>They were using buried explosives. In the long term that might serve our purposes as well.

>>5301586
“We would need to decentralize things,” you decide, “spread out our longer-ranged guns to cover for mortars dug into trenches, pre-sighted on the ‘gaps’ in our passive defenses.”

“So it’s all just digging?” Valentina muses. “Well, and convincing people to do the digging?”

You nod. “Plus one more thing.”

…

“I need you to design a hardened steel cone about the size of your fist,” you instruct, “which can be mounted onto an iron collar, like the collar on a spear, but large enough to fit onto a sharpened pine log.”

The blacksmith scratches his chin for a few moments before nodding. “Yeah, I have a clear idea what you want and I can do it. How many you need, ma’am?”

“Fifteen hundred,” you declare, “or as close as you can get.”

“That I can’t do,” he admits.

“We’ll be ordering from every smith in the local area,” you declare. “Blacksmiths, farriers, swordsmiths, all of them. How many can you contribute?”
>3d10, best of three

Rolled 2, 10, 7 = 19 (3d10)

>>5303090

Rolled 9, 7, 1 = 17 (3d10)

>>5303090

Rolled 3, 2, 4 = 9 (3d10)

>>5303090

>>5303090
“If I’m getting paid I can do ‘em in full day batches,” the smith shrugs. “If I’m doing it for free, I can only do so many before it’d be impossible to keep my shop open. I think you’ll find most smiths in my position would say the same.”

>We’ll take the cost out of the national general fund and have an initial payment tomorrow.
>Will you take scrip while we make arrangements to pay? It could be a week or two.
>See what you can do for us today, then we’ll make a decision from there.
>Other?

>>5303578
>>We’ll take the cost out of the national general fund and have an initial payment tomorrow.

>>5303578
>>Will you take scrip while we make arrangements to pay? It could be a week or two.

>>5303578
>>We’ll take the cost out of the national general fund and have an initial payment tomorrow.

>>5303578
>See what you can do for us today, then we’ll make a decision from there.

>>5303578
“We can probably arrange to start paying you tomorrow for delivering what we requested,” you admit with a sigh. “We will have to redirect funding.”

“From where, out of curiosity?” the smith asks.

“Nowhere you would be likely to care about,” you shrug. “Those orphans don’t need a new school anyway.”

There’s a long pause before the smith sighs. “Ma’am, is there really a school for orphans on the line here, or are you trying to make a point?”

“A little of both,” you admit. “It may not be a school for orphans that gets pushed off our national priorities list for this, however it’s inescapably true that the more money we have to spend fortifying defenses unexpectedly, the fewer other projects our kingdom can pay for. And the projects that end up suffering may be like a school for orphans, or a new medical facility for the elderly.”

“I see,” he muses. “That certainly makes sense, though it does not change much from my end. The best I can do is offer to volunteer my time - I can produce as many as I feel I can afford for the cost of the materials and production overhead, so at less than cost. But I can only probably afford to do that for a few days.”

“Your assistance is of course appreciated,” you thank the smith. “As I indicated, we will be able to start paying tomorrow.”

>Direct public labor to start digging the trenches necessary, so that the spikes can be deployed as they become available.
>Meet with some of the local loggers and woodworkers. Their expertise will be needed as well as that of the local smiths.
>Leave these details to the local military bureaucracy. They can handle it while you and your party deal with the Tarsans.
>Other?

>>5304742
>Meet with some of the local loggers and woodworkers. Their expertise will be needed as well as that of the local smiths.

Delaying things to match rates is probably for the best even if we don't cover all of the ground we wanted since any "unprotected" stretch could potentially be used to bypass the rest, or as a starting point for a clearing operation or counter attack.

>>5305460
>>5304742
This seems reasonable

>>5304742
>>Leave these details to the local military bureaucracy. They can handle it while you and your party deal with the Tarsans.

>>5304742
>Meet with some of the local loggers and woodworkers. Their expertise will be needed as well as that of the local smiths.

>>5304742
>>Meet with some of the local loggers and woodworkers. Their expertise will be needed as well as that of the local smiths.

>>5304742
Next you seek out a few of the local woodworkers and loggers, whose expertise will comprise the other half of the anti-armor defenses. You call them into the town hall late that evening, and seat yourself across a small table from the three men.

“What we will need are straight trunks,” you inform them succinctly. “Charred slightly on the exteriors, about six feet long, ending in cone-shaped spikes.”

“And about how many of these are you going to need?”

“Produce them until I tell you we have enough,” you decide. “They may not all have the metal tips ready at once, but their presence should still act as a deterrent. The metal pieces can be fitted as they’re ready, starting with the highest priority areas.”

“We can offer pine,” one of the loggers offers. “We should be able to have a few dozen ready every day.”

“Can you offer to share these with Tarsus?” you ask.

The logger frowns. “That would be a bit of a sore point in the region. Much of the usable wood is on the Tarsan side of the border already.”

“It would be a good-faith gesture,” you assure him, “however I’ll consider that point as well. Perhaps a small batch to get them started on their defenses while they gather the necessary resources.”

“That should be fine.”

