After arranging Posadas and assigning him a Grand Company of elite peasant soldiers as a hidden hand, Manuel, escorted by his personal guard, arrived at the Atabeg's mansion in Batumi. He took over command of the Georgian noble coalition army, preparing to distribute tasks to each participating party.
After a brief joint prayer, Atabeg Ivan II of Samukhetsi, as the elder, introduced Caesar Manuel to the Georgian grand nobles participating in the coalition. Manuel finally understood why this seemingly powerful noble coalition had only managed to maintain a stalemate, or even lean towards a disadvantage, before his intervention: the main forces of the coalition, besides Atabeg Ivan II Jakeli of the Principality of Samukhetsi, Prince Mamia Vardanidze-Gurieli of the Principality of Guria, and Governor Liparit I Dadiani of the Principality of Samegrelo, consisted of minor lords whom he considered negligible. This was also the first time Manuel learned that the Prince of Guria was the son of the Governor of Samegrelo.
However, despite some dissatisfaction and helplessness, he immediately focused his attention. After patiently reviewing the maps provided to him, he began to analyze the situation and movements for the various lords present.
"Although our coalition currently controls a large coastal area, we have not yet connected Pontus and Adyghe. Therefore, the Bosporus Army's next move will be a pincer attack, aiming to fully control the coastal region and isolate the weaker Georgian navy.
"However, the maximum achievement of such a two-front war is the occupation of Western Georgia. Concentrating military strength on the coast and the western side to conquer Imereti (Note: Imereti is Western Georgia in Georgian) would at most only allow the occupation of the easily attackable, hard-to-defend western part of Georgia. Therefore, even for self-preservation, we must quickly conquer Tbilisi and control the heartland of Georgia to command all of Georgia." After speaking, Manuel looked at the noble lords present, unsurprised to see astonishment in their eyes.
Indeed, controlling all of Georgia was quite unexpected for these lords. Manuel could tell with his toes that their original intention in inviting the Bosporus was not to destroy the Bagration Dynasty, but merely to switch to a more lenient master or even to waver between the two sides to achieve independence.
But with the wooden house completely set on fire, they wouldn't think they still had a way out, would they? A gentle smile appeared on Caesar's face as he declared to them: "Gentlemen, I understand that the future fate of Georgia has indeed exceeded your expectations. You might think I am only interested in the coast, and that is true. But if possible, I hope all Christians in the Caucasus will be under my protection."
"In any case, things have come to this; you wouldn't think you still have a way out, would you?" Caesar chuckled, selectively sharing the peace terms the Georgian envoy had proposed to him earlier with the Georgian lords present. Seeing their increasingly complex expressions, Manuel knew he had pulled them onto the same warship, and with a little more provocation, he could secure their alignment with his position.
"Gentlemen, you don't want to be stripped of your territories, titles, and even peerages, and see your family's foundation destroyed if the war fails, do you?"
Faced with the Bosporus Caesar's half-persuasive, half-threatening words, they ultimately chose to obediently follow him. After all, this young Caesar was a rising star who had carved out a piece of land from the Ottomans. Following this emerging monarch should be more promising than Alexander I, who had repeatedly suffered setbacks against the Black Sheep Dynasty.
After uniting their resolve, they continued to discuss the next direction of march. Manuel's gaze quickly fell upon a strategic stronghold west of Tbilisi—Borjomi, which was close to the front lines.
"This geographical location feels very similar to the distribution of Samukhetsi's vassal territories. Your Excellency Ivan, could you briefly introduce the lord of Borjomi?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Ivan II nodded solemnly, then began to introduce the general situation of Borjomi to the Roman monarch.
The lord of Borjomi was named George Avalishvili. He was the head of the Avalishvili family, and also the lord of the Borjomi region and a nominal vassal of the Principality of Samukhetsi. However, after the war began, due to the coalition's combat strength, he dared not rebel with his lord Ivan II. Instead, he pretended to be obedient, guarding his fief, maintaining a neutral stance, and carefully avoiding involvement in the conflict between the royal army and the coalition.
"Can we win this person over?" Manuel asked cautiously. Although he didn't particularly trust the abilities of these Georgian lords, he would still strive for any measure that could reduce their casualties.
"Caesar, if we could, we would have done so long ago," Ivan II replied helplessly.
This answer was within Caesar's expectations. So, he no longer lingered on this matter. Instead, after carefully examining and discussing the local terrain, he presented the battle plan.
To conquer Borjomi, it would be necessary to simultaneously capture the three fortresses guarding it: Gogia to the west, Petra to the east, and Sari to the south. Since the north was impassable due to towering mountains, they focused their main attack on these three fortresses. The southern assault would be handled by the Georgian noble coalition, who were most familiar with the terrain and knew how to obtain sufficient supplies. The western assault would be entrusted to three Bosporus companies led by Dungar, the Bosporus Army Commander. The most perilous eastern assault would be personally led by Manuel, with the Philaka Legion and two elite peasant soldier units.
After dividing their respective tasks, Manuel led the attendees in a detailed discussion. After nearly an hour spent refining the specific plan, Ivan II and Liparit I, along with other Georgian lords, brazenly requested more military support from the Bosporus to help them reduce their own casualties. In essence, they wanted Bosporus soldiers to double as cannon fodder.
Manuel saw through the petty thoughts of these Georgian feudal lords at a glance. He politely refused them verbally, then couldn't help but inwardly curse with a laugh, "The Bosporus isn't the Ottoman; where would we get so many cannon fodder babies?"