Orders and reports thread

Arnold:

"Most £$%ing perturbed" did you say Lothar? A very measured and sound set of words I would say...I'll add something further to the conversation if no one minds.

Let's make one £$%£ing thing quite clear Fritz!

If you move on an Austrian noble in Austrian territory with anything other than the thoughts of wild autumn flowers and then scent of honey on your mind, then I'll "£$%"$ing take you out the back of the Diet Chamber and thrash the living sheit out of you!!

I've just about had a £$%£ing gut full of Kaisers and Chancellors sprouting off at the "£$hole about what they THINK they can do.

I hope that "clarifies" things a little better when it comes to arresting Austrian nobles for no apparent reason.

More threats from yet another likely member of this cabal. Lothar, Becker, and now Arnold reveal themselves for what they truly are, disloyal subjects of our Kaiser, unwilling to face the black consequences of their vile actions. Kaiser Peter gave Becker a sacred trust, to carry out the mandate of justice, and for that reason alone did I hold my vengeance in abeyance.

Becker has thus far failed. His supposed neutrality has amounted to nothing more than inaction, which, as my term comes closer to it's end, amounts to aiding Lothar's escape from justice. I have given him a fair period of time. If a verdict cannot be found in that time, I will take matters into my own hands to decide the future of the Reich, for the good of us all!

And rest assured Duke Arnold, if I come to Prague I will come further south as well. No rats will escape this cat, no matter what their house or their reasons.

Fritz von Kastilien

Chancellor,

If you believe that Arnold is a member of the secret "cabal" then surely you are demented to believe that Count Becker is as well. Do I have to remind you that Becker himself rebelled against Duke Arnold in the recent Cataclysm, an act that threatened the integrity of Austria's defenses? That is not exactly the act of a loyal member of a secret order.

Perhaps you should lay aside the duties of your office, and seek rest and respite in Frankfurt. The rigors of the position seem to be estranging you from your sanity.

Lothar Steffen
Duke of Bavaria

Arnold:

Get OFF the £$%£ing absinthe Fritz!!

I apologize for Fritz's actions, my Duchy member musn't be feeling well.

Dieter leans close to Fritz and whispers

Don't get carried away now, being Chancellor doesn't mean you can do whatever the hell you please, remeber that you represent our house as well as yourself.

My Duke I don't know how it could be construed that I am doing what ever the hell I want when we have a decade long trial dragging out over who killed a Kaiser of the Empire! I will see results before I die, indeed, before my Chancellorship ends.

I am intent on seeing justice done, natural justice and vengeance which take precedence over any court of the land. Any man who guards my brother's killers, defends them, or hinders my quest to destroy my enemies will be subject to my wrath.

As to your foul accusation, Arnold, I do not drink. I never have. It is a disgusting habit that leads to ungodly behavior. Do not associate such a habit with my name again.

Fritz von Kastilien

:egypt:

Oh, and as for Becker's 'rebellion,' no one need forget how quickly that was abandoned when his Duke called him back. I personally suspect that Becker's bit of foolery was just a thin cover to help justify the actions of Hummel in Swabia, whose greatest supporter was none other than the actor at the center of this whole mess!

Gentlemen of the Reich, your strings are being pulled, and the puppeteer still lies cowering in the darkness! Join me in calling him forth, with one clear voice, and let the Reich be led again by men of valor!

Fritz von Kastilien

:egypt:

Fritz I have 'suffered' your wrath before, you are a great general as we all know but I am confident I have nothing to fear from you judging from past confrontations. However I do agree this trial should have been concluded centuries ago, we all knew the Milanese had nothing to do with it. You have my support Fritz provided your actions are within reason.

You're a poodle pounding pissant Fritz...

and the fact you don't drink just confirmed that!!

guys, lets move to the Diet I argued in it based on stuff in here.

Duke Dieter you were never the subject of my wrath, you were just a pawn of the von Hamburg wench's scheme. In any case, I had thought that matter long settled? If you wish to raise it again now my list is growing long, but I can place you somewhere on it and we can both find satisfaction.

Even so, I am pleased to hear that you might be willing side against the Kaiser killers. What a wonderfully honorable stand to take.

And now insults... as though there could be a more damaging insult that the cold blooded murder of my brother? Speak whatever words you like, if justice isn't done my speech will come in the field.

Nevertheless Duke Arnold if Siegfried's butchers are the poodles their cowering makes them seem I will take great pleasure in doing the pounding.

edit: Okay, moving to the Diet thread. Still seems strange, but all this communication is sort of OOC assumed to happen 'somewhere' eh?
Fritz von Kastilien

:egypt:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Duke Arnold

Good God, did someone here something.....

...yes I believe that was something...

the dulcet tones of the Swabian Duke if I'm not mistaken.

---

Good to know you recognise me; half the time you can't recognise your own House.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Duke Arnold

...good to hear Count Ruppel is still a count...

---

Have you had any problems with Count Ruppel?

Quote:

---

I'd hate to have to change the way we deal with promotion here in the Reich. That would be awfully hard to deal with if a man could just call himself Duke and then lead a Duchy.

---

Your either complaining about me; or about Count Ruppel. Either way it's not appreciated, Arnold. Let me remind you of the rebellions within your own land... and the rebels you supported during the Civil War.

Both of them.

OOC: Yes I understand. (:bigcry: ) j/k.

(OOC: EF, Cecil, I'd appreciate it if you would check in and let me know if you want to sally this season. Things will move forward as soon as I've heard from them.)

:egypt:

How we doing for deadline?

OOC: I'm trying to be lax on a deadline because Cecil has a lot on his plate, and the IC repercussions of having OOC time limits could be pretty serious. If I don't get a response in ~12 hours I'll move forward with what we have, but in all odds that will put the burden right back on EF and Cecil, as their sieges are likely to proceed to assaults in the defensive season.

:egypt:

Easier to defend a castle anyway, so you could move forward and have them take their battles then?

I'm also all for it... As long as it doesn't put them in jeopardy, I mean..

OOC: Well sure, easier to defend, but then they get no training, and the Polish lay siege again immediately like they have every year for about 30 turns. If we can't train troops at Madgeburg or Prague, only defend the ground we hold, there will never be an advance on that front. So if we're going that route, again, I'd like to hear EF and Cecil say we're going that route. There's also the issue that Fritz threatened Becker in character, and Cecil hasn't had a chance to respond in character, so as Fritz's player I want to try to be as fair and reasonable as possible.

:egypt:

yeah I'd rather fight from behind the walls, I'm useless at sallies :(

While we are on the subject of Franconians refusing to confront the enemy, would it be indescreet of me to ask whether our dear, beloved Kaiser has any plans on contributing his men to the defense of the Reich? As he is surely aware, from following my arse for these past several years, there have been many occassions for him to aid his people, yet he has consistently failed to do so. Since he has a large army with him and there is currently something of an infestation of Sicilians around his own city of Rome, might it be too much to ask that the Kaiser lift but a single finger to defend his own damned property?

OOC: Whoa, chief, that's not my fault. If Ramses moves me to fight, that's what he does. If he keeps me out, I can't stop that. I thought the idea of following you was so I would fight in battles with you too.

OOC: Okay, I've been operating under the assumption that the Kaiser would be reluctant to fight a battle under Duke Steffen's command, and since Gibson is unable to fight I'm keeping him away from the front while reinforcing his army. If a player is unavailable I keep them out of action as much as possible.

:egypt:

The offensive season is closed. I'm pushing forward with the situation as it is, and may God have mercy on the men of Prague and Madgeburg.

Fritz von Kastilien

OOC: I will stop at the attack on Prague, assuming there is an assault there, until there's some kind of definite answer about how the next season and the story will proceed.

:egypt:

1376 Recruitment and Construction Report (End of Season Report)

Once again it was a season primarily of consolidation, as many cities of the Reich came under siege. In Swabia Count Ruppel attacked Lancelot de Nevers from behind and drove him away from the walls of Anger all the way back to Rennes. The Count followed him there and captured that city in the name of the Reich, thus freeing Welf von Luxemburg to ride south at best speed to recapture Dijon with men from Staufen and the surrounding area. Hugo de Cervole remained at Anger to equip his guards with superior weapons, while behind the front line Ludwig von Bohmen brought a large army, though mainly militia, to besiege the French garrison at Bruges. He will be reinforced significantly next season to permit him to carry forward the assault.

