The Tyrells absense at the Trident makes NO sense

[Stannis in the middle]

So in Roberts Rebellion the Tyrells call their banners, defeat Roberts army at Ashford then proceed to Storms End where they remain with all their strength until the end of the war.

When Rhaegar was raising his army to fight what was clearly going to be the decisive battle of the war, surely *SURELY* he would have asked the Tyrells to send a lot of their forces to join his army, and the Tyrells would have to comply or be at risk of being ruled traitors.

Why didnt this happen???

IT MAKES NO SENSE!!!

Rant over.

MDogg out.

[Roswell]

The Tyrells kept Stannis pinned down at Storm's End. If the siege had worked, and would have were it not for the Onion Knight, Stannis would be a prisoner and the Tyrells would have Storm's End. Robert would be in the same situation that Theon put Robb in when the Ironborn took Winterfell.

[thelittledragonthatcould]

Some of their strength was at the Trident.

GRRM: Tyrell had a sizeable host, but some of his strength was with Rhaegar, certainly. Rhaegar actually outnumbered Robert on the Trident

Rhaegar was confident that he was going to win even without extra troops. The Targ King and Prince were poor leaders with awful communication.

Had Robert been killed but the rebels not totally defeated at the Trident there was always the possibility that Jon or Ned would crown Stannis or Renly and prolong the war.

[Syphon the Sanitator]

Had Robert been killed but the rebels not totally defeated at the Trident there was always the possibility that Jon or Ned would crown Stannis or Renly and prolong the war.

Better that they had...

The main Tyrell army was with the Redwynes near Storm's End.

[Shpati]

Tyrells were Targ loyalist, but they were playing it safe iirc. So if the Targs won, they were with the them. But if they lost to the rebels, they didn't do enough damage/kills to receive harsh punishments and revenge.

[SeanF]

Tyrells were Targ loyalist, but they were playing it safe iirc. So if the Targs won, they were with the them. But if they lost to the rebels, they didn't do enough damage/kills to receive harsh punishments and revenge.

Ser Kevan Lannister thinks that Mace supported the Targaryens "to the bitter end and beyond."

That doesn't sound like people just hedging their bets. If Martin has said that there were Tyrell forces at the Trident, then clearly they were playing a big part in the Targaryen campaign.

[Fire Eater]

Ser Kevan Lannister thinks that Mace supported the Targaryens "to the bitter end and beyond."

That doesn't sound like people just hedging their bets. If Martin has said that there were Tyrell forces at the Trident, then clearly they were playing a big part in the Targaryen campaign.

But Mace didn't need 50,000 men to besiege SE with a garrison of a few hundred. He could have had a token force of a few thousand besiege the castle while he took the bulk of his army and pursued Robert.

[CJ McLannister]

If they left Storm's End, Stannis would be free to attack them from behind with whatever strength he had left, or to move against King's Landing.

[Beautiful Balon]

But Mace didn't need 50,000 men to besiege SE with a garrison of a few hundred. He could have had a token force of a few thousand besiege the castle while he took the bulk of his army and pursued Robert.

they might have been held down at other castles in the stormlands, some reach bannermen might not have given troops, there's lot's of reasons that Mace couldn't have used the full power of the reach.

[SeanF]

But Mace didn't need 50,000 men to besiege SE with a garrison of a few hundred. He could have had a token force of a few thousand besiege the castle while he took the bulk of his army and pursued Robert.

Mace (well really Lord Tarly) had conquered the Stormlands, bar Storms End. My guess is he needed most of his army there to hold it. He probably thought Rhaegar with 40,000 men, commanded by people like Prince Lewyn and Ser Barristan could finish the rebellion.

[Boarsbane]

I think Rhaegar was just an arrogant and incompetent commander who didn't think he'd need to outnumber the rebels so heavily to beat them.

[thelittledragonthatcould]

But Mace didn't need 50,000 men to besiege SE with a garrison of a few hundred. He could have had a token force of a few thousand besiege the castle while he took the bulk of his army and pursued Robert.

Sure they could have, it sounds like they were never asked though. Not that they outright refused.

Aerys had gone through four different Hands, Rhaegar had disapeared and when he resurfaced had left Hightower and Dayne, two notable leaders, at the TOJ. Communication was awful for the Royalists.

