Official Cataclysm Thread

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10-14-2007, 15:56
TinCow

Official Cataclysm Thread

DO NOT POST IN THIS THREAD. ALL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS SHOULD BE SENT VIA PM OR POSTED IN THE OOC THREAD.

Cataclysm FAQ

Overview:

At the beginning of every game turn, I will make a Status Post with all information needed for the players that turn. At the start of the post will be a general overview of significant events, such as AI army movements, city conquests, etc. This will be followed by a situation report for each player. The situation report will include any pertinent results from the previous turn, a basic description of the player’s current situation, provinces the player controls, the player’s personal wealth, the Direct Recruitment units available to the player, and a short multiple choice description of possible actions. These multiple choice descriptions will not be definitive by any means; they will merely provide examples of options that are open to you. For example:

Johnny von Hindenburg:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Pfarphenplatz (rioting), Somewhatnearbyville
Personal Wealth: 3
Units Available: Town Militia, Spear Militia, Crossbow Militia, Free Company Longbowmen, Free Company Men-at-Arms

The city is rioting and half of the garrison has been killed or deserted. You have two units of knights with you and a large Polish army is nearby. The Poles will likely attack Pfarphenplatz next turn.

(A) Garrison Pfarphenplatz with your knights, recruit 3 Town Militia, and attempt to restore order and hold the city.
(B) Ride to Pfarphenplatz and rescue the garrison before they are overwhelmed, then attempt to flee to the safety of Somewhatnearbyville. This will slow you down and you may be caught in the field by the Polish army. You cannot recruit more than 1 Militia unit if you do this, but the garrison will join your army for free.
*(C) Abandon Pfarphenplatz and ride immediately for Somewhatnearbyville. You cannot recruit any Militia units if you do this.

After I have made this post at the beginning of each game turn, players may send me their action choices. This can be something as simple as "B" (indicating you want to do multiple choice option B corresponding to your character) or a 4 paragraph explanation of what you want to do and why. ALL PLAYERS MUST SEND ME THEIR CHOICES BY PRIVATE MESSAGE. This is to ensure secrecy, since some choices can harm other players. I do not want other players to see what you are going to do before you do it, because it might effect their own decisions. The * will indicate the option that I think is the safest for the avatar. If a player does not respond with their choice of action within the time allotted for the turn, I will always use the * choice. Keep in mind, the * choice could have negative consequences for the avatar, and thus is not usually a good choice. However, the * choice will ALWAYS ensure that the avatar survives and thus players who fail to submit their orders will not find themselves dead the next year. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR OPTIONS ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE CHOICES I LIST. IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, YOU SIMPLY NEED TO SAY SO. I will figure out a way to implement nearly anything you can think of, so long as it makes sense and would be realistically possible for your avatar.

THE TIME LIMIT FOR SUBMITTING CHOICES IS 48 HOURS FROM THE TIME THE OFFICIAL TURN REPORT IS POSTED.

Specific Game Mechanics:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Income:
Money will be very tight during the Cataclysm and each player will have to accumulate money for their own personal use. Their current wealth will be represented by a simple number, which has no relation to in-game prices. There will be two kinds of income:

1) Fixed Income: Players can receive an income from settlements that are under their control, not rioting, and have an uninterrupted path to the player’s location. If an enemy army is blocking the route, you will not get the income. If you are besieged, all routes are considered blocked and you will get no income except for the settlement you are in (unless that is rioting too). Each player will be told which provinces are under their control each turn.

Cities produce a base income of 3 wealth. Castles produce a base income of 1 wealth. Rebel Capitals produce +1 wealth, regardless of whether they are a City or a Castle. Rebel Capitals cannot be moved during the cataclysm, even if the capital is held by the AI or has fallen under the control of another player. If a loyal Count exists, 1 wealth is diverted from Duke's income from the loyal Count's settlement to the loyal Count, as long as the trade route between the settlement and the loyal Count is open. All provinces produce +1 when their Lord starts the turn inside its borders. If a province has both a Duke and a loyal Count and both are present in the province, the loyal Count is the only one who can receive this bonus.

2) Event Generated Income: Extra income can be created in nearly any way imaginable, but the methods will have consequences. The amount gained from an Event will vary, but will generally range from 1 to 10. For instance, you can disperse your army to tax the surrounding lands for 2, but if you are unlucky, a regiment could be attacked by bandits and destroyed while away from the main army. Doing this would also prevent you from moving out of the province, so it would be best to do it when you know you won’t be attacked or will be able to win if you are attacked. The safest and most profitable method of gaining Event Income is to plunder any destructible buildings in a settlement. Doing this will destroy the building for good, but it will produce an income equal to the number of turns required to build the structure from scratch and there is no limit to the number of buildings you can knock down per turn. Please note that destroying buildings in a province will probably make the people of that province hate you. This will make it difficult to recruit new soldiers and will limit your options in some other regards. Of course, you could always plunder the buildings from a neighboring province whose Lord is not around to protect it…

Construction/Repair:
Players can only build or repair buildings in the province they are physically located in at the beginning of a turn. Construction cost will be equal to the number of turns required to build the structure from scratch. Repairs will cost 1 per building being repaired, except for walls and towers, which will cost 2.

Recruitment:
Armies are the lifeblood of the Cataclysm. The larger your army, the more territory you will be able to successfully control and the better off you’ll be in general. I don’t think I need to explain why. THERE WILL BE NO RETRAINING DURING THE CATACLYSM with the exception that full-strength units may be retrained to gain armor and weapon upgrades. There will be multiple ways for players to recruit new units.

1) Direct Recruitment: Each player can recruit any unit type that is available in the province they are physically located in, to include settlement units and mercenaries. Please note that events and player choices may ‘disable’ recruitment of some unit types temporarily or even permanently. Each player will be told which units are recruitable in their current province each turn. If you want to use Direct Recruitment, you need to let me know in the PM and state specifically which units you want to recruit. My default choices will rarely include Direct Recruitment choices, so a typical response would be "Option B + Recruit 1 unit of Zweihanders and 1 unit of Sergeant Spearmen". Unit costs will vary according to my whims, but will generally be as follows:

Poor Quality Infantry or Militia: 1
Medium Quality Infantry or Militia/Low Quality Missile: 2
High Quality Infantry/High Quality Missile/Low Quality Cavalry: 3
Medium Quality Cavalry/Low Quality Artillery: 4
High Quality Cavalry/High Quality Artillery: 5

Specific Unit Cost List:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Town Militia - 1
Spear Militia - 1
Crossbow Militia - 2
Halberd Militia - 2
Pike Militia - 2
Merchant Cavalry Militia - 3
Forlorn Hope - 3
Peasant Archers - 2
Peasant Crossbowmen - 2
Pavise Crossbowmen - 3
Mounted Crossbowmen - 4
Sergeant Spearmen - 2
Armoured Sergeants - 2
Dismounted Feudal Knights (DFK) - 3
Dismounted Imperial Knights (DIK) - 3
Zwei Handers - 3
Mounted Sergeants - 3
Mailed Knights - 4
Feudal Knights - 4
Imperial Knights - 5
Gothic Knights - 5
Teutonic Knights - 5
Reiters - 5

Hand Gunners - 3
Arquebusiers - 3

Ballistae - 4
Catapults - 4
Trebuchets - 5
Bombards - 5
Grand Bombards - 5
Serpentines - 5
Cannons - 5
Basilisks - 5

Irish Kerns Mercs - 1
Welsh Spearmen Mercs - 2
Balkan Archers - 2
Mercenary Spearmen - 2
Slav Mercenaries - 2
Free Company Men at Arms - 3
Free Company Longbowmen - 3
Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen - 3
Galloglaich Mercs - 3
Welsh Longbowmen Mercs - 3
Catalans - 3
Flemish Pikemen Merc - 3
Mercenary Crossbowmen - 3
Turkopoles - 4
Albanian Cavalry - 4
Mercenary Ribault - 4
Mercenary German Knights - 5
Mercenary Frankish Knights - 5
Mercenary Knights - 5
Serbian Knights - 5
Kwarizmian Cavalry - 5

2) Event Generated Recruitment: Extra recruits can be created in nearly any way imaginable, but the methods will have consequences. One option could be to use press-gangs to levy civilians into your army. This will obviously make the people unhappy (which has its own consequences), reduce the population, and won’t provide you with high quality units, but it will let you raise a small force quickly and for free. As another example, if you have high piety and chivalry and are in a city with a Teutonic Knights guild house, you may be able to convince them to join you for free. A third option would be to bribe away the soldiers from another player’s army or settlement. Since there will be no retraining during the cataclysm, bribing will be the only way to gain new veteran units. The cost of bribing will vary based on the traits of the avatar who owns them. An avatar that is well-loved (via traits) by his troops will greatly increase the bribe price of his men (i.e. High Quality Infantry cost 5 instead of 3). In contrast, units will require less money to desert from an avatar that they do not like (High Quality Infantry cost 2 instead of 3).

Movement:
There will be no captain-led army movement during the Cataclysm, except for movement that began before the cataclysm. If you want to move forces around, you'll need to do it yourself or find an ally who will do it for you. The exception to this is 'reinforcements' to other players. If you are giving units to another player, they may move to that player's army without your escort, so long as a secure route exists between you and it is no more than 2 provinces away.

Avatar led armies will generally be constrained by normal in-game movement limits (with a little wiggle room), but not always. I will consider making exceptions for movement restrictions if people request them. You'll have to give me a good reason why, but I will seriously consider it if it makes sense. For instance, players could attempt to cross an otherwise impassable mountain range as a short-cut, but will risk losing men to avalanches and rock slides. If you want to move in a non-standard fashion, you must specifically request it.

Controlling Provinces:
At the start of the Cataclysm, Dukes/King will control all of their corresponding Duchy's/Outremer's provinces which still belong to the HRE, unless otherwise noted. Counts will control the provinces officially allocated to them. After the Cataclysm begins, control of provinces can be gained and lost through the choices made by the players. Obviously, losing it to an enemy faction will result in your loss of control. However, other players can seize control of your territories as well by marching an army into it and formally declaring that they are seizing it. Depending on the circumstances, the settlement might resist the attack and fight back, or it might simply surrender without a fight.

Fighting Other Players:
Since players are free to sack and seize each others lands, bribe each others armies, and generally do things that will make other people mad, it is possible that some players may seek to fight each other. This will be allowed, even if one party wants to avoid the battle (though it may be difficult to corner a player who is trying to avoid you). If you don’t want someone to fight you, you probably shouldn’t do things to anger them. If two players end up engaging in battle, the situation will be resolved as follows:

1) If both players agree, the battle will be fought in multiplayer. I will create a specific list of the units each player will have available to them in the multiplayer battle and state the type of map on which the battle must be fought (i.e. open field, Player A defending a Castle, etc.) and the battle must be fought under those conditions. The results must then be sent to me and I will disband units to reflect the casualties.

2) If either player cannot or will not fight a multiplayer battle for any reason, I will decide the end result of the battle on my own in any way I see fit. I will disband units to reflect the casualties.

In both cases, the loser will become the prisoner of the victor. The loser’s surviving units will join the victor’s army and the victor will gain control of all of the loser’s provinces. NO AVATAR WILL DIE IN PVP BATTLE, NO MATTER HOW IT IS FOUGHT OR WHAT THE RESULTS ARE. However, victors can execute their prisoners if they so choose. Players who become prisoners will continue to have choices to make every turn, just like everyone else, but their options will reflect their new circumstances. These would likely be things such as attempting to break out of prison or proclaiming loyalty to the victor and offering to serve him.

The War of Reformation Rules:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

1) In 1330 AD, there will be no base income from any settlements, each settlement will lose one building due to rioting and warfare within the settlement, and each settlement will lose 20% of its population as a result of the brutal massacres.
2) In 1330 AD, full-stack rebel armies will appear in every province throughout the Reich. These armies are a representation of the general warfare going on amongst the Catholic and Lutheran populations. They are not “Catholic” or “Lutheran” in any sense. They cannot be bought off, charmed away, or disposed of in any other indirect fashion. They only way to get rid of them is to destroy them in combat.
3) Every turn after 1330 AD that a rebel army starts the year in a province, that province’s settlement will produce no base income, will lose one building per rebel army, and will lose 10% of its remaining population per rebel army.
4) In order to pacify a province, all rebel armies inside its borders must be defeated. Only one rebel army can be destroyed per Elector per year, due to the excessive amount of time it takes to put down a religious war.
5) Every turn that a ‘pacified’ province starts without an Elector within its borders, there will be a 50% chance of a rebel army appearing within it, representing a fresh outbreak of violence. This percentage may go up or down in various provinces depending on events and choices.
6) Actions by Electors that encourage violence between Catholics and Lutherans in any way will have a chance of spawning new rebel armies inside that Elector’s province and in adjacent provinces, even if a rebel army already exists in those provinces. (Don’t feed the fire!)
7) For the purposes of Rule 1 and Rule 3, buildings will be picked at random using a 20-sided die. The buildings will be numbered from left to right and top to bottom, as they appear on the city screen in-game (i.e. City walls and castle fortifications will always be #1). The die will be rolled and the building that corresponds to the number rolled will be destroyed. If the number corresponds to a non-destructible building or an empty slot, the die will be re-rolled.
8) The War of Reformation does not apply to Outremer.
10-14-2007, 15:57
TinCow

Turn 1 - 1320 AD

Choices due by 12pm EST, Tuesday, October 16th

Save Game File

The Calamitous Year of 1320 is upon you. The Reich is in turmoil and her enemies have united against her as never before. Rome has fallen to the swift Byzantine attack and with it all central authority in the Empire has dissolved. For the first time in generations, there is no Chancellor overseeing the affairs of the Reich. Each Elector must look to his own strengths and resources to see him through the trying times ahead.

Outremer is under serious assault. The loyal spy, Rudolf von Augsburg reports that there are no less than nine major Byzantine armies within a few weeks march of Antioch. Aleppo is already besieged and will fall easily without reinforcements. To make matters worse, the Pope has orders his armies to advance on Outremer from the south. Acre is under siege by a medium-sized Papal army and the garrison will likely be overwhelmed if they do not receive aid. While the armies of Outremer are still amongst the strongest in the Reich, they are but a shadow of their former selves. The Crusaders have taken up stations on the river crossings around Antioch and will likely be able to hold them against any new attacks. However, a defensive position will result in the loss of all Citadels, and with them any hope of training new forces.

Franconia has survived the recent upheavals largely intact. The rebels of Stettin have been brought back into line and all Franconian territories remain under the control of Duke Ansehelm. However, Franconia is a massive, sprawling land and this is her major weakness. There are simply too few armies to defend the borders. Thorn is under siege by a huge Russian army that is equipped with many piece of artillery. It will fall soon if not relieved. Refugees report that two large Polish armies are also advancing on Krakow, which will fall without assistance. In the west, the Danes are making a major offensive and two full armies stand outside the walls of Hamburg. While the city is not yet under siege Peter von Kastilien holds it with a large army, much of his strength is poorly trained militia.

Bavaria is a House under siege. Bologna and Marseille have revolted. A large Byzantine army has worked its way behind the lines and is west of Bologna, from where it could march on nearly any city in Northern Italy. Spies report that at least three more full-sized Byzantine armies are marching north from Rome. They will likely begin a pressing assault on Bavarian provinces, starting with Florence. Lothar Steffen and Dietrich von Dassel can field a strong army if they combine forces, but separately they would be seriously outnumbered. Ajaccio has been saved from destruction for the moment, but it is already under siege by another Sicilian army. More Sicilian fleets have been sighted off the coast and further armies are likely to land in coming years.

Swabia has been torn asunder. The rebellion of Wolfgang Hummel has split the House's strength when a united front is most direly needed. Duke Hans has secured the citadel of Staufen and the city of Bern is returning to an orderly state. However, at the moment he has almost no military strength to speak of and the rebellion of Metz, Dijon, and Paris has split the House in two. Bruges and Rheims remain loyal, but they are cut off from the Duke's safe-haven and can easily be taken by Wolfgang Hummel. Caen is already under the control of Wolfgang Hummel, but its situation is precarious. The French see the Swabian revolt simply as an opportunity to exploit. They are friends to neither side. The rebellious Swabian city of Paris is already under siege by multiple armies and a massive French army is reported to be marching on Caen itself. Further forces are sure to be following behind it. Wolfgang Hummel and Athalwolf von Salza both remain in command of powerful armies.

Austria is in headlong flight. Bucharest and Bran have been abandoned and they will soon be occupied by the Hungarians. Budapest is in revolt and has thrown out its garrison. Lorenz Zirn stands by to retake the city, but most of his army is militia. Karl Zirn and Friedrich Karolinger are marching back towards Budapest, but their armies are heavily depleted. The long distance between Bran and Budapest is a blessing, as the three Electors will have a short time to prepare for the assault before it begins. Duke Arnold holds Austria's remaining citadel, Ragusa, with a strong force. However, the Venetians have returned with a vengeance. Their armies are besieging the former Papal city of Durazzo and Ragusa is obviously their next target. To make matters more complex, Edmund Becker has reappeared, alive and well, in his County of Prague. He has thrown off Duke Arnold's authority and proclaimed Prague a Free City and himself answerable only to the Kaiser. It seems Swabia is not the only House facing a rebellion...

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch
Personal Wealth: 5 (One time bonus of +4 for being Kaiser. It’s good to be the King.)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles

Antioch is a safe haven for the time being, but that will not last for long. The Byzantines are approaching from the north and east in vast numbers and your Province of Acre is besieged by the Pope. You need to come up with a strategy very quickly, or you will certainly be overwhelmed. If only you controlled Citadel that was safe from the massed armies in Outremer. A Citadel like the one at Nicosia, perhaps...

*(A) Use all of your wealth to assemble a fleet to transport you to Cyprus. Once there, immediately assault the Citadel with your Cannons. Rumors from merchant fleets indicate that there is almost no garrison to speak of, but a strong Byzantine army is encamped outside the gates and will likely attempt to aid them.
(B) Use your available men to reinforce the armies of Matthias Steffen and Jan von Hamburg. With your help, they could likely hold the river crossings against even the most determined assaults.
(C) March south to relieve Acre.
*(MISC) In addition to the above, put out an open call to all honorable men left in Outremer. Proclaim the need of Christendom and state that the good people stand in dire peril. This will likely produce and instant levy of good Catholic soldiers, especially knights. However, any man who is open to such an approach will make himself known now. Attempting the same thing in future years will likely be futile.

Hans:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Staufen, Bern, Metz (held by rebels), Dijon (held by rebels), Paris (held by rebels and besieged), Rheims (trade route cut off), Bruges (trade route cut off)
Personal Wealth: 3 (You are miserly and a total cheapskate, but that is about to pay off handsomely. One time bonus of +2 and all military recruitment costs 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. Congratulations, Scrooge.)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Spearmen, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen.

Your Duchy has been torn asunder. The rebel settlements of Metz and Dijon split it in two, hindering movement of armies and trade. If you take the time to restore them to proper Swabian rule, Wolfgang Hummel will have a free hand in the north. If you go after Wolfgang immediately, your resources will be minimal and you will be at a significant disadvantage. To make matters worse, you have arrived in great haste, but without an army. The governor of Staufen anticipated your arrival and recruited a small force in the previous year, but it is nowhere near enough to meet your needs. Ehrhart Ruppel will arrive with his small force of infantry at the end of the year, but they will not be available to you immediately. Fortunately, you do have an intact and loyal army under the command of Athalwolf von Salza. Perhaps he can do your bidding while you assemble more men in Staufen. Of course, those men are going to need money…

(Orders have already been submitted.)

Dietrich von Dassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 3 (Horder of Wealth and the recent sack of Durazzo gives a one time bonus of +3. You have no source of regular income, though.)
Units Available: Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Mercenary Spearmen

It’s hundreds of miles to Swabia, you’ve got a fraction of an army left, there are Byzantines to the north and the south, it’s dark, and you’re wearing a helmet.

Hit it.

(Orders have already been submitted.)

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Dijon (held by rebels)
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: Mercenary Spearmen, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Catapults, Ballistae, Bombards, Grand Bombards

Well the so-called Battle of Normandy got you nowhere, but at least you’re still alive and your army is intact. The rebels still hold your County but they have a strong and capable force including large numbers of Swiss Pikemen, Chivalric Knights, and Feudal Knights Recapturing it will require more men than you currently have available. Metz is less well defended and you would likely be able to take it with your current forces. Doing so would reunite the split halves of Swabia, thus allowing for easier movement of armies and for revenue from Rheims and Bruges to make its way to its rightful Duke. Of course, if you do not move back north, Wolfgang Hummel will have a free hand in the region…

*(A) Retreat to Staufen and wait for reinforcements.
(B) Besiege Metz immediately, expecting to assault it next year.
(C) Garrison Rheims and hold it against Wolfgang Hummel.
(D) Garrison Bruges and hold it against Wolfgang Hummel.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Caen (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 4 (One time bonus of +2 for being a rebel. I have given you +2 for Caen, assuming it is your “Capital.” Correct me if I am wrong.)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DFK, DIK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Trebuchets, Catapults, Ballistae, Mercenary Spearmen

Your rebellion is alive and well… for the time being. It will take Hans some time to bring forces against you and Athalwolf has retreated past Rheims. Bruges is easily within your grasp and you could seize it with few problems. However, the French are bearing down on Caen quickly and they will probably lay siege to it next year. If you lose Caen, you will have a very difficult time controlling northern Swabia.

*(A) Plunder Caen for all it is worth, then take the wealth, abandon your army and flee south towards your partner-in-crime, Dietrich von Dassel.
(B) Attack the oncoming French armies, thus eliminating the threat to Caen for the time being. The French will back eventually though…
(C) Take control of Bruges. The French will likely besiege Caen behind you, but you will probably have time to break the siege next year before they can assault the citadel.

Ansehelm von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Thorn (under siege), Breslau, Krakow, Stettin, Magdeburg, Hamburg, Frankfurt
Personal Wealth: 8 (Includes +3 from loyal Counts. No bonus of any kind, but most of Franconia is under your control, giving you a large, steady stream of income… for now. Keep an eye on your Counts.)
Units Available: Mercenary Spearmen

You have a mighty army, but a strong Russian force has besieged Thorn and cut you off from any reinforcements. If you have any hope of holding the eastern border of Franconia, you had better lift the siege immediately. Of course, you could always abandon Thorn and march west. That would be far safer, but such a cowardly act would not soon be forgotten by the people. There’s also the matter of your bickering Electors to deal with.

*(A) Abandon Thorn and march west to the safety of Magdeburg. (This will result in a negative trait.)
(B) Attack the Russian army besieging Thorn.
(C) Attack the Russian army besieging Thorn. When you are victorious, send some reinforcements to your Electors in the west.

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin (Refusing to pay taxes)
Personal Wealth: 3 (One time bonus of +3 due to sack of Stettin. For the rest of the cataclysm, Stetting will pay you 2 wealth per turn instead of 1, but only when you end your turn in the province. If you end the turn outside the province, you will get 0 wealth.)
Units Available: All castle units except Gothic Knights, Mounted Crossbowmen, Reiters, Zweihanders, and all non-gunpowder artillery.

You are wealthy and you command a strong army, but the people hate you with a passion that almost defies belief. You have sacked your own County and the people will not soon forget it. The Lutherans will not forget your aid, but your actions have made them pariahs in Stettin. You will receive no aid inside Stettin, not even from them. In addition, the people are refusing to pay the taxes they owe you, thus cutting off your only source of income. To make matters worse, Dieter Bresch is the Lord of the citadel you are sitting in, he has legitimate claim to your army, and he is far more popular than you are.

*(A) Move your army to Stettin and tell them to start paying up.
(B) Attempt to seize control of Magdeburg from Dieter Bresch. Spend all of your wealth to increase your soldiers’ pay, thus minimizing the chance that they will defect to Dieter.
(C) Attempt to seize control of Magdeburg from Dieter Bresch. Rely on your fearsome reputation alone to keep your men in line. The mercenaries like your tactics of plunder and will be reluctant to leave you, but other men might not be.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Breslau
Personal Wealth: 1
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia

You control the garrison of Hamburg. It is composed of a large amount of militia, but backed by a strong contingent of professional and mercenary soldiers. Life will not be easy, though, as Hamburg lays directly in the path of the Danish invasion armies. Two are outside the walls of the city at this very moment and you do not have much time to act before they begin the siege. It is time to decide where your loyalties truly lie and come up with a strategy.

(A) Hold the walls of Hamburg against the coming armies. It would be foolish to face their combined might in the field with your current forces, but perhaps they will shatter on the huge walls of the city.
(B) Plunder Hamburg for all it is worth and retreat with your army towards the more easily defensible Magdeburg. The militia, who live there, will certainly desert you, but the professional soldiers will remain with you. Furthermore, you will gain a large sum of money and Magdeburg has a surplus of high quality soldiers...
(C) Abandon Hamburg and move to Frankfurt. There you will be entirely safe from attack for at least a short while. In addition, it is within striking distance of the great citadel of Staufen and the Bavarian city of Nuremburg. Both could be raided or conquered for your own personal benefit.
*(D) Abandon Hamburg and move to Breslau. Your County is safe for the time being, but it is directly in the Polish line of march, once they finish with Krakow. If you want to retain control of your County, someone will have to defend it.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg
Personal Wealth: 0 (Magdeburg produces nothing and you have no financial skills. Good thing your Duke is loaded.)
Units Available: All castle units except Gothic Knights, Mounted Crossbowmen, Reiters, Zweihanders, and all non-gunpowder artillery.

You are Furst of Saxony, but you have no army to your name. Ansehelm has stated that the army is to be led jointly by you and Fritz von Kastilien. This is impossible, and you know it. If you share command, one of you will inevitably take a back seat to the other. It seems unlikely that Fritz will share command with you, and he sits inside your Citadel acting like he owns the place. You are useless without an army, so you had better find one if you want to do more than sit inside a castle and count the rats for several years. Perhaps you can assemble one in Franconia or perhaps you can find friends elsewhere...

(A) 'Share' joint command with Fritz von Kastilien. In reality, he will lead the army and you will count rats. Though perhaps he could be lured into a sense of complacency and you could seize command later on via other means...
(B) You still hold the title of Furst of Saxony as well as Count of Magdeburg. In addition, you are slightly popular amongst the people. Fritz von Kastilien, on the other hand, is immensely unpopular, though his men respect him greatly as a general. Should you assert your authority and appeal to the men directly, you could likely convert a large portion of the army to your control. Of course, some men are bound to stay with Fritz, but if you could convince the majority of them you may even be able to evict him the citadel.
(C) Exploit your position as Furst of Saxony and Count of Magdeburg to plunder Magdeburg and defect to join Edmund Becker's revolt. You have easy access to Magdeburg's treasury, where Fritz stores the loot he plundered from Stettin. The large mercenary force under Fritz's command would easily join you if you gave them this horde, and perhaps even some of the regular troops would join you. You will then plunder a few of the profitable buildings in Magdeburg and ride south with your army and your wealth to join up with Edmund Becker.

Jan von Hamburg:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch, Aleppo (besieged), Acre (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 2 (+1 From loyal Count/Kaiser. It’s a shame that hoarding wealth and sacking towns is not part of the Chivalric Code.)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles

Outremer is in tatters. As its King, its salvation lies in your hands. If you are able to cooperate with Kaiser Elberhard and Matthias Steffen, you could assemble a military force able to achieve almost any objective. Almost any... there are many places that need to be defended, but you cannot hold them all at once. Will you risk it all and attempt to save Outremer, or will you retreat and rebuild your strength? You are considered a living saint amongst those who still respect the chivalric code. Perhaps an open call to those who believe as you do will yield much-needed strength.

*(A) (If Elberhard moves on Nicosia) Use all of your wealth to assemble a fleet to transport you to Cyprus. Once there, immediately assault the Citadel with Elberhard. Rumors from merchant fleets indicate that there is almost no garrison to speak of, but a strong Byzantine army is encamped outside the gates and will likely attempt to aid them.
(B) Remain where you are and hold the eastern river crossing.
(C) Attack Nikolaos of Athos, whose army is near the eastern river crossing, then advance on Aleppo and attempt to lift the siege.
(D) March south to break the Papal siege of Acre.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Constantinople
Personal Wealth: 12 (You’re rich! Too bad you have nothing decent to spend it on and you’re on the run for your life.)
Units Available: Balkan Archers, Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia

What in the world have you gotten yourself into? Your attack on Constantinople was successful and you recovered an immense amount of wealth from the sack of the Byzantine capital. However, your army is weak and you are a long, long way from any friendly forces. You may be able to reach Austria with a determined march, but the area is swarming with Hungarian and Byzantine armies. Returning to Franconia itself will be very, very difficult. Of course, the smaller and faster your force, the easier it will be for you to escape detection...

(A) Return to Constantinople and attempt to hold the walls.
*(B) Abandon your entire army, except for Teutonic Knights, and ride west at all haste to Ragusa. You will likely make it without being detected.
(C) March west to Ragusa with your army. There is a moderate chance that you will be intercepted by a Hungarian or Byzantine army.
(D) March north toward Franconia. You can likely make it to the mountains north of Bran this year. You will almost certainly be attacked by the Hungarians that are swarming over the area.
(E) Abandon your entire army, including the Teutonic Knights, and ride north with all haste to Franconia. You can likely make it to the mountains north of Bran this year. There is a small chance that the Hungarians will find you and attack.

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa, Zagreb, Vienna, Venice, Budapest (Held by rebels)
Personal Wealth: 6 (Includes +2 from loyal Counts. Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn. You were lucky this year.)
Units Available: All castle units except Gothic Knights, Reiters, and Trebuchets. Balkan Archers

Ragusa is the only province left in Austria that can produce military units. If it falls, Austria will be in dire straits, indeed. You have a short amount of time before the Venetians push on from Durazzo and assault the citadel itself. You receive constant messages from Budapest saying that Lorenz Zirn, Karl Zirn, and Friedrich Karolinger are all desperately in need of reinforcements. In short, you had best assemble as much military power as you can, very quickly.

*(A) You are a popular figure. Attempt to recruit volunteer regiments by making passionate speeches about Austria's need.
(B) You are feared like the Grim Reaper himself. Order you soldiers to press any able bodied man you can find into military service. (Will produce more men than A, but may have negative consequences)
(C) March on Durazzo.

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb (Trade route cut off to your current location)
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: Balkan Archers

You are far from Budapest with a very small army. You had best get yourself to Budapest, where you can rendezvous with the Lorenz Zirn and Karl Zirn.

(A) March your remaining men to Budapest. The long distance and slow speed of your mercenary crossbowmen and spear militia will put you at a small risk of being attacked along the way.
*(B) Abandon the men on foot and ride for Budapest with only the Feudal Knights and Reiters. You can be certain of arriving safely without being attacked.
(C) Spread out your men and plunder everything you can find between your location and Budapest. The peasants will certainly attempt to stop you, but if you survive you will have accumulated a modest amount of wealth.

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 3 (One time bonus of +1 for being a rebel. I have assumed that Prague has been declared as your ‘Capital’ and have given you 2 wealth for it accordingly. Correct me if I am wrong.)
Units Available: Town Militia, Spear Militia

You have declared Prague a Free City, independent of Austria. For the moment, you exist in the most peaceful area of the Reich. Duke Arnold and those loyal to him are far away and have their own problems to deal with. In addition, Prague is deep inside the Reich and Polish and Hungarian armies will likely take a few years to penetrate that far, depending on how Franconians and Austrians choose to defend their lands. However, Prague is not a military powerhouse. Your foresight in previous years has seen to it that Prague is already upgrading its facilities and you expect it to be able to produce Crossbow Militia in 1326, but that is not likely to be enough. However, both Breslau and Nuremburg lie close by and are undefended by their Lords. You could easily recruit men from those provinces, or raid them for vast amounts of wealth. The Franconian citadel of Magdeburg is also nearby, though heavily defended. Perhaps a diplomatic approach could aid you...

(A) Raid Breslau, destroying some buildings to accumulate a large sum of wealth.
(B) Raid Nuremburg, destroying some buildings to accumulate a large sum of wealth.
*(C) Travel to Nuremburg to hire a regiment of Forlorn Hope and make a public speech in the city square, in the hopes that some men will volunteer to aid Prague.

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Budapest (Held by rebels)
Personal Wealth: 0 (You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. Any province you control will generate +1 wealth, but only if you end your turn inside its borders.)
Units Available: Balkan Archers

Your County, Budapest, is held by rebels. You are outside its gates with the expelled garrison and a few units of professional soldiers. It is a large army, but most are militia and will not fare well in an assault. You also have a unit of Cannon available. Karl Zirn and Friedrich Karolinger are moving towards you with additional professional soldiers.

(A) Immediately assault Budapest, using your Cannon to breach the walls.
*(B) Besiege Budapest and begin building siege engines. You will not assault this year.
(C) Abandon Budapest and fall back to Vienna.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ajaccio (besieged), Florence, Genoa, Milan, Innsbruck, Bologna (Held by rebels), Marsailles (Held by rebels)
Personal Wealth: 5 (Includes +1 from loyal Count. Deep Pockets means that any province you end your turn in generates +1 wealth, including castles, so long as other requirements are met.)
Units Available: Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Mercenary Spearmen

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ajaccio (besieged, with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: DFK, DIK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Ballistae, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Catapults, Bombards

You have made it to Ajaccio by the skin of your teeth. Only hours after you arrived, another Sicilian army landed and besieged the Citadel. You can slip out a secret tunnel and escape to the mainland disguised as a woman, but you will be able to transport nothing but yourself. Of course, the Sicilian army, while well-trained, does not seriously outnumber you. You would likely be able to defeat them if they assaulted the walls, but you would have to wait for them to come to you. Victory with a sally is less certain, but it will immediately free the Citadel of Ajaccio to begin producing troops.

*(A) Disguise yourself as a woman and take a fishing boat to Genoa. The disgrace of this act will follow you for the rest of your life. (Traits will be altered).
(B) Hold the walls of Ajaccio and wait for the Sicilians to come to you. (May recruit maximum of 1 unit)
(C) Sally out and attack the Sicilians. If you are victorious, you will likely find a small amount of wealth in their camp and on their corpses. This would also free Ajaccio from all recruitment limits.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (trade route blocked)
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles

You hold the northern crossing of the river outside Antioch. Your force is strong and well-supplied with Pavise Crossbowmen, but you are short on spearmen. You could likely hold the bridge for a short time, but attrition will be your undoing unless you are reinforced by next year. Whether you like it or not, you are stuck in Outremer, at least for the short term. You would likely be able to smuggle yourself out on a merchant ship, but you would have to leave your army behind. If you remain in Outremer, you will need to come up with a strategy very quickly, or you will certainly be overwhelmed. Antioch is nearby and perhaps you can find some 'recruits' there willing to help you. You are an exceedingly unpopular man, but your piety is well known. In addition, you hold two Holy Relics. Displaying them to the pious would likely induce large number of pilgrims and fanatics to take up your call. Of course, selling them is also an option and one that could lead to enough wealth to hire some truly formidable regiments.

