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  1. #1
    Professional Cynic Member Innocentius's Avatar
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    So, at a long last, here comes the seventh and final episode of my Swedish (High XL, Normal) campaign. It's a slightly premature ending, but that is not at all a problem to me. I'm perfectly satisfied with this campaign, and I even got a lot further than I ever thought I would. And I never expected to achieve the total dominion-victory anyway. For those who are interested in reading the previous episodes they can be found here:

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

    So, with that said, on to:

    The reign of King Joar II, The Last King of Sweden: 1359 - 1398 A.D.

    As Joar became king at the age of 27 in the year 1359 of our Lord he was not considered exactly the greatest of men to ascend to the throne of Sweden. He was rather young, inexperienced and there were rumours about him which claimed him to favour the company of young boys rather than that of women. There were never any evidence for these rumours however.
    Many claimed Joar would indeed have been coddled and spoiled by growing up in the wealth and prosperity of his father's reign. That wild, barbaric touch of the Swedish was long since gone, and the kingdom of Sweden was now considered to not only be the most powerful of all, but also the be the richest and most technologically advanced. Growing up under such hospitable circumstances made nobody tough. King Joar II was to face plenty of wars during his reign however, and proved himself a worthy heir to the throne and a great warrior as well as strategist.

    His father, Magnus I, had left him a mighty kingdom, yet a kingdom involved in many wars. A seemingly never-ending naval war stood between the Swedish fleets and the French. The Swedish were successful for the most part, but nonetheless these hostilities even on the seas seriously harmed Swedish trade.
    Furthermore, a great campaign against the Orthodox kingdom of Kiev had been launched by his father the same year as he died. The lands of Pereyaslavl, Levidia, Volhynia, Levidia and Kiev itself were occupied by Swedish troops while the remaining Rus hid in their castles and fortified cities and towns. Only a few months passed before the russian Prince Andrei III in the old lands of the Poles launched several counter-attacks. In the early months of 1360 Kievan armies marched into Volhynia, Pomerania and Franconia.
    These were not very well planned though, and by chosing to attack on all fronts instead of focusing on one the Kievan troops were spread to thin and all retreated facing the Swedish overmight.
    Other troubles occupied Joar's mind as the foolish King of Hungary declared war against his Catholic brethren. The reason for this is unknown, and the Hungarians must have known that in the long run, they could never defeat the vast kingdom of Sweden. The war even began with the humiliating defeat of the Hungarian army that had marched into Bavaria. Its commander, Prince András himself was killed by a volley of Swedish bolts.
    The First Battle of Bavaria


    Prince Andrei III was not idle though, and during the year his troops amassed in Moldavia, to finally launch a surprise attack against the Swedish forces under the command of Lord Sverkersson in Levidia. On December 8 1360 a massive russian army faced the badly outnumbered Swedish under Lord Sverkersson.
    The day was long and bitter. The freezing wind cracked bowstrings and men froze to death long before the battle itself commensed. Not far off the battlefield, the wolves howled, already tasting blood. The Kievans and the Sweidh clashed time and again. Each time the russians broke and fled, reformed, awaited reinforcements and renewed their charge. No less than 18 charges were carried out by the huge russian army, but in the end they were utterly defeated and the few who could fled back to Moldavia to tell the tale of how the Devil gave the Swedish supernatural powers that day. That night, the wolves feasted.
    The Battle of Levidia


    This destruction of more than half of the total Kievan army was more than the kingdom could handle. Civil war broke out, and Prince Andrei found himself abandoned by his men. Only in Greater Poland did the loyalist forces remain.

    But despite this glorious victory no rest was given to the Swedish as Prince Lázlo of Hungary invaded Bavaria - seeking to avenge his dead brother - in the spring of 1361. The brave Lord von Kniprode, the victor in the First Battle of Bavaria now saw faced an army so big it could not be defeated. Nonetheless he made his stand, this time without the advantage of defending a bridge.
    Indeed, many Hungarians paid with their lives that day and Lázlo himself was shot to death just like his equally pathetic brother, but nontheless von Kniprode was so badly outnumbered he decided to retreat in the end. As he made haste to lead his army to the safety of the walls of Münich, he is reported to have said to his men: "We gave the Huns the field, but the day belonged to us!". Indeed, it was a pyrrhic victory for the Hungarians:
    The Second Battle of Bavaria:


    The surviving Hungarians marched to besiege Münich, but the siege did not last long. Soon enough reinforcements from Franconia arrived and the Hungarians, disheartened by the death of their leader, fled like whipped dogs before the approaching Swedes.
    Finally, Sweden enjoyed a short period of peace. There was still great opposition in the former lands of the Kievan rus, but great news reached King Joar in 1363 as Kiev itself fell. No worse news could be imagined by Prince Andrei in Greater Poland. His capital had fallen, and hardly anything remained of his once so great kingdom. The remaining opposition in the provinces invaded in 1359 now fell quickly.
    The final blow came in 1365 as King Joar II of Sweden himself commanded an army invading Greater Poland, mopping up what was left of the Kievans. Prince Andrei was killed and his army annihilated in a bloody battle.
    The Battle of Greater Poland:


