Sent into Exile!(Byzantine AAR)

[VindicatorS]

Background
In the great years of Emperor Alexius the Empire flourished and grew ever stronger. Islands were conquered and Romanized into the proud traditions of the Byzantines. Treaties and wars were fought for the protection of the Empire. At his death Emperor Alexius had united his people and have made them ready for the beginning of an era of rebirth. Back to glory, back to power, back to feeling the respect of other factions and most importantly, back to being feared for its people’s valiant morale and decisive military strength. After Emperor Alexius the Chivalrous of the Commenus had died in 1118 AD, he left the Byzantine Empire with yet another great leader of the Empire’s people, Emperor John the Saint.
A smaller yet stronger Empire, than the time before the Manzikert, is now emerging under the reigns of these two extraordinary figures. Their reigns are lifting the Empire above the shades of decade, mistrust and corruption, which had hit the morale and once proud spirit of the Byzantines, since the Battle of Manzikert in the summer months of 1071 AD. Though young at age, at the mere age of 44, Emperor John is still wary of the future of his people. This is due to the fact that when he is gone, the black sheep of the Empire is sadly also the one to be the heir to the throne.
This disgrace, under the name of Prince Anthes, will one day be the Emperor of all of the Empire, if the provinces will even remain loyal to such a fool….

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The plot is set

At present time…
It is a raining day in the midst of March and the Emperor has retreated to his palace outside Constantinople to seek solitude from the eyes of the public, the nobles and his generals. The rain is the only sound going through the almost empty halls of the palace. In the royal chamber the Emperor sits alone very saddened of the future. Half a sleep, half awake the Emperor is, when the door is suddenly opened with such a noise that it feels like an earthquake has begun beneath the Palace. The Emperor jumps up with drawn sword, while grumbling:
“Nooo! You shall not have my throne, your catholic scum! I shall wrest you of your savage claims!” while swinging his mighty sword and almost cutting down a small palm in the middle of the room.
“Sire, I am sorry for the intrusion, but this is very important…” says the man in a leather robe standing in the door.
The Emperor, annoyed but now more calm, answers “Why have you come? Is it to help me seek an honourable path out of this crisis?”
“Not I, Sire, the Council of the Bishops of Constantinople have decided to order your heir on a sui…adventure, which will make him fit to rule…”
The Emperor, now intrigued, answers: “What have the Council found fit to mature that fool, who thinks he is worthy of calling himself a Commenus?”
“Yes Sire, the Council shares your feelings for this…But then again he is the heir so it must be dealt with without showing our true intention to the public”
“Why not? Everyone hates him as much as I.”
“Though he is very unpopular with the commons, he still keeps allies close by, who could be seen as trouble, if the word gets out...”
“How bad would it be..?”
“We might be talking civil war…”
“Prosperous!! How?
“The Council has tracked his list of traits and by his less honourable deeds; he has made quite a bit and might already have Generals and maybe even Governors on his payroll.”
“What is the Council’s solution?”
“The Council wants him sent with the smallest army as possible to the castle of Trebizond, ruled by the vile rebellious Anatolians.”, a small moment of silent filled the room with intensity, “When he arrives he will have a little deposit of gold to spent on finding subjects to rule and to lead to the walls of Trebizond, where he will either find his bravery or face death by the hands of wretched barbarians.”
Loud noises are now coming from the passage leading to the royal chamber as the sound of tramping feet hitting the marble floor. A man storms into the chamber with eyes staring nervously behind him, like he was followed.
By the man’s outfit, which is a leather uniform, he is clearly coming from the spear militia.
The man: “Sire, I must have a word with you!”
“Rest first my brave soldier, you look absolutely exhausted”. The Emperor summons a servant, who brings the soldier water and freshly baked bread.
After the man has regained some of his strength, he speaks up:
"Thank you sire, but the dire news is left to be told and the plot to be unfolds. As we speak the Hungarians are marching towards us with a remarkable pace, and this is while the untrustworthy Venetians are trying to block the Strait of Bosporus by a large fleet coming from the South.”
The Emperor quickly response by sending the servant to the military building and find his friend, and family, Andronicus Commenus. As Andronicus enters the chamber, the Emperor says:
“Andronicus! Send an envoy to Admiral Foteinos at once,” he orders Andronicus, “and tell him to make ready to burn down the warmongering fools of Venice! After that, come back here and we will ride out to meet the Hungarians”
Andronicus Commenus: “Yes John, I will go with haste.”

