BKB Super mod is good :2thumbsup:, I prefer XL though. Impressive campaign VAE VICTUS!
EDIT: I have more pics, I'll upload them tommorrow.
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BKB Super mod is good :2thumbsup:, I prefer XL though. Impressive campaign VAE VICTUS!
EDIT: I have more pics, I'll upload them tommorrow.
Duke of Serbia, congratulations. The empire is stretching. I imagine how Pope envy you and how he writes letters to ' Christian' kings asking them to stop quarrelling and to crusade against you. But what he receives is... excuses how difficult it is to find money in order to fight against the 'schysmatics'. :laugh4: Note English crusade against Armenians not against you (because nobody is stronger than Byzantium!). First it can be worse and your peasants are used to suffer from crusade pillaging. Of course you may want to defend them and to have war with many factions (but the English are not so close to you,oops Kiev is). It's your choice!Good luck with the empire! ( Although I'm sure you will sacrifice some peasant lives. But it's for the sake of the empire!)
Rythmic, maybe I have to help you with my soldiers against the Pagan Cumans. They are pillaging Bulgaria!!!! They defeated after a stubborn fight the army of the tzar!!! No, something has to be done! Send embassidors to your allies! They should help you!
Where is my helmet? D*mn it! And my armour! And my horse! OK! I'm coming! FOR BULGARIA AND JESUS CHRIST! CHAAAAAAARGEEEEEEEEEE!
Hope you liked the joke! Inquisitive to see other picture! And don't this Cumans have any envy neighbours???
Attention: We are looking for skilled assassins who want to fight for Bulgarian tzar and ready to kill the Cuman 'royal' family.We pay very well (and until the assassin is alive he is free the from any state taxes ).
Аctually, Papal State and me are allies. I don't have time to write further because I watch World Cup in Germany.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen Asen
Stow your blades Stephen Asen, the new King has replaced the dying King of Bulgaria.
https://img48.imageshack.us/img48/1432/bulgars208im.jpg
Once again the Byz have come to the aid of Bulgaria! :dizzy2: :balloon2:
https://img48.imageshack.us/img48/9972/bulgars216it.jpg
I love the Byz!!! The fleeing Cumans have been captured by the brave Bulgarian forces. The ransom has been refused! :2thumbsup:
https://img48.imageshack.us/img48/6906/bulgars221ku.jpg
This is a critical blow to the hated Cumans!
https://img149.imageshack.us/img149/...lgars239hy.jpg
Amazing with the Cumans on the verge of destruction there has been peace for Bulgaria for ten years! :balloon3:
https://img48.imageshack.us/img48/1650/bulgars246wg.jpg
To Rythmic
Yes,sir! I obbey your will.
By the way what is the name of my present tzar?
I see- Byzantines are afraid of Pagan neighbour... And Bulgarians are Orthodox... And your good diplomacy...
But here are some comments:
I'm really happy I have enough time to relish the freedom of Bulgaria in my mansion... However:
I do not like the huge Polish and the big Hungarian kingdom. Are they your allies?
You love the byzantines ( I like them too- good culture, good capital (!) ) but I see they are weaker and weaker. So IMHO you should consider the possibility of conquering Constantinople if Byzantium loses Nicaea. But this is just a suggestion ( I do not know who are their allies, enemies; actually I do not know almost anything;and after all this is your campaign).
Also I see the peace is quite good for your economy. Do you trade by sea? What is your annual income? Just inquisitive :inquisitive: ... Good luck- you are in a difficult situation with this strong neighbours...
Edited: Wow, that was my 100th post!
Wow, Rythmic, I just cannot get over the fact the Byz have helped you out twice now, with no advantage to themselves. They really are wonderful allies!
@ Stephen Asen: The new Tzar is Ivailo I. And yes both the Polish and Hungarians are my Allies. In the next few pics you will see I gained a lot of cash so I hope to build up a large invasion force and crush the Hungarians.
Yes I was considering attacking the Byz, especially taking Constantinople as it is rich and a chokepoint that is easily defensible. But the Byz are actually a lot stronger than you would expect (VG and Klibanophoroi with +3 defense, very nasty), and to my horror they have actually been able to afford the bribery of some GH soldiers (about half a stack):dizzy2:.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen Asen
Yes I do trade by sea, I have ships in the Black Sea and several mediteranian seas. Its a an okay income, 1233 Florins a year plus I should get more now I've built another ship. But I can't expand trade much because the attacking Cumans cancelled out most of the almost completed ships! :furious3:Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen Asen
@ Martok: I'm also amazed I usually only have it happen to me once a game!
P.S: well done with the post count.
Rythmic I really like how your empire is going...
I tried a Bulgarian Campaign [Hard] took over Wallachia, Constantinople and Moldivia with my first Tsar... with my second I took over Greece and Nicaea... also allied with the GH...
I then had a huge war with the Crusaders who kept taking over my provences.... and then a Crusade from the Hungarians came and caused a civil war... my Tsar died at Constantinople and the Campaign was over...
Nice to see so many people play Medieval. Keep on with your campaigns :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup:
Shameless plug alert!
King Kurt and I have been posting on our respective Sicilian campaigns here.
In retrospect, however, I should've just posted in this thread. :oops:
Thanks, Rythmic! I'm still here, still alive and still reading this thread. I'm just very busy because of some nasty university exams ( actually I've just finished highschool :balloon2: ) :dizzy2: :dizzy2: :dizzy2: . Continue, please. I love this thread!
Well here we go ...
P.S: I hope your exams go well Stephen Asen
The perfidious Sicilians decided Greece would be a grand addition to their Empire.
https://img68.imageshack.us/img68/7808/bulgars258qx.jpg
However, the Bulgarian army will not lay down their arms without a fight.
https://img204.imageshack.us/img204/...lgars267um.jpg
A shameful defeat!?! (I should probably not watched the football last night, then I would able to think straight :laugh4: :juggle2:)
https://img68.imageshack.us/img68/8420/bulgars271ww.jpg
??? ... What can I say, the Byz once again.
https://img204.imageshack.us/img204/...lgars283zi.jpg
:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4: The foolish Sicilians were caught while fleeing from Greece.
https://img68.imageshack.us/img68/6504/bulgars295ml.jpg
This battle will be bloody! And I am terrible at using HA!!!
https://img68.imageshack.us/img68/5719/bulgars306re.jpg
I warned that my skills at using HA are bad!
https://img49.imageshack.us/img49/8025/bulgars314cy.jpg
One day the Byz will turn against me, but it isn't this day!
https://img204.imageshack.us/img204/...lgars325gq.jpg
EDIT: Pic works now!