…

The next morning you strike out for the border proper, with only a relatively small detachment of your cavalry troop along with your fellow warriors. You find yourselves quickly stopped by soldiers, several on horseback with lances and several more on foot with spears.

“Halt!” one of them, an officer, demands. “What reason do you have to break the treaty?”

>Tell them the whole truth - you’re Queen Noel and you’re here to prevent a full-scale invasion.
>Demand to be taken to the local garrison commander. It’s his territory that’s at immediate risk.
>Tell them a partial truth - that you’re on your way to meet with the council of Tarsus.
>Other?

>>5306323
>Tell them the whole truth - you’re Queen Noel and you’re here to prevent a full-scale invasion.

>>5306323
>>Tell them the whole truth - you’re Queen Noel and you’re here to prevent a full-scale invasion.

>>5306323
>Demand to be taken to the local garrison commander. It’s his territory that’s at immediate risk.

>>5306323
>>Demand to be taken to the local garrison commander. It’s his territory that’s at immediate risk.

>>5306323
“I am Queen Noel Tiberius di Hazaran,” you declare, “here on urgent business. I need to speak with the local commanders about a threat we believe to be imminent.”

“What lies are you trying to peddle here?” the officer demands. “We’ve heard reports that you’ve been touring Hazaran’s defensive positions since yesterday, and that new defenses are being dug as we speak.”

“The force that invaded Sakia is preparing for a southward thrust through this region,” you declare. “When they do that, your nation’s defenses will be in the way just the same as mine. Every minute you waste standing here is a minute we could be using to prepare.”

After considering that for a moment, the officer nods in agreement. “You’ll be heavily monitored of course.”

“That’s fine.”

…

“Swivel guns?” Justina muses as your group is escorted to a low-walled compound on the Tarsan side of the border.

“Hey, didn’t you decide those were hopelessly obsolete?” Valentina asks quietly as you pass.

“Against the Organization’s soldiers,” you agree. “For the attack these soldiers expected, less so.”

Then you order your regular soldiers to wait outside the fortifications, simply so that they won’t be obliged to surrender their weapons if asked. While you’re trying to seek some cooperation here, there’s no need to give what’s currently not a friendly neighbor any sort of technical boost. Inside the walls you find yourselves covered from multiple angles by muskets, not enough to be of any real concern but sufficient to send a clear message.

The commander of the garrison meets you out in the courtyard, under the watchful eyes of his guards.

>Speak first. Lay out your aims and suggest a course of action for collaboration.
>Speak first, but only to explain the exact nature of the threat and your own responses.
>Wait. Judge his attitude and suitability for a collaborative effort, then speak.
>Other?

>>5307446
>Speak first, but only to explain the exact nature of the threat and your own responses.

>>5307446
>>Speak first. Lay out your aims and suggest a course of action for collaboration.

>>5307446
>Speak first, but only to explain the exact nature of the threat and your own responses.

>>5307446
“To whom am I speaking?” you decide to speak first, establishing your ‘turn order’ so to speak and showing that you’re willing to seize initiative.

“Commander Braun,” he replies curtly - the man has a severe, military haircut with hard eyes and a chin bearing a prominent scar. “Before you say anything further, I have questions of my own that I must have answered.”

“Rather than interrupt a reigning monarch,” you retort, “perhaps you should listen? You may find that the explanation I offer satisfies your needs before you turn them into inappropriate demands.”

“This is not your home turf,” Commander Braun insists. “It would only be appropriate that I would take the lead in any negotiations.”

“Perhaps if we were of equal standing,” you allow. “We are not. Protocol demands certain civilities.”

“Under normal circumstances I would understand that,” he counters.

“And I intend to speak to those circumstances,” you assure him. “We recently received intelligence that indicated an attack was imminent from occupied Sakia.”

“From the invaders,” he mutters, and you nod once to confirm it before you continue.

“Our sources show that the plan of attack will be to move southward along our shared border with Tarsus to the sea, where the enemy would seize ports on the south coast of your nation. They would then use those to blockade Hazaran’s main port in the south and land additional troops brought by ship from Lavinia.”

“So you hardened the defenses that stood in their way,” Braun nods. “Go on.”

“Halting this attack is key to Hazaran’s position in this conflict,” you assert, “and stopping that assault short of the south coast would serve to protect your nation’s interests as well.”

“I see,” Commander Braun muses. “So how do you intend to proceed?”

>I see no reason why we can’t concentrate our efforts here.
>I should really speak to the council of Tarsus about this.
>My role is to get everyone from here to the coast to work together.
>Other?

>>5308252
>>My role is to get everyone from here to the coast to work together.
The enemy of my enemy, yada yada yada, no time better prepare for the superior enemies advantages

>>5308252
>>I should really speak to the council of Tarsus about this.

>>5308252
>My role is to get everyone from here to the coast to work together.

>>5308252
“My role is simple but difficult,” you explain. “I’m the one who has to get everyone from the Sakian border down to the coast on-sides. Starting here.”

After a few moments, Braun nods once. “I understand your intentions, Queen Noel. In this region I think there should be no problem moving resources to mirror your own deployments. If those movements just happen to address your concern about an invasion from the north… then that can be considered a happy accident.”

