1368 Recruitment and Construction Report (End of Season Report)

In Crusade news it is with great pride that I announce that four mighty nobles of the Reich have answered the call to end the French Heresy. Count Ruppel struck first, and eagerly marched all the way to the walls of Anger, where he now faces very stiff resistance to his siege (My last orders were to go forward with the siege, so I stuck with that.) Welf von Luxemburg advanced into French territory, constructing a fort north of Paris along the way. Sir de Cervole marched into the region between Bruges and Caen, and took on reinforcements from Count von Bohmen's army in order to muster the men necessary to join the crusade. Further south Hermann Steffen was reinforced by the majority of Count Erlach's army as the Count moved to join Duke Steffen. This allowed Hermann Steffen to recruit a large number of pilgrims (Or fanatics? I forget) and move to hold the bridge northwest of Marsellies. God surely smiles on the Reich when such men serve her, and will undoubtedly grant you men victory, even in the face of such terrible odds.

As before I must raise a subject of some curiosity, as another Princess in the region of Bavaria has suffered a deadly accident. Paula Basile of Sicily, another simpering slip of a spy, was struck in the head and killed between Genoa and Milan. She will not be missed.

In more useful news, the general commanding the siege of Vienna has also suffered an accident. While out hunting the man became isolated and somehow managed to fall on his own sword, costing him his life. God grant that his men pull up their camp and depart the Vienna region.

Engagements this season were almost completely successful and satisfactory. Even the captains of the Reich led armies to victory, as two armies were sent of out Venice to engage the Hungarians who were blocking the road to Innsbruck. The Town militia, though outnumbering the enemy, suffered an ugly defeat, so the remaining Spear milita were called out and defeated the Hungarian captain, whose few remaining men retreated in the direction of Genoa.



The plagued force of Captain Ehrhart drove back a small French army north of Paris.



Also in Outremer the captain of the garrison at Adana, furious that his Viceroy had been so badly injured by the Byzantines, lashed out and assaulted the citadel at Caesarea with the aid of the spy in place there. The tiny garrison was taken completely by surprise, and the citadel was rapidly taken and sacked for over nine thousand florins. (The spy was there, the men were there, and we need some wiggle room while OK is away to make sure we hold Adana. Oh, and their edict allowing it repassed too, so it was legal, and I just couldn't resist rubbing the Byzantine's nose in it. )





Covering dismissals and disbandments, all mercenary companies which had grown too small to be field effective were dismissed, and fresh men will be hired on to replace them at the earliest convenience. As well the mercenaries in the plagued army in Swabia were dismissed, and more will be hired with the savings. Also the plagued company of ribault men were disbanded, it is much to be hoped that another such group can be found next season.

The outdated Siege Works at Nicosia were sold to fund the construction of a church there, a Heavy Armourer at Acre, and the recruitment of a personal ship for Count von Salzgitter, as his presence at the citadel was required at least through the defensive season to maintain order.



Outremer
Acre: trained 3 Dismounted Feudal Knights
Antioch: trained 2 Crossbow militia, 1 Spear militia
Nicosia: retrained 1 Pavise Crossbowmen and trained 1 Cog, 1 Feudal Knights
Adana: retrained 1 Dismounted Feudal Knights, 1 Sergeant Spearmen, 1 Pavise Crossbowmen

Austria
Ragusa: trained 1 Pavise Crossbowmen, 1 Sergeant Spearmen, 1 Dismounted Feudal Knights
Breslau (Under Austrian control until Franconia can step forward): trained 3 Spear militia, as requested
Venice: retrained 1 Spear militia
Prague: under siege
Vienna: under siege
Zagreb: no training available

Franconia
Frankfurt: trained 2 Spear militia, 1 Teutonic Knights
Hamburg: trained 1 Spear militia, 1 Crossbow militia
Arhus: trained 1 bombard, 1 Arquebusiers, spy
Madgeburg: trained 1 cannon, 2 Sergeant Spearmen

Bavaria
Palermo: no training
Naples: no training
Rome: trained 1 Spear militia, 1 Crossbow militia
Florence: retrained 1 Town militia, 1 Merchant Cavalry militia, trained 1 Town militia
Bologna: trained 1 Spear militia, 2 Town militia
Innsbruck: trained 3 Sergeant Spearmen
Marsellies: trained 2 Spear militia, 1 Crossbow militia

Swabia
Staufen: trained 1 Feudal Knights, 2 Dismounted Feudal Knights
Bern: trained 2 Spear militia
Dijon: trained 3 Forlorn Hope
Metz: trained 3 Town militia
Rheims: retrained 1 Crossbow militia, trained 2 Spear militia
Antwerp: retrained 1 Halberd militia, 1 Spear militia, 1 Crossbow militia

The defensive season begins with Count Ruppel facing a very difficult sally at Anger. My initial recommendation would be that Count Ruppel withdraw from this battle, but on further consideration it is quite possible that the enemy will pursue him. I will leave the matter at his discretion. (Okay, you're in a bad spot FH. Sending you a pm about it.)

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/KOTR1368-12.zip

(The remaining battles that I saw moving through were IIRC de Cervole (Very winnable) next, then Hermann Steffen (Difficult bridge battle), then Johann Zirn (Might be tough to save the city, but you'll hurt the Huns) at Vienna)

Fritz von Kastilien