Speaking up for the Sicilians - I am currently playing a Sicilian VI High period hard campaign as reported in see Naples and die - I have got to say there is no justice!! You must have some compremising manuscripts on the Byzantine Emperor for the number of times he saves your bacon!!! :2thumbsup:
Haha :laugh4:, that would make the game a whole lot more exciting. But, I'm not sure why the Byz are so friendly. They are usually a pain in the bottom!Quote:
Originally Posted by King Kurt
Bulgaria, and the most dangerous ally to the south.
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2307/bulgars334fr.jpg
The Byzantine Emperor is dead! Is this be the end of the Alliance?
https://img65.imageshack.us/img65/6673/bulgars345tt.jpg
Or will it allow us to strengthen our position?
https://img65.imageshack.us/img65/309/bulgars350rx.jpg
Peace with the Mongols, this will allow for some good trade profit!
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8670/bulgars361di.jpg
:balloon3: Internal improvement :balloon3:
https://img65.imageshack.us/img65/9940/bulgars379ah.jpg
A famine has befallen Bulgaria! The people suffer greatly. :wall:
https://img52.imageshack.us/img52/2055/bulgars380xh.jpg
Gunpowder has been discovered, will Bulgaria be able to utilise it in battle quickly though?
https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6788/bulgars396fu.jpg
:balloon3::balloon3::balloon3: Until next time ~D
That is one nice army the Byzantines had there. Too bad they're about to be destroyed by the Egyptians.
The Eggies are strong, which is potentially quite good for me. :2thumbsup:
Thanks, Rythmic. Just less than two weeks more busy times...:dizzy2:
Good work! Now you are a rich man!
Refering to post 416, what units was that that the Byzantines had, they were between the varangian guards and the horses. Is that the XL mod?
Yes, it's XL. They become available in high and are buildable mercenary pikemen, quite a gain for the Byz despite their shortage in numbers (forming a decent pike wall with 60 men units is either a hopeless enterprise or takes up too many slots).
hmmm, never seen them before.
IM currently just started a Byz campaign in high, they seem like they can be pretty useful, what buildings do they need?
Yes they are Latin Auxillaries, IIRC you require a Inn and Master Spearmaker to produce them.
Rythmic,
I am waiting for the news from Bulgaria :2thumbsup: . I have plenty of time now:2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: :2thumbsup: . Good luck with the campaign!
Argh! My version dosent have them.:no:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rythmic
Oh well, i modded in pikemen to Byzantium, they are just as good.
Do you have XL mod? they should be there.
Next update soon.
Yes, I do have XL mod, version 2.0. I noticed a few other minor things thats different from my version, the Serbians in my version are bright green, in yours they seem to be almost navy blue. Hmmm, whats up with that? I will try and DL the latest version( It hasnt been working for a while now).
Rythmic, did you ever finish your Bulgarian campaign? I confess I greatly enjoyed reading your posts (here at work :D ). I am currently in the middle of a High Serbian campaign, and sadly, I crushed my Bulgarian allies on turn three. Sorry Stephen!
Its about 1280 or so, I control all of the Balkans minus Croatia; the Byz are down to Rhodes, Mesopotamia, Rum, and Trebizond (the Turks are no more); the Armenians are still alive!!!! and are at war with the Crusader states. Damn Christians control all of the Fatmid's former lands and the Holy Land and now Lesser Armenia. I am sending one of my Tsar's sons (he's a chinless wonder, so maybe glorious battles can redeem him--otherwise, I will *accidentally* send him on a one-way ticket to Mongol country) with a plush stack or two into Antioch when I get home. This is my first war in a while, after hunting down and destroying the "perfidious' Sicillians after they decided Greece should be thiers. Fools. They sued for peace; I took Malta and Naples, and an Aragonese crusade took Sicily. The Cumans are nearly destroyed (the work of the horde) and the rest of the Catholic world is in shambles. Everyone is at war with everyone else. XL is quite fun, I've decided.
This is my first campaign in which the Armenians survived the first decade, so I have decided to make them my pet project and stave off the cursed Crusaders and the crusading Spaniards. I've also tried an Irish campaign which was a lot of fun (they have such fun units!) and the Cumans on High (I hate the Mongols, I really do). All in all, I am having fun, and am rambling. Keep this coming guys. I like reading about campaigns at work and there haven't been any new stories in a while...
Thank you, danfda. You are the second one who saved this thread! And yes I'm interested what happened in Rythmic's campaign and also in yours, danfda. :2thumbsup:
Well, since you asked, the Armenians died before I could save them. This was mostly due to an Aragonese crusade aimed at Constantinople that I had to protect against (they'd been allies for, ohh, 50+ years) and the Mongols declaring war on my ships (they, too, had been allied). So my invasion took exactly a year to long and the Armenian king got caught in a battle with the Byz, and died. The rest of the Armenian empire went rebel, and a year after that was all in Byz hands.
I went on a mad rush to build ships, and the Aragonese and Mongol fleets are now basically extinct. I'm at peace with the Mongols now, but that Crusade is still waiting to attack. It went through Venetian and Hungarian lands (high zeal + loads of troops = big crusade) so I've had to shift most of my invasion armies to Bulgaria and Serbia. I have no delusions about losing, but it is an annoyance.
I loaded up Lssr. Armenia and Antioch with spies, in hopes of an Armenian re-emergence. So far, no go.
On that note, I started an Armenian campaign last night. :D They do not have enough missile troops, methinkes.
Cheers.
By the by, its a spearmaker's guild plus an inn. :juggle2:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rythmic
OK, good luck with your Armenian campaign... I hope it will be interesting ( if you want you may say what is going on with it). And I'm waiting for the Rythmic camaign, too.
I've been really busy, but I'll post some now.
The Tzar is dead, Tzar Kaloyan II will rule in his stead.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars40wb5.jpg
He is a most charitable man, surely Bulgaria will prosper under him.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars41xg2.jpg
The line of Byzantium will surely be most inbred now, due to all my princesses in their bloodline. :laugh4:
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars42ud6.jpg
The invasion of Hungary begins.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars43ie5.jpg
The army's of both valiant Bulgaria and Purfideous Hungary.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars44jy3.jpg
An attempt to flank using HA is made.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars45fk2.jpg
Although the flanking is successful, losses are heavy.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars46ek8.jpg
The enemy flees to their women, and scream like girls!
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars47ac9.jpg
A noble victory! :2thumbsup:
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars48mm2.jpg
Serbia is in rightful hands.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars49eo4.jpg
A ransom of the finest gold is recieved to pay for Hungarian scum.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...lgars50sw0.jpg
Lol I have to post this, Its Pike and Musket:
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/1544/whattw3.jpg
What is that unit?