You can’t help but grin at that display of mental gymnastics. “Alright, I understand your position - that will be fine.”

…

Outside, Reika asks you what just happened.

“Braun’s hands must be somewhat tied,” you suggest a motive to his cagey behavior. “He answers to the national council, which may be difficult to convince. But if he only says that he’s responding to our changes in defense strategy he won’t have to convince anyone, and the council members probably won’t be savvy enough to ask.”

“So, what’s our next move exactly?” Valentina asks you curiously. “Or have you thought of a next move?”

>Now that we have some degree of coordination with the Tarsans, we can speak to the people of Merced about what’s going to happen.
>Rosemarkie and Norwick are also along this stretch of border. They should also be informed of the likelihood of an offensive.
>We should proceed southwards. We can't rule out the possibility of a direct landing there.
>Other?

>>5309253
>Rosemarkie and Norwick are also along this stretch of border. They should also be informed of the likelihood of an offensive.

>>5309253
>Rosemarkie and Norwick are also along this stretch of border. They should also be informed of the likelihood of an offensive.

>>5309253
>Rosemarkie and Norwick are also along this stretch of border. They should also be informed of the likelihood of an offensive.

>>5309253
“We should head north,” you decide, “to take the message to Rosemarkie and Wustkirk. They’ll be in the line of any potential invasion too.”

“We’re not heading south?” Valentina wonders.

You shake your head. “The most we can do is have more guns placed along the coast with good vantage points, and shift more soldiers in that direction. And to carry that message, our hussars will suffice.”

You approach Captain Loughty, and he salutes. “Ma’am.”

“Captain Loughty,” you declare, “I want the First Sgurr Na Dean to head back to the Capital with my orders.”

You quickly scrawl the orders you want to send to Noventus onto a piece of paper, fold it over carefully, and then seal it with wax. “Here. The plan is to have our coastal defenses in the south reinforced with heavy guns from our national armory, to be delivered by extra contingents of soldiers.”

“I understand, ma’am,” Loughty replies with another curt salute. “We’ll take care of it immediately.”
>3d10, best of three

Rolled 3, 9, 4 = 16 (3d10)

>>5310228

Rolled 5, 9, 3 = 17 (3d10)

>>5310228

Rolled 1, 1, 7 = 9 (3d10)

>>5310228

>>5309253
Rosemarkie is a town right on the border, in the foothills where Sakia, Tarsus, and Hazaran meet. For many years this meant that the town’s strategic goals were twofold - to defend against an attack by the Tarsans, and to defend against an attack from the north by the Sakians. To that effect there are a few fortifications on hilltops near the town itself, the “seven hills” which ring Rosemarkie itself and can provide mutual support. There are two to the north which mainly guard against Sakia, two to the west that mainly guard against Tarsus, and one between them that can fire in either direction. The last two are more to the southeast on the far side of the town, and largely serve to make it that much more difficult for a potential invading force to bypass Rosemarkie altogether.

It’s this major fortified town that you head to first.

You’ve never really gone into much detail with these defensive plans, as they were laid out well before even your father’s reign and were only hardened and improved when you were a child. Which until recently served perfectly fine - the hills and valleys aren’t exactly known for their mobility.

“Honestly,” Valentina muses, “I’ve never given Rosemarkie a second thought. Even when I was a little brat I’d heard its reputation.”

“Reputations say little,” Justina rightly observes.

“Maybe,” Reika muses. “But sometimes reputations can be well-earned… like a reputation for cruelty.”

“Both perspectives are valid,” you decide. “It would be best to go into this with an open mind.”

“Yeah,” Valentina nods. “Of course.”

>Examine the fortifications first, especially their armament and firing angles.
>Examine the fortifications from below. Search for blind spots and natural choke points.
>Head into the town first. You want to establish diplomatic channels with Tarsus here too.
>Other?

>>5311261
>>Head into the town first. You want to establish diplomatic channels with Tarsus here too.

>>5311261
>>Head into the town first. You want to establish diplomatic channels with Tarsus here too.

>>5311261
>Head into the town first. You want to establish diplomatic channels with Tarsus here too.

>>5311261
>Head into the town first. You want to establish diplomatic channels with Tarsus here too.

>>5311261
“We’ll go into town first,” you decide. “Contact the mayor and the local garrison commanders, begin the necessary work to coordinate defenses with their Tarsan counterparts.”

“Easy to say,” Justina mutters - and quite fairly at that. Your status as queen will only carry you so far in terms of unilateral decisions on military matters, especially when dealing with Tarsus. In a sense you were lucky with the last commander, and it may serve you well to frame the problem the same way he did.

…

“An invasion, here?” the mayor of Rosemarkie, a younger man that you remember from the last time you were here. “From Sakia, after all this time?”

“They have been trying for some time,” you point out, walking alongside him towards the town hall. “Just because their previous attempts have stalled doesn’t mean they’ll remain that way indefinitely. Only until they find a way to change their strategy.”

“And how have they changed their strategy in this instance?”

“Their aim is to progress south along the border, rather than cutting straight to the Capital,” you explain.

