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Over the next three weeks, you conduct daily training of the Argive army, and once weekly, conduct another enormous war exercise. Twelve thousand soldiers have now assembled until your command - by far, the largest force you’ve had at your disposal. Of course, you’ll only command your own two thousand soldiers in the actual war against Thebes, but it’s an exciting time for a career soldier like yourself.
You test the army with a variety of combat scenarios through the battle drills. In one, you lead a doomed river attack against a numerically-superior force; even you are forced to eventually admit defeat, exhausted, after toppling hundreds of men by the banks of the Inachus. In another, you and Adrastus lead a night-raid against a much greater force the night BEFORE the battle is set to begin. His chest still bound tightly to set his ribs, Adrastus is delighted by your ingenuity; roaring with laughter in the dark, he seems to be growing younger as the war approaches. In the third battle sequence, you organize another stand-off in “Hippomedon’s Fields”, although this time, you work against yourself, intentionally drawing out the battle as long as possible to harden the men as much as possible.
Spring is ripening into summer - nearly two months have passed since the feast and Adrastus’ announcement of war against Thebes. You’ve very pleased with the progress of your troops - they’ve exceeded your expectations, collectively becoming professionalized on a faster time-table than expected. You wonder - perhaps the classic method of “training” - throwing men into the slaughter to find warriors amongst the survivors - has been wrongheaded all along…
>The Argive army as a whole is now comprised of Tier 2 troops! Not only do they perform better in combat, but they are more resistant to morale failure. Additionally, they become better able to withstand the attacks of enemy nobleman.
On the morning after this last sparring battle, three messengers step under the shade of your commander’s tent, nearly one after another:
A pudgy and breathless white-robed domestic servant informs you that Adrastus seeks your counsel on a non-urgent matter - he requests that you join your uncle in the Royal Palace.
A second Argive, with the look of a junior bronzesmith, delivers a plea from Mecisteus and Pronax - a “matter of some logistical importance” should be discussed in the Trade Quarter.
A third robed and bearded man, a staid junior priest of Zeus, notes primly that you have not yet sanctified yourself, nor have you been seen recently in worship services. He invites you to attend a meeting for this purpose with the chief priest of Zeus later this afternoon.
>wat do, /qst/?
>Seek Adrastus in the Royal Palacs
>Seek Mecisteus and Pronax in the Trade Quarter
>Go to the Temple of Zeus and seek the blessings of the gods
>Ignore these three messengers - you’d prefer to spend the afternoon with your wife.
>Do something else?