*(A) (If Elberhard moves on Nicosia) Use all of your wealth to assemble a fleet to transport you to Cyprus. Once there, immediately assault the Citadel with Elberhard. Rumors from merchant fleets indicate that there is almost no garrison to speak of, but a strong Byzantine army is encamped outside the gates and will likely attempt to aid them.
(B) Remain where you are and hold the northern bridge. Put your relics on public display in Antioch in the hopes that religious fervor will induce some pilgrims and fanatics to aid you.
(C) Remain where you are and hold the northern bridge. Sell your relics and use the funds to hire some of the soldiers or former Crusaders who have lost their passion for religion.
(D) Abandon your army and smuggle yourself back to Bavaria onboard a merchant vessel. This will cost all of your wealth.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck (trade route not accessible from your current location)
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: Balkan Archers

HA Otto is heavily depleted, but you still have a strong core of experienced infantry. Your greatest concern is to simply decide where to lend your strength. Both Austria and Bavaria are in need of your strength. There is also an extremely highly experienced group of Feudal Knights journeying with you. They are Duke Hans' men and bound for Swabia.

*(A) Continue on to Budapest, as planned.
(B) Divert south to Ragusa to unite with Duke Arnold. The mountains are known to harbor brigand camps and you may be forced to skirmish with them.
(C) March back to Bavaria. The journey is long, but the roads are safe.
*(MISC) In addition to the above, attempt to bribe Duke Hans' knights to your service. Perhaps telling them tales of the glory that will await them in your service will lower the price.

Dieter von Kassel

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Acre (besieged, with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 1 (You’ve saved your allowance for a long time)
Units Available: DFK, DIK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Ballistae, Catapults, Trebuchets, Bombards, Grand Bombards

You have finally come of age. A young Elector in the noble service of the Imperial Reich. You are a Franconian by blood, but your father dishonored the family name when he deserted the Reich, many years ago. You journeyed to Outremer a few years ago to seek service with the noble Elberhard and the chivalrous Jan von Hamburg. These older, more experienced men have gone off to fight the Byzantines in the north, leaving you in the safety of the great citadel at Acre. Unfortunately, the Pope has decided to take revenge on the Reich for the attack at Durazzo. His armies have laid siege to the Citadel. You are significantly outnumbered, but your men are far better fighters than the Papacy's levied spearmen. You may be young and inexperienced, but you are a noble Elector of the Reich. Your men look to you for guidance and safety.

*(A) Use a secret tunnel to escape from the Citadel and ride north to the Antioch region, where you will find protection amongst the remaining armies of Outremer.
(B) Sally forth against the Papal army and break the siege.
(C) Hold the walls against the Papal army in the hopes that one of the other Crusaders will bring reinforcements to aid you.
10-18-2007, 03:35
TinCow

Turn 2 - 1322 AD

Choices due by 12am EST, Friday, October 19th

Save Game File

The year 1322 continues to bring grim tidings to the Reich.

The brave men in Outremer have committed themselves to a defense of the lands, rather than a retreat. King Jan and Kaiser Elberhard both put out calls for all pious soldiers and Crusaders to lend their strength to Outremer in its time of need. Their combined reputations as the foremost Crusaders and defenders of Outremer resulted in a mighty response, with Christian soldiers and knights flocking in droves to both of their banners. However, the response was so heavy that there is surely not a single honorable Christian soldier left in Outremer that is not under their banner. Further reinforcements will have to be found elsewhere. Through a coordinated strategy, the defenders of Outremer have also succeeded in maintaining control over Antioch, while at the same time temporarily lifting the sieges of Aleppo and Acre. While this has give them some breathing room, the Byzantines are now marching in full force for both Antioch and Aleppo. Both settlements have been besieged by large armies and the Iron Bridge and the eastern ford have been seized. Scouts have also reported large Egyptian armies assembling around Gaza. Rumors from the East suggest that the Turks may even be considering joining the assault on Outremer.

Franconia has suffered as the result of disunity amongst her Electors. While Duke Ansehelm destroyed the Russian army besieging Thorn, another Russian army has besieged him inside it. The Duke's brother, Peter abandoned Hamburg and retreated to Frankfurt rather than risk facing the massive Danish invasion. The Hamburg militia holds the walls for now, but the city’s trade routes have been cut off and it will certainly fall quickly once besieged. Krakow has already been lost, as the Polish armies were quick to exploit the hole in the Franconian defensive line. The struggle for control of the Army of Saxony has resulted in a split of its forces. Dieter Bresch proclaimed his right to the command as both Furst of Saxony and Count of Magdeburg. While nearly all Franconian soldiers heeded his call, the sizable mercenary contingent decided to remain with Fritz von Kastilien, whose reputation and history inspires them to dream of further plunder. Franconian scouts report disturbing news from the East. Krakow has fallen to the Polish advance, but this appears to be a minor thrust. No fewer than three Polish armies are reported to be assembling within striking distance of Thorn, with further forces marshaling deep in the interior of Polish lands.

Bavaria is in headlong flight and so far her defenders have only managed to save their own skins. Fredericus Erlach broke the Sicilian seize, thus avoiding immediate defeat, but a second army has already landed on the island. Sicilian ships are swarming off the coast and the flood of soldiers is only likely to increase. Ships have even been seen in the waters near Genoa, perhaps scouting for a landing zone on the mainland. Duke Lothar and Dietrich von Dassel combined their forces and left Florence just in the nick of time. They traveled north and shattered the Byzantine army outside Bologna, then pushed their men hard to reach the Alpine citadel of Innsbruck. They will be safe there for a short while, but with their flight all of Northern Italy is essentially defenseless. The Byzantines have continued their advance, taken Florence almost without opposition, and laid siege to Bologna. Refugees from the south report that Byzantine ships are arriving in Naples almost every day, certainly bringing further reinforcements for their armies in Italy.

Swabia remains concerned with internal conflicts and has not yet even attempted to face down her invaders. The rebel Wolfgang Hummel expanded his control over northern Swabia by seizing the city of Bruges. The city did not resist his advance; any loyalty they held to Duke Hans evaporated quickly when they saw that neither he nor Athalwolf von Salza would make any efforts to aid them. With the wealth of this city now in his grasp, Wolfgang Hummel will be able to make far better use of the training facilities in Caen. Hans and Athalwolf have spent their time suppressing the local rebellions within Swabia. Hans rode north and destroyed a moderate sized army of rebels who were threatening Rheims. It turned out they were pursuing King Davy of England and his heir, Prince Barnaby, who had become separated from their army near Antwerp. Hans rescued them from this difficult situation and the King of England has sent some of his finest archers to the Duke of Swabia in thanks. Athalwolf in turn built a small fort between Bruges and Paris, garrisoned by a single regiment, then turned south to besiege the rebels in Dijon. It remains to be seen whether the loyalist fort will slow down Wolfgang’s assault in the north. Meanwhile, the French invasion continues to move ahead at full speed. Paris fell at the end of the year. Rheims and Dijon now lie directly in their line of attack and forces continue to assemble for a strong push on Caen.

Austria has successfully rallied her men and consolidated her resources. Lorenz Zirn retook Budapest and put nearly 5,000 rebels to the sword. After the victory, his army ran wild through the city, looting from both rebels and loyalists alike. The surviving loyalists are glad to have returned to Austria, but the damage to the city’s infrastructure will temporarily reduce its profitability. Karl Zirn and Friedrich Karolinger both succeeded in reaching Budapest as well, though the former chose to abandon the men on foot to ensure the safety of the rest of the force. Miraculously, the foot soldiers managed to make it to Budapest on their own, unharmed, and rejoined Karl Zirn’s forces. The three generals will have only a short time to organize the defenses around Budapest, as the Hungarian armies are marching straight for their former capital. The Venetians are also pushing forward with their assault. Durazzo has fallen to their armies and the port is now seeing regular traffic from Venetian transport fleets carrying men and supplies. The Venetian armies themselves are reading for an attack on Ragusa itself. Duke Arnold remains inside the citadel, where he is attempting to find volunteers to aid Austria in her time of need through passionate speeches about Austria’s plight. One unexpected arrival in Ragusa is Tancred von Tyrolia. Abandoning all men without horses, he was able to slip through the Hungarian, Venetian, and Byzantine lines and return to friendly lands. He is a long way from Franconia and has nothing more than a small cavalry contingent with him, but he has brought all the wealth he gained from the sack of Constantinople.

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 8 (4 carried over, 1 bonus from starting in Antioch, 3 bonus donated by Crusaders)
Units Available: Turkopoles

With your own resources and the money sent by King Jan , you raised three regiments of Spear Militia. You then raised your voice to all of Outremer and put forth a call to arms the likes of which only Popes have previously achieved. Inspired by your chivalry and piety, the men of the Lost Armies of Outremer flocked to your standard. A massive force emerged from the sands, refugees from Adana, Edessa, and Damascus. Together they accounted for no less than three regiments of Unhorsed Knights, one regiment of Crusader Sergeants, one regiment of Crusader Knights, and a massive Great Cross. With this new army at your command, you left the militia in the city along with your cannons and proceeded east, where you smashed the army of Nikoloas of Athens. This has cleared the road to Aleppo, but it is only the beginning of a longer journey. Your aid is needed in every corner of Outremer. Where will you choose to lend your strength?

Orders given.

Hans:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bern, Staufen, Rheims, Metz (held by Rebels), Dijon (held by Rebels), Paris (held by France)
Personal Wealth: 8 (0 carried over, 3 from Bern, 1 from Staufen, 3 from Rheims, 1 plunder from battle)
Special Ability: You are miserly and a total cheapskate: all military recruitment costs 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1.
Units Available: Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

You invested your wealth in the recruitment of three regiments of Armoured Sergeants. You also put your ‘Holy Grail’ on public display, and the religious flocked from hundreds of miles to see the most Holy of Christian relics. Hundreds of them joined your army, organized into two regiments of Fanatics. You have successfully assembled a moderately sized army and are now able to take the battle to your enemies. Out of gratitude, King Davy of England has also sent two regiments of Longbowmen to aid you. The abilities of these “Free Company” men far exceed those of any archer of the Reich and they have some curious ideas about the use of wooden stakes on the battlefield. You are naturally disappointed to have received only two regiments from the English, but it is not truly surprising. The English care only for determining the best method to regain their foothold on the continent. If they back the wrong side in the Swabian rebellion, their ambitions will be that much more difficult to achieve. You suspect that they will only provide you with further support if they are convinced that you will defeat the Swabian rebels. Your actions so far have done little to sway them. Your calls for your Duchy to remain loyal or return to your rule have largely failed. Bern and Rheims have had their backbones stiffened and will not open their doors to the rebels, but the militia will not last long against an attack. The rebel leaders in Dijon and Metz are too firmly in control of their city and they cannot be ejected by words alone. Paris is already lost to the French invasion. You have many rebels to deal with and the French advance waits for no man.

(A) Reinforce Athalwolf and storm Dijon. As Duke, you may command the assault.
(B) March on to secure Rheims.
*(C) Remain on the bridge, in a central location to oversee Rheims, Staufen and Dijon.

Dietrich von Dassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces:
Personal Wealth: 3 (3 carried over)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards

You have reached Innsbruck with Lothar Steffen. Together you command a large army and the citadel itself is very secure, deep in the Alps. However there are not enough regiments for two strong armies and you are too far away from most of the defenseless Italian cities to prevent their conquest by the Byzantines. You had best come up with a plan that involves something other than retreat.

* (A) Treaty with Duke Lothar to divide your armies up more equally (exchange some of your militia for his professionals) and place your army at Bavaria's disposal (Lothar will direct your army's movement).
(B) March on Bern.
(C) Hans's bodyguard - a regiment of Feudal knights - are heading through Northern Italy. March south towards Milan and arrange for them to have an accident as they pass.

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Dijon (held by Rebels)
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

Your ‘roadblock’ fort west of Rheims may slow down the French for a short time, but wooden walls and a single regiment will not stop a determined attack. Furthermore, the ‘Prinz of Swabia’ could snatch Rheims from behind your back. You are besieging Dijon, but your army is only moderate in size and the construction of siege engines will take some time. Furthermore, the defenders include large numbers of Swiss Pikemen and mounted Knights; it will not be bloodless. Do not forget the French, either. With Paris fallen, an attack on Dijon is inevitable.

(A) Storm Dijon (ill-advised unless your Duke's army comes to your aid).
*(B) Maintain the siege of Dijon.
(C) Break the siege and head to either Rheims or Bern.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Caen (Rebel Capital), Bruges
Personal Wealth: 8 (2 carried over, 1 base from Caen, 1 bonus from Caen for Rebel Capital, 3 base from Bruges, 1 bonus for starting in Bruges)
Units Available: Town Militia, Ballistae

You recruited a unit of Armoured Sergeants to bolster the garrison on Caen and then marched on Bruges. The governor sent riders south to plead for help from Duke Hans and Count Athalwolf von Salza, but neither man made any move to aid them. When the people of Bruges realized they had been abandoned by their Lords, they opened the gates of the city to you without a fight. So long as you treat them well, you will find them to be loyal servants. Other provinces will not be so easily won. Rheims will certainly defend itself, at least for a short time, unless you can give them a very good reason not to. Do no forget that the French assault on Caen can begin at any moment.

*(A) Stay in Bruges.
(B) Take your army back towards Caen, so as to be in a position to intervene when the French besiege it next year.
(C) March on Rheims to secure it for your rebellion.

Ansehelm von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Thorn (besieged), Stettin, Hamburg (trade route cut), Frankfurt, Magdeburg, Breslau, Krakow (held by Poland)
Personal Wealth: 3 (0 carried over, 1 from Thorn, 1 bonus from starting in Thorn, 1 plunder from battle)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Ballistae, Catapults

You have broken the siege of Thorn once again, but like a plague the Russian have returned and resumed the siege. Your citadel stands as a rock in the east of Franconia, but it is not a wall. Krakow has fallen and Hamburg is cut off from the rest of the Duchy. Even if you manage to defeat the Russian force besieging you, the massive Polish force marshaling in the East will descend on you eventually. Using your vast wealth, you recruited stronger forces than any other Duke this year: two regiments of Dismounted Feudal Knights and one regiment of Armoured Sergeants. However, this year is far harder on your finances. You are trapped inside Thorn and the taxes cannot reach you. All of Franconia cries out for aid, but you do not have enough for everyone.

(A) Break the siege and stay put.
*(B) Break the seige and abandon Thorn, marching for Magdeburg.
(C) Break the siege and send some men west to assist your Counts (specify which units and which Count(s)).

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin
Personal Wealth: 6 (3 carried over. 2 from Stettin for loyal Count. 1 bonus for starting in Stettin)
Special Ability: For the rest of the cataclysm, Stettin will pay you 2 wealth per turn and your Duke 2 wealth per turn, but only when you start your turn in the province. If you start the turn outside the province, you will get 0 wealth and your Duke will get 1 wealth.
Units Available: Spear Militia, Town Militia, Bombards

Your lack of popularity amongst the people has cost you half your army. Dieter Bresch publicly challenged your authority to lead the Army of Saxony and his words swayed every last man loyal to Franconia. Fortunately, a large part of the army is loyal only to coin. They remember well how you provided them with plunder in Stettin and they are eager to return there with you to milk more money from your wretched County. The people there already fear your wrath and scorn you behind your back. If you were to find a way to milk another large sum from Stettin, it is likely that mercenaries would begin to flock to you from all corners of the Reich.

A. Put out a call and summon all Lutherans in North Germany to defend against the Papist invaders marching on Stettin (many fanatics and low grade units may join you).
B. Rally the local nobility to the defence of Stettin (a few knights and retainers may join you).
*C. Abandon Stettin - strip it of its wealth and militia - and head back to Magdeburg to train some men (if Dieter Bresch consents).

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Breslau
Personal Wealth: 2 (1 carried over. 1 from Breslau for loyal Count)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Teutonic Knights

You escaped from Hamburg with your professional army only days before the Danish surrounded the city. Frankfurt is deep inside the Reich and you will likely be safe from the Danish there for a few years. Of course, Frankfurt is on the border with both loyal and rebellious Swabian provinces. Be wary, lest you find yourself drawn into that conflict against your will.

(A) March in the direction of Staufen and Metz.
(B) March on Antwerp.
*(C) Hold Frankfurt in preparation for the Danish invasion.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 from Magdeburg for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Magdeburg)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

Unwilling to share command of the Army of Saxony with Fritz von Kastilien, you made a public appeal to the soldiers in the army. You proclaimed your authority as Furst of Saxony and Count of Magdeburg and asked that the men to follow their true Lord under feudal law. Your appeal was entirely successful… amongst those who could be swayed by words. Every last Franconian soldier swore allegiance to you, but the large contingent of mercenaries is swayed only by coin. Without anything to offer them, they laughed in your face and marched off with Fritz von Kastilien to create more misery in Stettin. Your control over Magdeburg is now beyond doubt and you have an army to call your own. It is small, but every regiment is at full strength and the men are all of a very high quality.

(A) Form a relief army and begin the march on Hamburg. Your (foolhardy) heroism may attract volunteers.
* (B) Stay in Magdeburg and await the Danish invasion.
(C) You need income - march on Nuremburg and secure the town's wealth for your own.

Jan von Hamburg:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch (besieged), Aleppo (besieged), Acre
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 bonus from starting in Aleppo)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Catapults, Ballistae

Through your leadership, Outremer has survived its first challenge, but a more serious one is now uppon it. The sieges of Acre and Aleppo were broken, the latter through your personal efforts, and Antioch was made secure. Upon liberating the citadel of Aleppo, you pleaded with the Teutonic Order in Aleppo to provide you with aid and they mobilized their entire chapter to aid you. Two regiments of Teutonic Knights joined you as volunteers, but this has drained Aleppo of every last man in the Teutonic Order. You will not be able to recruit Teutonic Knights from Aleppo for the remainder of the cataclysm, even if you want to pay for them. Between the four remaining Lords of Outremer, you now command significant armies, but between you, you have largely exhausted all willing volunteers to your cause. All future recruits will be more difficult to come by. Now the Byzantines have returned in massive force. You are besieged inside Aleppo, cut off from your allies, and Antioch itself is under siege as well. This is easily the most serious crisis Outremer has ever faced.

Orders given in Outremer thread.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 12 (12 carried over)
Units Available: Balkan Archers, All units Arnold can recruit, but only with his permission.

You have sacked Constantinople and lived to tell about it! The journey was long and tiring, and you had to abandon every unmounted man, but you have made it to Ragusa in one piece. The citadel stands strong and it can supply many high quality soldiers, but you do not rule here. Few men in Austria would defy the Iron Duke, and none when he stands watch over them personally. You will not be able to recruit anything but mercenaries from Ragusa without Arnold’s permission. If you intend to raise an army here, you had best work out a deal with him. If not, the roads north remain free from enemy forces and your mounted men could make good time.

(A) Stay in Ragusa, working out a deal with Duke Arnold to raise troops. (At your and AussieGiant's discretion).
*(B) Leave your cavalry and travel to any Franconian settlement - (sell or gift your Teutons to another player, then be teleported.)
(C) The Kaiser has called you the pirate. Now that might be a profession worth getting into! Hire some mercenary ships and raid Byzantine shipping. (It will cost you some wealth, but there is an above even chance of making a tidy profit).

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa, Venice, Zagreb, Vienna, Budapest
Personal Wealth: 17 (6 carried over, 1 from Ragusa, 3 from Venice, 3 from Vienna, 2 from Budapest, 2 from Zagreb,1 bonus from starting in Ragusa, -1 from gambling)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Catapults, Ballistae, Balkan Archers

Ragusa stands strong and it will certainly take a might host to bring it down. Unfortunately for you, the Venetians are assembling just such an army around Durazzo. You know that Ragusa must be held at all costs, but the Hungarians are marching on Budapest with determination. There are three Electors near that city that need your aid. Whom will you aid and how? The arrival of Tancred von Tyrolia has added an unexpected dimension to your situation. He has only a handful of Teutonic Knights with him, but rumors say his saddlebags are overflowing with wealth looted from Constantinople. Your rule in Ragusa is absolute. So long as Tancred remains there, he and his wealth will be subject to your whims…

(A) The Venetians are marching on you. March out and smash their first column of attack. This is a highly risky venture, but your iron discipline will allow you to train any troops you (and perhaps Tancred) can afford in time for them to join your attack.
(B) Hold Ragusa, but detach some of your professional forces to help reconstitute AHA1 under Karl Zirn around Budapest. (specify which units you will send to Budapest).
*(C) Hold Ragusa with all your men.

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 from Zagreb for loyal Count)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Catapults, Ballistae

You explained to the foot soldiers that you had to reach Budapest at all costs, before the Hungarians arrived. They were understanding and wished you luck as you rode off into the distance, never expecting to see them again. Your journey was long and difficult, you were forced to dodge Hungarian scouts twice, but you eventually made it. One week later, a small column of soldiers straggled into the city and collapsed with fatigue. They were the men you had left behind and thought long dead. They told an amazing story about an insane woodsman who guided them across the hostile countryside and prevented their capture. Apparently the man was always talking to himself and kept repeating the word “Mugshots” over and over again. You are now at Budapest but your ‘army’ is little more than a powerful scouting force. You had best assemble more men and figure out what your role will be in the coming battles.

(A) You are senior of the three commanders around Budapest and you are the only night fighter. Take the best regiments you can get from the other two commanders and march out to smash the first Hungarian army in a swift night time assault. (Requires Lorenz Zirn and Friedrich Karolinger to also pick option A).
*(B) You need to reconstitute the Austrian Household Army 1. Take your men and march to the bridge east of Zagreb to rendezvous with reinforcements from Ragusa. (Requires Duke Arnold to pick option B).
(C) You are the senior commander - enter Budapest and take command of the city's defences.

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 5 (0 carried over, 3 base income from Prague, 1 bonus for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Prague)
Units Available: Town Militia, Spear Militia

You have become something of a sensation in Prague. The reports of your death in Bucharest, followed by your miraculous reappearance in Prague and your proclamation that you were declaring the County independent from Austria have given the people more entertainment than they’ve had in years. Your inspirational speech in the town square was the icing on the cake. Moved by your statements of devotion to Prague, the people have heeded your words and joined the militia in large numbers. You have organized the volunteers into two regiments of spear militia and one regiment of town militia. Your charm was lost on the Bavarians in Nuremburg, however. The city is easily the safest in the entire Reich and its people are not willing to risk their lives in Prague for notions of freedom that do not concern them. You money was welcomed heartily, though, and you were easily able to recruit an elite group of Forlorn Hope soldiers for your cause. You are certain that the city will continue to provide you with recruits whenever you visit, as long as you have the ability to pay for them. You have also managed to bring a prominent Cardinal to your County. Athalwolf Otterbach was pleased to receive your letter and immediately journeyed to Prague to help root out the remaining Pagans.

(A) Your County is too small to be sustainable. Travel to another settlement and "persuade" it to align with Prague. (Pick Nuremberg, Breslau or Vienna).
*(B) Your County is vulnerable - call upon the local gentry to assist in her defence. (A few knights and their retainers may join you).
(C) Forget about the gentry - call upon the peasants to rise up and defend their newly independent lands (many low grade regiments - including peasants - may join you).

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Budapest (Will produce -1 loyal Count wealth until 1326)
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over, 0 from Budapest for loyal Count, 2 bonus for starting in Budapest, 2 plunder from sack of Budapest (originally 8, minus 6 for repairs of 6 buildings))
Special Ability: You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. If you end your turn inside a province you control, you will gain +2 instead of the normal +1.
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Catapults, Ballistae

You have retaken Budapest and once again rule as the Count, but your decision to sack the city has had repercussions. While the army’s thirst for wealth produced a small fortune, it also heavily damaged Budapest’s commercial infrastructure. It will take a few years for the city to return to full prosperity.
In addition, you let your army run wild through the city, killing every citizen suspected of rebellion. While the majority of the bloodshed was confined to known rebels, innocents are certain to have been killed as well. Fortunately, your decision to invest much of your plundered wealth to repair the buildings of the city has reassured the survivors that you wish them no harm. As such, they will not cause problems similar to those encountered in Stettin.

(A) Karl Zirn wishes to make a night time strike at the advancing Hungarians. Ride with him and take your best men. (Only possible if Karl Zirn picks option A).
*(B) Vienna has a great artillery school. Ride there and recruit some more cannon for the defence of Budapest.
(C) Stay in Budapest and await the Hungarian advance.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ajaccio, Florence (held by Byzantium), Bologna (besieged, held by Rebels), Milan, Genoa, Innsbruck, Nuremburg
Personal Wealth: 16 (5 carried over, 3 from Milan, 3 from Genoa, 3 from Nuremburg, 1 bonus from Deep Pockets, 1 plunder from battle)
Special Ability: Deep Pockets means that you produce +1 wealth per turn, no matter where you are or what your circumstances.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards.

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ajaccio
Personal Wealth: 3 (0 carried over, 1 from Ajaccio for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Ajaccio, 1 plunder from battle victory)
Units Available: Peasant Archers, Ballistae, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Catapults, Bombards, Ballistae

Ajaccio is free from siege for the time being, but the Sicilians have already landed another army on your island and they will surely resume the attack shortly. The small amount of wealth you plundered from the Sicilian corpses and baggage train will allow you to reinforce your army, but not by much. You have put out a call to all loyal and chivalrous men on the island to assemble under your banner for the defense of Bavaria. The response was less than enthusiastic and only a small number of Dismounted Imperial Knights, enough to form a single regiment, responded to your call. Perhaps it was due to the impending invasions or their Milanese heritage, but appeals based on loyalty have little value on the island. If you choose to remain on Ajaccio, the Sicilian assaults will undoubtedly increase in size and ferocity. With the Sicilian fleets still concentrating their forces to the south and west of the island, this year could be your only chance to escape from Ajaccio with your army intact.

*(A) Ajaccio is doomed. Take every able bodied man out of the castle and try to ferry them across to west of Genoa.
(B) The enemy is on the beaches. They have many swordsmen and will be the Devil to beat on the castle walls. But you can persuade your knights to mount up and try to run them down. The example may inspire squires to replace any knights who fall in the valiant attack. (Your foot knights will be exchanged for mounted equivalents and you will attack the Sicilian army nearby. Any mounted knights regiments after the battle will be exchanged for full strength dismounted ones after the battle. You don't have to win - just thin out the invaders.)
(C) A very short balding Corsican comes to see you. He is Captain Buonaparte of the Ajaccio artillery school. He volunteers to train up three batteries of bombards free of charge - they may be enough to launch a devastating sally on any besiegers.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (trade route blocked), Aleppo (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 3 (0 carried over, 3 bonus from donations by pilgrims who viewed the holy relics)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles

You have retreated to Antioch to defend the city while Elberhard and Jan moved east to aid Aleppo. They left behind a small garrison to aid you. While Elberhard appealed to former Crusaders and Jan to the Teutonic Order, you displayed your minor relics in the city itself and spoke to the commoners. Several hundred, fueled by religious fervor, have taken up cudgels to aid your cause. You have formed them into two regiments of Fanatics. You will need every last one of them, as the Byzantines have crossed the Iron Bridge and laid siege to the city.

Orders given in the Outremer thread.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 from Innsbruck for loyal Count)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Catapults, Ballistae

You have arrived outside Budapest with your army intact and have re-established trade with your County of Innsbruck. Both Austria and Bavaria remain in desperate need of your soldiers though, and the decision of which to defend confronts you yet again.

(A) Karl Zirn is going to mount a night time assault on an advancing Hungarians. Take your army and join him. (Only available if Karl Zirn chooses option A.)
* (B) North Italy has been abandoned and is falling to the Byzantines. Austria needs you. March west.
(C) Budapest is in the path of the Hungarian invasion. Lorenz Zirn has only militia; Karl Zirn has virtually nothing. Your army will take prime responsibility for the defence of Budapest.

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Acre
Personal Wealth: 4 (1 carried over, 1 from Acre for loyal Count, 1 bonus from starting in Acre, 1 plunder from battle victory)
Units Available: DFK, DIK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Ballistae, Catapults, Trebuchets, Bombards, Grand Bombards

The glory of your victory over the Papal siege army was only surpassed by the mercy you showed to its prisoners. You captured hundreds of spearmen, all of whom had come to Jerusalem to serve Christianity. The stood before you, helpless and prepared to die, and you spared their lives. A few of your ‘odd’ comments caused some murmurs but you spoke of defending Christianity against those who exterminated the Holy City of Rome itself. When you bent before them and prayed to God, the most religious amongst them rose to swear their loyalty to you. They have joined you army as a unit of Crusader Sergeants. You have released the rest of them. Acre now stands free of besiegers, but it is still the southern outpost of Outremer and scouts report that the Egyptians are gathering their strength every day. If you indent to hold Acre, you had best find ways to increase the size of your army more rapidly.

*(A) Remain on garrison duty.
(B) Garrison duty is so boring ... how about raiding the Byzantine caravans around Damascus? (You may gain wealth but there is a chance the Kwarzmians will catch and give battle to you and your Templars.)
(C) Your appeals to the Papist prisoners were surprisingly successful. One informs you of two regiments north of Jerusalem that might be perceptible to such overtures. (You may be able to convert the two regiments to your cause, but if you fail, there is a risk you would be captured and imprisoned in Jerusalem.)
10-23-2007, 23:53
TinCow

Turn 3 - 1324 AD

Choices due by 7pm EST, Thursday, October 25th.

Please note that TinCow will be out of town from Oct 26 to Oct 28th. Thus, this turn may take longer than normal. I apologize for any delay; I have no further trips planned until the end of November and expect the game to proceed speedily after this turn.

Save Game File

The actions of the Electors, and the lives of the men under their command, have bought the Reich some time to breathe in 1324, but it will not last for long. Strategies that were developed years ago are beginning to become heavily flawed as the Reich’s enemies are now bringing the full force of their arms to bear on all areas.

In Outremer, Antioch and Aleppo remain free of siege, but the latter is cut off from trade by Byzantine armies which block the roads. Acre is not so lucky, as the Pope has once again sent his men to besiege its walls in compensation for the sins of the Reich. Kaiser Elberhard has advanced on Damascus with a strong army, but the Byzantines have responded to the threat in a grand manner. Tobromeros Comnenus has marched to the city’s aid with a truly fearsome host. If Elberhard is to reclaim the city, he will have to defeat it first.

In Franconia, Duke Ansehelm has evacuated Thorn and is marching west towards Stettin. He is being hotly pursued by a large Polish army and many more are within striking distance. In Stettin, Fritz von Kastilien has begun assembling a small mercenary fleet, though their purpose remains yet unknown. Magdeburg still stands strong in the heart of the Duchy, but Dieter Bresch has received little in the way of aid and his army is only moderate in size. He would fare poorly should the Danish move against him. Peter von Kastilien appears to have abandoned Franconia altogether. The last reports indicated that he had crossed the Rhine into Swabia with his entire army, leaving Frankfurt almost undefended.

In Bavaria, Fredericus Erlach has held his island for yet another year with a magnificent display of arms. The Sicilians will not soon forget their slaughter and will surely not abandon the assault on the island; a new army has landed on the shores yet again. Still, Count Erlach’s actions have kept the citadel free of siege works and it has inspired a newfound loyalty amongst the commoners. On the mainland, rebel-held Bologna finally fell to a Byzantine assault. Of the great northern Italian trade cities, only Genoa, Milan, and Venice remain under Imperial control, and all threatened by nearby Byzantine armies. In the citadel of Innsbruck, Duke Lothar assembled a mighty force of arms, but in a strange turn of events, gave command of it to the Swabian rebel Dietrich von Dassel, who immediately began marching west through the Alpine passes towards Bern.

In Austria, the heroic efforts of Karl Zirn, Lorenz Zirn, and Friedrich Karolinger have seriously delayed the Hungarian advance on Budapest. The Hungarian armies are still gathering, but the city will certainly remain free of siege for at least a short time. In Ragusa, Duke Arnold has created a massive army, just in the nick of time. The Venetians have advanced en-masse on the citadel and will certainly begin a siege if they are not stopped in the mountain passes. In happier news, Johann Zirn, the eldest son of Karl Zirn, has come of age in Budapest and stands ready to serve his House.

The rebellion in Swabia has come to a sudden and startling head. Athalwolf von Salza retreated from the walls of Dijon and returned north to guard Rheims against the French advance. When he arrived, he found the rebel Wolfgang Hummel with his entire army, preparing to move on the city. The two armies now stand across from one another and a battle will surely begin unless one of them flinches. Further east, Duke Hans has laid siege to Metz and is preparing to assault the city. However, Peter von Kastilien has marched his men hard and is within striking distance of the city. Should he choose to intervene in the Swabian rebellion, he could easily arrive in time to aid either Hans or the rebel defenders. In the south, Dietrich von Dassel is within striking range of Bern and the French have laid siege to the citadel of Caen.

As usual, please double-check wealth calculations to ensure accuracy.

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch
Personal Wealth: 4 (3 carried over, 1 loyal Count income from Antioch)
Units Available: Turkopoles

You dispersed a good portion of your wealth to aid in the reinforcement of Antioch and Acre, and then marched south towards Damascus. You stand within sight of the city’s walls, but the Byzantine general Tobromeros Comnenus will not allow it to fall without a fight. It will certainly be a tough battle and will cost the lives of many of your men. What is Damascus truly worth to you?

*(A) Retreat to Antioch.
(B) Attack Tobromeros Comnenus, thus clearing the way to take Damascus.
(C) March south to aid Dieter von Kassel and the besieged garrison of Acre.

Hans:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bern, Staufen, Rheims, Metz (held by Rebels), Dijon (held by Rebels), Paris (held by France)
Personal Wealth: 8 (2 carried over, 3 from Bern, 1 from Staufen, 3 from Rheims)
Special Ability: You are miserly and a total cheapskate: all military recruitment costs 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1.
Units Available: None

You put out a call to all faithful Swabians. Two nearby Bishops have joined you, but the response amongst the people has been far less than you had hoped. A small number of former Crusaders arrived to pledge their spears to you, but little else. It appears that the people are simply too scared of backing the wrong side in the rebellion with the outcome so uncertain. All attempts to find further volunteers of any kind will be futile until you can defeat at least one of the armies marching against you. Your attempt to assemble a catapult in the field from nothing more than stripped trees and sweat has failed. You will need to find a proper siege works in order to build artillery. You have invested a small amount of wealth to improve the equipment of the men remaining in Staufen. This is being done as fast as possible, but only three regiments can be equipped in this manner per year. The remaining two will receive their new armor and weapons at the end of this year. You also sent 5 wealth to Athalwolf von Salza, allowing him to recruit a unit of Mercenary Spearmen and a unit of Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen.

You stand outside the walls of Metz, with a large and capable army that is ready to begin the assault. However, scouts inform you that Peter von Kastilien is nearby with a sizable host. His intentions are currently unclear, but he could make the attack on the city far more difficult, or far easier, if he chose to do so.

*(A) Retreat to Staufen.
(B) Attack Metz. If Peter von Kastilien decides to aid the rebels, he could arrive before your attack is ready to begin, forcing you to fight both the rebel garrison and his army at once.
(C) March south towards Bern.

