Orders and reports thread

[OverKnight]

1184 continued

With unrest abating in the Reich after our reconciliation, I have adjusted tax levels in many cities. We will soon be able to resume our normal level of construction.

Rome has built the first three Holks of the newly reformed Imperial Navy. Our ships immediately went into action driving a small French fleet from the seas south of Genoa. The keels of two Holks have just been laid in Thorn, the Baltic fleet will soon be reborn as well.

The first merchant of my term has been recruited as well. His guild training has paid off as he is a mercantile genius, he is currently trading coal but will soon depart north to trade fish, which is surprisingly lucrative.

Count von Hamburg will winter in Magdeburg and reinforce his troops. Depending on what happens in the new year, I may send him south against that large rebel force near Nuremburg, or north to watch the Danes.

Steward von Kastilien has again marched from Thorn to take Breslau, I hope he will draw out the Poles again. If they are focused on Breslau, they will not raid our cities in the interior.

The BHA, led by Count Steffen has been ordered to the French border. I hope this will distract the French from Dijon and make them divide their forces.

In the absence of the BHA, the Milan garrison, with assistance from some spearmen making their way from Innsbruck, engaged a small company of Venetian dismounted Knights that had wandered close to the city. They were routed and about 50 knights have retreated to the east.

Cardinal von der Pfalz successfully prosecuted a heretic southwest of Dijon. He is now considered a living saint by many.

Ortwinus Roht, a failed assassin in our service, died while attempting to sabotage the militia drill square in Paris. A pity, but an incompetent agent is not worth 200 florins a turn.

Friedrich Scherer will be sent to serve with Duke Leopold. The Austrians could use another noble on their front. I hope to get him blooded and knighted.

Speaking of Duke Leopold, he has arrived at the castle of Ragusa. Our agent in place has opened the gate for him. As there is only a Venetian noble and his retainers garrisoning the castle, he has been ordered to attack. This way, we will avoid Papal interference. I am glad to be back in the Church, but I did not miss the meddling. I await word from the Duke about the outcome of the assault. . .

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...9&postcount=53

Ragusa is ours! We have suffered no further loss of standing with the Pope for taking it. I would urge the Kaiser to order roads to be built in our new acquisition as mobility is a key concern on our large southeastern front. Duke Leopold will winter in Ragusa to rest and rearm.

Prinz Jobst has asked permission to sally out of Dijon to attack the French. I have agreed, but I remind the Prinz that the men serving under him are Imperial troops and not members of the Swabian Household Army. I await word of the outcome. . .

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...7&postcount=54

Prinz Jobst has won a heroic victory! As Vienna became a burial ground for the Venetians, Dijon is a Necropolis for the French! I salute the Prinz's bravery and wisdom in his decision to sally forth.

Acting on Friedrich Scherer's suggestion, I have contacted the English and sounded them out about attacking the French. This proposal was considered very demanding, even with the offer of a 1000 florins. I withdrew it before making an official proposal so as to not harm the influence of our diplomat.

I have written Duke Hummel, warning him of the peril he is in. I have had no response.

[OverKnight]

1186

My agents tell me that Duke Hummel's siege of Rheims has caused a French response:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The French chose not to attack, nor have I any word if Hummel plans to.

Our diplomat near Rome, Heinricus Plittersdorf, has been bribed into the service of the French. A waste of money in my opinion, his many failures in negotiating with the Papacy had already ruined him.

The experience of the Count of Venice in trading has paid off, a Master Merchant's guild has been built in his city.

Unfortunately, we have lost the last merchant recruited before my term to the same Byzantine merchant who struck before. A poor show of gratitude for the Greeks.

Speaking of the Byzantine Empire, they have made peace with the Egyptians.

That annoying French agent in Dijon has been eliminated.

The Hungarian Boris Janos has been made a Cardinal.

The Pope has ordered us to cease hostilities with the Venetians for 8 years (4 turns), or risk excommunication. The Pope, surprisingly, made no mention of France. A pity for the Venetians that we already have Ragusa. I have no intention of advancing against them, so I will gladly comply.

Soon after this, more serious news reached me about the Pope:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I mourn the passing of Pope Lanbertus, for Cardinal Aston could have easily forsaken our agreement, but did not.

I was a bit shocked when I saw who the candidates were for his replacement:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

It seems Cardinal von der Pfalz is now more favored than Cardinal Herden among our delegation. More alarming to me was the presence of the Sicilian Cardinal Amocacci in the Preferati. Ironically, I had hoped for this six years ago. But now, the Sicilians would vote for their own, we would not have their support for our Cardinal. This was a blow, as the Venetians and Hungarians had 5 votes total. If they both voted for Burislev we would be in terrible danger.

While I deeply wish to have an Imperial Cardinal become Pope, this was not to be our year. I decided to throw our support behind Cardinal Amocacci:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The gamble paid off, we are now very high in the favor of Pope Pisanus:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I have written to the new Pope and asked him to give his blessing and sanction to our Crusade. I await his reply.

[OverKnight]

It has been exactly 40 years since we were cast out of the Church. We have toiled and sacrificed to restore the Reich to the Vangaurd of Christendom and Europe. We have been accepted back into the Church and now I have heard from Pope Pisanus:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

We, who were pariahs, are now the Sword of Christ! Our Crusade to free the Holy City from the Infidels has been blessed by the Pope! With God's Grace, nothing will stop us! Glory to God, the Kaiser and the Reich!