“That would seem to present an obvious dilemma,” the mayor muses, clearly referring to the fact that defending against this threat would logically require the cooperation of your neighbors to the west.

>I would like your help in resolving it by putting me in contact with your nearest Tarsan counterpart.
>All your region needs to do is be ready. To that end I would like to tour the town’s defenses personally.
>This region will not stand alone. I plan to send additional resources, but we need to know what you need.
>Other?

>>5313776
>I would like your help in resolving it by putting me in contact with your nearest Tarsan counterpart.
Also mention an inspection tour.

>>5313776
>I would like your help in resolving it by putting me in contact with your nearest Tarsan counterpart.

>>5313776
“I will need your help to identify your Tarsan counterpart and arrange a meeting,” you explain. “We’ll need to know whether or not we can have their cooperation before we even begin to consider the defenses on our own side of the border.”

“I believe I can make those arrangements,” the mayor tells you, “but it may not be easy. We aren’t exactly on good terms.”

“How not good are we talking about here?” Valentina asks curiously. “Like, ‘shooting-the-messenger’ bad?”

“About that bad, yes,” the mayor admits with a weary sigh. “We can put you and yours up for a few days at the local inn while we work on this.”

“... days?” you repeat, incredulous.

The mayor nods. “I already mentioned, but it may not be easy.”

“Do we have that?” Justina asks you quietly.

Reika shakes her head. “Do we have a choice?”

“Always,” Justina counters, before glancing back to you.

She has a point, of course. An ordinary, purely-human queen would never in a hundred years dare to cross a border unattended, let alone into what may reasonably be described as a hostile area. But you could do so with probably minimal risk. That being said, you’re also somewhat surprised to hear that there’s apparently that much antipathy on this little section of border. It’s news to you, to be certain.

>Ask around town, see if you can’t work out the reason for this apparent hostility.
>Head over the border yourself after nightfall, begin direct negotiations in secret.
>Wait for the time being, see what happens. You may be overthinking the situation.
>Other?

>>5314877
>>Wait for the time being, see what happens. You may be overthinking the situation.

>>5314877
>>Ask around town, see if you can’t work out the reason for this apparent hostility.

>>5314877
>Ask around town, see if you can’t work out the reason for this apparent hostility.

>>5314877
>>Ask around town, see if you can’t work out the reason for this apparent hostility.

>>5314877
>3d10, DC 16

>>5316051
Best of three by the way.

Rolled 7, 4, 6 = 17 (3d10)

>>5316051

Rolled 2, 10, 5 = 17 (3d10)

>>5316051

>>5314877
You allow you and your companions to be temporarily quartered in two rooms above a local free house - you think that the owner gave you the nicest room in the place, because unlike the one next door yours has a clawed bathtub in a separate little room, and nicer furnishings. But instead of staying put, you take off your cloak and head downstairs to drink - and to listen.

“You know, half the fun’s probably gone since we can just metabolize the alcohol if we want,” Valentina sighs wearily. “Least, for most people that’d be true.”

“You can choose?” Reika asks. “For me, my body does that whether I want it to or not… though I have to confess, mixing this ‘spice’ of yours into red wine is still probably my favorite way to take care of that need.”

…

Over the next few hours, you manage to poke and prod into some local affairs, trying to figure out what the source of the animosity is between your side of the border and the Tarsan side. Assuming they ever agree to see you, it’s going to be important to walk into the negotiations already knowing as much as possible about the situation. You figured at the start that it couldn’t have been too catastrophic as it would’ve made it to your own ears otherwise, either by official meeting some time while you were in the capital or else by way of your regent, Noventus.

…

“So that’s what it was,” you sigh wearily. “What a pain.”

“It’s certainly an interesting story,” Valentina admits. “If true.”

“It’s foolish,” Justina decides.

“Who would’ve imagined,” Reika shakes her head.

“The former governor’s son and his Tarsan counterpart’s daughter…” you grumble. “I’d like to say ‘at least it’s not something serious’, but honestly something personal like this can be even worse than if someone had just gotten shot.”

“So what’re we going to do?” Valentina wonders.

>It’s not our place to tell two adults of sound mind they can’t elope. We’ll work around this.
>We could convince the governors to build a peace where the happy couple can be… well… happy.
>If thwarting the Organization requires us to break up one couple I think we need to consider that.
>Other?

>>5316160
>>It’s not our place to tell two adults of sound mind they can’t elope. We’ll work around this.

>>5316160
>We could convince the governors to build a peace where the happy couple can be… well… happy.

>>5316160
>>We could convince the governors to build a peace where the happy couple can be… well… happy.

>>5316160
>We could convince the governors to build a peace where the happy couple can be… well… happy.

>>5316160
“Well, on the one hand this may work to our advantage,” you muse. “We should try to convince the local governors that what they should be doing is helping create a peaceful world where the new couple can be happy.”

“Good luck,” Justina grumbles.

Reika seems confused. “What do you mean?”

“I think she means that if the Tarsan governor whose daughter is involved were a reasonable man he’d have already thought of that,” Valentina clarifies.

