Megas Logothetes' and Senators' Reports

[Ignoramus]

Moved Ioannis back towards Sinop:

http://rapidshare.com/files/130050542/LOTR-1108-6.zip

[flyd]

Taking the save.

[flyd]

Report for 1108 and End-of-Term Report

1108 was the last year of my term as Megas Logothetes.

There were only a few events this year. Ioannis Kalameteros has besieged Iconium, while I have proceeded onward into their territory, the way now being clear after the Turks withdrew one of their armies and sent it to help at the siege of Adana. The Saracens have sent four ships into the Aegean. The German crusade is near Sofia. Caesar Ioannis has had a son.

My term has been characterized by the expansion of the army and the navy, both of which have doubled in size. At the start of my term in 1095, the army comprised approximately 2400 troops, if garrisons are not included. In 1110, that number is 5000. The navy underwent a serious expansion as well, with the fleet growing from 5 dromons in 1095 to 11 in 1110.

The military infrastructure has also been improved. Roads now connect all the cities of the contiguous part of the Empire, except the recently (re)conquered Pontic coastline. During the term, we have gained the ability to recruit dismounted lancers in Corinth, byzantine cavalry in Sofia, and ballistae in Nicaea. There was also significant civilian construction, especially with ports and churches.

Of course, the drawback to all these wonderful improvements is that they were very expensive. The treasury reserves reduced from 20600 to 10000, and the yearly income from 9200 to 2900.

However, I did claim during the last Senate session that I would pursue a policy of preparation for expansion, and I believe that that policy has been successfully pursued. Even I am surprised at the rate at which our military power has grown, especially with the setback posed by the Revolts of 1095.

Some of you will be glad to hear that I will not be running for the Office of the Megas Logothetes again in 1110. Despite all the fear-mongering by certain parties, the westerners have remained peaceful neighbors. I, for one, will welcome the help of our German friends against the Muslim heathens, who are our true enemies. It has been near 500 years now that we have been at almost constant war with them, and we have lost much. By comparison, it has only been 50 years since the churches split. I dare say it's a minor and temporary rift. It is impossible for any moral man to justify aggression against them, and I do hope the Senate will decide on a policy of vigilant defense in the west.

It has been my very difficult and irritating pleasure to serve as the Megas Logothetes for these past 15 years.

Μαρκιανος Αμπελας

http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1110-0.zip

[Ignoramus]

Opening Report for 1110

The only significant changes at the start of my term, is that the Eastern Mediterranean Fleet is no longer under the control of the Order of St. John.

(OOC: We'll have to wait until TC puts the Crusade-save up.)

[TinCow]

$&%#$@!

Yeah, I just realized that I forgot to upload the save game that I created that had all of the edited traits and whatnot for the end of the term. That save game is located on my home computer, which is about 500 miles east of me at the moment, and not likely to get closer for some time to come. I am going to try and get my wife to upload it for me later tonight when she gets home, so hopefully that will solve the problem.

I am very sorry about this.

[TinCow]

Saved! All hail my wife. Here's the file:

http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1110-1.zip

The game is now open for play, with the following provisions:

The Crusaders are:
Vartholomaios Ksiros (Rowan)
Methodios Tagaris (Tristan de Castelreng)
Stavros ek Amarinthou (Knights_of_Palma)
Annios Solomon (woad&fangs)
Kosmas Mavrozomis (Zim)
Vissarionas ek Lesvou (Ramses II CP)
Efstathios Laskaris (Ibn-Khaldun)

(If I missed someone, please let me know ASAP.)

None of these avatars may be moved by anyone. When all other turns are completed, I (or, more properly, my proxy OverKnight) will take the save and make the necessary changes for the Crusade. Once that is completed, the game can advance. The game may never move onto the next turn until I have made the necessary changes. As I mentioned before, my temporary absense from home complicates this process a bit, and turns will probably be a bit slower until this coming Sunday. I apologize for this once again.

[Privateerkev]

taking the save.

(and I believe Ibn-Khaldun is going on Crusade.)

[Privateerkev]

LOTR-1110-2

Sorry for taking so long. Had 2 battles to fight. (Ah the joys of releasing your prisoners...)

I'm sorry but I had to move Vartholomaios. He was in my army stack and it was besieging Adana. I had 2 choices. I could move him one space out of the stack, or I could leave him in and fight battles. I didn't want to get him traits (or killed) so I moved him out of the stack before I assaulted. Hopefully OK can just reset his movement.

Adana was occupied and Mak released prisoners in both battles. Iakovos was left in Adana with a garrison. Mak and army are now headed back to Antioch where they are blocked, yet again, by the Templar general.

