Welcome to my first attempt at an AAR. By popular demand, I will be playing Byzantium. I will be using Klink's enhanced Garrison and Army Spam mod, which beefs up garrisons, gives extra money to the AI, and spams troops when the AI factions have excess funds. Difficulty is H/VH. I will also be using the following House Rules:
--Only battles with a noble in charge can be played, all others will be auto-calced.
--No sacking, only occupy or exterminate.
--No adoptions or MOH, I want to establish a linear Dynasty, no third cousins inheriting the Throne.
--No declarations of War unless there is a Casus Belli (trespassing, which includes Crusades , assassinations, things like that).
--No betraying alliances.
--Accept reasonable peace offers.
--Two units to a fleet for naval transport.
--Balanced armies, no all HAs or all Varangian Guards forces.
I have no idea whether I've bitten of more than I can chew. For all I know, I'll be swarmed and the Byzzies won't even last to 1453.
Prologue
The Crown of Basileus did not rest easily on the brow of Alexius Comnenus after he was coronated by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1081. He was an usurper, having seized the throne of the Roman Empire from Nicephorus III. Never mind that the Emperors since Isaac Comnenus, his uncle, had been dangerously incompetent or corrupt, his usurpation, despite his accomplishments as the leading General of the Empire, invited further treachery.
The external threats to the Roman Empire were even more worrying to Alexius. The Empire had fallen far from the heights it had reached under Justinian.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The Eastern Roman Empire at it's apex, c. 550, the reconquests of Justinian are shown in purple.
The eruption of a new religion and it's warriors from Arabia had robbed the Empire of it possesions in Africa and the Levant. Slavs and Bulgars had taken much of its European holdings. The Empire, however, had survived the onslaught and under Basil II, known as the Bulgar Slayer, it had recovered much of its power.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The Eastern Roman Empire at the end of the reign of Basil II "The Bulgar-Slayer", c. 1025.
It was hard for Alexius to believe that Basil's triumphant gains against the Bulgars were made just 50 years ago. For in 1071 the Empire had suffered a humliating defeat at Manzikert in Armenia against the Seljuk Turks. The Basileus Romanus IV Diogenes had been captured, throwing the Empire into unrest and chaos. The Turks, taking advantage of this, had poured across Anatolia, the heartland of the Empire, and took it for their own. The Empire was at its nadir, smaller than at any time in its history.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
The extent of the Empire at the ascension of Alexius Comnenus as Emperor in 1081.
Actual
In the game
Other enemies besides the Turks threatened the Empire as well. The Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt had been pushing north by land and sea. Norman adventurers in Italy had taken the south of the peninsula from the Empire for their own. The Great Schism between Orthodox Christianity and Catholicism had made the Pope in Rome an enemy of the Empire, and his word carried great weight among the Western Powers. The Germans with their so called "Holy Roman Empire" had been a thorn in the side of Byzantium since the days of Charlemagne. The Venetians, former allies and subjects of the Empire, were liable to turn on them at any moment if it advanced their mercantile interests. The Hungarians, yet another barbarous people in the tradition of the Slavs and Bulgars, menaced the Empire's northwestern frontier.
Constantinople was the envy of the known world, first in trade, wealth and architecture. Yet envy could lead to desire, and make the City and the Empire a target for conquest. After Manzikert, it was an open question as to whether it could be successfully defended, for the days of Roman dominance were long gone.
Yet it was the goal of Alexius to eventually restore this dominance. To bring the Empire back to the heights of Basil, of Justinian and even, perhaps, of Augustus. However, his immediate goal, one that might take his lifetime, was the mere survival of the Empire. Once the rebellious Themes were retaken and a Comnenian dynasty, beginning with his son, the Kaisar John, established, perhaps his heirs could accomplish a true rebirth of glory.
So, with the Empire in the balance between disaster and redemption, Alexius Comnenus began his reign.
Sorry OK Something in your prologue doesn't make sense:
The Crown of Basileus did not rest easily on the brow of Alexius Comnenus after he was coronated by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1181.
It was hard for Alexius to believe that was only 60 years ago. For in 1071 the Empire had suffered a humliating defeat at Manzikert in Armenia against the Seljuk Turks
Well, M2TW begins in 1180, but historically Alexius wasn't crowned until 1081. So the first year is going to be 1081, followed by 1082 and then we go to the normal two year progression. Manzikert was in 1071, but Basil's conquest of the Bulgars was in the 1020s, about 60 years ago.
It's good to know people are reading the AAR though, :P
Edit: I've rephrased the part you found confusing to make it more clear.
2nd Edit: This time I really, really edited it to make it clear. Leave me alone, I'm tired and clock watching at work. :P
Now I fancy starting a Byzantine campaign, the last vestiges of a great empire fighting for survival, defying the passage of history to make them live again, and even, to grow and dominate the known world again, I do love historical what-ifs.
Alexius is faced with a difficult decision in the first year of his reign. There are many rebel provinces nearby to reclaim that were recently part of the Empire: Durazzo (better known to the Eastern Romans as Dyrrachium), Sofia (Sardica), Smyrna and Trebizond. However, the army is still shattered from Manzikert and would not be able to launch more than two simultaneous campaigns.
After much thought, Durazzo and Trebizond are ruled out because they are further away. The Basileus desperately wants to reestablish the frontier on the Danube and a presence in Anatolia, so Smyrna and Sofia are chosen. Alexius himself leads most of the garrison of Constantinople, to be reinforced with spearmen from Thessalonica, towards Sofia, while his son John, already positioned with troops south of Nicaea, is sent to reclaim Smyrna.
The two Roman fleets are ordered to meet in the waters off the rebel castle.
Alexius also decides to convert Nicosia to a town from a castle. No offenses are planned in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the income gained from turning the settlement into a trading port will be needed. The Basileus hopes he is making the right choice as he sends the orders, there will be little room for error in these first years.
Anna Comnenus is dispatched north to establish diplomatic contact with the Hungarians.
The focus of building in the Empire is on repairing the road network.
The lone Imperial merchant is sent west to look for gold in the Balkans.
1082
The Council of Nobles requests that Smyrna be taken, and promises 2500 florins if it is done, Alexius is happy to comply.
Basil of Loroten is sent from Constantinople to negotiate with the Turks.
Kaisar John begins the siege of Smyrna, men sent from Nicaea will soon join him.
A unit of Scythikons are recruited in Corinth and sent north to assist the Basileus.
1084
Alexius besieges Sofia, he is soon to be joined by reinforcements from Corinth and Thessalonica.
The siege of Smyrna continues as John receives orders from his father to starve the defenders out. According to Alexius, the Army is to weak to afford the loss of life assaults would cost.
The Comnenian Restoration: A Byzantium AAR
, assassinations, things like that).
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks