M2TW AAR: Vignette II -France

THE CHRONICLES CAPETIENNE

BOOK I, Chapter IX

“Then King Philip caused there to be sent forth a proclamation, to be read outside the church of every village and within the chapel of every castle, and this is what it said:

‘In the name of the Holy and Individual Trinity, Amen. I, Philip, by the Grace of God King of France. Let all men past, present and future know that on account of the wicked depredations of the commune of Dijon and the crimes of the Castellan of Bordeaux, we have quashed that Commune and disenfranchised that Castellan, and that henceforth the lordship of both those places shall revert to the Crown. From this day on, all men there, and their villeins shall attend our army and our expeditions as do our other vassals.’

And the King and his Knights and Lieutenants assieged that Town and that Castle, and many great feats of arms were done when they breached the walls. This was done in the Winter of 1082, around Michaelmas.“

Welcome to Vignette 2 – France!

After an entertaining campaign as the English, I am looking forward immensely to trying a different tack, and the Cavalry-heavy French seem like just the place to start. Thanks to the kind advice of several forumites, the dull prose of this vignette will be broken up by strategically placed pictures, and I hope that each will be worth, if not a thousand, then at least several dozen words. The narrator’s voice this time is an unfortunate pastiche of Froissart’s chronicles, but with luck it will still engage people’s interest. As adding pictures takes time, I’m afraid updates will probably be less frequent than my first Vignette.

Finally a quick note on gameplay, and a perhaps unexpected challenge. Medieval France was the crucible of chivalry and courtly romance. It would therefore feel strange to play the French as a tough, unscrupulous race like the Anglo-Normans. What this means is that unless a given character is naturally ‘bad’ (positive dread when born/adopted), all gameplay choices will be focused on having the most chivalrous possible characters. A side-effect of this is that Castles with their potential for tourney-fields will outnumber cities, and that most enemies taken will be released. Cash may therefore be a bit tight…

The game will be played at VH/VH.

Background

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As the map above shows, France starts with five settlements. The capital is Paris, a large town. east of Paris, Rheims in the north and Marseille in the south are two bustling trading towns. West of Paris stands the wooden castle of Angers, and in the South, the castle of Toulouse is the bastion of Le Roi Philip’s military might.

The campaign goals are straightforward: Capture 20 provinces, and defeat the English. Looking at the above map, France is well supplied with rebel provinces on its borders, so early expansion will come from them: this should net me between four and eight new provinces depending on how fast the AI gets its act in gear.

The Roll of Honour

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King Philip I ‘le Bel’ (a.k.a. the Chivalrous) (above) is ruler of France in 1080, and reigns over his fledgling kingdom from Paris. His terrifying son Prince Louis, the Merciless, (below), commands the King’s forces from his stronghold at Toulouse.

The Capetians cannot be entirely comfortable in their control of France, however. Three ambitious generals, from top to bottom Duke Guillemot de Lyon, Duke Raoulet Poitevin and Duke Perrin Gassou all seek to outdo their rivals and, perhaps, dream one day to supplant Hugh Capet’s line.

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https://img73.imageshack.us/img73/85...raouletqe3.jpg

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Initial strategy

France starts the game with a meaty five provinces, but to counter this, it has six potential neighbours: England, Denmark, the HRE, Milan, Spain and Portugal. Diplomacy and not warring on multiple fronts will therefore be crucial to France’s success or failure, and as on VH/VH keeping foreign powers (plus His Holiness) happy at all times is an expensive business, it will be a difficult start to the game.

Since trying to keep all six nations onside from the get go would bankrupt France, alternatives need to be considered. The most obvious first step is to remove the English from Caen: kicking the arrogant Normans off the continent should keep them penned up in their little island, where the Scots can keep them occupied AND saves the cost of maintaining garrisons in northern france/paying off the Old Enemy. The next step is to pick one of Spain and Portugal and make a very firm alliance with them, assisting them by fighting their enemy’s armies in the field. With only one, allied, power on the Iberian peninsular and small-to-moderate garrisons in Toulouse and Bordeaux, France should be safe from attack from the southwest at the cost of maybe 500-1000 florins per turn. To help keep the initial alliance tight, my princess will head straight down there to marry the heir of whichever power is most receptive.

The Danes are problematic – I’ll see how they develop. With luck they won’t get close to Bruges or Luxembourg, but if they do they may be a counterweight to the power of the HRE. Similarly, it is hard to know what to do with the Milanese. As they are a tiny duchy of only two provinces, if I am at war with them too much I can expect the pope to be annoyed since I’ll be at least twice their size for most of the early game. I have therefore decided to buy off the Duke of Milan, and to keep a large standing army in Marseille to discourage attacks.

That leaves the Germans, very worthy foes indeed. The sheer size of the HRE means that it must be contested at every opportunity, before it becomes a near-unstoppable juggernaut. Right now the settlements at Metz and Dijon are rebel-held, so capturing and fortifying them as a bulwark against the Reich will be an important short term goal. Peace, I think, will not be an option, and so I made a mental note to try to keep on good terms with the Poles and Magyars.

Since I plan to take the bulk of my European provinces from the Germans, keeping the pope onside will be crucial. I’ll be training diplomats every turn for the first few, until I have semi-permanent embassies at each neighbour’s nearest cities - and in a few other places.

Finally, the Capetians are a pious breed, and what goal could be greater – or more glorious – than recovering the Holy Land from its Saracen masters? An unofficial goal of this campaign will therefore be to go on crusade and make up the remainder of France’s total of 20 provinces by carving out an empire in the Levant.


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France in 1080. Short term acquisitions in red, medium term targets in yellow.

Time to see how well Chivalry will fare…Vive La Roi, et vive aussi La France!

utterly brilliant ! keep this up ! top marks fantastic !

Ah, looks like the beginnings of another classic. We await your glorious updates oh noble Beefeater. :bow:

Here here!!! One for Beefy!!!

Come on Beefer!!

Pump out another one!! Your audience is getting feral!! :yes:

Uh oh, this has gotten bumped to the third page. I hope Beefeater hasn't forgotten about his own thread!

