Recaps

Victor secured arms deals and an invasion plan with Count Black’s allies, then brought his fleet and the returning serfs home. He reunited with his family and Veronica, while Wembley confronted him about the risks he had taken and arranged his wedding.

• Victor finalized a large weapons order with Viscount Ferry and arranged passage for a protected survey team through the Southern Region.
• Count Black dissolved the punitive expedition, arranged troop withdrawals and ransoms, and secretly ordered Yellen to prepare to occupy Perilla Territory.
• Victor prepared his expanded territory for his absence, delegated farming and defense duties, and sailed south with his fleet.
• Victor and Sonanda agreed to land at Rotten Tree Beach next year and attack the Coalition of Nobles from within while Count Black’s forces struck from outside.
• Sonanda gave Victor fifteen ships and their crews, and Sodoma joined Victor as a retainer to command the fleet.
• Victor’s fleet survived a storm, repaired Golden Transport No. 5, rescued survivors, and brought the returning serfs to Sea Song Town and Wood Fort Town.
• Victor reunited with Veronica and his family at the docks, then told Wembley about the expedition and the defeat of the vanguard army.
• Wembley scolded Victor for risking his life and losing guards, praised his achievements, and said he had invited Benjamin’s family to arrange Victor and Veronica’s wedding.

Victor began reorganizing his territories and toured the laboratory and steelworks while Lloyd’s rebellion plunged Cornwall County into chaos. As Turas’s Sixth Legion besieged Ironwire City, Lloyd defeated Gaba at the Green Forest River crossing, leaving Turas preparing to withdraw.

• Wembley advised Victor to restructure his administration, and Victor asked Number One to devise a practical plan while he inspected the territory.
• Victor visited Veronica’s laboratory, learned about Octavia’s telegraph work, promised to free her family, and toured Riverside Village and its diesel train.
• Viscount Ferry killed Baron Sebas, and Lloyd’s forces captured Tyre City and much of Cornwall County as Dansol Cassava died and the county fell into chaos.
• Mora approved Borey’s plan to send the Fourth Legion into Cornwall County, while Turas secretly redirected the Sixth Legion to support the Pepper family and invade Ironvine Territory.
• Turas advanced on Ironwire City as Lenster organized its defense, while the Sixth Legion forced captives and villagers to fill the moat and repeatedly assaulted the walls.
• Ironwire City’s defenders repelled the Sixth Legion’s attacks but ran low on arrows and incendiary bombs as the moat was filled with laborers and corpses.
• Count Lloyd marched back toward Ironwire City, defeated Gaba’s forces at the Green Forest River crossing, and captured the surviving soldiers.
• Dirac brought the defeated Gaba and Fifth Regiment remnants to Turas, who blamed Wendu’s delay and ordered his troops to prepare to withdraw.

As the coming campaign took shape, Victor prepared Two Rivers Territory for expansion and war while Count Colt and his allies reorganized their forces. Turas rebuilt the Sixth Legion through Count Lagos and Pelei, and Victor’s northern inspection ended with a dispute over farmland at Supply Station Number Three.

• Turas withdrew from Ironvine Territory after Count Lloyd defeated Wendu’s forces, then received Count Lagos’s help to return to command the Sixth Legion.
• Alex secured Victor’s support for the Northern Alliance Army’s plans, while Victor inspected his forces and industry and ordered preparations for expansion along the Lime River.
• Count Lagos and Pelei devised loans and grain schemes to address the Duchy’s depleted finances, and Pelei arranged horses and supplies for Turas’s rebuilding legion.
• Count Colt adjusted his deployments after receiving Viscount Edmund’s warning, while Benjamin and Edmund clashed before following orders to move toward the Khatyn Mountains.
• Victor agreed to Veronica’s wish to become a mother, then set out with Marvin’s cavalry to inspect the northern frontier and its supply stations.
• At Supply Station Number Three, Victor learned that Luda and the commander disputed how to divide reserved farmland between the garrison and Luda’s tribe.

Victor expanded settlement and military preparations, explored Blue Lake’s resources, and reorganized industry and oversight as war approached. The Northern Alliance mobilized against the rebellion while Silver Maple’s secret guards failed to win noble support or reach Count Colt.

• Victor defeated twelve depot soldiers in sparring, rewarded them, and appointed Gansen to lead future expansion forces alongside Luda.
• Victor divided the fertile Lime River farmland between Supply Station Number Three and Luda’s tribe, then promised support for developing it and agreed to pursue the tribe’s incorporation.
• Victor discovered a vast yellow-sheep herd and a magic-infused sheep brain, then continued north to Blue Lake and found a native copper mine.
• Victor ordered Parisben to guard the mine, gathered ore, and returned south after surveying the region and arranging for sheep to be left at Supply Station Number Three.
• Victor visited Riverside Town, reviewed its expanding industry, and ordered tinplate production increased while planning new industrial sites and changes to logging and charcoal production.
• Victor created an independent Supervision Department after uncovering a steward’s deadly embezzlement, then announced a new mobilization for the national war.
• Lodan reported that supplies and canned goods were ready for transport to Sea Song Town, though the Machine Factory still lacked vehicle parts.
• Silver Maple’s secret guards failed to rally nobles against Count Colt or reach him at Iron Mountain Fortress, while Mora and the Northern Alliance prepared legions to advance north.