@rho21 5 to Fulvius and 2 to the faction treasury.
To start us off, the Assidui draw a card to hand.
@antlers: it is your initiative. You may take any number of the following actions, once each, in this order:
- Make a persuasion attempt
- Attempt to attract a knight OR pressure your knights
- Sponsor games
- Change faction leader
@rho21 - Aurelius attempts to attract a Knight with 0 talents since his treasury is empty. I think that’s all I’m going to try this time.
Aurelius rolls a 3 and fails to attract a knight.
An angry speech was heard in the forum today, rousing the people against Carthage - despite that Rome is not yet even at war. Still this senator, Furius, clearly knows the way the wind is blowing. Perhaps his clear political acumen and oratorical skill will gain him the opportunity to join one of the great factions.
Furius
| Nomen | ID | Influence | Military | Oratory | Loyalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furius | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
@scottagibson: it’s your initiative.
The city of Messana in northeastern Sicilia has been an ally of Rome in recent years, and an extremely useful ally at that, forming a buffer between the competing influence of Rome and Carthage and controlling the nearby straits.
But dreadful news has reached the forum this day: the leaders of Messana have renounced their ties with Rome and now support Carthage. This will close the straits to our ships and make any wars we might choose to fight this turn rather trickier.
Ally deserts
A roll of 5 on the event table gives Ally deserts. This means that any even combat roll (before modifications) will increase the strength of the war by the last of the three dice rolled. This will make it much harder to predict the outcome of battles and necessitate a rather stronger force to absolutely guarantee victory.
@Knightsaber: it’s your initiative up now.
Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line.
Only this turn, as is the case for other events.
Another senator has risen to prominence, this time by speaking against Furius. “Why should Rome go to war with Carthage?”, he asks. Time is on our side: we can expand in other directions and face Carthage only once they will be little threat to our power.
The words of Claudius are sweet, but will the Carthaginians allow Rome the luxury of so much time?
Claudius
| Nomen | ID | Influence | Military | Oratory | Loyalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claudius | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
@CF_Kane: your initiative.
Now we have two initiatives up for auction. Each auction will go once around, starting with the HRAO’s faction. Bids must be greater than zero talents and greater than the previous bid; the winning bid must be paid for from the personal treasury of a single senator. If no faction bids, the initiative goes to the HRAO for no cost.
No senator among the Assidui has any money in personal treasury with which to bid, so the bidding will open with the Optimates. @scottagibson, will you bid for the first initiative?
@rho21, Plautius bids 1 talent for the initiative.
@CF_Kane, as you’re the only other one with money, I’ll leave the second extra initiative to you if you like.
I think you’ll get the second automatically without bidding, if no one else bids.
Nope, HRAO would get it otherwise.
Don’t know why I keep thinking you’re the HRAO.
It’s my Tiberius Gracchus avatar. He’s always the HRAO in my heart.
It would appear that Claudius’ honeyed tongue has convinced the people of Rome far more than Furius’ angry words. At any rate, there seems little inclination to sign up to crew the ships, or even to join the legions. I fear the senate will have to pay exceptional wages if they wish to recruit this year.
Manpower Shortage
A roll of 12 on the event table gives a manpower shortage, which increases the cost to raise fleets and legions from 10 talents to 20 talents each.
@scottagibson: what will you do with your initiative?