[AAR] Swords & Axes ~OR~ Bohemian Roadroller

[Athenogoras]

Excellent. The hungarians are putting up a fight and the HRE is knocking on the door.

[DaVinci]

Lol ... as said you look upon the campaign mode as a sports-fest, and i don't intend to change your mind, but there are rather less players who share your play style, afaik, or i hope.
As long you are gathering family-members-bg's as your main army you won't ever have any real trouble in the battle mode, but you know this, that it is an AI exploit as the AI cannot go with this behaviour.

Despite this, i rather seldom can remember another AAR that provides that much fun to read through ... i like your AAR style very much, gives me a lot laughters

[Alavaria]

Anyway, as you saw, the Duke finally bit it and died. Soon it'll move into slightly-more-plausible land. Though the fact that the bulk of Bohemia's army is recruited from taverns/inns is a little ...

I believe I told you before that I saw Leon-Castille group 3 family members into it's army. Is there a way to encourage the AI to do that more often? It was an interesting battle. Lost a TON of Hueste units, but they were only a tavern away from full strength.

The AI will spam knights when it can do so - but knights aren't as strong as BG units (or: actually they'll be pretty close after 1.1, since they have larger unit sizes)

[DaVinci]

I just gave the order ( or wish ) to Atheno, that the bg's shall not be better than other knight-class units. They shall have though slightly more morale to fight and die with their lords

[Alavaria]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part 7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Despite the death of Duke Bretislav, Bohemia nevertheless transitioned smoothly to the leadership of Duke Boleslav. It may have helped that both the late and new Dukes were out on campaign, leaving the nobles in the capital to their down devices. For now.

Spoiler for Various Things of Interest: 

The two "missionaries" decided to make for the city of Plock, on the northern edges of Bohemia. Though the settlement had by rights embraced the doctrine of Christianity, they had been hearing for some time disturbing rumors of a growing paganistic cult in the area.




To show that Bohemia was not amused by the Franks' constant "visits", a small fort (actually a fortified camp) was set up on Bohemia's side of the river that flowed past Budziszyn.




A spy moved to the long-independent town of Szczecin, to find that its "garrison" had moved out of the city. A tempting possibility opened up...

Olomourc began widely expanded recruitment programs as part of a series of reforms began by Duke Boleslav upon taking power. Though it lacked the recruiting ability of the capital, Duke Boleslav nevertheless insisted that Olomourc produce as many units as it, the relative lack of a trained recruit pool being considered a non-issue.
: Yes, that's right. I don't really care if some of the men can't march in order, as long as they can swing axes.
: As you desire, of course ...
: Really, my predecessor left the Bohemian army in a bit of a mess with his obscession on the knightly orders. As we push our borders outward, Bohemia will have to rely on more than just her chivalry to shield her from external threats.
: Whatever you say - as long as I don't have to be in charge of recruitment.
: We are ready to set out.
: Yes! Let's get to the front and secure our place in history!
: Of course ...
: My lord, the Duke advises that you move swiftly. He plans to clear a path, eastwards, into Hungarian land.
: Has there been any resistance of note?
: Well, not thus far.
: We better hurry then.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as the two forces joined up, they crossed the border and made camp. True to form, the Hungarians attacked even before ice was broken to set up tents. Fortunately, the Duke had prepared his tactics accordingly.

With his brother and the four units of Dogheads hidden in the nearby forest, the Duke set himself prominently on the hillside in full view, expecting the enemy to move towards him and be caught in an ambush.

This did not quite work as he had expected.

>>

Enemy mounted archers carefully surveyed the edge of the forest, wary of entering the wooded area.


>>

Rather than allow the foot to be discovered, the second group of knights moved out, showing themselves to the enemy scouts, who promptly showered them with a small rain of stinging projectiles.

Between trees, shields, and armor, not a single knight was downed, while the enemy emptied their quivers.




With his plan probably ruined, the Duke simply advanced to the edge of the forest himself. The two units of knights watched the hourse archers flee into the distance, all without having entered real combat.

: *shrug*
: Oh well, time for the alternate plan.
: Order us, my liege.
: I thought you would've guessed. CHARGE!

Moving first to clear the screening units, the smaller of the two knightly units smashed into a group of lightly armored infantry, scattering them.








The main force charged a group of merceneries - these heavier foot managed to hold, and the knights withdrew to dress their ranks for another charge.

Whereupon enemy light horse attempted to assail them. Turning almost on the spot, the knight engaged their mounted enemies.




Having broken several units of light infantry, the Crown Prince gave his knights free reign to chase and cut down as many of the fleeing Hungarians as they could reach.






The Duke's men, spotting the horse archers returning to strike them in the back, immediately attacked them - the archers fled yet again. The axe mercenaries, then charged for the second time in that battle, broke similarly, but could not excape.








The knights chased routers until they reached the enemy reinforcements - several units of levied infantry. They were quickly dealt with before the main enemy force was able to come to their aid.










The smaller of the knight units, being closer, was attacked by the eager foot. Unfortunately, as their formation stretched out, the Duke's men rode in and cut it off, stopped only by a group of armored spearmen that held their ground and the Duke's caution.










