The Camel Campaign

[Martok]

How about 'The Heavy Humper'?

Heh. I would say probably not, if only because it would be too easy to imbue it with innuendo. Besides which, it's just not as complimentary.

[Knight of the Rose]

5th chapter: A new Hope

1260: The great build-up commences. I decide to win Africa before going Europe, as the Italians, Sicilians and Popists all duke it out for Italy. The horde and the Polish give and take, and the Hungarians face a camel horde in Big C. Uncle as-Sahin gains third star, and maybe he could be worth something…
1261-1267: Massive camel, naval and agent building. Treasury is filling quicker than I can spend the money though… Prince Ali comes of age, and he is just plain useless. He’s the heir though, and I consider making him lead the army through Africa to at least pick up a little command.
1268-1270: Starts massive naval combat against the Italians, both to undermine their income, but more importantly to make way for a general invasion of Italy. ‘The Uncle’ is made governor of Constantinople and gains 2 stars.
1271: Al-Adil, the second son (or so I thought – he later proved to be the Sultans little brother. M1TW could be a little more specific on these matters) comes of age. He has two stars, and so he’s in charge of the African trek. Italians are excommed, invaded by the pope, losing their trade and to make it all sweeter they loose a massive battle in Greece to the Hungarians immediately plunging them into civil war. They went from serious opponent to minor annoyance in one turn.
1272: Tunesia is invaded and the grand move west begun. Prince Adil is in charge of almost 2000 camels. It’s the Almos last territory, and they fight much more fiercely than expected! As I wasn’t paying attention the Almos had surrounded the Prince, and he was the last man fighting in his unit before being saved by a massive camel charge.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Hey guys, I could need a little help here!

The Escape

They killed 312 camels, but it was the end of the Almos. Crete joined the rebels in the Italian civil war, and I took them with ‘the uncle’ in this turn as well.
1273: ‘The uncle’ gains his 6th star, and he is given the ‘Command of a thousand’ (or some such) bringing him to 8-star status. Just in time, as ad-Din ‘The Great Wind of the Camel’ suddenly discovers he has an odd number of toes. Oh dear.
1274: The Prince al-Adil storms the castle in Tunesia and gains a third star.
1275: The attack on the Spanish in Africa is begun. Both a land invasion and a naval battle are planned, but the Spanish withdraw to the castle. At sea the Spanish ships are giving me a little trouble and the reinforcements have to walk from Tunesia to get to the front.
1276: I expected a counter-attack from the Spanish as the castle was about to fall this turn, and I wasn’t disappointed. Bringing in a lot of spears and archers but hardly any cavalry they number 2788 mixed troops. The most troublesome would prove to be the chivalric sergeants. Al-Adil could muster 1944 camels as well as his own bodyguard. It was a massive battle: The Spanish decided to charge straight into my formation (cleverly placed on a hilltop at the far end of the map) giving ample opportunity to flank at will. But the armoured spearmen, in the desert, fatigued by walking to the far end, still put up a good fight. Even the vanilla spearmen manage to do some damage. Only when charged from all sides completely cutting them off from the rest of their comrades they break, and in the end, the camel horde is victorious! I lost 937 camels, almost half my army, but the Spanish lost 2154 after failing to pay the ransom.
1277: I start a little rebuilding before resuming the attacks on the Spanish who continues to win naval battles. I also assassinated prince Ali, ‘the worthless’, making al-Adil crown prince. Or so I thought: My dynasty plans were foiled by the coming of age of a young Prince who became heir. That made al-Adil an uncle. A status he is currently contemplating. Perhaps it is time for a change of fortunes in the Egyptian court. As a curiosity ad-Din dies of old age, but as I don’t play with green generals there’s no loss.
1278: Preparing to go to Iberia, I have 1550 camels in Alger, the Spanish roughly 2100 in Morocco, the odd garrisons and 500 men in Portugal. I expect to have naval dominance in the near future, and a constant flow of camels.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

How do you think I should outline the attack, maybe landing troops in Leon? And should al-Adil go all the way and claim the throne?

/KotR

[Martok]

How do you think I should outline the attack, maybe landing troops in Leon?

That, and/or possibly Castille itself. It looks like the Spanish have left most of Iberia woefully under-defended, so a naval invasion just about anywhere would probably be successful.

And should al-Adil go all the way and claim the throne?

Depends on how good/crappy the new crown prince is, and whether al-Adil would be worth more to you as a Sultan who'd eventually die, or as an effectively immortal general (since his successor will have the same stats).

If the new prince has at least semi-decent stats, then I would probably just let him become Sultan when the time comes. If he truly is worthless, however, then yes perhaps al-Adil should make a move.

[Knight of the Rose]

Well folks, both my own interest, and as far as I can tell yours as well, is failing for the campaing. So I've decided to end it with a blast.

The planned invasion of Iberia is abandoned and all available camels moved to docks all over the Egyptian empire. Ships as far as the eye can see are loaded with beduin warriors, bringing 'the great camel' and his followers to the shores of Italy. The goal is the city of cities. Rome is held by the scicilians as a part of a mighty struggle between the Italian factions. But now is the time to bring it under the heel of the camel Sultan, now is the day. The day of the camel.

Stay tuned for the report, the last on this topic, the final chapter.

/KotR

[mps247]

Stay tuned for the report, the last on this topic, the final chapter.

No, say it isn't so! Please say you will reconsider!!! Your campaign brings light to my dark existence (OK, not really, but it contributes - look, I'm trying to persuade you to continue, and using every trick I know).

Excuse me - I need to go and

[Caliburn]

I for one find it very interesting, we haven't had any camels on snowy conditions here, nor in lush terrain... There should be a bang, but no end yet! I can see how it can get tedious, working your way upwards, and how difficult it can get if you can't reinforce your force via fleets (no trade doesn't mean no boats, though?).

Out of curiosity, what kind of improvements you use for the humpies? It's a horde, so you can't have them all superbly armoured and with +3 morale bonuses, but some just might...

I can imagine your "camel horde" taking a more defined shape: "heavy camel" or "cataphract camels" alongside "veteran light camel" and "camel light" wings!

[Martok]

Gah! Why would you quit?? Certainly my interest hasn't waned -- I promise you that.

I've been eagerly waiting this whole time to see what would happen with Iberia, and whether al-Adil was going to make a grab for the throne. Surely you wouldn't deprive me....