In Austria Duke Arnold crushed another Hungarian army, while Jan and Max Zirn bled some Hungarians across the river north of Vienna, but were unable to prevent them crossing and had to fall back into the forest west of that city. Prague remains under siege, and Breslau belongs again to Poland.

In Bavaria the Sicilians are utterly disorganized, so Hermann Steffen and his father patiently determined to wait for a better opportunity to strike. In Outremer the Byzantines seem to be preparing for a strike against Adana, where Matthias the Mighty has once again taken up residence, after constructing a fort to guard the eastern pass. Count von Salzgitter rode on to Caesarea with his army, constructing a fort near the ford west of that citadel to guard the northern approach. Any Byzantine advance must now deal with the Count first or risk being take from both sides and utterly wiped out.

http://lh6.google.com/RosDalton/R8-H.../s800/0018.jpg

To the east of Outremer our spy made contact with four armies from this fresh Mongol threat, and began to assess their strength. There was quite a quantity of elephants with these Timurids. So far as I know there are no men serving the Reich who have experienced battling elephants, so they may pose a problem in the field.

http://lh4.google.com/RosDalton/R8-H.../s800/0019.jpg

Franconia was quiet, as I discovered Arhus to be virtually impregnable, Prinz Dieter arrived in Hamburg ahead of the Russians, and Duke Dieter was once again besieged at Madgeburg.

On the diplomatic front a long term goal for Outremer was met, as the English accepted the city of Rennes, promises to attack the rebels and Sicilians, and a small quantity of florins over five seasons in exchange for mutual military access between our nations. Relations went to perfect on the completion of the exceptionally generous offer.

http://lh4.google.com/RosDalton/R8-H.../s800/0006.jpg

Construction was limited to repairs and spending the funds earned by Count Ruppel primarily as he directed. Only at Metz was I forced to reconsider the necessity of constructing a facility to improve the armor of the men in a city which can only train town militia. I spent that money instead at Anger, to wit:

Paris: Conducted extensive repairs and constructed an Armourer
Staufen: Drill Square
Caen: Jousting Lists
Anger: Jousting Lists
Antwerp: Blacksmith
Bern: Alchemist's Lab
Rheims: Blacksmith

Additionally the citadel at Caesarea was repaired.

There were some disbandments of small or ineffecient companies across the Reich, specifically the smallest mercenary companies at Caen and Anger, the Town Militia at Staufen as requested, and a portion of the army of Duke Dieter (To entice the Poles to attack, otherwise they're just going to sit there and trap you). Recruitment was extensive, as usual:

Swabia
Bern: trained 2 Forlorn Hope, retrained 1 Forlorn Hope
Staufen: trained 1 Feudal Knights, 1 Dismounted Feudal Knights, retrained 1 Teutonic Knights
Rheims: trained 1 Halberd militia, retrained 1 Crossbow militia, 1 Spear militia
Metz is fully garrisoned and saw no training.
Antwerp: trained 3 Handgunners to act as heavy infantry for Count von Bohmen at Bruges
Paris: trained 1 Spear militia, retrained 1 Spear militia, 1 Crossbow militia
Caen: trained 2 Dismounted Feudal Knights, 1 Armoured Sergeants
Anger: trained 1 Reiters, 1 Feudal Knights, retrained Sir de Cervole's guardsmen

Franconia
Frankfurt: trained 1 Spear militia, 2 Crossbow militia
Hamburg: trained 1 Forlorn Hope
Arhus: retrained 1 Crossbow militia, 1 Arquebusiers, 1 Pike militia
Madgeburg saw no training due to siege

Austria
Vienna: trained 1 Teutonic Knights, 1 Serpentine, 1 Bombard
Zagreb: trained 1 Spear militia, 1 Town militia
Ragusa: trained 1 Armoured Sergeants, 1 Feudal Knights, retrained 1 Zweihanders
Prague saw no training due to siege
Venice is fully garrisoned and saw no training

