Defence of Tortusa

[Cybugger]

Right, this is my first AAR, so bare with me. There are no pics, since my computer struggles with the lowest graphics settings.

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Prologue:

The Knights Templar, a proud and rich order, sent 100 years earlier to safeguard Christian pilgrims from Muslim raiders, as they traveled to the Holy Lands, had been excommunicated from the Papal fold. Indeed, old alliances that linked the order to the powers on mainland Europe have been broken. War is in the air, as Grand Master Ordus prepares his men in the defence of their capital, against their old allies.

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He could hardly count their numbers. Was the whole of Christendom knocking on their door? He had never seen an army that vaste. Line after line of French, Danish, German and English infantry, shouldered by the best Polish and Hungarian cavalry, stood a mere five hundred metres from his dear city's gates. He drew a breath. The cool night air soothed his lungs. He knew he couldn't win this battle...

And yet, as Grand Master of the Knights Templar, he would fight, as would his men. All around him, his forces were rushing to their positions on the walls. He saw Longbowmen checking their precious yew wood instruments of death, Spearmen whispering in silent prayer and Templar Knights gathering near the gates, ready to sell their lives dearly.

He ordered half his Longbowmen to take position on the outer wall, the other half on the inner most wall. Spearmen were sent to the outer rim of the fortress, ready to block any eventual cavalry charges through the breaches that the enemy artillery was bound to make. His Templar Knights were ordered to dismount, and he spread them around the gates.

He stood in the inner sanctum of the great castle, surrounded by his bodyguard and the Templar Guard, the most elite fighting force that Christendom had ever produced. He knew his chances of victory were slim, but he cared little. He felt betrayed by his once beloved Pope. He would either kill the armies sent against him, or make them pay such a price that even the most faithful among his attackers would curse the name of their Pope.

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The silence was broken by the thunderous noise of artillery fire. Flaming debris crashed onto and against the outer walls, or set fire to buildings within the walls. Battle had commenced.

First off to assault the walls were the battlehardened Germanic forces, rushing forward under murderous arrow volleys. Their loses were heavy, but still they pushed forward, a great ram at the head of their forces. When the ram reached the gates, the Knights behind prepared themselves for the inevitable carnage.

Artillery fire pierced a whole on the right side of the gate entrance, killing all the Longbowmen positioned on it. Templar Spearmen ran to quickly fill the whole, as Polish Noblemen led a charge into the breach. Hurtling along at high speed, they crashed into the Spearmen. The fighting there was brief but bloody, and the Polish routed.

The ram broke through the door, showering the Knights with splinters. The Germans charged. Men were being cut down left and right. Seeing an opportunity to break into the castle, the French, English and Danish ordered their assault. Under this new assault, the defenders were pushed back further and further. Finally, once the floor was covered with a thick layer of corpses, blood and members, the Knights broke, and routed. Sensing that victory was near, the attackers pushed on, the Hungarian and Polish cavalry ordering another charge. This time the Templar Spearmen were outmatched, but they did not break. They stood their ground, and each and every one of them was cut down.

Seeing is outer defences crumble, Grand Master Ordus prepared himself and his men for a finally stand. Once again, the attackers came under heavy arrow fire. Another ram was pushed up towards the inner gates, this time by a Danish force.

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The door burst asunder. Grand Master Ordus and his Templar Guard stood ready. The first wave of Danish infantry crashed into the defenders. The carnage was mind numbing. Unlike the Templar Knights, the Templar Guard were more than willing to sell their lives to defend their hallowed castle.

The fighting lasted for hours, wave after wave of attacker was forced through the small opening the ram had made, only to be met by the swords of the Templar Guard. But still the enemy came. Master Ordus knew that his men were beyond tired, and that defeat was near. During a brief respite as the enemy regrouped, a moment of clarity came to him. He knew what he had to do.

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With a terrible roar, the Templar Guard and Grand Master Ordus poured through the whole, slaying huge swathes of the enemy wherever he stood. They pushed forward into the uncountable hordes positioned in front of them. Blood was flowing through the streets of Tortusa like rivers. Finally, once fatigue had taken it's toll, the Templar were surrounded, and every last one of them was cut down. The battle had been won by the armies of the Pope, but at what cost?

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PS: This was an actually battle during my campaign. I don't have the exact figures any more, but the forces were like this:

Templar: 950 (all gold chevron units, after wars with Egypt, Turkey, Byzantine, the Moors and Rome)

English: 870
French: 920
HRE: 970
Danish: 850
Hungary: 790
Poland: 910

Total: 950 vs 5310 / Final count: 0 vs 2350
/ Total losses: 950 vs 2960

[awisler]

Good AAR, inspires me to abandon my Venice campaign in 3.2 and start up a KT one.