Few days after his arrival at Naupacto, an informant from Oricum bring bad news: general Parmenion had laid a siege of Oricum.

Falco's face first was preocupied, but then a little smile arose in his lips. Parmenion had lost his nerves and had made a step in false...his last one, because now the most powerful military machine the world had ever known will begin to function, and his fate was decided: he and his country will be destroyed under the roman calligae.

By the way, Macedonia also had to show their cards: with Epirus or with Roma. They would had to choose...

Falco was confident about the behaviour of Legio VI. The legatus seemed to be a very competent man, the fortifications, trenches, stakes,holes,etc constructed in the istmus would make a direct assault a suicide. The fleet could bombard from the see to any army that tried to attack through the istmus, and at last a whole roman legio defend the istmus and the city. The epiran army would break their teeth trying to eat this prey...

If the epirotans would try to surrender them by famine, will have another problem: the fleet left there could sent its ships to Italia, and return in only a few days with grain and supplies, once and again. But Falco also decided to ask the Senate to sent a proper transport fleet to form a proper chain of ships with supplies to Oricum.

He also wrote to the Senate asking for one more legio, to protect Naupacto from a macedonian assault (if they decided to choose the wrong side in this war), or to support the invasion of Epirus.

He called the Legatus of Legio III and Admiral Casius. Polibius was also present to take notes.

After the meeting a plan was stablished:

Naupacto will remain defended by the local garrison. The food and weapons supply was excellent, there was a big wall protecting the city, and there was still not sign that MAcedonia try to attack thius city (some cavalry scouts from the militia are deployed in the frontiers, next to Delphi, to give the alarm).

Falco will depart with Legio III, that was ready to go and with enough supplies, will depart at forced march to Stratus. They will have to fall on this city, from Conope, by surprise at sunrise, in a couple of days from now, before the garrison of 1500 men could realise what was happening.The city was unwalled, so they will not have to laid a siege on it (the final assault would depend on the final orders when they were there. He called the marines that entered in the city to write a map of the city and its neighbourings, physical features, defenses, where was the garriosn, the principal houses...).

At the same time, the 600 CAV of LEgio VI that remained in Naupacto, will make a raid from Conope, to the neighbouring villages between the frontier with Naupactos and Stratus (Alyzia, Sillium, Phoetiae, Thyrreum, Actium, Dioryetus), destroying, killing, taking valuable prisioners of each village,and capturing any grain dole or reserve of each village. They will send this grain with seized charts to Legio III in Stratus. They will destroy any grain that could not be carried in the charts. This will take about a nundinae.

The Fleet will depart and stablish a naval base in Leucas (bombard and destroy the city if necessary, and disembark with the marines), then laid a blockade to Nicopolis port and the Ambracicus Sinus. The Fleet will send half its force as a detachment to Corcyra island, to stablish another naval base to vigilate the rest of the coast of Epirus, sinking all military ships from Epirus, if any, and abording and capturing all the merchant ships from Epirus discovered in the see. They must send this enemy ships to Ostia as preys. They must avoid that any ship, military or civil, left Epirus coasts. Falco wanted to cut any trade with Epirus. If any merchant ship was from other nation, they must left them free to go away, but ask them not to return, as long as there was a current war, and they could be considered enemies the next time if they trade with Epirus.
The Admiral also could make raids on villages in the coast to destroy the little ports infraestructure, the grain doles, and take prisioners, but their main task will remain to avoid any epiran ship, civil or military, to sail the see.

It was finalising September when, at sunrise, Legio III and another 600 CAV began to left their castra in Naupacto and marched to the northwest, to the frontier of Epirus (Offensive: Attack). This same day, the fleet left the port and sail to the north...