The meeting was done and the plot was set. The path of the Empire was yet to be decided by the outcome of all of this.

The Long March
“Fools! Force me off to this forgotten outland of Civilization! THIS want be the end for me!” Prince Anthes loudly out bursting his discontent at the present of his loyal guards and the few mercenaries, he had been able to find before the Council and the Emperor’s deadline, while marching eastward.
Small sand storms came and went, while the terrain changed from the lustful plains, close to Nicaea, to the rocky and cold mountains of the region Halys.
The cold became too much for the Prince, so he was forced to alter his path, which led him to the shores of the Black Sea. He was beginning to accept his exile, in a way, which would be same as saying that he stopped with the aggressive roars and out bursts.
After 2 years of marching, in the year 1124 AD, and only half way to Trebizond, word reached his ears of the great conquest of Bran by the Emperor John and the magnificent heroic victory by Admiral Foteinos against the Venetian fleet.
“Aarrgh! Will my horrors never end?! Oh why, was I cursed to take this path to my own doom?!” yelled Anthes, while slicing the envoy’s arms off bit by bit.
The poor man fell on the ground, while Anthes went from using his sword to kicking him repeatedly until the man was soaking in his own blood until his breathing stopped. What a grim sight. The dark red coloured blood, not dripping, but flushing out of his body like the water down a steep river in the mountains. The mercenaries found the cruel Prince much more of their taste, and they almost accepted him as one of their own by the looks of their devil like smiles, while the guards of the Prince felt uncertain about the sanity of their leader.

As the Prince marched on through the Kingdom of Trebizond, more untrustworthy mercenaries accepted his money and command. The army grew ever larger by tribal Turkish nomads, Christianised Turks, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Christians of the Kingdom of Armenia and nomads of Alan. The cultural differences and internal feuds became a larger and larger problem as the time passed and still no signs of Trebizond.

A Byzantine ship was spotted by the Armenians scouting near the coast of the Black Sea. The Prince was quickly alarmed and went there followed by the most deadly of the mercenaries. He was greeted with an envoy from Constantinople with a note from a noble.
“Lord Cladinos Ukanos sent you?”
The envoy bows before the Prince: “Yes sire,” short moment of silence “I have gone through a lot of problems living up to his bidding that this should be unknown to the Council or the Emperor”
The Prince read the note and started to laugh.
“So my dear John is having serious problems with the Venetians and the Hungarians?” – “Good….good…After Trebizond I will head back and claim my rights as the true leader of the Byzantine people…tired of war, they will be…..they will all flock to me!”
“What are you planning for the Emperor, milord?” asked a Turk
“Like Andronicus Doukas did to Romanos IV after Manzikert! Blind him and send HIM off to exile!”

Finally in the year 1128 the Prince reached the outskirts of Trebizond. He laid siege, but before Trebizond was ready to surrender, he launched a full scale attack in the belief that he was invincible, and that his lethal mercenaries would do him honour.

Battle of Trebizond
Against the Mighty captain Draganos the Byzantines and mercs marched without fear. Confidence of victory drove them forward and through the gate, which had been opened by a spy.
The Byzantines charged towards the foe.




Too proud and too much full of himself Anthes charged into the carnage

Anthes ordered his men backwards in order to regroup

Anthes once again ordered everyone in a full scale attack on Trebizond’s centre

Victory

Though the fighting had been almost suicidal, the victory and the power shown by Prince Anthes was unquestionable and beyond belief.
The March Home
A few months later, Prince Anthes began to feel eager for a return to Constantinople and begin the plotting against the Emperor, but most of the Turkish mercenaries had abandoned him out of a sudden. His remaining army was too scarce to be spent on guarding him on the way back to the Empire. Prince Anthes took out a few brave men and left the rest under captain Nadrikos Logia. Prince Anthes was calm, happy and for the first time in a long while, looking forward to, where his destiny was about to take him.