Circling around the infantry mass, the knights cut out and rode down various units of light infantry, leaving behind many bodies to be covered in the falling snow.






Seeing the slaughter finally unmanned the heavy spearmen, and they, like their doomed allies, made a break for it. Like their doomed allies, they didn't get far enough to save their own hides.






It was then only a matter of chasing down and killing whoever was left to kill. The knights were worn out, but victorious.

Despites the Duke's two plans, both of which involved drawing the enemy into an infantry ambush, the valor of his knights rendered the foot completely incapable of contributing to the battle. However, despite this, the Duke generously allowed the Dogheads full looting rights to enemy arms, but not armor. His knights, disassisfied with the enemy's equipment, were all too glad to simply have the enemy's gold divided up among them as payment for this first battle.

They were, after all, promised better loot when they pushed further into Hungarian land, and possibly settlements!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part 7 END
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Athenogoras]

Lol great chapter. Small spelling last sentence:playment(what have you been reading Alavaria)
Seems the hungarians host is improved from earlier versions(more cavalry,transylvanians, axemen and franks). Before there were even more levys(still much though)

[Alavaria]

It looks better, but they are many turns behind me, really. Their Axe Bearing Mercenaries, Transylvanian Infantry, Slavic Raiders, Slavic Warbands, and Hungarian Horse Archers are pretty much all recruitable from inns. The Frankish men-at-arms and the Italian Crossbowmen (which you didn't see because they didn't do anything) are of course merc units, too.

Transylvanian Infantry look nice.

• 60 men
• 1 more attack then a doghead
• same total defence of 14
• Bonus vs Cavalry

Only thing is that 60 of them have an upkeep of 320.

[Athenogoras]

Transylvanian Infantry look nice.

Yes, but they will lose to your dogheads.(only 1 shield against ap axe)

[DaVinci]

Ala, did you add the Poland/Hungary edb-fix in the meantime (Hungary won't stand a little chance without access to feudal units). And yes, the unit choice is extended for Hungary, as is for every faction as well, but especially Hungary has much more now, but partly dependent on region-ownership.

[Alavaria]

Yes, but they will lose to your dogheads.(only 1 shield against ap axe)

I suppose TInfantry would lose, if it were a fair fight.

Ala, did you add the Poland/Hungary edb-fix in the meantime (Hungary won't stand a little chance without access to feudal units).

Yep, the patch is there.

And yes, the unit choice is extended for Hungary, as is for every faction as well, but especially Hungary has much more now, but partly dependent on region-ownership.

Still can't make those Slavic Warbands anywhere - they're really much better than units that cost about the same, hehe. Hungary has some nice units, yep.

[Alavaria]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 8
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The knights and dogheads lay siege to Munkacs with all haste.

Spoiler for Other Things: 

Orders and gold for the training of an additional six units of Dogheads were received at the capital. Recruiters felt positively giddy when they saw the amount of funds at their disposal, though the amount of men that they had to raise dampened their spirits a bit.




After the construction of suitable portage, Mechlenburg would be allowed to petition for the granting of basic town and market rights, in order to keep trade flowing with the Danes to the north.




Olomouc was set to begin recruitment of more trained Doghead corps. Correspondingly, the governor of it's main settlement was to recieve special privileges to ensure that recruitment efforts would not be hampered by petty bureaucracy or politics.




Near Plock, the two missionaries set out to survey the area and mark possible cultist "nests" that would have to be dealt with swiftly.






Wroclaw, the first Polish town to come under Bohemian rule, was considered "Bohemian" enough for residents to finally begin owning land. Bidding to purchase lots from the state was relatively muted, however. The land auctions in Poznan were, in comparison, quite lively.




Wroclaw began training Peasant police forces, to replace the more militaristic Doghead garrisons.




Krakow began training intelligence agents, as well as a "cleaner" agent.




To keep the locals busy, a series of mines began construction, which would also allow the region's resources to be tapped effectively.




Just outside the capital, land was also being sold, allowing nobles to own estates of their own in the surrounding countryside.




Even as preparations continued for the removal of military rule in Budziszyn, various leaders began formulating a petition for various rights to be granted to their town.




The Franks along the border caused many jittery hearts.




The rebel army was spied out near their settlement.
"It was intimidating" reported the spy who carefully estimated their force strength.

On the Hungarian front, enemy forces appeared to have been depleted by their recent military exertions. However, reserves from further within their heartlands was by no means impossible.

:We're good to go then.
: Not quite.
:What is it?
: Read this.

>>

: THE HELL?!
: We received this report from a couple of nobles that had been traveling to the Western Front. They returned immediately and attempted to disrupt enemy supply lines.

Spoiler for The First Counterattack: 

>>

: But of course they shouldn't have tried to attack the main force directly. I don't really see why they thought I might have expected them to. I'm not the Duke.
: You are the Duke, my Lord.
: I meant my predecessor, of course.
: Shall we turn back?
: The Hungarians should not be let off just because their allies have taken advantage of their distraction.
: Allies? What?
: The foot will slow us down, anyway. we should leave them to take shelter within this town's walls.