    Again, a short period of peace followed. King Joar was content, surely his enemies must have realised that their resistance and opposition was nothing but futile by now? All of Sweden now drew a breath of relief. The long wars were coming to an end at last. How wrong they were, for a last wave of massive conflicts had to be broken against the rock that was Sweden before it was all over.
    In 1368, Sweden's southernmost lands, the lands of Georgia, suddenly found themselves invaded by a great army under the command of Prince Romanus of the Byzantine Empire. In truth, the Byzantine Empire was not much of an empire anymore and only held parts of Anatolia by this time. Its former capital Constantinople had long ago been conquered by the Venetians.
    Prince Romanus however was a man who reminded of what Byzantium once was. He was one of the finest commanders in Europe it was said, and he was feared by all who knew warfare. Perhaps jealous of the expanding Swedes and seeing that his father's empire was nothing but a shadow of its former self he attempted to restore glory to the Byzantines by proving that they could defeat even these strange men from the north. In Lord Sverkersson he faced his equal though and the entire campaign ended in utter humilitation for Prince Romanus. Lord Sverkersson valiantly marched to meet Romanus' army on the battlefield, and positioned himself atop a steep hill. Romanus army arrived and the infamous Kathaphraktoi began to march back and forth in front of Lord Sverkersson's camping army while Romanus ordered scouts to be sent out to see if there was no way to outflank the Swedish.
    There was no way however, and as he dared not a risk a frontal assault against such a well-positioned army Romanus reluctantly marched off and retreated back to Trezibond.
    Romanus did not remain there for long however. His reputation and self esteem had been badly hurt by the humiliation. He therefore gathered his strenght in Trezibond and again invaded Georgia in the spring of 1369. Lord Sverkersson repeated the tactis used the previous year, but this time Romanus and his brothers (for many of Byzantium's finest princes had joined this campaign) charged straight ahead, regardless of the consequences. Like so many other great men before him, from Prince Mstislav VII of Novgorod to the foolish brothers András and Lázlo of Hungary, Prince Romanus died at the hands of an anonymous Swedish arbalester and so did all his brothers. In a single battle, more than half of the Byzantine royal line had been extinguished and the entire heavy cavalry of Byzantium was no more. Never again would the Kataphraktoi or Pronoiai claim any victories.
    The Battle of Georgia:


    In the same year, 1369 of our Lord, the pagan Cumans, the last pagans of the east met their end as King Joar himself invaded the Crimea. The Khan of the Cumans rallied his people and met the Swedes at bridge crossing a minor river running up to the Dnieper.
    The pagans fought bravely and the Swedes were surprised to face such fierce warriors here, almost at the end of their expansion. But no matter how brave, the Cumans were all slain and their Khan taken captive and later executed. This marked the end of the steppe pagans. Catholicism was now spread by the pious King Joar who ordered churches to be constructed in every town and village of the east.
    The Battle of the Crimea


    The Battle of Volhynia 1371 - The last battle of the Kingdom

    When things finally started to calm down, a last attempt at stopping the Swedes was made. In the east, the pagans had finally been dubdued and baptised after 150 years of bloodshed. The treacherous Byzantines had effectively been defeated and a ceasefire was signed in 1370. The Kievan rus had been wiped off the earth and were no more. Not even the Catholic enemies of Venice and Hungary, whom were still relatively strong, had the will or power to fight the Swedish. But the menace came from a most unsuspected foe.
    In the aftermath of the terrible russian defeat in Levidia in 1360 many people in the lands of what once was Poland swore fealty to a man named Kazimierz who claimed to be the surviving heir to the throne of Poland. In 1361 he crowned himself King of Poland as King Kazimierz IV in Lesser Poland. The lands of Moldavia and Silesia joined this restoration of the kingdom of Poland. The Swedish invasion of Greater Poland in 1365 had actually been launched to prevent the increasingly powerful Poles from reclaiming their own lands and to keep the lands of Silesia separated from the King and the rest of the kingdom. King Kazimierz now regarded the Swedish and King Joar II as his greatest enemies as they possessed what he considered to be his. He was well-known as a great military commander and promptly refused all proposals of alliance made by Joar.
    In 1371, he and his entire army marched into the once Polish lands of Volhynia where Lord Henriksson was in command of a relatively small Swedish army. Lord Henriksson bravely chose to make his stand, despite being outnumbered 3:1 and having no suitable ground to defend.

    Lord Henriksson positioned his men in a traditional manner, with his arbalesters up front, protected on the flanks by halberdiers and chivalric sergeants. He also ordered a second line of halberdiers to take position right behind the arbalesters to charge out and save them should they get engaged in melee. The Swedish line was so long and had its flanks so well deployed in dense and impassable woods that it could, quite simply, not be outflanked. King Kazimierz was not the least bit frightened by this however, nor was he scared by the now infamously accurate Swedish arbalesters.

