Mediaeval Auctoriso Update #4

Hello everyone. I am very pleased to present to you the fourth update for our mod Mediaeval Auctoriso. If you’re just joining us and don’t know what our mod is or if you just want a refresher then I’d suggest you take a few minutes to read up on our aims and goals as well as our previous updates. You can find them here:
Aims & Goals
Update #1: Feature Overview
Update #2: The English
Update #3: Cultural Assimilation


The purpose of our faction preview today is to show all of you that we are putting in at least as much thought and effort into our Muslim and orthodox factions as we are our catholic factions. With that said, its time to get to the point of this post. The update!


The Moorish Amirate
https://img369.imageshack.us/img369/...orflag1zf1.jpg

Map of Northwestern Africa and surrounding areas
https://img486.imageshack.us/img486/8131/maghrebxr6.png
Province Capitals
MOORISH:
al-Maghrib al-Aqsa - Murrakush
Fas - Fas

INDEPENDANT:
Tlemcen - Tlemcen
al-Jaza'ir Bani Mazghanna - al-Jaza'ir
Ifriqiyah - Tunis


Background
It is January of 1073. Thirty years ago, 'Abdullah ibn Yasin came to the indigo-veiled Tuargs (a powerful nomadic tribe in the Sahara desert) in an effort to reinstill the nominal Muslims with the teachings of Islam that had grown lax over the generations. Due to his great charisma, 'Abdullah ibn Yasin quickly united the three largest tribes of the region into a single confederation and from this platform a jihad was launched that would grow to encompass vast amounts lands and to shake great empires. Since then, 'Abdullah ibn Yasin has died (he was assassinated) but his teachings and his drive have lived on and the Almoravid empire has expanded from its deep-desert origins with surprising speed and vigor so that now its borders cover all of western coastal North Africa up to (though not including) the Strait of Gibraltar.

As always seems to accompany such a rapid increase in power, political intrigue was unavoidable. Two years ago, Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar, the Amir (leader) of the Almoravid empire, left his (then still under construction) capital, Murrakuch, with an army to go south and continue the jihad against the pagan Saharan nomads. He left his brother, Yusuf ibn Tashfin, as de facto ruler of the empire in his stead. In little over a year, Yusuf ibn Tashfin had established his military might and consolidated his power by expanding the empire’s borders considerably northward and thus binding the powerfully wealthy nobles whom he had defeated to him. Catching wind of these occurrences, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Umar began the long trek back to Murrakuch with his army to reassert his position as Amir but before he can arrive Yusuf ibn Tashfin assembled an even larger army of his own (he even brought over 200 Christian knights from Europe and armed them at his own expense to be his personal bodyguard). Arriving outside of Murrakuch, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Umar quickly realized his unfavorable position. Not only did he not have the military advantage (Yusuf ibn Tashfin had a larger army and was defending a large walled city) but he also did not have the crucial support of the morrocan nobles. Pressured by Yusuf ibn Tashfin in their negotiations, Abu Bakr ibn ‘Umar surrendered his title of Amir in the final days of 1072


Current Situation
The Almoravid Empire has been expanding incredibly quickly and growing in power by the day and there is no end to this trend in sight. Abu Bakr ibn ‘Umar has returned to the Saharan desert with his army to continue his jihad while you (at the head of your own army) have just finished preparations to march east along the northern coast of Africa and bring those lands under your control with the ultimate prize being the major trading center of Algiers. To the north, however, lies the fortress-city of Ceuta which sits on the very rock of Gibraltar. It has been a thorn in the side of your empire for quite some time though it remains even now too powerful to take.

Beyond your own borders, your empire remains relatively unknown. Your Muslim brothers (the taifa states) on the Iberian Peninsula look upon you with as much disdain as they look upon anything else (including each other). Your utter disgust for their impure Islamic practices and constant quarreling will no doubt make them a prime candidate for the continuation of your reformist jihad before long. Though you are growing quickly in power, you must remember that you are still a very young empire and the vast majority of your battles have seen you with an overwhelming military advantage. Do not become overconfident due to your previous victories as you have yet to face a united enemy kingdom able to field equal or greater armies of its own.


Notable Nobles
These are the nobles which you’ll have to work with at game start. While there are only very few nobles of note under your command (nobles playing a much smaller than their European counterparts) those that you do have are of a high caliber.


