Middle Ages: Interactive

[Comrade Alexeo]

OOC: That shouldn't really be allowed, IMHO, seeing as that was a private thing, but I imagine I'm going to be overruled here so just in case...

IC:

To all Catholic nations and the Holy See

Der Kaiser strongly denies any claims by the English of a German proposal to invade France. This is absolutely ridiculous; the Holy Roman Empire has until recent evidence of possible heresy in the French court seen no need to bother the French at all. Der Kaiser is convinced that this is simply a facetious and false ploy made in very bad taste by the excommunicated English king Ethelred to bring the German Reich, known for its piousness and dedication to the Church, down with them. England is using this as a poor excuse indeed to continue its unprovoked invasion of France, and der Kaiser would find it absolutely astounding that anyone should seriously consider anything the English court is saying at all. Perhaps their minds, too, have been muddied by the Darkness...?

Regards,
Baron Sigmund von Wilhelm of Bavaria
Deputy Commission to Kaiser Otto the Third of the Holy Roman Empire

*

OOC: Consider our alliance cancelled England.

Oh, and Byzantium, remember that technically speaking we (HRE and BE) are not, in fact, at war - we are only making simultaneous armed marches towards each other

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

In other news, the first engagement of the war has occured.

Byzantium's own Basil II, had lead his army here. He had minor skirmishes. This would be the first Bulgur city to fall. Sophia. The militia was weak, and it was going to be easy. The army, spearmen, had begun the defense by forming in one single line. Basil was not foolish, he ordered his katafraktoi to the sides. His archers opened fired into the line, taking out a few spearmen. Basil II knew these men were armoured, so he ordered his Infantry to march toward them. The Bulgurs did the same. Eventually the Bulgurs got close, and the infantry put up their shields. When they clashed it was a pushing contest. The Byzantines shields were stronger than the Bulgur spears. When the Bulgurs realized what happened, they immediately gave up. Basil II had not ordered a charge of the katafraktoi, just for them to go in back. The Bulgurs layed down their spears. Basil II had them trapped. Basil II spared them however, and let them join the Byzantine Army. It seems the Byzantines have the Hoplites back....

[Csargo]

OOC: That shouldn't really be allowed, IMHO, seeing as that was a private thing, but I imagine I'm going to be overruled here so just in case...

IC:

To all Catholic nations and the Holy See

Der Kaiser strongly denies any claims by the English of a German proposal to invade France. This is absolutely ridiculous; the Holy Roman Empire has until recent evidence of possible heresy in the French court seen no need to bother the French at all. Der Kaiser is convinced that this is simply a facetious and false ploy made in very bad taste by the excommunicated English king Ethelred to bring the German Reich, known for its piousness and dedication to the Church, down with them. England is using this as a poor excuse indeed to continue its unprovoked invasion of France, and der Kaiser would find it absolutely astounding that anyone should seriously consider anything the English court is saying at all. Perhaps their minds, too, have been muddied by the Darkness...?

Regards,
Baron Sigmund von Wilhelm of Bavaria
Deputy Commission to Kaiser Otto the Third of the Holy Roman Empire

*

OOC: Consider our alliance cancelled England.

Oh, and Byzantium, remember that technically speaking we (HRE and BE) are not, in fact, at war - we are only making simultaneous armed marches towards each other

Oh I did nothing wrong. I didn't take a screenshot of your PM and post it. I just copied what you wrote. They can believe it if they want too or not.

If you would have went along with your promise then this would have never happened.

[Ignoramus]

When do we get our latest decisions?

[Csargo]

When do we get our latest decisions?

There on the page before this.

[Motep]

sorry to post this twice, but it has been edited.


Now to make things public:

China has two million soildiers. 1 million more are in training.

1,000,000 men are headed to invade Persia.
250,000 men are headed to invade Korea.
500,000 men are protecting their homeland.
250,000 men are conquering up through the western wastes and deserts.

