The Sally against the Turks at Adana, 1362
Matthias stood on the outer ramparts of Adana surveying the newly arrived Turk army.
After a long absence, the old enemy had returned, and in force. Almost 175 years ago Saint Maximillian had taken this Citadel in the name of God and the Reich, and it had been over a century since the Turks had made an effort to reclaim it. Yet here they were. If serving in the Holy Land had taught Matthias anything, it was that time rarely erased dreams of lost glory. The very land was saturated with history, calling out to the ambitious and pious. Even if more often than not the siren call of lost empires led to further destruction.
A lone horseman, heading to the Citadel under a flag of truce, broke Matthias's reverie.
Adalric, to his right, asked, "Shall I have him shot, Viceroy?"
"Nein, plenty of time for that, let's us hear what the infidels have to say."
The herald approached the gates and bellowed to the defenders, "My Sultan has sent Captain Kuchuk to reclaim this Citadel, so wrongly stolen from our people. Yet in his magnamity he simply wishes to see Adana returned, without bloodshed. You are free to leave, to carry on your war against the Greeks. In this my Sultan will assist you, but you must give us back what is ours."
The Turk waited for a reply on his horse. The truce banner flapping in the breeze.
Matthias scowled, and yelled down to the herald, "This Citadel is part of the Kingdom of Outremer. It has been sanctified with the blood of Germans. It houses the bones of our patron saint. It was given away by a traitor, and reclaimed with honor and steel."
Matthias spread his hands, his voice growing even louder, "Look to your right, there lie the bleached bones of the Greeks who layed claim to this place! Look to your left, that mound is the grave of Crown Prince Tutush and his men, the last Turkish garrison of Adana! God has given us this place to us, and only He may take it away."
The Crusaders cheered.
The Herald screamed in response, "This land is part of the Sultanate, leave now!"
Matthias drew Iron Faith and leveled the tip at the Turkish army.
"This IS OUTREMER! Go north, fight the Greeks, leave. . .or you will be destroyed!"
The garrison roared, rapping swords against shields, the butts of spears against stone and they screamed their defiance.
The Turkish herald spat on the ground and galloped off.
Adalric turned to Matthias, "Shall we prepare for their assault?"
Matthias continued to stare at the Turk army as he replied, "No, we will attack. I will not suffer their presence at our walls."
Two units each of crossbowmen and spearmen deployed in front of the gates, supported by the rest of the archers on the north wall. The lone unit of Turkish horse archers, a surprise, attempted to disrupt the move, but were run off by massed missile fire. Once the perimeter was established the cannons were set up.
They soon made their presence felt.
The trebuchets were the primary target, unless they were disabled, the Turks would have the advantage in artillery once in range. Soon enough, that problem was resolved.
With the cannons out of shot, Matthias ordered the garrison to deploy. Archers in front, infantry behind, and what horsemen that remained to the left.
Again the Siphais tried to disrupt the movement, but were routed.
Captain Kuchuk, faced with bowmen to his front, ordered much of his heavy cavalry forward.
Matthias responded by sending his infantry on the right forward. The cavalry was met with spears.
Massed crossbow fire was brought against the remaining cavalry and the Ottoman infantry that came up to support them. There were Imperial losses amongst the foot and precious horsemen, but the Turk charge and skirmish line were disintegrating.
The Turk footmen desperately marched forward to save their comrades, but as Imperial spearmen pursued the remnants of the Turk cavalry on the left, Matthias charged his bodyguard into the last organized Ottoman archers in the center. The crossbowmen arced shots over him and his men and they fell among the advancing Turk infantry.
In a last bid to save the battle, Captain Kuchuk tried to charge the rear of the spearmen pursuing the rest of his now broken cavalry. Fortunately, the spearmen were able to pivot and brace for the charge at the last moment, to the surprise of the Kuchuk.
His horse was pierced by at least three spears, and in turn the falling beast crushed Captain Kuchuk. The last of the Turk cavalry was routed. The now leaderless infantry was relatively intact, and even able to pick off a few Imperial horsemen chasing routers, but they came under concentrated fire from five units of crossbowmen.
Wilting under a rain of steel, they soon ran for their lives. Almost all of them were run down.
The few Turks who managed to flee threw down their weapons and swore to never serve the Sultan again, or return to Outremer.
Matthias found the Turkish herald among the prisoners, this time he seemed less defiant. He was dispatched to the Sultan with the head of Captain Kuchuk and a ransom offer of almost five thousand florins for the survivors. The Sultan kept the head, but refused the offer.
It was uncertain if he didn't have the money, was washing his hands of the failed invasion or nursing his dreams of lost glory and planning his vengeance.
Time would tell.
Re: Battle reports thread - King of the Romans PBM
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