[OverKnight]

1186 continued

The Crusade Armies have officially taken the Cross. With renewed vigor and faith we have traveled a great distance:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I would point out the Turkish Jihad Army east of Caesarea. It seems the Turks will try to take Constantinople despite the failure of their Egyptian brethren. Adana seems lightly defended, and debate continues in the Council of Crusaders if we should take it.

News has reached me that Duke Hummel has accepted my offer to abandon his vendetta against the French and take the Cross. First he must extricate himself from the French forces surrounding him. I await word of the result. . .

I have a messenger from Steward von Kastilien. His forces have arrived at Breslau, and our spy has managed to open the gate for him. The garrison of Breslau is small and led by a Polish nobleman, but a large army of ballistas and levies are southwest of the city and would attempt to assist if the Steward attacks:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I await word on what he plans to do. If the Steward attacks this turn we could seize Breslau without risking interference from the Pope. However, if he waits, he might have the chance to fight a defensive battle to his advantage or wear down the forces in a siege. (OOC: Kagemusha, you're covering for Dutch_guy, please let me know if you wish to attack this turn)

I have heard from Steward von Kastilien, he will lay siege to Breslau. He expects a Polish attack in response, and prefers to meet them on the defensive. I will respect his wishes in this matter.

[econ21]

Build queue for Ragusa

Paved road
Communal farming
Crop rotation
Irrigation

[OverKnight]

1186 continued

Sir Hummel has destroyed the French army outside Rheims. King Louis of France fell in the battle, though I am lacking key details from the battle and await a full report from him. While Ulrich had a clear line of retreat, he chose to give battle, and this has left him pinned outside Rheims for the rest of the year. If he survives a possible French counterattack, he will take the Cross in the new year.

Prinz Jobst has taken the remaining castle trained troops from Dijon and attacked the rebels blocking our supply lines between Staufen and Metz. The rebels retreated, and he will continue to pursue them in the new year, at which time he will have cavalry support from Staufen. The garrison at Dijon remains strong, though I do not feel the French will move against the city next year as their attention has shifted north.

Count von Hamburg has moved west from Magdeburg to crush some rebels north of Frankfurt. He will reach them next year.

Our new fleet based in Genoa has engaged and sunk a small French fleet outside Rome. This fleet will be used to transport Sir Hummel to the Holy Land, but they may as well defend our coasts while here.

In an effort to catch up on construction, I have initiated new walls in Florence and Vienna. These are expensive, but they are our most critical needs. Frankfurt also needs new walls, but I am waiting on more funds, and the permission of Steward von Kastilien. There is flexibility within his queue to do this, but I would be more comfortable having his blessing.

Our Papal relations remain excellent (9/10) despite the events of this year. I will continue to monitor them, as Pope Pisanus seems more comfortable at sea and is out of reach of our diplomats.

Three Venetian units, the ones that were trying to reinforce Ragusa before Duke Leopold took it, unwisely decided to continue to the castle. He ran them off, but they compounded their folly by retreating north and not back to Durazzo. I have sent the Duke to finish them. As they are now on our territory, I think the Pope will not mind if we do this. I await word of the battle. . .

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...3&postcount=56

Duke Leopold has crushed the Venetians, none of them will trouble the Reich any longer.

[OverKnight]

1188

The French did not attack Sir Hummel. The Poles did not attack Steward von Kastilien.

Ulaszlo the Unorthodox, a Hungarian Cardinal, has died. I am proud to announce that Tancred von Magdeburg, a newly recruited priest in Budapest, has been named to replace him in the College of Cardinals. Truly the Master Theologians Guild has shown its utility as we now have four Cardinals, the most of any Catholic nation.

Pope Pisanus has made landfall in southern Corsica, I will dispatch a diplomat to him as soon as possible.

On a more disturbing note, a Russian fleet is outside of Thorn and a small Russian army has entered Franconian territory. I will keep an eye on this.

Denmark and Scotland have declared a truce.

Paved Roads were completed in Staufen and Hamburg. Rome now requires an upgrade of her walls, I ask the Kaiser's permission to build them immediately.

England, France, Sicily and Scotland have joined the Crusade.

The Turkish Jihad Army is now directly south of our Crusade forces, but they are separated by a mountain range.

Another Egyptian Jihad Army has appeared directly northwest of Adana. It blocks the Crusade's path to both that Castle and the Holy Land:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Our spy in southern France noticed an odd thing, the city of Marseille had no garrison at all and the population was rioting:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

It seems a French nobleman and his retainers were the only unit garrisoning the city. I'm not sure if he died in the rioting or of natural causes, but I was not going to let such a golden opportunity pass. Gerhard Steffen and two units of mailed Knights rode ahead of the BHA and seized the city! The infantry followed and are right outside the northern gate. The city was sacked bringing nearly 12,000 florins into the Imperial coffers. This move has lowered our relations with the Pope (8 from 9), but I feel it is worth it. There was a Byzantine diplomat outside the city and I wasn't going to let him get the city first. I congratulate Count Steffen on showing such initiative. Edit: The herectical French have not built even a small church in their former city. I suggest that be our first priority.

Steward von Kastilien has a decision to make. With the small Russian incursion into Thorn, we need to reach a decision against Breslau and the large Polish army outside it quickly. If the Steward intends to take Breslau, we need to do it this year. I await word of the battle. . .

Count von Hamburg is ready to engage the rebels north of Frankfurt. I also await word from this battle. . .