Ehh. It is simple I forgot about muslime rebells from some non-muslim factions (so converted or independent) and outside of their homeland range.
Small mistakes happen when you have over 600 units to test and check...
Extremely easy to correct. The patch to be released this week will correct that.:book:
It's an alim, I think. In some mods the game spawns rebelion consisting entirely of agents.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peasant Phill
Nice campaign, Rythmic!
Thanks Ludens.
My first thought was some kind of muslim agent but normally they don't appear in an army stack, let alone with valour 9.
How will they behave? As a normal unit or as an agent?
In MTW/VI That is the muslim spy icon.
I never knew that. Is that how the mod has been designed or do the agents appear due to an error in the crusader_unit_prod11.txt file?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ludens
Similar errors happened in WesW MedMod and other mods. It is mainly because if you are using homeland idea, some places might not be covered properly.:inquisitive:
cegorach1, I love your mod. Top job my friend :2thumbsup:
That is a rebellion of muslim spys. You can't invade because the game crashes, so I had to bribe and disband the unit.
It is an Muslim agent, but the game treats it as an army unit for some reason. You can go into battle with them, but this will most likely cause a CTD (not so sure about auto-calcing, though).Quote:
Originally Posted by Peasant Phill
Autocalculating solves the problem temporary the patch released this week will eliminate it.
Well after my disastrous first attempt, I've started another Bohemian campaign (XL Mod). We'll see if I do better this time. ~:) (Sorry, I don't have any screenshots!)
Already, events are going in a different direction from my previous campaign. I quickly secured alliances with the Hungarians and the Venitians, the latter of whom are now at war with the HRE. The big surprise, however, was that the Polish offered to ally with me, which I accepted. The Danes and Swedes also sent emissaries to make nice with me, so I'd secured my borders with all my immediate potential rivals save one--the Holy Roman Empire.
Knowing the Germans coveted my lands, I wasted no time in building an army so as to discourage them from attacking me. (Not surprisingly, I made sure to include a large complement of Bohemian Bowmen.) I also worked hard to develop my land, improving my farmland and upgrading my mining operations to maximize my small tax base. Within a decade, Bohemia was endowed with a modest infrastructure, and an army strong enough to defend it against all comers.
I now needed to expand, and I was looking with hungry eyes to the south and west. In 1100, the opportunity I was waiting for finally occurred. The Pope, alarmed by Imperial agression against northern Italy, excommunicated the Emperor and called for a Crusade against him. I immediately launched an invasion of Austria, hoping to sieze its copper reserves to add to my own. Remarkably, the Germans withdrew to Vienna without a fight, and so I readied my army to lay siege to the city.
Preparations for the assault on Vienna had barely begun, however, when I received word that the Emperor had invaded Bohemia, and had routed my garrison there. Not wishing (or daring) to lift the siege in Austria, I dispatched most of my cavalry to drive out the Germans, led by my oldest son. The odds were not in their favor, however. My cavarlymen, though well-trained, were outnumbered almost 2-to-1. Worse, the Imperial army had brought a large contingent of cavalry, thus negating most of my advantage.
When they arrived in Bohemia, my men were therefore overjoyed to discover that the Polish had sent an army to assist us! With the Poles' help, I forced the Germans to withdraw to Francony, and my son stayed in Prague to settle things in Bohemia. The year after that, Vienna fell to my troops, and my king rode triumphantly through its streets.
With Austria now under my control, I was startled to realize that an even greater prize lay within my reach: Venice! The Venitians' war against the HRE was obviously not going well, as their capital was occupied by a large contingent of the Emperor's soldiers. Taking such a valuable province will be difficult, but I have determined it will be mine. I desperately need sea access and a port anyway, and it's unlikely such another prime opportunity will present itself to me anytime soon. Preparations for this new assault has begun....
Sounds most exciting Martok! :2thumbsup:
About 9 months ago I had a Byzantine campaign on MTW VI vanilla, I intended originally to turn it into a story using the game as a base. Unfortunately the game crashed and the save is long lost.
However I do still have the yearly notes I made for the entire length of the campaign, recording about 200 years of the game. It was without doubt one of the most exciting and fascinating campaigns I have ever played in, sadly there will not be any screenshots. With any luck the narrative alone will be enough to arose interest.
I hope to post the first installment later on, for now though I best get back to work, apparently I come to the office to do work :laugh4:
Looking forward to hearing it, _Aetius_. :2thumbsup:
Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to play my Bohemian campaign very much the last couple days. I got a little time in last night, however. While I was playing, a most fortuitous development occurred: the HRE fell into civil war. (E-e-e-xcellent!) Life just got a little easier for me. ~;)
Well I finally had a chance to spend some time on my Bohemian campaign last night (huzzah!). Things are generally going pretty well, albeit not as much as I hoped. The HRE's civil war had some unexpected consequences, both good and bad.
I'll start with the bad: Half of the Imperial garrison in Venice defected to the rebels, a situation which the Venetians exploited before I could. In the blink of an eye, they had retaken their beloved capital from the Germans. While I was happy for them, their victory forced me to turn elsewhere in my quest for a port. :wall: As a result, I began to look north.
In the meantime, however, the HRE's loss was my gain! I wasted little time in attacking Bavaria and crushing the German rebels there. Shortly after conquering Bavaria, I decided to move on Franconia as well. Aside from profiting from the province's trade goods and salt mine, I could also use it as a base to invade a port province (Friesland and Saxony).
The HRE had recently put down the rebels in Franconia and re-occupied the province, but they'd left only a minimal garrison behind. I had little worry that the new Emperor (an unimpressive man named Wilhelm) would retaliate if I invaded, as my agents reported his western lands were under heavy attack by the French. (In fact, Wilhelm was desperate enough to offer me a ceasefire, which I rejected.)
Speaking of the French, they sent a small army to "assist" me in taking the province--not that I needed the help. ~:rolleyes: While the Empire got to defend on a bridge battle (2 bridges), their garrison consisted of only 5 units of UM, and I knew my Bohemian Bowmen would turn them into pincushions. During the battle, the French suffered heavy losses assaulting their bridge, but mine were minimal. Only 5 of my men died in the battle, 3 of them from friendly fire. On the flip side, 5 Germans were the only enemies to escape the carnage (much to my chagrin, as I had hoped to destroy them entirely so I wouldn't have to assault the castle). One siege battle later, and Franconia was mine.
I was now faced with a new problem, however--the port provinces I had sought access to (via Franconia) turned out to be owned by allies! The French possess Friesland, and (in a move that surprised me) the Norwegians had apparently conquered Saxony a couple years ago. With the exception of the HRE, I was allied with every neighbor I share a border with, and I didn't wish to damage King Vratislav's influence (currently a respectable 6) by attacking one of them.
A possible way out of my predicament has since presented itself, although I'm not sure how wise it would be for me to take it. The French and English, once both my allies, have gone to war with each other. (Surprisingly, the English were ex-communicated instead of the French!) In a decision I fear may come back to haunt me, I decided to keep my alliance with the English and break off relations with the French. Doing so enables me to attack Friesland--as well as other French ports along the North Sea coast (Flanders, anyone? ~;))--without losing honor and influence.
Of course, the downside of all this is that the French are definitely more powerful than I am, and taking them on might be more than I can handle (even with the English forcing them to fight on two fronts). It might finally be time to sit down with Emperor Wilhelm and start discussing peace....
https://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3839/1219ch3.jpg
The year is 1219. Fifteen years after her sacking, the Queen of Cities is once again in Orthodox hands. Hungary and the Ayyubid muslims acknowledged this fact with alliances, though the Cumans and Sicilians (in Greece) remain troublesome. ~:pissed:
https://img191.imageshack.us/img191/...2281231xs7.jpg
The Sicilians invaded with an enormous army in 1228 and Prince Kaloyan opted to abandon the humble keep to rejoin his father in a desperate bid to defend Constantinople from the encroaching hands of the Catholics. For the next two years, the Bulgarians and Sicilians massed their forces, but fate would not have it. In 1230 the King of Sicily fell ill and died childless, struck down by Divine Providence! ~:pissed:
P.S. - Double bribery GET!
I've played this XL mod thing for a bit now and I'm really rather impressed. It feels much more challenging strategically as the player's economic base is greatly shrunk, relatively. My main criticism would be that it's very generous to historically minor factions though. Right now as I type, the Lithuanians are utterly disembowling the Horde, the Crusader states have completely conquered Egypt and the entire holy land, and I think the Armenians turned the tables on the Turks around them.
Anyhoo...
https://img255.imageshack.us/img255/...2471249px7.jpg
In 1246, the Byzantine Empire invaded Horde territories in Georgia. Considering the Mongols by far the stronger side, and having only garrison troops ready in distant Moldavia, Kaloyan sided with the Mongols.
In 1247, two of his younger brothers as well as Prince Stafan, a rather disappointing and unready heir apparant, crossed the Bosporus and seized Nicaea.
Emperor Constantine XII returned next year with a heroic force of Kataphracts whom the vastly more numerous Bulgarian army heavily defeated. The Emperor was captured and executed when his own sons declined to pay ransom. The year after that, the Seljuk Turks returned to bordering Anatolia with a new army recruited largely of rabble.
Tzar Kaloyan II also fell ill and died in 1249, just in time to see his life's work, the great Asen walls at Turnovo completed. The new fortifications were said to be the equal of Constaninoples. His son Stafan however, did not share his Bulgaria-centrism and unlike his predecessors, was coronated not at Turnovo, but Constantinople, to a court full of intrigue and numerous uncles of superior intellect, questionable loyalties, and disparate agendas.
With large amounts of former East Roman territory now under Bulgar rule, the capital is shifted (officially) to Constantinople, and the Roman Empire of the Bulgar People is established.
Nice campaign Maloncanth! Keep it coming.
Nice, Maloncanth! Way to beat down those Sicilian scoundrels ~:cheers: I also see Greece is now in rebel hands and that the Sicilians have been kicked out. (I don't suppose you would've had anything to do with that, would you? ~D)
As for my Bohemian campaign, events continue to unfold in a different direction than what I was anticipating. :dizzy2: It is a time of change and uncertainty. Kings and Caliphs have died, leaving their thrones to largely-untested sons of sometimes questionable ability. Kingdoms have fallen, while others are just beginning their rise to power and glory. Old allies turn on each other, and traditional enemies become fast friends.
Last night's session saw a flurry of diplomatic activity by a number of factions, including and especially myself. Alarmed by the French's growing strength, I dispatched the Bishop of Prague to offer terms of peace to Emperor Wilhelm, who was vacationing in Switzerland at the time. Upon hearing His Grace's proposal, Wilhelm was all too receptive to agreeing to a ceasefire. Indeed, the message delivered to me made it clear he was painfully eager for peace--he sounded less like an emperor, and more like a dog hoping to get a pat on the head from his beloved master. I confess I actually felt a little sorry for him!
My diplomatic activities continued elsewhere as well. Desiring to secure powerful allies in the east, I sent an emissary to Levidia, where the Prince of Kiev was currently residing. (The Kievans had unexpectedly started dominating the eastern steppes, pushing out both the Cumans and the People of Novgorod.) Somewhat to my surprise and concern, the Prince politely but firmly refused my offer of alliance. Given that he recently conquered Prussia and appears to have designs on pushing further into central Europe, I've realized I must watch him as warily as I'm watching the French.
Fortunately, Byzantine Emperor Alexius II (whom I found campaigning in Naples, of all places) was much more receptive to my embassy's offer of alliance. I suspect his willingness to see me might have had to with the fact that he's currently fighting a multi-front war against a numer of enemies. ~;) Interestingly, one of those enemies is the Pope--a man with whom the Bohemians have enjoyed only a lukewarm relationship. Only time will tell what retaliation--if any--the Vatican inflicts upon us as a result of this new treaty.
Perhaps just as interesting is that my newfound friendship with Alexius forced me to terminate my alliance with the Hungarians (the Byz had recently taken Croatia from them). I did so with regret, as I harbor no ill will towards them; they've been nothing but good Christian neighbors. The Byzantines are currently the greatest power on the map, however, and I greatly desire to be on good terms with them--particularly since they now share a border with me!
In the midst of all this deal-making, the Bohemians suffered a great loss: Vratislav II, who had led his people to victory over the Germans and tripled the size of his kingdom, succumbed to pneumonia and died in his sleep. The people greatly mourned his passing, particularly since the throne was now occupied his son, Vratislav III.
Vratislav the Younger has never had much appetite or aptitude for statecraft--he viewed his father's diplomatic maneuverings with both disinterest and disdain. In addition, rumors abounded throughout the court (and among the commoners as well), that he was a bit of an odd fellow at times. It's thought that he may be a touch schizophrenic, although as of yet it doesn't seem to affect his mental faculties overly much. Whether this problem will become worse later on remains to be seen.
