Orders and reports thread

**Stuperman** · 05-17-2007, 17:47

Build que for Genoa:

I'm not going to give specific orders just that the chancellor should focus on missle type military and economic buildings

(OOC: I'm at work for several more hours and don't have access to the game till later tonight, I'm looking for pavise crossbowmen [if they can be built in cities] and then economic buildings [ports, trader types, banks/printing press, farms in no particular order].)

**Northnovas** · 05-18-2007, 01:08

Building queue for Zagreb

After the chapel

1. Paved Roads
2. Convert to City

As a agreed that Ragusa will the main Fortress for the area.

**econ21** · 05-18-2007, 14:13

End of year Chancellor’s report, 1200 AD

My Lords,

I write to you outside of Antioch, on the eve of a climatic battle. Three Egyptian armies are poised to strike. I ask for your prayers for Count Hummel and our men in the struggle that is to come. One way or another, tomorrow will decide the fate of the fledgling state of Outremer.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Since assuming the office of Chancellor, I have immersed myself in the minutiae of office. I remain profoundly impressed by the strength and stolidity of the Reich as bequeathed by my Duke Otto and his predecessors. Nonetheless, I have identified a few concerns.

(1) Our armed forces are generally backward - with many regiments of unarmoured sergeants, peasants and militia. Only the Swabian Household Army consists of top of the line regiments - dismounted feudal knights, pavise crossbowmen, armoured sergeants and mounted knights. I have decided to embark on an extensive recruitment programme to upgrade all Household Armies to this standard. This year alone, I have recruited seven regiments of dismounted feudal knights, two regiments of pavise crossbowmen, three regiments of armoured sergeants and three regiments of mercenaries (Turcopoles). After negotiation with Duke Kastilien, I have authorised the construction of an archery range in Thorn so that the Franconians may benefit from the construction of steel arbalests. All this recruitment has meant I have had precious little money to spare for the economic investments I emphasised in my manifesto, which leads me to my second concern.

(2) Our finances - although showing a healthy net income of 20000 florins - are inadequate to meet all the construction plans of our governors. I would like to increase this surplus, so that I can authorise more of your build queues. The only way I could envisage increasing this surplus in the short run was a programme of retrenchment. This is doubly necessary given the future increase in upkeep from the military recruitment already reported on. To this end, I have disbanded twenty seven regiments of militia and peasant missile troops, ten regiments of peasants, seven of sergeant spearmen, five of mercenaries and four regiments of knights. Inevitably, this retrenchment leaves our forces leaner and our borders more lightly guarded which brings me to my third point.

(3) I am concerned that our large interior has no mobile force to police it and more generally that we lack a strategic reserve. Consequently, I have ordered Prince Jobst to begin training the nucleus of an Imperial Army. This will be available to respond to any emergencies such as a rebellion, a Polish incursion in the east or a new war in the north or south. My immediate concern is with the powerful ex-crusader armies of England and Scotland currently travelling deep in our interior. In the longer term, I believe it is right and proper that the Reich have its own standing armies, similar to Household Armies. These might appropriately be led by the Chancellor, the Kaiser and the Prince. If this initiative is successful, Prince Jobst and I may propose such legislation at the next Diet. However, I do not wish to go down in history as a war fighting Chancellor but rather an architect of a new Pax Romana. This leads me to my fourth and final concern.

(4) Diplomatically we are on poor terms with all but the Papacy. In accordance with recent edicts, Milan was offered peace for 5000 florins and just rejected it; Venice was more defiant in its rejection of peace for 4000 florins. I confess I am at a loss to know how to improve our standing, although breaking our alliance with the Moors will surely lower it further. Presently, I am inclined to increase the offer to Milan and postpone breaking out alliance with the Moors - although I recognise both moves may be opposed by some in the Diet. I would hear your views on this matter.

I trust the above has provided you with information on our progress and some food for thought. Now, I must turn now back to the matter at hand and prepare for battle.