Bavaria
Palermo: trained 3 Armoured Sergeants
Naples: trained 3 Crossbow militia
Rome: retrained 1 Crossbow militia, 2 Merchant Cavalry militia
Florence saw no training
Bologna: trained 1 Spear militia
Milan: retrained 1 Crossbow militia
Genoa: trained 1 Spear militia, 1 Crossbow militia
Marsellies is fully garrisoned and saw no training
Innsbruck: trained 2 Feudal Knights, retrained 1 Teutonic Knights
Nurmeburg: trained 1 Teutonic Knights, 1 Spear militia, 1 Town militia

Outremer
Caesarea: retrained 1 Feudal Knights, 1 Armoured Sergeants, 1 Pavise Crossbowmen
Adana: trained 3 Armoured Sergeants
Antioch: trained merchant, priest, diplomat
Nicosia saw no training
Acre: trained 1 Teutonic Knights, 1 Armoured Sergeants, priest

The first defensive engagement of the season is at Prague, where Lord Becker stands under siege with substantial reinforcements outside the city to aid him.

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1374-6.zip

Fritz von Kastilien

:egypt:

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/KOTR1374-7.zip

OOC: That was much easier than I thought it would be. In order to make room for the reinforcements, (most of which I didn't even use) I sent out all the heavily depleted units in a suicide mission against the ram. The did enough damage that the AI decided to abandon attacting the gate and instead focused claiming the walls through towers and ladders. Is that a normal reaction? If so, it would explain why people seem to favor a sally against the ram as the only way to start a siege defense.

OOC: Yes that is the preferred method because the AI doesn't reengage the ram with other troops...normally.

Poels have been beaten again:
https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/395/kotr1hb8.th.jpg

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/KOTR1374-8.rar

Chancellor's Report, 1376

1374 saw success against the French, as the siege of Anger was thrown off and the city of Rennes captured by Count Ruppel. The city was then used to win military access rights from the English, though they still refuse to come back into the war with the French. Welf von Luxemburg rode east to attempt to link up with a fresh army which is gathering for him west of Staufen to reclaim Dijon. Hugo de Cervole retrained his guardsmen and is now ready to assault the French citadel at Bordeaux. Ludwig von Bohmen has assembled two mighty armies at the walls of Bruges, though both are mainly comprised of militia soldiers, and is hopefully prepared to assault that city as our agents have lost contact with the large French army north of Paris. They may be in range to reinforce Bruges next season if the assault there does not proceed.

Prague and Madgeburg both threw back Polish assaults. Prinz Dieter is now under siege at Hamburg, while the Russians are advancing on Madgeburg and the Danes are making another attempt at Arhus. Vienna is surrounded by Hungarian armies, but not yet under siege.

http://lh4.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0005.jpg

Max Zirn and Duke Arnold are both in range to relieve the city, but there are greater concerns now, as the Venetians have marched north to threaten Ragusa once again. Count von Hapsburg is marching south to attempt to hold the citadel.

In Bavaria the situation is nearly unchanged. The Sicilians are wandering the countryside harassing our peasants and disrupting our trade, but they clearly fear to lay siege to German cities. Duke Steffen and Count Steffen are in position to attack two of the Sicilian invading armies.

Outremer sees the advance of the Byzantines and the retreat of the Turks, though neither has laid siege to any of our holdings. Viceroy Matthias and Count von Salzgitter are in position to trap and eliminate two armies of Byzantines if they can coordinate their actions.

