Callen

[The Smith]

Me and Callen had a long discussion last night about his new army. Sorry I jammed your box full, but I wanted you to be on the same page.

In the end I told him he would be able to afford 2,000 well paid troops to 8,000 poorly paid troops.

I specifically did not include weapons and armor in that speculation.

Piers recommended he raise taxes. To pay for it.

[theother]

Yeah I saw the thread.
Like you said the lords will get incredibly twitchy if Callen has 25,000 trained troops. He can bleat all he likes about it "only being for the colonies or defense of the realm" etc but still.

And the taxation question is important, whether Callen likes it or not. I wonder if he realises just how unpopular this move will be with the lords...

[The Smith]

I think Callen has gotten what he wants for so long he keeps expecting it.

I think he hit me for one more time that I did not send to you.

Callen said:
OOC: If Westeros is the size of a continent, and if King's Landing alone has almost a million people. Why wouldn't it be able to support an army on its current taxes?

And I said:
Most taxes do not get to you. This is a fuedal society not like our current stuff. Most of the money goes to your lords, who only pass on a small chunk to you. More like the Mafia then a government.

Most taxes are spent right away paying for repairs, security, education, and you have servants, and guards. Plus as King you have to pay for every thing in your castle huge amounts of food, and wine and et cetera.

You canceled the Tarriff pretty much, and the Tax rate was never raised. And the Targaryen's did not need an especially large army cause they had a dragon, and they had a large amount of wealth seperately.

[theother]

Yeah I saw that. For me the issue isn't so much that taxes don't get to him it's that this is a whole new massive expense.
The King's taxes have to pay for (and this is a rough calc)
All food/drink/servant's salaries for all crownland properties.
Wages for Goldcloaks and Blackshields who are 'crown' men
Upkeep and construction of crownland fleet & sailors (didn't Callen mention that he was trying to increase this too?)
Aid/reconstruction for the North - ok, this is a bit mean but honestly, who else is going to pay for it? If he doesn't support his bannermen in times of disaster/tragedy then he's encouraging disloyalty & revolt. He's lucky we don't have a famine up there due to all the fields being untended.

He really needs to think about squeezing some of his lords for money. There's obviously no chance of borrowing from the Iron Bank at the moment ;D

[The Smith]

Right... Definitely we need to make this point to him.