Kaiser Henry

**econ21** · 05-19-2007, 17:28

Chancellor’s Report, 1202 AD

My Lords, the victory at Antioch has unlocked the northern Levant. I am now besieging the Egyptian castle at Aleppo. It is bereft of soldiers - only a stubborn noble and his escort defy us. Ulrich has made a rendezvous with troops from Adana at the bridge north of Antioch. Our garrison at Acre is menaced by a large Egyptian army, however. I fear Duke Otto may have a fight on his hands soon.

Duke Otto appears to relish fights, however. Although the Milanese just rejected our offer of peace, Duke Otto has privately and publicly refused to be flexible on the implementation of his edict that purported to seek a ceasefire. Although I am sure we could have attained a ceasefire with a slight increase in our offer - and despite us starting the year with over 46000 florins - Duke Otto has refused to sanction such an increased offer. So be it. Gerhard Steffen has landed at Ajaccio with the Bavarian Household Army and has it under siege. However, this aggressive move has left our Italian heartlands exposed and now a Milanese fleet stands at anchor off Genoa with a large army of cavalry and siege engines. Steffen’s fleet did intercept the Milanese, but they escaped annihilation. I fear this Milanese army will make landfall and the militia of the Bavarian cities will be powerless to stop them. Conrad Salier has ridden north from Rome to oversee our defence and Innsbruck is hastily raising armoured spearmen, but I fear several Bavarian cities will have been sacked before my term of office is out.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

The Franconian drive on Krakow has been halted by internal reorganisation and an injunction from the Pope to cease attacks on the Poles for seven turns. Fredericus Hamburg is moving to take control of the Franconian Household Army, will be used to screen our eastern border from the Polish armies massing at Krakow. Gunther von Kastilien has been left with a strong garrison at Thorn, although on reflection I may give that assignment to his son. [OOC: Dutch_guy is having computer problems, so Thorn would have to be an autoresolve.]

Given the adamant rejection of a ceasefire by the Venetians, I have no hesitation in facilitating Duke Leopold’s march on their continental holdings. Unlike Milan, there is no hope of peace with Venice at the moment. Jonas von Mahren is blockading Venetian-held Rhodes as requested by the Council of Nobles. Maximilien von Tyrolia, an Austrian merchant, is gathering together the agents required for the trade and missionary expedition proposed by the House of Austria.

All is quiet on the Swabian front. Thanks to the Prince of Antioch’s bounty, Staufen is being upgraded to a Citadel. Prince Jobst’s Imperial army at Staufen continues to grow. A large rebel army has been spotted south of Frankfurt - they will provide the Prince’s army its first chance to prove itself.

I have gifted our Byzantine brothers 1000 florins but our relations remain terrible. I hope Hans mission to return Constantinople to them will improve this lamentable situation. Hans is with Duke Otto in Acre. When the crisis there subsists and a sufficient force can be levied, he will depart for Constantinople.

The project to modernise our household armies continues - this year I have hired each House a regiment of Teutons, the finest knights in the Reich.

I know anxiously await news from Genoa and ask the Dukes to remember the prime function of their Household Armies - to defend their realms, not to conquer their neighbours! Conquests - particularly where they risk leaving Duchies exposed - should properly be done by Imperial armies, led by the Chancellor or his appointed commanders.

Kaiser Henry

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1202-end.zip

**econ21** · 05-20-2007, 10:43

Chancellor's report, 1204 AD

My Lords, it has been a quiet year for the Reich, opening as it did with the sad death of our venerable Count Maximillan Mandorf. It seems all across the Reich the pace of life slowed down and men moved about their business with sombre calm.

Christendom will miss the stern corrective guidance of Count Maximillan. As if emboldened by our loss, the Mohammadans in Jerusalem have rebelled and thrown off their Papal masters. I heard the news just before storming the lightly held fortress of Aleppo. Consquently, I have left my army - the veterans of Antioch - and embarked on a ship to handle the crisis personally. I had hoped that Duke Otto at Acre could oversee the defence of Jerusalem, but perhaps I expected too much of him.

Duke Hummel has moved to Adana to garrison the key fortress after Count Mandorf's death. His arrival comes not a moment too soon - a large Turkish army has entered the province from the west. It appears to be moving to collect reinforcements from Caesara before turning south to menace Outremer.

Back in southern Europe, our South Mediterranean fleet managed to pursue and engage the Milanese armada they had previously scattered. The enemy has fled back to the straits between Corisca and Sardinia. I am now confident we can deal with them without giving them the opportunity to land their army in vulnerable Italy. However, I am less sure of Gerhard Steffen's ability to storm Ajacco. It is defended by a Milanese noble and three regiments of dismounted knights. None of our proud Bavarian knights can be induced to dismount and scale the walls. As I am reluctant to send mere Sergeants against Italian knights, I have decided to starve the enemy out until the dismounted feudal knights I have recruited can arrive to put some backbone into the Bavarians. This deficiency in the Bavarian Household Army highlights the need for the modernisation of our Household Armies.

Elsewhere, all continues to be quiet on the Swabian front. As it seems unlikely we will have to endure a French offensive, I would ask the Duke of Swabia which French settlement he intends to target once the Pope's injuction to refrain from hostilities expires.

The Franconian Household Army is now east of Stettin, arranging a transfer of command from Duke Kastilien to Count von Hamburg. The Duke's son has returned to Thorn to garrison this key salient in our eastern front.

The Austrian Household Army is marching towards Ragusa, together with Maximillan von Tyrolia's mercantile expedition. Once there, the two will separate and head south on their respective missions.

Diplomatically, my court has informed me that a charming Portuguese Princess approached with an offer of alliance. As this will give us an interest in the west, to match our interest in the east, I was happy to approve a gift of 1200 florins for two turns to seal the deal. Like the Roman Empire of old, I believe our Reich should wield influence across the Mediterranean from west to east. I encourage the Diet to support Portugal in any future conflicts and strengthen our alliance.

Finally, I am pleased to recognise three new generals to the court. Harold von Dassel has married Judda der Stolze. Erhart von Mahren and Jan von Hamburg have come of age. It seems that just as God takes away, so he gives.

Yours

Kaiser Henry

**econ21** · 05-20-2007, 18:37

End of year Chancellor’s report, 1206 AD

My Lords,

This has been a dark year for the Reich. It began with a Polish siege of Breslau. The reorganised Franconian Household Army, now under command of Count von Hamburg, was not able to arrive to relieve the settlement. However, I am hopeful that the approach of this powerful force will at best deter the Poles from pressing home their siege or at worst quickly undo any damage they wreak.

In Outremer, the year has ended with a Turkish siege of Adana. Fortunately, the Prince of Antioch has amassed a formidable force at Adana that I had hoped would be able to sail to Constantinople under my son, Hans. However, the Turks have forced a change of plans. I now plan to use my son, and the veterans of our great victory at Antioch, to break the siege.

The one ray of light has been the final destruction of the Milanese armada off the south of Corsica. Their entire army of cavalry and siege machines has been lost at sea. Count Steffen is now free to take their settlement at his leisure.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

In other news, the Swabian front remains peaceful. If I do not hear from the Duke of Swabia soon, I will target Rheims as the target for their expansion once the Papal ultimatum to cease and desist ends.

Duke Leopold has arrived at Ragusa with the Austrian Household army and the mercantile expedition. My brother has informed me that his army’s target will be Thessalonika, while the merchants will head to North Egypt where their accompanying priests can cause some mischief converting the Mohammadans.

For my part, I have landed at Acre and assumed command of the garrison from Duke Otto. I scaled the Golan heights and drove off the Egyptian army that has been threatening Acre without loss to either side. I intend to engage them in battle and then take Jerusalem from the rebel Mohammadans.

May God have mercy on their souls, and ours.

Kaiser Henry

**TevashSzat** · 05-20-2007, 20:58

I do wish for us to attack the city of Rheims. After which if there are no significant enemy forces nearby, a quick assault of Paris will follow. With their captial gone, the French will be crippled and shall suffer greatly