Diplomatic Report

Achieving mutual military access with the English should make future offensives in Outremer easier. Also in Outremer a diplomat has taken up position near Jerusalem and negotiated trade rights with Pope Pierus. Unfortunately the Papacy declined to consider an alliance or an exchange of maps, and further negotiations appear difficult.

http://lh6.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0011.jpg

The Pope also reports, unfortunately, that the Hungarians are reconciled. It was unclear if their King had passed away or if they simply bought a return to favor.

http://lh4.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0001.jpg

I do not know how such things are measured, but the Reich's scholars report, as one might expect, that we are the mightiest nation in the known world.

http://lh6.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0003.jpg

http://lh5.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0004.jpg

Our spy in Turkish lands has reported that there are two more Timurid armies seeking to link up with the rest of their armies.

http://lh6.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0006.jpg

In Swabia our excellent spy team reports that they are certain to be able to open the gates of Bordeaux, and Sir de Cervole will be able to make his assault against the weak garrison at any time.

http://lh4.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0007.jpg

Southwest of Dijon a French noble has suffered a hunting accident, leaving his powerful army leaderless.

http://lh3.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0008.jpg

The Office of the Exchequer

Army upkeep is up once again as all fronts are consolidating and gearing up for offensives. If the battles progress as I expect them to these numbers will be reduced next season. As a result, however, there are only twenty thousand florins available for spending this season. The Assassin's Guild had the termerity to approach me about building a guild house in Antwerp. Their offer was declined with prejudice.

The Physician's Office

This department remains closed, praise God!

The War Office

The Hungarians somehow snuck one of their nobles across our lands to reinforce the small army they have been marching through Bavaria. The garrison of Milan nonetheless struck out and drove the Hungarians back into France again.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://lh5.google.com/RosDalton/R9QF.../s800/0010.jpg

In Outremer the Byzantines have advanced to the walls of Adana, but declined to lay siege. A second Byzantine army is marching through the passes south of Caesarea, and a third is to the west. Viceroy Matthias faces a difficult battle, but reinforcements are available in the form of cavalry from near Antioch and two additional companies of crossbowmen aboard the ships south of Adana. Count von Salzgitter also faces a difficult potential battle, should he choose to strike out from Caesarea, but if he can coordinate his action with the Viceory they can take the Byzantines on both sides and utterly annihilate them, presuming the Viceroy wishes to attack the army near Adana first.

The Sicilians in Bavaria are truly the terror of the peasants. They appear to be ransacking some of the poor villages and interdicting trade, but for all their awesome military power in the region they have no desire to confront a true army of the Reich. I expect Duke Steffen, Count Steffen, and Kaiser Peter will crush them in short order. The rebels at Marsellies remain, but do nothing to threaten the city.

The Swabians who gathered to participate in the crusade together have once again gone their seperate ways. Sir von Luxemburg is riding east with just his guardsmen, and may have difficulty reaching his new army northwest of Bern. Sir de Cervole stands ready to assault Bordeaux. Count Ruppel has many forces at his disposal in the Caen and Anger regions, he has only to coordinate them into the army he desires and march east to seek the French force that vanished north of Paris. The militia garrison of that city is available to him as scouts to locate the French and determine if he wishes to attempt to engage them this season. Count von Bohmen should make his assault on Bruges and return his city to the Reich.

In Franconia I am nearing Stockholm to exterminate the Danish rats once and for all. I suspect once I cut their supply lines their armies in the field will collapse. Prinz Dieter is trapped inside Hamburg, while Duke Dieter now has free movement, but is facing a powerful Russian army north of Madgeburg.

Austria's long border is once again working against her, as there are threats on every front and insufficient nobles to meet them. Duke Arnold and Max Zirn are in the center, facing the Hungarians, while Lord Becker is at Prague, but without sufficient forces to strike out against the Poles. To the south Count von Hapsburg is marching south in some haste to attempt a defense of Ragusa, where stalling tactics may be necessary to delay the Venetian advance.

The offensive season is now open:

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/KOTR1376.zip

Fritz von Kastilien

:egypt:

Chancellor, I have decided that an assault on the French army hiding in the woods would be folly with a divided and battered force. As such, I have moved into Caen and exchange several regiments with Angers to create a force capable of striking out at the French the following season.

May I suggest that for this season, following be retrained at Caen?
1: 33 Free company longbows
2: 8 Pavise crossbows
3: Feudal Footknights

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/KOTR1376-1.zip

I believe that is the same decision I would have made Count Ruppel. Training will proceed as you have outlined.

Fritz von Kastilien

:egypt: