Battle of Nicae 1184

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Dietrich sat on his horse on the hills East from Nicae. The day of battle had arrived. He was facing a large army of Egyptians led by Al Amir Nasir,who were trying to attack the Bysantian lands. The Battlefied was set so that the Egyptians were North from the Vanguard of the German crusader army. A small contingent of Bysantines was approaching the field from the West lead by the Bysantine Emperor John.

After s short negotiation Dietrich gave the orders to the army. The army was set on a plateu next to an large East West pointed ridge,far enough from the ridge so the Egyptian missiles couldnt shoot the Germans from there. Maximillian Mandorf took the command of the left of the army,while Jonas Von Mahren was in charge of the right.Dietrich himself was in the center behind the lines of crossbows and infantry and foot knights.

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As the battle started the Germans were able to see the heathen muslims for the first time. These men were mostly infantry and first thing Dietrich noticed was that they were not very heavily armoured.

"I think our crossbows will kill many of these bastards today"

The Bysantines marched on the field on the west of the muslims with their catapults and few infantry men and started pounding the muslim army. Dietrich stood calmly and waited what would happen next.
The Egyptian commander divided his troops and deployed his missiles against Germans,while leading his infantry into assault against the Bysantines. Dieetrich gave an brief command.

"Crossbows aim for the horses of the horse archers! Right flank cavalry prepair!"

after couple volleys from the 6 units of crossbows,most of the Egyptian horse archers were shot dead,Dietrich ordered.

"Right flank cavalry charge! Crossbows cease fire!"

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Dietrich joined the cavalry charge also and in a matter of seconds as two general bodyguards units and an unit of Teutonic knights charged over the archers,they were slain.Few of them got away,but Dietrich halted the cavalry.He watched carefully to the North West and saw that the Egyptian infantry was engaging the Bysantines heavily and he commanded.

"Whole army to the high ground! Mandorf and Mahren keep the flanks!"

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The army moved over the bodies of the dead Egyptian archers.
As the Germans approached they could easily see how good the situation was.

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If they could move fast enough, they would arrive on the rear of the now engaged Egyptian force.Dietrich ordered the army to move on the double quick.
Soon the Bysantines were getting enough and started routing from the field,but that didint help the Egyptians. Now the crusader army was completely in order behind them the crossbows were wreaking havoc among the lightly armored muslims.

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As the Egyptian commander ordered charge uphill,Dietrich smiled to himself and sayed to his Lietenant besides him.

"Poor bastards,they are doomed."

The crossbows fired still few volleys to the advancing mass of Egyptian infantry.After that they retreated behind the main line of Germans. Dietrich had moved on the right and as the Egyptian infantry reached the German crusaders main battle line Dietrich blowed on his warhorn and on the right lead by himself and on the left commanded by Von Mandorf the German knights hitted the Egyptians with devastating force. Now also the German foot knights and spearmen charged and soon the whole Egyptian army was a mass of routing men trapped between the Crusader cavalry and infantry.
A mere 45 Egyptians escaped as the rest lowered their weapons.The Crusader army had won a resounding victory. After the battle the three German noblemen gathered and decided that there should be no mercy for the heathens and every prisoner was put to the sword and sent back to what false god they were worshipping.

The Butchers bill:

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