For all that the people have their doubts about his ability to rule them, Vratislav himself has none. Owing largely to his father's accomplishments, he can exert a modest amount of influence over his neighbors, and he's not afraid to use it. In addition, he has a deserved reputation as a canny battle commander. (So what if he occiasionally demands that trees be baptized before being cut down to build siege weapons? At least he knows how to win! ~;p ) Perhaps most importantly, however, is that Vratislav III is ambitious--much more so than his father. He feels he can surpass him, and he's determined to do exactly that.
Towards that end, he makes a move that surprises nearly everyone--he offers to form an alliance with the Bohemians' old enemy, the Holy Roman Empire. (It should probably be mentioned that at this point, "Empire" is something of a misnomer, as the Germans now own just 2-3 provinces.) Wilhelm, trying to find any advantage he can against the French, gladly accepts the offer.
In this treaty with the Germans, Vratislav proved himself to be more cunning than anyone suspected. For not only has he now secured a buffer zone between his lands and the French, but it also gave him the excuse to cancel his alliance with the Venetians. (They were still at war with the HRE, and had in fact just invaded Tyrolia.) This was important, as he'd decided that Venice was going to be his next target.
The very next year, fortune gave my king's plans a small boost. The Venetian Doge died of an illness, leaving behind a son who was incompetent in all matters of kingship, including warfare. Vratislav was ready to pounce, and immediately invaded Venice with an army that swept all before it. The new Doge (who didn't even have a chance to celebrate his coronation) possessed just enough intelligence to know his forces were no match, and retreated back to the city.
I now have Venice under siege and at my mercy, but there are ominous rumblings on the horizon. Word has come that while most of my allies have remained steadfast, the Polish have instead sided with the Venetians in this conflict. In addition, the Venetians appear to be preparing a massive relief army, as their conquest of Tryolia is now complete. It looks like I'm going to have a real fight on my hands, and this time the war may come on two fronts.... ~:eek:
The year was 1087. Venice has survived for nearly 400 years as a vassal state of the Byzantine empire. They have held off invastions from the North by Germanic tribes, each led by a barbarian confident that they in fact are the next Charlemagne, as well as seaborne raids along the Adriatic by the new upstart Normans to the South, stationed in Sicily. At the age of 36, a bright young star rose in the sky for Venice, Vitale the first true sovereign of Venice ascended the throne.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...Game/start.jpg
Immediately, Vitale declared his independence from the traditional Ventian overlords, the Byzantines, but leading a charge into Naples. With a band of militia raised from the local city and his personal bodyguard, Vitale drove the Byzantines from Naples, freeing the mostly Catholic province from their Orthodox overlords, gaining the allegiance of the Holy Father in the very same year. Vitale's charge was so perfectly timed, over 40 Byzantine swordsmen fell in the initial impact, including the Byzantine's hapless General. Understanding that discretion is often the better part of valor, Vitale immediately ordered a halt of all contact with the Byzantines, by land or by sea, for a period of 2 years, to squelch the anger.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...ame/naples.jpg
Instead, Vitale focused his time on diplomacy with the other nations of Europe, including bonding his family to that of other Catholic former victims of the Byzantines, the Hungarians, to whom he wed his eldest daughter Adela, and the Poles, from whom his son received a beautiful bride, Zophia.
Aside from snatching the barbarous state of Serbia, allowed to languish in horrific squalor by the uncaring Byzantines, the 11th century of our Lord passed without conflict.
This all changed, in the year 1100AD, exactly. The pompous ass, Adam, Norman King of Sicily violated the Doge's second, and favorite, daughter, Margarita and then refused her hand to his son. Vitale first married his now ruined daughter off to his most able general, Bohemend de Tankerville, with whom Margarite's secret could be concealed. He then smashed two Sicilian based fleets and sent his eldest son, Margarite's older brother, the young Vitale to Sicily who stormed Palermo itself! Showing a shrewd accumen that would continue to serve the Doge through his reign, Vitale allowed the Normans to continue their pathetic existence in Malta... the heap of rocks while strategically attractive could not possibly afford the Normans enough wealth to ever challenge his rule of Mediteranean again. Vitale found himself as the sole owner of over 10,000 square miles of a vast blue highway of trade, the Mediteranean sea. He also demonstrated his reason and restraint to his fellow Catholic monarchs in Spain, France and Aragon, as well as maintaining the blessed alliance with the Holy Father in Rome.
[So much for last night's adventure. Will continue with another update tomorrow night, after playing some tonight. When I get some time, I'll explain my self-imposed role-playing rules.]
No, the Sicilian king died of natural causes, honest ;p
May've been a bug actually. I think they started with a king but no sons and didn't get any as the years went by.
https://img481.imageshack.us/img481/5013/1254tj9.jpg
Despite the animosity between the Bulgarian peoples and their former Byzantine overlords in the late 12th century, the royal household of Bulgaria was properly a subordinate branch of the Byzantine imperial Comnenus dynasty through Theodora, wife of Tzar Kaloyan II whom he had married to secure recognition of the Bulgarians' legitimate 'regency' of Constantinople following 1219 the Bulgarians first to restored the city to Orthodox hands. Troubled by the raging Armenians at the the time, the proper Byzantine Empire was in no position to refuse. The Bulgarian royal family had also taken up the name Comnenus upon retiring from direct line of succession from the throne.
Following the arrival of the Horde, Bulgaria allied with the Khan for survival's sake, as did the Byzantines, until the latter attacked the former in the 1240's. The Bulgarians sided with the Horde and the close relation of the family branches allowed a legitimate rival Roman Empire, especially since the capital was in Bulgarian hands. The war of the Comenus family lines continues with the invasion of the Byzantine island stronghold of Rhodes, the attacking Bulgarians led by Ivan Comnenus is victorious over the defenders, led by Andronicus Comnenus.
Rich words for this victory as well as the strategic disenfranchisement of lesser lords to favour the king's many uncles with high titles has restored stability to the Bulgarian Roman Empire.
With the conquest of the Rhodes corridor, the shores of the Bulgarian Roman Empire are truly secure for the first time. With the Hungarian border yet at peace, the Empire turns her eyes eastwards in the late 1250's to expand her holdings further.
https://img396.imageshack.us/img396/6536/12582qw2.jpg
Thoros Rubenid, Armenian royal on the losing end of a war for succession, held control of Lesser Armenia. A few thousand florins acquired his loyalty and his marriage to princess Vigilantia, (famous for her work on the front lines as a Hordewatchers agent from the age of fifteen) reinforced the allegiance of the talented general and his lands.
https://img396.imageshack.us/img396/2687/1258cc6.th.jpg
Despite the numerically superior Seljuk Turks, Bulgarian armies led by another uncle of the Tzar invaded Anatolia and with superior quality troops dealt the Turkish army an outrageous rout. Over three hundred muslims were slain or captured and executed, including their Sultan for four Bulgarian casualties and the Seljuk line returned to the ashes.
https://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1371/1259ni2.jpg
At the same time, the Crusader States attacked and easily conquered the remnants of Armenia. Ivan Comnenus once again took to the field in 1259, invading Trebizond, taking the province without a fight. The year was an eventful one, with alliance secured with the powerful Crusader States and the powerful English in the west. Gunpowder was introduced, the royal lines of the Armenians and the Turks were extinguished, and briefly prior to the full subjugation of Rum by the Crusaders, the Bulgarians replaced the trading empire of England as the wealthiest empire in the world.
