Last night was a very long and very interesting battle. Obviously I have a huge and very intesting history to where I got to this point, but, basically, it's simple. High period. Sicilians. I forget the year, but pretty well into the game. I have a great economy going and two decent Army stacks. The rest are mercenaries and bribed armies holding garrison.

Assassinated italian leader. Took over rebel lands early on. Now hold Sicily, Malta, Naples, Venice, Milan, Genoa, Corsica, Sardinia, Greece, Constantinople, Crete (or whatever island the italians had), Serbia, Prussia, Livonia, Wales, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Sweden, Norway & Chernogov.

French sent Crusade through Genoa. Needed to protect armies and garrison due to high zeal. Said no way, go around. Wound up in a fight. My prince Alex pushed Crusade through Tuscany to Rome. The Crusade has been bouncing back and forth in the Papacy and is pretty much surrounded.

Knocked out French Navy (luck) and sent Prince Alex to the Mid east further stomp on the French provinces (Anitioch, Tripoli, Palestine) until they were pretty much worn down to nothing. Never held siege and just went up and down the cost and did some stomping with some great battles. So, enough was enough and the Jihads started from the Egyptians. So I got them out and sent them home.

Here is where the battle started. Italians came back in Tuscany along with Rebel force. Huge armies. More than I had in numbers that could commit to keeping Tuscany.

I had some bribed artillary, a prince with huge valor (6), a bunch of sticks, axes and cavalry. I figured I could hold defence as long as my sticks could hold.

I set up three artillary peices on top of small hill (very small). Surrounded by Archers, Sticks in line encircling about 70% of the hill. Reinforcement stick just outside of this hole. The hole was filled with the sergents and cavs on the outside.

Waited for first units to appear. Rebels. Target artillary on general. General dead. Waited for attack. Archers had a fight. Faked a stick move, cav ran off and sent my cav to take out archers.

Once cav were engaged, italians appeard from the 3 o clock. Massive never ending waves. My fake move forced the rebel cav around to the 3 oclock of my line and basically couldnt' do anything because of sticks. Rebels waves would wind up in this small valley (village) between italians and the line. Italians and Rebels went at it. All I could do was watch.

My line wasn't touched for most of the battle, frequent bumps with the sticks happened, but they would wind up back in the field fighting and my guys went back in line. Royal knights took off in frequent impetous adventures so I let them go so at least someone could get some more valor on this one. Every now and then, a rebel or italian unit would break free from their battles, flank my units to the open rear, only to be met by the cav or sergent units.

Once the italian general was in view, Targeted him with artillary. Within minutes, he was gone too.

fight kept going, and going, and going with my guys holding position and the rebels and italians duking it out. As a unit won, I'd send in my cavs from the side or back and surprise, they're all running. then, get my unit back in formation and hang out.

Longest fight so far, yet no where near as exciting as others. Too bad I didn't save, save the battle or even some screenshots of all of the ground beef.