Ashen
01-02-2004, 16:22
Now, This is more of a descriptive walkthrough than a story, since although I can write, I don't like it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif ALthough someone like monk is welcome to spice it up if he wants http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
This is about my latest expert level game with the Sicillians. I've never won with them, or with the Aragonese, which is my next game. This is basically an overview of each king, their achievements, and major events that happen in their lifetimes. I'm rewriting history ^^. Anyway, here we go.
---------------------------------
Founding of the Empire
No-one knows who founded the trading empire of Sicily...His name has been lost in the mists of time. Somehow, this king united the Islands of Sicily and Malta together, and bound them with his powerful naval forces and small but experienced ground forces. All was well until the emergence of other mediterranian nations which is where the outline of the empire begins
King Aed the Second (1102-1121) (The Seafarer)
King Aed II is the man who had the foresight to know that Sicily had to build up its naval power and take control of the sea by force; Unfortunatly, the powerful Byzantine Empire had the exact same idea, and King Aed's reign turned into a bit of a naval cold war..Both sides building up naval forces.
It was Aed who broke the peace, Engaging the Byzantines in 8 seperate sections of the Mediterranian, and suprisingly, winning 7 of the engagements, loosing only 2 ships for 13. He quickly capitalised on his chance, and invaded Crete, Rhodes and Cyprus, who all had small garrisons of Byzantine troops. They Fell.
Offering a ceasefire to the Byzantine Emperor, who must have noticed the power of the Sicillian navy, he accepted, but trained up his land based armies as he was worried by the rapidly expanding Turks and Egyptians.
And there ends the reign of King Aed The Seafarer, who expended the lands of Sicily and made them the most powerful mediteranian naval power in under 20 years
King Adam the First (1121-1152)
King Adam the first was a great builder; He oversaw careful construction of trading posts, of docks, of castles, throughout the Sicilian empire. His rule was noteable for its lack of conflict both on and off land. This isn't to say he ignored his military. He was the first to train Feudal Men at Arms for use into the military; He was the first to allow creation of units of Royal Knights outside of royal bodyguards.
King Adam the Second (1152-1167)
King Adam the Second was already 42 by the time he came to the throne. His father had lived to be an old man, but had few children, one of whom was assassinated by an agent working for an unknown power. Shortly into his reign, King Adam II discovered who; The Byzantines. Not happy to stay in their own part of the world, with the affrontery to hold Naples as an Orthodox territory so close to the pope.
King Adam himself, at the age of 50, Led the first charge in the battle of Naples. The Byzantines had an army mainly of Militia, and peasantry, stiffened by 2 units of Byzantine infantry. King Adams proud forces were ragtag at best; Militia, Archers, Men at arms, Peasantry. But that first charge killed the opposing enemy general and the Byzantines routed off the field. And so ended the battle of Naples, 300 captured and 42 killed for the death of but one Sicilian soldier.
This was good, and the keep fell a year later, and just after Naples was reinforced, the Pope himself, Forever Just and Holy..or something, invaded the now Catholic region of Naples without Provocation. The enraged King wiped out the popes forces almost to the man. Only 5 men left the battlefield alive, such was the scale of the slaughter.
He quickly followed the popes forces back into rome and the Papal states, and retreating his whole force back to Rome, The Pope made his last stand. He was defeated decisivly and a puppet pope was put on the throne of the papcy; Knowing peace once more, King Adam II died peacefully aged 57 in his beloved Sicily; Paving the Way for his Youngest son, the 27 year old Angus.
King Angus the First (1167-1189) (The Great)
Angus assumed the throne at the age of 27 in the wake of his fathers death and the war with the papcy. Sicily was one of the dominant powers of the mediteranian now, owning every island except Sardinia and Corsica. As it happens, that very year there was rebellion in the ranks of the Italian nobility; The loyalist forces were defeated, leaving Genoa and Sardinia in the hands of the Loyalist 'Rebels'.
Angus immediatly sent out forces to both areas, subduing the rebels and taking the provinces for the rapidly expanding Scilians. The new Italian king wasn't too pleased though. The Italian navy was ordered to sink every ship bearing Sicilian colours that ventured near its northern italy seafronts and that it did, in short time. The navy of King Angus made a few noticeable stands around Sicily and Malta, but most of its fleet was now trapped east of the Ionian Sea, Crete and further east.
However, the Italian King, Doge Vitalli III, Had pitiful land forces available to him, and was relying on them to keep him alive. This was to be a fatal miscalculation after the annexing of the Papal states. 3 times, the now rich Sicilians sent cheap Mercenary armies into Venice, where the Doge's troops were built up; 3 Times the battle wise Doge held the battlefield by dusk.