The World in 1260
https://img166.imageshack.us/img166/5651/1260rb2.jpg
Nice empire, XL certianly rocks!
That's awesome, Maloncanth; looks like you have a good game going! It's cool that there's several major factions (yourself, Kievans, English, Crusader States), instead of just you and maybe one other superpower. Even factions like the Danes, Mongols, Hungarians, Venetians, Papal States, and Castille-Leon all seem to be thriving fairly well. Looking forward to seeing what the BRE does next! (I'm curious to see if you'll finish off the Byz.) :thumbsup:
As for my campaign, I only had time to fight two battles. Although I won both of them, neither was decisive.
As I expected, the Venetians attempted to relieve the garrison in Vienna. Although the Doge's army outnumbered mine by a good margin, he fielded mostly inferior troops. In addition, my king's brother Boleslav was a far superior general (5 stars, whereas the Doge was only a 1-star), and I was able to win with acceptable losses. (I lost ~250 men, the Venetians lost ~600 men.)
In addition, the Polish simultaneously invaded Bohemia, where my small garrison there was personally commanded by King Vratislav himself. The Polish army (led by their crown pirince) wasn't very big, but it was composed of mostly cavalry (RK's, Polish Retainers, and 1 Horsemen) and a unit of Joggabys. This battle, while tougher, was also somewhat amusing. It was probably a bug or fluke in the AI, but what happened was this:
I'd stationed my men on a small but heavily-wooded hill, where my infantry-heavy army would have better odds against the Polish horse units. The enemy commander, not being a complete idiot, sent in his Horsemen and some of his Polish Retainers to scout out the terrain to try and find me. They wandered into a shallow valley between two hills, upon one of which my troops were positioned. My Bohemian Bowmen (who until now had been hidden in the trees) started pouring arrows into the Horsemen and PRs as they passed between the two hills. What's odd is that they then started wandering back and forth from one end of the valley to the other, allowing my bowmen to kill them at their leisure.
Eventually, the Polish commander rode in with the rest of his army, and his men started behaving normally again. But prior to that, his scouting forces just wandered around the valley, letting me pick them off one by one. Has anyone else noticed bizarre behavior like this? I know the battle AI does some strange things from time to time; but in over 3 1/2 years of playing this game, I'd never seen that before. :inquisitive:
It's probally the AI's inability to understand where missiles are coming from and why its troops are dying. My favorite cheesy tactic is to engage the enemy at maximum range and hope that they bunch up several units and die. In most cases, they even face their backs to me!
Okay, that might make sense. What I still don't understand, though, is why the AI wouldn't be able to see my archers in the first place. Yes, my Bohemian Bowmen were initially hidden since they were in the woods, but they became visible as soon as they started firing. Does the AI have a problem seing hidden missile units even after they've started firing?Quote:
Originally Posted by Vladimir
I considered finishing off the Byzantines but decided against it or at least against doing it traditionally. Georgia's a pretty worthless province and difficult to hold down from where I am. It'd only be territory for territory's sake.
I considered jumping them, killing them, and then letting the province go rebel but that might tempt the Crusader States a bit too much for the turns it could take to actually go rebel. Assuming it worked though it'd be a Byzantine revival (which could be good or bad) or else the Russians ending up bordering the Crusader States which is also good.
I'm also considering Crimea though that's an outside thing. It's probably less valuable and more difficult than Georgia and barely more politically acceptable since the Horde is right there. And it'd take ages of holding it to make something able to build Steppe Cavalry. It would make a nice supplement to my limited number of Boyars however.
My next preferred enemy by far would be the Hungarians. Hungary and Serbia have been built up excellently and would add much needed solidity to the lines. As it is, Carpathia is quite isolated (and valuable) and every province on the western frontier positionally needs a defense.
Shooting at the Horde would be acceptable, but I'd prefer the Horde remain as strong as it can in the face of the Russians. I dislike fighting Russians immensely because the computer can use Boyars better than I can. :embarassed:
The option I am taking is simply to build up. I'm in a rare state of peace now since the Georgia based Byzantines can't really hurt me and one thing MTW has taught me, reinforced by the additional aggression in XL is to value times of peace. It's not like Civ 3 where I won whole games hardly fighting at all. The economy is healthy so this is an excellent chance to start high level fortifications everywhere. I dunno if it's built into the mod but XL is not forgiving at all with facilities and most of the conquests so far have been unable to build anything worth building at all. In fact, Tzar Stafan's greatest accomplishment (or what will be) is definitely not the conquest of the Byzantines. That's miniscule small beans compared to the massive work being done to improve troop training quality and the economy.
Character Profile
Ivailo Asen Comnenus
https://img216.imageshack.us/img216/3336/ivailozu2.jpg
Ivailo Asen Comnenus, fifth son of Kaloyan I (and fourth uncle of current Tsar Stafan I) was always the odd one out of his siblings, perhaps from the syphillis to which his mother eventually succumbed. Nevertheless, he has become an administrator without peer, and perhaps the most important pillar of the empire.
On the surface unhinged loon, yet prone according to those close to him, to 'attacks' of incredible lucidity, Ivailo is as mad as he is ingenious. His outrageous and insane, yet in hindsight visionary schemes made him a bureaucrat and financier without peer. Under his guidance, Nicaea overtook Greece as the second most productive province in the Bulgarian Roman Empire after only Constantinople itself. He is said to be able to remember word for word and number for number, every financial report ever penned in his career as Duke of Nicaea.
Because he was only six years the elder of the Tsar, he shared a closer relationship with him and Ivailo's prodigal childhood achievements made him look up to his uncle with a sense of amazement at an elder brother figure. The only uncle to remain steadfast (as steadfast as he could in his usual state of mind) in the times of trouble following his coronation, the Tsar is said to have characterised him the most honest man in his court.
Very nice Bulgaria campaign Maloncanth!
