HFQ Official Snippet #20

Hi SighsHeavily,

You're quite right in your terminology and references regarding princes, but not all here as familiar as you appear to be.

May we know a little of your background, possibly an interest in the Renaissance, professionally or personally?

You are very kind, probably overly polite, and rather eloquent; but allow me to apologise in appearing to suggest I expected Thirsk and Ahlverez to be co-rulers in the empire.

Cayleb, Sharleyan and the inner circle have been very wise in avoiding continental territorial commitments.

I don't see them wanting to rule or attempting to control Dohlar after its been reconstructed, or any continental territory with the possible exception of the Salthar Canal, though Siddarmark may feel differently about extending its borders.

There are many good reasons to let Dohlar be as independent as possible immediately after it turns its coat, and Dohlar will have several good reasons to keep its commitments and improve itself, among them the increasing apparent to all likelihood that the alliance will win this war with the Go4.

Being the leaders of the regency council will be interesting for both of them, NTM I think both will be pleasantly pleased at how mature their relationship is when they meet again, in moving beyond the past antagonisms.

Safehold and the Charisian Empire still depend on the aristocracy, even if its increasingly meritocratic in the EoC.

In that sense, Thirsk and Ahlverez stand as excellent role models for those remaining in Dohlar.

Dohlar has a population of some 97 millions, so the military even with its extended families is still a drop in the bucket, but you're right in that their public reputations will gain them much of the critical public support they'll need.

Delferahk may indeed turn its coat at some future date; and while I love the idea of a note on his pillow, if he's heard what happened to King Gorjah, Delferahk is inconsequential in this war on Haven, and if Howard is entirely cut off from direct contact with Zion, he may have excellent reasons to fear an unbridled Desnar, and seek new allies on his own.

I look forward to many more intriguing and informative posts.

L

SighsHeavily wrote:*quote="lyonheart"*Hi SighsHeavily,

Greetings and welcome to the forums, please enjoy your favorite simulated beverage on the simulated forum.

Dohlar is a kingdom, and demoting it to princedom status will not endear the alliance to the Dohlaran public, whatever the nobility might have agreed to, ie seeing a prince has less authority than a king, making their positions seem more secure.

Making Thirsk king has been suggested before, but given his limited support among the nobility and the powers that be, that seems much too risky for the alliance.

Making him co-regent with Ahlverez seems more acceptable to the Dohlaran public to me.

L

SighsHeavily wrote:...Since most readers respect Thirsk and wished he weren't playing for the wrong team, getting him to defect has long been a fond dream of ours...

Quite. Many of us DO wish Thirsk would stop musing in cathedrals about how bad the team he is playing for is (Midst Toil Etc.) and figure out a way out. However, getting him out of Dohlar would have been an early to mid-game strategy for the EoC in my opinion...and the game is moving on rapidly. Frankly, while it is easy to get bogged in the details when getting the story in agonizing little snippets, Himself is writing a major story arc and the Empire has to hold and control what it acquires by whatever means...and without consuming too much scarce person-power. In the past, this has meant doing practical deals with conquered princes and/or replacing them (a la Zebediah) with reliable parties like General C. However, soon, at least some on this forum speculate, Charis will be in a position to occupy Dohlar Very good. Who then, however, to have as a tributary prince in Dohlar? Just as Prince Hector appointed a local Zebedian noble as "Grand Duke" after conquering that Princedom, the Empire may well wish a Dohlaran prince of their own choosing but less likely to be seen as a foreign interloper by the locals. At that juncture, one may ask: "Who better than the irritatingly competent, honorable, "knows he has no future," and increasingly Zion-sceptical Thirsk?" Thus, in this scenario, no one spirits out Thirsk or his family. At most a team of scout snipers (or similar) is sent on ahead during the confusion of invasion to take out the temple guards/inquisitors watching Thirsk's family. Once they are safe and the Princedom is held the Empire can negotiate with the Earl - they do not even have to defeat his fleet as a fleet with no home port will soon be no fleet at all.

On the above note, one might speculate that one fine day the King of Delferahk may find a letter on his pillow from his loving niece, now married into the Ahrmahk family, suggesting to her Uncle that it is time to get into the boat with the winners and out of the water with the Temple losers. Again, this is in accordance with the type of realpolitik themes already used by the redoubtable Mr. Weber in this series. Now that might be a real blow to the Grand Inquisitor! Thirsk as Prince followed by Delferahk's change of allegiance. After all, how much territory does the EoC take and how many princedoms does it acquire before there is a rush to the exits by the remaining rulers of Safehold? Hmmmm....?