Woohoow, another vignette! I'm loving it, Beefeater, keep them comming. ~:)

Book II, Chapter III

"THUS by the Englishmen was burnt, exiled, robbed, wasted and pillaged the good, plentiful country of Normandy. Then the French king sent for his lords, and assembled together the greatest number of people that had been seen in France in a hundred year before. The French king heard well what Robert of Normandy did, and sware and said how they should be driven from French shores, and that such hurts and damages as they had done should be dearly revenged; wherefore he had gathered to him all true and noble Frenchmen, and led the host of the fair to the walls of the castle at Caen. There they found the English had made ready with great number of men of arms, archers, and lancers that were called hobilars, for the petty hobby horses that they rode. This happened in the summer of 1090, soon after Easter."

Rebel Yell

Hardly needs saying, but of course Bordeaux and Dijon fall within two to three turns. Neither battle is particularly memorable.

King of the Road

France’s finances are awful beyond belief. Three turns on, the Kingdom is near enough bankrupt. The only two points of hope are that Philip has been able to establish a network of dirt roads, and that he’s been able to complete the building of a ballista maker in Paris. This last is needed as I mean to assault Caen very early and will need a siege engine to smash open the walls and avoid a protracted, pope-annoying, siege. However, I run out of cash before I can buy the first ballista, and am forced to sell my low-level troop producing buildings in the cities of langue d’oc.

Finally the ballista is built, and the stage set for an invasion of Caen. The King raises every available military unit – a risky strategy, to be sure – leaving only a skeleton garrison in Rheims, Paris, and Dijon (now made a castle to discourage future German aggression). Guillemot de Lyon also leads a small force northwest to capture Rennes, and this he does.

The Burghers of Caen

It is a grey and miserable day when the Royal army launches its assault on Caen. The English defenders – of whom there are no few – pack the central square of the castle, whose massive stone walls are already making King Philip’s men uneasy.

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English soldiers and hobilars await before the Keep at Caen

The bulk of France’s army is made up of spear militia, with a unit or two of spear-carrying gens qui servent. The archers will have no great use until the English walls are breached, at which point they will go through and attempt to set up inside the castle and rain death upon the unfortunate Normans.

To catch the cunning foe by surprise, Philip orders his men to set up on the Eastern flank of the castle, and the battle soon begins with a ballista bolt, launched against the walls.

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Le Bel Roi Philip and his men

Alas, the omens are not good. Bolt after ballista bolt slams into the walls of Caen without doing any appreciable damage. The King orders his forces round to try to break the gates from the south, beating off an attack from a small force of English reinforcements en route, and redeploys there.

This second approach is more fruitful as Caen’s reinforced gates are unable to withstand the relentless barrage of heavy ballista bolts. Spearmen charge through, but the English have rushed forward reinforcements from the square of the keep. It isn’t going to be easy to dislodge them…

...and the attack is a dismal failure. Unit after unit of French infantry is thrown into the fray, and butchered by the tough English defenders. The garrisoned towers, too, take their toll on those archers who have foolishly strayed too close to the city walls. An abortive cavalry charge results in the slaughter of French nobles by jeering English peasants. Eventually, deciding not to risk the rest of his forces, the King cuts his losses and calls a retreat.

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Counting the cost

Scribes and priests throughout the kingdom record with dismay God’s clear decision to leave Caen in Norman hands, and the message has clearly got through to His Holiness as a papal bull is received demanding that France refrain from attacking the English for another twelve years. The Kingdom is now near-bankrupt, in a war with a powerful enemy whose morale has just been boosted by a victory, and without much of an army to resist potential threats. The vultures, it seems, are circling.

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With war having failed, it’s time to try diplomacy…

Good grief, things don't look too good, l'ami. The whole army in shambles, troop production neutered, and a looming excommunication when the limeys strike back... :wall:

I'm really curious as to know how you'll manage to salvage that kind of false start. My congratulations in advance should you end up winning that one :2thumbsup:

MORE ! :book:

Whoa, major setback. Always like to see losses and disaster in AAR's... wonder if that says something about my personality.... hm... Anyway, good stuff, wonder what'll come next. Now if the AI's smart, they'll take advantage of your weakened state and attack. Can't wait to see what unfolds.

Oo, and I like the idea of putting links to your vignettes in your sig. I wanted to suggest something to collect all of them eventually and this is just that.

BOOK III, CHAPTER VII

“The princess then showed him private letters that she had received from the king, her father, who had already been very active, and with entreaties, gifts, and promises, had won over many great lords, young knights, and esquires, so that many of Louis’ knights and lords were secretly ready to declare for Spain.
Indeed the princess had made all her preparations for her expedition very carefully; for this effect, she brought also messengers, laden with gold, silver, and rich jewels. These were distributed among the prince and his knights with such effect, that the prince and his council of war were in a short time as cold towards the cause of the Portuguese, as they had ever before been warm, and she offered also her self in marriage, as token of her father’s regard. So Louis turned aside the expedition from the Spanish lands, and forbade any of his knights, under pain of banishment, to aid or assist the Portuguese in their struggle. This was in the autumn of 1108, near All Hallow’s Eve.”

The Council of Kingdoms

While King Philip has suffered debilitating defeats in the north, what news of the goings on near France’s southern borders?

I said in my first post that I planned to send my princess on an Iberian trip to ally with one of the Spanish/Portuguese, and to send Prince Louis the Merciless to lead a flying column of troops to help ensure that my ally obtains dominance of the peninsular. Things do in fact turn out rather differently.

Before HRH Constance is halfway to the Pyrenees, and while Prince Louis is still leading his troops across the mountains, the Spanish send a princess to negotiate trade rights with him. I accept, and, trying my luck, ask if she’ll marry Louis. To my delight they agree! I also drop them 500 florins/turn in tribute (a major part of my income, alas) over five turns to keep relations at ‘Good’. A turn or two later, Louis falls upon what seems to be a small Portuguese garrison in Pamplona. However, the diminutive force was a decoy, and the main Portuguese army arrives scant days later: a force composed mainly of the fast, mobile Jinetes that are so characteristic of the great Iberian plains.

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Prince Louis watches the battle from a hilltop. Evidently all of his knights’ lances have broken…

The battle begins slowly, with the two Portuguese forces maneuvering to combine for a joint assault. Unwilling to permit this, Prince Louis personally leads his knights in a pre-emptive attack on the Jinetes milling about on the plain below the hill where he had deployed. A vicious cavalry skirmish ensues, but the lighter Portuguese cavalry are unable to hold off Louis’ heavy French knights.

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Skirmish on the plains

The Portuguese are driven off, and Pamplona falls, the first good news that France has had for quite a while. Prayers are said and incense burnt in Paris and Marseille, and one imagines Louis’ new Spanish wife is quite pleased with her wedding present of dead Portuguese. Driven back to only one province, it seems very unlikely that Portugal will be able to mount a credible threat to the Spanish now.

