Allied with the Mongols

**Shahed** · 12-17-2006, 20:25

I guess Sipahi is the Turkish equivalent statwise, right ?

**Doug-Thompson** · 12-18-2006, 17:53

Yes, the Saphi has similar stats but morale is not as good.

BTW, the Timurids have shown up. I wasn't that impressed at first. A stack and a half north of Baghdad? Then -- I saw the other five stacks in the desert south of Baghdad.

Great, I'm all set up for another Mongol-like bash at the river crossings. My line's are totally turned. I'm falling back on Mosul expecting to fight it out in the open. Then, to my stuptification, the Timurids south of Baghdad don't even try to siege there. They cross the shallows and go into the same box I'd kept the Mongols in all those years. Now it looks like they're going to try forcing the gorge.

This may just be the first wave. We'll see. I'm bigger, richer and have worked out a "daisy chain" of cities and a few forts to keep a constant supply of infantry and other reinforcements, including cannon, flowing to the Mosul region.

**Shahed** · 12-18-2006, 18:23

Fantastic. Take some screenshots, only if it's feasible. I'm still waiting for the Mongols. I think I will amend the files to make them appear a bit earlier. Only 1165 now.

**Doug-Thompson** · 12-20-2006, 20:26

The second wave did come and is trying to cut Baghdad off. When I set up stacks to guard each river crossing anywhere near Baghdad or Mosul, they went deep across Jedda province and crossed the river far, far to the west and south of Baghdad. Then they looped back in a crude but effective envelopment. They got to that last crossing one turn before another stack of mine arrived, for a grand total of five stacks for me and 10 for them.

So there I was, with five stacks of Timurids between Mosul and Baghdad and another five east of Mosul. Baghdad is fully garrisoned, has cannon towers and a massive archer and Saracen Militia garrison. They will take out several stacks before going down. The right course of action was obvious. Let the Timurids whittle themselves down at Baghdad and hit them after they are weakened.

S*rew that. I attacked them and started the war.

Maybe I'm stubborn. Maybe I'm stupid. Maybe I'm both those and crazy too. But the devil seize my soul before I'll let anybody have one of my cities without a fight.

So far, I've lost two stacks and have developed a pathological hatred of elephants. They've lost two stacks too, however, including about five formations of elephants completely wiped out. Desert Cav and their javelins would be the perfect elephant hunters if they could just take a little more damage, allowing them to fight through screening units and get at the elephants faster. I'll have to pay more attention to armor upgrades in the future. I've had to turn skirmish off to get the Desert Cavalry close enough several times. I also gladly accept fights in sandstorms. Weather doesn't effect javelins as much as arrows, which is fine with me and my double-duty melee-capable Mameluks and not so fine with the archer-heavy Timurids.

Meanwhile, I've replaced all my losses by drawing on reinforcements as far away as Gaza. Cannon from as far as Corinth are coming in by sea, too. The gorge north of Mosul is a fortress of cannon, spear infantry, javelin foot, archers and heavy cavalry. Tanks couldn't get through there. Mosul is as fully garrisoned as Baghdad, possibly better. Edessa and Damascus are ready too.

Two down. Eight more to go. I haven't had this much fun since last Christmas.

**Shahed** · 12-20-2006, 20:58

Good to hear from you ! Was peeping in to look for updates.

Sounds awesome.. and you're right about attacking them.
Aggression and fighting spirit MEANS SOMETHING in combat !

How are the SM holding out ? Are they any use at all or just cannon fodder ?

I've had to revert to an earlier save, because I accidently loaded an older save and then quicksaved over the newest one by mistake. So I'm about 4-5 hours further away from the Mongols yet. Ugh.

**Doug-Thompson** · 12-20-2006, 21:19

Originally Posted by Sinan

How are the SM holding out ? Are they any use at all or just cannon fodder ?

I'll get back to you on that one after the Siege of Baghdad, which appears certain to happen. The Saracen Militia haven't hit a lick yet. They would have been wonderful for the bashing battles I had with the Mongols, but so far it's been all hit-and-run. There's only one good road in the whole region. Infantry would be trapped in the off-road desert.

**CaptainSolo** · 12-21-2006, 02:15

Thanks for updating the thread Doug-Thompson,it's been a really entertaining read.

Are the tactics you employed so successfully against the Mongols still valid for large engagements against the Timurids or are you having to change anything? Also,what are the main differences/similarities between those two factions?

Really looking forward to see the results of some large scale siege battles,keep up the good work!