Crusader TW

[KonstantinosXI]

another norman unit:

Norman Spearmen:

[hellas1]

Yia Sou Kosta!,

Lipon, pote tha vyi to mod?

Hellas1-Yia Sou Thessalia!

[KonstantinosXI]

we still don't know...anyway we aren't so far away from a release ;)

[KonstantinosXI]

THE REPUBLIC OF VENICE

TEXTURES: Dragases1453 MODELS: Nikephoros



HISTORY

The first human settlements on the Venice Lagoon islands date back to the 5th and 6th centuries, when the inhabitants from the mainland came to this semi-swamp area to escape the barbaric invasions that followed the fall of the Roman Empire. The populations coming from mainland Venice settled in the lagoon, fighting as hard as they could to survive: little by little this group of pieces of land surrounded by water took on the semblance of a real town, a town that was so unique and special that it would become the only one of its kind in the world. The new inhabitants built several rafts of various sizes, supported by strong wooden poles that were fixed to the underside. The rafts were connected to each other with wooden walkways and houses, buildings and monuments were then built on them.
When Venice had a big enough population to begin to deserve the title of city, it was then annexed to the Byzantine Empire, while maintaining its own independence. In 697, Venice elected its first Doge, giving life to a new government: the Dogado (Maritime Empire). However, the event that finally made Venice’s name in the world took place in 828, when two enterprising Venetian merchants stole the Apostle Mark’s body from Alessandria in Egypt, and secretly transported it to Venice. A huge church, consecrated in 1094, was built to house the remains of the Saint, who then became the patron saint of the city: the Basilica of San Marco.

Since the very beginning, Venice showed strong inclinations towards trade. This increased to the point that at the end of the 11th century, the city set up close trading connections with Byzantium. This was the start of the Republic of Venice, which was finally consecrated in 1202 through the 4th crusade that saw the conquering of Byzantium and then the islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The eastern city was sacked and the booty was taken to Venice, where it was used to decorate churches and palaces. The four bronze horses that still adorn the main facade of the Basilica of San Marco were also part of that booty.
After the 4th crusade, Venice gained a strong political role due to the fact that it now controlled a large part of the Mediterranean and it also increased its military power and its trading.
The city’s historical rivalry with Genoa exploded under the form of four wars that were fought one after the other until a truce was finally agreed at the end of 1381, when Venice beat Genoa in the famous Battle of Chioggia (1380). Venice then realized that it was necessary for the city to have bases on the mainland too and began to expand towards Padua, Vicenza, Verona, Brescia and Bergamo. Venice’s prestige grew at the same rate as the increase in the land it controlled and was thus given the name of Serenissima. However, danger was round the corner: the Serenissima was so busy expanding on the mainland that it did not realize that the Turks’ power was expanding rapidly, to the point where they took over Constantinople (Byzantium) and some cities on the Greek and Albanian coastlines.

UNITS

INFANTRY

COMMUNAL MILITIA

The communal society in northern and central Italy gave birth to a kind of war, opposed to the feudal one prevalent in the rest of Europe and in southern Italy, more based on the use of large amounts of citizen infantry, than on the feudal cavalry from the countryside.

The communal militiamen, armed with a bill, a war scythe, a pitchfork or other peasantry weapons, are the weakest soldiers a Commune can deploy, usually used in true campaigns just by newborn cities, or raised with temporally limited garrison duties, or to support a first line of better armed troops.

This seasonal way to wage war, even if sometimes involving vast economical, social, political and prestige interests, usually reduced to a race to some raids, to a few pitch battle (with the possible capture of the enemy Carroccio) and to the siege of the defeated city.

This continuous fight between each Common created in Italy a sense of competition between every city, once master or slave of another one, that still remains a bit. This parochialism and centuries of foreign rule made it difficult for Italy to be unified under one flag until 1861.

GUASTATORI

In northern and central Italy, where the semi permanent state of war between different cities created a common way to wage war made of seasonal raids and plunders, the role of infantry and cavalry units trained to devastate the enemy territory is of vital importance, so much that most of the Italian medieval strategy writers advised every commander have in their own armies some units of Guastatori and Scorridori.

Trained infantrymen and cavalrymen protected by leather cuirasses and trained to devastate on the long range, those units can’t hope to hold a battle line for long, but they are expert ambushers, able to master the morphology of every ground they’ll meet, and a cunning general could make them as effective and as useful as any other unit.