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A much-needed victory

France is, alas, not well off, due to the failure of King Philip's Norman expedition. Fortunately the Dreaded Louis knows precisely how to extract the maximum financial benefit from the pillage of a town, and so I cut him loose to sack Pamplona and tear down its buildings. That gets me out of the red and gives me enough money to replenish my forces in France. I’m also left with a castle over the Pyrenees that I don’t want and don’t know what to do with.

Diplomacy elsewhere has gone well. The Milanese are receptive to the offer of an alliance, as I discover when my diplomat finds an Italian army squatting in central Bern. Looking back, I should have been worried at that point, but I was so glad to have them onside that I didn’t think about the consequences of Genoese in Switzerland. The Germans want trade rights, I say ‘yes’. Finally, my roving plenipotentiary makes his way to the Papacy, in place to offer tribute (when I next have some money to tribute).

The Perilous years

With the Pope now quite hostile and the English massing again in Caen, it seems that King Philip is going to have its hands full for a while. His first priority remains to annihilate the English on the continental mainland, but the threat that Germany will seek to expand westward before a credible French response can be gathered is very serious. With the world a dangerous place, His Holiness’ support would be a fine bulwark, but France has no money with which to appease the Papacy. What cunning plan do the sons of Hugh Capet have up their sleeve?

Heh heh. Can you see what it is yet?

Prince Louis, a man with his eye to the main chance if ever there was one, pens an urgent letter to France’s Man in the Vatican, who in turn informs the pleased and surprised Pope that the pious Capetians have turned over the Iberian fortress of Zaragosa to the papacy. A mass is held in the Vatican at which Il Papa has some nice things to say about King Philip, and the relationship shoots improves to ‘Outstanding’ from its original ‘Terrible’. The secondary aim, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, is to have one less fortress to garrison - this should help keep the Spanish from thoughts of breaking the alliance.

So, with the southern and eastern borders of France secured by alliances and the pope’s blessing still in recent memory, it is time for a reckoning with the English, who have been building up their forces to a huge level (but, mercifully, have not attacked. The AI missed a trick here – it would have been risky, but a serious attack by even 3 units on each of my northern settlements would have knocked me out of the game. Of course, I don’t know what weight the English gave to my alliances – and it’s entirely possible that they are under threat of excommunication too...)


Fun with Revanchism

King Philip assembled another host, though due to the monarchy’s straitened financial circumstances, it was only around 2/3 the size of the forces the English have in Normandy. Four years later, the army sat in siege outside Caen.

It was early evening when battle began. King Philip drew up his forces outside the main gate. Aware that he faced a large English garrison inside the castle, and that an even larger force was marching to the rescue, Philip would have known that only very fortunate timing would grant victory. He was however a man of resolute faith, and we may surmise that Prince Louis’ victories against the Portuguese had emboldened him to hope for further success in the north. Further confidence would have come from the three young Normandy generals whom he had gathered to his banner, giving a welcome boost to his mounted forces.

The ballistae sang, and this time the bolts did their work well. First the gate was smashed open, and then the combined attack of heavy bolts was enough to bring down one of the walls. The Englishmen within the castle fought on gamely, but they could not withstand the onslaught of multiple units of French knights and bodyguards, and, outflanked, they fell back toward the keep. Meanwhile, France’s soldiers had not been idle. The ballistae were pulled into a defensive position, and French crossbowmen stationed on the walls, to hold off the English reinforcements until His Majesty’s knights could finish their bloody work inside the castle.

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Caen in French hands

Sure enough, the reinforcements come too late, and are faced not with despondent Frenchmen caught between walls and an avenging English army, but with a tough band of veteran archers and crossbowmen and a hail of ballista bolts. Before the new army can mount a serious assault, the keep falls and a truce is called. The English retreat to their ships in the aftermath of the battle, and a ceasefire offer a turn or two later from an English diplomat suggests that, for now, they have enough to be getting on with in the British Isles.

The Serpent in the Garden

France had achieved all its short-term aims, and badly needed a rest so that it could build its economy, divert forces to the main borders, and prepare for the upcoming conflict with the German Empire. This peace should have been forthcoming, and yet two things were already going very much awry. First, the pope excommunicated the Holy Roman Emperor, who was busy warring with Venice. Second, the Milanese promptly declared war on the HRE, and extended their holdings as far north as Metz. The Duke of Milan now had a long, thin land border with France – a border of two cities and one castle, all of which had very weak garrisons, and with the two French armies too far from the border to offer any meaningful assistance.

Sure enough, before the Capetians could draw breath, the treacherous Milanese had torn up their treaties and marched on Marseille, besieging the town with a force the local commander, Duke Perrin Gassou, was ill-equipped to withstand. His mood can hardly have been improved by the knowledge that all that stood between the citizens of Marseille and their attackers was a palisade of sharpened stakes. The siege would not, it was clear, be a long one. The treasury was, of course, still full of space and empty of money.

Yet again, France ends a playing session in a grim state: lurching from crisis to crisis like a drunken monk. Is there no end to the trials God has in store for the French?

More to follow, tomorrow most likely.

Wow, tough stuff. Just when it seemed like you had scraped and clawed your way out of a tough spot, you get hit again. At least us readers are kept on the edge of our seats, as are you I'm sure.

If you wouldn't mind, a small suggestion. Turning off those green arrow markers around the selected units would make for a lot better screenshots imho. You can do that by disabling them in the preferences text if you wish. Also, why don't you add this current AAR's link to your sig as well? It doesn't have to be over to be appreciated ~;) .

Great read Beefy!!

I tell you what...your write ups make clear one very important thing to me.

Because you have to write down the history of the empire it seems clear that this makes you develop strategy and tactics in a very defined and thought out manner.

Because I don't do this, I tend to be haphazard and reactionary in the game.

I might have to create some type of informal write up so I can develop clear strategies and objectives like you have.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AussieGiant

Great read Beefy!!

I tell you what...your write ups make clear one very important thing to me.

Because you have to write down the history of the empire it seems clear that this makes you develop strategy and tactics in a very defined and thought out manner.

Because I don't do this, I tend to be haphazard and reactionary in the game.

I might have to create some type of informal write up so I can develop clear strategies and objectives like you have.