*quote*


Dear lyonheart:

Old Tilman is fine with me. Thank you for noting that a very long time 'lurker in branches' has emerged and thank you for the greetings. As for "Kingdom" - I ought to have been clearer. NO original title of any subsidiary realm of the Empire has any real meaning...and only two people can be Emperor and Empress of the Empire. That said, the local title is not very relevant in the grand scheme - whether the King of Tarot or the Prince of Emerald or the "Grand Duke" of Zebediah (a former Princedom) all of these lesser rulers are nobles and princes of the Empire, FIRST. Indeed, I point to the fact that the Prince of Emerald was specifically granted a very high precedence status amongst the nobles of the Empire as part of the deal by which Emerald became part of the Empire. It did not matter that Tarot had a King when they joined the Empire etc., Prince Nahrmahn had higher precedence - it was and is the precedence among the Imperial nobility that counts. Furthermore, Machiavelli in Il Principe refers to rulers as "Princes" - to distinguish those who actually rule from others regardless of their actual title (and there were some odd ones in the [not so...] good old days...). I have been unclear and apologize for that but when I refer to a "prince" I mean firstly an actual ruler and secondly, in the instance of Safehold, the ruler of one of the constituent realms of the Empire.

As for a co-rulership in Dohlar post-conquest? These are inevitably messy and impractical ...even when there are no pre-existing personal tensions. The nobility as trouble makers post-conquest? Most of those will flee or have their wings clipped - nor do the few great nobles of a small place such as Dohlar have much in the way of standing levies of their own (actually none in all likelihood). Frankly, the sooner any surviving nobles make trouble the sooner they can be culled by the Empire.

Other than the nobles there are the local equivalent of the gentry, the skilled working classes any small nascent "middle class" and the mobile populace (probably well north of 90% of the population) - we do not know their precise opinions, nor how they really feel about the policies of the Temple - however, Thirsk actually speculates on this very point in Chapter 13 of Midst Toil Etc. and notes both creeping reformism and the possibility of doubt in the general populace as to what is going on. I do note that even conquered populations a la Corisande and in a sense, Zebediah, have been remarkably complacent post-conquest or acquisition. Speculating on precisely how such a populace might react depends on many factors including reformist sentiment, disgust with the Temple, disgust with the current King (who is a profligate among other things) etc. It also depends on what surprises Mr. Weber may be saving for us poor groundlings to be amazed at! Overall, I would suggest that a unitary ruler and one who has gained the love, or at least respect, of many of the populace by a) insisting on pay for his pressed sailors and b) treating his crews well amongst other things might surprise you - especially in a small Kingdom.

To conclude, I never meant to suggest that a successor to King R would be 'demoted' to the status of "Prince" - the Empire, to date, has maintained all pre-existing local titles. What I meant (and did not clarify, alas) in my first post was that all these local rulers whatever their local titles are first and foremost Princes of the Empire.

Again thank you for your greetings, apologies for my lamentable lack of clarity and best wishes to all on these forums who put so much time and effort into attempting to divine the Weberian tea-leaves. Since there are no possible thanks for Mr. Weber for his work that those more eloquent than I have not already expressed over the years I will confine myself to remarking that I join many others - I am sure - in hoping that things go supremely well for Mr. Weber and his family personally.

Petrus

...they also serve who stand and wait...

Louis R wrote:What's your definition of 'best map we have available'? Kind of hard to know what you're saying if we don't know what you're looking at

If it's the one Pokermind posted for us upthread, I'd guess from the text that he's probably a lot further toward the hilt of the sword - somewhere within 100 miles of the center of the line from Malyktyn to the top of the east upright on the H. That's a lot closer to what his thoughts indicate, IMV. He'd have been moving fairly quickly up to the point where he left the high road. He didn't start slogging until then, and would still have been in fairly good shape for the first 5-6 days after leaving the road. Progress is bad now, and getting worse quickly, so I'm guessing that he covered a good 2/3 of the distance he's marched in half the elapsed time, or even less. He'll be further out into the South March than the description we just saw would suggest, and probably further north than you seem to be thinking.

lyonheart wrote:"Howdy everybody",

< snip >
Fourth, despite the several chapters of HFQ, Ahlverez is still "over 300 miles from Thesmar" (NTM almost 300 from Kharmych) or further than he was at the end of LaMA; so it may have only been 7-8 days since LaMA ended, so he's approximately near the northeast side of the 'o' in 'South March Lands' on the best map we have available.