Ibrahim ibn Abu Bakr
Background:
Ibrahim is Abu Bakr's son. Currently he is a local governor of a province.

The Man:
Ibrahim ibn Abu Bakr is not nearly the powerful moral figure his father is. While his father is an exceptional man, Ibrahim ibn Abu Bakr is rather average and thus he is subject to normal human behavior and emotion. Being the previous heir apparent while his father was the Amir, Ibrahim ibn Abu Bakr has not taken so kindly to his father's surrender of the title of Amir (and by consequence the title of heir apparent).

Gameplay:
Ibrahim ibn Abu Bakr is a very capable commander both of soldiers and civilians and thus he represents quite an asset to the empire regardless of whether his skills are used on the battlefield or in the governor's office. He does however bear large grudge against you and given time he may be able to call enough power to himself to contest your rule. That said, he is rather fond of large amounts of money . . .


Mazdali ibn Banlunka
Background:
Mazdali ibn Banlunka is your cousin and has always been your most trusted (and most capable) ally. He has served to your benefit more times than can be counted.

The Man:
If ever and army marched without you at its head, it would be entrusted only to Mazdali ibn Banlunka as his quality generalship was undeniable. Yet for as good a general as he is, he is a negotiator of unparalleled skill and insight. Indeed it was Mazdali ibn Banlunka that went out onto the fields in shadows of Marrakech to speak with Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar only a few weeks ago and it was Mazdali ibn Banlunka that ultimately negotiated Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar's surrender. Aside from this, Mazdali ibn Banlunka has avoided countless battles by negotiating the surrender of unnumbered towns and cities along the path of the jihad.

Gameplay:
Mazdali ibn Banlunka is a more than capable commander able to lead an army to any far-flung province in your name. Yet his true benefit to you is his ability with words and negotiation. Indeed, Mazdali ibn Banlunka has probably gained as much land for the empire with his tongue as you have with your sword. His loyalty is also solid and unquestionable.


Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar
Please note that Abu Bakr ibn ‘Umar may or may not be in the final game due to the fact that he played no further role in aiding or expanding the Almoravid Empire following our starting date. I am including his biography here just in case and because I rather like it.
Background:
Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar is your brother and more importantly he is the previous Amir. Since the jihad began under the guidance of 'Abdullah ibn Yasin, Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar has played a central role in it. Initially he was a general (being the heir apparent at the time as his father was still alive) but when his father was killed in battle relatively early he took command of the Almoravid confederation and continued the jihad. At first he did this with the help of 'Abdullah ibn Yasin but he continued unphased and unabated after 'Abdullah ibn Yasin's assassination. It was Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar who led the fledgling empire through the majority of its battles and conquests.

The Man:
Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar is an incredibly level-headed and reasonable man. He believes in the ideals of the jihad as taught by 'Abdullah ibn Yasin to the fullest extent and he will not sway from them. He is forgiving and merciful yet resolute and perfectly willing to do whatever the jihad may require him to do even if it meant to join his father and his teacher in martyrdom. Though his title and power were stolen from him, Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar bears no resentment or malice. In fact, he truly does not mind. Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar is reasonable enough to realize that a civil war now would have thrown the empire and the jihad into chaos and destroyed everything he had fought his entire life to create and so he has given up his ultimate power for the good of the jihad that it might continue united and unabated. Currently he wishes no more than to return to the Sahara and continue to try to bring the pagan nomads into Islam.

Gameplay:
Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar has been fighting in continual battle since he was of age and has subsequently become a hugely accomplished general. The generaling record that he has assembled over his life is better than most other rulers could even hope to achieve (William the Conqueror of England being perhaps the most notable exception). Coupled with this, Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar has grown from running a small nomadic tribe to governing a vast new empire and his managerial skills have grown to meet the ever increasing challenge.


Your Provinces and Cities
al-Maghrib al-Aqsa
Al-Maghrib al-Aqsa (meaning "the farthest west") is the closest thing that can be considered your home province though it truly isn't as the overwhelming majority of your land has been obtained through conquest. Regardless, it was in the southernmost desert regions of this province where the jihad began and it has moved steadily north ever since. Al-Maghrib al-Aqsa is also the home to your newly completed capital city, Murrakush. As the jihad moved from its nomadic desert lands into the more arable (and thus more sedentary) lands to the north it was necessary to adopt the more sedentary lifestyle and political and military organization so as to better govern the growing empire as well as the sedentary people that continue to constitute an ever larger majority of the population. For these reasons, Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar began the construction of Murrakush and the capital was completed under the watch of Yusuf ibn Tashfin in 1072.