Once my troops training is complete, those 500,000 protecting will head to the south to conquer lands there, and the million trained will re-inforce my empire.


Map of China



striped areas represent lands I plan to take on the home front.

I am orange.
the Khitan Empire is green.
the indians are red.
everybody else is just the tannish color.

note: the Khitan Empire will recieve portions of the conquest of persia and other westward lands if, and only if, they help to conquer them.

[IrishArmenian]

Sicily will play the defensive role in North Africa after sending Robert and an army to France.

[Warluster]

I accept the offer of Peace by England, I will continue my crusade in Iberia with 350,000 of mytroops, 250,000 are to defend my Homeland, and another 250,000 are to be sent to North Africa to help Sicily. The troops are to go to the Scily-African front but are to ACT INDEPENDANTLY, so they will be Grench on the Sicilian front. And do not worry Sicily, do not worry about the army because we are at peace with the English now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The meeting was all to familar. Silence went around as they all thought what had happened over the weeks.
"What of the Byzantine Threats sir?"asked one adivisor.
The king looked very tired as he looked up,
"Whta of those Warring people, cant even keep an alliance, a GOOD alliance!" he said wearily,
"Well at least Sicily see's some sense in this." said one adivisor thankfully,the rest nodded and murmed in agreement.
"yes it was nice to send troops, now it is our time to return the favour,but how?" the King wondered.
One advisor stood up.
"Easy sir, what does the world run on? Money and armies. We can give them one of that!" he suggested,
Another adsvisor stood up, as the first sat down.
"Money!! We just got out of a crisis! We need to send them armies, to Africa I say!" he yelled, the rest roared in agreement, but some looked disapproving.
"What of Leon and there struggle against those barbaric Moors?" One suggested. This time the King looked up.
"We have to follow the Pope's orders, we made apleade that we would follow him." the king said defensivly.
"But the English sir! What do they think there doing!" he yelled, the rest started roaring in rage, aying stuff about the English.
The King calmed them,
"The English offered an term of Peace, we are no longer at war, they are neutral!" he said, happy for the first time in the meeting.

[Conqueror]

Imperial court in Shangjing, the supreme capital of the Khitan Liao, in Inner Mongolia.

Emperor Liao Shengzong, born Yelü Longxu, Khagan of the Khitan and
subjugated tribes, Son of Heaven, sat on his throne, clad in the finest
yellow silk. The generals all bowed their heads to the floor before him.

"Rise!" Ordered the monarch, and his sharp command was obeyed. "You may
speak." He added.

"Your Eminence," voiced general Tabuyan as he stepped forth. "All the tribes
now flock under your banner. The Great Ordo has been formed, larger
than any to have ridden across the plains before. The Yurts of the campsites
carry on to the horizons, the very earth trembles beneath the innumerable
hooves. Such host, once created, must ride and fight. The men hunger for
victories and plunder, their sabres thirst to be wetted with blood. Direct
them, as is your right alone, and they will march to the end of the world, and
nothing between the sky and the earth can hope to withstand them."

"The Chinese are currently occupied with other foes and count us among their
allies," General Baiya chimed in. "This is a good opportunity. Lead the Ordo south
and crush them when they least expect it!"

"That would be most unwise!" Exclaimed general Yanxi. "The Chinese are are
valuable allies and such an attack would ruin our name. No one would ever
trust our word again. The Ordo should march against Khwarezm and aid the
Chinese in their fight against Persians. We will will gain lands and strenghten
the alliance."

"Look instead to the lands of the setting Sun, Illustrious Khagan." Said general
Dayan. "There dwell the Tatars, who yet refuse to ackowledge You as their
ruler. Subjugate them, defeat their leaders, and their horsemen shall ride with
the Ordo."