Dietrich von Dassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: None

You have finally returned to Swabia, and at the head of a powerful army. Duke Lothar Steffen gave you the best men available from your combined armies. You then spent your entire wealth to hire a regiment of Zweihanders. Duke Lothar Steffen paid for two additional regiments of Zweihanders and a unit of Bombards to aid you in your march. You are within striking distance of Bern, but your scouts report that the city is fiercely loyal to Hans. They will not lay down their arms, no matter the circumstances. If you want to assume control of the city, you will have to do it by force or by starvation.

*(A) Besiege Bern and starve out the garrison. This will take at least 2 turns.
(B) Attack Bern, using your cannons to breach the walls. (Will require you to fight a custom battle and report the results. If you are victorious, the garrison of Bern will be disbanded, some of your army may be disbanded depending on the casualties you sustain, and Bern will fall under your control. Please specify the actions you will take upon entering the city, such as sacking, destroying buildings, throwing coins to the poor, etc.)
(C) Divert your army north towards Staufen. Due to the lack of roads in the Alpine passes, you will not be able to reach it this year.

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Dijon (held by Rebels)
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Catapults, Ballistae, Bombards, Grand Bombards

After recruiting both mercenary regiments in the area, thanks to the funds sent to you by Duke Hans, you retreated from the walls of Dijon. You moved back towards Rheims to protect it from the French who are about to break through your border fort, only to find yourself faced with the army of the rebel Wolfgang Hummel, whom you previously fought in Normandy. His force is larger than yours, but a portion of it is composed of poorly trained commoners. The small garrison of Rheims is loyal to Hans and would certainly aid you in the battle if you chose to commit to it. However, they are loyal only to a point. Should you refuse to defend the city from Wolfgang’s army, they will certainly lose faith and open their gates to the rebel.

*(A) Abandon Rheims and retreat towards Staufen.
(B) Fight Wolfgang Hummel for control of Rheims. The garrison of Rheims will be added to your army for the battle.
(C) Defect and join Wolfgang Hummel… assuming he will take you as a vassal.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Caen (Besieged by France), Bruges (Rebel Capital – cannot be moved again)
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over, 3 base from Bruges, 1 bonus from Bruges for Rebel Capital)
Units Available: None

You have won the hearts of the people of Bruges. They expected a brutal dictator, and you brought them prosperity. You spent every last florin you had to repair the Town Hall and build a new Merchants Quarter in the city. The people are overjoyed with this kindness, something they did not expect to receive in the midst of a civil war. In response, a large number of men have assembled to aid you in your effort. Most are poorly trained commoners (Peasant Archers and Town Militia) but the local siege engineers have provided you with two new Ballistae to supplement your army. Your kindness will not be forgotten in Bruges any time soon.

Your have marched to the walls of Rheims to add it to the Principality of Swabia, but your way is blocked by your old adversary, Athalwolf von Salza. The city will never be yours so long as he remains in your way. The expected French siege of Caen has also begun. Unless you immediately march to its aid, it will surely fall.

*(A) Retreat to Bruges
(B) Fight Athalwolf von Salza for control of Rheims. If he decides to fight, the garrison of Rheims will join him for the battle.
(C) Move to Caen and attack the French armies besieging the citadel.

Ansehelm von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Thorn (trade route blocked), Stettin, Hamburg (trade route blocked), Frankfurt, Magdeburg, Breslau, Krakow (held by Poland)
Personal Wealth: 11 (3 carried over, 2 from Stettin, 3 from Frankfurt, 2 from Breslau, 1 plunder from battle)
Units Available: Spear Militia, Town Militia, Bombards

You have abandoned Thorn and marched west towards the safety of Stettin. A large Polish army is only a day’s ride behind you and more are following them. Stettin itself is within reach of the Danish. Your army remains strong, but there are too many enemies to face at once. Where shall you make your stand?

*(A) Move to Magdeburg.
(B) Attack the Polish army behind you, then take up a defensive position near Stettin.
(C) Move past Stettin and attack the leading Danish army advancing on the city.

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces:
Personal Wealth: 4 (1 carried over. 2 from Stettin for loyal Count. 1 bonus for starting in Stettin)
Special Ability: For the rest of the cataclysm, Stettin will pay you 2 wealth per turn and your Duke 2 wealth per turn, but only when you start your turn in the province. If you start the turn outside the province, you will get 0 wealth and your Duke will get 1 wealth.
Units Available: Spear Militia, Town Militia, Bombards, Any European Mercenary Unit.

You have assembled a fleet of mercenary cogs, sufficient to transport your entire army, and more mercenaries are flocking to your banner every day. You have also hired a unit of Bombards to allow you to attack settlements without waiting to build siege machines. Already a unit of Free Company Men-at-Arms has appeared in Stettin to join you and more are sure to follow. The mercenaries will not stay for long, however, unless you can feed their desire for wealth. You can attempt to do so via your own purse, but you do not have enough coin to keep them all in your service.

New Special Ability Earned: For the rest of the cataclysm, small groups of mercenaries will join your army for free at irregular intervals. In addition, you can hire any mercenary unit available in Europe, even if they are not available in your current territory. All mercenary recruitment costs are 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. However, the mercenaries require a large amount of wealth to sustain them. Beginning in 1330, you will have to pay 1 wealth per 3 mercenary units per turn (rounded up, to a maximum of 6) to keep them from deserting. Transferring mercenary units to another avatar will cause them to disband.

*(A) Remain in Stettin and continue amassing forces.
(B) Set sail for the city of Arhus. The city is very heavily defended and death is a very real possibility, but the plunder would be immense.
(C) Set sail for the citadel at Oslo, which is lightly defended. The Danish fleet patrols the waterways regularly and there is a chance some of your ships will be sunk, resulting in the loss of a portion of your army.
(D) Set sail for the city of Stockholm.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Breslau
Personal Wealth: 3 (2 carried over. 1 from Breslau for loyal Count)
Units Available: None

You have moved southwest and crossed the border into Swabia. Your scouts report that Metz lies to your west and the rebels inside are besieged by Duke Hans. The citadel of Staufen lies to the south with a weaker garrison. The Metz rebels will certainly not survive without aid if Duke Hans assaults the walls, which he is capable of doing at any moment. With your exceptional logistical skills, you could steal a march on him and arrive at the city before he began his assault. While Duke Hans’ army is stronger than yours, the rebels in Metz would almost certainly join with you and the city would likely greet you with open arms if you were victorious in the battle.

*(A) Return to Frankfurt
(B) Move to Metz and support the rebel defenders. If Hans attacks, the garrison will ally with you for the defense of the city. If you are victorious, or if Hans retreats from Rheims, the rebels will welcome you as a savior and open the gates of the city to you.
(C) Move to Metz and support Hans in his attack on the rebels.
(D) Move to Staufen and besiege the citadel.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 from Magdeburg for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Magdeburg)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You hired a regiment of Armoured Spearmen. You continue to hold Magdeburg firmly and your army is likely sufficient to repel at least one Danish attack, should they assault the citadel. However, you would be vastly outnumbered in the field if you attacked alone. Duke Ansehelm is retreating from Thorn with a large army and is nearing Stettin. You could likely join up with him and present a strong combined force, if you wished to.

*(A) Remain in Magdeburg and recruit a regiment of Armoured Spearmen.
(B) Join forces with Duke Ansehelm.
(C) Attack the Danish armies west of Stettin.

Jan von Hamburg:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch, Aleppo (trade route blocked), Acre (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 2 base from Antioch – Please note, an error was made last turn in giving you 1 bonus for starting in Aleppo. Since Aleppo had a loyal Count, he was the only one who could receive that bonus. The same is true of Antioch. This has no impact on your wealth; you are not responsible for the error and so will not be accountable for it. This explanation is just to inform you why you received a bonus for Aleppo last turn, but not a bonus for Antioch this turn.)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles

You hold the eastern ford near Antioch and your previous victories have made the Byzantines wary. Aleppo is not under siege yet, but the roads are blocked and you have no way to communicate with the citadel. Your army is battered, but with your skill and cunning, you could likely hold the ford for at least a short while longer without aid. Attrition appears to be your greatest enemy, however. The defenders of Outremer have simply exhausted all willing volunteers in the area. Unless you press men into service against their will, you will have to rely on normal recruitment to replenish your armies. Given the tenacity of the Byzantine attacks and the likelihood of additional attacks by Egypt and the Turks, your lines are beginning to look increasingly stretched.

*(A) Hold the eastern ford.
(B) Attack the Byzantine army blocking the road to Aleppo.
(C) Move south to rescue the besieged garrison of Acre.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, All units Arnold can recruit, but only with his permission.

With the blessing of Duke Arnold, you spent your wealth in Ragusa to hire a regiment of Pavise Crossbowmen, a regiment of Balkan Archers, a regiment of Dismounted Imperial Knights, and two regiments of Armoured Sergeants. You are now safe on the road north from Ragusa with a small, professional army. Your aid is needed in many parts of the Reich. Where will you go and whom will you ally with?

*(A) Continue to move east to Budapest to aid the Austrians against Hungary.
(B) Move south to Ragusa to aid the Austrians against Venice.
(C) Move west to Venice to aid the Bavarians against Byzantium.
(D) Move towards Prague to ally with Edmund Becker.
(E) Move north towards Franconia.

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces:
Personal Wealth: 19 (6 carried over, 1 from Ragusa, 3 from Venice, 3 from Vienna, 2 from Budapest, 2 from Zagreb,1 bonus from starting in Ragusa, 1 from gambling)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Catapults, Ballistae, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

You hired two regiments of Dismounted Feudal Knights and a regiment of Imperial Knights. Ragusa is now the most heavily defended spot in the Reich, and not a moment too soon. Three massive Venetian armies are descending from the passes east of the citadel. They will soon be concentrating around your walls unless you stop them in the open fields.

*(A) Remain inside Ragusa and continue recruiting men for the defense of Austria.
(B) Attack the Venetian armies to the east.
(C) Abandon Ragusa and retreat to Zagreb.

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb
Personal Wealth: 4 (1 carried over, 1 from Zagreb for loyal Count, 2 plunder from battles)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballistae, Catapults, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

Your brave attacks on the assembling Hungarian armies have halted the entire enemy offensive against Budapest. They will continue to assemble to the east of the city, but it may be a year or two before they attempt to push on it again. Your efforts have bought Austria some much needed time. Your army is now heavily depleted and in need of reinforcements. You had best prepare for the next wave of Hungarian attacks while you still have time. Duke Arnold has sent three regiments of Armoured Spearmen to Budapest, where they await you.

*(A) Return to Budapest, retrieve the Armoured Spearmen waiting for you there, and recruit more men.
(B) Attack the Hungarian armies that continue to assemble nearby.
(C) Return to Budapest, retrieve the Armoured Spearmen waiting for you there, and then move north to march on Prague.

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 7 (2 carried over, 3 base income from Prague, 1 bonus for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Prague)
Units Available: Town Militia, Spear Militia, Mercenary Spearmen

The local gentry have responded to your call to arms and joined you with their retainers. They are strong enough to form a regiment of Feudal Knights and a regiment of Mounted Sergeants. You have now exhausted all available volunteers in Prague. New recruits will have to be purchased or found elsewhere. With the additional hiring of three regiments of spear militia, the city is now well defended, though the majority of your regiments are militia.

*(A) Remain in Prague and continue to build your wealth.
(B) Move towards Breslau to defend it against the Poles.
(C) Move towards Breslau to ‘annex’ it for the good of Prague.
(D) Move towards Nuremburg to ‘annex’ it for the good of Prague.

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Budapest (Will produce -1 loyal Count wealth until 1326)
Personal Wealth: 5 (4 carried over, 0 from Budapest for loyal Count, 1 plunder from battles)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballistae, Catapults, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

By joining forces with Karl Zirn, you have aided heavily in the defense of Budapest. Your city is safe for at least a year or two. However, there are three generals in command of one depleted army. If you ever want to have control of an army of your own, you had best accumulate your own forces.

*(A) Return to Budapest and assume control of the garrison, hiring more militia to aid in the defense of the city.
(B) Return to Budapest and assume control the garrison, including the Armoured Sergeants sent to aid Karl Zirn.
(C) Attempt to seize control of the army from Karl Zirn and Friedrich Karolinger.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ajaccio, Florence (held by Byzantium), Bologna (held by Byzantium), Milan, Genoa, Innsbruck, Nuremburg
Personal Wealth: 15 (5 carried over, 3 from Milan, 3 from Genoa, 3 from Nuremburg, 1 bonus from Deep Pockets)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ajaccio
Personal Wealth: 8 (3 carried over, 1 from Ajaccio for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Ajaccio, 3 ransom paid by Sicilians)
Units Available: Peasant Archers, Ballistae, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Catapults, Bombards, Ballistae

You attack on the Sicilian army was a battle that has become legendary in the short time that has elapsed since. Your refusal to bow to the Sicilian invaders, or to cower behind the walls of Ajaccio, has won you a great deal of prestige amongst the dubiously loyal citizens of the island. You have inspired and impressed them and they are now flocking to your army in a steady stream. However, the Sicilian invaders will not stop, even after such a great defeat. You have bought yourself some time, nothing more. Already another Sicilian army stands on the shores, preparing to march on the Citadel. You know with certainty that eventually they will land two armies at once.

New Special Ability Earned: Every year that you remain on Corsica, a unit of Peasants will join your army for free. Every year, you may ‘train’ one unit of Peasants (or a unit that was at one point previously Peasants) to a higher level. Peasants can be trained to become Peasant Archers, Peasant Crossbowmen, or Sergeant Spearmen for free, or Mounted Sergeants for 1 wealth. Peasant Crossbowmen can be trained to become Pavise Crossbowmen for 1 wealth. Sergeant Spearmen can be trained to become Armoured Spearmen for 1 wealth. Mounted Sergeants can be trained to become Mailed Knights for 1 wealth.

*(A) Abandon Ajaccio and flee across the sea to Genoa, with your entire army.
(B) Hold the walls of Ajaccio.
(C) Attack the Sicilian army in the field.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (trade route blocked), Aleppo (trade route blocked)
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles

You hold the Iron Bridge north of Antioch and the city remains safe for now. The Byzantines are wary of attacking you across the bridge, and for good reason. You will likely be safe so long as you hold your position… at least until they circle around to the east and hit you from behind.

*(A) Hold the Iron Bridge.
(B) Retreat to Antioch.
(C) Move south to aid the besieged garrison of Acre.
(D) Abandon your army and hire a smuggler to carry you west to Bavaria. Since you have no money, you will have to sell one of relics. It will take 2 turns for you to reach the mainland.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck
Personal Wealth: 3 (1 carried over, 1 from Innsbruck for loyal Count, 1 plunder from battles)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballistae, Catapults, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

By joining forces with Karl Zirn, you have aided heavily in the defense of Budapest. The city is safe for at least a year or two. However, there are three generals in command of one depleted army. If you ever want to have control of an army of your own, you had best accumulate your own forces. You must also decide whether to remain in Austria or whether to return to Bavaria.

*(A) Move west towards Venice to aid Duke Lothar Steffen against the Byzantines. The survivors of BHA Otto will go with you, but they are very small in number.
(B) Retreat to Budapest and ask Duke Arnold for the resources to build your own army.
(C) Move north to Prague and offer your services to Edmund Becker.

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Acre (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 6 (4 carried over, 1 from Acre for loyal Count, 1 bonus from starting in Acre)
Units Available: DFK, DIK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Ballistae, Catapults, Trebuchets, Bombards, Grand Bombards

You attempted to persuade two regiments of Papists stationed outside of Jerusalem to join your cause. Unfortunately, luck was not with you and you returned empty handed to Acre, barely escaping incarceration. Once there, you recruited a regiment of Pavise Crossbowmen with the wealth sent to you by Kaiser Elberhard. The Pope’s anger with the Reich remains undiminished and unfortunately you are once again the target of his wrath. A large army has laid siege to Acre, trapping you inside. It is far more professional than the last one and it would pose a far greater risk to sally forth against them. However, you are likely strong enough to defend the walls, and you could wait for them to assault.

*(A) Use a secret passageway to escape from Acre undetected. You will have to leave your entire army behind, but you will arrive safely in Antioch.
(B) Sally forth against the Papal besiegers (recruitment limit lifted after the siege is lifted).
(C) Hold the walls and wait for the Papal army to attack you (may recruit maximum of 1 unit)
10-30-2007, 02:25
TinCow

Turn 4 - 1326

Choices due by 10pm EST, Wednesday, October 31st.

Save Game File

1326 AD: Tragedy and turmoil are the watchwords of the year.

In Outremer, the Army of the Kaiser was dispatched south to aid Dieter von Kassel in his defense of Acre. With this strong reinforcement, the young Crusader was able to defeat the Papal army and lift the siege of his citadel. Once again, Dieter spoke to the prisoners and convinces some of them to join his cause in the defense of Christendom. Half of the prisoners agreed to join him and they have assembled as a regiment of Pavise Crossbowmen and a regiment of veteran Crusader Sergeants. In the north, the Iron Bridge and the Eastern Ford are still in Imperial hands, but Aleppo is once again cut off and fully besieged. It is looking increasingly unlikely that the citadel will be saved yet again. To make matters worse, Jan von Hamburg, the King of Outremer, has disappeared. He was seen retiring to his tent to sleep one night and in the morning he was gone, along with a small group of retainers, bodyguards, some horses, and all his wealth. No one knows where he is or why he left. In his absence, Kaiser Elberhard has assumed the position of King of Outremer and has rushed to take command of King Jan’s army at the Eastern Ford.

The fickle whims of fate have made it a dire year for Franconia. The Polish armies chasing Duke Ansehelm caught up with him in the road east of Stettin. He was attacked from two sides by mighty hosts, each larger than his own. He fought bravely and took many Poles with him, but he eventually fell along with much of his army. The Poles executed every last prisoner they took in compensation for Duke Ansehelm’s lack of mercy in his previous campaigns against them. The survivors of the army are few indeed, but they have made their way to Dieter Bresch in Magdeburg, the rock that stands at the heart of Franconia. The only good news in this tragedy is that the survivors managed to rescue a good portion of the taxes the Duke had accumulated in previous years. They will be sorely needed, as the enemy is closing in from all sides. Angry at being abandoned to their fate, Hamburg has thrown off Imperial rule and attempted to raise an army to hold their walls against the Danes. They are not likely be successful. The Danish armies themselves have pushed far to the south and now besiege Frankfurt and Hamburg, while Stettin is threatened by the Poles. Neither city will last long unless an army is sent to rescue them. Fritz von Kastilien set sail in a mercenary fleet a few weeks before Duke Ansehelm's death. The strong Danish navy prevented him from sailing directly to Stockholm, but he has crossed the Baltic Sea and made landfall in southern Sweden. He is within range of Stockholm which is lightly defended, but the Danish will surely not allow him to roam free within their lands. The new Duke of Franconia, Peter von Kastilien, is not even within Franconia. Having journeyed south to aid Duke Hans in the assault on Metz, Peter is some ways south of Frankfurt. He and his army are desperately needed back in his Duchy. As if all that was not enough, the Plague has appeared in Breslau.

Bavaria continues to be under full-scale invasion by the Byzantines. Duke Lothar moved south with a rag-tag army, reinforced with three regiments of Pavise Crossbowmen, but he was not able to reach the River Po. The Byzantines have pushed across the river, besieged Venice, and are within range of both Genoa and Milan. All of Italy is now in danger of falling. The only bright spot in all of Bavaria is Ajaccio, a wall upon which the armies of Sicily continue to break. Due to previous efforts by Fredericus Erlach, the citadel remains free of siege this year, but the Sicilians have learned from their mistakes. They have landed two large armies on the island this year and advanced some ways inland, so as not to be caught on the beach.

Swabia remains split by internal dissent as much as it has ever been. The confrontation at Rheims was not decisive. While maneuvering for position, a full regiment of Wolfgang Hummel’s veteran infantry betrayed him and crossed over to Athalwolf von Salza’s army. This left a gaping hole in Wolfgang’s left flank and the rebel Swabian was forced to retreat from Rheims in a hurry. After fleeing north, he moved back towards Caen, where he confronted the French besiegers. The size of his army and the citadel’s walls was too much for them, and they broke off the siege. However, all is not well in Hummel’s lands. Having disposed of the Scottish armies that pestered Antwerp, the Danish have moved west and besieged Bruges. The city will fall without aid. Athalwolf von Salza remains outside of Rheims, but the French have finally disposed of the fort that blocked their path and the way is open for an advance on the city. In the south, Dietrich von Dassel assaulted Bern and destroyed Hans’ loyal garrison to the last man. He remains in the city for the moment, securing his hold over the place. He has treated the people well and they are growing to trust him, but he cannot expect anything more than obedience from them for the moment. Duke Hans himself finally retook Metz from the rebels, restoring his rightful rule to the place. He then repaired the town hall, donated a small amount of wealth to the people, and left behind a small garrison to guard Metz. The city has been pacified by the Duke’s, but they remain restless rebels at heart. They are not likely to fight for Hans should one of the rebels appear nearby. Hans then immediately marched south to Staufen in preparation for an attack on Dietrich von Dassel.

After the pause of last year, Austria is again under serious threat. The Venetians refused to give battle to Duke Arnold’s force outside the walls of Ragusa and instead bypassed him, putting the mighty citadel under siege. The Duke will have to destroy the Venetians if he is to have any hope of freeing the Austrian strongpoint. Budapest is once again threatened by the Hungarians, but a strong army stands ready to face them. In previous years, Duke Arnold dispatched many regiments of knights and spearmen to the city. Karl Zirn has taken control of them and now leads a truly formidable host of infantry. Unfortunately, none of the reinforcements carried missile weapons and thus the army will have to make due with melee weaponry to defeat their enemies. The Bavarian Friedrich Karolinger is in Budapest as well and commands the city garrison, along with the battered remnants of the former combined armies. His small force is likely sufficient to hold the city against a single enemy army, but action in the field or an attack by multiple foes will overwhelm it. Lorenz Zirn is currently in Vienna, where he recruited a unit of mighty Serpentines. If these anti-personnel artillery can be rushed back to Budapest, they may make up for Karl Zirn’s lack of ranged attacking power. Edmund Becker continues to strengthen his independent County of Prague, this time at the expense of others. He issues the following order to his citizens:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

"Effective immediately, I have dispatched a small, elite corps of loyal merchants and caravans to buy up any and all goods, commodities, and natural resources that are essential to the normal functioning of Prague, it's citizens, and it's industries. Since resources are to be stockpiled and maintained at a level where they would last for sixteen years in the event of siege. If absolutely necessary, additional warehouses may be constructed or otherwise acquired to hold these resources anywhere that is inside the city, or outside the walls and within bowshot. These resources must, under all circumstances, be capable of being brought inside the city before a besieging army renders such a task impossible, and must be guarded with the highest priority."

His loyal and capable merchants embarked on their mission with a great deal of vigor. Perhaps more than Edmund Becker anticipated. Their ‘stockpiling’ measures have extended in all directions from Prague and did not stop at the borders of the province. They have entered the Franconian, Austrian, and Bavarian lands that surround them to strip them of useful supplies. As a result, one unit of wealth has been diverted from each of the provinces of Breslau, Nuremburg, and Vienna to Prague. This is not likely to make Edmund Becker popular with his neighbors.

Note: Some 'Units Available' lists may be missing mercenaries. If you want to hire mercenaries and cannot check the game to see if they are available in your starting position, let me know and I will double check.

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch, Acre, Aleppo (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over due to 4 dispatched to Hans which will arrive in 1328, 3 base from Antioch, 1 bonus for starting in Antioch)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles

You stand guard over the Eastern Ford in place of the absent Jan von Hamburg. The crisis facing Outremer with the disappearance of one of its remaining defenders surely does not need to be explained. The Byzantines have learned from their previous mistakes and Aleppo is under grave threat. In order to save it, you will need to defeat an army blocking the other side of the ford and then destroy both of the Byzantine armies next to the citadel. They are prepared for such an attack and as such a surprise night assault on one army is not possible.

*(A) Hold the Eastern Ford
(B) Attack the army blocking the ford and then attempt to save Aleppo.
(C) Attack the army blocking the ford, but remain at your station guarding the crossing.
*(MISC) Your situation in Outremer is untenable. In addition to the above, begin assembling a large fleet in Antioch to transport all surviving Crusaders and their armies back to the Reich. It will take several years to assemble the fleet and you will have to devote all future wealth from Outremer, both your own and those of the other Crusaders, to ensure that the task is completed on time. Your shipwrights tell you that they should be able to assemble a fleet large enough to transport every survivor back to the Reich in safety by 1332. With full armies aboard, it will take 3 turns of sailing to reach Venice. Assembling a smaller fleet to transport only the Crusading Electors can be completed by 1330 and it will take 2 turns of sailing to reach Venice.

Hans:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Staufen, Rheims, Metz
Personal Wealth: 9 (2 carried over, 2 base from Rheims, 3 base from Metz, 1 base from Staufen, 1 bonus for starting in Staufen)
Special Ability: You are miserly and a total cheapskate: all military recruitment costs 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Spearmen, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen.

You have regained Metz, but lost Bern. Still, you are better off than you were before, as both halves of Swabia are now connected by a secure trade route. As always, your Duchy is in a precarious situation. Wolfgang remains at large with a large army in the north, while Dietrich has a similarly powerful force in the south. For the moment, Athalwolf holds Rheims for you, but the French are sure to press the assault there within the year.

After your attack on Metz, you repaired the town hall, distributed a small amount of wealth amongst the people, and left behind a small militia garrison of to hold the city. This has pacified the people and they will not revolt against you again, but neither have you gained their loyalty. They will likely open their gates to any rebel who passes by. You then marched south towards Bern, picking up most of the citadel’s remaining garrison along the way. Your fast movement has had advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, you are within a few days of brisk marching from the walls of Bern. Given your skill at logistics, and Dietrich’s lack of them, you could reach the city and besiege it before he could escape. However, you had no time to stop in Staufen and outfit your men with new weapons and armor. Such things take several weeks at the minimum, and you could not spare a single day. Only those regiments which were already in Staufen at the beginning of the year were able to receive better equipment.

You have also recruited a spy in Metz (cost – 1 wealth) who now accompanies your army. Note: Your brother Elberhard has dispatched 4 wealth to you. However, the journey from Outremer is very long. It will not be available for your use until the end of the 1328 turn.

*(A) Return to Metz and recruit a larger militia garrison.
(B) March on Bern and besiege Dietrich von Dassel inside the walls of the city.
(C) March to Rheims to aid Athalwolf von Salza against the coming French invasion.

Dietrich von Dassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bern (Rebel Capital – I have assumed you want it as your capital. If you do not, tell me and I will remove this. Remove the Capital bonus from your Wealth if Bern is not your Capital.)
Personal Wealth: 5 (3 base from Bern, 1 bonus from Bern for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Bern)
Units Available:

You have finally secured a base of operations for your claim to the Duchy of Swabia. After the battle, you peacefully occupied the city, ordered no sacking or exploitative taxation, and made a few public appearances in the town square about how you did not wish harm to the good people of the Reich. This has been enough to pacify the residents, but they do not love you. They will do as you say, but you will not find willing volunteers to aid you within the city.

You have bigger issues to concern yourself with, though. Hans is within striking distance of the city and he has superior logistical capabilities. You cannot escape the city with your entire army before he arrives, if he chooses to march on you. Depending on your preferred method of fighting, this could be a blessing or a curse. Perhaps forcing Hans to storm your walls would be an effective way of defeating him.

*(A) Sacrifice one professional regiment to delay Hans’ march and then retreat back into the Alps towards Bavaria.
(B) Stockpile as many resources as you can as quickly as you can in preparation for the siege. You will likely be able to gather enough resources to resist 2 to 3 turns of siege.
(C) Eject a large number of the citizens of Bern from the city. The vastly decreased number of mouths to feed will allow you to resist the siege indefinitely. However, the homeless citizens will likely join Hans’ army as large numbers of militia.
(D) Exterminate a large number of the citizens of Bern. The vastly decreased number of mouths to feed will allow you to resist the siege indefinitely. However, the people of Swabia will never trust you again and you will have to pacify every settlement by force of arms in order to bring them under your control.

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Rheims
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 from Rheims for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Rheims)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Catapults, Ballistae, Bombards, Grand Bombards

During the initial phases of the battle for Rheims, a unit of veteran Armoured Sergeants deserted from Wolfgang’s army and crossed over to your side. This left his left flank in disarray and he fled north before you could exploit it. Rheims is safe due to your efforts and the people are very grateful for your protection. You are the only person who has come to their aid in this time of crisis and they have offered to swear full allegiance to you, if you wish it. If you take up their offer, you will become a rebel, but the people will support you as best as they can. In any event, the city is threatened by the French and will likely come under attack in coming years. Wolfgang Hummel remains at large in the north, while Dietrich von Dassel holds Bern in the south.

*(A) Garrison Rheims to defend it against the French.
(B) Renounce your loyalties to Hans and proclaim yourself a rebel. Rheims will become your Capital and will instantly produce a large levy of militia and to aid you.
(C) March south to join Hans in his assault on Bern.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Caen, Bruges (Besieged by Denmark)
Personal Wealth: 4 (2 carried over, 1 base from Caen, 1 bonus from starting in Caen)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DFK, DIK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Trebuchets, Catapults, Ballistae

One of your veteran regiments of Armoured Sergeants defected to join Athalwolf von Salza outside of Rheims. You prudently withdrew from the engagement before he could exploit the resulting hole in your lines. You then marched north towards Caen, positioning yourself to aid the garrison in the event of a French attack. Your presence was more than enough, however, as the French broke off the siege and retreated west. They will be back, eventually. You also sent 2 wealth to Bruges to equip some of the men there in the fashion of the famous Flemish Pikemen. Though this was not enough to pay for the costs of the needed equipment and training, the people love you dearly and they raised the rest of the amount themselves. Two regiments were raised in this fashion. Their resources are not unlimited, however, and you will have to pay more in the future to gain the aid of these formidable fighters. Furthermore, having freed Antwerp from Scottish and English arms, the Danish have moved west and besieged the city. Your capital will fall unless you aid it.

New Special Ability Earned: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit.

*(A) Garrison Caen and pray that the French do not return.
(B) March east to relieve Bruges, recruiting 2 regiments of Mercenary Flemish Pikemen along the way.
(C) March south to besiege Rheims once again.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin (besieged by Poland), Frankfurt (besieged by Denmark), Magdeburg, Breslau (base income temporarily reduced to 2)
Personal Wealth: 5 (3 carried over, 2 base from Breslau)
Units Available: None

Your jaunt south to aid Hans at Metz was successful, but Franconia’s enemies have pushed on her in your absence. With the death of your brother Ansehelm, you are now Duke of Franconia. Unless you want to rule over a Duchy of Embers, you had best start defending it.

*(A) Move towards the safety of Magdeburg
(B) Attack the Danish army besieging Frankfurt and free the city.
(C) Franconia needs resources and you will get them any way you can. March to Bavarian city of Nuremburg and sack it for a large amount of wealth.

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin (besieged by Poland)
Personal Wealth: 4 (4 carried over)
Special Ability 1: For the rest of the cataclysm, Stettin will pay you 2 wealth per turn and your Duke 2 wealth per turn, but only when you start your turn in the province. If you start the turn outside the province, you will get 0 wealth and your Duke will get 1 wealth.
Special Ability 2: For the rest of the cataclysm, small groups of mercenaries will join your army for free at irregular intervals. In addition, you can hire any mercenary unit available in Europe, even if they are not available in your current territory. All mercenary recruitment costs are 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. However, the mercenaries require a large amount of wealth to sustain them. Beginning in 1330, you will have to pay 1 wealth per 3 mercenary units per turn (rounded up, to a maximum of 6) to keep them from deserting.
Units Available: Any European Mercenary Unit

You set sail from Stettin with your army of mercenaries, and not a moment too soon. The Poles are outside the walls of Stettin. Your fleet was large and fast enough to transport you across the Baltic Sea to southern Sweden. You had to disembark on the southern coast though, as the patrolling Danish fleets would surely have attacked and sunk you had you sailed straight to Stockholm. You are now safe on dry land and behind the Danish lines and somehow a regiment of Mercenary German Knights have found their way to you, giving you mounted strength that you otherwise lacked. Stockholm is within striking distance and you will likely be able to storm it with your artillery before help can arrive. However, getting away with your plunder may not be so easy. The Danes are sure to send armies to prevent your escape.

*(A) Abandon the expedition and return to Franconia by ship. This will cause all your mercenaries to desert you and you will lose Special Ability 2.
(B) Spend all your wealth to hire more mercenaries and attack Stockholm. When the city falls, sack it for every last florin you can find.
(C) Spend all your wealth to hire more mercenaries and attack Stockholm. When the city falls, occupy it and attempt to make the people loyal to you.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg
Personal Wealth: 10 (0 carried over, 1 from Magdeburg for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Magdeburg, 8 salvaged by the survivor’s of Ansehelm’s army)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

The news of Duke Ansehelm’s death reached you through the survivors themselves. A small, ragged band of soldiers staggered into the citadel a few short weeks after the devastating defeat. They remain loyal to Franconia and will fight for you, but their strength is heavily depleted. Fortunately, a few intrepid men managed to salvage much of Duke Ansehelm’s warchest. They have brought a full 8 wealth with them and given it to you for use in the defense of Franconia. With Ansehelm dead, Fritz on the other side of the Baltic Sea, and Peter still in Swabia, you are the only Franconian Elector remaining in the entire Duchy.

*(A) Remain inside Magdeburg and continue to recruit more men.
(B) Recruit as many men as you can, then march east to attack the Polish armies near Stettin.
(C) Recruit as many men as you can, then march north to attack the Danish armies near Stettin.
(D) Recruit as many men as you can, then march west to attack the Danish army besieging Frankfurt.

Jan von Hamburg:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

STATUS AND WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballistae, Catapults

You have arrived at a Danube river crossing south of Budapest, within range of the city. The Hungarians have finished massing for another push on the city and will begin their assault next year. Karl Zirn and Friedrich Karolinger still hold the city against all enemies. There are other people in the area who need your aid as well, though. It is time to commit your army to the struggle.

*(A) Join Karl Zirn in the defense of Budapest.
(B) March to Prague and ally with Edmund Becker.
(C) March to Breslau and hold it against the Polish invasion.

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa (besieged), Venice (besieged), Zagreb, Vienna (base income temporarily reduced to 2), Budapest
Personal Wealth: 7 (1 carried over, 2 from Vienna, 2 from Budapest, 2 from Zagreb,1 bonus from starting in Ragusa, -1 from gambling)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available: None

You were very generous with your wealth last year and dispatched a full six units of Dismounted Imperial Knights to aid in the defense of Budapest. This, combined with the siege of Ragusa and Venice, has heavily reduced your available wealth. It is something of a moot point, however, as the Venetians have bypassed your lines and besieged the citadel itself, cutting you off from any recruitment at the moment. The enemy is strong and has deployed many scouts to keep an eye on your movements. You will not be able to surprise them with a night attack. However, this is a large portion of the enemy armies. If you defeat them, you will have some time to rebuild your forces before they attack again.

