Orders and reports thread

[econ21]

Chancellor's Steward's Pre-Report on 1344


Elberhard:

What? I am in charge again? Crikey, someone must be desperate.

All right, let's get on with this then.

Duke ... err ... Chancellor Arnold is not feeling so good. Not feeling good at all, in fact. So he asked me to mind the shop. Any business you have with the Chancellor, take it up with me first unless ... I mean, until he is back on his feet again.

Right, so where were we? I see, defensive battles. Yes, there were a few. Now where exactly ... um, where are those reports?

First, that chap in Bruges, Ludwig von something or other, well he fought a @#$%^&!!!ing brilliant defense of the city - cutting down those out dated French knights with pike and shot. And quite a bit of personal daring-do. Well done that man!

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...&postcount=215

Second, Viceroy Matthias Steffen added another heroic victory to his bulging tome of such escapades. Fighting at the Iron Bridge north of Antioch:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...&postcount=217

Finally, a young Franconian fellow with an Anglo-Saxon ancestory (Lukas Godwinson, apparently - sounds like some right royal English bastard) has sent word that the army at Magdeburg smashed a Polish attempt to storm it. More details will be provided soon:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...&postcount=216

In other news, Hermann Steffen has come of age - welcome, lad! And we are rich - well, we have 6093 florins. Don't spend it all at once.

So, here we are at the start of the year 1344. Army commanders may engage in offensive actions at their discretion (OOC: they have 24 hours from this post to fight their battles).

At first glance, the main potential flashpoints appear to be:

Hamburg: where Fritz von Kastilien is besieged (couldn't happen to a nicer chap) and Prinz Peter is outside the city together with a leaderless stack of foot soldiers. Fritz and Peter should liase about the best action to take.

Prague: where the Poles have the city undersiege but Lorenz Zirn stands outside with an army ready to contest that.

Outremer: Viceroy Matthias Steffen may wish to continue his offensive.

Even if they are not to be involved in any immediate battles, I would also welcome instructions on the movement of other armies. Of particular concern are armies commanded by generals on reserve duty - I believe this applies to the Franconian army in Magdeburg, that under Count Karolinger and indeed the Chancellor's army in Ragusa. I would urge the Dukes to find commanders on active duty or things may go ill on any battlefields. Count Karl Zirn - you are acting Steward of Austria until Arnold is back on his feet - please send someone to Ragusa sharpish.

Finally, if any generals without army commands have wishes about their movements, please post them in this thread and I will do my best by you.

And if anyone wants to make a bid for where our precious 6000 florins goes, shout out now.

I'll be back with you soon. I have to visit the smallest room in this Palace. Now where did I put my copies of Fritz's proclamation...?

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1344.zip




OOC: To clarify, the 24 hour window is intended to get straightforward battles out of the way. If battles require more time to coordinate and set up (e.g. at Hamburg?), don't worry - we can do that in a more leisurely fashion.

[Zim]

Kaiser Elberhard,

if at all possible I would like a unit or two of militia to be hired to garrison Antioch. It will enable us to aise taxes there, and Viceroy Matthias will eed every professional soldier in the area if he is to continue the offensive in Outremer. Also, when funds allow, perhaps a small church could be constructed in Antioch, as the Byzantines seemed to have torn down the old one.

Andreas von Salzgitter

[Ramses II CP]

I believe I shall ask Peter to leave me the bombard and ribault and march north against Arhus. I can handle these fools at the walls of Hamburg.

(OOC: Sallies are allowed? I'll massacre the AI even if I can't entirely chase them off the field. I have no compunctions about taking advantage of their stupidity unless there's a rule about it.)

Fritz von Kastilien

[TinCow]

I will order Count Karolinger to march to Milan immediately. With his aid, I will assault the city and reclaim it for the Reich and Bavaria. This will also give me an opportunity to determine whether Hans von Bavaria is worthy of knighthood.

OOC: If Warmaster Horus agrees, I would like to move his army myself to ensure that it is placed exactly where I want it for the battle.

[Ramses II CP]

Snagging the save for my sally.

[Ramses II CP]

A tie. Only swordstaff men were left, but I couldn't get the buggers to break! :(

I had to pay ransom on some men too, but it was only 140 florins or so. Uploading the save now.

edit: Save is here:

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1344-1.zip

If Peter were here he could now attack and finish them off. Losses were horrific, but half what they took. I'll post a battle report tomorrow. Exhausting and frustrating as most of my crossbowmen and my artillery had to march across half the map before they could make it into battle. Better than a loss I suppose, but not quite what I'd hoped for. I sacrificed a lot of men near the end struggling to break those swordstaff ^%&$ers, including virtually all of the cavalry, and none of them healed. Not one!

ARGH! This hurts.

[OverKnight]

I'm taking the save.