“How can you tell that much?” Reika asks with a frown. “Justina hardly ever says anything.”

“Experience,” Justina replies in her usual manner, albeit this time with a wry smile.

“We’ve been friends since we were both rookies,” Valentina expands on the thought. “So it’s easy for me to understand her.”

…

Late the next morning you receive word that there’s been a meeting arranged between yourself and the local Tarsan governor. “That was quick,” Reika muses. “Maybe this won’t be as bad as we had imagined?”

You can only shake your head. “It signals to me that the other side already has something that they want to talk about, not necessarily a willingness to listen.”

“... oh.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being an optimist!” Valentina tries to cheer the awakened being up. “It balances the team out a little more.”

“You’re not wrong,” Justina admits.

“When and where?” you ask the local mayor.

…

The meeting takes place that afternoon, in a field by a stream a short ride out into the space between the Hazari and Tarsan defenses, covered from about a dozen angles by the heavy guns of both sides.
>1/2

>>5318338
“Charming,” Justina grumbles.

The precise location is a large tree that stands prominently next to the stream, under which the Tarsan side has placed a wooden table. One chair sits at each end of the table, with a second chair to the right hand of the seat at each head, and two more chairs sit behind the ends of the table flanking the seats for the heads.

The governor is already seated at his end of the table, with a scribe at his right and two men armed with what look to be smoothbore shotguns and cavalry sabres flanking him. You gesture for Valentina to take the seat to your right, which leaves Justina and Reika to take the seats behind you. Valentina takes her sword off her back and props it up against the table, and you do the same as you seat yourself. The slightly different fittings make it apparent that your sword is different somehow, though of course none of the group from Tarsus would understand why or how.

“Queen Noel,” the governor begins in a curt, almost businesslike tone, “I believe you know why I agreed to this meeting?”

>You would do well to remember the difference in our station, governor. I will speak first.
>I do, so we’ll dispense with the formalities for the time being and deal with the issue at hand.
>I can guarantee you my business is more important, so let’s discuss that first, shall we?
>Other?

>>5318424
>>I do, so we’ll dispense with the formalities for the time being and deal with the issue at hand.

>>5318424
>I do, so we’ll dispense with the formalities for the time being and deal with the issue at hand.

>>5318424
>>I do, so we’ll dispense with the formalities for the time being and deal with the issue at hand.

>>5318424
“I do,” you muse, “and as I would suggest dispensing with the formalities anyway I will overlook your rudeness in speaking out of turn.”

“Continue, governor.”

“As you well know,” the man continues with no sign of calming down or reigning himself in, “my daughter has eloped with the son of the former mayor of your town of Rosemarkie. I wish her returned as part of any negotiation.”

And as queen of Hazaran you are bound to observe Hazari law and custom - which you are already in the process of applying to this situation, missing only one possible detail. “Why?”

“Because she had been promised to the son of one of our long-time councilmen.”

And there you have it.

Hazaran did away with arranged marriage as a custom generations ago, and no longer recognizes any attempts at forcing a marriage to be valid or binding. Hazari policy is also to settle and integrate any refugees from other nations or kingdoms, and is very permissive - fleeing a forced marriage would be one possible reason to grant a refugee permanent legal asylum, and in cases where such a refugee asks and no legal reason may be found to prohibit it, granting asylum is actually mandated.

“How old is this girl?”

“A teenager,” he insists curtly.

“Her exact age please, governor.”

“... nineteen.”

A legal adult in Hazari law then, capable of making her own decisions - such as requesting asylum. There is only one custom in Hazari common law that may apply here, and that would be in the case where an individual fleeing prosecution may be returned to the nation they’re trying to leave. There are only a handful of cases you can think of recently where this has mattered, and those situations involved murder, rape, arson, ‘grand’ theft, and the like. Crimes which are broadly speaking recognized by every polity in this corner of the world - and definitely not ‘crimes’ which Hazaran doesn’t recognize as such.
>1/2

>>5319816
>Hazari law is clear on this matter, unless you intend to accuse your daughter of a crime?
>She is a legal adult, and can request asylum in Hazaran which we cannot legally refuse.
>So your family’s political standing is more important to you than your family itself?
>Other?

>>5319816
>>She is a legal adult, and can request asylum in Hazaran which we cannot legally refuse.

>>5319820
>Other?
Ask if there is any other form of compensation that they would be willing to accept, since a return would likely prove to be problematic from a legal standpoint, and not be upheld by the courts.

I have a feeling that getting what we want quickly, and seeing some sort of resolution to this situation, may well be worth additional "sovereign risk" to avoid having other commitments be exposed by failing / taking too long to secure a deal now, since the very defense of the nation is on the line, bending a little is probably worth the time saved since we can get further along the boarder before things go hot.

The only additional stipulation would be that should reprisals occur there will be likely be consequences / annulment of whatever deal is reached.

A potential resettlement, and new identities, and for the couple in question would also be a good idea to get them away from the situation and set some ground rules.

>>5319820
>She is a legal adult, and can request asylum in Hazaran which we cannot legally refuse.

>>5319820
>She is a legal adult, and can request asylum in Hazaran which we cannot legally refuse.