After two months of marching and passing through the same parts, he had been to on his way to Trebizond, he felt quite relaxed and in the evening, he allowed his men to drink wine.
Through the evening and night the spirit was high and everyone was happy to be going back to well known parts of the Empire. The men were having, when out the black night a tent started burning. Strange as it made have been, the men felt secured and went back to their drinking after putting out the fire.
The next day’s march was going well, when suddenly all hell broke loose. An arrow hit a man next to Prince Anthes.
Knight Rollo: “What the hell?!”
Soldier: “ARROWS!?!?
Anthes: “REGROUP!”
But it was too late. Out of a sudden the surroundings were swarming with Turkish horse archers.
Soldier: “How can this be? The Turks are our allies”
Alan soldier: “It’s the Turkish mercs!”

[Ludens]

The plot sounds promising. Do continue .

[VindicatorS]

Retreat!
Prince Anthes was luckily to dodge the arrows and fled along with two of his knights. He and his knights ran until they reached the outskirts of Nicaea. Having no real army left, the Prince was completely open for an ambush. He found a small village and found it a suitable place to regain his strength. Tired and exhausted they found a band and felt as long as they were onto the hay. The next morning, they were about to get out of the village, where they strangely enough hadn’t seen a single soul as of yet,

when Prince Anthes suddenly found himself in the shadow of…
Knight Basilos: “Arrows!”
Knight Rollo: “Protect the Prince!”

After being chased around the village and finding no way out, they decided to charge through them to victory or to death!

Knight Basilos was the first to fall.

The Prince fought on furiously and cut many of the ambushers down,

before he fell as well.

Only Knight Rollo was left to fight, and a sudden grip of fear made him retreat.

“I can’t do this!” said Rollo and turned his horse around and looked upon the numerous foes coming for him with a decisive, death-defying look in his eyes: “CHARGE! FOR THE PRINCE! FOR THE EMPIRE!!”

He fought couragously until he too was slain

Civil War

With the passing of Prince Anthes a swift breeze of mistrust spread throughout the Empire. Powerful nobles questioned every part of the Prince’s affairs in Anatolia and the reason to send him off to this wilderness without a proper army. While the mistrust and civil strife occurred, the Hungarians and Venetians launched a united army against Constantinople to siege the opportunity. Emperor John the Saint rallied his people through the rebellious roars of the masses and the nobles, and fought off the Venetian-Hungarian Alliance at Constantinople. In the bloodshed at the gates, the walls and the streets of Constantinople a new Byzantine Empire aroused. Trust in John the Saint came back and the people rejoiced and looked forward to a future of growth, wealth, stable leadership and power.

The First to Fall
Ionnikus had awoken early in the morning. It was still a bit dark outside and his parents were still asleep. He walked out of the farmhouse with the intention of feeding the chickens, and that was when he heard…
Loud noises made the earth beneath him tremble and at the first sound, he felt onto the dirty ground in fear. Loud voices, he heard, began coming from the distant. Ionnikus ran back into the farmhouse to awake his parents.
“Mother, father….wake up!!”
“Aww, if this is another nightmare… I am so going to set you straight…” said the father
“No..no…Come quickly outside…something or someone…is approaching…”
The parents, very annoyed, came outside only to be met by a huge army coming straight for the farm. The Byzantine family hugged closer together as a leading figure came riding on a black steed toward them, in front of the main army, dressed in shinning armour.
“Who is in charge of this place?” asked the man
“I am, good sir” answered the father
“I am General Giovanni Selvo of the Venetians” said the man and continued “Good, my men need food and water! Bring it to us or we will take it by force!”
“Of course, right a way” said the father wavering
The father summoned his servants and ordered them to find all water and food available. An hour later everything was ready to be handed over to the soldiers.
“I am glad, you followed my orders without questions..but…we can’t have you, your family or your servants warning the fools in Constantinople…”
“But…but…but…sir, I did what you ordered….I won’t warn anyone, if you order me not to”
“You are a good man, but I can’t trust your words will keep your servants at bay.. and my orders were very clear…” a long silent moment followed, until the General continued “Kill them all and burn the farm down!”
Up in flames the farm went, while blades were swung in front of it. One by one the Byzantines were slain by the Venetian soldiers. The grass was covered in ashes and blood, as the Venetians moved on towards their goal.

A Routine March
General Arcadius was leading his small patrol army through the Thracian countryside, while he was quite relaxed after getting away from the rebellious mood in the city of Constantinople. His orders were to march to Thessalonica and reinforce the garrison there. As the march continued, they came across two Byzantine scouts hanging from a tree. The morale of the men began to waver, as they were ordered to march on. General Arcadius lingered a while below the men, and it made him certain that the two men were part of his scouting patrol sent ahead of the main column earlier the same day. Through a dark forest the army went, while darkness began to surround them. The morale went from wavering to shaken, but no ambush came. At the first sightings of the forest’s end, the men’s morale began to rise. The Byzantines made camp outside the forest and had an uneventful night. As the morning came the march continued. As they entered an open field the ground began to shake and they would soon find themselves in the worst nightmare of their lives…
The Hungarians and Venetians marching towards the unprepared Byzantines


As Arcadius faced the Mighty Army of the Alliance, he ordered an quick withdrawal...

The Slaugther

All of Arcadius’ army was slain, while Arcadius was imprisoned and taken to the Council of the Venetian and Hungarian Generals.
Conflict in Constantinople

Soon the darkness would tighten around Constantinople and swallow the citizens in one evil bite. Parts of the city were under the control of rebels commanded by nobles, who had been supporters of Anthes. As the rumours spread concerning a marching horde from the West, the hatred towards the Council and the Emperor grew. Who else, people thought, would make such a laughable attempt to gather the people through a tale of a greater evil approaching? Blood was spilt and the scars grew deeper, and all sense of unity was forgotten. This time took is toll on the Byzantine Empire.

Most of the provinces were kept uninformed of the situation in Constantinople, but, that was only until local nobles loyal to the memories of Anthes succeeded in spreading the news of the situation, though the local governors, armies and garrisons tried to keep it hidden.

For months the civil strives had increased and intensified throughout the Empire. First in midst of October began the beginning of the end. Gray news arrived to the city as peasants from the countryside out of a sudden had begun fleeing into the city. Rumours now spread rapidly about a huge army of Venetians and Hungarians marching towards the city. At this time Emperor John the Saint had grown wary and his face and body had been scared many times through countless battles against the rebels. The envoy, who delivered the news to the Emperor, didn’t recon the former glorious Emperor as his hardened face have made him look twice as old as he was.

After much consideration and debate between the Emperor and the Council, they came to the conclusion that he was the only one, who could save the Empire. After the words of God, who had come from the religious leaders, he marched out of his palace in his finest armour followed by his loyal Varangian Guard. Through the roars of the people and the nobles alike; he silenced them all with one determined look upon them. All fighting stopped as he began to speak.

“Hear me now, brave people of this great land! We have through the last months stumbled on the roots of evil and mistrust. Our common sense of pride has fallen under the sway of corruption and our brothers have spilt blood over it. As we continue fighting our fellowman, a horde is approaching our walls. Divided we are no match. Divided our shields will be scattered and all hope for a renewed and glorified Empire will be gone. This evil is coming to consume of all. Merchant armies of Venice are coming for us. Paid well and granted land for their conquest they might be. BUT! That can not compare to the loyalty of a true Roman fighting against an evil foe fill with his own devotion for his country. Even so the Venetians have brought the inferior, uncivilized people of Hungary, who are forced forward by decadent nobles, who see them as cattle for the slaughter. Hah! A slave is no match for a free man. We will stand together for a united devotion for the Almighty God, Lord of Heaven and of the Earth, and the Empire, when we will wrest these people of their heretic lives and foolish claim”

As the words of the Emperor ended, the cheering of the crowd began. The whole city was thrilled and eager to fight for the Emperor, as the all marched towards the gates and walls of the city.

[Ludens]

Good start, but I think the screenshots were redundant. You need not post a screenshot of every action in battle. Just pick the highlights and perhaps a few of the best looking shots.

Otherwise, please continue.

[VindicatorS]

Thanks. The pictures are to get both groups of AAR-readers interested, since some people seems to all about the text and others the pictures. The last part, however, is made more about the pictures (got the CinEditor to work) since illustrating the actions would have taken a decade.

