Distance from realm penalty causes more problems for a large army out for an extended period of time than a single individual or small group.
Also, it wasn't about the threat they were now, but what they threatened to become. A raiding realm built directly on our borders without even a hint of discussion beforehand says we're facing a realm with no interest in cooperation or collaboration. And regardless of their status as 'threat' or not, that still ignores the incredibly important fact that Westgard relies upon those rogue lands for it's economy. Keeping a mobile monster-fighting army mobile isn't cheap. TG looting in those lands would cause peasant uprisings which are costly on many levels, and bring them into inevitable conflict with Westgard simply due to their proximity. Their *capital* was right on our borders. That puts us at obvious odds regarding expansion, and TG would no doubt intend to expand.
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