SCHERANI

The communal spearmen of the Italian cities are well-paid and well-equipped professional soldiers, organized in bands paid by the city council or the local lord, and deployed like regular troops.

The word “Scherano”, in the years of the XI-XII century still means “soldier belonging to a battle line”, a regular fighter, then. It’s from the repeated raids and razes the soldiers made, that this word started to mean raider, and brigand (the word brigand itself originally meaning “soldier belonging to a brigade”).

Despite their fighting skills, the Scherani lack of discipline and long term hardiness. The absence of a motivation different from the loot makes it possible for them to flee from a battle if it’s not going the way they want.

SERGEANTS

These fighters proved themselves in battle. The sergeants are equipped as light cavalry or infantry in order to support the powerful Knights charges. Drawn from a lower social class than the knights, they do not maintain the same authority, but they are more effective and better trained than most other men-at-arms.

BELLATORES NAVALES

Being a mariner republic, unbreakably bond to the sea and to the strength of its fleet, Venice started developing, from the beginning of its history, corps of infantrymen trained to fight on the sea, protecting the ships from enemy boarding, or boarding the enemy ships themselves. Alternatively, they played a role as naval policemen.
Those Bellatores Navali are the answer the city gave to this necessity during the full medieval. They are armed with heavy two handed axes (that can also be used as polearms) and their body is protected by a light, but not too light, lamellar cuirass, while their head is covered by a barbute, a typical Italian helm developed taking inspiration from the ancient Corinthian helmets.

FOOT KNIGHTS

During the High Middle Ages, it was technically possible for every free man to become a knight, but the process of becoming (and the equipping of) a knight was very expensive; thus it was more likely that a knight would come from a noble (or wealthy) family. The process of being knighted began before adolescence, inside the prospective knight’s own home, where he was taught courtesy and appropriate manners. Around the age of 7 years, he would be sent away to train and serve at a grander household as a page. Here, he would serve as a kind of waiter and personal servant, entertaining and serving food to his elders. He would learn basic hunting and falconry, and also various battle skills such as taking care of, preparing, and riding horses, as well as use of weapons and armor. At about fourteen years of age, the page was assigned to a knight to serve as his personal companion and aide, as a squire. This allowed the squire to observe his master while he was in battle, in order to learn from his techniques. He also acted as a servant to the knight, taking care of his master’s equipment and horse. This was to uphold the knight’s code of Chivalry, which promoted generosity, courtesy, compassion, and most importantly, loyalty. Once the squire had established sufficient mastery of the required skills, he was dubbed a knight. There was no set age for this, but it usually occurred between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one. In the early period, the procedure began with the squire praying into the night. He was then bathed, and in the morning he was dressed in a white shirt, gold tunic, purple cloak, and was knighted by his king or lord. As the Middle Ages progressed, the process changed. The squire was made to vow that he would obey the regulations of chivalry, and never flee from battle. Then women would buckle on his armor. A squire could also be knighted on the battlefield, in which a lord simply struck him on the shoulder and said, “Be thou a knight.” Dismounted Knights on the battlefield are the pinnacle of warrior prowess with man being heavily-armored and well-trained, even without the warhorse for a mount. A knight’s typical weapon is the steel broadsword for hacking at the enemy up close. They are layered in chain-mail, some with crafted, steel plates to protect the vitals. The shield signifies the family or order in Europe, but by ‘Taking on the Cross,’ the knights bear the Holy Cross over their tunics and on their shields. These powerful warriors take on the might of Islam (and sometimes each other) for the Christian faith.



CAVALRY

SCORRIDORI

In northern and central Italy, where the semi permanent state of war between different cities created a common way to wage war made of seasonal raids and plunders, the role of infantry and cavalry units trained to devastate the enemy territory is of vital importance, so much that most of the Italian medieval strategy writers advised every commander have in their own armies some units of Guastatori and Scorridori.

Trained infantrymen and cavalrymen protected by leather cuirasses and trained to devastate on the long range, those units can’t hope to hold a battle line for long, but they are expert ambushers, able to master the morphology of every ground they’ll meet, and a cunning general could make them as effective and as useful as any other unit.

MOUNTED SERGEANTS

These fighters proved themselves in battle. The sergeants are equipped as light cavalry or infantry in order to support the powerful Knights charges. Drawn from a lower social class than the knights, they do not maintain the same authority, but they are more effective and better trained than most other men-at-arms.