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Wow, that's so funny. I've been thinking these exact same thoughts lately and didn't know how exactly to word them. Anyhoo, that'll probably lead to an AAR of your own which is always nice, so it's a win-win :2thumbsup: .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wonderland

Wow, that's so funny. I've been thinking these exact same thoughts lately and didn't know how exactly to word them. Anyhoo, that'll probably lead to an AAR of your own which is always nice, so it's a win-win :2thumbsup: .

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Good to hear other people thinking the same thing Wonderland.

I'll certainly start writing notes to structure my game play. Maybe i'll get around to writing some up.

Cheers

BOOK IV, CHAPTER II


“After King Philip had bested the Normans, he took new counsellors, the wisest and best beloved by his people. Then, when all the barons and tenants of the crown had done him fealty and homage, the king of France, by the advice of his council, called these counselors to him and asked how he should govern his kingdom. And some talked or building churches, to the Lord’s greater glory; and others of expanding France’s fields, and others still of raising high stone walls around France’s cities. But a wild man, named Geoffrey, said to the King, ‘Take no thought now of peace, but still of war, for the time for peace is not yet come. See, in the Alps there is coiled a serpent, ready to strike, and its coat is as emerald, and its fangs are as ivory.’ This happened in the Year of our Lord 1118, four months before the siege of Marseille.”

Philip’s Italian Wars

Normally when I’m playing a TW game, I like to flood my borders with spies, as a good way of keeping an eye on what my neighbours are up to. Alas, spies don’t come for free, and so the impoverished French monarchy has not been able to afford a decent spy service.

The disadvantages of this have become terribly obvious as a decent-sized Milanese army has been able to sneak through the mountains and besiege Marseille: a turn on, they storm the city. The defenders, led by Duke Perrin Gassou, fight back manfully, but it is not enough and, after a brief moment of success when the Italian general is killed by a stray spear-thrust as the Italians burst through the gates, French resistance is overwhelmed, and the garrison put to the sword.

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The fall of Marseille


Italian Wars: strategy

It is hard to know what to do with the Milanese. I have two moderate-sized armies in the field, namely King Philip’s army in the north, and Prince Louis’ army in the southwest. The plan is to meet the Milanese incursion in Marseille with Prince Louis, and force them back from there, whilst in the north using the remaining forces to roll back the Milanese from Metz and Bern. I don’t want to risk King Philip at this stage so I move his army, under the control of a captain, toward the border: they are to rendezvous with Duke Raoulet Poitevin, the Marshal of the Upper Rhine, who marches out from Dijon to met up with them.

Blood Royale

As General Raoulet pauses in his journey, he spots a series of horsemen on the horizon: it is the Duke of Milan, traveling with only his bodyguard, who has spotted Raoulet and is marching forward to challenge him. Being the chivalrous sort, Raoulet accepts the challenge - despite being badly outnumbered.

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The Duel

The fight goes down to the wire, but the Milanese prevail. With only two to three knights still alive on each side, Raoulet takes a sword thrust through his shoulder, and, slumping in his saddle, is despatched with an overhand swing from a Milanese bodyguard. The last two French knights are cut down, and the Duke of Milan continues his journey.

However, he has as a result of this battle left himself within striking range of the vanguard of the French relief force, which surges forward and attacks. The Italian Duke is surrounded and killed.

Which leads on to a question: why on earth would the Milanese AI, which currently has several stacks in the field, send its faction leader out on his own? It wasn’t strapped for soldiers, which was why my chappie was out without his minders. Peculiar.

Back and forth

The war drags on, with French soldiers besieging the Italian forces at Metz and Bern, and the Italians striking deeper into France to besiege Dijon. To my surprise, the Germans offer an alliance: France accepts, with alacrity. Only afterwards do King Philip’s counselors remind him, tactfully, that the HRE has been excommunicated and that His Holiness may not smile upon an alliance with Germany. Oh well, too late now.

Further south, Prince Louis himself is called to govern Rennes to keep dissent down. Command of his army passes to a young captain called Thomas Mersault, who is able to recapture Marseille. Back north, all three besieged cities fall to their respective attackers – but Dijon is cut off from the rest of Milanese territory, and it is hard to see the Italians escaping.

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France in 1102

The most serious future problem is that the Pope is no longer that well disposed towards France. It will be necessary to return to diplomacy, and soon, if the war against Milan is to be brought to a successful close.

It looks like the Italians are giving you a run for your money. Good thing that the HRE is off your back, but the Pope is a bigger issue: facing excommunication would be a fatal blow, I think.

Good luck with your campaign, the French will need a good leader to pull them out of that hornet's nest. ~:)

Man oh man, you keep pulling out of difficult spots nicely, loving this one. That duel was awesome, never seen anthing like that, great idea roleplaying the chivalrous character. I suppose it's mainly the tigh economy that's making for a difficult game, not being able to keep a spy network, enough men in the field, very nice. What will be the next step after Dijon I wonder...

great stuff ive read the first chapter a while back and now ive discovered all these chapters - you have made my day ! keep this up:2thumbsup:

vive la france!

Fantastic stuff. As others have said, I would have restarted after such a false start, but your perseverance is commendable, and makes for a damn good read :book:

BOOK V, CHAPTER XXIII

“…then Saint Philip and his closest companions, the Count of Marseille and the Duke of Rhone, were left to face the host. Though many brave men had fled, yet the Saint did not flinch from deeds of arms, and setting his face to the Milanese, threw himself again into the fray. Such noble feats were done by his companions and he, that though his hair was now grey and his hands palsied, the Italian captains saw that he fought as though ten men, and despite their greater numbers, fear rose up in their throats, and many fled then and there. This was in the winter of 1120, around the feast of Advent.”

(Some decent pics in this one I think, so do take the time to open them up and have a shufti!)

Conclusion of the Italian Wars

Metz and Bern fall to the French, and although the Italians capture Dijon, they are cut off from reinforcement and unable to hold it for more than a couple of years. Finally, the French have an opportunity to strike back at the upstart Duchy of Milan, and they seize it with both hands. King Philip leads a medium sized force across the Alps from Switzerland, and a general called Gilles does the same from Marseille. The news from the diplomats keeping watch inside Milanese territory is disheartening, but not massively so: the Milanese have managed to field three large armies against France’s two medium ones, and the twin cities of Milan and Genoa are both lightly defended – although that may change before long.

The first engagement on Italian soil is instigated by the Milanese. Their faction heir, Count Noddo, leads one of the large armies against King Philip’s smaller stack. Deciding that discretion is the better part of valour, Philip retreats slightly through an alpine pass – right onto a bridge. This is both surprising and pleasing: the AI has done right by me.