    Kazimierz himself and his heavy cavalry would commit the initial charge and the rest of the army, mostly infantry, would follow. Such was the Polish plan of attack, a plan that many had attempted before and that many had paid with their lives for.
    Slowly the Polish knights approached. The Swedish arbalesters made themselves ready. As soon as the first knight was within range a volley was loosed. Man and horse alike fell to the ground screaming in pain. This spurred the other Poles who could no longer resist to attack the hated and unchivalrous arbalesters. As they charged forth they were shot to pieces and once they came too close, the arbalesters retreated while the halberdiers behind them marched out to meet the approaching cavalry. The Polish knights were quickly slain; sliced and skewerd as many other foolish cavalrymen before them. They retreated and reformed. The arbalesters moved up again. This time Kazimierz lead the second line of knights into another equally stupid charge. Kazimierz fell dead long before he reached the Swedish lines, beating even the old Prince Mstislav as he is said to have been struck down by no less than 20 bolts.
    The knights fullfilled their charge regardless, and the Swedish tactic was now repeated and the entire knighthood of Poland was wiped out. Now the desperate Polish infantry arrived in wave after wave but each was beaten and driven back. When Lord Henriksson considered the time right, he called for his own units of knights that had been held as reserves. The Swedish now rode out and killed all that came in their way. No prisoners were taken that day.
    As the sun set that day, Poles beyond counting laid dead on the fields.



    King Kazimierz had died without an heir, and the Kingdom of Poland - once again - was no more. Over the next few years, King Joar one by one bought off the local lords in Lesser Poland and Moldavia, untill he could proclaim himself ruler over these lands as well.
    The Battle of Volhynia in 1371 marked the end of nearly two centuries of fighting. No more enemies were there who could challenge the Swedish under King Joar II. Both the Venetians and the Hungarians were busy fighting other enemies or suffered from civil wars. The only other Kingdom that even came near to the glory of Sweden was the Kingdom of Spain, that had risen from the ashes of the short-lived French empire. Sweden and Spain were allies and shared mutual enemies though. Thus, King Joar II was able to live the remaining time of his reign in peace.

    Stockholm, 1398:

    Inge was nervous. He frowned as he felt the smell when he entered the room. This was the smell of dicease and ever approaching death. He slowly walked over to the grand bed in the middle of the room.
    "Father" he said and knelt.
    "Rise, my son" said a hoarse voice from the bed.
    Inge stood up and looked the old man in the eyes. His father's face was old and tired. His long white beard had not been cut or tended for months.
    "I'm dying my son" said the old king. "You know this, and I have sent for you to tell you this one thing: You shall never be King of Sweden".
    Inge looked in surprise and chock at his father.
    "But father, I..." he began.
    "Come come, my son!" his father interrupted. "Let me finish...hm...You have the arguable and impatient ways of me and our ancestors...good, good. Now to the matter: You shall never be King of Sweden. Do you understand me?"
    "I..I don't think I truly do understand, father".
    "See, my son, there is now no other kingdom in the whole wide world than can challenge us. Mother Sweden stands unchallenged. There are no longer any empires left. The Byzantine Empire clinges on to the world yet today, though without glory or honour. That fool in Nicaea still refers to himself as Emperor, and there are hardly any remains of what once was the Holy Roman Empire".
    "Do you mean...".
    "Yes, indeed I do my son. You shall be the first to be crowned Emperor of Sweden. No other kingdom in the world can claim such a title more than us. I shall indeed be the last in the line of Kings. Now go, my son. You have plenty to see to".

    On November 6 King Joar II of Sweden drew his last breath. He was the last King of Sweden, and soon after his son ascended to the throne as Emperor Inge IV of Sweden. The first in a long line of Emperors. So much was different from the little squabbling kingdom in the shadow of Denmark that his ancestor Erik had ruled. Sweden now stretched from Laponia in the north to Georgia and the Black Sea in the south. From Saxony in the west to Volga-Bulgaria to the east. Truly, Sweden was the greatest Empire of its time. Now the 15th century laid ahead of the Swedish Empire.

    The Swedish Empire in 1398:




    The End
    Last edited by Innocentius; 02-27-2007 at 21:36.
    It's not easy being a man, you know. I had to get dressed today... And there are other pressures.

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  2. #2
    Camel Lord Senior Member Capture The Flag Champion Martok's Avatar
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    Bravo, Innocentius; that was brilliant!!

    [sigh] Thus ends another terrific narrative. I could go on using various superlative adjectives, so I will only say this: Veldig god!

    (Yes, I know that's Norwegian and not Swedish. )
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    Wandering Fool Senior Member bamff's Avatar
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    A fitting ending to a truly great series of write ups, Innocentius - truly superlative narrative!

    Huzzah for King Joar! Huzzah for Emperor Inge! Long shall we miss further tales of their exploits.

    My PC is up and running again, and, it appears with no data loss or other ongoing problems, so here is the latest instalment of my meandering English campaign - though I fear it will be a pallid and colourless tale in comparison to either King Kurt's Almo Adventures or the Tales of King Joar....

    Apologies again - whilst it only covers 5 years, it has wound up being rather lengthy due to a combination of a whole bunch of battles and my own verbosity....

    The Chronicles of Bamff’s English

    Chapter 14 – The Ascendency of William IV (1380 - 1385)

    All of Europe is at peace, save that is, for the occasional border skirmish between the peoples of Novgorod and the Finnish rebels in the far north. King Henry II of England surveyed the map that stretched out before him, somewhat absent-mindedly. A close observer would note that the king’s eyes did not focus on the map itself, but rather on his own hands that rested upon the parchment.
    The King regarded both hands, noting how his skin was now pale and wrinkled, and how the flesh of his hands and arms sagged from his bones. “Time, you are an insidious foe,” the king mumbled to himself, turning his hand to regard its underside. A bony finger traced along a pink scar that stood out like a beacon on his forearm, a souvenir granted him by a Sardinian archer some years ago.
    Without turning, or rising from his seat, he raised his voice so that his son William could hear him. “More foes I have vanquished than there are fingers on these old hands. I have even come through the challenge of video card failures unscathed, and yet, the slow and steady advance of time will ultimately defeat me. You are but young, my son, but one day you too, will face your own mortality.”
    A raised hand silenced his son’s protests before the words could even form on his lips.
    “My end is approaching, William. This is why I have recalled you from Serbia. Your place will soon be here, at Wessex, and you must prepare yourself. Soon you will be king.”
    An uneasy silence followed these words before William spoke.
    “Father, you have achieved many great things during your reign. To be regarded as only half the monarch that you have been will be a great compliment. You will long be remembered and revered by our people. Ever have they loved you.”
    Henry stood, a little unsteady on his feet. He placed a wrinkled hand on his son’s shoulder. “And I them. Remember that and you will do well, my boy. As monarch you must protect and care for your people, for you are their servant as well as their master. Be fair and just in all of your dealings, but ever mindful that those you are dealing with may not be so.”
    Henry drew a somewhat laboured breath “I will retire now, William. I will see you on the morrow.”
    Sadly, he would not. King Henry II passed peacefully in his sleep that very night. The year was 1381. After a fitting period of mourning for their beloved King Henry, all of England rejoiced in the coronation of King William IV. None rejoiced more than England’s generals and nobility. Whilst Henry had been at pains to guide his nation into peace, young William had established a reputation of having a “killer instinct” during the Serbian campaign. Unlike his father, William was widely known to believe that the road to greatness was a road of blood and fire. England’s nobles knew that the opportunity for glory and for new lands and titles lay ahead.
    They did not have long to wait. In early 1382, William made his first move.
    Anxious to begin his reign in spectacular fashion, he petitioned Pope Antonio I, seeking leave to launch a crusade against Constantinople. It was a bold move indeed, as the city of Constantinople was both strongly fortified and heavily garrisoned. The pontiff duly granted his blessing on William’s holy mission, and Sir William Roos was given command of the venture. William had carefully planned his steps, and had instructed Roos to sail for Croatia, a province currently held by England’s enemy, Hungary.
    King Kalman II was placed in a perfidious position indeed. Were he to refuse passage to the armies of his enemy, he risked excommunication. Were he to grant passage to England, he may appear to other nations to be weak. He would also run the risk of his garrison in that province being depleted as his men chose to follow the calling of the church to crusade against the followers of the false cross. After careful consideration, Kalman decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and he granted Sir William Roos leave to pass through Croatia. It was to prove the wrong move. As the crusade moved on to Serbia, it took with it a sizeable number of Hungarian troops – and left behind a significant English force under the redoubtable Sir Charles Peckham. Peckham wheeled his troops north-west to Zara Castle, the base long favoured by the Hungarians in Croatia. At the same time, a third English army marched south into Hungary itself.
    The Hungarian troops in Hungary apparently had little regard for either their homeland or their manhood. All who were able fled south to Wallachia rather than give battle to the English.
    The garrison in Croatia were made of sterner stuff, however, and they marched forth to meet Peckham’s army. The English and Hungarian forces numbered approximately 1,000 men each, with the Hungarians enjoying an ever so slight numerical superiority. As such, the defenders were confident. They had positioned themselves on a gentle hill, which sloped down to a small thicket, no doubt in hopes of concealing their positions from the English. What the Hungarians had achieved, however, was to create a situation whereby the English could close to the Hungarian line without coming under significant fire from archers.
    Peckham directed Sir Edward Stafford to take his Turcopoles around the right hand side of the thicket. This they did, and they emerged behind the Hungarian left flank, which comprised one regiment of Bularian Brigands, one of Urban Militia, and one of Handgunners. As the Turcopoles’ arrows rained down on these 3 units from their rear, the Urban Milita withdrew. The Hungarian missile units turned to face their tormentors. At this point, a company of longbowmen and one of arbalesters advanced out of the thicket, and once again the Hungarian missile units found themselves taking fire from their rear.