*(A) Retreat to Zagreb
(B) Attack the Venetian armies besieging Ragusa. You cannot use a night attack to split them.
(C) You know you don’t need a third option… just pick B and try not to get yourself killed.
(D) Wait for the Venetians to assault the citadel, then attempt to rush inside and defeat them from the inside.

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb
Personal Wealth: 2 (1 carried over, 1 from Zagreb for loyal Count)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballistae, Catapults

The reinforcements Arnold promised you from Ragusa have finally arrived. In addition to the three regiments of Armoured Spearmen that arrived in Budapest last year, a full six regiments of Dismounted Imperial Knights arrived this year. You also spent 3 wealth last year to hire a regiment of Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen and gave the Veil of Veronica to your eldest son, Johann. Combined, you now have a reasonably strong army of full-strength, high-quality regiments. You lack much in the way of ranged power, however, so your battles are likely to be bloody unless you are exceptionally skilled. The Hungarians have finished assembling for their next assault on Budapest and will certainly attack next year. While Freidrich Karolinger commands the city garrison and the depleted units from your previous battles, he will not last long against their full strength.

*(A) Garrison Budapest and prepare for the coming Hungarian siege.
(B) Move east and attack the Hungarians in the field. Given your lack of missile troops and the heavy casualties you suffered last time, the Hungarians will not be expecting another first strike. You may use a night attack to separate their armies, but only once this turn.
(C) Move to Prague to bring righteous Austrian justice to that rebellious cur Edmund Becker.

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 12 (4 carried over, 3 base income from Prague, 1 bonus for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Prague, 3 bonus income diverted from Breslau, Nuremburg, and Vienna)
Units Available: Crossbow Militia, Town Militia, Spear Militia, Mercenary Spearmen

You trained an additional two regiments of Spear Militia and paid 1 wealth to have your Mounted Sergeants equipped with better armor. You sent out a call to the spy Henry Ruppel to aid you in your efforts on behalf of the people of Prague. He has responded to your call and volunteered to aid you. Finally, you made the following speech:

"Effective immediately, I have dispatched a small, elite corps of loyal merchants and caravans to buy up any and all goods, commodities, and natural resources that are essential to the normal functioning of Prague, it's citizens, and it's industries. Since resources are to be stockpiled and maintained at a level where they would last for sixteen years in the event of siege. If absolutely necessary, additional warehouses may be constructed or otherwise acquired to hold these resources anywhere that is inside the city, or outside the walls and within bowshot. These resources must, under all circumstances, be capable of being brought inside the city before a besieging army renders such a task impossible, and must be guarded with the highest priority."

Your loyal and capable merchants embarked on their mission with a great deal of vigor and with surprising results. Their ‘stockpiling’ measures have extended in all directions from Prague and did not stop at the borders of the province. They have entered the Franconian, Austrian, and Bavarian lands that surround them to strip them of useful supplies. As a result, one unit of base wealth has been reduced from Nuremburg, Vienna, and Breslau and diverted to Prague. If you order your merchants to continue their vigorous ‘stockpiling’ this diversion of income will continue, assuming the Lords of Franconia, Bavaria, and Austria do not send forces to the area to stop it.

Prague has now finished upgrading its militia barracks and it can now produce Crossbow Militia. You have a very large, though low-quality, army and you are rich. Will you continue stockpiling resources and build up Prague, or will you expand your control to a nearby province?

*(A) Remain in Prague.
(B) Move north and take control of Breslau.
(C) Move north and defend Breslau from the Polish armies, but do not take control of it.
(D) Move west and take control of Nuremburg.
(E) Move south and take control of Vienna.
*(MISC) In addition to the above, tell your merchants to continue stockpiling resources from surrounding lands.

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Budapest (Resumes producing normal 1 income for loyal Count this year)
Personal Wealth: 3 (2 carried over (Note: An error was made last turn, as I forgot to take into account your Special Ability income and your presence in Budapest. Therefore you have an extra 2 wealth this turn that was carried over.), 1 from Budapest for loyal Count)
Special Ability: You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. If you start your turn inside a province you control, you will gain +2 instead of the normal +1.
Units Available:

You rode west to Vienna and spent 5 wealth to recruit some engineers and a pair of superbly accurate Serpentine artillery pieces. They will certainly be devastating against enemy infantry formations and will compensate for Karl Zirn’s lack of missile regiments. The question now is, will you remain in Vienna and continue purchasing artillery, or will you return to Budapest?

*(A) Return to Budapest with the Serpentines.
(B) Send the Serpentines to Budapest and remain in Vienna to recruit more artillery. You will need to find more wealth somehow if you want to recruit another artillery unit this year.
(C) Send the Serpentines to Budapest, recruit a unit of militia, and move north to build a fort for them along the border with Prague. This will cost 2 wealth (1 for the militia, 1 for the fort) but will prevent Edmund Becker’s merchants from plundering Vienna’s lands for as long as the fort remains standing.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ajaccio, Milan, Genoa, Innsbruck, Nuremburg (base income temporarily reduced to 2)
Personal Wealth: 11 (1 carried over (Note: Forgot to add 1 last turn for starting in Innsbruck, thus an extra 1 carried over), 3 base from Milan, 3 base from Genoa, 2 base from Nuremburg, 1 bonus from starting in Innsbruck, 1 bonus from Deep Pockets)
Special Ability: Deep Pockets means that you produce +1 wealth per turn, no matter where you are or what your circumstances.
Units Available: Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

Last turn expenses: 6 sent to Fredericus Erlach, 9 spent on recruitment

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ajaccio
Personal Wealth: 5 (0 carried over, 1 from Ajaccio for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Ajaccio, 3 ransom paid by Sicilians)
Special Ability: Every year that you remain on Corsica, a unit of Peasants will join your army for free. Every year, you may ‘train’ one unit of Peasants (or a unit that was at one point previously Peasants) to a higher level. Peasants can be trained to become Peasant Archers, Peasant Crossbowmen, or Sergeant Spearmen for free, or Mounted Sergeants for 1 wealth. Peasant Crossbowmen can be trained to become Pavise Crossbowmen for 1 wealth. Sergeant Spearmen can be trained to become Armoured Spearmen for 1 wealth. Mounted Sergeants can be trained to become Mailed Knights for 2 wealth.
Units Available: Peasant Archers, Ballistae, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Catapults, Bombards, Ballistae

You have once again destroyed a Sicilian invasion army and kept Ajaccio free of siege. The citadel stands unmolested again this year as a result. However, the Sicilians have learned from their mistakes. They have landed two large armies on the island this year and advanced some ways inland, so as not to be caught on the beach. They have also placed pickets around their camp to prevent a night ambush from catching them apart. You will not be able to use a night attack to split the two armies apart. Still, they will not be able to move against the citadel for several months. You have enough time to prepare for whatever else is to come.

Note: If you do not give me orders regarding your special ability, I will upgrade the new group of Peasants to Peasant Crossbowmen.

*(A) Abandon Ajaccio and flee across the sea to Genoa, with your entire army.
(B) Hold the walls of Ajaccio.
(C) Attack the Sicilian armies in the field.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (trade route blocked), Aleppo (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles

The city of Antioch is once again safe from siege thanks to your vigil on the Iron Bridge. Your ‘lord’, King Jan, has not been so immovable, and he has abandoned his army and disappeared along with all his wealth. Kaiser Elberhard has taken up his station and his position as King of Outremer, but with one fewer Crusading general, offensive operations are now almost impossible. To make matters worse, your old nemesis Nikeforos “the Mean” Argyrus is only a short march away with a large army. Apparently he has a personal score to settle with you. While his force has a heavy contingent of poorly trained archers and militia, Nikeforos has found a few secret weapons to make up for them. This is not a good year for you.

(A) Hold the Iron Bridge.
*(B) Retreat to Antioch.
(C) Attack Nikeforos.
(D) Abandon your army and hire a smuggler to carry you west to Bavaria. Since you have no money, you will have to sell one of relics. It will take 2 turns for you to reach the mainland.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck
Personal Wealth: 4 (3 carried over, 1 from Innsbruck for loyal Count)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballistae, Catapults

You have remained in Budapest and taken control of the city garrison, along with all of the battered units from your previous battles holding off the Hungarian invasion. Karl Zirn has taken control of all full-strength units and is encamped outside the walls of the city. Your own command is heavily depleted, but the men are veterans and will not sell their lives cheaply. They will follow you wherever you choose to go.

*(A) Move west towards Venice to aid Duke Lothar Steffen against the Byzantines. All non-militia units inside Budapest will go with you.
(B) Remain inside Budapest and protect it against the Hungarians.
(C) Move north to Prague and offer your services to Edmund Becker.

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Acre
Personal Wealth: 4 (1 carried over, 1 from Acre for loyal Count, 1 bonus from starting in Acre, 1 plunder from battle)
Units Available: DFK, DIK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Ballistae, Catapults, Trebuchets, Bombards, Grand Bombards

Kaiser Elberhard sent his army south to aid you and with your combined forces you were able to crush the Papal army at the walls of Acre. Once again, you spoke to the prisoners about service to God and their duty to protect Outremer from the Orthodox and Mohammedan hordes. Half of the prisoners agreed to join you and they have assembled as a regiment of Pavise Crossbowmen and a regiment of veteran Crusader Sergeants. You also spent 5 wealth to hire a unit of Teutonic Knights. With your combined forces, you now control a massive army, capable of defeating almost any attack. It is easily the strongest in all of Outremer, if not the entire Reich. What will you do with your new-found power?

*(A) Remain inside Acre and defend it against attack. Dispatch 1/3 of your strength to aid Matthias Steffen and Kaiser Elberhard.
(B) Move north with all of your strength to personally aid in the defense of Antioch. A single unit will be left in Acre as a garrison.
(C) These incessant attacks from the Pope must stop. Move in full force to besiege Jerusalem. Perhaps if you crown a new Pope personally and return Jerusalem to his control, he will be more willing to listen to reason.
10-31-2007, 13:54
TinCow

The Battle of the Flemish Crossroads

The Battle of the Flemish Crossroads - 1326 AD

Athalwolf von Salza ordered his army to prepare to move north to Bruges. His plan was to aid the Danish in capturing Wolfgang Hummel’s capital, and then ambush the rebel Swabian as he rode east to re-take the city. However, riders from the south informed the Count that reinforcements were being sent north for him from Duke Hans. Within a few weeks, three regiments of Armoured Spearmen arrived in Rheims, bearing greetings from the Duke and a request. Duke Hans had sent 5 wealth with the men at the request that it be used to hire engineers and a pair of Grand Bombards. It took a few days for the arrangements to be completed, ensuring that the money would be spent properly and the artillery dispatched to Duke Hans when they were ready. Altogether, this delayed Athalwolf’s departure by several weeks.

At the same time, news of the Danish siege of Bruges had reached Wolfgang Hummel outside of Caen. He immediately readied his army to march, not willing to lose his Capital and the loyal citizens within. He took with him the professional soldiers garrisoning Caen and left some of the more poorly trained Flemish volunteers behind in their place. As soon as he neared the border, he put out a call to all Flemish men with military experience. Two full regiments worth of men met him along the road as he marched and pledged to serve him. Wolfgang used 4 wealth to have them outfitted in the proper manner of Flemish Pikemen.

The swift march of Wolfgang’s army, and the slow start of Athalwolf’s force, resulted in an unintended meeting engagement at the crossroads south of Bruges. The scouts of the two armies stumbled into each other slightly southwest of the actual intersection. Both groups refused engagement and retreated quickly to their respective generals to report on this most unexpected encounter. Athalwolf and Wolfgang both assumed that the other had prepared an ambush for them along the road, and quickly assembled their columns into battle formation. By the time they realized that it was an mutually unintended encounter, the defensive deployments had been completed and there was no way to disengage from the battle without risking great loss in a retreat.

The Setup:

Since both players previously used a ‘table-top’ style battle instead of multiplayer, I am assuming you will do so once again. If you both would prefer to fight it out in online multiplayer, please let me know.

The terrain of the battlefield will be determined by econ21, who will also manage the battle as he has done before. Both sides will be limited to a defense-oriented formation in the deployment phase, to mimic the events I described above. This will be a full-scale battle for control of Northern Swabia. If either player attempts to disengage at any time, they will lose a significant portion of their army and may even be captured. One way or another, the conflict between Athalwolf von Salza and Wolfgang Hummel is going to be decided here, on this field.

The Army of Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

https://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b...lwolf_army.jpg

The Army of Wolfgang Hummel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

https://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b...fgang_army.jpg
11-08-2007, 03:45
TinCow

Turn 5 - 1328

Choices due by 10pm EST, Friday, November 9th.

Save Game File

1328 AD: The Reich continues to be pressed on all sides, but significant victories in every Duchy and Outremer have turned back many invading armies.

Outremer was the sight of some of the most heroic struggles of the recent years. Kaiser Elberhard led his army to victory over three consecutive Byzantine forces and, against all odds, succeeded in relieving Aleppo. His army suffered heavy casualties, though, and he determined that Aleppo could not be held any longer. It was given as a gift to the English, whose alliance with the Reich is still strong through royal marriage to the Kaiser. Matthias Steffen also achieved a great victory, though of a more personal nature. He defeated and killed Nikeforos Argyrus, the man who had abducted and tortured him, along with a powerful army. This was then followed up with a raid on a smaller nearby Byzantine force. The youngest Crusader, Dieter von Kassel, was single-handedly responsible for the most politically significant action of year. He attacked Jerusalem, defeated the mighty Papal army, and ensured that a sympathetic Pope was placed on the Holy Throne. This has ended the Reich’s excommunication and will undoubtedly increase security and stability in the long-run. These many great victories have depleted the armies of the enemies of Outremer. They will certainly return again in great numbers, but for this year, the Eastern frontier remains (relatively) quiet.

Franconia fended off deep probing attacks by both the Poles and the Danes in 1326. Edmund Becker led his army from Prague to the aid of his northern neighbors and defeated the Poles menacing Breslau, though at great cost. Peter von Kastilien made his first act as Duke of Franconia the relief of Frankfurt. The battle was a success, though casualties were not light. The only other surviving Kastilien brother, Fritz, marched north with his band of hungry mercenaries and took the Danish city of Stockholm. He has accumulated fabulous wealth through an incredibly brutal sacking of the city, but the element of surprise has been lost and the Danes are sending powerful armies to seek revenge against him. However, the previous year was just the beginning. 1328 sees a formidable challenge being thrown against Franconia. Both Breslau and Magdeburg have been besieged by powerful Polish armies.

In Bavaria, the battle for Northern Italy has finally begun. Duke Lothar Steffen lifted the siege of Venice with aid from the city’s Austrian garrison. He then moved south to hold one of the crossings over the River Po. No sooner did he arrive than a large Byzantine army under the command of Georgios Ducas attempted to force the bridge. Duke Steffen defeated him, but his army is battered and lacking in professional soldiers and he will need reinforcements soon. Fortunately, he is no longer alone in the defense of Italy. Count Fredericus Erlach has abandoned Ajaccio in the face of the massive new Sicilian invasion and crossed the water to Genoa. He has brought his entire army with him, many of them experienced professional soldiers. Despite the loss of Ajaccio, this second army will finally give the Bavarians a real chance at stopping the Byzantine advance. This year’s main surprise is the sudden appearance of Jan von Hamburg on the coast near the port of Venice. No one in the Duchies even knew that Jan had left Outremer, as the boat he arrived on was the fastest transportation possible from Outremer. He has brought with him a moderate amount of wealth, both his own and Kaiser Elberhard’s, and dispatched it to aid Duke Hans. Jan von Hamburg’s intentions remain unknown.

The balance of power in Swabia is teetering. Both Wolfgang Hummel and Athalwolf von Salza moved on Bruges, though for different reasons. Their meeting engagement at the Flemish Crossroads resulted in a major victory for the rebel, but the loyalist escaped capture with a small portion of his army. It will take Athalwolf von Salza a good deal of time to rebuild his shattered forces, leaving all of northern Swabia under Wolfgang’s thumb… assuming the French do no beat him to it. In the south, Duke Hans and the rebel Dietrich von Dassel appear to be destined for a massive battle to determine control of the Duchy. The rebel Dietrich was expecting a siege and has prepared the city and his army well for the event. Duke Hans acted as Dietrich expected, and besieged the city. With the aid of some Grand Bombards sent to him by Athalwolf von Salza before the Flemish Crossroads, he appears to be prepared for a full-scale assault on the city. This may well be the battle that determines the fate of Swabia.

Austria has weathered another year of assaults, but it is far from secure. Duke Arnold smashed the Venetian forces around Ajaccio, but he suffered major losses in the process. The Venetians have been heavily depleted, but they are not totally defeated by any means. Another massive push can be expected soon. At Budapest, Karl Zirn took some of the sting out of the fresh Hungarian attack by destroying one of the three assembled armies in a night attack. The other two banded together and were able to prevent a similar surprise. They now lay siege to Budapest, trapping Friedrich Karolinger and the garrison inside. Fresh Hungarian forces also continue to pour in from their citadel at Bran. The Franconian Tancred von Tyrolia remains in the area with his own moderate-sized armies. Combined, the forces of Karl Zirn, Friedrich Karolinger, and Tancred von Tyrolia could likely defeat the Hungarians, but at great cost. In addition, scouts report worrying news. The Hungarians appear to be trying a new avenue of approach. While Austria’s defenders are pinned down at Ragusa and Budapest, an expeditionary force is marching from Sofia through the undefended Austrian lands. If they are not stopped, they will eventually drive right through Zagreb and into the heart of Austria.

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch, Acre
Personal Wealth: 5 (0 carried over due to 4 dispatched to Hans which will arrive in 1330, no income from provinces due to fleet building expenses, 5 plunder from battle)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

You have smashed the Byzantine armies to the east of Antioch and secured Aleppo by gifting it to your wife’s countrymen. The evacuation fleet will be ready to set sail at the beginning of 1332, so it would be best if every man who is embarking is in or near Antioch by the end of 1330. Anyone who is no close by will be left behind. Therefore, this may be the last year you have to conduct free operations in Outremer. What will you do with the time left to you?

*(A) Return to Antioch and begin assembling men for the journey.
(B) Move to the Eastern Ford and hold it against attack.
(C) Conduct offensive operations against any Byzantine armies in the area.

Hans:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Staufen, Rheims (besieged), Metz
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over, 3 base from Metz, 1 base from Staufen) – NOTE: Jan von Hamburg and Elberhard have dispatched money to you multiple times. As a result, you will receive 6 wealth at the END of this turn and 4 additional wealth at the END of 1330. “END” means that you cannot spend the money on the turn it arrives until all other actions that turn are completed (including battles) and you can only spend it on things which are available to you in the location where you end your turn, rather than where you start it.
Special Ability: You are miserly and a total cheapskate: all military recruitment costs 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1.
Units Available: None

Your loyal Count, Athalwolf von Salza, has been defeated in the north. Rheims is now under siege by powerful French armies and he will almost certainly not be able to stop them. Though you currently besiege Bern, your control of Swabia is becoming increasingly thin. If you are to have any hope of retaining lands of any kind, you had best defeat Dietrich von Dassel quickly and decisively. While the men you sent north to Athalwolf have been lost, you recruited a regiment of Imperial Knights and received the Grand Bombards that Athalwolf recruited for you in Rheims. In addition, your long-lost regiment of highly experienced Feudal Knights has finally caught up with you.

It is good to see that you have not lost sight of your priorities during such trying times. Somehow you managed to find yourself a wife, Adelheidis, while in the siege camp. At least one ‘bastion’ is sure to be stormed this year…

Orders already received

Dietrich von Dassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bern (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 10 (5 carried over, 3 base from Bern, 1 bonus from Bern for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Bern)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia

You are trapped inside Bern by Duke Hans’ army. However, you expected this and prepared for it. You quickly stockpiled enough resources to last you through 1330 without difficulty. You could even hold the walls through 1332, but rationing would result in the loss of some men and a good portion of the population through starvation. Hopefully the issue will be decided before then. Your diligence in preparing for siege has ensured that all of the gates are secured and the walls manned and ready. It will take a full-scale attack to breach your defenses. You put out a call to all Lutherans in the city to join you in its defense. This is a totally untapped area of manpower in all areas of the Reich, and with Alexander Luther at your side, you have become the symbol of Lutheran pride and resistance. Many men wish to join your army, but the lack of food prevents it. You had to turn away all volunteers except for one regiment of Fanatics in order to preserve proper rationing. If you defeat Hans and lift the siege, you can expect Lutheran volunteers to flock to your side. However, rallying the Lutherans in this manner has upset the Catholics within the city. Religious tensions were already strained due to the events in Donauwörth and this has not made them any better. Hans is quickly becoming a hero of the Catholics, and his presence outside your walls with a massive army only encourages them. You had best keep an eye on the city, lest you find yourself trying to put down a riot while holding the walls.

*(A) Hold the walls.
(B) Sally forth.
(C) Escape on a flying pig (non-flammable). Will result in the loss of all traits, all retinue, all armies, and you will have to swim home from Cuba.

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Rheims (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 2 (2 carried over)
Units Available: None

The fortunes of war have turned against you. The defeat at the Flemish Crossroads has cost you most of your army and Wolfgang Hummel control the road north. To make matter worse, your loyal city of Rheims is now under siege by powerful French armies, who also block the roads south. To top it all off, your mother, Heidindrudis, died during the winter. The only good thing this year is that you are still alive. If you want to stay that way, you had best assemble another army as fast as possible.

*(A) Move your men cross-country to avoid the French. This will limit your range and you will only be able to reach Metz this year.
(B) Abandon your army and move to Staufen.
(C) Attack the French besieging Rheims. They are prepared for you and a night attack is not possible.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Caen, Bruges (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 8 (0 carried over, 1 base from Caen, 3 base from Bruge, 1 bonus from Bruges for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Bruges, 2 plunder from battle)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit.
Units Available: Town Militia, Ballista, Mercenary Flemish Pikemen

You have defeated Athalwolf von Salza and lifted the Danish siege of Bruges. Your small Principality remains more secure than most parts of the Reich this year. However, you are but one man and there is far too much territory for you to hold on your own. The French are already readying for another assault on Caen. To the south, Rheims is besieged by massive French forces. To the east, Antwerp is held by a strong garrison. You have secured your lands, but you are surrounded and without allies.

*(A) Garrison Bruges
(B) Return to Caen and hold it against the French.
(C) Attack the French besieging Rheims.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin, Frankfurt, Magdeburg, Breslau (Plague reduces base income to 1)
Personal Wealth: 9 (0 carried over, 1 base from Stettin, 3 base from Frankfurt, 1 base from Breslau, 1 bonus for starting in Frankfurt, 1 plunder from battle, 2 gift from Edmund Becker)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Town Militia, Spear Militia, Crossbow Militia, Teutonic Knights

You have saved Frankfurt from the Danish probing attack, but Franconia remains beset by enemies. Stettin is totally undefended and will fall soon unless an army marches to its aid. Dieter Bresch holds Magdeburg with an army that is finally growing powerful, but he is under siege by similarly powerful Polish forces. He could almost certainly defeat an assault, but may well lose if he tries to sally forth. Breslau was temporarily saved by Edmund Becker, but his army of militia suffered heavy losses and another Polish army now besieges the city. If you leave Frankfurth, Danish armies could take it as well. How will you defend your Duchy when there are so many cities in need of protection?

*(A) Garrison Frankfurt and hold it against the Danish.
(B) March to the relief of Breslau.
(C) March to the relief of Magdeburg. (No night attacks permitted)

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin (trade route cut)
Personal Wealth: 25 (0 carried over, 25 from the sack of Stockholm)
Special Ability 1: For the rest of the cataclysm, Stettin will pay you 2 wealth per turn and your Duke 2 wealth per turn, but only when you start your turn in the province. If you start the turn outside the province, you will get 0 wealth and your Duke will get 1 wealth.
Special Ability 2: For the rest of the cataclysm, small groups of mercenaries will join your army for free at irregular intervals. In addition, you can hire any mercenary unit available in Europe, even if they are not available in your current territory. All mercenary recruitment costs are 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. However, the mercenaries require a large amount of wealth to sustain them. Beginning in 1330, you will have to pay 1 wealth per 3 mercenary units per turn (rounded up, to a maximum of 6) to keep them from deserting.
Units Available: Any European Mercenary Unit

You recruited two regiments of Free Company Longbowmen and then made a forced march to attack Stockholm before the Danish were able to shift forces to defend it. You were successful and found the city without a garrison and with Prince Godfred trapped inside. You tried to capture him, but he fought like a lion and was eventually killed by a bodkin arrow. Still, the loss of his ransom is a relatively minor thing. You set your army loose on the wealthy city in a sack so savage that it will surely be remembered for centuries. The brutal mercenaries spared no one in their ravages. Countless men, women, and children were tortured, raped, and killed. No structure, not even the churches, was free from plundering. The once vibrant city is now a cesspit of death and disease. The few survivors will have difficulty even finding shelter to protect them from the elements. You have truly become a despicable person, but that has its own benefits. Mercenaries worship you as the second coming of King Midas and even the most loyal Imperial cities would hesitate to oppose you, should you demand anything of them. Fear is your weapon now.

The brutal sack of Stockholm has not gone unnoticed, however. The Danish people are outraged as they have never been before. The Danish King has sworn to have your head placed on a pike at the gates of Arhus. If you stay in Danish territory and continue raiding, you will have a serious fight on your hands. Even if you leave and raid other places, the Danish will surely send armies to follow you.

*(A) Sail south to Stettin. You will have to build more ships to transport your larger army and your new wealth. This will cost you 5 wealth.
(B) Sail east to Helsinki. You will have to build more ships to transport your larger army and your new wealth. This will cost you 5 wealth.
(C) Sail east to Riga. You will have to build more ships to transport your larger army and your new wealth. This will cost you 5 wealth.
(D) March west towards Oslo. You will have to fight some Danish armies along the way.
(E) March west towards Arhus. You will have to fight many Danish armies along the way.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 from Magdeburg for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Magdeburg)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You remained in Magdeburg and continued building up your army. You recruited 3 regiments of Feudal Knights, two of them dismounted and the third mounted. Combined with your previous recruits and the survivor’s from Duke Ansehelm’s army, you now have a strong force under your command. Just in time, too. The Poles have penetrated deep into Franconia and laid siege to your citadel. There are two massive armies encamped outside the walls. They are prepared for counterattacks and cannot be surprised with a night attack.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee out of a secret escape passage.
(B) Hold the walls of Magdeburg
(C) Sally forth against the Polish armies. (No night attacks permitted)

Jan von Hamburg:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over due to 2 wealth being dispatched to Hans)
Units Available: None

You petitioned the (now deceased) Pope for aid in leaving Outremer. You eventually were able to buy passage to the Reich at the cost of the Crown of Thorns. You have left Outremer and your title of King behind you and returned to the homelands. You now stand on the shore, north of Venice. Though you are a German by blood, this land is new to you and you suspect that your arrival will not be well-received by some of the Electors. You had best begin doing what you came here for, and quickly.

Orders already received.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: None

You stand outside Budapest with your small army. The city itself is besieged by two powerful Hungarian armies. Alone, it is doubtful that you, Friedrich Karolinger, or Karl Zirn will be able to beat them. If you worked together, though, you might be able to win.

*(A) Abandon Austria and march north towards Franconia. You can reach Prague this year.
(B) Stand by the walls of Budapest and march to Friedrich Karolinger’s aid should the Hungarians assault it.
(C) Attack the Hungarian armies. (No night attacks permitted)

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa, Venice, Zagreb, Vienna, Budapest (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 14 (1 carried over, 1 base from Ragusa, 3 base from Venice, 2 base from Zagreb, 3 base from Vienna, 1 bonus from starting in Ragusa, 2 plunder from battles, -1 from gambling, 2 gift from Edmund Becker)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available:

With the relief of Ragusa and Venice and the end of the exploitations of the merchants of Prague, Austria is once again profitable. You have personally beaten off a massive Venetian invasion force and secured the southern border of your Duchy. However, it has cost the lives of many Austrian soldiers and the Venetians will not give you much time to recover. Already your scouts report that they are massing for another attack. Hungary is once again pressing on Budapest and, even worse, they have sent an expeditionary force on a march through the undefended lands between Budapest and Ragusa. If they are not stopped will assault Zagreb and ravage the Austrian interior. You recruited two regiments of DIKs last year and this years wealth will allow you to rebuild your army to near full-strength. What will you do with your force?

*(A) Move north to Zagreb.
(B) Garrison Ragusa and hold it against the Venetians.
(C) Attack the Venetian army in the mountain pass to the east, then return to Ragusa.

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb
Personal Wealth: 4 (2 carried over, 1 base from Zagreb, 1 plunder from battle)
Units Available: None

You thinned out the Hungarian invasion force, but the remaining men have besieged Budapest. They are prepared for a night attack and cannot be caught off guard. Friedrich Karolinger is trapped in the city and Tancred von Tyrolia stands nearby with his men. Combined, the three of you might have a chance at breaking the Hungarian siege, but it would cost you dearly. Further Hungarian forces have been reported to the east, and there is even a report that an army is marching across the undefended border to the south directly towards your County of Zagreb.

*(A) Retreat to Zagreb
(B) Attack the Hungarian armies besieging Budapest. (No night attacks permitted)
(C) Stand by the walls of Budapest and march to Friedrich Karolinger’s aid should the Hungarians assault it.

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 5 (0 carried over due to 6 dispersed to Dukes, 3 base from Prague, 1 bonus from Prague for Rebel Capital, 1 plunder from battle)
Units Available: None

You gave 2 wealth each to Duke Lothar, Duke Arnold, and Duke Peter, in compensation for the excesses of your merchants last year. Before leaving Prague last year, you invested your wealth in the construction of Ballista Towers for the city walls. Your continued generosity has surprised them and they love you dearly. Though they people have exhausted their ability to supply you with volunteer militia, they decided to show their gratitude by turning out en-masse to aid in the construction of the Ballista Towers. As a result, this construction is already complete, several years ahead of time.

You then hired a regiment of mercenary spearmen and marched north to defend Breslau from the Poles. You were victorious, but your militia army was heavily ravaged by the professional Polish soldiers. Unless you gather reinforcements, your next battle may well be a defeat. To make matters worse, you appear to have only delayed Breslau’s fate. The Polish have laid siege to the city and will surely take it next year unless they are stopped.

*(A) Return to Prague and recruit new units to replenish your army. (It would be wise to ‘buy’ new units of professional soldiers from an Elector capable of supplying you with them.)
(B) Attack the Polish army besieging Breslau
(C)Stand by the walls of Breslau and march to its aid should the Poles assault it.
(MISC) In addition to the above, tell your merchants to continue stockpiling resources from surrounding lands.

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Budapest (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 1 (1 carried over)
Special Ability: You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. If you start your turn inside a province you control, you will gain +2 instead of the normal +1.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

You sent your newly hired Serpentines to Karl Zirn for use in the defense of Budapest. You then recruited a unit of Spear Militia and placed them in a fort north of Vienna. This will stop the merchants of Prague from stealing any more wealth from Austrian lands. You are now relatively poor and have no army to speak of, though the garrison of Vienna will follow you if you ask them to. You are also cut off from Budapest by the Hungarian siege. What role will you play in the years ahead?

*(A) Remain in Vienna.
(B) Move west to Innsbruck to recruit professional soldiers. This can only be done with Lothar Steffen’s permission. You will also need money.
(C) Take most of the garrison of Vienna and march to Budapest.
(D) Take most of the garrison of Vienna and march to Zagreb.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan, Genoa, Innsbruck, Nuremburg
Personal Wealth: 15 (0 carried over, 3 base from Milan, 2 base from Genoa, 3 base from Nuremburg, 2 plunder from battles, 1 base from Innsbruch due to loyal Count being cut off from trade, 1 bonus from Deep Pockets, 2 gift from Edmund Becker)
Special Ability: Deep Pockets means that you produce +1 wealth per turn, no matter where you are or what your circumstances.
Units Available:

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Genoa
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 base from Genoa, 1 bonus from starting in Genoa)
Special Ability: Every year that you remain on Corsica, a unit of Peasants will join your army for free. Every year, you may ‘train’ one unit of Peasants (or a unit that was at one point previously Peasants) to a higher level. Peasants can be trained to become Peasant Archers, Peasant Crossbowmen, or Sergeant Spearmen for free, or Mounted Sergeants for 1 wealth. Peasant Crossbowmen can be trained to become Pavise Crossbowmen for 1 wealth. Sergeant Spearmen can be trained to become Armoured Spearmen for 1 wealth. Mounted Sergeants can be trained to become Mailed Knights for 2 wealth.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Cavalry Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Ballistae, Mercenary Spearmen, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

You upgraded your Peasants to Peasant Crossbowmen, recruited a regiment each of Pavise Crossbowmen and Feudal Knights, and then abandoned Ajaccio. You now have the strongest army in all of Bavaria and one of the strongest in the entire Reich. Duke Lothar Steffen has also compensated you for the loss of your island. For your loyal service, he has named you Count of Genoa, allowing you to draw income from its lands and people. How will you defend your Duchy?

*(A) Retreat north to Innsbruck
(B) Garrison Genoa and hold it against the Byzantines.
(C) Hold the middle bridge over the River Po.
(D) Hold the western bridge over the River Po.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (trade route blocked)
Personal Wealth: 3 (0 carried over, 3 plunder from battle)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

You have smashed the Byzantines armies and returned once again to the Iron Bridge. This strategy has served you well in the past years, but it has always depended on your flanks being held by friendly forces. With the departure of Kaiser Elberhard and Dieter von Kassel growing closer, you would be wise to come up with a new strategy. If you remain on the Iron Bridge after they leave Outremer, you will easily be flanked and attacked from both sides simultaneously, resulting in certain defeat. Fortunately, your public speeches have been positively received by the Christian holy warriors. Those who truly fight in the name of Christ, rather than the Reich, will likely remain with you in Outremer when the rest depart.

*(A) Retreat to Antioch to aid in the construction of the evacuation fleet. When it sails, they will drop you and your army off on Cyprus, in the hope that you can take Nicosia and secure it as the Reich’s bastion in the East.
(B) Hold the Iron Bridge.
(C) Attack Adana.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck (trade route cut)
Personal Wealth: 4 (4 carried over)
Units Available: Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Catapults, Ballistae

You are trapped inside Budapest by the besieging Polish armies. You command the city garrison and the battered remnants of several professional regiments that have seen better days. If you do not receive aid, it is unlikely that you will be able to repulse the eventual Hungarian assault.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee through a secret escape tunnel. You will arrive in Innsbruck.
(B) Hold the walls of Budapest.
(C) Sally forth against the Hungarian armies. (No night attacks permitted)

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Acre
Personal Wealth: 8 (4 carried over, 1 from Acre for loyal Count, 1 plunder from battle, 2 gift from the new Pope)
Units Available: Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

For giving him the Papal Throne, Pope Renaldus has shown his gratitude by giving you 2 wealth. The evacuation fleet will be ready to set sail at the beginning of 1332, so it would be best if every man who is embarking is in or near Antioch by the end of 1330. Anyone who is no close by will be left behind. Therefore, this may be the last year you have to conduct free operations in Outremer. What will you do with the time left to you?

