The Lion and the Castle - a Spanish campaign AAR
The Lion and the Castle - a MTW2 Spanish AAR
This AAR is on VH/VH with the 1.1 patch and the Medifix mini-mod.
My personal “glory goals” are to meet the official victory conditions, expel the Moors from Spain, contol the Netherlands, Milan, and Naples, and establish an empire in the New World
The play style will be to avoid rushing the AI: I will not start wars (except crusading ones). I will role-play the generals, but not deliberately do dumb things; any defeats will reflect my stupidity rather than theirs.
I will try to use balanced armies and avoid exploiting the AI. I will follow a one ship to four passengers houserule.
This AAR is going to be focussed on gameplay rather than story, unless I feel inspired.
All screenshots are in spoiler tags, so that people can comfortably read the thread while the screenshots are still loading.
*Introduction abridged from econ21's A Lion in the Holy Land - an English campaign AAR.*
Re: The Lion and the Castle - a Spanish campaign AAR
The reign of Alfonso, 1080-1090?
Build queues in Alfonso's reign
List of Battles in Alfonso's reign
FA=field battle (attacker)
FD=field battle (defender)
SA=siege assault (attacker)
SD=siege assault (defender)
YA=sally (attacker)
YD=sally (defender)
Casualties are those reported killed + captured in the final column of the post-battle screens.
Re: The Lion and the Castle - a Spanish campaign AAR
Part I: Tragedy strikes cruelly.
1080 (Starting balance: 9000 florins.) Vaasco marched north towards Zaragoza. A diplomat was hired to communicate with the Moors.
1082 (6593 florins.) Council of nobles gave mission to take Valencia. Vaasco marched east towards Valencia. Spain observed that the Portuguese had besieged Zaragoza with a small army. Princess Teresa traded maps and trade rights with Portugal.
1084 (4761 florins.) Vaasco besieged Zaragoza. Princess Urraca established an alliance with Portugal. Urraca married Prince Affonso of Portugal. Princess Teresa marries Diago Santiago Trade rights were established with the Moors.
1086 (1992 florins) Vaasco stormed Zaragoza [b1].
King Alfonso recruited two mercenary spears and advanced on Valencia.
1088 (1137 florins) Alfonso camped within a day's march of Valencia. Prince Rodrigo dispatched two regiments of Spear Milita to reinforce Toledo's garrison.
1090 (862 florins) Alfonso ordered the fateful assault on Valencia with the main army of Spain [b2].
Story: The death of Alfonso, 1090
“So this is Valencia?”
King Alfonso felt uneasy as he donned his armour. Moor and Christian alike honoured the Cid, and here he was, facing the bravest knight and most feared general that Spain had ever known, doubtful even of the loyalty of his own men. His authority had always been weak after the death of his brother, Sancho of Leon. Many accused him of arranging the death of his brother in order to inherit his brother's kingdom. Alfonso had not forgotten the fact the Cid had humiliated him before his subjects. What was more, rumours had spread that he was uninhibited, reducing his authority even further. Not even Vaasco's storming of Zaragoza had increased his standing in the eyes of his subjects.
He had hesitated in ordering the attack, but when he heard that a band of Moors were roaming in the vicinity, he reluctantly agreed.
Alfonso, in his caution, had not come to Valencia unprepared. His numerous army contained two companies of mailed knights, one regiment of peasant archers, two regiments of town militia, three regiments of jinetes, and finally, two companies of mercenary spearmen. It was upon these and his knights that Alfonso was relying upon to bludgeon their way into the city.
A short while before the spy inside Valencia was due to open the gates, Alfonso lined up his men. He realised that breaking into the city would require attack the walls at two different points simultaneously. He placed the mercenary spearmen outside the main gatehouse, while the poorly trained and ill-equipped town militia would create a diversion by attacking the eastern city of the city.
Suddenly, Alfonso noticed a small yellow flag appear from the gatehouses – the gates were unlocked!
“Forward men! Honour your king!” Alfonso shouted as he gave the order to attack.
Under the cover of the peasant archers, the mercenary spearmen surged forward, and a moment later to the east of the castle, the town militia, hearing Alfonso's words, soon followed.
The mercenary spearmen burst through the unlocked gates and immediately encountered jinetes and mailed knights. The mercenaries fought bravely and managed to hold back the horsemen until a company of Spanish knights came to their assistance.
