Orders and reports thread

[Ferret]

Yes I think by the time they have enough troops to march against the Danes it will be time to issue edicts anyway, Franconia seems very short on soldiers right now.

[econ21]

Imperial Secretariat Report on 1346

With Duke Arnold still incapacitated by plague and unable to even choose a new Steward, this report has been compiled by the Imperial Secretariat.

CENTRAL REPORTS

World Events

The spreading of the Black Death has been the most alarming development of this year. The plague now afflicts the following Imperial cities: Dijon, Bern, Genoa, Venice, Milan, Naples and Zagreb. Worse still, several of our key troop building Citadels have been infected - specifically, Ragusa, Adana, Acre and Palermo. Most of our generals have escaped the foul pestilence, but those that have been affected are particularly crucial to the Reich. As well as our unfortunate Chancellor, Viceroy Matthias Steffen is sick. Dieter von Essen, the general recommended as Prinz by the late Kaiser Elberhard, is poxed as is the enterprising Swabian general, Ehrhart Ruppel, and the youngster in charge of Milan, Hans von Bavaria. The only favourable health news this year was that the lesser plague at Staufen - thought now to be unrelated to the Black Death - has abated.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Our enemies have been shaken from the torpor they exhibited last turn. A mighty army of French lancers is besieging Ehrhart Ruppel’s small cavalry force in Dijon. In Outremer, the Byzantines have both Adana and Antioch under siege. The Poles are besieging Magdeburg again, whilst the Hungarians are at the walls of Vienna. Prague is also threatened.

The year witnessed the sad passing of Steward Karl Zirn, named Karl the Honorable for his incomparable chivalry and piety. However, his eldest son Johann Zirn (Northnovas) is well groomed to seamlessly take over his father’s illustrious role in the affairs of the Reich.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The Diet has seen a new addition, with the marriage of Eue, daughter of our late Kaiser, to Welf von Luxemburg (econ21). The couple were married in Nuremburg, the temporary capital of the Reich.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Yuck, don’t expect me to roleplay THAT one!

The Exchequer

With our starting balance topped up by various loot and ransom, money was available to train all desired troops and construct all priority buildings. However, our fiscal position was still judged too tight to authorise sizable investments in projects that would only pay off in the longer term (like merchant banks and other related trade infrastructure).

The starting balance of the Reich rose from 21000 florins in 1246 to 25000 in 1248.

The War Office

As requested, many new professional regiments were recruited this year:
- Teutonic knights for Swabia from Frankfurt.
- Regiments of armoured sergeants, DFK and mounted crossbowmen in Innsbruck for BH Otto.
- In Acre, low grade infantry were requested by the Count but the Imperial Secretariat judged this a false economy, so better troops were raised, possibly to form the nucleus of a second Army of Outremer
- Palermo, Magdeburg and Ragusa were also training fresh regiments at full capacity

In terms of our standing armies, the Kaiser authorised his army moved north from Bologna. His earlier Prinz’s army was shattered in a close victory against the Poles and the remnants moved westward. This leaves Franconia with no substantial army, aside from the regiments under siege in Magdeburg. The status of the Armies of the other Houses remains similar to that outlined in our last report, although Bavaria now has a second functional, if small, household army near Innsbruck.

Dieter von Kassel recruited some mercenaries to help his small force take Naples - or more precisely, maintain order after taking it. It was hoped to train reinforcements at Palermo to create a Prinz’s army in south Italy but the spread of the Black Death among the training camps raises questions over the wisdom of this.


REGIONAL REPORTS

Swabia

Count Ruppel occupied Dijon with only one supporting cavalry regiment in a bold manoeuvre. However, he was promptly besieged by a large French army composed entirely of lancers.

The First Swabian Household Army under Duke von Salza moved to screen Staufen.

Count Ludwig von Bohmen’s force at Bruges, now christened the Second Swabian Household Army, is menaced by French forces but not yet under siege. It still lacks troops trained by our castles - notably cavalry.

Bavaria

The Byzantines have rallied in Italy, training two substantial armies - one in Rome and one in Florence.

Duke Lothar’s Bavarian Household Army Gerhard drove off two forces of rebels around Genoa, then began the march on Florence. However, since both its generals then went on reserve duty, the army had to retreat before a Byzantine army. That enemy army is now advancing on Milan.

The Kaiser’s army is withdrawing north as requested by its commander, ultimately to be sent to Swabia. To avoid the risk of this key formation deserting, Hugo de Cervole was requested to accompany it until its rendezvous with the Kaiser. The Imperial Secretariat recommends that Hugo de Cervole be permanently assigned to the army for a while, to deputise for the Kaiser should his other duties make him unable to lead on the battlefield.

The withdrawal of the Kaiser’s army north has opened a large gap in central north Italy with Milan, Bologna and Venice held by very small garrisons. However, with skill, Count Erlach’s Bavarian Household Army Otto should be able to plug that gap. This year, BHA Otto defeated the Hungarian ex-crusade outside Innsbruck and in the coming year should be able to reach Milan before the advaGreeks, however.

Dieter von Kassel used his small sea-borne force from Palermo, supplemented by local mercenaries, to take Naples. He captured the Byzantine Prince Panagiotes and ransomed him for the modest sum of 5994 florins. Lack of order in Naples and the spread of plague may limit Dieter’s ability to drive north on to Rome.

Franconia

Our Kaiser Peter von Kastilien used the reconstituted Prinz’s army to defeat a marauding army of Poles near Magdeburg. However, the army was badly mauled in the process.

Magdeburg has been besieged yet again by Poles, although the threat seems limited.

Austria

Johann Zirn continued to Ragusa.

Edmund Becker fought another battle against the Poles to protect Prague.

The troops in the Vienna Region gathered near the city. The city is now undersiege, but - as at Magdeburg - the balance of forces in the area mean that the threat is not severe.

Outremer

Outremer ends the year under siege, both at Adana and Antioch.

Finally, it should be noted that our physicians believe Duke Arnold, although still struck down low with the plague, will be able to resume the office of Chancellor. Orders can be submitted at this stage. However, all generals are requested not to act until Duke Arnold has familiarised himself with the current situation and can provide guidance.[1]


Diet Speaker



Start of 1348 save:

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1348-1.zip

[1] AussieGiant gets back on 2 January. Players can download the save and provide instructions for AG now. But no one should fight any battles or upload a new save until he says so. The situation is tricky in some places and he may want to coordinate with you first.

[Ramses II CP]

Fritz requests the town militia at Arhus either be sent south into safe territory or disbanded and replaced with anything else. I have the same misgivings about them as I do about merchant cavalry, they're more of an impediment to battle than their lack most of the time. Militia crossbowmen would be much more useful.

Other than that, he's happy sitting where he is collecting a paycheck, so to speak, but he's available to aid elsewhere if needed.

Also, FYI, there's a little stack of rebels north of Frankfurt which I believe is messing up trade for the whole region, but there doesn't seem to be anyone in range to deal with them since Peter is heading south. If Fritz rode south alone he could be in range to command in a battle to destroy them next year.

[gibsonsg91921]

Péter von Kastilien will comply with the Secretariat's recommendation to have the Swabian Hugo de Cervole as his deputy in the Kronen Sie Legion. Péter shall continue to command the force indefinitely until other duties demand his presence.