>>5319820
>>She is a legal adult, and can request asylum in Hazaran which we cannot legally refuse.

>>5319820
>3d10, best of three
Apologies for the drop in pace, this whole week so far has been stupid at work. Tomorrow should be a little easier to get stuff done.

Rolled 9, 10, 7 = 26 (3d10)

>>5321481

Rolled 4, 10, 4 = 18 (3d10)

>>5321481

Rolled 10, 1, 9 = 20 (3d10)

>>5321481

>>5319820
“In Hazaran, requests for asylum must be granted unless some valid legal reason can be offered to refuse,” you explain patiently. “Such reasons include being below the age of majority for our kingdom, which your daughter is not, a credible accusation of a serious crime, which you have not made, or violence committed before or during the border crossing, which if it did happen doesn’t seem to have been reported.”

“She is fleeing a legal obligation in our nation,” the governor insists curtly. “That should offer sufficient grounds to authorize her extradition.”

“Hazaran does not recognize arranged or forced marriages made any more recently than introduction of that law seventy years ago,” you observe, “and upon application for asylum having been made, which it is my understanding was done, your daughter fell under the interim protection of Hazari customary law.”

“The laws are quite clear, sir.”

“And what of my accusation that a crime was committed in Tarsus?” the governor demands.

“That is a question for a Hazari court,” you counter, “however the fact remains that under Hazari law the only crime committed was against your daughter, not by her. Punishment of a foreign citizen contrary to the laws of their nation of residence would fall under the Hazari legal principle of ‘mānavatā virōdhī’ - acts generally hostile to humanity. No Hazari judge would agree to your demands.”

“You are of course free to bring a charge against your daughter in a Hazari court, but I would rather see you spend your energy making the world a better place for her to start a family in.”

“So you’re telling me that my appeal would have no chance of success?” the governor presses you for a final answer.

You nod. “Under my interpretation of Hazari law no, there would be no chance of such an appeal succeeding.”

After several long moments, the governor shakes his head. “This hardly seems like a negotiation.”

“As queen, my duty to uphold Hazaran’s laws is non-negotiable,” you insist curtly. “Now, if you have interests that don’t call for me to violate the laws of my kingdom, I’d be perfectly willing to discuss them.”

There’s a pause. “Relax tariffs on cross-border trade heading for the Dari pass.”

>I can authorize that on an emergency basis, only for the duration of a specified emergency.
>I can only promise to take that to the regional councils for ratification. That’s how this works.
>I can’t just give you something like that. Consider things that I might be able to do legally.
>Other?

>>5322030
>>I can authorize that on an emergency basis, only for the duration of a specified emergency.

>>5322030
>>I can authorize that on an emergency basis, only for the duration of a specified emergency.

>>5322030
>I can authorize that on an emergency basis, only for the duration of a specified emergency.
I only hope he doesn't take this as a reason to extend said emergency.

>>5322082
>>5322030
agreed and supported

>>5322030
>I can authorize that on an emergency basis, only for the duration of a specified emergency.

>>5322030
“My ability to make such decisions unilaterally,” you admit calmly. “But I can do that on an emergency basis.”

“An emergency basis,” the governor repeats.

You nod in confirmation. “For one specified emergency - say, an imminent invasion from the north. Once that emergency passes however…”

“The change in laws reverts,” the governor completes the thought.

“It would be temporary,” you observe, “but your nation could make an argument by the time this emergency is resolved that the measures should be maintained.”

“No tariffs,” he insists. “For as long as the invaders have a hold in Sakia.”

“Twenty percent to be reviewed monthly,” you counter.

“Fifty percent reduction until we have agreed that the invasion is thwarted,” he rebuts.

You shake your head. “Too high a figure and there will be a legal challenge, and you’ll end up with nothing. Thirty-five to be reviewed every three months. Final offer.”

After a few moments, the governor sighs. “Alright, very well. What do you ask in return?”

>Go big. Complete reorganization of both your sides’ armaments to focus fire northward.
>Go moderate. Cross-communication and coordination of fire along the border, plus passive defenses.
>Go modest. Offer to help deny areas focusing on quickly-assembled passive defenses, same as in Merced.
>Other?

>>5324136
>>Go moderate. Cross-communication and coordination of fire along the border, plus passive defenses.

>>5324136
>Go big. Complete reorganization of both your sides’ armaments to focus fire northward.

>>5324136
>>Go moderate. Cross-communication and coordination of fire along the border, plus passive defenses.

>>5324136
>3d10, best of three

Rolled 5, 7, 5 = 17 (3d10)

>>5325187

Rolled 4, 6, 3 = 13 (3d10)

>>5325187

Rolled 5, 9, 5 = 19 (3d10)

>>5325187

>>5325187
"While I do have a certain appreciation for the back-and-forth,” you admit, “like what we went through just now, I think it may be better to simply offer the compromise position from the start in this instance. Shall I?”

The governor… you realize that he started this meeting with such intensity you never went through the pleasantries of exchanging your names… nods in agreement. “By all means.”

“To the south, we employed passive defenses,” you explain, “which would force an army moving through that area to move in particular ways that suit our defensive needs, or risk being stopped while under artillery fire.”