Meanwhile, the town militia to the east were barely holding their own against the Cid himself. They were bitterly experiencing the valour and skill of his loyal retainers.
“Curses! Will that arrogant knight never cease to taunt me?” muttered Alfonso, “Jinetes, prove your worth with the sword as well as the javelin!” he shouted above the din of the battle.
The jinetes poured through the gates and soon restored order to shaken infantry. However, before long even their numbers were thinning rapidly. Seeing no other alternative, Alfonso threw himself into the fray.
The sight of their king immediately lifted the spirits of his men and they began to drive back some of the Valencian infantry, causing some of the javelinmen to rout.
As Alfonso glanced to his right, however, grim news awaited him. The town militia, even thought joined with a company of mailed knights could no longer stand the valour of the Cid's retainers and fled back through the eastern gates.
Seeing their fellows fleeing, the morale of the rest of the Spanish began to waver, and before long many had cast their arms aside and were fleeing.
Alfonso, seeing the hopelessness of the situation gave the order to withdraw before receiving a fatal blow to the neck.
Alfonso, the King of Spain, was dead. He had pitted his men against the Cid's and lost. This defeat, however, allowed a period of peace that was to benefit the Spanish realm.
Re: The Lion and the Castle - a Spanish campaign AAR
The reign of Rodrigo, 1090-?
Build queues in Rodrigo's reign
List of Battles in Rodrigo's reign
FA=field battle (attacker)
FD=field battle (defender)
SA=siege assault (attacker)
SD=siege assault (defender)
YA=sally (attacker)
YD=sally (defender)
Casualties are those reported killed + captured in the final column of the post-battle screens.
Re: The Lion and the Castle - a Spanish campaign AAR
Part II: Peace reigneth, 1090-1104
1090 King Rodrgio was only 23 and unmarried when he came to the throne. His heir, his brother in law, Diago Santiago, was more than twice his age. His father's death at Valencia had shaken the entire kingdom. His first aim would be to stablise the fragile kingdom, before it fell prey to its foes.
1092 (3439 florins) The reinforcements arrive at Toledo. Prince Diago assembles a large army at Toledo to avenge the death of Alfonso. Another diplomat was recruited to be an emissary to Portugal.
1094 (2916 florins) Diago advanced on Valencia.
1096 (2538 florins) Diago besieged Valencia. A priest was trained to instruct the population of Zaragoza. Isabel Santiago is born.
1098 (2265 florins) Diago storms and sacks Valencia, avenging Alfonso [b3].
Spain is rewarded with 2500 florins. Francisco Santiago is born.
1100 (5673 florins) Council of nobles gives mission to send emissary to France which was done this turn. Spain was rewarded with 500 florins. Trade rights and maps were exchanged with France. Relations with Portugal became reasonable. Prince Diago adopted Americo de Carracedo. Diago commences the march back to Toledo. Valencia is converted into a town.
1102 (3833 florins) The Pope deems the unbelief of Valencia intolerable and orders the Word of the Lord to be spread amongst the people.
Story: Rodrigo's vision
“Religion was not Rodrigo's master – he was its servant.” That was the word that had spread throughout the Spanish kingdom.
Rodrigo, however, had a reason for his public show of piety. He was desperate to gain the Pope's sanction for a Holy War against the Moors in the south. While his father reigned, the pontiff was indifferent to the Spanish realm, but that changed when Rodrigo ascended the throne. Reports had reached the Holy See of the beautiful church just constructed in Leon. His Holiness was also impressed to learn that that castle of Toledo had recently enlarged and beautified its small chapel.
Then came the Papal bull.
Rodrigo contemplated the message the Pope had sent him. Was this a test of his dedication to the faith? Pope Gregory must surely sanction a Crusade if he converted Valencia. With those thoughts in mind, Rodrigo made his decision.
He sent a messenger to Vaasco, who was governing the frontier town of Zaragoza, recently wrested from the weak Aragonese. “Send some priests down into Valencia as soon as they have completed their studies. Do not delay, as this order is from His Holiness himself.”
Having dispatched the messenger, Rodrigo returned to hear mass in his private chapel.
1104 (4141 florins) King Rodrigo is married. Luis Santiago is born. Rodrigo moves to encounter some rebels in Leon.
