KotR Out of character thread VI

[FactionHeir]

Yes, that is right StoneCold, but the orders I got from Scherer during the diet via PM were to take Paris and then go and capture nearby French settlements. Before we took Paris, we already bordered Bruges, Angers and Toulouse as well, so those would be legit targets.

Now where's our resident lawyer to help us clear up what this CA actually means Not like I really want to go capture every French settlement in sight, but I would have to, if its legal.

[StoneCold]

hmm... maybe... Still dubious about that. Maybe TC can gives us his excellent ruling on that bit of law. But you can following it and see where it goes. With the western border undefended as such, the SHA on the attack, and the BHA in the east helping Austria, EIA heading north to the Danish threat and FHA in the northeast against the Russian... if any towns falls in the west, you can blame it all on the the swabians... :P Remember we are still pumping 10K a turn into their economy, I hope you are still doing that, so a full stack or two could appear out of nowhere any turn.

[FactionHeir]

Fun thing is that France has 4 Citadels and only 1 city left. With the huge cash injection they get each turn, it should get interesting.

[TevashSzat]

The French forces are basically all but destroyed in the area close to Paris due to the recent battles. Northwestern france is in shambles and last time I checked they barely got any garrisons. Only area where forces are present are southwestern France, but it would take them a while to assemble a large army again.

[StoneCold]

Not really. From what I read, the AI do not have a limited recruitment pool like us human players, so as long as they have the cash, they could get new troops. So there is not as much time as you think there is. Also, as you say, the north is in shambles, the french troops are in the southwest where the HRE do not have any armies, both swabians and bavarians are deployed elsewhere, only garrisons.

In the northeast, there are your SHA and the EIA, which will be there soon.

As a Duke, I think you should be more interested in protecting what lands you have, especially traditional swabian lands, than going on a conquering roll.

[TinCow]

The way the rule works, the Chancellor must obey (legal) Household Army orders that are submitted to him at the beginning of his term. Offensive operations can only target a single settlement. As the SHA instruction indicated Paris first, then Paris seems to be the single settlement target that the Chancellor had to let them take. The SHA orders about other settlements were invalid because they specified multiple settlements at the same time (plus they indicated territories which were not adjacent to Swabian lands at that time, which is also invalid). Therefore the initial SHA orders were fulfilled when Paris was taken.

The Duke of Swabia can give new orders for the SHA at any time and it is perfectly legal for him to specify further targets, so long as does it one at a time. However, any orders submitted after the start of the Chancellor's term are fulfilled at the Chancellor's discretion. So, whether the SHA continues to advance or not is totally up to FactionHeir. If he let's the Swabians do what they want, that is legal. If he makes them hold back, that is also legal.

[FactionHeir]

OK thanks for clearing that up TC. How much do we owe our lawyer? :D

[StoneCold]

I think just send his avatar soonest to the nearest battle and be knighted should be enough payment... hahaha

[FactionHeir]

econ: Good catch on the max 2 GB per stack. Totally forgot about that clause and was about to join the young boys with Jonas. Guess he'll have to pick up one at a time then or have them come in as AI or self controlled reinforcements.

[edit]
Reason I mention GB vs knight is that GBs counts as Knights, Cavalry AND GB in terms of army composition. Since we got a limit of 2 per stack, I thought making them not count as knight would be fair.
In RTW and MTW, GBs would destroy entire armies, but not really anymore in M2TW with shield fix etc. GBs are still strong against low grade units like town militia and peasant troops, but you normally won't see a single GB take down more than 3 high quality infantry unless you got unit support to get into their rear. GB also can at best kill 2 medium quality cavalry. Of course that's all speaking with 0 valor.

[econ21]

TinCow is right about the legalities regarding the Swabian Household Army - it is down to Factionheir but please, let's not rush France. Remember the Citadel thread from the HRE player who won the game by turn 14 or something? We don't want to go there. Without France, what's Swabia going to do? I think we should let the Swabians defend their new conquests for a while. At least let's put the conquest of France to a Diet vote - it did not even get a seconder at the last Diet.

[gibsonsg91921]

too bad neither me or sigismund is knighted cuz then we could travel ourselves

[FactionHeir]

Econ: edited my post above about the time you replied.

I sent Xdeathfire a PM already asking him to name at most 1 settlement ICly OOC for obvious reasons.

[Kagemusha]

It seems that my cavalry force will be at the best tiny. Im not so sure that the Austrian mostly infatry army can take on another so heavy cavalry army like this one was. I think that this was the closest battle so far for me in this PBM and i could have lost it.

[FactionHeir]

Cav heavy armies are devastating, especially Mailed Knights. Those are the cheap and effective even in late game. I used those to kill Mongols in SP (high valor veterans of course) :D

[gibsonsg91921]

i love cav heavy armies

[Kagemusha]

The battle report is up.

[AussieGiant]

i love cav heavy armies

That's why we have to limit them. They are too powerful.

God forbid someone actually loses a battle in this game. The lose of face would be huge

Will someone running this show tell me when I'm knighted...otherwise I'll be getting drunk somewhere and beating dogs out of frustration!!!

[AussieGiant]

Holy Hell Kag,

50% casualties and you won. That was a close call.

Get your trousers to Ragusa, we can re-arm and then lets go kick some Hungarian ass cheeks.

Sorry to the rest of you fella's but I'm pulling rank on this one

[gibsonsg91921]

geez! the AHA is in tatters

[FactionHeir]

AG: Hans lost his first battle. Check the reports section ;)

[StoneCold]

Kag, good battle there, very close... :)

AG, you could lead the reinforcement to the Durrazo to reconstitute the AHA.

Edit: Ok, saw that FH did this already. :P

[AussieGiant]

I have no idea what's going on now

Are we going north to relieve Zagreb and Budapest or are we hanging around Daruzzo and spanking Venetian's?

I'd suggest Kag and FH that the priority is to defend what we already have rather than taking anything from the Venetian's at this stage.

Do we have a latest save?

[StoneCold]

FH updated his chancellor report. Apparently all of you austrian nobles are galloping south to reinforce Jonas near Durrazo. Not yet in the position to initiate siege yet, I think. So still have time for a change in plan.

Maybe abandon the infantry in the AHA, allow them to slowly follow behind, and go north as a full noble force and use the forces from BHA to reconstitute a traditional army?

[Kagemusha]

Arent the Bavarians moving to take care of Hungarians? I bet that if we can get just atleast little more men=cavalry to AHA.We could siege Durazzo and fight an defensive battle againt the Venetians sallying from there.Assaulting the full stack there could be a suicide.

[AussieGiant]

Thanks SC, I'm going to read the report now.

Keep in mind the Army composition Kag.

Econ and myself reminded FH about that. There are 4 nobles in Ragusa plus enough foot to reinforce you nicely.

That's why I said I'm pulling rank. There can really be on two General Body guard's in one army...that mean's you an I Kag for the purposes of Knighting.

It's clear now that Lothar Steffan is going have a shot at Zagreb, and there are reinforcement being sent to Budapest. As there is only 2 units sieging it I guess FH is going to auto calc that.

[FactionHeir]

Yes, TC offered to use 5 regiments to fight the Hungarians and we'll see what he's worth ;)

In other news, Dutch_guy fought and won the battle at Thorn losing only 130 men and occupying the fortress. Ansehelm should be very happy.

[AussieGiant]

FH are you sending all the infantry in Ragusa down south also?

What are you going to do with all these GB's?

[StoneCold]

They are. But I think AG wants to be the one to save his dukedom. :P Not to say he doesn't trust his friend, but it is his to save...

I think I agree with him, Ragusa shorten the massive Austrian border but taking of Durrazo will lengthen it again. I think Leopold always intends for the attack to be more of a raid than a take and hold battle.

Edit: bleh, need to type faster... :P

[Kagemusha]

Maybe we could hire few Frankish merc knights?Im pretty sure that if we leave the Venetians be they will follow us shortly.But then we will have time to get some reinforcements also, basicly its same to me.After you are knighted Aussie the problems on that front will be all yours.

[AussieGiant]

Hey chaps.

SC, I've got no problem with Lothar lifting the siege at Zagreb. He and I go waaay back to pre-primary school for nobles

Kag, that's a good idea about the Mercenary knight's. FH can we do that?

And you correct Kag, once knighted you can leave me with a boarder the size of China...I'll have to blood your sons so I can split the House Army in two to do this work.

And Leopold's excursion into Venetian lands was not to take any provinces but to simply go raiding. I have no intention of taking Durrazo at the moment.