The next army was led by Angus himself, Not trusting even his sons, battle hardened as they were, to fight this battle for him. Assembling the single greatest army in the known world (I got the Most Powerful armies popup at this point), Angus invaded venice. After a long, tough battle, over 2000 men lay dead in the fields of Venice, Including young Prince Aed (Named for his forefather). But the field belonged to King Angus. Knowing that he now had his chance, he quickly split his forces and invaded Tuscony and Milan. 2 years later, the Italians were conquered and the Sicilians owned the whole of the Italian Peninsular, the Navy had regained the the western mediterranian and the Scilians were now the Most powerful, Rich and Technically advanced nation in Europe.
But Angus wasn't content to sit on his backside. The following year, the Turkish Sultan died in battle, heirless. His nation split, and seeing possible gain, Angus sent Prince Aodh off at the head of an army of 1000 men to Take Antioch and Edessa from the Rebels; And he did just that, in style, getting promoted to 6 stars and gaining the virtue Skilled attacker. Bringing over archers and spearmen from their mediterranian garrisons of Crete and Cyrprus, to guard Antioch and Edessa, Aodh was about to invade Tripoli which was also rebel controlled, but the Rebels came to Antioch first, Slaughtering the Garrison and retaking the province.
Aodh marched there from Edessa, easily retaking the province and regarrissoning it when the Egpytians, Allies of 100 years, invaded Antioch. 800 of Aodh's troops faced 2000 of the Egyptian sultans troops. It didn't look good. But Aodh deployed an invotive defensive strategy with staggered lines of spearmen, which wiped out several of the Sultans infantry units, but then the Camels and Cavalry managed to break Aodh's flanking guard and get behind, it was all over. 500 Casualties and 1400 kills. Antioch was Lost.
But the next year, Hiring Mercenaries in The Papal States, in Sardinia and in Malta, King Angus arrived at the head of over 3000 men, and took Antioch, Syria and Tripoli from the hands of the Egyptians, who quickly sued for peace and ran back to egypt that fast, the Ink on the treaty wasn't even dry by the time they arrived home
Sicily was now one of the largest kingdoms in the known world; Rebels were everywhere, and squabbling Central and Western European Nations were bickering over areas like Navarre and Aquitane, sometimes changing hands 5 times in 5 years. Through all this was the nation Angus built and got to enjoy for the last 5 years of his reign; Reorganising his military. Building trade. Drinking. He eventually died young, like all great leaders, at the age of 49; His reign will be remembered as the one that made the Scilians great, and paved the way for his son, King Aodh the First, the innovative General famous for his Antioch campaign. Who, unfortunatly, had the accumen of a stick.
----------------------------------
To be continued when I start playing again. Hope you like it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
This is about my latest expert level game with the Sicillians. I've never won with them, or with the Aragonese, which is my next game. This is basically an overview of each king, their achievements, and major events that happen in their lifetimes. I'm rewriting history ^^. Anyway, here we go.
---------------------------------
Founding of the Empire
No-one knows who founded the trading empire of Sicily...His name has been lost in the mists of time. Somehow, this king united the Islands of Sicily and Malta together, and bound them with his powerful naval forces and small but experienced ground forces. All was well until the emergence of other mediterranian nations which is where the outline of the empire begins
King Aed the Second (1102-1121) (The Seafarer)
King Aed II is the man who had the foresight to know that Sicily had to build up its naval power and take control of the sea by force; Unfortunatly, the powerful Byzantine Empire had the exact same idea, and King Aed's reign turned into a bit of a naval cold war..Both sides building up naval forces.
It was Aed who broke the peace, Engaging the Byzantines in 8 seperate sections of the Mediterranian, and suprisingly, winning 7 of the engagements, loosing only 2 ships for 13. He quickly capitalised on his chance, and invaded Crete, Rhodes and Cyprus, who all had small garrisons of Byzantine troops. They Fell.
Offering a ceasefire to the Byzantine Emperor, who must have noticed the power of the Sicillian navy, he accepted, but trained up his land based armies as he was worried by the rapidly expanding Turks and Egyptians.
And there ends the reign of King Aed The Seafarer, who expended the lands of Sicily and made them the most powerful mediteranian naval power in under 20 years
King Adam the First (1121-1152)
King Adam the first was a great builder; He oversaw careful construction of trading posts, of docks, of castles, throughout the Sicilian empire. His rule was noteable for its lack of conflict both on and off land. This isn't to say he ignored his military. He was the first to train Feudal Men at Arms for use into the military; He was the first to allow creation of units of Royal Knights outside of royal bodyguards.
King Adam the Second (1152-1167)
King Adam the Second was already 42 by the time he came to the throne. His father had lived to be an old man, but had few children, one of whom was assassinated by an agent working for an unknown power. Shortly into his reign, King Adam II discovered who; The Byzantines. Not happy to stay in their own part of the world, with the affrontery to hold Naples as an Orthodox territory so close to the pope.
