I'm playing RTW now but my greatest victory was playing MTW as the Turks. I had captured Venice with an amphibious landing and a rather sophisticated army for the Early Period. Sophisticated but not large at 900 men. The Germans to my north and the Italians to my east quickly formed an alliance and sent two massive armies to wipe out my Turks. I only had Venice in Europe and until my fleet could fight through the Italian fleets, I was trapped with no hope of reinforcements.
There I was, some units of horse archers, about 500 of Saracen Infantry and the rest was Turkish and Ghazi infantry. The Germans brought 2000 men, the Italians had 1000 and both were lead by their respective Kings! Being in Venice, their attack came down from the hills, so they had a height advantage as well. Things were not looking good for my noble Turks and their Prince.![]()
The Italians came from the NW and the Germans from the NE. First, I withdrew to the base of the hills, to level the field a bit and negate their height advantage. With my HA, I was able to draw off the German's only cavalry, the various princes and heir's of the German King. The Italians had no cavalry other than their king, being composed of spearmen, feudal men-at-arms and peasants. They took many casualties from my HA.
When the armies finally met, it was a battle royal. The Italians reached me first with the Germans not far behind. My west flank was hit by waves of Italian spearmen and peasants but it held. When the German hordes came down on the east flank, it held but barely. My Turkish Prince eyed the melee and waited behind his wall of Saracens for the right moment to lend his weight to the fray.
The Italian King watched from across the battlefield as his army as it clashed with mine. His peasants had routed but his spearmen and men at arms were holding. He attempted to turn the tide with a charge into the gap of my SI. When he hit their flank, my Prince charged and killed the King with the initial blow. Then I had the HA brandish their swords and plow into their rear of the Italian army. They routed in 30 seconds.
The German King was crafty and seeing my Prince engaged, hit the eastern flank of my SI. Their were shaken and wavering, tired as they were from fighting the numberless armies of the German King. Not a moment too soon, the SI that had been holding the Italian front came around and hit the right flank of the Germans. They routed almost immediately as the German King flayed helplessly at the SI he had attempted to flank. He fought on as the SI turned to give him their full attention, unwilling to concede defeat at the hands of Infidels. A Saracen's spear found his heart soon after and he fell amongst the many men he'd lead to their deaths.
Yes, this was my greatest victory. Two Kings died, the Italians had no heirs and my Turks held onto Venice. What a victory.
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