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The Battle at the Bridge

There will be no withdrawal from this battle: though massively outnumbered, King Philip must win, or suffer the annihilation of his army. Le Roi draws up his forces on the near side of the pass, with a view to making repeated cavalry charges against the Italians as they cross. Meanwhile the few infantry and archers in the French army are drawn up at one side, to make charges into the Italians as they attack the Knights.

The battle is almost certain to end in the total slaughter of the French, and their mood is grim. The Italians surge across the bridge in dense formation, and many are cut down by the arrows of the French peasants, yet it is like stemming a flood with a needle, and the Milanese soon gain the opposite bank.

The French knights charged, and charged again, each time leaving scores of Milanese dead on the ground, but the Italians were too many. Desparate to avoid a pitched battle, the French knights scatter, hoping to draw out and crush the mainly infantry forces unit-by-unit.


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Divida et Vincera

The plan is a qualified success. One by one, the Italian infantry units are tempted out of formation, surrounded, and annihilated. But the last few units, who had stayed together to butcher the French foot soldiers, refused to be drawn.

Despite their early success, Philip’s knights have suffered heavy casualties, and flee to the east side of the map to regroup. Meanwhile, the only infantry remaining to the French are a single intrepid unit of mercenary Crossbowmen. They fight on gamely, taking such cover as they can…

https://img237.imageshack.us/img237/...toutto4.th.jpg
Day of Defeat?

..but for all their valour, cannot withstand the Italian onslaught.

The battle then entered its final phase: only the King and his bodyguard of picked men remained, but the Italians too had suffered terrible losses and were down to one unit of town militia, one of spear militia, and one of Genoan crossbow militia. His majesty prepared to go down fighting, and launches a suicidal full-frontal charge against the crossbowmen (the nearest unit).

https://img237.imageshack.us/img237/...eendhz6.th.jpg
Nor yet a man dismayed

The King’s men were few – but the Milanese forces had become dangerously strung out, and the crossbowmen were shattered by the force of King Philip’s insane charge (the lances were out this time, alright). The town militia unit suffer a similar fate as the King’s horses outmaneuver them and crash into their flank, but the spear militia are made of sterner stuff and the King’s last, most faithful servants are impaled on a thicket of Italian metal and wood.

Uttering a silent prayer, Philip turns away from the Militia, who eagerly give chase – straining out of formation in the meantime. Choosing his moment carefully, he wheels his charger around and, bowing to the inevitable, lowers his lance one final time.

https://img117.imageshack.us/img117/...adedrx0.th.jpg
Warrior King

Against all odds, his charge slays the Milanese captain, and the final Italian unit is routed. The King, alone, has won, and enough of his men fled or healed to make a decent party (once bulked out with mercenaries) that can continue on to besiege Milan. This was, without a doubt, the toughest fight that I have ever won in a TW game.

https://img149.imageshack.us/img149/...liefwq4.th.jpg
Beyond belief

Le Roi Philip releases every last one of the brave Milanese that had been captured, and earns himself the title of ‘The Saint’. Meanwhile in the south, the second French army scores an equally convincing victory over the Italians in their path, who retreat in confusion to Genoa. Being less chivalrous than Philip, the victorious general demands a ransom, and the 2400 or so florins that the Milanese stump up for the return of their men are promptly sent as tribute to the Papacy, which is subsequently minded to overlook France’s actions in Italy. Milan and Genoa are besieged the following turn. In a final cruel twist, the Milanese are excommunicated for their belligerence against the Pope’s favourite faction.

Trouble up North

While all this has been going on, the news from the North is less satisfying. The Danes, who have by this point occupied the Low Countries, assemble a moderate army and strike out at Paris. A turn or so later, King Philip dies (and is presumably canonized), leaving his bloodthirsty son Louis to take charge. In a lightning ride from Rennes, picking up family members on the way, Louis smashes the Danes outside Paris and leads a vengeful force against their lightly-garrisoned possessions in the Netherlands. Bruges falls to assault soon after, and after beating off an attempted counter-attack from the Jutlanders, King Louis settles in, eyeing nervously the scattered Danishmen over the riiver near Antwerp.

Dividing the Spoils

Shortly after this, Genoa falls to the invading French, and the turn after that, Milan. The Duchy of Milan now passes from memory. What’s more, as France is now ruled by somewhat less saintly men than the pious King Philip, both cities are immediately sacked, yielding a fortune of nearly 50,000 florins when all is done.

Much of this is immediately distributed as tribute to the Spanish and the Papacy, to ensure their continued co-operation. The rest goes on a massive programme of upgrades to France’s cities and castles, many of which have been feeling the squalor hit as a result of not increasing the size of their walls, and on the recruitment of strong garrisons on the German and Spanish borders.

Now that the last Milanese pretensions to independence are crushed and France has been saved from a war on two or more fronts, and now also that a new, harsher King sits on the throne in Paris, it is time to conduct a complete review of the state of Le Royaume de France. This is a large topic that will deserve a post to itself – and that it shall have, in due course. For now, it’s time for bed, and Beefeater’s Girlfriend will be distinctly displeased if he’s up late posting. Needless to say, he wouldn't dare…

Adieu – for now.

Wow, that really was a hell of a battle. Absolutely incredible, cinematic stuff. Just to let you know, "Nor yet a man dismayed" and "Warrior King" are the same image. Perhaps there was something else you meant to put, in which case you should switch so we can see another cool pic from the battle :2thumbsup: . That shot of the crossbowmen taking cover behind some rocks was especially awesome. Also, it'd be a million times better if you'd remove those nasty green arrow markers... kind of take you (me) out of the mood. But wow, unbelievable battle...

In any case, I'm loving this campaign. Really hanging on by the skin of your teeth, right down to the battles themselves. Even though now it seems you might be able to build up a bit after coming into all that money. Hm, since one of your campaign victory conditions is to wipe out the English, I can't help but wonder when and how the invasion of England is going to take place. Seems like you have your hands full on the mainland, it'll be real interesting to see how you pull it off.

And now, a little (very little) poem in anticipation for your next entry.


Your loyal fans await! :bow:
The girlfriend, must wait. :shame:

Loving this AAR

it has a real sense of theatre and showmanship about it

Viva la france

:2thumbsup:

Excellent stuff.