    The Hungarian general sent one unit of Szekely to the aid of his left flank, while another regiment of Urban Militia, and one of Armoured Spearmen marched forward to crush the English archers. The Longbowmen melted back into the cover of the thicket, and as the Hungarian troops moved too close to pull back, they found themselves facing row upon row of billmen and chivalric footknights. Leading the English charge was Sir Charles Scrope and his detachment of footknights, and these valiant Englishmen cut a swathe through their Hungarian counterparts. Adding to the Hungarian woes, they now found their right flank under attack from English Gallowglasses. As the Hungarians pushed forwards in a vain attempt to assist their comrades, Peckham now unleashed his knights, supported by Highland Clansmen, around both the left and right flanks. Peckham himself led the charge around the Hungarian right flank. The Hungarians were now completely surrounded. With their general captured, it is not long before they are more interested in fleeing than staying to face the English onslaught. Of an initial force of 1,156 men, only 482 survive to reach the gates of Zara Castle. 340 Hungarians lie dead on the field, 334 dazed and confused men are now prisoners of Peckham’s army.
    Pope Antonio I is furious that William has used a Papal sanctioned crusade to mask his attack on a fellow Catholic nation, and a rider is despatched to Wessex to convey the Pope’s displeasure. Pope Antonio’s message instructs William to withdraw all English forces from Hungarian lands within 2 years and to refrain from any further aggression for 10 years.
    William reponds to the Papal rebuke by sending his own messenger to assure the Pope that all English troops would be on English territory by the end of 1384.
    As the emissary leaves, the king smiles to his assembled generals “Of course, Hungary is already an English province, and by this time next year, so too will Croatia!”
    Sir Charles Peckham duly delivers Croatia, following a bloody assault on Zara Castle.
    William’s attention has now turned northwards, to the rebel province of Finland. Sir Thomas Camoys, widely known to be a “skilled attacker” has been despatched to bring the rebels to heel and to secure the province for the realm. The Finnish army is impressively large, but poorly equipped and disciplined. Almost all of the Finnish troops are Urban Militia or Peasants. These troops have little hope against a modern army, but they are fighting for their homeland and their liberty.
    Sadly for the Finns, raw courage counts for little in the face of cold steel and discipline. They are slaughtered by the hundred. As the Finnish army was entirely comprised of commoners, the heralds do not even bother to count the dead, but estimates of those present on the day put the toll somewhere between 600 and 700 dead. 56 Englishmen die for their king on those cold northern fields.
    Meanwhile in the south, King Kalman II of Hungary is apoplectic with rage that the English have escaped Papal sanction through their swift action. He has gathered an army of some 2,890 men, and marches north to reclaim the Hungarian heartlands. Sir Nigel De Vere has but 2,101 men with which to meet this threat – but he is a very able general indeed. He had picked a gentle slope facing a large open plain to make his stand. De Vere had surveyed the terrain well, and was reasonably sure of the direction from which the Hungarians would come. He surveyed his line again, as the sounds of the approaching Hungarian force grew ever louder. He had set 3 regiments of pikemen as the centre of his line, with billmen on either flank. Behind the units of billmen were highland clansmen and royal knights on the left flank, and gallowglasses and royal knights on the right. To the rear of the pikes, and slightly further up the slope as a result, stood arbalesters and longbowmen. His gaze drifted again the the Scots and then to the Irishmen. An unruly bunch, to be sure, but magnificent fighting men. They would earn their keep today, he mused, as the blare of Hungarian horns grew louder still.
    The Hungarians advanced across the plain. Truly they were a sight to behold, but the English line stood firm. King Kalman chose to inspire his troops by leading the charge himself, with two squadrons of royal knights flanking his own royal guard. On the Hungarian left was a regiment of armoured spearmen, on the right a regiment of feudal sergeants. Curiously all were driving straight at the centre of the English line.
    Those knights that survived the hail of arbalest bolts and arrows that rained down upon them soon found themselves faced with the impossible task of fighting their way through the English pikes. Their task was made even more complicated as the flanking spearmen attempted to assist them, as together with the Jobbagy that followed, they simply served to restrict the knights movement.
    De Vere’s battle plan could not have been followed more closely by Kalman had he written it himself! With the entire Hungarian force now pinned in the English centre, De Vere ordered his billmen, clansnsmen, and gallowglasses to close in from the sides, whilst the knights rode around to the Hungarian rear. The carnage that followed was dreadful to behold. Many Hungarians were most likely trampled underfoot by their own side. As the first Hungarian wave is crushed mercilessly, Kalman somehow extricates himself from the crush at the front of the Hungarian force, and he flees the field as would a whipped dog.
    The second Hungarian assault fares no better than the first, nor does the third. As the dust of battle clears in the early evening, some 1,059 Hungarian corpses litter the field. 686 Hungarian prisoners gloomily await their fate. De Vere, by comparison, has lost but 273 men. Hungary remains under the dominion of England.
    By 1385, the English crusaders had arrived in Constantinople. A second English force has marched on Bulgaria, and stands ready to meet the Byzantine defenders of that province.
    The first 4 years of William IV’s reign had been amongst the bloodiest of England’s history – and it would appear that this ambitious young king was far from finished….
    Last edited by bamff; 02-26-2007 at 07:26.

  4. #4
    Camel Lord Senior Member Capture The Flag Champion Martok's Avatar
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    Another superb narrative, bamff! Here's to hoping the great Crusade to Constantinople goes well.

    Quote Originally Posted by bamff
    “I have even come through the challenge of video card failures unscathed, and yet, the slow and steady advance of time will ultimately defeat me.”
    LOL! That was pure comedy gold.
    "MTW is not a game, it's a way of life." -- drone

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    Wandering Fool Senior Member bamff's Avatar
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    Thanks Martok - i will confess that when the opportunity to throw in something silly comes up, I tend to jump aboard!

    As for the crusade, I have followed my usual approach, inasmuch as I like to bide my time until I can hit a couple of provinces at once, in order to prevent the enemy from concentrating their forces. As a result, Bulgaria and Constantinople are the two that I am currently hitting. In Constantinople, the numbes are on my side, so I should be okay. In Bulgaria, the Byz have a fairly big garrison (5 or 6 pretty full stacks from memory). I have thrown a fair number of troops in as well, but my guys will still need to dig deep to make this one stick I think.....so fingers crossed!

  6. #6
    Kavhan Member Kavhan Isbul's Avatar
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    Bamff, I think you should actually feel happy about the 5 or 6 Byzantine stacks in Bulgaria, as that will give you an opportunity for quite a battle. It is rare that you get a challenge in a game after the Horde has been dealt with.

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    Wandering Fool Senior Member bamff's Avatar
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    Absolutely, Kavhan Isbul! I am hoping that it is indeed so, but the big worry is that in the latter stages of the game, a lot of big AI stacks seem to be full of rubbish (witness the Finnish rebels, with ridiculous numbers of UM's, 1 unit of archers, and a few peasants).

    Interesting to note that in this campaign, the Horde are very much still there (possibly 3rd largest Empire after me and the Byz) - but they seem happy just to occupy a big chunk of the north east without going after any of their weaker neighbours (such as Novgorod, Poland, or Hungary). Perhaps they will get a touch more agressive when they share a border with me....

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    Member Member Derfasciti's Avatar
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    Era: Vikings

    Faction: Mercia

    Difficulty: Normal


    Note: During the game I'll be trying to play the viewpoint more or less of the king. So if there is a civil war I'm always going to side with the king.


    Years: 793-807


    The Kingdom of Mercia is hemmed in between 3 mighty kingdoms: Wales, Northumbria, and the Saxons. King Offa of Mercia knew that unity was necessarry in England. At least of the Anglo-Saxons. To his south, the Saxons were currently too strong and to the west the Welsh mountains were to formidable of a problem. But Northumbria was ripe for conquest and the beginning of unification.

    Emmisaries were sent to both the Saxons and the Welsh and treaties of alliance were made. The Welsh even provided a daughter of theirs to deepen the peace.

    The Mercians and Northumbrians both began to ammass troops in Mierce and Dere respectively. The kings son Aethlbert was sent south to Hwice and then Middle Seaxe to lead a defense against any possible Saxon or Welsh incursions. The minor kingdoms to the east could wait for immediate invasion for now. Prince Aethlbert has about 300 troops under his command many of which are mercinaries.

    King Offa further north on the other hand has only Fyrd. Both spear and archers along with 20 more royal bodyguards for his son just recently came of age and it was long past due to show him battle's face.

    During this time the Kingdom's economy and construction goes on full production. Farmland is further cultivated and enriched in some provinces while all provinces create basic defenses to try to hold off any foreign enemies. Watchtowers are constructed to watch over the Northumbrian border.

    In about 803, the stage is set. About 950 Mercians face over 1000 Northumbrians and an invasion of Dere is set. There was no economic necessity at the start but King Offa knew that he would need every rich province he could get later on down the years.

    The Northumbrians had mainly peasants, and only then some Fyrd and about 60 woodsmen. The king of Northumbria himself and his son also came to the battle.

    The battle commenced with Mercian archers rapidly moving towards the enemy hoping to take as many shots as possible. The Northumbrian spearmen charged the archers with many losses and inflicting few of their own for by then the Mercian Fyrdmen came up to protect the archers. The Mercian cavalry is put on reserve, with only two heirs king Offa is too conscious of his line's vulnerability.

    Where king Offa exercised caution the Northumbrian king forgot all about it. His son and him both charged the very weak right Mercian flank, barely having 100 or so fyrdmen and 50 archers. reinforcements are immediately set and soon the King is completely surronded. The Northumbrian infantry, massed on the Mercian right flank and fighting in what was a battle of wills, break and an immediate slaughter commences. A Mercian fyrd, finding itself infront of the Northumbrians who are retreating, charges them and even further destroys the morale and numbers of the Northumbrians. The Northumbrian king, surronded and fighting for his life both against spears and the recently arrived Mercian king himself, dies honorably in battle, and what was left of his army begins to flee. The routed army suffers arounc 200 dead and 350 captured. The Mercians only suffer about 130 losses.
    '
    The next year the Northumbrian kingdom is split in two by a viking invasion of Elmete. The Saxons, distressingly cancel their alliance and plans are made to fortify the southern border. Things are going well for the Kingdom of Mercia.
    Last edited by Derfasciti; 03-18-2007 at 17:56.
    First Secretary Rodion Malinovsky of the C.P.S.U.

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  9. #9
    Passionate MTW peasant Member Deus ret.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Pics & History of your Empire

    Cool! Just take care of the Saxons, they are your worst enemy in the long run as they are quite rich (and West Seaxe can recruit +1v huscarles ). Also try to get an alliance with the Vikings, they seem to be rather faithful. Which is a good thing as their uber troops will whoop your a**, especially in early/mid-game.
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    Member Member Derfasciti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pics & History of your Empire

    Agreed, the second I can, I plan on trying to make an alliance with them. And considering the Saxons broke the alliance I may just up and invade them now too. I don't know yet.
    First Secretary Rodion Malinovsky of the C.P.S.U.