I've noticed that the AI in XL seems very eager to retreat. I've just gone into a battle with comparable numbers of forces of fairly comparable quality (I had 3 flags on them due to general, they had better troops and advantage of defender) and they withdrew from the fight immediately. The same thing more or less happened with the Turks earlier. Has anyone else noticed this?
It seems that when faced with defending against 3-to-1 odds the AI seems to abandon the providence. At 2 to 1 I've had them withdraw to the fortification. Most of the time when they do the former they will attack the next year, but in the case of the latter, they usually starve.
When Bulgaria conquered and supplanted large portions of the Byzantine Empire, they inherited the empire's traditional dominance of east mediterranean trade. This unbalanced trade served to keep the peace of the early 1260's a short affair. Though the Byzantines agreed to a ceasefire, the Crusader States, dissatisfied with unequal trade through which the Bulgarians profited hundreds of florins annually, declared war in 1266. The end of trade damaged the Bulgarian economy somewhat, and more importantly, highlighted a naval threat to the empire's coastlines.
Hostilities began in 1268 when, having amassed sufficient forces, the Bulgarians launched an army of over two thousand at Rum. The First Battle of Iconium was an inconclusive affair as the Crusaders opted to retreat. The Bulgarians traded 6 dead for 75 Crusaders dead or captured and ransomed. The Bulgarians then laid siege to Iconium Castle.
In 1269, the Bulgarians defended their siege of Iconium Castle against an attack of over three thousand Crusaders (no screenshot of this one). The Bulgarians were greatly victorious killing hundreds in the ensuing battle in which Wallachian Mercenary Cavalry demonstrated the first and many times their incredible prowess. Several Armenians as well as ex-Sicilian units also served with distinction. The cavalry forces captured over 1,300 Crusader prisoners whom Lord Basiliacus of Greece had impaled alive all along the road to Iconium such that the next Crusader army should see them as they marched on the Bulgarian siege the following year. This great victory however, was balanced by the disastrous Battle of Cyprus, where the Bulgarians lost their entire east mediterranean fleet. This forced a reshuffling of forces at the war front to draw a skeleton army back to defend the perimeter at Nicaea in case the Crusaders attacked there.
1270 was marked by a series of violent battles. The Golden Horde attacked in Moldavia, perhaps sensing an opportunity, and were defeated heavily by numerically superior Bulgarian defenders although this new war caused three inconsequential alliance breaks.
https://img207.imageshack.us/img207/313/1270ap3.th.jpg
The Crusaders again attempted to lift the siege in the Third Battle of Iconium with an army of roughly 1850 a somewhat lesser army of 1550 Bulgarians. Bulgaria was decisively victorious, losing 183 men for 1,178 Crusaders killed or captured and drawn and quartered to the man.
https://img207.imageshack.us/img207/...2702vi0.th.jpg
Weeks later, the Crusaders struck once more, this time in Lesser Armenia with 2,225 crack troops under talented general, Lord of Sargines. Facing them was a vastly smaller force of 840 Bulgarians.
After a shaking start in which two units of Wallachian cavalry nearly routed, the Bulgarians settled into tight formation on a hill and awaited the main body of the Crusaders. Upon their arrival the Bulgarians showered formations one at a time with storms of arrows such that even with their great shields and heavy armour, the Crusader States' famed Order Foot fell by the score and scattered. Thus disrupted as they marched on the Bulgarian position, the slow but supremely heavily armoured Bulgarian halberdiers were able to engage in favourable terms even as the Latin auxilliaries and a single company of Bulgarian heavy infantry (stuck permanently on Losing Badly throughout) held the right flank. In the confusion, the general and his own bodyguard of Boyars rode into the Crusaders' rear and snapped the back of their first Battle, sending the whole of them into a rout. The second and third Battles arrived and, composed of inferior troops and demoralized by the destruction of the first, were easily beaten.
In this climatic Battle of Lesser Armenia, the Bulgarians annihilated the Crusader army, losing 226 men and killed 1,289 Crusaders and during the battle capturing a further 582 who were left bound at the shore to be drowned by the tide.
https://img226.imageshack.us/img226/...7099cp0.th.jpg
Suffering nearly five thousand casualties over a mere two years, the back of the Crusader army has been broken. If command of the seas can be retaken, the road to Antioch is just ahead.
EDIT: Leading to 1275, the war goes poorly for the Golden Horde as they are railed upon by the Hungarians and the Novgorods. As the Crusader States quickly rebuild their military forces, Antioch and Edessa are besieged and taken without fighting. The naval war however, rages on as the Crusaders and the Mongols both score victories despite inferior ships.
UPDATE: 1277, the English declare a Crusade on Constantinople and signs of a computer dogpile are definitely starting to form. Meanwhile, the Bulgarians are quickly finding the naval war impossible with the lack of mobility inherent in Italian/Byzantine ship designs.
Wow. ~:eek: Congratulations on your impressive victory, Maloncanth! ~:cheers: Lesser Armenia must've been a brutal battle!
Well that was the high point of the game, really. I have the replay so I could take screenshots sometime in the future I suppose. ;) It's been downhill from there (in terms of interestingness) though.
Quick summary:
-In the 1280's the English Crusade arrives at Bulgaria and is defeated heavily by the Tzar personally taking the field.
-In 1282, Genoa declares war. The entire Genoan battlefleet is humiliated by a single Bulgarian galley, proving that the empire can roll dice with the best of them.
-In 1283, following rapid gains in territory in Syria and Mesapotamia and ongoing sieges in Georgia and Tripoli, Tzar Stafan I dies and is succeeded by Tzar Peter I. Hungary and the Crusader States are both wracked by civil war with Egypt and Sinai falling into rebel hands.
-1284: A huge army of Danes teleports to Egypt and crushes everything there. ~:coffeenews:
There's been no real battles of note for several years now, since the Crusaders consistently retreat. I don't mind either since I hate fighting offensively in the desert, especially with many of my units silver or gold armoured.
Duklja (Serbia): The Vukan Age
Hello folks, and welcome to my Serbian campaign.
Stats:
Early period
XL mod
Expert difficulty
GA
Huge Units
In 1086, Vukan, a young General but powerful defender in the service of King Constantin Bodin (or Petar III) of Duklja rose up against the leader. In a strangely successful rebellion, which ended up gaining an uncanny amount of support from the Dukljan people, Vukan emerged triamphant and proclaimed himself Tzar of the new Serbian Empire. Empire is the wrong word, though. All it consisted of was a fairly large but not-that-great plot of land, a town with a keep and some buildings, a few poor peasants, a couple of depressed Noblemen and a weak unit of spearmen.