The Silence before the Storm
”Forward!” yelled General Giovanni Selvo,
as the united army entered the outskirts of Constantinople. At his side the famous Hungarian Prince Lászlo accompanied him on his horse. The men seemed eager for a real fight. After all, they had only fought measly peasants and patrols for over a year of marching through the Balkans, Macedonia, Northern Greece and Thrace.

“Hungarians! We head northeast!” the Hungarian Prince shouted, “We will clash these orthodox devils from two sides and devastate their morale by our superiority might and bravery!”
“FOR HUNGARY!” a Hungarian soldier shouted impetuously into the air.
“For the Doge!” a calmer Venetian soldier shouted into the air.
Slowly the two armies spread up, while the Venetians stayed west of Constantinople, the Hungarians headed Northeast.
The Hungarians spent most of day with marching to the Northern side of Constantinople and onwards towards the strait of the Bosporus to the East of the city.


At nightfall the two armies had laid camp on each side of the city. The spirit was high, though everything in the camps was quiet due to strict rules about not giving away their positions. Giovanni Selvo walked through the camp a little over midnight to inspect the men. Infantry, Knights and Archers everywhere were making their gear ready for combat. The infantry was sharpening their axes, spears and swords; the knights were readying their horses, while their servants prepared their armour. In the improvised archery the archers eagerly trained with their bows on hitting dead corpses of Byzantine soldiers, whom bodies were wrapped in leather. The leather was wrapped around them in an attempt to reduce the risk of disease spreading caused by rotten carcasses.

In Constantinople the people was preparing themselves as well. No news had come about the exact whereabouts of the enemy army for a long time, but the enemy couldn’t be far away now.


Through blood an Empire is forged!
First blood

The Venetian Trebuchets fired upon the walls of Constantinople


Venetian Knight

Venetian soldiers taunting the Byzantines

East of Constantinople the Hungarians were also preparing for the coming slaugther, while their Trebuchets fired destruction upon the walls.



As wall sections fell the fight drew even closer...



After several sections had been destroyed, Giovanni Selvo felt confident that the time had finally come and ordered his army forward



On the other side of the city Prince Lászlo also felt certain and ordered his army towards the city




Emperor John the Saint responded the threat by ordering the achers to fire upon the foe



Even though the arrows hit hard on the Hungarians, they continued onwards


On the Western side, where the Venetians were about to enter the city, the Byzantines moved back into the city


Arrows striking down on the advancing Venetians



Chaos
Venetians and Byzantines in a deadly struggle

Oh the inhumanity!




The battle viewed by a hiding citizen through a window


Meanwhile the Hungarians advanced even further into the city

And soon after they entered the townsquare, where most of the Byzantine army was located.


In this second luck ran out for General Giovanni Selvo as he was surrounded completely and slain.


Fighting in the townsquare

A Byzantine soldier saw the lines were wavering and yelled as loud as he could, "Let not hope fail you now, my Brothers! Fight! Fight for the survival of your family, the Empire and most of all the Almighty God!"


The Retreat
The Byzantines had finally done it. The Hungarians had lost all hope and were fleeing without order



On the other side the Venetians had abandoned all hope aswell and were fleeing the city.
The Hungarian General Lászlo and his men however found themselves surrounded,

and so did he finally find himself wanting...


It was in these hours that a Empire was forged...on the walls, at the gates and in the streets that Emperor John the Saint fought of these vile Catholics...



Every last pocket of resistance was quelled, while General Andronikus hunted down retreating enemies


The next morning the people of the Byzantine Empire woke up with renewed strength and hope. The struggle had ended in a mighty victory and the Godlike trials had ended. The Empire would recovered the wounds spilt by the Hungarians and the Venetians over time, but the blood spilt between brothers would always lay as a demonic curse upon the Empire and its people.

[Ludens]

Thanks. The pictures are to get both groups of AAR-readers interested, since some people seems to all about the text and others the pictures.

I am not objecting against the use of images to enliven the text. I am saying that the pictures should show be interesting in themselves. For example, the line-up of the Venetian and Hungarian army is rather boring: you can see close-ups of units in any battle. Several images are also repetitive.

Don't get me wrong: there are several very good shots, which do add to the story, but it is better to use images sparingly.