*(A) Move to Antioch and begin assembling men for the journey.
(B) Return to Acre and garrison the city.
(C) Attack Damascus
11-12-2007, 01:19
TinCow

Turn 6 - 1330

Choices are due by 8pm EST, Tuesday, November 13th.

Save Game File

1330 AD: The War of Reformation

The simmering religious conflict between the Catholics and Lutherans has finally boiled over. The Peace of Augsburg, signed in 1319, saw a temporary period of peaceful coexistence spread over the divided Christian sects. However, the religious undertones to the Swabian Civil War began to eat away at this fragile harmony. From the very beginning, Duke Hans had used his status as a pious Crusader to recruit Catholics into his armies. His sworn support for the Papacy and his hostile statements about the Lutherans made it clear that religious freedom would not be tolerated in Duke Hans’ Swabia.

The entry of Dietrich von Dassel into the war only made matters worse. With Alexander Luther at his side and the blood of a Pope on his hands, Dietrich was simultaneously the savior of all radical Lutherans and the Devil to most Catholics. The open warfare between these two men, though political in truth, soon took on the façade of a direct confrontation between Catholicism and Lutheranism. With their brothers in faith being butchered on the fields of battle, the malice of this conflict began to seep into every community throughout the Reich. The fabric of orderly society first tore open at Donauwörth in 1327. Rioting between Catholics and Lutherans resulted in ordinary civilians assaulting their neighbors and destroying property. Word of this open violence spread quickly throughout the Reich. For the Lutherans, the event was proof that the Catholics would violate the Peace of Augsburg whenever it pleased them, while for the Catholics it was evidence that Lutherans were determined to subjugate all Germans to their religious beliefs through force of arms.

The last vestiges of peace were placed on the pyre by Jan von Hamburg, the former King of Outremer, on his return to the Reich in 1328. Immediately upon landing, he declared his support for Duke Hans and rode quickly to Bern to aid him. This in itself was nothing remarkable, but he simultaneously put out a general call to arms to all Catholics within the Reich to rise up and confront the Lutherans. As such a prominent Catholic and famous Crusader, his words swayed many, many people and soon an army of Catholics began marching towards Bern. Faced with an entire Catholic community assembling in arms to do battle against them, the Lutherans responded in kind and swarmed to the aid of Dietrich von Dassel. This open call to arms against Catholics and Lutherans in Swabia spread like wildfire throughout the entire Reich. In every city, town, village, citadel, and castle, small gangs began to attack each other in the streets. With each life taken, ten more took up arms. Soon the gangs merged into large mobs. Soon the mobs merged into armies.

All across the Reich, the War of Reformation has begun. Catholics and Lutherans slaughter each other mercilessly in an attempt to cleanse the other from the face of the earth. This is a war of commoners, not nobles. It is a war of faith, not politics. It is dirty, brutal, and cruel beyond anything the nobility could have ever imagined. If it is not halted quickly, it will tear the Reich to pieces.

The War of Reformation Rules:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

1) In 1330 AD, there will be no base income from any settlements, each settlement will lose one building due to rioting and warfare within the settlement, and each settlement will lose 20% of its population as a result of the brutal massacres.
2) In 1330 AD, full-stack rebel armies will appear in every province throughout the Reich. These armies are a representation of the general warfare going on amongst the Catholic and Lutheran populations. They are not “Catholic” or “Lutheran” in any sense. They cannot be bought off, charmed away, or disposed of in any other indirect fashion. They only way to get rid of them is to destroy them in combat.
3) Every turn after 1330 AD that a rebel army starts the year in a province, that province’s settlement will produce no base income, will lose one building per rebel army, and will lose 10% of its remaining population per rebel army.
4) In order to pacify a province, all rebel armies inside its borders must be defeated. Only one rebel army can be destroyed per Elector per year, due to the excessive amount of time it takes to put down a religious war.
5) Every turn that a ‘pacified’ province starts without an Elector within its borders, there will be a 50% chance of a rebel army appearing within it, representing a fresh outbreak of violence. This percentage may go up or down in various provinces depending on events and choices.
6) Actions by Electors that encourage violence between Catholics and Lutherans in any way will have a chance of spawning new rebel armies inside that Elector’s province and in adjacent provinces, even if a rebel army already exists in those provinces. (Don’t feed the fire!)
7) For the purposes of Rule 1 and Rule 3, buildings will be picked at random using a 20-sided die. The buildings will be numbered from left to right and top to bottom, as they appear on the city screen in-game (i.e. City walls and castle fortifications will always be #1). The die will be rolled and the building that corresponds to the number rolled will be destroyed. If the number corresponds to a non-destructible building or an empty slot, the die will be re-rolled.
8) The War of Reformation does not apply to Outremer.

War of Reformation Status in 1330:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Provinces Suffering Religious Warfare (City, Rebel Stack Name(s), Population Killed, Building Destroyed):
Ragusa – Captain Qilich, 3000, Catapult Maker
Zagreb – Captain Harkany, 3500, Church
Vienna – Captain Aleksei, 6500, Alchemist’s Lab
Budapest – (None Placed), 4000 , Theologians’ Guild Headquarters
Prague – Captain Nabih, 4500, Thieves Guild
Venice – Captain al Mahdi, 6500, Mayor’s Palace
Genoa – Captain Rassul, 5500, Merchants Guild
Milan – (None Placed), 6500, Ballista Maker
Innsbruck – Captain Ludwig, 2500, Gunsmith
Nuremburg – Captain Hugo, 7000, Mayor’s Palace
Bern – Bernhard Ruppel, 5000, Alchemist’s Lab
Staufen – Captain Jean, 3200, Tourney Field
Metz – Captain Qassim, 4500, Town Guard
Bruges – Captain Basil, 4000, Town Hall
Antwerp – Captain Francois, 5000, Dockyard
Rheims – (None Placed), 5500, Fairground
Caen – (None Placed), 2600, Siege Works
Frankfurt – Captain Romaso, 5500, Blacksmith
Magdeburg – (None Placed), 2500, Tourney Field
Stettin – Captain Mehmed, 2500, Inn
Total 1330 Deaths: 89,800
Total Cumulative Deaths: 89,800

Note: If you want to pacify a province with (None Placed) please let me know and I will spawn a non-rebel enemy army for you to attack.

Provinces Pacified:
None

In foreign affairs, Poland, Portugal, Sicily, and France are excommunicated. However, Denmark is not. The Pope has demanded that we cease attacking the Danes or face a large drop in relations. Combined with his displeasure at the destruction of the Church in Zagreb, a new attack on Denmark may even risk excommunication.

Outremer appears to be secure and stable for the first time in many years. Dieter von Kassel took Damascus and donated to the Reich’s allies, England. With Aleppo and Damascus held by England and Acre protected by a friendly Pope, the only avenue of attack into the Reich’s lands is across the Iron Bridge. That will be a difficult line to breach.

Franconia is in crisis. The Poles assaulted and took Breslau, disregarding the plague ravaging the city. Should their armies take other cities, the plague will now surely spread. Magdeburg remains under siege and now the Danes have sent an army to support the two armies the Poles have sent against the citadel. It is not position to support an assault, but it will be available to support the Poles should the besieging army be attacked by a sally. The Danes have also moved against Stettin. Fritz von Kastilien stands nearby with his moderate mercenary force. He does, however, have a great deal of money and he could easily recruit a much larger force almost instantly. Peter von Kastilien remain in Frankfurt which is now the only Franconian city that is free of enemy siege and occupation. However, two and a half Danish armies are bearing down upon it. These are dark times in Franconia.

In Bavaria, the Byzantines have poured across the eastern bridge and spread out across the Italian plain. Milan is under siege by an inconceivably large army, and major armies are only a few days march from beginning similar sieges of Genoa and Venice. However, Fredericus Erlach stands at the head of a powerful army and Friedrich Karolonger has escaped Budapest and returned to Innsbruck. For the first time, Bavaria has three generals to defend her lands.

Swabia remains a city on the brink of disaster. The French have continued their siege of Rheims, refusing to assault just yet. However, Caen is now encircled and another army is marching north towards Bruges. This is all a side-show, however, as the entire Reich hold’s its breath to see what happens outside Bruges. It is there that the War of Reformation began and it has become the focal point of the conflict. Jan von Hamburg arrived in Duke Hans’ camp after a long ride. He found a massive Catholic army waiting for him there. However, the Lutherans were not about to let their leading men, Alexander Luther and Dietrich von Dassel, be attacked by Catholics without putting up a struggle. A similarly massive Lutheran army has assembled outside the city to aid the defenders.

In Austria, Duke Arnold has held Ragusa well. The massive Venetian casualties he has inflicted over the past several years are finally having a major impact. They will likely not be able to launch another major assault for several years. However, the Hungarians have achieved a breakthrough at Budapest. The allied generals have fled and dispersed in the face of their strength. Tancred von Tyrolia has marched north towards Franconia. Friedrich Karolinger has fled to Bavaria. Lorenz Zirn remains in Vienna, but he has nothing available to him but the city garrison. Karl Zirn is outside Zagreb with a strong army, including some survivors from Budapest who managed to escape with Friedrich Karolinger.

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch, Acre
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over due to 5 dispatched to Hans, no income from provinces due to fleet building expenses, 2 plunder from battle)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

The Evacuation Fleet will be ready to sail at the beginning of 1332. Every man who wishes to leave Outremer must be in Antioch by the end of the year.

*(A) Move to Antioch. If you do nothing else, you can ride to Acre and bring back any garrison there to Antioch in time to sail.
(B) Attack the Byzantine army north of the Iron Bridge, then move to Antioch

Hans:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Staufen (religious warfare), Rheims (religious warfare and besieged), Metz (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 8 (2 carried over, no income due to religious warfare, 2 wealth arrived from Jan von Hamburg, 4 wealth arrived from Elberhard) NOTE: Elberhard has dispatched money to you multiple times. As a result, you will receive 4 wealth at the END of this turn and 5 additional wealth at the END of 1332. “END” means that you cannot spend the money on the turn it arrives until all other actions that turn are completed (including battles) and you can only spend it on things which are available to you in the location where you end your turn, rather than where you start it.
Special Ability: You are miserly and a total cheapskate: all military recruitment costs 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1.
Units Available: None

You have spent the year building siege engines to assault Bern. At the same time, you have overseen a coordinated program designed to rally Catholic support and suppress Lutheranism in the province. You spent 2 wealth to accomplish this. You then rode around the nearby villages and towns to gain support from local lords and populace to liberate Bern. You left alone any commoners who refused, but you threatened the local lords with the loss of their titles and lands if they refused. They are very unhappy about this, but you have an army and they do not. They have produced a regiment of Dismounted Feudal Knights to remain in your good graces. Your actions have also fueled the fires of the religious conflict and helped ignite the open warfare that now exists in every corner of the Reich. Even your secured provinces of Staufen and Metz are suffering greatly. If you do not defeat Dietrich von Dassel immediately, the ravages of religious warfare will quickly destroy your entire base of support.

*(A) Move to Staufen and pacify the province.
(B) Move the Metz and pacify the province.
(C) Assault Bern. If you win, you can still pacify one province afterwards. (I cannot guarantee survival as it is a PvP battle.)

Dietrich von Dassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bern (Rebel Capital) (religious warfare and besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 6 (4 carried over, 1 bonus from Bern for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Bern)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia

You spent your time further preparing Bern for Hans’ assault. You disbanded the two regiments of town militia and recruited two regiments of Forlorn Hope in their place. Jan von Hamburg now sits outside your walls with a large army of Catholics. They are mostly poorly trained levies, but they have effectively doubled the size of Hans’ besieging force. The Lutherans have not forgotten you, however. They have assembled an army of their own that can match Jan von Hamburg’s in open battle. It is cut off from the city for the moment by the siege, but you can communicate basic commands back and forth via smoke signals. If the besieging armies turn and attack it, you will know and be able to sally into their rear. If the besieging armies attack Bern, the Lutherans will know and come to your aid. Unless Hans and Jan withdraw, there will be a battle of four armies this year.

*(A) Hold the walls and wait for the assault. (I cannot guarantee survival as it is a PvP battle.)
(B) Sally forth. (I cannot guarantee survival as it is a PvP battle.)
Note: If the battle occurs and you are victorious, or if Hans and Jan withdraw, you can also pacify Bern this turn.

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Rheims (religious warfare and besieged)
Personal Wealth: 2 (2 carried over)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Spearmen, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen.

You have made it safely back to Staufen with the remnants of your army. However, the province is upset by religious warfare. You should do what you can to pacify the province before it wrecks the productivity of Hans’ loyal settlements. Perhaps you can convince your Duke to lend you money to recruit infantry to aid you in this matter.

*(A) Remain inside Staufen and do nothing.
(B) Pacify Staufen. It would be good to find some way to recruit some infantry before you do this.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Caen (religious warfare and besieged), Bruges (Rebel Capital) (religious warfare), Antwerp (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 15 (0 carried over, 15 from sack of Antwerp, -1 to pay for wealth shortfall from recruitment last turn, 1 bonus for starting in Antwerp)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. You may not hire any units from Antwerp other than those listed in this Special Ability.
Units Available:

You attacked Antwerp and brutally sacked the Danish quarters of the city, leaving the Flemish quarters alone. However, the Danes had controlled the city for many, many years and as a result the Danish quarters encompassed most of the population. The level of destruction is vast indeed. You are wealthy and the Flemish in Antwerp will now support you as their brethren in Bruges do. However, the majority of the population is Danish and hate you with a passion. They will never serve under your command, even if you pay for it. (See modifications to Special Ability) You also hired 2 regiments of Hand Gunners and 1 regiment of Arquebusiers.

*(A) Remain in Antwerp and do nothing.
(B) Pacify Bruges.
(C) Pacify Antwerp.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin (religious warfare and besieged), Frankfurt (religious warfare), Magdeburg (religious warfare and besieged)
Personal Wealth: 8 (7 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Frankfurt)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Town Militia, Spear Militia, Crossbow Militia, Teutonic Knights

Franconia is in a very, very serious situation. Almost nothing has been done to stop the tide of invading armies since Duke Ansehelm died. The Danes are now marching on Frankfurt and will eventually besiege the city again. Religious warfare tears every province apart and adds to your woes. You had best begin to fight back vigorously, or the entire Duchy may cease to exist.

*(A) Flee to Nuremburg with your small army.
(B) Pacify Frankfurt and hold the walls against the Danes. At the same time, make a passionate appeal to all Franconians, high and low-born alike. Explain to them the plight of your Duchy and ask for aid to protect their own lands and families. This will likely result in a moderate-sized volunteer levy.

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin (religious warfare and besieged)
Personal Wealth: 22 (25 carried over – since you did not recruit more mercs like I expected, I did not impose the extra 5 wealth cost for sailing to Stettin, -4 upkeep for 11 merc units, 1 bonus for starting in Stettin)
Special Ability 1: For the rest of the cataclysm, Stettin will pay you 2 wealth per turn and your Duke 2 wealth per turn, but only when you start your turn in the province. If you start the turn outside the province, you will get 0 wealth and your Duke will get 1 wealth.
Special Ability 2: For the rest of the cataclysm, small groups of mercenaries will join your army for free at irregular intervals. In addition, you can hire any mercenary unit available in Europe, even if they are not available in your current territory. All mercenary recruitment costs are 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. However, the mercenaries require a large amount of wealth to sustain them. Beginning in 1330, you will have to pay 1 wealth per 3 mercenary units per turn (rounded up, to a maximum of 6) to keep them from deserting.
Units Available: Any European Mercenary Unit

You have arrived back at Stettin, only to find the city besieged by the Danes and religious warfare tearing the people apart. You have a strong army and can hire immense numbers of mercenaries. Your Duchy needs you desperately. If you do not march to aid one of her beleaguered cities, you may find yourself without a House.

*(A) Retreat south towards Prague
(B) Attack the Danish army besieging Stettin. It would be wise to hire mercenaries first, before you attack. If you are victorious, you can then pacify the province.
(C) March to the aid of Magdeburg. You can pacify the province and then sit outside the walls of the citadel, so that you can aid Dieter Bresch when the Poles assault it.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg (religious warfare and besieged)
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Magdeburg)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

Events have not improved for you. The Poles still sit outside your walls and now the Danish have sent a medium-sized army to aid them. It will not assist in the assault, but may help them if you decide to sally. The Poles will surely attack the walls soon, though, so it is largely a moot point. Fritz von Kastilien has returned to Franconia after his plundering expedition. Perhaps you can convince him to ride to your aid.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee out of a secret escape passage.
(B) Hold the walls of Magdeburg
(C) Sally forth against the Polish armies. (No night attacks permitted)

Jan von Hamburg:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: None

You have your army of Catholics and you stand ready to aid Duke Hans in his assault and Dietrich von Dassel. However, your actions have started the War of Reformation. Whatever your final judgment turns out to be, the history books will certainly have to devote a lengthy chapter to your exploits.

*(A) Fight at Bern with Hans. (I cannot guarantee survival as it is a PvP battle.) If you win, you can pacify either Bern or Staufen.
(B) Pacify Bern, but do not participate in the Battle of Bern.
(C) Pacify Staufen.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

You are near Prague. Your Duchy needs you desperately, but the Poles also appear to be marching on Prague. Your aid will be greatly appreciated, no matter where you go.

*(A) Retreat to Nuremburg
(B) March to the aid of Magdeburg. You can sit outside the walls of the citadel, so that you can aid Dieter Bresch when the Poles assault it.
(C) Remain at Prague and aid it if the Poles attack.

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa (religious warfare), Venice (religious warfare), Zagreb (religious warfare), Vienna (religious warfare), Budapest (religious warfare and besieged)
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Ragusa, 1 from gambling)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

Ragusa is safe for now. The Venetians still have many men near Durazzo, but they have not moved north towards Ragusa this year and it is possible that they may not do so next year either. You have exhausted their resources, at least for a little while. Like the rest of the Reich, your Duchy is in crisis due to the War of Reformation.

*(A) Remain in Ragusa and do nothing.
(B) Pacify Ragusa

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 5 (4 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Zagreb)
Units Available: Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Ballista

You have escaped from Budapest with your army intact. A few survivors from the garrison managed to sneak out with Friedrich Karolinger and have joined you. You have the strongest army in Austria, but the Duchy is in crisis and the Hungarian invasion continues. How will you defend your lands?

*(A) Remain in Zagreb and do nothing.
(B) Pacify Zagreb
(C) Pacify Vienna
(D) Pacify Venice

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (Rebel Capital) (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 3 (1 carried over, 1 bonus from Prague for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Prague)
Units Available:

You returned to Prague and recruited 2 crossbow militia to aid in the defense of the city. Your people are pleased to see you, but religious warfare is tearing the province apart. In addition, the Poles have finished with Breslau and appear to be preparing for a march on your once peaceful province. Tancred von Tyrolia has left the defense of Austria and is headed north towards Franconia. He is outside Prague at the beginning of this year.

*(A) Remain in Prague and do nothing
(B) Pacify Prague

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Budapest (religious warfare and under siege)
Personal Wealth: 1 (1 carried over)
Special Ability: You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. If you start your turn inside a province you control, you will gain +2 instead of the normal +1.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

You took most of the garrison of Vienna and moved north to the fort guarding the border between Prague and Austria. There you sit, doing nothing useful at all. Austria is in crisis, but you have too small an army to do anything worthwhile. You can either leave your fate in the hands of others, or take drastic actions and become a force of your own. Vienna is a wealthy city and the central trade hub for all of Austria. Even in poor times such as these, her merchants are wealthy indeed. Wealth that you could seize for the ‘good’ of Austria, if you so chose.

*(A) Sit in your fort and do nothing.
(B) Seize the assets of all Merchants in Vienna for yourself. Will result in the destruction of the Great Market, Merchants’ Guild, and Merchant Bank and will yield 20 wealth. You could then use this wealth to recruit an army in Vienna itself, or in nearby Innsbruck with Duke Lothar’s permission. If you remain in Vienna, you can also pacify the province after you recruit men.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (religious warfare and under siege), Genoa (religious warfare), Innsbruck (religious warfare), Nuremburg (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Innsbruck, 1 bonus from Deep Pockets)
Special Ability: Deep Pockets means that you produce +1 wealth per turn, no matter where you are or what your circumstances.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Genoa (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 1 (1 carried over)
Special Ability: Every year that you remain on Corsica, a unit of Peasants will join your army for free. Every year, you may ‘train’ one unit of Peasants (or a unit that was at one point previously Peasants) to a higher level. Peasants can be trained to become Peasant Archers, Peasant Crossbowmen, or Sergeant Spearmen for free, or Mounted Sergeants for 1 wealth. Peasant Crossbowmen can be trained to become Pavise Crossbowmen for 1 wealth. Sergeant Spearmen can be trained to become Armoured Spearmen for 1 wealth. Mounted Sergeants can be trained to become Mailed Knights for 2 wealth.
Units Available: Mercenary Spearmen, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

Your strong army and the defensive advantages of the bridge made the Byzantines wary of attacking you. However, they flooded across the now unguarded eastern bridge and dispersed in all directions. Milan is under siege by an incredibly formidable Byzantine army, and full sized Byzantine armies are within a few days march of both Genoa and Venice. Where will you strike?

Note: I took the liberty of upgrading one of your Peasant Crossbowmen to Pavise Crossbowmen at the cost of 1 wealth, since this seemed sensible. If you would prefer to have that 1 wealth back, let me know and I will change the unit back to Peasant Crossbowmen. The only remaining upgrade you can make is the last Peasant Crossbowmen unit to another Pavise Crossbowmen for 1 wealth. When that is done, your special ability will disappear since it will be useless.

*(A) Retreat north to Innsbruck
(B) Attack the Byzantine Army besieging Milan, then pacify the province. If you let the AI control the Milanese garrison, it will come in as reinforcements. Otherwise, your army will be too large and it will remain off-screen.
(C) Pacify Genoa and garrison the city.
(D) Attack the Byzantine army near Genoa, then pacify the province.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (trade route blocked, religious warfare, and besieged – you’re lucky I’m still even listing it!)
Personal Wealth: 3 (3 carried over)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

Amazingly, Outremer now appears to be the most secure place in the entire Reich. You are certain that the enemies will resume their assaults eventually, but unless they cross allied lands, the only route into the Kingdom is via the Iron Bridge, which you still hold. The real test will begin when Elberhard departs and you are left alone without anyone to aid you.

You enquired about who it was that purchased the Crown of Thorns from Jan von Hamburg. The answer was quick in coming, as Pope Renaldus was seen to be wearing it in a holy mass in Jerusalem only a few weeks after his coronation. It seems Jan von Hamburg bought passage on a Papal fleet, after making a deal with the late Pope Lanbertus. Apparently excommunication was no bar to a mutually beneficial deal. There are rumors that Pope Lanbertus even supported Jan von Hamburg’s mission against Dietrich von Dassel and the Lutherans. However, any further support the Pope would have given the former King of Outremer evaporated with Lanbertus’ death. Pope Renaldus is simply another puppet of the Holy Roman Empire and he will not interfere in its domestic politics unless he is told to at sword point or receives a suitably impressive ‘donation’ to the Church’s coffers. Soon you will be King of Outremer, Elberhard will be gone, and there will be no one to question your actions in Outremer. Once you have a strong army behind you, who knows what you could accomplish…

*(A) Hold the Iron Bridge
(B) Move south to Acre
(MISC) Pope Renaldus is willing to part with the Crown of Thorns, but it is a very sacred relic and worth far more than the Holy Chalice that you offered. He will require all 3 of your wealth, plus the Holy Chalice and the Seal of Solomon.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 5 (4 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Innsbruck)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

You are finally back in Bavaria, and your home County of Innsbruck, to boot. However, you have arrived without an army and the Duchy is being torn apart by Byzantines and the War of Reformation. You have a small amount of wealth and hopefully more will begin to flow in if the provinces can be pacified.

*(A) Remain in Innsbruck and do nothing.
(B) Coordinate your movements with Lothar Steffen

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Acre
Personal Wealth: 11 (0 carried over, 1 from Acre for loyal Count, 10 from the sack of Damascus)
Units Available: Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

You recruited a unit of Grant Bombards, a unit of Armored Sergeants in Acre, and a unit of Spear Militia in Antioch. The Evacuation Fleet will be ready to sail at the beginning of 1332. Every man who wishes to leave Outremer must be in Antioch by the end of the year.

*(A) Move to Antioch
(B) Move to Antioch
(C) Move to Antioch
11-20-2007, 01:45
TinCow

Turn 7 - 1332

Choices are due by 8pm EST, Wednesday, November 21st. This is a HARD DEADLINE for any players who wish to fight battles in 1332, but more of a soft deadline for everyone else. I will be out of town for Thanksgiving from Nov. 22nd (Thurs) until Nov. 2th (Sun). As a result, I must be have the orders by Wednesday night so I can make any changes necessary so that the battles can be fought while I am away.

Save Game File

1332 AD: Foreign Invasions

The combination of the mutually destructive Battle for Bern and immense pressures from foreign invaders have made this a very tough year for the Reich. If there is any bright news at all, it is simply that the attacks on the Reich are finally forcing some of the Electors to begin working together for a common cause.

In Outremer, the Great Fleet is finally complete and ready for departure. All that remains is for Kaiser Elberhard and Dieter von Kassel to board with their armies and begin the long journey back to the Reich. It will be a slow trip, and they will not arrive until 1328, but the fleet is very strong and they will easily see off any enemy or pirate fleets that are foolish enough to attack them. Matthias Steffen is determined to remain behind and his example has both inspired and shamed those soldiers in Elberhard’s and Dieter’s armies who fight in the name of God first, and the Reich second. They will remain behind with Matthias to the last man. Matthias’ authority as the leader of Outremer is growing as well. After negotiations, and friendly letters from Kaiser Elberhard and Dieter von Kassel on the matter, Pope Renaldus agreed to sell the Crown of Thorns to Matthias Steffen in exchange for the Holy Chalice and a moderate amount of wealth. The Pope is immensely displeased with the destruction of the Abbey in Bern, and he is very dissatisfied with the Reich, but so long as Matthias remains nearby with a powerful army, he will be pliant. Such is the nature of puppet Popes. Matthias will need such cooperation, for news of the departure of so much of Outremer’s military strength has not been lost on her enemies. Scouts report that the Byzantines are assembling again for a strong push and there are rumors that the Turks may even send their elite Janissaries in an attempt to seize the rich city of Antioch.

Franconia remains balanced on the edge of a knife. Stettin and Frankfurt were pacified, but Stettin soon fell to the Danish onslaught, making the pacification almost pointless. Frankfurt itself is now besieged once again by a strong Danish army and Duke Peter is trapped inside the city. He has a large army with him, but it is of mixed quality. One bright note is that Magdeburg survived the Polish assault and stands free of siege. However, there are no less than four enemy armies in the immediate vicinity. If they are not cleared out, the citadel will surely be under siege again soon. Next time, the enemy may bring artillery with them, and that would make the defense significantly harder.

Bavaria is under full scale assault by the Byzantines. Count Erlach attempted to whittle down the powerful Byzantine army besieging Milan, but the attack was a disaster. It resulted in the loss of a good portion of Count Erlach’s army and the entire garrison of Milan and barely scratched the enemy. Count Erlach then retreated to Genoa, where he was able to pacify the province, but another Byzantine army appeared and laid siege to the city, trapping him inside. Duke Lothar pacified Innsbruck and marched south, to engage the Byzantines outside Milan. He expected to find them heavily depleted by Count Erlach’s attack, but he was taken massively off-guard by the Bavarian defeat. In the confusion following the battle outside Milan, Duke Lothar managed to slip inside the city with his army. He now holds the walls, preventing it from falling, but he is massively outclassed by the Byzantines who will surely assault soon.

Swabia has been gutted by both the Battle of Bern and the French. The destruction of three full armies and the deaths of Duke Hans, his ally Jan von Hamburg, and the rebel Dietrich von Dassel have vastly reduced the strength of the Swabian defenses. In addition, none of the loyalists attempted to pacify the Swabian provinces, resulting in devastation across the board. Most worrisome is the loss of the Armoury in Staufen, which will prevent the recruitment of many professional infantry regiments. The French have not let up their assault on the Duchy, either. Caen and Rheims both fell to assaults and the invasion continues to push onwards with Bruges now under siege. That city has suffered doubly this year, as religious rioting has destroyed the City Watch, preventing the recruitment of militia even if the French siege were to be lifted. While Wolfgang Hummel’s pseudo-independent Principality has gained two new followers, it is doubtful whether these young men will be able to stem the tide that is surge towards them.

The loyalist survivors of the Battle of Bern have garrisoned the city for the time being. They make up a large army, but it is composed of a majority of low quality units since most of the survivors were from Jan von Hamburg’s Catholic volunteer army rather than Duke Hans’ professional force. They will follow any Swabian loyalist who comes to Bern. Otherwise, they will hold the city against the French. Also, all of Duke Hans’ wealth has been placed in the treasury in Bern. This currently amounts to 12, but two more deposits from Kaiser Elberhard are still in transit. As such, 5 more wealth will arrive at the end of 1332 and a further 2 wealth will arrive at the end of 1334. Any man, loyalist or otherwise, who physically occupies the city at the time, or after, the wealth arrives will receive it. However, the city is far from secure due to the ongoing religious warfare. Every turn that it continues, there will be a 50% chance that the treasury will be ransacked by looters and all wealth stored in it will be lost.

Austria is now beset by problems on all sides. The Byzantine push in Northern Italy has not ignored Venice, which once again is under siege, and this time a Bavarian army cannot rescue it. In the east, the Hungarians have reached the outskirts of Zagreb and are within striking distance of Vienna. Scouts in Ragusa report that the Venetians are preparing for yet another assault on that citadel as well. Karl Zirn has a powerful army outside Zagreb, but if he remains to defend the city, Venice will fall. If he moves on Venice, all of eastern Austria will be open. Duke Arnold also has a strong army, but if he leaves Ragusa, it will be taken easily by the Venetians. Lorenz Zirn has no army whatsoever, but he has resorted to drastic measures in Vienna. Desperate for money, he has confiscated all the wealth of the many rich merchants of that city. This has resulted in the destruction of the Great Market, Merchants’ Guild, and Merchant Bank, but yielded enough wealth to raise an entire army. However, the militia training facilities of the city were also destroyed in religious rioting, so Lorenz Zirn will have to go elsewhere to recruit an army, leaving the city vulnerable to the Hungarians and continued rioting.

War of Reformation Status in 1332:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Provinces Suffering Religious Warfare (City, Rebel Stack Name(s), Population Killed, Building Destroyed):
Vienna – Captain Aleksei, 2500, Militia Drill Square
Budapest – (None Placed), 1500, Leather Tanner
Venice – Captain al Mahdi, 2500, Dockyard
Milan – Captain Romaso, 2500, Inn
Nuremburg – Captain Hugo, 2600, Merchant’s Guild
Bern – Bernhard Ruppel, 2000, Abbey
Staufen – Captain Jean, 1350, Armoury
Metz – Captain Qassim, 1700, Thieves Guild
Bruges – Captain Basil, 1430, City Watch
Rheims – LOST TO FRANCE, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured
Caen – LOST TO FRANCE, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured
Magdeburg – Captain Conrrat, 900, Teutonic Knights Minor Chapter House

Total 1330 Deaths: 89,800
Total 1332 Deaths: 18,980
Total Cumulative Deaths: 108,780

Note: If you want to pacify a province with (None Placed) please let me know and I will spawn a non-rebel enemy army for you to attack.

Provinces Pacified (City, Elector Present):
Ragusa - Arnold
Zagreb – Karl Zirn
Prague – Edmund Becker
Genoa – Fredericus Erhart
Innsbruck – Freiderich Karolinger
Antwerp – Jan von der Pfalz and Ludwig von Bohmen
Stettin – LOST TO DENMARK, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured
Frankfurt – Peter von Kastilien

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch, Acre
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over, due to 2 sent to Hans in 1330)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

You are ready to depart Outremer. If there are any last-minute letters to be sent or arrangements to be made, it is time to do them.

*(A) The fleet is ready to depart. It is time for you to return to the Reich. (Note: You will be at sea for all of 1332, 1334, and 1336. No information or options will be given to you during this time. You will arrive outside of Venice at the beginning of 1338 and will be able to give orders then. If you want to do something that would be possible while at sea, such as changing your destination, you can send that to me via PM. Otherwise, the next few turns will be a bit boring for you, my apologies.)

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Staufen (religious warfare), Bern (religious warfare), Metz (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Metz)
Units Available: Town Militia, Mercenary Spearmen

With Hans’ death at Bern, you are now the new Duke of Swabia. Your Duchy is under assault from all sides and your resources are stretched to the breaking point. There have been no attempts to pacify the religious warfare and it has cost you dearly, particularly in Staufen. Your advisors inform you that Metz still resents loyalist rule and it will gladly open its gates to any rebel who tries to enter. Wolfgang Hummel is nearby and may try just such a thing. If you want to ensure that they do not defect from you, you will have to move into the city immediately.

However, your advisors also inform you that your men are very uncomfortable with the idea of facing Wolfgang Hummel again in their current state. With the exception of the regiment of Armoured Spearmen you hired from Staufen last year before marching, your men are all survivors of the Battle of the Flemish Crossroads. Wolfgang Hummel now significantly outnumbers you and most of your men believe that fighting him would be tantamount to suicide. If you attempt to oppose him without a decent army, some of your regiments may defect to save their own skins.

*(A) Move south to Bern and take command of the loyalist army there, along with Hans’ wealth.
(B) Move to Staufen.
(C) Garrison Metz and hold it against the French and rebels.
(MISC) In addition to the above, you may pacify whatever province you go to. This is not a default choice. You must actively submit orders and fight a battle to do pacify a province.

Ehrhart Ruppel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen.

You were a faithful friend and vassal of Duke Hans. However, his death has greatly changed the political landscape of Swabia. Athalwolf von Salza is the new Duke of Swabia and you do not yet know how much he values your aid or skills. To make matters more complex, you have been left to garrison Staufen with no aid or resources. Bern is a good distance away and you could easily and safely travel there. Inside you would find the loyalist survivors of the Battle of Bern, along with a large sum of wealth that used to belong to Duke Hans.

However, the logistics are complicated. There are no other defenders for Staufen; if you leave it will be empty. It will take a good deal of time to march to Bern, organize the army, and march it back to Staufen. If Wolfgang Hummel chose to march on Staufen, he would arrive before you could return and the castle would be totally open to him. If you remain in Staufen and Wolfgang marches on the citadel, you would stand the very real prospect of being trapped inside with no aid whatsoever. That would not be good. To add yet another complexity, as Duke Athalwolf von Salza wields greater authority than you with the loyalists. If he decides to move to Bern, he will be able to easily usurp your command and take Hans' wealth for his own, even if you got there first. Perhaps it would be a good idea to discuss these matters with your new Duke.