[TinCow]

Moving Varth is not a problem, PK. The 'dont move' order was just to keep the Crusaders from doing anything I didn't want them to do, not to preserve their movement points. I don't want anyone fighting or doing anything else with the avatars, but it doesn't matter at all whether they keep their full movement points. The actual in-game movement points will have no impact on their movement for Crusade purposes.

[OverKnight]

I'm taking the save to set up the Crusade. Might take a bit.

[OverKnight]

http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1110-3.zip

The Magnificent Seven have been moved to the outskirts of Constantinople's port. Each has their own armies.

One of the Crusaders was governing Antioch, moving him out of the city caused happiness to go from yellow to blue.

I also moved Aleksios and company south past Sofia towards Thessalonica to keep an eye on the Germans. Also there is a bit of fog of war between Sofia and Thessalonica, next turn, with Igno's permission, I could move and build a watchtower to dispel it.

[Ferret]

taking the save

[Ferret]

Iconium has been taken, a short battle report will tell the story of its fate.

http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1110-4.rar

[Kagemusha]

Taking the save.

[Kagemusha]

Here is the new save: http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1110-5.rar
It seems i might be too late. Seems fitting for this damn character.

[flyd]

Taking the save.

[flyd]

http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1110-6.zip

Moved towards Caesarea.

[TinCow]

My temporarily reduced internet access has just gotten even worse. The broadband at the place I am staying just died and will not be fixed until Friday at the earliest. I've managed to jump on another computer with a 56k dialup, to post this, but it is ungodly slow and I'm not even going to bother trying to open any of the other threads to see what is going on.

OK has already made the necessary edits for this turn, so 1110 can end whenever Igno decides he wants to end it. The next step for the Crusaders is to determine if they want to ally with anyone else prior to setting sail. Everyone who wishes to do so must have ALL players who are joining together send me a PM saying that they are doing so. Those people will be merged into a single stack and will set sail together. Anyone who does NOT ally before they set sail will have to wait until they arrive in Egypt to form an alliance. This could mean that your armies get scattered due to different movement rates. Allying now guarantees that you will arrive together, but risks everyone arriving slower (though you could also get lucky and arrive faster). Allying later increases the odds that at least 1 person will get there faster, but is likely to result in people arriving at different times. Whatever you decide to do is up to you.

I must receive the PMs indicating alliances by the end of the turn after 1110. I don't know exactly when that will be, since it depends on my ability to access the internet and give OK the next set of instructions, but I am hoping for Friday afternoon at this point. Please decide what you're going to do sooner rather than later. For clarity, it would even be good if you would send me a PM saying that you're not allying with anyone, just so that I know you're paying attention.

I will also begin accepting sabotage attempts from this point until the end of the Crusade. Please PM them to me. Keep in mind that the Crusade moves for 1110 are already over, so any sabotage attempts submitted now will be for the next turn's 'boarding the ships' phase.

[Andres]

Taking the save.

[Andres]

Savvas keeps following the German Crusaders with two units of horse archers.

http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1110-7.rar

[Ignoramus]

Taking the save:

[Cecil XIX]

Edit: Darn you Ig.

[Ignoramus]

Report for 1110

There are a few notable events which I will note in my first report.

The German crusaders under Athawolf von Prag have advanced towards the Dardanelles. It would be best to allow them to pass through unmolested, lest they be forced to fight their way through.

The treasury has been exhausted, as extensive construction programs have commenced throughout the empire.

Recruitment has started on forming the new private armies, although this will be a hard task with a bare treasury.

A Venetian army is near the border of Epirus. I know not of its intentions, but I will monitor its actions.

Kosmas Mavrozomis has had a general offer himself to be adopted. I have left it to Comes Mavrozomis' discretion, whether he be accepted.

The Fatimid army near Antiokheia has moved south towards the port of Latakia. It appears that the Fatimids do not wish for open war just yet.

The Seljuk Sultan has died. Let us hope that his heir is not as capable as him.

http://rapidshare.com/files/132008100/LOTR-1110-9.zip

[Zim]

Taking the save.

[Zim]

Adopted Nicephoros.

http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1111-0.zip

[00jebus]

taking the save

[pevergreen]

Taking the save

(OMFG FIRST TIME EVEEEER)

EDIT: *swears violently*

[00jebus]

new save

moved Lisas + mercs from Sinop east

[pevergreen]

Taking it. See previous post for excitement.

(Note to all: if i do not post new save within the next 30 minutes, the save is open, i've lost my chance to reupload it)

EDIT: http://mizus.org/files/pbm/LOTR-1111-2.rar

Moved Michail out of Durazzo, renamed it to Durazzo. had a look around for the first time.

[Kagemusha]

Taking the save.