King Adam himself, at the age of 50, Led the first charge in the battle of Naples. The Byzantines had an army mainly of Militia, and peasantry, stiffened by 2 units of Byzantine infantry. King Adams proud forces were ragtag at best; Militia, Archers, Men at arms, Peasantry. But that first charge killed the opposing enemy general and the Byzantines routed off the field. And so ended the battle of Naples, 300 captured and 42 killed for the death of but one Sicilian soldier.
This was good, and the keep fell a year later, and just after Naples was reinforced, the Pope himself, Forever Just and Holy..or something, invaded the now Catholic region of Naples without Provocation. The enraged King wiped out the popes forces almost to the man. Only 5 men left the battlefield alive, such was the scale of the slaughter.
He quickly followed the popes forces back into rome and the Papal states, and retreating his whole force back to Rome, The Pope made his last stand. He was defeated decisivly and a puppet pope was put on the throne of the papcy; Knowing peace once more, King Adam II died peacefully aged 57 in his beloved Sicily; Paving the Way for his Youngest son, the 27 year old Angus.
King Angus the First (1167-1189) (The Great)
Angus assumed the throne at the age of 27 in the wake of his fathers death and the war with the papcy. Sicily was one of the dominant powers of the mediteranian now, owning every island except Sardinia and Corsica. As it happens, that very year there was rebellion in the ranks of the Italian nobility; The loyalist forces were defeated, leaving Genoa and Sardinia in the hands of the Loyalist 'Rebels'.
Angus immediatly sent out forces to both areas, subduing the rebels and taking the provinces for the rapidly expanding Scilians. The new Italian king wasn't too pleased though. The Italian navy was ordered to sink every ship bearing Sicilian colours that ventured near its northern italy seafronts and that it did, in short time. The navy of King Angus made a few noticeable stands around Sicily and Malta, but most of its fleet was now trapped east of the Ionian Sea, Crete and further east.
However, the Italian King, Doge Vitalli III, Had pitiful land forces available to him, and was relying on them to keep him alive. This was to be a fatal miscalculation after the annexing of the Papal states. 3 times, the now rich Sicilians sent cheap Mercenary armies into Venice, where the Doge's troops were built up; 3 Times the battle wise Doge held the battlefield by dusk.
The next army was led by Angus himself, Not trusting even his sons, battle hardened as they were, to fight this battle for him. Assembling the single greatest army in the known world (I got the Most Powerful armies popup at this point), Angus invaded venice. After a long, tough battle, over 2000 men lay dead in the fields of Venice, Including young Prince Aed (Named for his forefather). But the field belonged to King Angus. Knowing that he now had his chance, he quickly split his forces and invaded Tuscony and Milan. 2 years later, the Italians were conquered and the Sicilians owned the whole of the Italian Peninsular, the Navy had regained the the western mediterranian and the Scilians were now the Most powerful, Rich and Technically advanced nation in Europe.
But Angus wasn't content to sit on his backside. The following year, the Turkish Sultan died in battle, heirless. His nation split, and seeing possible gain, Angus sent Prince Aodh off at the head of an army of 1000 men to Take Antioch and Edessa from the Rebels; And he did just that, in style, getting promoted to 6 stars and gaining the virtue Skilled attacker. Bringing over archers and spearmen from their mediterranian garrisons of Crete and Cyrprus, to guard Antioch and Edessa, Aodh was about to invade Tripoli which was also rebel controlled, but the Rebels came to Antioch first, Slaughtering the Garrison and retaking the province.
Aodh marched there from Edessa, easily retaking the province and regarrissoning it when the Egpytians, Allies of 100 years, invaded Antioch. 800 of Aodh's troops faced 2000 of the Egyptian sultans troops. It didn't look good. But Aodh deployed an invotive defensive strategy with staggered lines of spearmen, which wiped out several of the Sultans infantry units, but then the Camels and Cavalry managed to break Aodh's flanking guard and get behind, it was all over. 500 Casualties and 1400 kills. Antioch was Lost.
But the next year, Hiring Mercenaries in The Papal States, in Sardinia and in Malta, King Angus arrived at the head of over 3000 men, and took Antioch, Syria and Tripoli from the hands of the Egyptians, who quickly sued for peace and ran back to egypt that fast, the Ink on the treaty wasn't even dry by the time they arrived home
Sicily was now one of the largest kingdoms in the known world; Rebels were everywhere, and squabbling Central and Western European Nations were bickering over areas like Navarre and Aquitane, sometimes changing hands 5 times in 5 years. Through all this was the nation Angus built and got to enjoy for the last 5 years of his reign; Reorganising his military. Building trade. Drinking. He eventually died young, like all great leaders, at the age of 49; His reign will be remembered as the one that made the Scilians great, and paved the way for his son, King Aodh the First, the innovative General famous for his Antioch campaign. Who, unfortunatly, had the accumen of a stick.
----------------------------------
To be continued when I start playing again. Hope you like it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif