We should try to get any war we fight this year to +13, to get around the ally defections and the evil omens.
With one 6 war and one 5 war, that would require 37 total strength.
We have 22 total legion strength and a maximum of 14 Dictator/MH/Consul strength, so we could get there by constructing as few as one new legion. Or we could give the military heroes a rest, and construct a few new legions.
I definitiely want to do Illyria this year, to avoid the drought and get the province ASAP. If we really want to avoid Dictator, we can limit it to Illyria but while the Punic wars are festering I think we should deal with any “easy” wars ASAP.
Still the senate can find no answer to Carthage, and Rome is in a restive and fearful mood. The recent rationing of grain hasn’t helped the mood either.
Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus is extremely popular though; the people eagerly await his speech after the excitement of the last two years. Unfortunately, Aemilius’ speech is uninspired and offers none of the confidence of victory the populace craves. Many leave partway through in disappointment.
State of the Republic
Unrest starts at 0 and goes to 3 thanks to two unprosecuted wars and a drought.
Handily the dictator’s victory has given him 6 popularity, so the net modifier is +2, after allowing for evil omens.
The dice rolled 8, for a net result of 10 => +1 unrest.
Maybe @CF_Kane would be amenable to giving up the consul slot and have Aelius as Dictator instead. I like Terentius as Rome consul (unless he wants to be Pontifex again). Fabius should be MH, I think. Cornelius would make a fine Field Consul but there are other choices if we are willing to give up a Mil point (or 2). We also should think about a Pontifex Maximus; Valerius is up for the job.
