Strike for the South! - A Sweboz AAR

[Azathoth]

Interesting, uh, title.

Will your AAR include any Texans?

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

Interesting, uh, title.

Will your AAR include any Texans?

No pun intended .

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

Strike for the South!

Unrest and Achievement (Continuation)

Heruwalfaz was a member of the Sweboz, better known by Civilized men as the Swebi. He was among those who listened to the elder’s stories of war, past glory and the contemplation of future challenges. He did so, for the confidence of the young on the elderly was supreme, and so their obedience – They accepted their grim fate more than once in battle, where they usually suffered the bulk of casualties, and like anywhere else, the young had to prove themselves to their tribe and their elders before they were picked as a valuable asset. None more than among the Sweboz, warriors by nature, who despised comfort and more so the comfort of their youth; laziness was punished by stern fathers, delinquency by the whole tribe. It was not uncommon to hear about young men disinherited and expelled from the Tribe, and indeed, until a youth could once again prove his value, he would never dream of coming back – in the harsh woods of Germania, the condescending attitude that the peoples of the South had towards their children would find no place.

More so in the warrior elite – The thegns, chiefs and petty tribal heads had always a dedicated and hand picked fellowship of men, who were promptly afforded the best armour and spears of the band, as well as fancy Celtic swords, a rarity among the spear folk of Germany. They were exempted from tributes and obligations, dedicating themselves to their training and betterment as warriors, and bar this, the betterment of the young entrants who would need to prove their skill.



Keltoi Warrior adapts a defensive stance – the art of fencing was much valued among Northern Elites

If a disturbance or a feud happened, and their lord was dishonoured, then his retinue would be called up to the wilderness. There, they would face the retinue of the opposing Lord in a massive duel to death, and to the victor were not only the spoils, but the settlement of the feud in his favour. Other ways to settle a matter or regain honour were individual duels or the trial by duel, whereas a man would prove his innocence by faring well in a fight; that is how the war was deeply ingrained among the Germans, and unlike to their neighbours the Keltoi, “war” was a duty of every man who could hold a spear. Many and many lives were lost in petty feuds, raids and battles, but there were always plenty of young men for the tomorrow, such is the nature of a primitive folk.



Elite Retainer

It was in this warlike mean that Heruwalfaz, the sixth child of Wulfaz, was born and grew. First as child, he used to poke at dolls with a stick. At the age of 16, he was initiated in the band as a “Jugundiz” of the local war chief Hrolf, who raided the territories of the Habukoz (Chauci) tribe for their supposed success in sea plunder at distant shores. Heruwulfaz was among the first line, and his charge had been successful, routing the opposite line; in recognition he was awarded a new spear and a helmet, which was stolen from the dead bodies of the Habukoz.

Heruwalfaz now had only goal in his mind – To kill, like a true fighting machine, to plunder, and to make his name. Many of his own kin and people were rather satisfied with proving their worth once or twice, then settling on a farm, but the hero within Heruwalfaz was bound to achieve more and more. He became a better warrior, and at the age of 20 entered the bodyguard of Ansuharjaz, one of the War Chiefs of the Swebozez, and a mighty figure. Son of the older and deceased king of Swebozez, he did not become King himself but dedicated his life entirely to military matters, forming a large retinue of followers around himself and being appointed as Supervisor of the Militia.

In that remote year of 272, the world of the Germanic tribes was in deep change and unrest. The Swebozez, the confederacy of thousands of petty tribes from around the current Elbe river, had taken to themselves by force the task of ruling and uniting all tribes of the Great Council after a petty rift between merchants turned into a widescale war between them and the Chatti, the Chauci and the tribes of the North, allied to them.

“I will conquer them all” – Ansuharjaz vowed publicly in the Thengoz of the Swebolandam, where representatives of the whole confederacy were gathered – “Gather your arms, my kin, my noble allies and my people, for the day where we shall rule supreme over the land has finally came!”

Answering to the call, young and elder, and anyone who could hold a weapon and was free went into the campaign.



One by one the tribes fell – The Cherusci were assailed at their own hill settlement, and after a bloody assault, forced to swear allegiance to the Confederacy. Ansuharjaz, now a renowned military chief but only at his twenties, personally entered with his troops at the Thengoz, and demanded the obedience of all the remaining Elders. It was said that half of them perished by assisted suicide, which they chose rather than to obey the new and pretentious young overlord. Promptly, Ansuharjaz assigned to his closer kin positions of importance within the Thengoz of the Cherusci, thereby ensuring a firm political rein over them and before departing to the land of the Chatti, which he massacred and subjugated with equal ruthlessness and self-assurance; half of the adult men among the Chatti were wounded or died in the fight, and this time the warlike pride of the same prevented any semblance of traditional occupation – The whole council, the women, and the children committed mass suicide, with only a small number left. But for them, their contribution and their struggle under the banner of a united people was not over yet.

One by one, the once mighty and fierce tribes collapsed before Ansuharjaz. The Swebi were nearing total victory, and Ansuharjaz himself was covered with honours and glory – His brothers began to fear him, and so did the Thengoz. Plots were laid, knives were sharpened, but the ultimate need for a charismatic leader to lead forward a war that was more and more taxing on the Confederacy was beyond many of the powerful, who preferred to wait for the outcomes before committing any decision. And it was thus that the power of Ansuharjaz and his decrees went without opposition; while he shone, nothing would ever tear him apart. But once he was not needed, then the Hand of Destiny would make it that anything would destroy him, including the war that he so much loved.

So, when he was at the gates of the tribe of Scanians (Skandwarjoz), a spear punctured his chest, piercing his mail and lodging itself deeply in him, instantly knocking him unconscious. Heruwalfaz, who always fought besides him, witnessed his death fully, and mourned for his failure to protect him. The campaign was over, vast patches of land were conquered, but the price in blood had been enourmous, and now the only man who was thought capable of leading the Confederation even better than his brothers or the elders was dead.

[Reality=Chaos]

Interesting AAR.... I have one thing... I think th egerman name for the celts was 'wohloz' or something like that..... Keltoi is the greek word... It just looks a bit strange Good start though

[Maion Maroneios]

Maion

[A Terribly Harmful Name]

@Reality,

If you hear well, that's what the Gallic voicemod calls them: "Keltoi".

[Reality=Chaos]

@Reality,

If you hear well, that's what the Gallic voicemod calls them: "Keltoi".

Yeah but the voicemod does not have a germanic part yet.... I´m not sure but I think they speak greek.... anyway it´s just a minor nitpick bit... and was not meant as a major criticism, I just ran across the Wolhoz (I think it was) name in a thread discussing germans and celts....