The generals, having voiced their suggestions, fell silent and stepped back.
The Emperor pondered the matter only briefly, then announced:

"There will be two armies that march. One will be the now assembled Ordo,
which will attack the Tatars. Let them ride to western plains and darken the
skies with their arrows, ceasing not until every Tatar Prince bows before me!
The other army will be raised in the Southern valley-lands of the Yellow
River. They will fight in their native manner* into Khwarezm and secure what
lands they can, as according to our pact with the Chinese.

I will lead the Ordo myself, while Baiya shall be the leader of the Van. To
Yanxi I trust the command of the Southern army, with Dayan leading the
Vanguard. Tabuyan will defend the homelands while we march. Such is my
will, and such will be."

The Son of Heaven had spoken. The generals bowed and left to oversee the
preparations.


OOC: I choose the option Advance into Siberia with the Great Ordo. A
second army will be raised from the Yellow River region and heads to Persia to
aid the Chinese.

*'native manner' would be Chinese tactics and equipment, as the troops are
mostly native Chinese.

[Motep]

The Sung Empire will need more troops. I will start a new system of recruitment, which is expected to give china 7 million more troops.

[IrishArmenian]

Since peace has been established, I will bring Robert back to North Africa with his army and continue my crusade against the Moors. O wise king of England, you have surely made a good decision.

[Motep]

Here is Europe in its current state. I will periodically post updates of maps of many different regions.

disregard this post.

Map is re-posted later

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

More like this.



Purple/Pink, Byzantium
Orange, HRE
Light Green, Seljuks
Yellow, England

And Sicily would be in Tunisia.

[Motep]

when did the HRE invade Croatia?
Besides, what is the difference between my Byzantine empire and yours? It was fine as it was. Tell me what is different and it will be edited accordingly.

[Warluster]

HRE invaded a while ago, about 1-2 pages ago. And Hannibals one is different in the fact that there is more Empire in Bulgaria.

[Motep]

okay...it has been edited.

Map of Europe

disregard post

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

England has more than that. They invaded the whole coast.

[Motep]

......

[Warluster]

What! England didn't take anything though! My fortifactions! Plus the fact we are not at war and they withdrew!

[Hepcat]

What fortifications? I hardly think Medieval France had the Atlantic Wall

Anyway, I need to announce that I am going on holiday for a week to the beach () so the Moors are probably going to have the stuffing beat out of them but thats life, I guess.

[Comrade Alexeo]

Mustering grounds
Klagenfurt
Holy Roman Empire

"The preparations are completed then?"
"Jawohl, my lord, they wait only for your command."
"And the other nobles? They have arrived?"
"Jawohl, my lord, they wait only for your command."

Duke Josef von Speyer of Carenthia nodded quietly to his aide.

"My lord? What is your command?"

"My command? My command! My command..."

He walked to the balcony of the chamber and looked down at the array below him, which looked back up at him above. The Duke drew his sword with his right hand, held it up, and bellowed:

"ASSEMBLE THE ARMY!"

And thirty thousand wolves howled their ecstasy.

***

Three lords, three iron fists, three hammerblows, one victory.

"The Marquis Klaus von Muhlbach of Carniola will advance along the Sava River until reaching the Danube, when you shall follow it north. Baron of Verona, Schmidt von Muller, you will take Bratislava and then continue following the Danube. I will advance to the northern tip of Lake Balaton and take Stuhlweissenburg. We will then converge on the twin cities of Buda and Pest and seize them together. Ja?"

The Marquis nodded, but von Muller was not entirely satisfied.

"Dividing our force thrice? In our enemy's homeland? Is that really wise, von Speyer?"

"Ah, but then they shall have to divide thrice as well! We cannot allow the Hungarians to concentrate their forces; by being on the advance, we shall dictate the terms upon which we shall meet."

"But why not a single great battle? It is how Croatia fell, is it not?" said the Marquis.

"Indeed, none saw such a quick and decisive victory in their dreams," said the Baron. "Or do you wish to keep all the glory to yourself?"