< snip >
L

Using the map from LaMA, since there doesn't seem to be a link to a map from Pokermind in my browser, I'd peg Ahlverez's position somewhere in the area of the "T" in the "South March Lands." His next destination is Malys, which is 80 miles southwest of his current position, which would be 30-40 miles directly south of the "S" in "South March." From there he intends to move northwest towards Fort Sheldyn, which will require him to cross the Cheryk - Fort Tairys high road, passing slightly north of the center of the cross on the shield to get there. Evidently his lousy map must show some sort of road leading to Fort Sheldyn from Malys, which has five roads forking from it.

His army is in no shape to march 500 miles to Alyksberg, and we don't know if Fort Sheldyn or Syrk to the north of it on the high road are still in CoGA hands. Brahnselyk and Cheyvair were both captured by the Army of Cliff Peak, lead by Earl Highmount, and we don't know how far south the AoCP troops went before the majority of them pulled back to prepare for an assault on Kaitswyrth as soon as the weather allows.

LaMA is fairly clear that the Dohlarans were rushing supplies and troops forward to Evrytyn to hold that position, not to stop Hanth's advance. He's likely to dig in and shell the place until the Delthak arrives, and then things will get interesting. Hanth will either cut the canal behind Evrytyn, forcing a Dohlaran retreat, or the Delthak will blast through the defenses and force the Dohlarans to blow the locks and retreat. Either way, there may be no friendly faces anywhere nearby when (and if) Ahlverez finally reaches Fort Sheldyn. It's possible that the Dohlarans there pulled back, as did those at Syrk when Hanth moved up from the south when Brahnselyk fell to the north.

At best Ahlverez is aiming for a narrow corridor that's not garrisoned or picketed by allied troops. As he explained, “The way I see it, our best bet is to strike northwest from Malys, through Thyssyk, across the high road, and then through Fyrnyst and on up to Fort Sheldyn. Once we cross the high road, we break almost due north for Alyksberg.”

Although it isn't shown on the map in LaMA, the online map from MTaT shows a high road from Fort Sheldyn to Alyksberg. If the area northwest of the fort is still in CoGA hands, Ahlverez could possibly make his escape, especially if the fort is still held by CoGA forces and he can take its garrison and their weapons with him.

That's his plan, which surprisingly takes into account Hanth's offensive all the way to Evrytyn, which I thought began at roughly the same time as the Battle of Kyplynger. I'm surprised that Ahlverez knows about it.

The bad news for Ahlverez - well, more bad news... Duke Eastshare is undoubtedly moving tens of thousands of troops from Kharmych and will have the entire high road picketed all the way to Cheryk. Seijin Zhevons could drop by anytime to give him the location of the shattered remains of Ahlverez's army, which would force Ahlverez to surrender rather than face a pitched battle. Even if the Dohlaran scouts that are looking for him with the news of Hanth's offensive find him, he already seems to have that news, and their information of whether his intended escape route will work is going to be outdated by the time he receives it.

At this point DE is several times more mobile using the high road than Ahlverez, and his army is intact, well fed, and flush with victory. For the first time the ICA actually outnumbers the enemy force it faces, and it's not short of weapons or ammunition, but the Dohlarans are.

Once DE links up with Hanth, any corridor of retreat will close and Ahlverez will have no chance of escape. If that hasn't happened already, it will within the next couple of five days. That will vastly simplify DE's logistics as well, since he'll be supplied through Thesmar.

Ahlverez is toast. If he makes it home he'll be executed as a scapegoat, so the best use of him as a character is as the senior Dohlaran POW, and later as part of a regency council with Thirsk after the EoC captures and executes King Rahnyld for turning Gwylym Manthyr and the rest of the Charisian POWs over to the Inquisition. I do realize that's an aberration from how the EoC has treated enemy leaders in the past, but Cayleb and Sharleyan have sworn that Rahnyld will pay personally for that action. Plus the EoC isn't trying to annex Dohlar.