Fas
The province of Fas represents the most recently conquered lands of your empire. The majority of its lands were conquered in the period between 1071 and the present by you while Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar was fighting in the Sahara desert. The conquering of these lands represented a majority change in the constitution of the empire. Before this time, the Almoravid Empire was still mostly nomadic in lifestyle. With the acquisitions of these very rich lands, Fas immediately became the economic center of the empire and thus it also became the center of power. While al-Maghrib al-Aqsa was the birthplace of the jihad, it is Fas that will provide with the capital necessary to continue the jihad to new and previously undreamt frontiers. Indeed, it was the lands of Fas that propelled Yusuf in Tashfin into power. By conquering these lands personally, Yusuf ibn Tashfin not only became fabulously rich but was also able to bind the loyalty of these powerfully wealthy nobles to himself and in so doing gain the upper hand over Abu Bakr ibn 'Umar whose only loyal allies were located in the barren and nomadic south. So while al-Maghrib al-Aqsa represents your past and your base of popular support, it is the trading centers of Fas that represent your future.


The Moorish Amirate Cultural Map
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/...oloszc8.th.png
The Almoravid Empire was driven to conquest by a single purpose that was reformist jihad. For this reason, they specialized in converting the culture of conquered populaces to their own purist Islamic culture. This fact makes the Moorish Amirate a major faction when assimilating a province through the process of integration. Having originally been a small desert tribe, however, the Almoravids never had a very large population nor do they have a considerably large population now. This distinct lack of excess fluid population makes the Moorish Amirate very poorly suited for assimilating a province through the process of colonization. The Moorish Amirate is a minor faction in this area.


Unit Previews
Berber Horsemen
https://img354.imageshack.us/img354/4127/berberbr9.png
General Type: Light Cavalry
Equipment: Cavalry spear, shield, short sword.
Armour: Light (Textile)
Speed: Very High
Morale: High
Discipline: Poor
Skill: High

These cavalrymen are recruited from the nomadic Saharan tribes. Indeed, the Almoravid Empire began originally as just such a tribe before its incredible expansion. Forming the backbone of Almoravid cavalry, these troops aren't very powerful but their numbers and their religious fanaticism will keep them on the battlefield long after the enemy cavalry has fled.

These troops have adapted themselves to warfare in the desert where speed and mobility are paramount and armor is something to be used sparingly. For this reason these troops will wear minimal (if any at all) armor. Their lack of armor means they won’t last very long in fight but their above average speed means that even a foolish commander could easily keep them out of one. Their speed also makes them well adapted to running down and defeating missile troops such as skirmishers, archers, and slower light cavalry.

If used correctly these troops can run circles around the enemy army but they are still very fragile and will be quickly cut down if caught by surprise.


Senegalese Archer
https://img511.imageshack.us/img511/...earcherwh8.png
General Type: Light Missile
Equipment: Bow with poisoned arrows, dagger
Armour: None
Speed: Average
Morale: Average
Discipline: Poor
Skill: High

These archers brought up from the sub-Saharan regions (whether as slaves or mercenaries) to help with the Almoravid expansion are quite a force. Having lead their lives as hunter-gatherers, they have developed quite an affinity for their weapons of choice: the bow and the dagger.

Their skill with the bow is matched only by the deadliness of the poison with which they coat their arrows. While they can deal casualties enough at a distance, they can easily hold their own in a melee as well. Their physical presence and impressive strength as well as their hardened nature and copious battle experience easily gives them an advantage over inexperienced light infantry. That said, against heavier infantry their complete lack of armor and any heavey weapons start to become a major disadvantage.

From a distance the skill of these archers is clearly evident and their poisoned arrows for which they have developed quite a reputation for (hence bringing them all the way from sub-Saharan Africa) give them an above average kill rate when compared to most other contemporary archers. While not completely desirable, these archers can be thrown into the melee when necessary with little hesitation.




We hope you've enjoyed this update. We appreciate any comments or questions at all. You can post here or on our official forums which you can find here:
http://s15.invisionfree.com/Byzantium_TW/i...hp?showforum=13
We'll be checking this thread regularly to answer any questions you may have.