"Idiots! The Hungarians are nothing like like the Croats! This is not some half-assed enemy we go to war against! We are not fighting mere rabble equipped by a moronic king! We are fighting Magyars! We will be fighting some of the finest cavalrymen in Europe in this campaign, and I will not throw all my dice-"

"We are but dice to you?!"

"Quiet! I will not throw all my dice into a single be-all end-all battle that I am not entirely sure that we can win!"

"If you have such doubts then perhaps you should not have command!"

"If you are so naive as to not have them then it is good that you do not!"

"I do not doubt your skill," said the Baron. "Only your judgement; if you are indeed worried about the skill of the Hungarians, as well we should all be" - with a glare at the Marquis - "then would it not be better to march in such strength so as to be unassailable?"

"No, because I do not want to fight the Hungarians on their terms. We must bring the fight to the cities, where we shall easily prevail. To fight too often in the open, even if we are victorious, will only serve to slow us down-"

"But laying siege is hardly a quick action!"

"True, but we shall have an appreciable gain from a siege, whereas on the field it becames by default war by attrition which the Hungarians will be able to exploit quite handily. Der Kaiser does not wish for total war. He does not wish for a long campaign - remember why we are here! The Byzantines! We cannot show weakness! We must show only a wall of strength!"

***

And so the marches began.

The Marquis in the south, with 7000 spearmen, 1250 archers, and 300 knights.

The Baron in the north, with 8000 spearmen, 2000 archers, and 350 knights.

And finally the Duke in the center, with 8200 spearmen, 2500 archers, and 400 knights.

This was no mere expeditionary force as had been sent into Croatia; no, the spearmen and many of the archers wore strong German mail. The knights were among the finest in the Empire. Siege trains of dismantled catapults and trebuchets, rams and ladders, followed the armies like ants at a picnic, just waiting for a sweet opportunity.

Marching, blaring, shouting, cheering...

...the Holy Roman Empire was going to WAR!

***

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

What! England didn't take anything though! My fortifactions! Plus the fact we are not at war and they withdrew!

Did you read ANYTHING? Csar's choice was to declare war on you AND invade your coast.

[IrishArmenian]

Roger, King of Sicily, thirsts for one bit of knowledge. What ever happened to this interactive history?

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

No one is giving me their decisions, except some.

[Warluster]

Well the HRE,Mongolia,Sicily,France and CHina have sent there decisions.

[CountArach]

The Pope is glad to hear of this peace that has been forged by France and England, however if England wishes to be brought back into the light, then she must join the Holy War against the Moors. If she does not do this, then the Papacy sees no good reason to recommunicate.



OOC - I choose to continue to Holy War against the Moors.

[Conqueror]

If people are taking weeks to send their decisions then it's probably best to just assume that their factions do nothing.

[Lord Winter]

The sultan calls on the heretics to the south to surrender before the armies of the fateful, push into the egyptian heartland. It is clear that my army by advancing so far is superior to yours and all that you can do is postpone the eventual Seljuk conquest. Surrender now, cede all the territory that I have conquered to me, swear vassalage and your pitiful nation may survive and continue to practice her faith.

OCC: Mopet it is impossible for you to have an invasion force of one million. The logistic support is simply not there in this time. A more realistic number would be 20,000 for a large army.

[Csargo]

The Pope is glad to hear of this peace that has been forged by France and England, however if England wishes to be brought back into the light, then she must join the Holy War against the Moors. If she does not do this, then the Papacy sees no good reason to recommunicate.



OOC - I choose to continue to Holy War against the Moors.

I refuse to attack a country that has do nothing agressive towards me or my people.

[Warluster]

AH but this country has done wrong do against the Pope, this country occupies Half og Iberia, whichis rightfully Leon's and Castille's! And a bit of Portugal's. There is one problem I forsee. What happens when the Moors are gone, the country will be divided! Castille,Leon,Aragon and Portugal, plus some other countries may all fight for this land! The what?