Without doubt the best scene for me was the one on one matchup of the Milanese King and your general.

I had a somewhat similar battle last year while playing RTW.

I was the Greeks, and the Brutii sieged the lightly garrisoned town of Syracuse in the opening turns of the campaign. I had no way of reinforcing the garrison or relieving the siege in time, so it looked like a starve-out was inevitable. Much to my surprise, the Romans soon assualted using several battering rams for some reason. The ensuing battle will live in my memory for ever.

In the opening phases my archers managed to set one or two Roman battering rams on fire, but one got through and smashed down the gate. Much to my delight, the first few of those greasy, big-nosed jerks through the breach got promptly doused in boiling oil from the gatehouse. A bloody infantry struggle soon broke out, with my Militia Hoplites relying on their superior positioning and the power of the phalanx formation to overcome theiir Hastatii opponents superior morale. While the Romans fought bravely, the were ultimatley overmatched, and those who were not dead soon turned and ran. Thinking to press home my advantage, I thought to sally and ordered my hoplites outside the walls. Sadly, some idiot inside the gatehouse accidentally tripped a lever at precisely the wrong time, and several of my hoplites were deep-fried. The survivors broke and ran for the town center. My archers were soon killed by the suddenly resurging Romans. The battle came down to a true last stand. My hoplites managed to route the enemy one last time, though only seven survived the fray. Victory seemed certain, but several routing Romans had gotten stuck on the walls. Since the Romans now held the gatehouse and I was playing with no battle timer, an assualt was necessary. All but 1 of my hoplites were killed by the gatehouse arrows during the frantic sprint from cover, but the one that got through was enough. The Wolf flags soon changed to the lightning bolt of Zeus, and my heroic last hoplite killed the remaining Romans with his short sword.

After the battle was over, I almost got out of my chair and cheered. What a rush!

Anyways, keep up the good work Beefeater. Your work is highly entertaining, perhaps too much so - I should be writing my PoliSci term paper right now, and instead I'm reading your writing!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Katana

Anyways, keep up the good work Beefeater. Your work is highly entertaining, perhaps too much so - I should be writing my PoliSci term paper right now, and instead I'm reading your writing!

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Heh heh, I had a couple of delayed papers myself because of the Beefeater. Instead of reading about the hundred years war, I was reading his rendition in the England series... kind of a weird feeling.

Love that picture of the handful of crossbowmen behind their rocks, with the huge army advancing in the distance. Very war movie stuff, à la A Bridge Too Far. "My commander says he's sorry, but he cannot accept your surrender !" :laugh4:

Refreshing to have such a class act posting these AARs. I'm still trying to think up a way to convincingly do a campaign diary from the point of view of my faction leader, but the damned abstract turn:character aging ratio has me stumped. I could change it to two turns a year, but then I'll wind up with citadels and Huge cities by the late-1100s, and I don't want General's living over 100 game years :embarassed:

So, maybe your fashion of doing things will have to be the new "Campaign Diary" ~;)

I would pay to see that replay, even if its just the part where the king charges on his own, that was awesome.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wonderland

Just to let you know, "Nor yet a man dismayed" and "Warrior King" are the same image. Perhaps there was something else you meant to put, in which case you should switch so we can see another cool pic from the battle

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Good spot - thanks for pointing this out. Post now updated with the correct picture.

beefeater, another brilliant post ! keep em coming !

Long Live St King Philip ?!!


Vive la France

Boo ! to evil King Louis !!??

BOOK VI, CHAPTER I

“…Chatillon:Count Beauchamp, castle, mill; Epirnay, church, abbey; St. Sauveur, King’s land, two fisheries, two markets; Clairvaux Abbess of Troyes (granted by Odo de Lacy for his daughter to become a nun); Petit-Sancerre, church, 2 mills…”

-Extract from the Great Census

A time for taking stock

Having captured Milan, France now finds itself in control of the closest medieval equivalent to Ernst & Young or PwC…outside Venice, that is. King Louis, who unlike his pious father is highly concerned that all taxes should be collected in full and on time, orders a general census to be taken, and the King’s accountants, accompanied by the King’s coercive lending commissioners, fan out throughout France.

These were their results:

https://img72.imageshack.us/img72/70...timeni7.th.jpg
Kingdom of France

Leaders
10, of whom the most experienced commander is King Louis the Merciless

Cities (and their planned specializations)
Milan - Assassins
Genoa – Spies
Marseille – Merchants
Bruges – Explorers
Rennes – Theologians
Angers, Paris, Dijon – Any other

Castles
Toulouse – Cavalry
Bordeaux – Cavalry
Metz – Infantry
Bern – Infantry
Rheims – Missile
Caen – Missile

Finances
Total income last year: around 25k
Total expenditure before recruitment and building: around 18k

Priorities
Having received the above reports, the King sets out his priorities:

Strengthen borders
The most immediate threat is the Danes, who are attempting to regroup around Antwerp. Capturing and sacking that city, and converting it into a heavily fortified castle, is the highest priority.

The next border to secure is the Pyrenees. This will mean bribing the Spanish and maintaining castle garrisons in Toulouse and Bordeaux. Castle garrisons are to comprise three armoured sergeants, three crossbowmen, a general or unit of knights, and a unit of mounted sergeants – or, in each case, their nearest equivalents.

France’s Italian possessions are potentially the weak spot in its armour, as they need to be kept as cities in order to maintain the flow of florins into King Louis’ coffers. To keep Italy docile, both cities are to have garrisons of seven militia units and three units of archers, backed up by a field army the same size as a castle garrison and led by one of the better generals. The field army will make camp between the two cities.

The Eastern frontier is where fighting is most likely to be bloody. Each of the three castles at Antwerp, Metz and Dijon are to have half-size castle garrisons, and there will be a field army to respond to attacks, again led by a general and wintering in a field fortification.

Finally, Marseille, Bordeaux and Genoa are to contribute ships for two fleets, with a planned crusade in due course.

Master of Spies
The new defence plan is reliant upon good intelligence about the actions along France’s borders. To this end, King Louis orders the construction of watchtowers along each one. This will be supplemented by a counter-intelligence network of spies and assassins trained in Italy within every settlement, and with additional spies sent into neighbouring countries as they become available.

Building program
A significant amount of France’s new-found wealth should be ploughed into making it as near as possible to being financially self-sufficient, as without new conquests the treasury could run dry. Each castle will be developed towards its specialism for unit production, but first priority will go to a network of ports, farms and markets throughout the Kingdom.