MOUNTED CROSSBOWMEN

Crossbowmen are effective range units of the European armies. A crossbow consists of a prod, similar in appearance to a bow, mounted on a stock, which has a mechanism to wind and shoot its bolts. These bolts are typically called quarrels, and do not depend upon lift as arrows do. Crossbow bolts must be made to have consistent weights as the mechanical process of engaging a bolt forces a more uniform process than that of using a bow and arrow. The prod ("bow") and stock of a crossbow were made of good hardwood, such as oak or hard maple. The central European bows were rather exotic as they were constructed of inlays as well as specialized woods. The prod is attached to the stock with hemp rope, linen, whipcord, or other strong cording. This cording is called the bridle of the crossbow. This consistent performance was part of what made the crossbow historically a significant force in warfare. Crossbowmen are meant to pierce through enemy armor and flesh at range and ease the way for the knights.

PALADINI

The Italians produce an elite force for protection mainly against other Italians. A paladin is the prototypical "knight in shining armor," a hero of sterling character and courage, who rights wrongs and defends the weak and oppressed. The word comes from the Latin word palatinus ("attached to the palace") - compare palatine. The original paladins of legend appeared as the Twelve Peers of the Chanson de Roland and of the other chansons de geste and romances that told of the legendary court of King Charlemagne.



SKIRMISH

ARCHERS

Archers are rightly feared for the casualties they can inflict, but they are vulnerable in hand-to-hand combat.\n\nThey are drawn from the peasant classes of all societies, as these are the people who need to be skilled hunters in order to survive. Learning to use a bow well is something that takes a lifetime and constant practice, and putting food on the table provides good practice.\n\nThey are best used to weaken enemy formations, or placed in a spot where they can retreat and find protection from other troops.

CROSSBOWMEN

Crossbowmen are effective range units of the European armies. A crossbow consists of a prod, similar in appearance to a bow, mounted on a stock, which has a mechanism to wind and shoot its bolts. These bolts are typically called quarrels, and do not depend upon lift as arrows do. Crossbow bolts must be made to have consistent weights as the mechanical process of engaging a bolt forces a more uniform process than that of using a bow and arrow. The prod ("bow") and stock of a crossbow were made of good hardwood, such as oak or hard maple. The central European bows were rather exotic as they were constructed of inlays as well as specialized woods. The prod is attached to the stock with hemp rope, linen, whipcord, or other strong cording. This cording is called the bridle of the crossbow. This consistent performance was part of what made the crossbow historically a significant force in warfare. Crossbowmen are meant to pierce through enemy armor and flesh at range and ease the way for the knights.

"CHIOZZOTTI" CROSSBOWMEN

The crossbowmen from Chioggia (clugienses according to the Latin name of the city) are armed like normal heavy crossbowmen (even if some historian say they wore salt padded armours) and represent the direct opponents of the more famous Genoese crossbowmen, so much that when the Genoese army penetrated inside the Venetian hinterland, in 1380, its march was stopped by the villagers of this small town, 1.5 miles far from Venice, sparing the Most Serene from a long and frustrating siege.




REGIONAL TROOPS

DALMATIAN SPEARMEN

DALMATIAN MEN-AT-ARMS

hope you enjoied this preview,

the Crusader TW team

[KonstantinosXI]

Symbols made by dragases1453


CATHOLIC FACTIONS


COUNTY OF EDESSA:



COUNTY OF TRIPOLI:



HOSPITALLER ORDER:



KINGDOM OF HUNGARY:



KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM:



NORMAN KINGDOM OF SICILY:



PAPACY:



PRINCIPALITY OF ANTIOCH:



REPUBLIC OF GENUA:



REPUBLIC OF VENICE:



TEMPLAR ORDER:



TEUTONIC ORDER:






ORTHODOX FACTIONS


BYZANTINE EMPIRE:



KINGDOM OF THE ARMENIAN CILICIA:






MUSLIM FACTIONS


ATABEG OF ALEPPO AND MOSUL:



EMIR OF DAMASCUS:



FATIMID CALIPHATE:



SELJUK SULTANATE OF ICONIUM:



ZIRITE SULTANATE:

[KonstantinosXI]

ok a new screenshot

The Teutonic Grandmaster fighting against an incredible numebr of Daylami spearmen; maybe he was saying to his bretherns:" Fight for God and the King of Jerusalem and me i'll fight for all of you!"

[GiantMonkeyMan]

good work dragases... keep it up mate