Don't expect the EoC to even try to conquer Dohlar, or even cross the Dohlar/Siddarmark border except to conduct small raids. Dohlar has 97 million people vs. 72 million for the entire EoC. It's also the most technologically advanced of the mainland realms. The EoC simply doesn't have the troops to garrison it, couldn't possibly hold on to it, and it doesn't need to invade it to win the war.

Unlike most of the other mainland realms, Dohlar does have the option to surrender, since its geography makes that possible. It's surrounded on the three sides by the Gulf of Dohlar, and is bordered on the east by Siddarmark (which is out for blood) and the Grand Duchy of Silkiah, which is neutral and located across the apparently impenetrable Salthar mountains. In other words, Dohlar can be effectively separated from CoGA control and invasion by any CoGA forces. The EoC will soon have complete control of the Gulf of Dohlar, and no CoGA army is going to be able to get past Hanth and DE on the Dohlaran border with Siddarmark to threaten internal Dohlaran politics.

Desnair and South Harchong will also be out of the war in the next few months, once the Haarahld VIIs arrive in the Gulf of Dohlar. Those countries won't surrender, but they won't contribute much to the war effort either. Desnair's land route through Silkiah is cut off, and its days of building commerce raiders are coming to a messy end due to Merlin's "network of spies." South Harchong will be completely cut off from the war once the ICN controls the entire Gulf of Dohlar.

Keep running, Sir Ahlverez. Hanth and Duke Eastshare are waiting to save you and your troops from the wrath of the Inquisition!

Joat42 wrote:Re RFC's negative on Thirsk and family getting rescued by Aivah's organisation.

I have posited the theory that Thirsks family could be saved by Aivah's organization quite a while ago, but thinking about it now I doubt it's very realistic.

The same goes for Merlin rescuing his family, however if Thirsk is dead there is no need for the inquisition to keep them under their thumb.

So, we have a couple of scenarios that might be possible:

1. Thirsk gets killed because the enmity from a certain Dohlarian noble which sees his chance to get his revenge.
2. Thirsk gets killed because the inquisition thinks he is of no further use.
3. Thirsk plans his own "death" as a way to defect. See LAMA Aug 896 - Ch IX and his thoughts about Ahlvyn Khapahr and his daugthers.
4. Thirsk plans his own death as a way to save his family from the inquisition.
5. Merlin impersonates Ahlvyn Khapahr and feigns killing Thirsk as a way to help him defect.

In my opinion, Thirsk's death by Ahlvyn Khapahr hand is very fishy since we know that Thirsk thrusts him implicitly and we have the reference to that Ahlvyn is up to something that Thirsk can't tell his daughters about (see point 3 above for reference).

I'd like to add: Merlin impersonating Thirsk for the apparent assassination. Thirsk is whisked away; his heart-torn but Church-loyal assassin can report a successful operation; Nimue gets the family out; happy endings.

is a half size reduction of the map SYED posted, full sized map is at:

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/safehold/images/8/89/South_Marsh_Lands_map_LAMA_01.png/revision/20140329015924

The half size will fit in a post if you want it, just right click and copy image location to put map in your post If you wish to copy the map I suggest copying the full sized from SYED's link.

Poker

pokermind wrote:

is a half size reduction of the map SYED posted, full sized map is at:

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/safehold/images/8/89/South_Marsh_Lands_map_LAMA_01.png/revision/20140329015924

The half size will fit in a post if you want it, just right click and copy image location to put map in your post If you wish to copy the map I suggest copying the full sized from SYED's link.

Poker

Thanks, that link worked perfectly and I've bookmarked it. Since it's the same map from LaMA that I used in my lengthy post above, it doesn't change any of my observations. It certainly simplifies pulling up the map, since I don't have to load the ebook any longer.

I sure wish someone would update the online map from MTaT at http://infodump.thefifthimperium.com/en ... hold/338/1 to include the additions from LaMA. (Hint, hint to whoever put that masterpiece together, as long as it doesn't require any time or effort from RFC!)

tootall wrote:I wonder if there's any chance of Aivah Pahrsahn's organisation getting Thirsk and his family out from under the baleful eyes of their Inquisition guards?