“To concentrate them into certain overlapping fields of fire?”

You nod. “Yes.”

“That would seem to require coordination across the borders,” he muses.

You nod again. “It would not be ‘required’, in the strict sense, but it would be necessary to reach peak effectiveness.”

“Which would involve sharing sensitive details about what our own defenses are capable of,” the governor extrapolates.

After a moment, you admit as much. “On our side, the plan would involve decentralizing our artillery - placing indirect weapons like mortars into lowered firing positions for their own defense. But yes, we would have to tell you at least a little bit about what our defenses are capable of.”

“I assume that your plan would involve a long-term reordering of your defenses for that reason?”

“If we did not end up at peace with Tarsus after this, then yes.”

>As a show of faith, we could offer to share information first.
>We will be committing to the changes on our side either way, so either help us or not.
>We will lay out the passive defenses, you can rearrange your guns if you choose to do so.
>Other?

>>5325455
>We will be committing to the changes on our side either way, so either help us or not.

>>5325455
>>We will be committing to the changes on our side either way, so either help us or not.

>>5325455
>3d10
Best of three.

Rolled 10, 7, 8 = 25 (3d10)

>>5327213

Rolled 3, 6, 5 = 14 (3d10)

>>5327213

Rolled 5, 2, 7 = 14 (3d10)

>>5327213

>>5327213
“We plan to commit to those adjustments anyway,” you explain, “so ultimately the question is whether or not you feel it’s in your interest to collaborate with us or not.”

After a few moments, the governor nods in agreement. “I see your point.”

“I will have the temporary new locations mapped and sent to whichever military officer you think needs to see them,” you offer. “Will that be an acceptable arrangement?”

The governor quickly agrees, and with little else to discuss you part ways.

…

“So I take it the plan will be similar here?” Reika asks you.

You shake your head. “Not necessarily.”

>We need to visit the fortresses surrounding the town itself, assess their sight lines.
>We need to meet with the local military commander and coordinate our efforts.
>There are some obvious places to start building up passive defenses.
>Other?

>>5327548
>We need to meet with the local military commander and coordinate our efforts.

>>5327548
>We need to meet with the local military commander and coordinate our efforts.

>>5327548
>We need to meet with the local military commander and coordinate our efforts.

>>5327548
>3d10
>best of three

Rolled 8, 3, 4 = 15 (3d10)

>>5328741

Rolled 1, 9, 2 = 12 (3d10)

>>5328741

>>5328741

Rolled 2, 8, 4 = 14 (3d10)

>>5328741

>>5328741
There are several garrison commanders, five of them in fact, each of whom has command over one of the fortresses ringing the city proper. You spend an hour of reviewing detailed maps with them, and positioning tokens for the guns that are available into the various locations from which they could be fired, which starts to make things a little clearer. There are actually several areas which the guns cannot properly cover no matter how you order them shuffled around, which is a problem that will need to be solved.

“So these are the gaps in our defenses,” you declare to the assembled officers. “Options?”

“Place field guns on some of the lower hills?”

“Mortars behind the river with slit trenches for riflemen?”

“Barricades to bar movement?”

All of these plans have some merit, of course. Spreading out the guns on lower hilltops would give them better fields of fire that could close some of the gaps, albeit at the cost of thinning out the concentration of fire that you could otherwise achieve. Placing mortars in certain key locations would allow them to place plunging fire on the areas that would otherwise be gaps in your defenses, though the commander who suggested it was right to add rifle trenches - since the mortar pits would have to be positioned in the open, largely exposed to enemy counterattack. And the barricades could only be erected to dissuade an attacking force from entering some of the gaps, and to do a thorough job of even that would take time.

>The best solution is to pursue a mix of those three approaches.
>The mortars and lowered gun emplacements should suffice.
>Barriers to concentrate movement should be the priority.
>Other?

>>5329681
>Barriers to concentrate movement should be the priority.
Passive defenses to separate, deny and funnel attackers into the various guns that will the most advantage against them.

"Hedgehogs" could be used to funnel tanks into defilade(s) / AT-ditches that their gun depression can't take advantage ( the mortars could also have "range cards" / be pre aimed to see if we can mission kill or otherwise force them to be abandoned and dissuade their use by infantry) of, or force them to maneuver around obstacles permitting attacks to the thinner side and rear armor, even with the existing guns.

>>5329681
>Barriers to concentrate movement should be the priority.

>>5329681
>Barriers to concentrate movement should be the priority.
CHANNEL INTO KILLZONE

>>5329755
>>5329681

>>5329681
“In theory, we do not need to crush this invading force here,” you observe, tracing their likely route on the map. “What we need to do is protect the city, make it impossible to take without unacceptable losses. To that end, our best option may be to focus on passive defenses that would concentrate any attacking force into a position where they would be covered from multiple angles.”

“But then what would these fortresses do in the event that the city ends up being bypassed?” Reika wonders aloud.

“Doesn’t matter?” Justina guesses.

“How do you figure?” Valentina frowns, not quite understanding her friend in this particular case.