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  11. #11
    Wandering Fool Senior Member bamff's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pics & History of your Empire

    Nice write-up Derfasciti. I look forward to reading more of the Mercian expansion.

    The Chronicles of Bamff’s English

    Chapter 17 – The Setting of the Sun (1406 - 1424)

    The reign of Doge Jacopo II of Italy came to an abrupt end as 1405 drew to a close. The self indulgent Jacopo had made numerous enemies in his own court as well as abroad, so it was no surprise to anyone when word reached Wessex of the untimely demise of the Italian ruler. His brother, Vitale, laid claim to the throne, and was duly coronated as Doge Vitale IV.
    Unlike Jacopo, Vitale had always been close to his father Goivanni, and had long since burned with a desire to avenge him against those who had played a part in his death. Jacopo had now paid the price for his treachery, but the English had also been involved in Giovanni’s death, and with this in mind, Vitale gathered an army of 3,195 men and marched south to Sicily.
    Vitale and his men had every reason to feel confident. Lord Holland, the commander of the English forces in Sicily could muster only some 1,468 men to meet them.
    Lord Holland, for his own part, was quietly confident that he and his men could at the very least ensure that Vitale had to pay a very high price indeed for Sicily. The bulk of his force were men who had served with him for many a year. These hardened soldiers knew what was needed to win the day. Their quiet confidence did much to steady the nerves of Holland’s newer recruits.
    Holland inhaled deeply as the gentle breeze carried the feint aroma of the ocean once more to his nostrils. He gazed across the valley below. Far away to his right, stood the port town of Siracusa. Directly to his front, the green of the valley gave way to the blue of the Gulf of Catania. He could spot gulls, sweeping and soaring, mere white dots against the pale blue sky, but could not hear their cries above the ever louder rattle of drums and blare of trumpets.
    The Italian army was truly a sight to behold, stretched out in neat lines across the valley. Their distinctive gold and green tunics had, in the distance, blended somewhat with their surrounds, but not so now as they drew ever closer.
    “Pretty, aren’t they? The Italians do dress well for battle,” he noted to his nearest lieutenant and then paused briefly to reflect. Milan and its various fashion houses had long been under English control - surely his own men should be more fashionably attired? He shrugged, then continued “But remember - ’tis one thing to look like a soldier – but altogether another to fight like a soldier.”
    The Italian front ranks were comprised of several regiments of pikemen. They came within range of the English arbalesters and longbowmen while still faced with a long uphill march to reach the English line. 200 men had evaporated to just 105 by the time they had crossed half of this distance. One regiment had been reduced to just 42 men, and they withdrew. The other regiment pressed on, now feeling the full weight of English fire. Only 36 survived to reach the English line, where they were immediately set upon by Sir Henry Burnell’s Chivalric Men at Arms. A veritable giant of a man standing well over 6ft tall, the imposing figure of Burnell was in the van as the Englishmen ripped through the pikemen. Only 11 Italians survived to flee the onslaught.
    The English archers continued to rain death upon the advancing Italians, but doggedly they continued to advance. With his casualties mounting, Doge Vitale was acutely aware that his men needed inspiration from their leader. To this end, he led his surviving knights in a charge against Stephen Bolingbroke’s billmen in the English centre. This decision proved a costly one. His steed was slashed across the shoulder and flank, and fell, throwing the Doge at the feet of the billmen. In the heat of battle, the billmen forgot all thoughts of ransome, and Vitale’s end was not a pretty one.
    News of the death of Vitale is the final straw for the surviving Italian troops, and they flee the field with almost indecent haste.
    At day’s end, the field is littered with the distinctive gold and green tunics of Italy. 767 of them lie scattered as far as the eye can see. 163 more Italians sit glumly under English guard. 61 Englishmen have perished.
    Far to the west, further battles were also unfolding. King William IV, was continuing to revel in the role of the “warrior king”, and in 1406, he led a force of 1,785 men into Lithuania to meet the army of Khan Chagatai IV. At the same time, Lord Giffard led the English assault on Chernigov, held by Prince Mongke, Sir Henry Langton invaded Pereslavyl, Sir Morcar Mortimer invaded Prussia, and the English crusaders seized Volhynia. The Golden Horde retreat without giving battle in both Lithuania and Chernigov, and their losses in Prussia and Pereslavyl are crippling. With his empire ripped from beneath him, and trapped in a besieged castle, Chagatai takes his own life. The Golden Horde are but a memory.
    The Hungarians continue to resist all overtures of peace, and in 1409, King William’s patience is at an end. Lord Berkely leads the invasion of Carpathia, and Sir Henry Percy leads the invasion of Wallachia.
    King Kalman II leads a most spirited defence of Wallachia, but ultimately, superior English numbers and arms carry the day. 463 Hungarians and 376 Englishmen have made the ultimate sacrifice. 189 Hungarians have placed themselves at the mercy of their conquerors. Kalman is amongst the Hungarian dead.
    Never one to do things by halves, William has also ordered the invasion and annexure of Poland and Pomerania. Lord Greystoke and Lord Mobray respectively, are the English commanders of these assaults. In both provinces, the Poles retreat to their strongholds rather than give battle. Neither castle is prepared to play host to so many men, and with supplies rapidly dwindling, both castles surrender in 1410.
    Most of Europe has now fallen under the English heel. In 1411, whilst enjoying an early morning ride in Kiev, the king’s horse steps in a rabbit hole, breaking its leg and throwing its rider. King William IV lands heavily, breaking his neck. Death is instantaneous. What a cruel twist of fate, that this great king, who had captured most of Europe and the middle east, and who had struck fear into the hearts of his enemies from Wessex to Volga-Bulgaria, should meet his end courtesy of a mere rabbit.
    King Stephen III is crowned in Wessex. At 28 years of age, the new king is already widely known as a “great warrior” and a “hedonist”. Though little is recorded of Stephen’s early life, it would appear that the new monarch has already seen much action both on and off the field.
    Stephen is anxious to continue what he calls his father’s “great work”, and to this end, he orders his armies in the east to invade the Byzantine provinces of Smolensk, Ryazan, and Volga-Bulgaria. The Byzantine armies are but a shadow of what they once were, and surrender all 3 provinces meekly, without so much as loosing an arrow.
    In 1413, Stephen’s army pushes on into Muscovy, determined to meet Emperor Alexius III in the field. They are sorely disappointed. The Byzantine Emperor has gathered all of his available forces and marched south to liberate Ryazan. The garrison of Muscovy is reduced to a solitary Ballista crewman. This hapless soul surrenders as quickly as he can.
    Emperor Alexius’ army numbers some 1,736 men. Lord Greystoke’s forces in Ryazan total 1,222. Greystoke is a master at defensive warfare, and duly wins the day. 661 sons of Byzantium have perished, 270 are captured, including the Emperor himself. He fetches a fine ransom indeed – 17,304 fl. In return for this gold, the Emperor is returned to his loyal followers on Crete. Greystoke’s losses on this memorable day number only 207.
    King Stephen is anxious for further personal glory, and in 1414 he leads an army to subdue the rebel Vladimir Maksimov and his followers in Lithuania. The English king succeeds in this endeavour, and Lithuania falls under the English banner. At the same time as Stephen’s army crossed the Lithuanian border, Lord Cromwell leads a second army into Novgorod, seizing the province for the English crown.
    Two years later, Stephen’s eye shifts to the rebel province of Naples. Lord Holland marches north, and brutally crushes the rebels. 1,080 Neapolitans die, 278 surrender. Holland loses only 151 men.
    The success is dizzying for the English king. In 1417, his armies assault and seize the island of Crete. Just when it appears that all is going to plan, The Papacy launch a surprise attack on the English Navy in the Adriatic Sea. The attack is ill-conceived and poorly executed, and the entire Papal Navy is soon resting on the floor of the Adriatic. Stephen’s rage is terrible to behold. He orders the immediate invasion of all Papal lands, with strict orders to auto-calc, given the overwhelming numerical superiority of the English forces. The Papacy is shattered, and by 1420, all remaining resistance is crushed in the Papal States and Rome.
    In 1421, the English invade the last remaining non-English province, Malta. The Sicilians are routed, and the survivors flee to the sanctuary of Valetta Castle. They continue to resist the English until 1424.
    King Stephen III stood on the western wall of Wessex castle, calmly surveying the clouds now painted in glorious fashion by the sun as it dipped towards the western horizon. His Chamberlain approached rapidly, carrying the latest despatch from the east.
    "News from Malta, my liege." he bowed as he offered the parchment bearing Lord Holland's seal.
    King Stephen read the proffered note "The Sicilians have relinquished Valetta Castle, and the survivors have sworn allegiance to England."
    His voice trailed off for a moment, before he continued "I am victorious. All of Europe has fallen."
    He thought of his father William and all of those who had gone before, and then turned once more to view the richly painted western sky. Never had a sunset seemed so beautiful to his eyes. All of Europe was his. His place in history was assured.

    Last edited by bamff; 03-19-2007 at 06:20.

  12. #12
    Member Member Caerfanan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pics & History of your Empire

    Quote Originally Posted by Derfasciti
    Agreed, the second I can, I plan on trying to make an alliance with them. And considering the Saxons broke the alliance I may just up and invade them now too. I don't know yet.
    Alliance with the vikings is a vital key! I rush a bishop after the viking king and keep asking, asking and asking for peace if necessary, then alliance. Not having a coastal province with an Abbey is a plus.... And the saxons are the main threat. So having a bit more troop producing provinces than them is a good idea!

  13. #13
    Camel Lord Senior Member Capture The Flag Champion Martok's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pics & History of your Empire

    @Derfasciti: Hurrah for the Mercians! You're off to a pretty good start with them. In regards to the Vikings, I second Caerfanan -- getting an alliance with them is imperative! You'll want to turn your attention to Wessex before long, and securing friend with the Norsemen will make that possible.

    @bamff: Huzzah for King Stephen and the English! Huzzah for bamff and his magnificient storytelling abilities! Truly, we have witnessed the terminus of an outstanding campaign.

    Lord Holland ruminating on soldier fashion got the biggest chuckles out of me by far. I also really liked the short passage about Sir Henry Burnell cutting down the Genoan pikemen -- a very nice touch, that.
    "MTW is not a game, it's a way of life." -- drone

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