I'm wondering if we're giving Aivah too much credit.
That is to say, there is a limit on how much one person can control. And it is essential that the people that she controls are trustworthy. (Recall the demise of the Circle.) There are only so many people who can do that sort of work. And they have to be identified and then rigorously trained.
It appears that her main focus was in Zion.(her main network) And, apparently, to some extent, in Siddermark-which she may have viewed as a counter weight to the Church. We have not had any evidence that she had anyone on the "out islands". I would not expect that she has a "network" in Dohlar or Harchong or the Desnairian Empire.
The critical thing is competent trained and trustworthy agents. Over the years, one leak, one clue that there's an unknown "player" out there would have started the inquisition on the hunt. Large numbers of agents or agents in many places seems unwise.
I don't think she has the resources to pull off a rescue in Dohlar.

I think that maintaining security over sheer reach represents a creditworthy choice, so she gets credit that way too.

I'd agree, with a distinction. There are operatives who can be trusted to do dangerous, violent things in full knowledge that they are taking arms up against the Church (or Clyntahn, anyway), and there are contacts who can provide information and indirect assistance without knowing that they are playing any role in some conspiracy. Pulling off a rescue like this would almost certainly require the former sort of help, and surely that's thin for her and mostly in the Temple Lands.

But it doesn't rule out (e.g.) commercial contacts "Aivah Pahrsahn" and/or any other identity may have in Dohlar that are suitable for information (which may even bear on that sort of rescue, indirectly). Given what she had had in Siddarmark for years, I'd take it as entirely plausible she's got that sort of contact in Dohlar, Harchong, and maybe now or once some bit in Charis.

JeffEngel wrote:I'd like to add: Merlin impersonating Thirsk for the apparent assassination. Thirsk is whisked away; his heart-torn but Church-loyal assassin can report a successful operation; Nimue gets the family out; happy endings.

Great idea, but unfortunately a PICA can only be reconfigured in a limited fashion. Quoting Sharleyan: “Well, I must say you’re much … solider-looking in person,” Sharleyan observed ... "And you really don’t look very much like Merlin. But there’s … something ... A family resemblance, I suppose.”

“Bone structure, probably,” Nimue replied ... “He altered his a bit when he decided he had to be a man instead of a woman, but it’s still basically the same, really, except for the jawline.”

Since there's been no mention of a PICA imitating the appearance of anyone else, which the TF certainly would have frowned upon, while RFC has gone into great detail regarding the limitations of a PICA's ability to alter its appearance, I highly doubt that either Merlin or Nimue could impersonate Thirsk. Merlin is too tall and Nimue is too short for starters, and there isn't much variation available in a PICA's height. (Which was a major reason that Nimue is much shorter than Merlin - she can imitate both a woman or a man, as long as she wear heels.)

I think Thirsk will manage his own escape, with the help of Ahlvyn Khapahr. With Thirsk "dead" there's no reason for the Inquisition to keep his family in "protective custody." At that point they can quietly slip away and join his corpse in exile.

There's also the possibility that the ICN attack on Gorath Bay may result in a reshuffling of Dohlaran royalty, since King Rahnyld may end up hanging by the neck until dead. (If Cayleb is feeling charitable!)

Should something like that occur, a regency council will be needed, and who better to serve on it than the heroic commander of the NoG who actually defeated several Charisian war galleons, and whose researchers added greatly to the defense during the Battle of Gorath Bay?

I'd toss Ahlverez into the mix as well, once he's no longer a POW. That won't occur until the EoC and Dohlar reach terms. That may seem to be a stretch at the moment, but Dohlar is about to have its armies decimated and chased back to its borders. It's going to be cut off from all the other CoGA forces, and it faces a resurgent Siddarmark out for blood on its eastern border. Finally, it may very well lose its king and have an enemy fleet in Gorath Bay able to shell most of the city with impunity.

In that case reaching terms with the allies will be a very good idea, especially since Clyntahn isn't going to have an easy time punishing "cowards" and "traitors" when he can't even send assassins into the country.

The terms? Here's some possibilities:

1. Dohlar renounces the jihad.
2. War reparations to Siddarmark.
3. Reestablishment of trade.
4. Limitations on the size of the Dohlaran military.
5. A regency council with Thirsk as a member, since
he's known to be an honorable man.
6. A possible arranged marriage with Zhan or
Zhanayt, depending on the age and sex of Rahnyld's
children. (But I wouldn't want to be the one
married off to a Dohlaran, since I doubt Dohlar
will be quick to forgive the hanging of their king.
Perhaps Cayleb will only require him to abdicate.)
7. Recognition of the CoC as an alternative way to
God, with a mandate requiring religious toleration
and allowing CoC congregations in Dohlar.