*(A) Move to Bern, take command of the loyalist army there, and pacify the province. If Athalwolf von Salza also moves to Bern, simply remain in the safety of the garrison.
(B) Remain in Staufen and pray that Wolfgang Hummel does not march on it.
(C) Flee to Nuremburg.
(D) Bend knee to Wolfgang Hummel and support his claim to Swabia, giving him Staufen as your gift.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bruges (Rebel Capital) (religious warfare and besieged), Antwerp
Personal Wealth: 4 (2 carried over, 2 base from Antwerp)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. You may not hire any units from Antwerp other than those listed in this Special Ability.
Units Available: Mercenary Spearmen, Free Company Men at Arms, Free Company Longbowmen

You hired 2 regiments of Flemish Pikemen before pacifying Antwerp, then you hired a regiment of Flemish Pikemen and a regiment of Arquebusier to garrison the city. You also petitioned the King of England to allow you access to his Free Company mercenaries. The King was only a fair-weather supporter of Hans and with his death any bonds he has to loyalist Swabia have been cut. He has agreed to aid you. However, the English have completely withdrawn from the continent. You will have to pay an additional 1 wealth to ship over the mercenaries from across the Channel. You have already taken advantage of his offer and hired a regiment of Free Company Men at Arms.

New Special Ability Gained: You can hire Free Company Longbowmen and Free Company Men at Arms whenever you want, but you must pay 4 wealth for each regiment.

You then marched south towards Metz. You are within a few days march of the city and the local peasants tell you that the city will welcome you with open arms. However, Duke Athalwolf von Salza is nearby with a small army. He could complicate matters a bit, though his army is weaker than yours and his men are surely demoralized from their prior defeat at your hands. Another factor to take into account is Staufen. Ehrhart Ruppel is currently the only man garrisoning the citadel and reports indicate that he has no wealth to his name. If he leaves the citadel to take command of the army in Bern, or for any other reason, the citadel will be totally defenseless. If you marched directly for it, you could seize it before he could return.

For all of that, though your ambitions in southern Swabia will have a high cost. You have already lost Caen and your new vassals have only a small army and limited wealth between them. It is unlikely that they can save Bruges alone. If they are not reinforced, Antwerp may fall eventually as well. If you wish to keep those provinces, you had best defend them. If you intend to abandon them, you should inform your new followers immediately so that they can evacuate before the French or Danes move against them.

*(A) Move to take Metz. After the city is yours, pacify the province.
(B) Move to take Staufen. If Ehrhart Ruppel leaves the citadel, you will arrive first and occupy it without a fight. If he does not leave, you will besiege the citadel with him inside it. You may also pacify the province, regardless of what Ehrhart Ruppel does.
(C) Move to Bruges and attack the French army besieging the city. You may pacify the province before or after fighting the French.

Ludwig von Bohmen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bruges (religious warfare and besieged)
Personal Wealth: 3 (3 from personal savings)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. You may not hire any units from Antwerp other than those listed in this Special Ability.
Units Available: Mercenary Flemish Pikemen, Hand Gunners, Arquebusiers, Mercenary Crossbowmen

You have joined Wolfgang Hümmel in his rebellion against the Swabian loyalists. In thanks, he has given you the County of Bruges. However, this is a poor gift, as it is currently beset by religious warfare and besieged by the French. Without Wolfgang’s aid, there is little you can do to aid the city. Your lord has marched south and appears to be pursuing ambitions in central Swabia. If he does not return north to aid Bruges and Antwerp, you may want to consider abandoning the coastal provinces and marching south to join him.

*(A) Hire a regiment of soldiers (specify type) and march to join Wolfgang Hümmel, wherever he is.
(B) Hire a regiment of soldiers (specify type) and hold Antwerp.
(C) Hire a regiment of soldiers (specify type) and attack the French outside of Bruges. The only possibility this has for success is if you can use the regiments and resources of your fellow rebel, Jan von der Pfalz. Even then, it will be very risky.

Jan von der Pfalz:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antwerp
Personal Wealth: 2 (1 from Antwerp for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Antwerp)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. You may not hire any units from Antwerp other than those listed in this Special Ability.
Units Available: Mercenary Flemish Pikemen, Hand Gunners, Arquebusiers, Mercenary Crossbowmen

You are a minor Swabian noble and spent several years as a military trainer in Staufen under Duke Hans. For your own reasons, you became discontent with his rule and decided to join Wolfgang Hümmel to make a better future. The men you were training liked you a great deal and, since Duke Hans was at Bern fighting Dietrich von Dassel, they agreed to join you. They amount to a regiment of Mounted Sergeants and a regiment of Armoured Spearmen. You are now in Antwerp, which has been given to you as your County by Wolfgang Hümmel. You control your loyal regiments, plus the small garrison of the city that Wolfgang left behind.

The situation is tenuous, though. Nearby Bruges is besieged by the French and beset by religious warfare. Without Wolfgang’s aid, there is little you can do to aid the city. Your lord has marched south and appears to be pursuing ambitions in central Swabia. If he does not return north to aid Bruges and Antwerp, you may want to consider abandoning the coastal provinces and marching south to join him.

*(A) Hire a regiment of Mercenary Flemish Pikemen and march to join Wolfgang Hümmel, wherever he is.
(B) Hire a regiment of Mercenary Flemish Pikemen and hold Antwerp.
(C) Hire a regiment of Mercenary Flemish Pikemen and attack the French outside of Bruges. The only possibility this has for success is if you can use the resources of your fellow rebel, Ludwig von Bohmen. Even then, it will be very risky.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Frankfurt (besieged with you inside it), Magdeburg (religious warfare and trade route cut by enemy armies)
Personal Wealth: 7 (3 carried over, 3 base from Frankfurt, 1 bonus for starting in Frankfurt)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Town Militia, Spear Militia, Crossbow Militia, Teutonic Knights

You hired a regiment of Teutonic Knights, then pacified the province of Frankfurt. You then made a passionate appeal to all Franconians, high and low-born alike. You explained to them the plight of your Duchy and ask for aid to protect their own lands and families. This has resulted in a moderate levy of the local townspeople to aid you. They have joined you as a regiment of Merchant Cavalry Militia, a regiments of Mounted Sergeants, two regiments of Forlorn Hope, a regiment of Crossbow Militia, two regiments of Spear Militia, and a regiment of Town Militia. Altogether, they are not a strong force, but they will provide much needed support to the small number of professional soldiers that remain in your army. You will need it, as well, as the Danes have renewed their offensive and besieged Frankfurt once again. Magdeburg has survived the Polish assault, but the armies near it will not be able to aid you this year, as they are hemmed in by both Polish and Danish armies.

Note: You cannot recruit more than two regiments per turn while besieged. You will have to lift the siege to be able to recruit more.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Frankfurt through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls against the Danes (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged)
(C) Sally forth against the Danes.

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None (Stettin is held by the Danes)
Personal Wealth: 2 (8 carried over, -6 for upkeep for 19 merc units)
Special Ability 1: For the rest of the cataclysm, Stettin will pay you 2 wealth per turn and your Duke 2 wealth per turn, but only when you start your turn in the province. If you start the turn outside the province, you will get 0 wealth and your Duke will get 1 wealth.
Special Ability 2: For the rest of the cataclysm, small groups of mercenaries will join your army for free at irregular intervals. In addition, you can hire any mercenary unit available in Europe, even if they are not available in your current territory. All mercenary recruitment costs are 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. However, the mercenaries require a large amount of wealth to sustain them. Beginning in 1330, you will have to pay 1 wealth per 3 mercenary units per turn (rounded up, to a maximum of 6) to keep them from deserting.
Units Available: Any European Mercenary Unit

You have pacified Stettin, but it fell to the Danish assault. You are now in a precarious position. Your army is large and powerful, but it requires a great deal of wealth to keep it going; wealth that you have not generated since the sack of Stockholm. Unless you find a way to pay for the army very quickly, most of them will desert you.

*(A) Disband all of your mercenaries immediately (prior to fighting any battles) and flee to Magdeburg. You will recoup the 6 wealth you paid for their wages this year.
(B) Attack some of the Polish and Danish armies outside Magdeburg, then disband all of your mercenaries and flee to Magdeburg. You will not recoup the wealth you paid for their wages this year.
(C) Assault Stettin immediately, using your artillery to break down the walls and gates. Sacking the city once again will have horrendous consequences, but it will supply enough money to maintain your army for a few years. Occupying it will prevent any negative consequences and the income from the city next year, combined with plunder from the defeated Danish army, will provide you with just barely enough wealth to pay your army’s wages, assuming you do not spend any now. However, you will fall short by a great amount starting in 1336 if you do not find wealth in some other fashion.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 3 (1 carried over, 1 from starting in Magdeburg, 1 plunder from battle)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You have survived the Polish assault and lifted the siege. However, there are still four large enemy armies in the immediate vicinity, blocking all traffic into and out of the province. In addition, Magdeburg has not been pacified and will continue to suffer the effects of religious warfare until it is. The Teutonic Knights Chapter House was destroyed this year and odds are that you will lose a major military facility soon if the religious warfare continues unchecked. It is in your best interests to pacify the province immediately, and then eliminate as many of the neighboring Danish and Polish armies as you can. Any that you leave behind will likely lay siege to the citadel once again and there is a chance that they could bring gunpowder artillery with them, vastly increasing the difficulty in holding the walls. Tancred von Tyrolia is nearby and can likely aid you in your attacks.

*(A) Pacify Magdeburg, but do not attack the Polish and Danish armies.
(B) Pacify Magdeburg and attack some or all of the Polish and Danish armies.
(C) Abandon Magdeburg and retreat towards Frankfurt. All roads are blocked by enemy armies, so you will have to move cross-country. This will slow you down and prevent you from reaching Frankfurt this year.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

The siege of Magdeburg has been lifted and you can now freely move in and out of the citadel. Your situation is almost identical to that of Dieter Bresch. Refer to his description for more details..

*(A) Pacify Magdeburg, but do not attack the Polish and Danish armies.
(B) Pacify Magdeburg and attack some or all of the Polish and Danish armies.
(C) Abandon Magdeburg and retreat towards Frankfurt. All roads are blocked by enemy armies, so you will have to move cross-country. This will slow you down and prevent you from reaching Frankfurt this year.

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa, Venice (religious warfare and besieged), Zagreb, Vienna (religious warfare), Budapest (religious warfare and besieged – will remain ‘besieged’ until further notice, even though the AI is not actually besieging it. This is because I had to artificially break off the siege to allow Friedrich Karolinger to flee in 1328. If I hadn’t it would still be under siege now or would have fallen.)
Personal Wealth: 3 (0 carried over, 1 base from Ragusa, 2 base from Zagreb, 1 bonus for starting in Ragusa, -1 from gambling)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

You recruited a regiment of Armoured Sergeants and then pacified Ragusa. You Duchy is faring better than most at the moment, but with the Byzantine successes in Northern Italy, you once again find yourself with too large a border and too few armies. You have two armies, under yourself and Karl Zirn, and a third Count without an army, but with a great deal of wealth. To the west, the Byzatines are besieging Venice and the Bavarian armies are trapped themselves and cannot aid you. In the east, the Hungarians are nearing Zagreb and Vienna. In the south, the Venetians are preparing for another push on Ragusa. On top of this, there will be difficulty in deciding how to move your armies without aggravating religious warfare. This is problematic since you have more provinces than Electors and thus, even if you pacify every province, at least one will have a risk of suffering from renewed violence every year.

*(A) Remain in Ragusa and hold the walls.
(B) Remain in Ragusa, but attack the Venetian army in the mountains as well.
(C) Leave behind a small garrison in Ragusa, then move north attack the Hungarians outside Zagreb.

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb
Personal Wealth: 7 (5 carried over, 1 base from Zagreb for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Zagreb)
Units Available: Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Ballista

You still have the strongest army in all of Austria and there are some difficult choices to make this year. Austria simply has too many borders to defend and not enough resources to do it. If you move to Venice to lift the siege, religious warfare could erupt again in Zagreb, not to mention the possibility of the Hungarians attacking the city. If you remain in Zagreb, keep the population pacified, and attack the Hungarians, Venice will surely fall. At the same time, Vienna remains embroiled in religious warfare and will suffer greatly if it is not pacified. It is also within reach of the Hungarians. No matter what you do, there will be consequences elsewhere.

*(A) Garrison Zagreb and hold the walls.
(B) Remain in Zagreb, but attack the nearby Hungarian army.
(C) Move north to Vienna, pacify the province, and attack the Hungarian army that is moving on the city.
(D) Move west to Venice, pacify the province, and lift the Byzantine siege.

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (Rebel Capital)
Personal Wealth: 5 (0 carried over, 3 base from Prague, 1 bonus from Prague for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Prague)
Units Available: Crossbow Militia, Town Militia, Spear Militia, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

You recruited three regiments of Spear Militia and pacified Prague. Your County is once again at peace and the people are grateful for your wise and dedicated leadership. However, you now face the danger that you have been preparing for over the last several years. The collapse of the Franconian defenses to the north has allowed the Polish armies to cross your borders unopposed. An army now sits a short distance from the city and you will surely be under siege soon. For all your efforts, your army remains largely a militia force, and this makes victory against a professional army very difficult and costly, as you saw at Breslau. Fortunately, your fame as a good and noble protector of the people has paid off. An old, retired soldier has offered his services to you as a military trainer in gratitude for keeping his family safe and prosperous for so many years.

New Special Ability Earned: Every year, you may ‘train’ one full-strength unit of Militia to a higher level for free. Crossbow Militia can be trained to Pavise Crossbowmen. Town Militia and Spear Militia can be trained to Armoured Sergeants.

*(A) Hold the walls of Prague.
(B) Attack the Polish army in the field.
(C) Abandon Prague and retreat west to Nuremburg.

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Budapest (religious warfare and besieged – will remain ‘besieged’ until further notice, even though the AI is not actually besieging it. This is because I had to artificially break off the siege to allow Friedrich Karolinger to flee in 1328. If I hadn’t it would still be under siege now or would have fallen.)
Personal Wealth: 21 (1 carried over, 20 from confiscating the wealth of the Viennese merchants)
Special Ability: You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. If you start your turn inside a province you control, you will gain +2 instead of the normal +1.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You seized the assets of all merchants in Vienna for the war effort. This has resulted in the destruction of the Great Market, Merchants’ Guild, and Merchant Bank. While it will not have many consequences in the short term, it will take a great deal of time and money to rebuild these facilities and the Reich will suffer from the decreased income for many years. However, for the time being you can celebrate, as you are rich. You had better put that money to some good use, however, or it will all have been for nothing. You did not hire any militia after seizing the assets last year and the fates have played a cruel trick on you, as the Militia Drill Square was destroyed by the ongoing religious warfare. Vienna has lost the ability to produce Halberd Militia, Crossbow Militia, and Spear Militia. Unless you want an entire army composed of Forlorn Hope, Merchant Cavalry Militia, and artillery, you had best find someplace to spend your wealth.

*(A) Leave the garrison of Vienna behind and travel to Ragusa to recruit an army.
(B) Hire the most absurd army the world has ever seen and pacify Vienna.
(C) Stay in Vienna, but send the wealth to Duke Arnold.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (religious warfare and besieged), Genoa (besieged), Innsbruck (trade route cut due to you being besieged in Milan), Nuremburg (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 4 (2 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Milan, 1 bonus from Deep Pockets)
Special Ability: Deep Pockets means that you produce +1 wealth per turn, no matter where you are or what your circumstances.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Genoa (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over, 3 base from Genoa since Duke Lothar is cut off and cannot receive his share, 1 bonus for starting in Genoa)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballista

Your assault on the Byzantines outside of Milan was a disaster and his cost you many good men. However, you were still able to pacify Genoa and its income is a welcome sight to you. Unfortunately, Genoa cannot supply you with professional regiments and the Byzantines have besieged you inside its walls. Your army is outnumbered by the enemy, but your men are of good quality and you are more than a match for your foes from behind the walls. If you take the field, the result will be less certain.

Note: Your special ability is now gone, as all possible units have been upgraded.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee through a secret escape tunnel to Innsbruck.
(B) Hold the walls against the Byzatines (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged)
(C) Sally forth against the Byzantines.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (trade route blocked, religious warfare, and besieged – you’re lucky I’m still even listing it! Next turn I will cease, as you will be King of Outremer and be forced to renounce your ties to Bavaria.)
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over due to 3 spent to acquire Crown of Thorns)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

It is 1332 and the evacuation fleet is prepared, yet you still stand on the Iron Bridge, waving your fist in defiance at the enemies of Outremer. This, and the successful acquisition of the Crown of Thorns through political negotiations with Pope Renaldus, has vastly increased your reputation over the past several years. The people are beginning to believe that you are Saint Maximillian reborn; the embodiment of holy justice itself without hesitation and without mercy for the blasphemers. Every last true Christian soldier (Unhorsed Knights, Crusader Knights, Crusader Sergeants, Pilgrims, Religious Fanatics, and Grand Crosses) has decided to remain in Outremer with you. These men will surely be needed in the times to come. Scouts report that the Byzantines are assembling again for a strong push and there are rumors that the Turks may even send their elite Janissaries against you. The English garrisons in Aleppo and Damascus to your west form a political barrier against the enemy, but politics are fickle here in Outremer. The English garrisons are too weak to oppose a full enemy army and they will likely sulk behind their walls and watch the enemy pass by, should they decide to do so. Today the Iron Bridge remains the only avenue into Outremer. Tomorrow that may not be so.

*(A) Hold the Iron Bridge. When Elberhard and Dieter von Kassel depart for the Reich, fetch the Crusaders they have left behind and bring them to the bridge to join your army.
(B) When Elberhard and Dieter von Kassel depart for the Reich, fetch the Crusaders they have left behind and take them with you to garrison Antioch.
(C) When Elberhard and Dieter von Kassel depart for the Reich, fetch the Crusaders they have left behind and take them with you to garrison Acre.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck
Personal Wealth: 7 (5 carried over, 1 from Innsbruck for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Innsbruck)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

You are home in Innsbruck and the province is pacified and secure. That is a unique thing in Bavaria. You have a modest amount of wealth and it would be a good idea to begin recruiting an army. The reinforcements will surely be needed in Italy and Nuremburg remain in the midst of religious warfare.

*(A) Recruit some soldiers and remain in Innsbruck.
(B) Recruit some soldiers and march north to pacify Nuremburg.
(C) Recruit some soldiers and march south to hold the alpine pass against the Byzantines.
(MISC) In addition to the above, order the confiscation of all non-essential resources for use in the war effort. This will yield 10 wealth which can be spent immediately, but will remove all future income of any kind from Innsbruck, including both the base and the starting bonus.

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Acre
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

You spent your wealth last year to hire a regiment of Teutonic Knights, a regiment of Armored Spearmen, and a regiment of Pavise Crossbowmen to bolster your army. You also hired a regiment of Spear Militia to aid the garrison of Antioch. You are ready to depart Outremer. If there are any last-minute letters to be sent or arrangements to be made, it is time to do them.

*(A) The fleet is ready to depart. It is time for you to return to the Reich. (Note: You will be at sea for all of 1332, 1334, and 1336. No information or options will be given to you during this time. You will arrive outside of Venice at the beginning of 1338 and will be able to give orders then. If you want to do something that would be possible while at sea, such as changing your destination, you can send that to me via PM. Otherwise, the next few turns will be a bit boring for you, my apologies.)
(B) You have had a change of heart. Remain behind in Outremer.
11-27-2007, 01:41
TinCow

Turn 8 - 1334

Choices are due by 8pm EST, Wednesday, November 28th.

Save Game File Updated - There was an error in kotr1334-1, please use kotr1334-2

1334 AD: The Losses Mount

Despite great efforts by many Electors, the Reich continues to lose ground and many of the victories have been Pyrrhic. In foreign affairs, news came from the west that Portugal, one of the Reich’s two remaining allies, was finally overcome by a massive French assault on the citadel at Bordeaux. With the final destruction of their western enemy, the French flank is secure and their armies are now free to move in full strength against every part of the Reich’s border. Their offensive around Bruges and Rheims will continue, but they are now moving on the rebellious cities of Dijon and Marseilles as well, from which pressure may eventually be brought on Bern, Genoa, and Milan. In 1320, the French had been reduced to three provinces, including only one citadel. They now hold nine provinces, including three citadels, and are within striking distance of four more cities. This resurgent power will surely menace the Reich for many years to come.

In Outremer, news of the departure of the Evacuation Fleet spread rapidly. The calm of the last few years appears to have been due to the Byzantines’ determination to gather their strength for another massive push on the now substantially weakened defenses. A deadly siege force now sits on the field north of the Iron Bridge. Scouts report that it was accompanied by a fast-attack force composed exclusively of cavalry. This force has broken off from the siege army and is riding east to come at the defenders of the Iron Bridge from behind, so that they can be attacked simultaneously from both directions. They are violating English lands to do this, but the Reich’s allies are helpless to stop the enemy, as the vastly superior Byzantine forces would smash them on the open fields. At the same time, the Turks have decided to make a play for the remnants of Outremer. Two massive armies of Janissaries have been sighted east of Aleppo. To make matters worse, it appears that the Egyptians may attempt yet another assault on the Papacy at Jerusalem. Against all these foes stand only the new King of Outremer, Matthias Steffen, and his army of Christian warriors. They had best hope that God truly is on their side in the coming years.

Franconia has halted the hemorrhaging of armies and provinces which plagued it in recent years. Stettin was recaptured and several massive Danish and Polish armies outside Magdeburg were broken. However, the northern Duchy is still in a critical state. Frankfurt remains besieged, with Duke Peter trapped inside, and Magdeburg is once again surrounded by an enemy force. Dieter Bresch, Tancred von Tyrolia, and their combined armies are trapped inside the citadel. This time it is a Danish army and they have placed their main camp by a defensible bridge. Any attempt by an outside force to lift the siege will have to overcome this excellent defensive location. In addition, scouts report that another Danish army is marching towards Magdeburg and will arrive next year. It includes high quality gunpowder artillery, which will slowly reduce the citadel to rubble, with the defenders still inside. If they are not stopped, the Rock of Franconia may eventually fall.

Bavaria remains balanced on a knife-edge. Duke Lothar Steffen went to desperate measures to keep Milan free. A few months before the assault on the city, the Byzantines proudly announced that they had captured the Austrian city of Venice and exterminated it. As proof, they piled the heads of countless thousands of civilians within sight of the eastern gate of Milan. Having given a similar treatment to Rome and Bologna as well, the citizens of Milan had no delusions about what fate awaited them. Duke Lothar Steffen appealed directly to the citizen population, explaining that if they did not fight with him, the city would fall and they would all be massacred. Any man or woman who doubted such a thing was taken to the walls to see the pile of heads the Byzantines had assembled. The Duke also gave an immediate amnesty to all prisoners and convicts if they would take up arms in defense of Milan. In response, massive numbers of volunteers came forward, determined to die fighting for their homes and families. However, the siege and the problems caused by the continuing religious warfare made even the raw materials of arms and armor scarce. In desperation, Duke Lothar Steffen ordered the city’s immense Merchant Vaults opened and their entire contents were appropriated for his use. All metal and wood that could be stripped from the structure was taken and made into weapons and armor. This act effectively destroyed the supremely expensive building, but it supplied Duke Steffen with enough money and resources to equip six regiments of Forlorn Hope.

When the battle finally came, it was brutal beyond words. There were almost no tactics involved at all. The Byzantines broke through the main gate almost instantly and flooded into the city in a swarm of man and horseflesh. Simultaneously, they landed two regiments of elite Varangian Guards on the walls on either side of the gate house in an effort to hold it and clear out the crossbowmen. Duke Lothar had anticipated this and had set up his defenses accordingly. Both of the Varangian Guard regiments were set upon from both sides by the city’s Forlorn Hope, which battled them in a brutal contest above the city streets. At the same time, all remaining infantry were concentrated around the gate area. The Duke was determined to contain the Byzantines within that spot at all costs. The Byzantine general was struck down after several long minutes of combat and the immense pressure on all sides took its toll on the attackers. Some eventually broke and ran, but most regiments fought on to the last man, taking a horrendous toll on the city’s defenders. The same was true of the Bavarians, of whom not a single one turned tail and fled. Duke Lothar was victorious, but his army has been completely shattered, with losses approaching 80 percent. It is unlikely that he even has enough strength left to pacify the province without reinforcements. At the same time, Count Erlach remains besieged inside Genoa and is unable to aid his Duke. With the destruction of their premier army at the gates of Milan, the Byzantine invasion of Italy appears to be losing some strength, but they still have several large armies in the area and the Bavarians have little left to oppose them. Half of the Duchy remains in the throws of religious warfare as well, significantly reducing the income that the Duke could use to rebuild his defenses.

Swabia has seen a shocking turn of events over the past year. For several weeks, it appeared that the loyalists and rebels would reach a diplomatic compromise at a meeting outside Metz. Relying on this fact, Athalwolf von Salza and Ehrhart Ruppel agreed that the young Swabian loyalist should ride to Bern and take command of the loyalist army stationed there. Before he left, Ehrhart Ruppel spoke to the people of the citadel and encouraged them to fight for Swabia. The people were swayed by the young loyalist’s chivalrous words, and many enlisted. However, there was absolutely no wealth or resources of any kind available in the citadel. Ehrhart Ruppel had no money to his name, the rigors of so many years of war had stripped the citadel’s reserve bare, and the continuing religious warfare prevented any equipment from being gathered from the countryside. In short, there was no way to properly outfit the volunteers. They manned the gates and acted as lookouts, but with only their bare hands and crude clubs, they did not even qualify as a true garrison. Having determined that there was nothing more he could do, and confident that his Duke would be arriving in Staufen shortly, the young Ruppel then rode to Bern, where he quickly pacified the province, took possession of the immense wealth stored in the treasury, and built a new church.

It remains unclear to this day whether the subsequent events outside Metz were intentional or the result of a mutual misunderstanding. However, neither Wolfgang Hummel nor Athalwolf von Salza moved immediately to the meeting at the bridge. Duke Athalwolf instead marched towards Staufen to pacify the province. It is not known whether Wolfgang Hummel began his own march before hearing this news, but the end result was the same. Both men were headed towards Staufen instead of the appointed meeting place. Though they left at the same time, Wolfgang’s vastly superior logistical skills allowed his army to march 3 kilometers for every 2 that Athalwolf’s army put behind it. Before their roads even converged, Wolfgang was far ahead of his loyalist opponent, and he arrived at Staufen several weeks in advance of Athalwolf. With the citadel only held by unarmed and untrained men, there was no battle to be had. Wolfgang Hummel paraded his impressively armored regiments of Free Company Men at Arms in front of the gates, and demanded that the citadel be opened to him. Without any means to resists, the men inside complied to save their own lives, allowing the rebel to occupy the citadel without any loss of life. When Athalwolf eventually arrived, his scouts informed him that the citadel was held against him by a vastly superior army. With an attack meaning certain defeat, the Duke of Swabia gave up his march to the citadel. At the same time, the scouts reported that the Duke’s army was so inferior that even an attempt to pacify either Staufen or Metz would almost certainly lead to its destruction (OOC: Autoresolve would have resulted in a defeat with huge losses). With no other alternative left to him, the Duke of Swabia turned his army back around and returned to Metz.

This incredible strategic coup has not come without cost to Wolfgang, however. Without his army to aid them, Ludwig von Bohmen and Jan von der Pfalz were not able to relieve the siege of Bruges and Wolfgang’s capital fell to the French. At the same time, the eager citizenry of Metz were disappointed and disillusioned that Wolfgang chose not to aid them. While Athalwolf returned to the city, he has spent the last two campaigning seasons in and around the province, but has failed to even make an attempt to pacify it. Beset by religious warfare, the people of Metz now grumble about the lack of care that both sides show to them. Unless the situation changes, they are not likely to lift a finger to aid anyone other than themselves.

The Austrians have coordinated their defenses admirably, but their extended borders have cost them dearly. Karl Zirn handily defeated the Hungarian force near Zagreb and the province remains secure and pacified. At the same time, Lorenz Zirn used the wealth plundered from the merchants of Vienna to pay for a new army from Ragusa. When it arrived, he pacified the province, helping to further restore his Duchy’s prosperity. In the south, Duke Arnold blocked the Venetian march through the mountains and defeated the enemy in a pitched battle. However, his army suffered many losses and he will likely require reinforcements before he can take the field against a large host. In the west, with no army available to defend the city, Venice was quickly overwhelmed by the Byzantines, who exterminated its population and sent the heads to the walls of Milan. In the east, Budapest finally fell to the Hungarian siege, opening the door for a drive on Vienna or Zagreb. In Prague, Edmund Becker continued to strengthen the defenses of his city with further recruitments and the construction of a gunsmith. For reasons known only to them, the Poles chose not to besiege the city. Perhaps they are waiting for reinforcements and will begin the siege next year.

War of Reformation Status in 1334:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Provinces Suffering Religious Warfare (City, Rebel Stack Name(s), Population Killed, Building Destroyed):
Milan – Captain Romaso, 2400, Leather Tanner
Nuremburg – Captain Hugo, 2400, Leather Tanner
Staufen – Captain Jean, 1200, Swordsmith’s Guild
Metz – Captain Qassim, 1700, Merchant Bank
Budapest – LOST TO HUNGARY, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured
Venice – LOST TO BYZANTIUM, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured
Bruges – LOST TO FRANCE, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured
Rheims – LOST TO FRANCE, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured
Caen – LOST TO FRANCE, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured
Ajaccio – LOST TO SICILY, Future status irrelevant unless recaptured

Total 1330 Deaths: 89,800
Total 1332 Deaths: 18,980
Total 1334 Deaths: 7,700
Total Cumulative Deaths: 116,480

Provinces Pacified (City, Elector Present, Chance of Rebel Stack Spawning if No Elector Present):
Ragusa – Arnold, 50%
Vienna – Lorenz Zirn, 50%
Zagreb – Karl Zirn, 50%
Prague – Edmund Becker, 50%
Genoa – Fredericus Erhart, 50%
Innsbruck – Freiderich Karolinger, 50%
Antwerp – Jan von der Pfalz and Ludwig von Bohmen, 50%
Stettin – Fritz von Kastilien, 50%
Frankfurt – Peter von Kastilien, 50%
Magdeburg – Dieter Bresch and Tancred von Tyrolia, 50%
Bern – Ehrhart Ruppel, 25%

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: None

Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
Nothing of him that does fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Hark! Now I hear them – Ding-dong, bell.

*(A) Continue to sail towards the coast north of Venice. You will make landfall at the beginning of 1338.

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Metz (religious warfare), Bern
Personal Wealth: 5 (1 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Metz, 3 base from Bern)
Units Available: Town Militia, Mercenary Spearmen

Through poor choices, you have been completely ineffective the last two years. You continue to wander the lands of Swabia, shaking your fist at the world, but you have done nothing that has any prospect of changing events. You army is simply too weak to face either the French or Wolfgang Hummel; it is not even strong enough to pacify a province. Despite this, you have done almost nothing to strengthen it. Last year you ordered that new professional regiments be hired, but you had no wealth with which to pay for them and you have done nothing to gain any wealth. Unless you begin to do something truly productive, your position as Duke of Swabia will not be a long-lived one.

*(A) Flee south to Bern and the protection of Ehrhart Ruppel’s army.
(B) Hold Metz.
(C) Plunder Metz for all it is worth, then abandon the city and flee south to Bern.

Ehrhart Ruppel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 16 (0 carried over, 12 from Bern treasury, 5 from wealth that arrived in Bern from Kaiser Elberhard at the end of 1332., -1 for Small Church)
Units Available:

You did your best to raise a garrison for Staufen, but the reality was that the men were ordinary peasant recruits, not professional soldiers or religious fanatics. They were happy to serve you, but they needed arms and armor to fight. You had no wealth in Staufen and thus could not provide them with it. Knowing there was more than enough wealth in Bern, along with an entire army, you rode there and took command. You then pacified the province and garrisoned the city, expecting Duke von Salza to secure Staufen. Unfortunately, Wolfgang Hummel made an unexpected march on Staufen and his logistical skills allowed him to arrive weeks before Athalwolf. Hopelessly outnumbered, and without any weapons or armor to use, the men you encouraged to action quickly capitulated. You now have a large army, but much of it is of poor quality and most of the professionals are mounted. An assault on Staufen would likely be suicide as long as Wolfgang decides to hold the walls. You are also now rich, but you have lost access to a citadel from which to recruit professional troops. Your situation is a frustrating conundrum.

To make matters worse, your new Duke has been entirely ineffective since he gained the title. He has wandered the countryside between Metz and Staufen, proclaiming much, but without the will or the resources to do anything significant. The grant total of his contributions to the Swabian war effort since his defeat at the Flemish Crossroads in 1326 has been the recruitment of a single regiment of Armoured Sergeants. He has not even given you the title of Count, thus denying you any additional income from Bern. Perhaps it is time to ask yourself what being a ‘loyalist’ truly means.

Fortunately, this year’s report ends on a bright note. Your investment in the construction of a new Small Church to replace the ruined Abbey has soothed some of the religious tensions in the province. The resounding Catholic victory had already reduced the strength of the Lutherans in the province. Now that order has been restored and a proper respect for religion shown by your actions, a fresh outbreak of fighting is less likely to occur should Bern begin any year without an Elector within its boundaries. (The probability of a rebel army spawning in Bern when it starts a turn without an Elector within its boundaries has been reduced to 25%.)

Note: A final 2 wealth from Kaiser Elberhard will arrive in Bern at the end of 1334.

*(A) Garrison Bern and sulk. These things would never have happened if Duke Hans was still alive.
(B) Move to liberate Staufen. If Wolfgang Hummel remains inside, you will have to defeat him in order to take the citadel. You have gunpowder artillery, and can assault immediately if you want to.
(C) Move to Metz and pacify it.
(D) Move to Metz and pacify it, but then return to Bern.
(MISC 1) You have had enough of the incompetence of Duke Athalwolf. In addition to the above, ‘rebel’ and declare yourself to be the new Duke of Swabia.
(MISC 2) You have had enough of the incompetence of Duke Athalwolf. In addition to the above, ‘rebel’ and swear loyalty to Wolfgang Hummel.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antwerp (trade route blocked), Staufen (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Staufen)
Special Ability 1: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. All other units normally available from Antwerp can be recruited once again, but they cannot be used to fight Danish armies. All units recruited from Antwerp, other than Hand Gunners, Arquebusiers, and Mercenary Flemish Pikemen, will disband if they are present in an army that attacks or is attacked by the Danes.
Special Ability 2: You can hire Free Company Longbowmen and Free Company Men at Arms whenever and wherever you want, but you must pay 4 wealth for each regiment.
Units Available:

You hired another regiment of Free Company Men at Arms and marched south. You captured Staufen, which was a great and unexpected feat, but the province remains in the grips of religious warfare. At the same time, you have lost the immense income of Bruges and you are now greatly separated from your vassals in Antwerp. The road to the coastal city goes past Metz, which is currently held by Duke von Salza. Thus, taxes cannot reach you from Flanders this year. Your army is likely strong enough to hold the citadel, but you will risk defeat it you face a field battle against either Ehrhart Ruppel or the French. You had best find a way to accumulate some wealth and hire new regiments if you want to do anything other than sit behind the walls.