But Vukan was going to change all that. In just a single year he united all the squabbling peoples of Serbia under his rule. Most were happy to subject (or probably just afraid of what would happen if they didn't), but the people of Rashka proved highly disputive. A battle was raged between the Serbs and the Rashkans.
https://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1148/chargeba4.jpg
https://img223.imageshack.us/img223/2681/winningei9.jpg
https://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7013/victoryco7.jpg
The Serbs experienced a great victory that day! Their 200 Spearmen managed to rout the 120 Urban Militia of Rashka in an overall small battle, but still a significant victory nonetheless.
And through this victory, Vukan gained control of all Serbia. And this is where we begin our campaign.
https://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3182/starterzu9.jpg
Serbian GA:
https://img223.imageshack.us/img223/6455/ga1ub4.jpg
Vukan was never going to stop here. He had united all Serbia, but his dream of a huge Serbian Empire fuelled him on. However, surrounding him already were two large empires: the Byzantine Empire, whom Vukan had no hope of defeating in the current state of his army, and Hungary, who had conquered Croatia at around the same time that Vukan led his revolt. One thing was for certain; Vukan needed was still not yet a contender for World power. At that point all he had in his control were 20 Caska Garda (Royal Guards) and 200 measly spearmen.
Four Years Later: 1091
So, I have provided you with a background. As I live in the service of His Highness the Tzar of Serbia, I write this account of the events that shall take place in his rise to glory. To begin with, the Turks have sent an emissary.
https://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2880/diplo1xz0.jpg
The Turks could help us in any future wars against the Byzantines, and so we accept.
The Sicilians also send an emissary.
https://img64.imageshack.us/img64/8302/diplo2zs9.jpg
We need strong Maritime ally, and so we accept.
We have also sent an emissary to the Hungarians with an offer of alliance. Strong allies like this are necessary, especially if Vukan wishes to attack the Byzantines.
1092
Another year has passed, and the construction of a Port in Beograd has finally been finished. Now we may be able to become a maritime power at some point. But not just yet.
https://img64.imageshack.us/img64/4636/portmr8.jpg
Also, excellent news for Tzar Vukan as his son, also called Vukan, has come of age. Now he is fit to fight in the Serbian army, should it be necessary.
http://https://img64.imageshack.us/i...14/heirby9.jpg
But the Hungarians have greatly insulted us. Not only do they refuse our reasonable offer, but our emissary was barely able to escape with his life!
https://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4792/diplo3zk2.jpg
And what are they doing in Croatia anyway? The Croats have no connection with the Hungarians; but they have a strong connection with us. Vukan's army is almost ready, war with Hungary shall follow soon!
1093
War begins!
The Serbian army, led by His Highness Tzar Vukan, has attacked Croatia. A unit of Spearmen is being trained in Beograd to hold the inner keep should it be attacked.
https://img64.imageshack.us/img64/1261/war1ea4.jpg
Our army consists of:
2 units of Caska Garda: 40 men total
2 units of Spearmen: 400 men total
1 unit of Archers: 120 men total
1 unit of Voynuk Swordsmen: 120 men total
Result:
https://img64.imageshack.us/img64/2308/retreatsx7.jpg
The cowards have retreated!
The Genoese have sent an emissary with a request of marriage.
https://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2107/diplo4jx1.jpg
Why should one of Tzar's daughters marry into this ignoble 'democracy', which allies itself with our enemies? In his wisdom, His Highness has refused.
1094
It has been a long year, but spies operating from our watchtowers have revealed the threat of a large Hungarian army. Unfortunately, the rebelliousness of the Catholics in Croatia means we have to tie down too many troops keeping them in check, which leaves us with few options. Tzar Vukan, a naturally good defender if there ever was one, has returned to Serbia to meet the garrisson and will defend if the Hungarians try to attack Serbia.
https://img215.imageshack.us/img215/9393/threatcc9.jpg
Other than that, this year there has been more diplomacy.
To begin, the Pope has sent an emissary.
https://img206.imageshack.us/img206/2060/diplo5vg7.jpg
No doubt he wants us to convert to Catholicism, and so we must decline. We are proud of our religious heritage.
The Fatimids have also sent an emissary.
https://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1871/diplo6kx7.jpg
They could also help us in future wars against the Byzantines, and so we shall accept.
Here is one final picture of the Serbian Empire at this time, but other than that I must be leaving you now.
https://img215.imageshack.us/img215/...eyounowqi6.jpg
Stay tuned for the next installment!
EDIT: Future editions will not have the same level of detail. I will remove most diplomatic relations for example.
Very nice, it makes me want to play as Serbia!
Well I have now had to replace all thumbnails with full size images...
cool story and an interesting faction. keep it up! you could just use bigger pictures....
edit: oh, nevermind.....
I have been reading up about your campaigns, Rhythmic, and my God, those Byzantines are the most loyal allies I have ever seen!
:laugh4:
I must say the Bulgars ar my most exciting faction to play as to date. Its a pity I haven't the time at the moment to play them furthur.
You do know that your king is Catholic already right? :inquisitive:
At first I also was confused but the king depicted was the Hungarian ruler. :book:
No problem. I wasn't trying to be rude but the irony of your King's max Catholic piety was precious!
I have started a Armenian campaign in MTW:XL on Normal mode:
https://img167.imageshack.us/img167/3452/larm1xz2.png
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver Rusher
You did notice the Hungarian emblem in the top left hand corner, the camera centered on Hungary, the Hungarian name, the little white flag on top of the Hungarian King showing that he was the character selected and the Orthodox crosses depicted on the Serbian emblem several times on diplomacy screenshots, right?:inquisitive: :furious3: :wall: :no:Quote:
Originally Posted by Vladimir
EDIT: Also:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deus ret.
So after Deus ret. kindly pointed out your mistake, you completely ignored that as well. Hmm.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vladimir
Nice campaign, UltraWar. You seem to have made mincemeat out of the Egyptians and Turks, well done. :laugh4: I think I may start an Armenian campaign right now actually.
@Silver Rusher: Easy, man. It was an innocent mistake on Vladimir's part, and I certainly doubt he meant to offend you. In addition, he *did* apologize, although perhaps not in a formal way:It maybe wasn't "proper" English, but his phrasing is a fairly common way of expressing an apology. He was also clarifying that had your king been Catholic, it would have been ironic (thus acknowledging he'd missed that you'd posted a shot of the Hungarian king and not of the Tsar).Quote:
Originally Posted by Vladimir
This is one of those situations where my native toungue (English) is prone to all sorts of misinterpretation and leads to miscommunications such as this. ~;) I think I speak for all here in saying that none of us would ever intentionally insult you or Tsar Vukan (or anyone else, for that matter). We now return to your regularly-scheduled thread already in progress. ~:grouphug: