The story continues...

That English crusade was on its way to Tripoli and I fully expected Burgundy to be its next stop. To avoid troop 'suckage', I moved the Burgundy stack to Provence, brought in a seige-type garrison from Milan and used the Provence stack to attack Toulouse, hoping to inflict heavy casualties at the bridge, if not win outright.

The English confounded me by abandoning Toulouse with no battle, then the Crusade marched its way into Lorraine and hoovered up enough that 60 man units were down to below 40. Grrr.

I knew the English would strike back at Toulouse with anything up to two stacks and that I had to reverse my previous moves so that Provence and Burgundy both had full stacks once again. I made sure to destroy everything in Toulouse first, for the cash. A fort/motte, 20% farms, Horse Breeder and salt mine, most of which I think I built myself. No more hobilars from there for a while... I'll leave them be until they've used up some of their own dough on rebuilding the place, since they've been costing me a fair penny elsewhere...

For te second time, I attempt to put a fort in place in Saxony so that, if they do invade, they get no income from it and I can counterattack and take yet more prisoners. In the year where I start the build, they attack again, with superior numbers and I'm forced to abandon, losing another 400 florins. I should have spent 500 on the Chapter House, elsewhere, instead. Gah!

The first Swabian swords are rolling out and one is in Franconia, ready to go into the forthcoming battle.

My Bishops have been surveying the route to the Middle East and, in 1153, witnessed Constantinople being invaded by the Turks. The city is still under siege and 'about to fall'. The Byz Emperor watches, somewhat impotently with his half-stack in Greece. The lack of response is most curious since he has large stacks at his disposal, in the Balkans and recently wiped out the Hungarians. It was slightly amusing when I'd set an emissary to request an alliance with him but, by the end of the turn, he was trapped in his castle and politely stating that he didn't see the purpose of one at this time. (So much for stock replies!).

Meanwhile, much shuffling of troops while this crusade passed through my lands. I tried to get some of my peasant units to tag along and get soaked up, with some success. I should be disbanding them completely by now but preferred a gradual reduction in numbers, instead of large and sudden reductions in troop numbers. The crusade advanced into Hungary and saw the message that 'The Byzantines have decided they cannot win the battle and are retreating'. Evidently they were not happy to grant it freedom of passage. Strange choice, given this thing is probably going to meet a hostile reception in Constantinople and maybe even play a part in the relief of the city. We shall see.

The Poles retook Pemoerania and there's a large stack there glowering at Brandenberg. Only the river crossing stood to deter them but I did increase the garrison and put one of the hero generals in place on the last turn, although this had more to do with keeping the English shut into Saxony.

I'm still in two minds whether to take prisoners this time. I still really need the ransom money but common sense tells me that the only way to assure I'm left alone for enough time to get the fort in place is to inflict maximum casualties and cost them both time and money in assembling a force for another attack. Currently, there's just over 1000 of them in there.

My first asssassin is now on the loose (from Switzerland) and his first target was a 1-star French emissary, spying in Burgundy. Landlocked provinces are such fun. Scratch one emissary...