Note: Changes have been made to Special Ability 1

*(A) Sack Staufen, burn every structure to the ground, and march back to Flanders. You will gain 10 wealth, which you can spend immediately. For the rest of the cataclysm, no military units of any kind will be recruitable from Staufen by any player.
(B) Pacify Staufen and hold the walls of the citadel.
(C) March to Metz and besiege the city if Athalwolf von Salza remains inside.

Ludwig von Bohmen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. All other units normally available from Antwerp can be recruited once again, but they cannot be used to fight Danish armies. All units recruited from Antwerp, other than Hand Gunners, Arquebusiers, and Mercenary Flemish Pikemen, will disband if they are present in an army that attacks or is attacked by the Danes.
Units Available:

You recruited a regiment of Mercenary Crossbowmen and joined Jan von der Pfalz in Antwerp. As the situation stands now, you are both isolated in the city, cut off from Wolfgang Hummel and his army. You have managed to bring the city of Antwerp under control and it will aid you against any enemy except the Danes. Still, even with your combined forces you lack strength of arms. Will you attempt to hold Flanders, or will you abandon it and join your Lord in central Swabia? If you ride south, it would be best to do it either alone or with a full army. It would be best to discuss your plans with Jan von der Pfalz. If you both march south together, you may be able to defeat Athalwolf von Salza if he attempts to stop you.

Note: Changes have been made to your Special Ability

*(A) Ride alone to Staufen to join Wolfgang Hummel. By moving without an army, there is no chance that Athalwolf von Salza could intercept you outside of Metz.
(B) Ride to Staufen with your Mercenary Crossbowmen. Taking an unmounted regiment with you will result in a 50% chance of being intercepted by Athalwolf von Salza, if he remains in the area.
(D) Hold Antwerp.

Jan von der Pfalz:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antwerp
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over, 3 base from Antwerp for loyal since Wolfgang Hummel is cut off and cannot receive his share, 1 bonus for starting in Antwerp)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. All other units normally available from Antwerp can be recruited once again, but they cannot be used to fight Danish armies. All units recruited from Antwerp, other than Hand Gunners, Arquebusiers, and Mercenary Flemish Pikemen, will disband if they are present in an army that attacks or is attacked by the Danes.
Units Available:

You recruited a regiment of Flemish Pikemen and made an impassioned plea to the Danish citizens of Antwerp. They were swayed by your words and agreed to end their boycott of military service. Two regiments of Spear Militia and a regiment of Crossbow Militia have joined you and you can now recruit any regiment you like from Antwerp, if you pay for it. However, the tolerance of these soldiers is limited. All units recruited from Antwerp, other than Hand Gunners, Arquebusiers, and Mercenary Flemish Pikemen, will disband if they are present in an army that attacks or is attacked by the Danes. However, even with this improved situation, you still command a force weaker than your French adversaries. Taking the field against them would be very risky indeed. Will you stay in Flanders and fight foreign enemies, or will you move south to aid your Lord against domestic foes?

Note: Changes have been made to your Special Ability

*(A) Recruit men and hold the walls of Antwerp.
(B) Ride alone to Staufen to join Wolfgang Hummel. By moving without an army, there is no chance that Athalwolf von Salza could intercept you outside of Metz.
(C) Recruit men and march your entire army to Staufen to join Wolfgang Hummel. Taking unmounted regiments with you will result in a 50% chance of being intercepted by Athalwolf von Salza, if he remains in the area. However, your army may be strong enough to defeat him, especially if Ludwig von Bohmen joins you.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Frankfurt (besieged with you inside it), Magdeburg (besieged), Stettin (trade route blocked by Danish besiegers, will not supply you with wealth due to Fritz’s Special Ability 1)
Personal Wealth: 6 (2 carried over, 3 base from Frankfurt, 1 bonus for starting in Frankfurt
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Town Militia, Spear Militia, Crossbow Militia, Teutonic Knights

Your Duchy is much better off than it was last year, but you are in the same situation. The Danes continue to besiege you inside of Frankfurt. You recruited a regiment of Teutonic Knights last year, and that has added further mobile power to your army. You now possess a moderate contingent of heavy cavalry, possibly enough to turn the tide of a field battle.

Note: You cannot recruit more than two regiments per turn while besieged. You will have to lift the siege to be able to recruit more.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Frankfurt through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls against the Danes (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged)
(C) Sally forth against the Danes.

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Stettin
Personal Wealth: 10 (2 carried over, 20 from sack, 2 from first battle plunder, 1 from second battle plunder, -4 for upkeep for 11 merc units, -11 for 1334 recruitment)
Special Ability 1: For the rest of the cataclysm, no military units of any kind can be recruited from Stettin by any player. Stettin will pay you 3 base wealth per turn, but only when you start your turn in the province and decide to tax it. If you start the turn outside the province, you will get 0 base wealth. Your Duke will not get any income from Stettin, no matter what; the people fear you too much to send money to anyone else. In addition, every turn that you decide to tax Stettin, the population of the settlement will be reduced by 10% and base wealth production will be permanently reduced by 1. Taxing Stettin will be a default order when you start your turn inside the province. If you do not want to tax the settlement, you must state so in your orders.
Special Ability 2: For the rest of the cataclysm, small groups of mercenaries will join your army for free at irregular intervals. In addition, you can hire any mercenary unit available in Europe, even if they are not available in your current territory. All mercenary recruitment costs are 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. However, the mercenaries require a large amount of wealth to sustain them. Beginning in 1330, you will have to pay 1 wealth per 3 mercenary units per turn (rounded up, to a maximum of 6) to keep them from deserting.
Units Available: Any European Mercenary Unit

You have sacked your own County for a second time, an act that is truly unprecedented in the Reich's history. The sack itself was savage and without mercy. Your mercenaries had no sympathy for the people and they cut down anyone suspected of aiding the Danes, harboring wealth, or even looking at them in a disrespectful manner. The actions have paid off handsomely once again, and you have recovered a full 20 wealth from the population and the remaining merchants. You were also able to recover 2 wealth in plunder from the defeated Danish army. However, there have been consequences.

Stettin is now truly a ravaged city. The Market was destroyed and the people are completely impoverished. Their prosperity had already been cut drastically and your men were ruthlessly effective in their sack. Now the people can barely even afford to eat. The settlement's population was already relatively low after the previous sack and the subsequent religious warfare. Your actions have resulted in several thousand more deaths, and Stettin is now more of a well-developed town than a city. You can continue to milk the province dry with taxes, but it will literally require you to take the food from their mouths. On the positive side, the surviving population is terrified of you. They will forever more obey your orders to the letter. They fear you more than death itself. Following this, you then destroyed a second Danish army, resulting in a further small amount of wealth from battle plunder. 1332 was a profitable year for you and your (surviving) mercenaries. Even though you decided not to tax Stettin in 1334, you have a good deal of wealth available.

Your Special Ability Has Changed: For the rest of the cataclysm, no military units of any kind can be recruited from Stettin by any player. Stettin will pay you 3 base wealth per turn, but only when you start your turn in the province. If you start the turn outside the province, you will get 0 base wealth. Your Duke will not get any income from Stettin, no matter what; the people fear you too much to send money to anyone else. In addition, every turn that you decide to tax Stettin, the population of the settlement will be reduced by 10% and base wealth production will be permanently reduced by 1. Taxing Stettin will be a default order when you start your turn inside the province. If you do not want to tax the settlement, you must state so in your orders.

Note 1: Since we have been discussing mercenary recruitment via PM, I have added your five units of Mercenary Spearmen and 2 units of Albanian Cavalry to your army in Stettin. However, they have technically been recruited this turn, instead of last, to avoid extra upkeep payments. If for some reason you change your mind about recruiting them, I can easily remove them and give you back your 11 wealth.)

Note 2: Changes have been made to Special Ability 1 beyond what I told you they would be via PM. Taxation now will also result in a permanent reduction in base wealth production of 1.

*(A) Garrison Stettin and hold the walls.
(B) Move south and attack one of the armies outside Magdeburg.
(C) Move west and besiege or assault Hamburg.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 3 (0 carried over, 1 from Magdeburg for loyal Count, 1 from starting in Magdeburg, 1 plunder from battle)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

Last year you recruited a regiment of DFKs, pacified Magdeburg, and destroyed one of the nearby Danish armies. Combined with Fritz von Kastilien’s efforts, this has gone a long way towards securing Magdeburg. However, there are still several large enemy armies in the area. The Danes are now besieging the citadel and they have sited their main encampment near a large bridge. If they are attacked by a reinforcing army, they will have a significant defensive advantage. The only way to avoid this is to either wait for them to assault and destroy them on the walls of the citadel, or sally forth. Tancred von Tyrolia is safe inside the citadel with you. Space was scarce, forcing you to merge some of your depleted units with his to ensure that they could all get inside the walls. If Tancred ever chooses to leave, his units will accompany him, even though they include small numbers of your men. This is the price for using his army in your battles.

Note: I disbanded the regiment that had 1 Zweihander in it, to make space for Tancred’s army. I figure the loss of 1 man is a small amount to fit an extra regiment inside your walls.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Magdeburg through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls against the Danes (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged and you must have slots open for them)
(C) Sally forth against the Danes.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 for your share of battle plunder for allowing Dieter Bresch to use your army.)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You helped Dieter Bresch pacify Magdeburg and defeat one of the nearby Danish armies. You then joined him behind the fortified walls of the citadel. The Danes are now besieging the citadel and they have sited their main encampment near a large bridge. If they are attacked by a reinforcing army, they will have a significant defensive advantage. The only way to avoid this is to either wait for them to assault and destroy them on the walls of the citadel, or sally forth. Dieter Bresch is inside the citadel with you. Space was scarce, forcing him to merge some of his depleted units with yours to ensure that they could all get inside the walls. If you ever choose to leave, your units will accompany you, even though they include small numbers of his men.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Magdeburg through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls against the Danes (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged and you must have slots open for them)
(C) Sally forth against the Danes.

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa, Zagreb, Vienna
Personal Wealth: 9 (0 carried over, 1 base from Ragusa, 2 base from Zagreb, 3 base from Vienna, 1 bonus for starting in Ragusa, 1 plunder from battle, 1 from gambling)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

You have fought long and hard, but your Duchy is now being squeezed from both sides. Budapest and Venice both fell to their respective besiegers over the winter. Austria now consists of a vertical line of provinces that is surrounded on all sides by the enemy. If Vienna is seized, both Zagreb and Ragusa will be cut off from the rest of the Reich. Fortunately, all three of your remaining provinces have been pacified. Both you and Lorenz Zirn have moderate-sized armies under your command, and Karl Zirn remains at the head of a strong force. Perhaps this will be enough to hold on to your remaining lands.

*(A) Return to Ragusa, recruit new regiments, and hold the walls.
(B)Recruit new regiments and march on Venice

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb
Personal Wealth: 10 (7 carried over, 1 base from Zagreb for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Zagreb, 1 plunder from battle)
Units Available: Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Ballista

You persistent efforts have kept Zagreb safe and have restored some stability to the Austrian lines after the chaotic retreat from Budapest. You have also been frugal over the past few years, resulting in an accumulation of wealth to a level that only Dukes and plunderers commonly see. The are no armies within sight of Zagreb this year, but it is possible that the Hungarians could push onwards from the east, of the Byzantines from the west, or both, in future years. Will you use your wealth and army to keep holding the line, or will you attempt to regain some of what you have lost?

*(A) Garrison Zagreb.
(B) Attack the Hungarian army holding the bridge east of Zagreb.
(C) Besiege Venice.
(D) Move to besiege Budapest. You will have to defeat both Hungarian armies holding the bridge crossings before you can reach the city.

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces:
Personal Wealth: 5 (0 carried over due to 3 for gunsmith and 2 for Spear Militia, 3 base from Prague, 1 bonus from Prague for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Prague)
Special Ability: Every year, you may ‘train’ one full-strength unit of Militia to a higher level for free. Crossbow Militia can be trained to Pavise Crossbowmen. Town Militia and Spear Militia can be trained to Armoured Sergeants. Units trained in this manner will retain an identical level of experience and armor.
Units Available: Crossbow Militia, Town Militia, Spear Militia, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

You continued your tradition of investment in Prague, this time by beginning construction on a gunsmith. You also recruited two new regiments of Spear Militia and trained one of your veteran Spear Militia units into a professional regiment of Armoured Sergeants. For reasons known only to themselves, the Poles did not besiege the city this year. They still sit a short distance from the city and an attack is likely to occur eventually.

*(A) Hold the walls of Prague.
(B) Attack the Polish army in the field.
(C) Abandon Prague and retreat west to Nuremburg.
(D) You clearly have the concerns of the people at heart. Nuremburg remains in the grips of religious warfare and her Lords are stuck in Italy defending against the Byzantines. Ride west to Nuremburg and pacify the province in an attempt to prevent any further destruction, and then return immediately to Prague. If you took Cardinal Athalwolf Otterbach with you and left him in the city, perhaps his words could help maintain the peace after you depart.

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 3 (3 carried over)
Special Ability: You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. If you start your turn inside a province you control, you will gain +2 instead of the normal +1.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You sent a great deal of money to Duke Arnold in Ragusa and he sent you a moderate sized professional army in return. With this force, you pacified Vienna. You now command a moderate sized force of mixed militia and professional soldiers. It is not powerful enough for significant field engagements against a strong foe, but it is enough to make your strength an important part of the Austrian defensive line. With the fall of Budapest, you are once again a Count without a province. Perhaps it would be a good idea to ask Duke Arnold to allow you to manage Vienna.

*(A) Garrison Vienna and defend it against all foes.
(B) If Karl Zirn marches on Budapest or Venice, join him.
(C) If Karl Zirn marches on Budapest or Venice, move to Zagreb and garrison it.
(D) Move north to attack Prague.
(E) Nuremburg remains in the grips of religious warfare and her Lords are stuck in Italy defending against the Byzantines. Ride northwest to Nuremburg and pacify the province in an attempt to prevent any further destruction, and then return immediately to Vienna.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan (religious warfare), Genoa (besieged), Innsbruck, Nuremburg (religious warfare)
Personal Wealth: 8 (4 carried over, 1 bonus for starting in Milan, 2 from battle plunder, 1 from Deep Pockets)
Special Ability: Deep Pockets means that you produce +1 wealth per turn, no matter where you are or what your circumstances.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Genoa (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 5 (1 carried over, 3 base from Genoa since Duke Lothar is cut off and cannot receive his share, 1 bonus for starting in Genoa)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballista

The Byzantines assaulted both Venice and Milan over the winter, but they decided more time was needed to attack your well-defended city. They remain encamped outside your walls, cutting off access to the rest of Bavaria and the Reich. You recruited a regiment of Forlorn Hope last year and while your army remains outnumbered by the enemy, you are almost certain of victory if you remain behind the walls. If you take the field, the result will be less certain.

(A) Abandon your army and flee through a secret escape tunnel to Innsbruck.
*(B) Hold the walls against the Byzantines (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged)
(C) Sally forth against the Byzantines.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch, Acre
Personal Wealth: 5 (0 carried over, 3 base for Antioch, 1 base for Acre, 1 bonus for starting in Antioch)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Halberd Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Ballista, Turkopoles, Kwarizmian Cavalry

You are now King of Outremer by default, as you are the only Elector remaining in the East. Your staunch defiance has inspired all true Christian warriors to join you in the defense of your remaining territories. All Christian men and boys left in Outremer, whether of German origin or not, now consider you a living Saint. They clamor to join your army and you are only limited in your manpower by your ability to properly equip and train them. You will need these men desperately, as the enemies of Outremer have rested and gathered their strength. They have waited several years for the Evacuation Fleet to depart. With the loss of so many defenders of Outremer, their waiting is over. You can expect serious and determined assaults over the next few years. Your decision to remain in the East has had many benefits. Now you had best prepare yourself for the less pleasant consequences.

New Special Ability Gained: No matter where you are or what your circumstances, you can recruit two regiments of religious warriors per turn in any combination that you like. Religious Fanatics cost nothing. Crusader Sergeants cost 1 wealth. Grand Crosses cost 1 wealth. Unhorsed Knights cost 2 wealth. Crusader Knights cost 3 wealth.

*(A) Retreat to Acre.
(B) Retreat to Antioch.
(C) Attack the Byzantine Siege Army in the field.
(D) Attack the Byzantine Cavalry Army in the field. The English will sally forth to aid you.
(E) Hold the Iron Bridge. You will likely be surrounded and assaulted from both sides by the Byzantines.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck
Personal Wealth: 9 (7 carried over, 1 from Innsbruck for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Innsbruck)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

Thanks to your presence, the recruiting center of Bavaria remains pacified and secure. You have now accumulated a decent amount of wealth and it would be a good idea to begin recruiting an army. It would then be good to work with your fellow Bavarians on developing a new defensive plan.

*(A) Recruit some soldiers and remain in Innsbruck.
(B) Recruit some soldiers and march north to pacify Nuremburg.
(C) Recruit some soldiers and march south to hold the eastern alpine pass against the Byzantines.
(MISC) In addition to the above, order the confiscation of all non-essential resources for use in the war effort. This will yield 10 wealth which can be spent immediately, but will remove all future income of any kind from Innsbruck, including both the base and the starting bonus.

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: None

Round the world! There is much in that sound to inspire proud feelings; but whereto does all that circumnavigation conduct? Only through numberless perils to the very point whence we started, where those that we left behind secure, were all the time before us.

*(A) Continue to sail towards the coast north of Venice. You will make landfall at the beginning of 1338.
11-30-2007, 04:43
TinCow

Turn 9 - 1336

Choices are due by 11pm EST, Saturday, December 1st.

Save Game File

1336 AD: War and Peace

The actions of the previous year have led to a tentative sense of peace and stability in several areas of the Reich. However, it is not universal and many Electors are still fighting for their lives and lands.

Outremer saw King Matthias Steffen leave the Iron Bridge to confront the Byzantine Cavalry Army which was attempting to flank him. Battle was joined outside Aleppo, where Matthias engaged the Byzantines without the aid of his English allies. This was done to preserve the English territories as a neutral buffer zone between Outremer’s remaining enemies. The battle was part success and part failure. The enemy force was heavily whittled down for little loss to the Crusaders, but Matthias was eventually forced to yield the field and withdrew a short ways south. The Byzantine army continued on its way and as a result Antioch is now encircled in a ring of steel. It will be exceedingly difficult to dislodge the Byzantines from their positions around Antioch.

Franconia shows the first signs of returning to her former glorious self. While Magdeburg remains besieged by powerful Danish armies, Dieter Bresch and Tancred von Tyrolia hold the walls with a large army and they have proven that they can beat back all foes. The Danish assault will surely be vicious, but the prowess and stamina of the Franconians will likely prevail. Duke Peter has seen the first year of peace since he inherited his title. Frankfurt is free of siege and there are no armies threatening it. In the most significant turn of events, Fritz von Kastilien successfully negotiated a ceasefire with the Russians. In return for the entire province of Stettin, one Orthodox enemy has been appeased, at least for a few years. After the handover, Fritz made a daring march west and assaulted the Danish garrison of Hamburg. That ancient and prosperous Franconian city has now been returned to its rightful owners; this will surely help to restore Franconia to prosperity.

Bavaria can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Intimidated by the prospect of attacking the walls of Genoa, the Byzantines broke off their siege and retreated to Florence. They are consolidating a strong defensive line from Florence to Bologna to Venice. These cities will be difficult to recapture, and almost all of Italy remains in their hands, but at least their massive offensive has finally lost steam. At the same time, the provinces of Milan and Nuremburg have finally been pacified. The former by Duke Lothar himself, and the latter by the generous actions of Count Becker. Count Becker was forced to return immediately to Prague, but he attempted to calm the situation in Nuremburg by leaving behind Cardinal Athalwolf Otterbach to preach cooperation and tolerance. A chance of renewed violence exists, but it is low.

As expected, Swabia remains beset by troubles that are exclusively internal. Not a single Swabian city is besieged by a foreign power, but warfare goes on still. Wolfgang Hummel’s capture of Staufen provoked a swift response from many Electors, both inside and outside of the Duchy. Ludwig von Bohmen took 4 wealth from Jan von der Pfalz and rode south at breakneck speed, accompanied only by Count von der Phalz’s Mounted Sergeants, to prevent him from being slowed. However, Duke Athalwolf von Salza was prepared for just such a move, and was personally patrolling the roads with a large contingent of cavalry. While the rebel Mounted Sergeants were fast enough to evade him, Ludwig von Bohmen’s heavy bodyguard were slower. After a chase of nearly 30 minutes, it appeared as though the rebel Count, and his valuable cargo, would be captured. In a heroic gesture, the Mounted Sergeants, who were in the clear, turned and charged into the pursuing loyalist Knights. They were no match for the enemy, and fell quickly, but they forced the pursuers to halt and fight. That made all the difference, and Count von Bohmen was able to extend his lead and escape. He arrived in Staufen battered, exhausted, and without his escort of Sergeants, but he was alive and had delivered the wealth to Wolfgang. At almost the same time, riders from Innsbruck, moving unopposed through safe Alpine roads, brought a full 7 wealth to Wolfgang, a gift of the Bavarian Count Friedrich Karolinger.

Wolfgang had already ordered recruitment to begin with his meager resources before either set of riders even set out. While he did not have enough on-hand to pay the full cost, it was enough to begin outfitting a unit of Peasant Archers. The rest of their payment was then fulfilled from the newly arrive wealth. The loyalist Ehrhart Ruppel was not idle during these events either. He saw to the hasty recruitment of some Spear Militia to fill out his force, then began to march towards Staufen. He planned to approach minor nobles along the way and offer to pay for the services of any professional soldiers in their employment. However, a messenger from Metz found him and informed him that Count von Bohmen had gotten past Duke Athalwolf and was delivering wealth to Wolfgang Hummel. Ehrhart Ruppel knew that with that money, Wolfgang could train additional professional infantry that would have a huge advantage against his men while defending the walls of a citadel. So, Ehrhart Ruppel abandoned his attempts and spurred his army on to Staufen at all haste. He arrived too late to prevent the recruitment of the Peasant Archers, but he was able to prevent any further resources from entering the citadel.

Wolfgang’s army had been preparing for just such a siege, and though they were denied the means by which to recruit more regiments, they were able to scour every farm and village within 5 miles of the citadel. Large amounts of food were brought inside, and disused houses were knocked down; their stones being brought up to the walls to repair any minor damage and weather wear that could prove a weakness. With the resident population of the citadel small and Wolfgang’s army only moderate in size, he has enough food to allow him to resist the siege almost indefinitely. Indeed, with the local farms stripped bare and many more mouths to feed, Ehrhart Ruppel is likely to suffer problems from food shortages first. However, so long as Ehrhart Ruppel blocks all trade into and out of Staufen, no further military recruitment will be possible in the citadel. For his own part, Ehrhart Ruppel has sent his men out into the province of Staufen in small bands to pacify the population. The departing men were never large enough to give Wolfgang Hummel a chance to break out, but they were frequent enough and persistent enough to eventually succeed. Ehrhart Ruppel also made an attempt to infiltrate his personal spy into Staufen, as he had done so successfully at Bern. However, Wolfgang Hummel had personal experience with counterspying and the agent was apprehended. His head currently adorns the northern gate of Staufen.

In more mundane Swabian news, Jan von der Pfalz took his small army and set up camp to block the bridge from Bruges to Antwerp. Should the French move on his city, he will have the chance of stopping them there first. The priest Alexander Luther also appeared in Jan von der Pfalz’s camp, preaching words intended to rally the people against the Danes. This succeeded in creating a small levy from the Flemish citizens, but predictably alienated the Danish majority of Antwerp. As a result, they are once again refusing to aid Jan von der Pfalz. After his skirmish with Count von Bohmen, Duke Athalwolf set about attempting to pacify Metz. Though his own army was too small for the task, the people of the city were pleased to see him at least attempt it. They too were growing very weary of the death and destruction, and a large volunteer force formed up to aid him. Within a few short weeks, a nominal sense of order was imposed on the province. The local volunteers have since returned to their former lives, leaving only Duke Athalwolf’s professionals to police the province, but at least it has been restored to prosperity. Indeed, at the beginning of 1336, the entire Reich has been pacified and religious violence seems to be at an end. If this continues into 1338, the War of Reformation will be considered finally over.

Austria is the only Duchy to face any new offensives against her holdings. In the south, the Venetians have once again laid siege to Ragusa. With their elite regiments smashed, they have only been able to field standard regiments. These will surely pose no serious threat to Duke Arnolds hardened veterans, especially on the walls of fearsome Ragusa, but the Venetians do have a significant advantage in numbers. The citadel blunts this advantage, but it will be difficult to overcome in a sally. In the extreme north, Edmund Becker was barely able to slip back inside Prague before the Poles began their siege. The city’s walls are strong and the Ballista Towers will be difficult for the Poles to overcome, but the defenders themselves are still almost exclusively militia. If a serious melee begins, Count Becker could find himself in danger. The crisis is similarly serious in middle Austria. The final Hungarian offensive has been launched in a desperate bid to take Zagreb and split the Duchy in two. The elite Hungarian army which had encamped at the eastern bridge crossing the year before has laid siege to the city. Karl Zirn holds the walls with an immensely strong force, but he faces a most formidable foe. Of all the Austrian cities, only Vienna remains free of siege this year.

War of Reformation Status in 1336:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Provinces Suffering Religious Warfare (City, Rebel Stack Name(s), Population Killed, Building Destroyed):
None

Total 1330 Deaths: 89,800
Total 1332 Deaths: 18,980
Total 1334 Deaths: 7,700
Total 1336 Deaths: 0
Total Cumulative Deaths: 116,480

Provinces Pacified (City, Elector Present, Chance of Rebel Stack Spawning if No Elector Present):
Ragusa – Arnold, 50%
Vienna – Lorenz Zirn, 50%
Zagreb – Karl Zirn, 25%
Prague – Edmund Becker, 50%
Genoa – Fredericus Erhart, 50%
Innsbruck – Freiderich Karolinger, 50%
Milan – Lothar Steffen, 50%
Nuremburg - NONE, 25%
Hamburg – Fritz von Kastilien, 50%
Frankfurt – Peter von Kastilien, 50%
Magdeburg – Dieter Bresch and Tancred von Tyrolia, 50%
Metz – Athalwolf von Salza, 50%
Antwerp – Jan von der Pfalz and Ludwig von Bohmen, 50%
Staufen – Ehrhart Ruppel, Wolfgang Hummel, Ludwig von Bohmen, 50%
Bern – NONE, 25%

If there is no rebellion in any province next year, the War of Reformation will end.

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: None

*(A) Continue to sail towards the coast north of Venice. You will make landfall at the beginning of 1338.

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Metz, Bern
Personal Wealth: 7 (0 carried over, 3 base from Metz, 3 base from Bern, 1 bonus for starting in Metz)
Units Available: Town Militia

You ordered the recruitment of any men who could bare arms. Your lieutenants were able to find a band of Mercenary Spearmen, who have joined you, and you spent your remaining wealth to raise three regiments of Town Militia. The latter are not good soldiers, but they are better than nothing. While your men were handling these affairs, you began conducting patrols along the open road leading to Antwerp with your strong cavalry contingent. After a few days, one of your scouts spotted about a hundred horsemen galloping south at top speed. You moved to intercept them immediately.

It turned out to be Ludwig von Bohmen, with his bodyguards, and a full contingent of Mounted Sergeants. The rebel’s saddlebags were nearly bursting at the seams with wealth and you drove your men hard to stop him. For a few moments it seemed as if your men would catch the slower heavy cavalry of the rebel’s bodyguards. Then, the Mounted Sergeants turned and charged into you. They were no match for your Knights and Mounted Crossbowmen, and were soon completely killed or captured. However, doing so took several minutes, long enough for Ludwig von Bohmen to escape with his wealth. Knowing it was pointless to pursue him further, you dispatched a scout to inform Ehrhart Ruppel of the encounter and returned to Metz.

When you arrived, the city saw you form up your men and give orders to begin pacifying the province. It was a hopeless endeavor, as you did not have a large enough army to do so. However, the people were tired of death and destruction and they turned out in a mightly levy to aid you. After several weeks of campaigning, the violence ceased and the province was finally at peace. The levy volunteers have since returned to their homes and their normal lives. It would have been good if they had stayed in your army, but at least Metz has been pacified and is once again paying its taxes.

Now you must decide what to do with your army. Ehrhart Ruppel has trapped Wolfgang Hummel inside the citadel at Staufen. However, Ruppel’s army has almost no heavy infantry suitable for such a major attack. If he is to win, it will have to be by overwhelming numbers. If you move to Staufen, you could aid him. However, there is also the chance that Jan von der Pfalz could move south with his army as well. Metz would be open to him if you left.

*(A) Retreat to Bern with your army, leaving only a tiny garrison in Metz.
(B) Stay in Metz. If Jan von der Pfalz moves south, attack him on the road with your entire army.
(C) Move to Staufen to reinforce Ehrhart Ruppel.

Ehrhart Ruppel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 13 (13 carried over)
Units Available: Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen

You assigned some of your depleted militia units to garrison Bern, then paid for a levy of fresh Spear Militia to fill out your ranks. You then began to march towards Staufen. Your intention was to stop by the holdings of every minor noble you could find to request (with payment, of course) the use of any professional soldiers in their employment. However, you had only been on the road for a day when a messenger reached you from Metz. He brought words that Ludwig von Bohmen had slipped past Duke Athalwolf with a large amount of wealth, obviously bound for Staufen.

You knew instantly what that meant: fresh recruits for Wolfgang Hummel. Professional infantry recruits, exactly the kind of men who could make taking Staufen completely impossible. For a moment you considered continuing with your own recruitment attempts, but it didn’t take long to realize that was tactically unsound. One regiment of professional infantryman defending a fortified citadel was worth more than two professional infantrymen assaulting a citadel. If you stayed to recruit, your relative strength would actually decrease. With the decision clear, you spurred your men on as fast as possible to envelop Staufen.

You arrived not a moment too soon. Wolfgang Hummel had already trained a regiment of Peasant Archers, a nuisance to be sure, but not a major problem. However, he had more wealth at his disposal than you could possibly have imagined. Your scouts reported that shortly before the citadel was surrounded, other riders bearing the heraldry of Count Friedrich Karolinger were seen arriving from the direction of Innsbruck. Their saddlebags were also bulging with what could only have been sacks of florins. Clearly Wolfgang now has enough wealth to raise a large contingent of professional soldiers. However, your siege has cut him off from all outside resources. So long as your men block the gates, he will be unable to train further.

That said, the situation is far from ideal. Wolfgang planned well and his men stripped all the local farms of their stored food and crops. With the citadel’s small population and his army’s moderate size, he will be able to hold the walls for several years at least. You will not have that luxury, as the land has been plundered and you have many, many mouths to feed. You will not have any problems this year, but should the siege continue past 1338, your army will starve and desert you. In addition, while you outnumber Wolfgang, your force is far from ideal for an assault on a defended citadel. Your infantry is of poor quality and your cavalry has obvious limitations. You could return to your previous plan and attempt to find some professional infantry in the employ of minor nobles, but any loyalists who lived nearby have long fled from Wolfgang. You will have to travel back to Bern to locate usable troops. You can attempt to disguise your departure, but there is always a chance that Wolfgang’s scouts will notice your departure. If they sally forth while you are gone, you will not be able to command your army in its own defense.

*(A) Retreat to Bern.
(B) Assault Staufen immediately. You can choose up to 260 points (1 turn’s worth) of siege equipment in addition to your artillery.
(C) Maintain the siege and attempt to slip away unnoticed to find professional infantry in Bern. There is a chance that Wolfgang Hummel’s scouts will notice that you are not present. Whether they do or not, if Wolfgang sallies while you are gone, he will get to fight your army in a Custom Battle against the AI.
(D) Maintain the siege, but do not attempt to find more men.

Wolfgang Hümmel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Staufen (religious warfare, besieged with you inside), Antwerp (trade route blocked)
Personal Wealth: 11 (0 carried over, -1 for partial payment for Peasant Archers, 4 from Ludwig von Bohmen, 7 from Friedrich Karolinger, 1 bonus for starting in Staufen)
Special Ability: You can hire Free Company Longbowmen and Free Company Men at Arms whenever and wherever you want, but you must pay 4 wealth for each regiment.
Units Available: None while besieged

Your appeal for aid from your vassals and the Bavarians has been successful. Ludwig von Bohmen arrived from Antwerp with 4 wealth, though his escorting Mounted Sergeants were lost along the way. Messengers have also arrived with 7 wealth from Count Friedrich Karolinger of Innsbruck. However, Ehrhart Ruppel arrived faster than you expected and laid siege to the citadel. You were able to recruit a single regiment of Peasant Archers before he cut you off from your resources. So long as he besieges you, you will be unable to buy the raw materials you need to recruit further soldiers.

However, the situation is not heavily against you. Ehrhart Ruppel vastly outnumbers you, but he is almost entirely lacking in quality infantry. Without them, he will find it very difficult to defeat you. In addition, you know that time is on your side. You wisely prepared for the siege by stripping all nearby farms of their crops and stored foods. You also repaired all weather damage the citadel had experienced over the years with timber and stone from some of the nearby houses. Your citadel is in excellent condition and you have enough food to last you for several years at least.

Your scouts have an excellent vantage point from the citadel’s tall towers to view Ehrhart’s army. It is clear that he will have difficulty feeding so many men for more than a few years. At the same time, you know that Ehrhart must be all too aware of his own weakness in quality infantry. There is a chance he may attempt to slip away and recruit some more, though from where you cannot imagine. If he does, it would be the perfect opportunity to sally forth and destroy his army while it is leaderless. Of course, it is not easy to pick out a single man from a distance in such a horde. It is possible that your scouts miss his departure even if he does leave.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee north to Antwerp through a secret tunnel.
(B) Wait a few weeks, then sally forth, hoping that Ehrhart Ruppel is gone when you attack.
(C) Hold the walls. Sally forth only if your scouts report that Ehrhart Ruppel is gone. There is a chance that your men could miss his absence and never report to you.
(D) Hold the walls. Do not sally forth even if Ehrhart Ruppel is reported to be absent.

Ludwig von Bohmen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: None while besieged

Read the intro and Athalwolf von Salza’s descriptions for details about your journey south. You are now trapped inside Staufen with your Lord and his army. You chose to back a rebel in the midst of a Civil War. Now you are directly involved and your life is on the line.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee north to Antwerp through a secret tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls with Wolfgang Hummel

Jan von der Pfalz:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antwerp
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over, 3 base from Antwerp for loyal Count since Wolfgang Hummel is cut off and cannot receive his share, 1 bonus for starting in Antwerp)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. You may not hire any units from Antwerp other than those listed in this Special Ability.
Units Available: Arquebusiers, Hand Gunners, Halberd Militia, Pike Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Trebuchets, Catapults, Ballista, Flemish Pikemen

You sent all 4 of your wealth south with Ludwig von Bohmen to aid Wolfgang Hummel at Staufen. He is besieged and outnumbered, but numbers do not count for everything inside a citadel. To defend your County, you left a single militiaman (albeit a very big and nasty one) in Antwerp and took up a defensive position on the bridge to Bruges. The French did not attack. Indeed, it appears that the Reich’s English allies have come to your aid. They have landed an entire army on the continent and besieged the French inside Bruges! However, a second French army is nearby and the English will surely be driven off unless they receive aid. However, if you move to aid them, your army could be smashed as well.

