Battle of the Stormlands'

[The Holy Goat]

Well, I've grown rather tired of debating this subject. We'll simply have to wait and see where The Winds of Winter takes us regarding the droll young Aegon Targaryen, don't you agree?

[John Reynolds]

I glanced through this thread somewhat casually, but did someone say that the Volantenese are returning home? I thought they were the real threat to Meereen? Dany is going to need more ships than that Vic can give her if she's going to take a dothraki khalasar with her to Westeros.

Also, has anyone mentioned the Dornish yet? If no, why not? That's clearly the fatal, sad arc of Doran's story: years of careful cautious planning and plotting, and then a being driven into making a horrific mistake because of too much grief and loss (once he hears of his son's death, and gets messages from Arianne about this bold, comely Targaryen prince, those Dornish armies are going to finally enter the fighting).

Personally I think the Dornish march, join with the GC, ambush Randyl Tarly's army, routing it in a decisive victory, and then sack King's Landing. Dany saw crowds cheering the mummer's dragon. It'll be a short celebration, though, because the slayer of lies will soon arrive for a brief and brutal 2nd Dance of Dragons that'll leave Aegon dead and a fire and blood oriented Dany taking KL.

[The Holy Goat]

I glanced through this thread somewhat casually, but did someone say that the Volantenese are returning home? I thought they were the real threat to Meereen? Dany is going to need more ships than that Vic can give her if she's going to take a dothraki khalasar with her to Westeros.

Also, has anyone mentioned the Dornish yet? If no, why not? That's clearly the fatal, sad arc of Doran's story: years of careful cautious planning and plotting, and then a being driven into making a horrific mistake because of too much grief and loss (once he hears of his son's death, and gets messages from Arianne about this bold, comely Targaryen prince, those Dornish armies are going to finally enter the fighting).

Personally I think the Dornish march, join with the GC, ambush Randyl Tarly's army, routing it in a decisive victory, and then sack King's Landing. Dany saw crowds cheering the mummer's dragon. It'll be a short celebration, though, because the slayer of lies will soon arrive for a brief and brutal 2nd Dance of Dragons that'll leave Aegon dead and a fire and blood oriented Dany taking KL.

The Volantese warfleet is heading to Meereen to fight against Danaerys. The fleet consists of 300-500 ships, and I wager the slavesoldiers will turn the ships over to Dany. As you said, the ships brought by Victarion won't be enough for her forces. There was another Volantese fleet involved in ADWD though, the one giving JonCon, Aegon, and the Golden Company a ride to Westeros. That fleet is heading back to Volantis, leaving Aegon without any power at sea.

The Dornish are indeed likely to join Aegon. That won't happen until after the Golden Company and the Tyrell forces heading south has duked it out though, since Arianne has yet to even meet Aegon and decide whether the Martells will swear him allegiance or not. So we don't know how the Martell forces will join the fight. My guess is that they link up with the Golden Company later on in order to take King's Landing, and/or march into the Reach to wreak havoc.

Also, I'm of the opinion that the Second Dance of the Dragons have already begun, With Euron's invasion of the Reach, Stannis' march against the Boltons, and the Golden Company's invasion. But that's just a matter of nitpicking.

[Ser Maverick]

At the beginning of the book, "the Crown" will be the Tyrells. I think he'll send the Lannister army under the leadership of a weak commander and they'll get stomped.

[John Suburbs]

Well, I've grown rather tired of debating this subject. We'll simply have to wait and see where The Winds of Winter takes us regarding the droll young Aegon Targaryen, don't you agree?

I agree, but I was rather enjoying this debate. It's not often you can find someone with an opposing point of view on this board who is also rational. Usually, it's "my opinion is the correct opinion and anyone who thinks otherwise is stupid."

I just keep wondering what JonCon gains by defeating Mace in the field. He can't put Aegon on the IT by himself. He doesn't have the Dornish yet. He hasn't even approached the other houses, all of which but the Vale and the ironmen are caught up in the Lannister/Frey/Bolton scheme or have since fallen to Stannis. So why diminish his own meager forces in a bloody battle with the most powerful house in the realm that would merely earn him the resentment of the very people he needs in order to accomplish his true aim?