*just nods; there's those kinds of wars, too, after all*

Without some kind of overwhelming strength, we need informtion. How strong and where the enemy forces are. What resources we have. Whether we can expect assistance or resistance from the people of this world. There's no point in hoping to find out everything, but there's no point in fighting blindly when it can be easily avoided, either.

*and if the odds seem againt them... well, he knows a thing or do about how to deal with that, too*