Feel free to add your own terms, or tell me why some I've suggested won't work. For example, the marriage of state may be impossible if Rahnyld is executed, and recognition of the CoC as the official reformist church may simply spark a religious civil war within Dohlar. Cayleb and Merlin are smart enough not to ask for terms that will only make things worse.

lyonheart wrote:Hi SighsHeavily,

You're quite right in your terminology and references regarding princes, but not all here as familiar as you appear to be.

May we know a little of your background, possibly an interest in the Renaissance, professionally or personally?

You are very kind, probably overly polite, and rather eloquent; but allow me to apologise in appearing to suggest I expected Thirsk and Ahlverez to be co-rulers in the empire.

Cayleb, Sharleyan and the inner circle have been very wise in avoiding continental territorial commitments.

I don't see them wanting to rule or attempting to control Dohlar after its been reconstructed, or any continental territory with the possible exception of the Salthar Canal, though Siddarmark may feel differently about extending its borders.

There are many good reasons to let Dohlar be as independent as possible immediately after it turns its coat, and Dohlar will have several good reasons to keep its commitments and improve itself, among them the increasing apparent to all likelihood that the alliance will win this war with the Go4.

Being the leaders of the regency council will be interesting for both of them, NTM I think both will be pleasantly pleased at how mature their relationship is when they meet again, in moving beyond the past antagonisms.

Safehold and the Charisian Empire still depend on the aristocracy, even if its increasingly meritocratic in the EoC.

In that sense, Thirsk and Ahlverez stand as excellent role models for those remaining in Dohlar.

Dohlar has a population of some 97 millions, so the military even with its extended families is still a drop in the bucket, but you're right in that their public reputations will gain them much of the critical public support they'll need.

Delferahk may indeed turn its coat at some future date; and while I love the idea of a note on his pillow, if he's heard what happened to King Gorjah, Delferahk is inconsequential in this war on Haven, and if Howard is entirely cut off from direct contact with Zion, he may have excellent reasons to fear an unbridled Desnar, and seek new allies on his own.

I look forward to many more intriguing and informative posts.

L

Hi Lyonheart,

Always nice to see your posts...

I'm not convinced that the alliance replacing Rahnyld is a good idea. Just get Dohlar out of the war, either by knocking her out militarily or by negotiating her exit, and let the Dohlarans themselves decide whether or not they want to keep their "worthless sot of a king." Outside meddling invariably creates problems of its own, especially for the meddler. There is a saying, "you break it; you buy it." No way does the EOC want to own Dohlar's problems.

Don

McGuiness wrote:
Ahlverez is toast. If he makes it home he'll be executed as a scapegoat, so the best use of him as a character is as the senior Dohlaran POW, and later as part of a regency council with Thirsk after the EoC captures and executes King Rahnyld for turning Gwylym Manthyr and the rest of the Charisian POWs over to the Inquisition. I do realize that's an aberration from how the EoC has treated enemy leaders in the past, but Cayleb and Sharleyan have sworn that Rahnyld will pay personally for that action. Plus the EoC isn't trying to annex Dohlar.

Maybe, but maybe not too. First, I think it makes a more interesting plot twist for Ahlverez to escape allied armies... Besides, it ain't over until the fat lady actually sings...although I admit she is spraying her throat in preparation for the song....

As for the inquisition, I doubt that they are going to be very influential in Dohlar by the time Ahlverez gets home if he makes it. By that time the Dohlarans are going to be muttering under their breath, "who got us into this mess, Clyntahn and his bloody Jihad, that's who!" As for the disaster in the South March lands, they will cheerfully project that on Desnairian incompetence. If Ahlverez gets home, he will be greeted as a hero for getting his men out.

I wholeheartedly agree with you that Ahlverez's people are in no shape to march 500 miles.

Don

this last snippet reminds me of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow.... Miserable conditions, lack of proper clothing, food, weapons, and ammunition.

At least the army is not being harassed by Cossacks.... just my thoughts... thanks for the Snippet.