Wars of Religion
Finally, there are six more regions to capture. Once the Danes are subdued, French armies will aid the scots in annihilating the English. But there is another goal for the French – to send two full stacks on Crusade. Spare wealth will go toward bribing the Pope so that at a time of the King’s choosing, the armies of God can head East on Crusade…

More soon.

That sounds like an expensive garrison program. Playing as Venice I've taken over the cashcow that is Italy and I'm having difficulty maintaining two militia stacks, about 4 units in each city, a building program and barely any agents. Interesting to see whether your economy can handle it ~:)

excellent ! cant wait until the Danes feel the wrath of King Louis. Please post plenty of pics. How will he afford all these things? Will the peasants have to sell their Grandmas into slave labour to the King?!

Waiting...

Vive la France !

Long Live King Louis !

Bravo, Beefeater! I love the idea of posting in-progress AARs and seeing you overcome adversity. Excellent bridge battle, BTW.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wizzie

but the damned abstract turn:character aging ratio has me stumped. I could change it to two turns a year, but then I'll wind up with citadels and Huge cities by the late-1100s, and I don't want General's living over 100 game years :embarassed:

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Hey Wizzie, I think you might be interested in a little mod I put together that suits your needs. I just played around with a few text files and lowered population growths along with some other tweaks. I'm currently playing a 0.5 timescale campaign and it's a lot more fun.

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=73286


Anyhoo, Beefeater, I particularly loved this post. Very nicely laid out plans, I love the detail, the planned specializations and everything else. Very nice, I just can't get enough. I think the community will eventually have to force you into doing a grand campaign AAR that will last... forever!

Oh and the Warrior King pic is awesome! (except for those green arrows which I've already talked about way too much ~:))

BOOK VII, Chapter V

“On the morrow, they returned to the attack on all sides. Ladders were thrown up against the walls, and the soldiers of Venice poured into the city, but the brave garrison of cross-bowmen held them back for many hours, and the defenders in the city cheered at every flight of bolts. But by evening the Venetians gained those sections of the walls where the militia sheltered, and not one militiamen left the walls alive. This was in the summer of 1186.”

European Wars - South
The capture of Milan was swiftly followed by the investiture by my Northern army, consisting of King Louis, Prince Michiel and assorted nobles, and some infantry and knights, of Antwerp. I then had two turns of relative peace where everything went according to plan.

Needless to say, this could not last. Before long, the Venetians sent one of their four large roving armies to attack Milan. It was beaten off handily by the defenders in a quick sally, but Venice had deep pockets and a second army was soon sent for, which assaulted Milan a turn after laying siege to the city. Things looked pretty grim for the city’s defenders: an early attempt to knock out the catapults by a maneuver failed, at the cost of two full units of mailed knights. The catapults continued to pound the walls, causing horrible casualties among the crossbow militia who were the first line of defence.

https://img87.imageshack.us/img87/53...gaspcb4.th.jpg
Storming the City

Before long, the walls and towers were reduced to rubble, and most of the defenders retreated to the city centre. The few surviving crossbow militia made the ultimate sacrifice, staying on the walls to keep the towers firing as long as possible. For around three minutes they held their positions, wave after wave of crossbow bolts punching through Venetian armour, until finally the Italian commander sent two units of foot knights onto the walls. Soon after, the crossbows fell silent, leaving Venice in command of the walls – but at terrible cost. The militia had done their work.

https://img87.imageshack.us/img87/28...allsgd6.th.jpg
The militia make their final stand on the walls. On the right, you can just see the first Venetian foot knights making their way onto the wall from the tower

Further into the city, the defenders had laid a number of traps for their opponents. Correctly guessing that the Venetians would attempt to take the main square as quickly as possible, the French commander had ordered small forces of knights and mounted sergeants to lie in wait down side streets. If the Venetians attacked down the main street, these cavalry would be able to rush forward and flank them as they tried to break through the defending spearmen.

The AI was too clever for that though, and I’m very pleased to say that it sent flanking cavalry of its own to sweep the streets and to envelop the main square. The Italian knights drove off my mounted sergeants on the north side of the square, and were only repulsed after fierce fighting by a reserve force composed of my general and a half-strength unit of mailed knights. In the south, their general himself led the flanking attack. Sensing an opportunity, my second unit of flankers (a full-strength unit of mailed knights) lowered their lances and charged him straight on.

https://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2951/joustbe0.th.jpg
The Joust

Yet again, the AI surprised me. Their general wasn't trying to hold off my knights on his own: scant seconds later, a unit of Italian spearmen which I hadn’t noticed slipped round the back of my unlucky knights. Caught between elite horsed men and an unyielding wall of spears, the knights were butchered. However, the Italian general then remained in place for most of the rest of the battle – guarding the street, or a bug? Certainly had it been used more extensively that unit of bodyguards could have caused me problems.

The remainder of the battle followed a pattern – the attackers charged the defenders, wiped out a unit of spearmen, were pushed back by the fresh replacements, but gradually gained ground at an increasing cost in lives. The defenders rallied in the central square and were sent back into the fray unit by reduced unit. New to MTW was the impact of my knights – they made repeated charges into the flanks of the spearmen (remember they drove off the flankers in the north?), which helped to break up several attacks.

https://img87.imageshack.us/img87/82...kingvo4.th.jpg
Flanking

The final stages of the battle were a war of attrition, which the French won – but only barely. There was a bad moment when the Italian general attempted a breakout, but the defenders, a motley crew of armoured sergeants, held.


https://img87.imageshack.us/img87/83...koutbc9.th.jpg
Last act in Milan

The defending garrison had been all but annihilated, but it had held. The prisoners were ransomed back to Venice for around 7,000 florins, and the next turn a large reinforcing army of modern troops from the stronghold at Bern arrived. It’s about 15 turns on now, and there have been no more Venetian attacks in the meantime.

The turn after the battle, Milan set up an assassin’s guild, and the 15 turns I mentioned above have seen a stream of unfortunate accidents befall those relatives of the Doge unwise enough to remain in Italy. I got 3 generals for 15 assassins, not a bad ratio given the fact that it’s easier to obtain the latter than the former.

European Wars – North
In the North, the Danes were also on the march: but instead of sending soldiers, they sent a diplomat, who wanted a ceasefire. Since I wanted Antwerp more than I wanted peace, I counter-offered: peace and 2,000 florins for Antwerp. The Danes said no – but then they came back at me with a counter-offer of their own!

https://img87.imageshack.us/img87/36...yothyr7.th.jpg
A continuation of war by other means?