Spoiler for Assault on Munkacs: 

Enemy forces tried to prevent the town's walls from falling, but in the end they were forced to flee into the breach that was created.

Abandoned by the need for speed, the reinforcing infantry tried to escape the field, with no luck but much death.

: All men, into the breaches! Forward!
: Upward and inward! Give them the axe!
: Yes sir!

Almost after the last enemy soldier had been dispatched by lance, sword or axe, the Duke sent a messenger to Praha. With his war powers, he granted Munkacs unprecedented freedoms over their market and other structures, provided they allowed the state to nominate their officials. This indebted the population to the Duke, and allowed a relatively smooth takeover, in comparison with more adversarial occupations of the past.




Which was not to say that everyone agreed. Those who were too blinded by their pride to see the Duke's generosity were "removed" lest their foolishness cause later policy to be less lenient towards their fellow men.














While riding back with all haste to the capital after their last victory, the Duke and his men fell upon a Hungarian noble, besting he and his men, but not taking time to loot their bodies. Swords, shields and armor were left to sparkle in the sun along with the glittering snow.























The same occurred for another force of light horse and armored spearmen. This time, seeing all the metal and desiring that it not go to waste, the Duke instructed several of his knights to take a few swords, each, for purposes of his own. He "had a plan" for them, which would not come into fruition until a while later ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 8 END
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Alavaria]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 9
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Duke and his men reached Nyitra, where they would stay until winter passed. Because of how disorganized the enemy forces were, it was deemed unlikely that they would undertake an assault of Praha. Additionally, they might have expected the Duke to be engaged with the Hungarians.

Unfortunately for the Franks, they had just propelled themselves to the top of the Duke's list of concerns and enemies.

>>

"Riots" occurred in Budziszyn as the last vestiges of military rule were removed. The newly installed governor quickly reassured the central government that celebrations had only gotten a little careless - a bonfire had accidentally set ignited an unused execution platform. This explanation was acceptable to the harried civil servants.

Sensing the hammer about to fall on them, the Franks broke their siege and ran. The Duke and a hastily assembled coalition of lesser nobles rode out to destroy two small groups of armed Franks.




In Poznan, efforts by the locals to relieve themselves of martial law were aided by the urgent need for troops on the front.


Pressed into action, spies began scouting out neighboring settlements that might prove suitable targets to the "Grand Coalition"

Spoiler for Targets: 

Pushed onwards by the need for vengence, the Grand Coalition made their first major offensive effort just inside Frankish borders.

Spoiler for Attack #1: 

In Praha, trading of many types were openly encouraged - and taxed! Merchants peddled many things, in some cases, even horses!

After the Franks had been driven from Bohemia, the Grand Coalition split into three parts. The Crown Prince, leading what would become the Second Dukal Army, moved to secure the eastern borders. As of his assignment, his orders were to hold, but not attack, the Hungarians, in case his forces were required elsewhere.

Three minor nobles were collectively assigned to the First Defense Force, and ordered to prevent any Frankish incursions on Bohemia's western borders.

The Duke, with his First Dukal Army, of course remained on the southern borders, with troops ready to follow his command to further fame and glory!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 9 END
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Voting

Alright, there are three armies to deal with, and thus voting is in three parts.

Part 1: First Dukal Army

1. Attack Wien - a good idea because there are only three places where Dogheads can be recruited - Praha, Olomouc and Wien. Unfortunately, It's rather heavily garrisoned, as the Franks that led the failed siege on Praha all ran there.
2. Siege Wien - move into a siege and then build up forces for a few turns - safer but sieging means we won't have the town as fast
3. Attack Salzburg - it's not a horrible town, but it's pretty much just "a town".

Part 2: Second Dukal Army

1. Just build up forces for now.
2. Attack Szekesfehervar - There's the Hungarian Faction Leader in there, and he will probably not go down if we try to assault him.
3. Siege Szekesfehervar - allows for some buildup, and hopefully the enemy will sally or try to lift the siege, so we don't have to fight those knights inside their own town.

Part 3: First Defense Force

1. Attack/Siege the Frankish settlement across the river (depending on spy information)
2. Simply sit and build up forces for now.

As before, PM votes and POST comments/discussion. Get to it!

[Athenogoras]

The Bohemians are busy it seems - harassing their neighbours. I wonder what the Pope would say?

[Molina]

Haha, our AARs are similar (dialogue with character images), and we even started in the same day. I'll be reading all of it now and I might send my vote later. Thanks for the successful effort!

[Alavaria]

My computer died just recently, and though I believed I saved the last 3 saves (I save every turn) I won't know if the data is useable (the hard drive failed, if you were wondering) until I get the notebook fixed (ie: new hard drive probably) and reinstall/add Chivalry

[Athenogoras]

Very sad to hear this. I hope you can recover your saves and continue this great story.

[Alavaria]

Yeah, the saves should be fine, but in any case, Chiv 1.1 is coming at *some* point, plus I want to try using a modded version (it's in the submod forum - trying to buff the AI by a silly amount).

I believe the saves will work, though