Rhaegar outnumbered the rebels and felt he didnt need Hightower, Dayne or the Reach army to beat Robert. He was wrong.

Mace was told to take Storms End, after Merryweather and Connington were punished for failing their objectives he'd be crazy to do the same.

[Destroyer of Nations]

But Mace didn't need 50,000 men to besiege SE with a garrison of a few hundred. He could have had a token force of a few thousand besiege the castle while he took the bulk of his army and pursued Robert.

It would be quite a blow to Robert's aspirations. Losing your ancestral lands, other lords may have started to doubt him. After all if you can't keep your own land and men safe, how will you do it for us? It would have been a very psychological blow to the rebels.

[Boarsbane]

If they left Storm's End, Stannis would be free to attack them from behind with whatever strength he had left, or to move against King's Landing.

I don't think 500 starving men are a threat to King's Landing or Mace Tyrell

[SeanF]

It would be quite a blow to Robert's aspirations. Losing your ancestral lands, other lords may have started to doubt him. After all if you can't keep your own land and men safe, how will you do it for us? It would have been a very psychological blow to the rebels.

My view is that by the point Rhaegar marched North, the Targaryen loyalists must have fought the war was as good as won. Dorne was solid (though pissed off at Rhaegar's behaviour); the Crownlands and Reach were under control, and the Stormlands (bar Storms End) had been conquered.

[Viseris The Begger]

My view is that by the point Rhaegar marched North, the Targaryen loyalists must have fought the war was as good as won. Dorne was solid (though pissed off at Rhaegar's behaviour); the Crownlands and Reach were under control, and the Stormlands (bar Storms End) had been conquered.

This.

If Rhaegar stayed in Harenhall whit his 40k man like Tywin did during Wot5K and burn lands of river lords who fought against him he wouldn't need to fight the rebels at all and just wait half a year for rebel forces to starve desert and wait for some noble to pull something like Walder Frey did.

But he was crowned prince and it was his mess so he did a responsible thing and crossed the trident to end the rebellion that took too many lives.

It makes no sense that he lost but if he won we wouldn't have 5 books to read as peace in Westeros would be to boring to read.

[Beautiful Balon]

This.

If Rhaegar stayed in Harenhall whit his 40k man like Tywin did during Wot5K and burn lands of river lords who fought against him he wouldn't need to fight the rebels at all and just wait half a year for rebel forces to starve desert and wait for some noble to pull something like Walder Frey did.

But he was crowned prince and it was his mess so he did a responsible thing and crossed the trident to end the rebellion that took too many lives.

It makes no sense that he lost but if he won we wouldn't have 5 books to read as peace in Westeros would be to boring to read.

I don't think Rhaegar held Harrenhal. and it's not as simple as just waiting it out. Presumably Robert and co would want to give battle and they could force it if they wanted to. Also nobles can desert from both sides if Rhaegar waits there's a chance that Tywin would join the rebels or that reach forces would move against the Tyrell's.

[apovsic]

I would guess that supplying circa 80 k is quite hard, so they decided to divide army on two parts and send one part of the army to SE to besiege it. That seemed quite good idea, you still have a number superiority over enemy army and even if you loose, you probably won't loose decisively and you can send second army to reinforce.

Well the only problem in this thinking is probably :)

[CJ McLannister]

It makes no sense that he lost but if he won we wouldn't have 5 books to read as peace in Westeros would be to boring to read.

Losing was his destiny. This is not to say that he tried to lose, but I think he knew he would lose. Maybe not then and there, but once he figured out the prophecies, and that they weren't about him, he had more important things to worry about than his own life.

Keeping Storm's End under siege would delay anyone from getting to the Tower of Joy.

[thelittledragonthatcould]

Losing was his destiny. This is not to say that he tried to lose, but I think he knew he would lose. Maybe not then and there, but once he figured out the prophecies, and that they weren't about him, he had more important things to worry about than his own life.

Nope.

When he rides of to the Trident he tells Jaime there are going to be changes when he returns. He was confident that he was going to win, if he knew he was going to lose I dont think he would have left his children at the Tower of Joy or in Kings Landing.