I was more than happy to accept their 6,000 florin offer, leaving me with a full stack to send down to Italy. As events transpired, however, King Louis and Prince Michiel would be traveling far further than the pleasant plains of the Po valley.

Take up thy Cross

With exquisite timing, the Pope chose this moment to announce a crusade to Jerusalem. The call was well-heeded, and Christendom set aside its differences admirably. Germany, France, England, Spain, Venice, Poland – the Crusade did not lack for adherents.

I was very interested to see that the turn after declaring the stack containing King, Prince, and others for Crusade, the order of St. John of Jerusalem approached the mayor of Dijon, and the turn later the castellan of Bern, to offer them minor chapter houses. Both accepted. Marseille also got a Merchants guild.

A full stack sailed off from Marseille, dodging a Venetian fleet en route, and shortly afterward, found itself within distance of the Holy Land. Great deeds await – and dark ones, too. With King Louis the Merciless (and his son Prince Michiel, also known as the Merciless) leading the Crusade, I believe I have sent over men of precisely the same stripe as those that took the Holy Land in our real history…and the unfortunate citizens of the Levant should expect the same results.

https://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4483/sendim0.th.jpg
Journey’s End.

Brilliant thread :2thumbsup:

*heads off to read the England one*

Yet again, fantastic. Gets me in the mood to play some Medieval ~:)

Loving it :thumbsup:

Where is the England one, I can't find it?

brilliant ! looking forward to the next one

Bob, check any of beefeater's post and click the link to it in his signature.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wizzie

Yet again, fantastic. Gets me in the mood to play some Medieval ~:)

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That's so true. Beefeater: Porn for M2TW.

Er, thanks Wonderland. I think. ^_^

Postscript

“But the King and his knights held a council and, after sunrise, attacked the heathens in the great mosque with arrows and lances. Breaking the bolts and doors, they killed those who hid, about seven hundred in number, who in vain resisted the force and attack of so many thousands. They killed the women, also, and with their swords pierced tender children of whatever age and sex. The heathens, seeing that their Christian enemies were attacking them and their children, and that they were sparing no age, likewise fell upon one another, brother, children, wives, and sisters, and thus they perished at each other's hands. Horrible to say, mothers cut the throats of nursing children with knives and stabbed others, preferring them to perish thus by their own hands rather than to be killed by the weapons of the victors. ”

The crusading army of the Franks met little opposition outside Jerusalem, and the city soon fell to an (autoresolved) sudden assault.

We can only imagine what the crusaders, those hard and violent men, must have thought when suddenly confronted with the splendour that was Arab Jerusalem. The streets were deserted, the bright silks of the marketplaces and bazaars left to stand weirdly in the sun. Shops were shuttered. Doors were closed. The citizens cowered within their homes, clutching their families to them. Muslims, Christians and Jews each prayed to their god. None was spared.

The victorious army, given full rein by King Louis, fanned out through the city in the hours just after dark. The quiet palaces and mosques of the wealthier parts of the city were first, torched and looted by the armed mobs, but the violence soon spiraled further out of control. The people of Jerusalem were dragged from their homes, many butchered on the spot, many more taken to the city square and forced to endure the jeering of the knights and men-at-arms as they saw their homes ruined and their wives and daughters despoiled. It was an orgy of brutality, and for days afterwards the streets ran red with the blood of its former inhabitants. Egypt was outraged, as was the whole Muslim world. But back in France, prayers were sung and bells rung out in joy at the capture of the holy land for Christians - and King Louis was declared to be a living saint. The discovery in the ruins of Jerusalem of what was believed to be the chalice passed between Jesus and his disciples at the last supper only added luster to his reputation.

Acre and Damascus fell soon after – the main Egyptian armies were on their borders with the Moors and Turks – which left France in control of 20 provinces. A few turns later I was informed that the English had been eliminated as a faction, presumably by the Scots or Danes.

And so this campaign was over – longer and far more fun for me than the English one that had been the first vignette. I hope you have enjoyed reading about this, as I have enjoyed writing about it!

Congrats on your splendid victory and thanks for some great reading!

Encore! Encore!

bravo !

franchement j'adore ! :2thumbsup:

i'm loving it hehe

Great post! Too bad it ended too soon, I was hoping for a Operation Sealion. :D

Personally Beefeater has shown the way, if I was CA I'd look to write up his vignette on their website, I guess a bit like Sainthood for a MTW2 player!

All aspiring MTW2 player should read this.

I still say a Beefeater grand campaign is necessary at some point. I know nobody argued that point, but hell it bears repeating. I almost cried a little when this was over. I wonder if III will be the HRE, which I believe is next on the order of factions listed. Damn, with such a tough time as the French, I'm already cringing at the thought of an HRE game. I can't wait!

Excellent...simply outstanding stuff Beefy!

God, could you imagine a grand campaign everyone!!

:yes:

OMG, that was just great.

Can't wait for the next one...

Congratulations Beefeater :bow:

brilliant stuff ! keep em coming

Thanks everyone for your kind words. Vignette III will be starting soon, and I can indeed confirm that the HRE will have top billing. My only concern is that it may be a little short - I'm planning a couple of house rules that will materially affect the good Germans' chances of success. *evil grin*

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beefeater

Thanks everyone for your kind words. Vignette III will be starting soon, and I can indeed confirm that the HRE will have top billing. My only concern is that it may be a little short - I'm planning a couple of house rules that will materially affect the good Germans' chances of success. *evil grin*

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Hell Beeteater!! You're going to give yourself house rules playing HRE for the first time...now that is brave.

I can't wait!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AussieGiant

Hell Beeteater!! You're going to give yourself house rules playing HRE for the first time...now that is brave.

I can't wait!!!

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Wow, you said it. That's crazy. I was sweatin' bullets just thinking about trying to get by on a VH/VH HRE campaign, the man's coming up with ways to make it tougher. A true Beefeater for the ages, a brave warrior of the e-world.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wonderland

Wow, you said it. That's crazy. I was sweatin' bullets just thinking about trying to get by on a VH/VH HRE campaign, the man's coming up with ways to make it tougher. A true Beefeater for the ages, a brave warrior of the e-world.

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Hey Wonderland!!

Sweatin bullets is a perfect description!! I only play HRE when I really have gone through most of the other factions!!

This one is going to be a cracker!!