You petitioned Alexander Luther to come join you and aid in the defense of Antwerp. He has done so, but he has been preaching words intended to make the citizenry take up arms against the Danes. This has worked well, and the Flemish citizenry have responded to the call of this famous German. They have raised additional regiments with their own money and sent them to your camp at the bridge. They have formed into two regiments of Flemish Pikemen, a regiment of Arquebusiers, and a regiment of Hand Gunners. However, this is exactly the kind of talk that the Danish residents of Antwerp fear the most. You have alienated them once again and you will only be able to recruit from the smaller Flemish population for the foreseeable future.

Note: Your special ability has reverted to its 1332 form.

*(A) Retreat to Antwerp.
(B) Hold the bridge and fight if attacked.
(C) March to aid the English, so that you will rally to their side if they are attacked by the French.
(D) Move south and attack Metz.
(E) Move south and attempt to reach Staufen. If Athalwolf von Salza moves to block you, a battle could occur along the way.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Frankfurt, Hamburg, Magdeburg (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 9 (1 carried over, 3 base from Frankfurt, 3 base from Hamburg, 1 bonus for starting in Frankfurt, 1 for battle plunder)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Crossbow Militia, Town Militia, Teutonic Knights

You recruited a regiment of Teutonic Knights, sallied forth, and drove the Danes from your walls. With the simultaneous recapture of Hamburg, Franconia is again becoming profitable. However, Magdeburg remains besieged by enemy forces and there is a strong Danish army between Frankfurt and Hamburg. The situation is better than it has been for many years, but there is still plenty of work to be done.

*(A) Remain in Frankfurt and hold the walls.
(B) Attack the Danish army to the north.
(C) Attack the Danish armies besieging Magdeburg. It will be a bridge battle and you will not be able to use a night attack to split the armies, but Dieter Bresch, Tancred von Tyrolia, and the entire garrison of Magdeburg will sally to your aid on the enemy’s side of the river. Such a battle would have the prospect of both a great victory and a disastrous defeat.

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 7 (10 carried over, 3 plunder from battle, -6 upkeep for 17 mercenary units)
Special Ability: For the rest of the cataclysm, small groups of mercenaries will join your army for free at irregular intervals. In addition, you can hire any mercenary unit available in Europe, even if they are not available in your current territory. All mercenary recruitment costs are 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. However, the mercenaries require a large amount of wealth to sustain them. Beginning in 1330, you will have to pay 1 wealth per 3 mercenary units per turn (rounded up, to a maximum of 6) to keep them from deserting.
Units Available: Any European Mercenary, Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia

You have accomplished great things in the previous year. First you secured a ceasefire and trade rights with the Russians in exchange for Stettin. That impoverished province was a small price to pay to remove one of Franconia’s three enemies from the war. It remains to be seen how long the peace will last, though. You also marched west, retook Hamburg from the Danes, and smashed a nearby Danish army. The people were overjoyed to be rescued from their occupiers. They did not expect to see a Franconian army at their doorsteps for many years due to the difficulties in the Reich. Their unexpected liberation has made the people exuberant beyond all expectations. Your fierce reputation preceded you, which made your choice to occupy the city without harming the residents or plundering its wealth all the more amazing. The people love you dearly and they have put all of the city’s resources at your disposal. Should you wish to disband your mercenary army, they will replace each unit you dismiss with a regiment of citizen soldiers. They may not be as well trained as the mercenaries, but this is an opportunity to switch over to an army that does not bleed you dry every year.

For each mercenary unit that you disband this year (before battle) you will receive one of the non-mercenary units listed in your Units Available category. You must inform me of which units you are disbanding if you do this.

*(A) Remain in Hamburg and hold the walls.
(B) Attack the Danish army to the southwest.
(C) Attack the Danish armies besieging Magdeburg. It will be a bridge battle and you will not be able to use a night attack to split the armies, but Dieter Bresch, Tancred von Tyrolia, and the entire garrison of Magdeburg will sally to your aid on the enemy’s side of the river. Such a battle would have the prospect of both a great victory and a disastrous defeat.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 5 (3 carried over, 1 from Magdeburg for loyal Count, 1 from starting in Magdeburg)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You remain besieged inside Magdeburg. No attempt was made by anyone to block the second army with artillery and it is now also encamped outside your walls. It will join the first army in the assault, should it occur. If you do not think you can repel two armies at once, it would be wise to flee or request aid from your fellow Franconians.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Magdeburg through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls against the Danes (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged and you must have slots open for them – Note that you have some heavily depleted units that you can disband to make way for fresh recruits)
(C) Sally forth against the Danes. This will be a difficult battle.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 1 (1 carried over)
Units Available: DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You are trapped inside Magdeburg with Dieter Bresch. Your situations are identical. Read his description for further information.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Magdeburg through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls against the Danes (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged and you must have slots open for them – Note that you have some heavily depleted units that you can disband to make way for fresh recruits)
(C) Sally forth against the Danes. This will be a difficult battle.

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa (besieged with you inside), Zagreb (besieged), Vienna (trade route blocked)
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 base from Ragusa, 1 bonus for starting in Ragusa, -1 from gambling, 1 from Edmund Becker)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

You retreated to Ragusa and embarked upon a massive recruitment effort. You hired three regiments if DFKs to bolster Ragusa’s defenses against the Venetians and you also spent Karl Zirn’s wealth and dispatched three regiments of Pavise Crossbowmen to him. These were wise moves, as both of your cities are now besieged. There are two Venetian armies at your door, but they are an odd lot. The main besieging army is composed almost entirely of Pavise Crossbow Militia. They will certainly force your men to keep their heads low on the battlements, but will surely not pose a serious threat. The other army is far more formidable and it includes cannons to knock down your walls, but it is somewhat depleted from previous battles. A sally against these forces may be costly, but they can likely be defeated if they assault the citadel.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Ragusa through a secret tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls. You may not recruit more than one unit while besieged.
(C) Sally forth.

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over, 3 base from Zagreb for loyal Count since Arnold is cut off from income, 1 bonus for starting in Zagreb)
Units Available: Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Ballista

You spent your wealth last year to build a new Small Church in Zagreb (chance of rebel army spawning reduced to 25%). You also sent 9 wealth to Ragusa, where Duke Arnold recruited three regiments of Pavise Crossbowmen for you and sent them back to your city. That was a good decision, as the Hungarian army on the bridge has besieged Zagreb. You face a deadly serious threat. The crème of the Hungarian military stands at your walls. They have many trained foot knights, mounted knights, horse archers, pavise crossbowmen, and even bombards. To hold against them you have a strong army of your own, but will it be enough when the walls begin to crumble around you? Do not underestimate the seriousness of your situation or you will surely perish.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Zagreb through a secret tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls.
(C) Sally forth (not advisable).

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (Rebel Capital) (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 4 (0 carried over, 3 base from Prague, 1 bonus from Prague for Rebel Capital, 1 bonus for starting in Prague, -1 for wealth sent to Arnold)
Special Ability: Every year, you may ‘train’ one full-strength unit of Militia to a higher level for free. Crossbow Militia can be trained to Pavise Crossbowmen. Town Militia and Spear Militia can be trained to Armoured Sergeants. Units trained in this manner will retain an identical level of experience and armor.
Units Available: Crossbow Militia, Town Militia, Spear Militia

You pacified Nuremburg and left Cardinal Athalwolf Otterbach behind to help keep the peace. It worked and you have earned the thanks of the Bavarians. When you returned to Prague, you began seeing about the defenses of the city. An experienced unit of Spear Militia were trained into Armoured Sergeants, and you recruited a further two regiments of Spear Militia and a regiment of Crossbow Militia. This was done none too soon, as the Poles finally began their siege of the city. Though your army is still largely militia, you stand a good chance at repelling the enemy should they attack. You ballista towers will cause immense damage to the enemy as they advance. You possess few infantry capable of winning a hand to hand melee, but fortunately, so do the Poles. Their main strength is their mounted host which accounts for nearly half their army. Fortunately, you have many spearmen available to counter them.

Duke Lothar Steffen has sent a messenger to you expressing his personal gratitude for your efforts in Nuremburg. In thanks, he offers to spend all 10 of his wealth to recruit two regiments of Imperial Knights in Innsbruck and dispatch them to aid you against the Poles. Should you take the Duke up on his offer, they will move next to the city and appear as reinforcements if the Poles attack. Of course, should you not truly need this aid, the Duke can make great use of it to strengthen Bavaria’s defenses.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Prague through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls.
(C) Sally forth.

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Vienna
Personal Wealth: 8 (3 carried over, 3 base from Vienna for loyal Count with Arnold cut off from trade, 2 bonus for starting in Vienna)
Special Ability: You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. If you start your turn inside a province you control, you will gain +2 instead of the normal +1.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You stayed in Vienna last year to protect it. You ordered the recruitment of high quality artillery. However, last year you only had 3 wealth available and that was insufficient to purchase any artillery. You have more than enough to do so this year, though.

*(A) Remain in Vienna and hold the walls.
(B) Move south to Zagreb to aid Karl Zirn against the Hungarians.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Nuremburg, Innsbruck, Milan, Genoa
Personal Wealth: 10 (0 carried over, 3 base from Nuremburg, 3 base from Milan, 2 base from Genoa, 1 bonus for starting in Milan, 1 from Deep Pockets)
Special Ability: Deep Pockets means that you produce +1 wealth per turn, no matter where you are or what your circumstances.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Mercenary German Knights, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Milan
Personal Wealth: 4 (2 carried over, 1 base from Milan for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Milan)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Ballista, Mercenary German Knights, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

The Byzantines have balked at your defenses and retreated to Florence. Your city stands free of siege and your army is once again in contact with the rest of Bavaria. The Byzantines have several large armies along the line from Florence to Bologna to Venice, but for the time being they appear to be on the defensive. You appear to have earned yourself some breathing room.

*(A) Remain in Genoa and hold the walls.
(B) Besiege Bologna. You are likely to be attacked by the Byzantines before you can assault.
(C) Besiege Florence. You are likely to be attacked by the Byzantines before you can assault.
(D) Leave behind a modest garrison and move north to Innsbruck.

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Antioch (besieged), Acre
Personal Wealth: 5 (3 carried over, 1 base from Acre, 1 bonus for starting in Antioch)
Special Ability: No matter where you are or what your circumstances, you can recruit two regiments of religious warriors per turn in any combination that you like. Religious Fanatics cost nothing. Crusader Sergeants cost 1 wealth. Grand Crosses cost 1 wealth. Unhorsed Knights cost 2 wealth. Crusader Knights cost 3 wealth.
Units Available: Kwarizmian Cavalry, Turkopoles

You raised two groups of Religious Fanatics to garrison Antioch and spent two wealth to construct a Church in the city. The people were so pleased with this decision that they labored very hard and completed it a year early. You then moved to engage the Byzantine Cavalry Army, with the now well-know outcome. It was a nominal victory, but a disaster for Antioch. With the Iron Bridge open for so long, the many Byzantine armies on the north side flooded across. Antioch is now hopelessly besieged. Unless you can truly conjure up a miracle, the city is all but lost.

*(A) Move south to Acre
(B) Attack the Byzantines outside of Antioch. You may attack any army you wish, but you may not use night attacks.

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 from Innsbruck for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Innsbruck)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DIK, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Imperial Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

You sent 7 wealth to aid Wolfgang Hummel at Staufen and gave the remaining 2 to Duke Lothar Steffen to help him rebuild his shattered army. You then remained in Innsbruck, keeping the province pacified and secure. For once, there appears to be little work to be done in Bavaria except maintaining the defensive line in Northern Italy. Perhaps this period of crisis is finally coming to an end and you can get back to a normal life.

*(A) Remain in Innsbruck
(B) Recruit a regiment to garrison Innsbruck and ride north to Nurmeburg.
(C) Recruit a regiment to garrison Innsbruck and ride south to Milan.

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: None

*(A) Continue to sail towards the coast north of Venice. You will make landfall at the beginning of 1338.
12-07-2007, 20:39
TinCow

Turn 10 - 1338 AD

Choices are due by 3pm EST, Sunday, December 9th.

Save Game File - Updated: Due to an error in the original save, please use kotr1338-2.

1338: The Imperial Restoration

The previous years events have seen the end of all rebellions in the Reich and the return of the Kaiser to his lands. The old feudal order appears to be reasserting itself and the rule of law appears ready to rise from the grave. It will be needed, as the Reich remains a besieged land.

In Outremer, the concentrated Byzantine armies assaulted Antioch, captured it, and exterminated the city. The city is now garrisoned and guarded by the army of Valsamon of Petrola. With the capture of the heart of Outremer, the Byzantines are now turning their attention towards Acre. A large siege army has begun to march south towards the last bastion of Imperial power in Outremer. It is being escorted by a massive column of cavalry. Matthias Steffen holds a chokepoint against them with a reinforced army, but an offensive act will be difficult. Over the past year, one of the Crusading knights has stood out amongst the pack. He is Andreas von Salzgitter, a loyal and chivalrous man who now commands the small garrison of Acre.

Franconia remains much as it was last year. Hamburg and Frankfurt are safe and profitable, but Magdeburg remains besieged by powerful Danish armies, with an equally strong Polish army nearby. Attrition is beginning to show amongst the garrison, and they will weaken every year until the siege is lifted. Neither Peter von Kastilien nor Fritz von Kastilien have a strong enough army to challenge the Danish by themselves. However, if they join forces, perhaps they will be able to rescue Magdeburg before further starvation occurs.

The Byzantine offensive against Bavaria has ceased, but that only means that the Duchy will cease to hemorrhage provinces. The Greeks have continued to pump wealth and manpower into Italy, and now it is concentrating on holding their gains. A wall of steel and flesh guards Venice, Bologna, and Florence. Regaining the lost provinces will not be easy, nor quick. The Bavarian defenders, Lothar Steffen, Fredericus Erlach, and Friedrich Karolinger pooled their resources to better equip an army to face this threat. That army now stands ready to engage the enemy, commanded by Friedrich Karolinger. Lothar Steffen commands a smaller force, positioned to defend Milan or Genoa, if it is necessary.

For the first time in over 20 years, there are no rebels in Swabia. Wolfgang Hummel, the self-proclaimed ‘Prinz of Swabia’ sallied forth from behind the besieged walls of Staufen and attacked Ehrhart Ruppel’s army while the loyalist was away recruiting heavy infantry for an assault. Nearly all of Ehrhart Ruppel’s army was destroyed in the vicious battle, but the rebel Wolfgang fell as well. With their leaders gone, the rebel survivors had nothing left to fight for. They threw down their arms and fled the field. Athalwolf von Salza was able to march into Staufen unopposed when he arrived with his army. Ehrhart Ruppel returned with his new recruits only to find the men left behind savaged and destroyed. The Duke and his loyal follower will have to pool their resources to counter the French armies that are marching on Metz and Bern. In the north, Ludwig von Bohmen has returned to Bruges, but he is in a precarious position. The army of the late Jan von der Pfalz is his to command, but it was vastly weakened by the assault on the city. The English army has left the area and a strong French force is approaching from the south. Finally, with the end of the Civil War, a new loyalist general has offered his services to Duke Athalwolf. He is Maximillian von Hapsburg and currently reside in Metz, but he will have to evacuate soon if the French are not stopped.

Austria remains balanced on a knife-edge. Prague, Zagreb, and Ragusa remain under siege, with only Vienna secure this year. Attrition is beginning to reduce the armies of all three cities and their ability to defend will get weaker each year unless the sieges are lifted. There is hope, however. Lorenz Zirn still commands a strong force of infantry, now supplemented by a pair of Serpentines. In addition, Kaiser Elberhard has returned to the Reich. He landed northeast of Venice and made an immediate call for all feudal knights to heed his authority and rally to him. Every last Imperial and Gothic Knight, mounted and dismounted, has left their former masters and marched to join him. These men are the Kaiser’s alone to command. For the rest of the cataclysm, no one will be able to recruit Imperial Knights, DIK, or Gothic Knights without the Kaiser’s permission. The Imperial Knights in the garrisons of Ragusa, Zagreb, Prague, and Magdeburg cannot break the siege to reach the Kaiser. As such, they remain with their besieged commanders. However, as soon as those sieges are broken they will immediately leave to join Elberhard, no matter what their various commanders do to stop them. The Kaiser has returned to the Reich, and amongst these men his word is law. In one final matter, Dieter von Kassel took the Kaiser’s regiments of Zweihanders and DFK, broke away from the Kaiser’s fleet, and sailed to Sicily. He intends to assault the citadel of Palermo, opening a new front against the Byzantines in Italy. It is a brave move, as the island is totally cut off from outside aid.

Elberhard:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Special Ability: No one in the entire Reich can recruit Imperial Knights, Dismounted Imperial Knights, or Gothic Knights without your approval.
Units Available: Mercenary German Knights, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

You have returned to the Reich. Your authority amongst the Electors is truly pathetic, but at least the title Kaiser holds sway amongst the knightly ranks. Your army has swelled to capacity with Imperial and Gothic men who have flocked to your banner from all corners of the Reich. Those who were unable to reach you due to sieges will do so as soon as it is possible for them. You will need this strength, as it is your only real power to control the various Electors at the moment. With the Swabian Civil War at an end, you no longer need march directly there. Austria and Bavaria are both nearby and can use your aid, should you wish to give it.

*(A) March north to Nuremburg and prepare to convene the Diet.
(B) March east to aid Karl Zirn in the defense of Zagreb.
(C) March west to aid the Bavarians in their efforts against the Byzantines.

Athalwolf von Salza:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Staufen, Metz, Bern, Antwerp, Bruges
Personal Wealth: 30 (7 carried over, 1 base from Staufen, 1 bonus for starting in Staufen, 2 base from Bern, 3 base from Metz, 3 base from Antwerp, 2 base from Bruges, 11 captured from Wolfgang’s treasury)
Units Available: DFK, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

With the death of Wolfgang Hummel and with Ludwig von Bohmen bending knee, the Swabian Civil War is over and the entire Duchy is once again united under your rule. The wealth has flowed in from all corners of the Duchy and, combined with the monies from Wolfgang’s treasury, it has made you the wealthiest man that the Reich has seen in the last 20 years. You will need that money, as the French have launched major attacks on Metz, Bern, and Bruges. You have four loyal followers now, but all of them need your aid. Who will you help and how?

Note: Given the obscene amount of wealth you have, I will not attempt to figure out what you want to recruit. You must give me specific orders about what units you want to hire and who you will send them to.

*(A) Remain in Staufen.
(B) Move south to Bern.
(C) Move west to Metz.

Ehrhart Ruppel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bern
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 from Bern for loyal Count)
Units Available: DFK, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

It will remain up to the historians to decide whether Staufen was a victory for you or not. Wolfgang Hummel is dead, thanks to the actions of your men, but your army was shattered. Only a handful of Spear Militia and Town Militia survived, along with Hans’ veteran Feudal Knights. A regiment of Imperial Knights survived as well, but they have left you to join Elberhard. You were able to scavenge up two regiments each of DFKs and Armored Sergeants while you were away, along with a regiment of Forlorn Hope. However, this cost you all your wealth. It is a good start to an army, but you will have to depend on Duke Athalwolf’s aid if you wish to confront the advancing French.

*(A) Remain at Staufen.
(B) Move to Metz
(C) Move to Bern

Ludwig von Bohmen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Bruges
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 from Bruges for loyal Count, 1 bonus for starting in Bruges)
Special Ability: When you are within the borders of the County of Bruges, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit. When you are within the borders of the County of Antwerp, you can recruit Mercenary Flemish Pikemen for 2 wealth per unit and Hand Gunners and Arquebusiers for 3 wealth per unit. All other units normally available from Antwerp can be recruited once again, but they cannot be used to fight Danish armies. All units recruited from Antwerp, other than Hand Gunners, Arquebusiers, and Mercenary Flemish Pikemen, will disband if they are present in an army that attacks or is attacked by the Danes.
Units Available: Flemish Pikemen, Town Militia

You escaped from Staufen just in time. Wolfgang Hummel is now dead and his rebellion is over. You have bent knee to Duke Athalwolf, in return for his acceptance of your title of Count of Bruges. You hold the city with the remnants of Jan von der Pfalz’s army. The men are loyal followers and glad to see you, but they are heavily battered and not likely up to the task of defeating the advancing French army under Baldwin Robert. The only way you can possibly save Flanders is through the aid of Duke Athalwolf. If he does not send you aid, it may be a good idea to abandon the area and fleet while you still can.

*(A) Move to Antwerp
(B) Hold the walls of Bruges
(C) March towards Staufen. The route south is blocked by the French, forcing you to go west near Frankfurt. You will not be able to reach Staufen this year, due to the distance.

Maximillian von Hapsburg:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: Town Militia

With the end of the Swabian Civil War, you have decided to join Duke Athalwolf in the defense of Swabia. However, you have little more than your own abilities to offer at the moment. It will be up to Duke Athalwolf to determine what, if any, power you will wield.

*(A) Move to Staufen
(B) Stay in Metz
(C) Move to Bern

Andreas von Salzgitter:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0
Units Available: DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Grand Bombards, Bombards, Trebuchets, Catapults, Ballista, Kwarizmian Cavalry, Turkopoles

*Insert appropriate background story here.*

*(A) Stay in Acre
(C) Join Matthias Steffen in holding the northern pass.

Péter von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Frankfurt, Hamburg, Magdeburg (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 16 (9 carried over, 3 from Frankfurt, 1 bonus for starting in Frankfurt, 3 from Hamburg)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Teutonic Knights

There is only one crisis point in Franconia this year: Magdeburg. Your army is not strong enough to attack the Danes at this point, but you have wealth to spare. Your brother Fritz also has a moderate sized army with him. If the two of you work together, perhaps you could help lift the siege.

*(A) Remain in Frankfurt
(B) Move to Hamburg
(C) Attack the Danish armies outside Magdeburg. You cannot use a night attack.

Fritz von Kastilien:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces:
Personal Wealth: 6 (7 carried over, 1 plunder from battle, -2 for merc upkeep)
Special Ability: For the rest of the cataclysm, small groups of mercenaries will join your army for free at irregular intervals. In addition, you can hire any mercenary unit available in Europe, even if they are not available in your current territory. All mercenary recruitment costs are 1 less for the duration of the cataclysm, to a minimum of 1. However, the mercenaries require a large amount of wealth to sustain them. Beginning in 1330, you will have to pay 1 wealth per 3 mercenary units per turn (rounded up, to a maximum of 6) to keep them from deserting.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Crossbow Militia, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Any European Mercenary

There is only one crisis point in Franconia this year: Magdeburg. Your army is not strong enough to attack the Danes at this point, but perhaps if you worked with your brother Peter, you could help lift the siege. You could also move north against the Danes, but rumors indicate that Arhus is held be a very strong garrison. An advance in that direction would likely be suicidal.

*(A) Remain in Hamburg
(B) Move to Frankfurt
(C) Attack the Danish armies outside Magdeburg. You cannot use a night attack.

Dieter Bresch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Magdeburg (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 from Magdeburg for loyal Count, 1 from starting in Magdeburg)
Units Available: DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You remain besieged inside Magdeburg. You disbanded some heavily depleted regiments and hired a regiment of DFK and a regiment of Armoured Sergeants to replace them. The situation remains the same as last year, though your men are beginning to suffer the usual attrition that comes from a siege. If you do not think you can repel two armies at once, it would be wise to flee or request aid from your fellow Franconians.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Magdeburg through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls against the Danes (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged and you must have slots open for them – Note that you have some heavily depleted units that you can disband to make way for fresh recruits)
(C) Sally forth against the Danes. This will be a difficult battle.

Tancred von Tyrolia:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 1 (1 carried over)
Units Available: DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You remain besieged inside Magdeburg. The situation remains the same as last year, though your men are beginning to suffer the usual attrition that comes from a siege. If you do not think you can repel two armies at once, it would be wise to flee or request aid from your fellow Franconians.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Magdeburg through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls against the Danes (You may not hire more than two units per turn while besieged and you must have slots open for them – Note that you have some heavily depleted units that you can disband to make way for fresh recruits)
(C) Sally forth against the Danes. This will be a difficult battle.

Arnold:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Ragusa (besieged with you inside), Zagreb (besieged), Vienna (trade route blocked), Prague (besieged)
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 base from Ragusa, 1 bonus for starting in Ragusa, -1 from gambling)
Special Ability: Enjoys a Wager gives you a 50% chance of losing 1 wealth per turn and 50% chance of winning 1 wealth per turn.
Units Available: Zweihanders, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

You recruited a regiment of Armoured Spearmen, but otherwise the situation remains the same as last year. Nearly all of Austria is under siege and you are trapped inside Ragusa. Your men are now beginning to suffer the usual attrition effects of a prolonged siege.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Ragusa through a secret tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls. You may not recruit more than one unit while besieged.
(C) Sally forth.

Karl Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Zagreb (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 8 (4 carried over, 3 base from Zagreb for loyal Count since Arnold is cut off from income, 1 bonus for starting in Zagreb)
Units Available: Spear Militia, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Ballista

The situation remains the same as last year. Nearly all of Austria is under siege and you are trapped inside Ragusa. Your men are now beginning to suffer the usual attrition effects of a prolonged siege. However, Kaiser Elberhard has landed nearby and has a strong force of knights with him. If he came to your aid, perhaps you would have a chance of breaking the siege.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Zagreb through a secret tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls.
(C) Sally forth (not advisable unless Elberhard is aiding you).

Edmund Becker:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Prague (besieged with you inside)
Personal Wealth: 7 (2 carried over, 3 base from Prague for loyal Count since Arnold is cut off from income, 1 bonus for starting in Prague, 1 for math error last turn)
Special Ability: Every year, you may ‘train’ one full-strength unit of Militia to a higher level for free. Crossbow Militia can be trained to Pavise Crossbowmen. Town Militia and Spear Militia can be trained to Armoured Sergeants. Units trained in this manner will retain an identical level of experience and armor.
Units Available: Crossbow Militia, Town Militia, Spear Militia

Your ‘rebellion’ has been resolved and Prague is once again part of Austria. You disbanded two depleted regiments, recruited a unit of Spear Militia and a unit of Town Militia, and upgraded a regiment of experienced Spear Militia to Armoured Sergeants. However, you remain besieged by the Poles, who have assembled a great deal of siege equipment. Another small Polish army has joined in the siege, but it is not likely to make much of a difference in the outcome. Your men are now beginning to suffer the usual attrition effects of a prolonged siege.

*(A) Abandon your army and flee Prague through a secret escape tunnel.
(B) Hold the walls.
(C) Sally forth.

Lorenz Zirn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Vienna
Personal Wealth: 8 (3 carried over, 3 base from Vienna for loyal Count with Arnold cut off from trade, 2 bonus for starting in Vienna)
Special Ability: You are a Budding Bureaucrat and Good with Taxes. If you start your turn inside a province you control, you will gain +2 instead of the normal +1.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Town Militia, Merchant Cavalry Militia, Bombards, Grand Bombards, Cannons, Serpentines

You stayed in Vienna last year to protect it and hired some Serpentines. These will aid you greatly against enemy infantry. Your army is decently powerful and it could allow Karl Zirn to be victorious in a sally. Of course, it may not…

*(A) Remain in Vienna and hold the walls.
(B) Move south to Zagreb to aid Karl Zirn against the Hungarians.

Lothar Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Nuremburg, Innsbruck, Milan, Genoa
Personal Wealth: 10 (0 carried over, 3 base from Nuremburg, 3 base from Milan, 2 base from Genoa, 1 bonus for starting in Milan, 1 from Deep Pockets)
Special Ability: Deep Pockets means that you produce +1 wealth per turn, no matter where you are or what your circumstances.
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Mercenary German Knights, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

Fredericus Erlach:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Genoa
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 base from Milan for loyal Count)
Units Available: Zweihanders, DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Teutonic Knights, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen

Your wealth with Duke Steffen and Count Karolinger, allowing for the most optimal recruitment possibilities for the Bavarian armies. The total recruitment was two regiments of Zweihanders, two regiments of DFKs, and two regiments of Armoured Sergeants. The majority of these units went to the Bavarian offensive army, which you yielded command of, in favor of Friedrich Karolinger. You have taken up his place garrisoning Innsbruck. There is little to do in the citadel, but your role of defending it and providing recruits to all of Bavaria is an important, if boring, role.

*(A) Remain in Innsbruck
(B) Move south to Milan
(C) Move south to Genoa

Friedrich Karolinger:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Innsbruck
Personal Wealth: 1 (0 carried over, 1 from Innsbruck for loyal Count)
Units Available: Forlorn Hope, Spear Militia, Town Militia, Crossbow Militia, Mercenary German Knights, Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen

You command the Bavarian offensive army outside Milan. It is a powerful force, made up of the best units from the armies of Lothar Steffen and Fredericus Erlach, and reinforced with fresh recruits from Innsbruck. You lack much in the way of cavalry, but you have powerful ranged and infantry contingents. You can strike anywhere along the Byzantine defensive line, but you will have to fight no matter where you go.

*(A) Garrison Milan
(B) Attack Manouel of Zavarnikeia outside Venice.
(C) Attack Volkanos of Ierissos north of Bologna
(D) Attack Captain Draganos outside Bologna (you must defeat this army before attacking the city itself)
(E) Attack Foteinos Dekanos outside Florence (you must defeat this army before attacking the city itself)

Matthias Steffen:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: Acre
Personal Wealth: 2 (0 carried over, 1 base from Acre, 1 bonus for starting in Acre)
Special Ability: No matter where you are or what your circumstances, you can recruit two regiments of religious warriors per turn in any combination that you like. Religious Fanatics cost nothing. Crusader Sergeants cost 1 wealth. Grand Crosses cost 1 wealth. Unhorsed Knights cost 2 wealth. Crusader Knights cost 3 wealth.
Units Available: DFK, Armoured Sergeants, Sergeant Spearmen, Pavise Crossbowmen, Peasant Crossbowmen, Peasant Archers, Feudal Knights, Mailed Knights, Mounted Sergeants, Mounted Crossbowmen, Grand Bombards, Bombards, Trebuchets, Catapults, Ballista, Kwarizmian Cavalry, Turkopoles

You raised a unit of Religious Fanatics, a unit of Unhorsed Knights, and a unit of Pavise Crossbowmen. You then reorganized your army to bring it to maximum effectiveness. You also appealed to the Teutonic Knights in Acre. With the fall of the rest of Outremer to non-Imperial forces, the Guild House in Acre is their last remaining bastion in the East. They know as well as anyone that if Acre falls, the hope of Eastern Catholicism will be extinct. Therefore, the remaining Teutons in Acre have joined their brethren in your army. These ‘new’ men are in fact the oldest, wisest, and most experienced in the entire Teutonic Order. They will prove to be a powerful cavalry force. However, their choice to take up arms in your service means that there is now no one left to train new recruits. (Your gold chevron unit of Teutons has been retrained to full capacity and equipped with the finest in arms and armor. However, you may no longer recruit Teutonic Knights from Acre. In order to regain the ability to recruit them from Acre, you must disband the veteran unit of Teutonic Knights before their numbers dip below 30. If their numbers drop below 30, they will be too few to revive the Acre Chapter and it will cease to exist.)

You have taken up a position north of Acre, blocking the route to the citadel. The Byzantines will have to defeat you in order to besiege it. However, you are similarly hemmed in by their advancing forces. Two armies stand nearby, a powerful siege force and an escorting cavalry column. If you choose to take the offensive, you will have to fight them both.

*(A) Retreat to Acre
(B) Hold your position.
(C) Attack the advancing forces. Night attacks are not permitted.

Dieter von Kassel:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Controlled Provinces: None
Personal Wealth: 0 (0 carried over)
Units Available: Mercenary Pavise Crossbowmen, Mercenary Spearmen, Catalans

You have landed on Sicily in an attempt to open a second front against the Byzantine forces in Italy. It is a brave move, and Kaiser Elberhard gave you the remnants of his heavy infantry to aid you before the fleet split. You stand ready to march on Palermo and assault it. The citadel is not heavily garrisoned, but the army inside is moderately trained and competent. You have a large advantage in numbers and experience, but your heavy infantry is only moderate in size. This, combined with only one unit of artillery to breach three walls, will make an immediate assault difficult.

*(A) Get back on the boats and sail north to Genoa.
(B) Besiege Palermo and assault immediately.
(C) Besiege Palermo and begin constructing siege equipment to aid you.
12-14-2007, 16:52
TinCow

1340 - Return to Normalcy

With the return of Kaiser Elberhard and the relocation of the Imperial Capital and Diet to Nurmeburg, centralized government has been restored to the Reich. The world is a much different place than the last time the Electors formally met to discuss the affairs of the Empire. Since 1300, twenty-four provinces have been lost to the Reich. This amounts to well more than half of the Empire. The losses are:

Imperial - Rome, Caen, Vilnius, Naples
Outremer - Adana, Edessa, Antioch, Aleppo, Damascus
Austria - Bucharest, Bran, Budapest, Venice
Bavaria - Ajaccio, Florence, Bologna, Marsailles
Swabia - Paris, Rheims, Dijon
Franconia - Thorn, Krakow, Breslau, Stettin

In addition, there has been a massive loss of life. Over 115,000 civilians died in the War of Reformation. Well over 25,000 soldiers have died defending the Reich, a sum that is equivalent the the complete destruction of the entire, full-strength Household Armies of all four Duchies, the Armies of Outremer, and both Imperial Armies. The true scope of the loss of life will never be known, however. No one is alive to count the dead who have been exterminated by the ruthless Byzantines in cities like Rome, Bologna, Venice, and Antioch, nor those lost in the sacking of countless other cities and castles.

The Grim Reaper has not been kind to the Electors either. The list of those who have fallen in this crisis is far longer than in any other equivalent time period.

Kaiser Siegfried von Kastilien
Duke Ansehelm von Kastilien
Duke Hans
King Jan von Hamburg
Count Dietrich von Dassel
Count Jan von der Pfalz
Count Wolfgang Hummel

May their souls rest in peace.

Finally, while order has been restored to the Reich, and central government once again determines the course of affairs, the crisis is far from over. The enemies of the Reich continue to press in on all sides. Bruges, Magdeburg, Metz, and Milan are under siege while the Diet deliberates. The Imperial treasury is empty and the Reich is running a deficit. To make matters worse, there are growing rumors of an apocalyptic plague spreading towards Europe from China, and the Mongol's heirs, the Timurids, have not forgotten the humiliation that has been heaped upon them in Outremer.

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." - Winston Churchill

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1340-1.zip