“I tend to agree with Justina,” you decide. “The point of these defenses, in the grand scheme, is to weaken. They can do that even if the enemy decides to try to bypass this particular city.”

“Because the nearest fortresses and the Tarsan defenses will exact a toll in any event,” one of the garrison commanders realizes. “Either a smaller toll as they approach the next major defensive line, or a heavy toll if they try to take the city.”

“Exactly,” you nod, confirming that understanding of the overarching strategy at play. “Particularly as an army bypassing this city would leave its defenses to their rear, a threat to the lines of supply feeding the main advance.”

“And what is your reasoning for assuming they have it in mind to bypass us?” another commander demands.

“If they wished to invade this region they would have done so,” you point out. “I will not say that is because they can’t, but it seems reasonable to infer that it is not their goal.”

“So how do we capitalize on this?” Valentina asks you curiously.

>We don’t have to. Merced’s defenses are the main line, with Rosemarkie disrupting supply lines.
>We should set up a third line of defense - find a point the weakened force cannot simply bypass.
>Other units in western Hazaran will be ready to counterattack when the enemy stalls at Merced.
>Other?

>>5331283
>Other units in western Hazaran will be ready to counterattack when the enemy stalls at Merced.

>>5331283
>>Other units in western Hazaran will be ready to counterattack when the enemy stalls at Merced.
Mobile defence. You don’t need superior tech to be able to send cavalry raiding parties into the enemy rear

>>5331283
>>Other units in western Hazaran will be ready to counterattack when the enemy stalls at Merced.

>>5331283
“A weakened invasion force will stall north of Merced,” you reason. “Other units in western Hazaran will need to be ready to capitalize on that.”

“By striking at the exposed supply lines?” Valentina guesses.

“Or outright encircling them,” you tell her. “That’s a classic counter to an overextended front - treat it as a deep salient rather than a breakthrough, and cut off the forwardmost units.”

“Do you think we have the forces for that?” Valentina wonders aloud. “Or is that why you modernized the light cavalry units first?”

“That’s part of it. Light cavalry would be most effective against infantry, not those monster armored vehicles and their heavy guns.”

“Fuel,” Justina realizes.

You nod in agreement. “That’s a good idea. By attacking the fuel stores first and ensuring the forward units begin to run low, our faster cavalry would have an easier time delivering a devastating counterattack.”

“I have a question,” Reika admits. “What happens if these units you plan to strand simply dig in?”

That’s actually a reasonable question. The most likely outcome will be that the remaining units will entrench themselves using the heavy weapons in their stranded vehicles as a basis for defense - dig those into deep trenches and you could have excellent screening against attack, however it would leave the vehicles stationary. Artillery could in theory make short work of them at that point.

>We have some field guns. It’s simply a question of reacting fast enough.
>Small, portable mortars are the perfect answer to dug-in armored vehicles.
>When they’re stationary and cut off from resupply, it becomes a waiting game.
>Other?

>>5332213
>>Small, portable mortars are the perfect answer to dug-in armored vehicles.

>>5332213
>When they’re stationary and cut off from resupply, it becomes a waiting game.

>>5332213
>Small, portable mortars are the perfect answer to dug-in armored vehicles.

>>5332213
>>When they’re stationary and cut off from resupply, it becomes a waiting game.
While same time our cavalry and infantry can move around them. Nothing forbids us from using our artillery, but if they are stuck and running out of supply, they either need to break back to their own lines and surrender. And if we have managed to push way past them, then surrendering is easiest for them. Not forgetting we have the advantage of knowing the land.

>>5332213
>>When they’re stationary and cut off from resupply, it becomes a waiting game.

>>5332213
>Small, portable mortars are the perfect answer to dug-in armored vehicles.

>>5332213
>>When they’re stationary and cut off from resupply, it becomes a waiting game.

>>5332213
“Once the enemy has stopped for lack of fuel we can destroy them at our leisure,” you muse. “Or not. It may be worth eliminating a few units using portable mortars, but that would have to be taken case by case.”

…

With the appropriate units having been put on alert, you find yourself in a rather dangerous position - you have very little to do personally. The Tarsans have been put on reluctant alert, Hazari resources are being moved where they need to be, and a battle plan now exists.

>Put your border forces on high alert, then go home to resume business as usual for the time being.
>This would be a good time to foray north of the border, gather information ahead of the attack.
>It’s been a while since you hunted yōma. Surely there MUST be some of those lurking around.
>Other?

>>5334191
>It’s been a while since you hunted yōma. Surely there MUST be some of those lurking around.

>>5334191
>>It’s been a while since you hunted yōma. Surely there MUST be some of those lurking around.
Maybe send all of your companions to hunt for Yoma, to not get rusty and to teach the new rookies.

>>5334191
>>It’s been a while since you hunted yōma. Surely there MUST be some of those lurking around.
This *is* a Claymore quest.

>>5334191
>3d10, best of three

Rolled 2, 5, 10 = 17 (3d10)

>>5335090

Rolled 2, 7, 4 = 13 (3d10)

>>5335090

Rolled 5, 7, 3 = 15 (3d10)

>>5335090

>>5336081
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