The Year of Troubles; An Old War Renewed; Battles of North Africa; Battle of Kings; Battle of Genoese Extermination
From the Diaries of Emperor Skantarios
March, 1537 AD. Location: Northern Italy (West of Venice).
The war in Italy has reached a stalemate. While I await additional forces from Greece (including additional generals), I have been able to keep the French at bay while expelling the Spanish entirely. Our only other enemy in Italy, the Pope, remains locked up in Pisa as I have been too busy fighting battles in the north to deal with him properly. A few years of starvation should do wonders for both his mood and the strength of the city's garrison.
While I have been battling it out in the north, we have not been standing still to the south. Even now, Isidoros and Aleksios are moving against Spanish-held North Africa. If the reports from our naval forces and scouts are accurate, we may have an opportunity to strike a crippling blow there.
The Spanish have been successful in retaking Al-Mahdiya but at a significant cost. Also, in their haste to reclaim that city, they have left Tunis virtually unguarded. Combined with the small garrison at Tripoli, there is significant opportunity here.
We shall make use of our sea power and strike like a bolt out of the blue. I give Isidoros instructions to assault Al-Mahdiya and take advantage of the losses suffered by the Spanish while retaking the city. At the same time, Aleksios will put the city of Tripoli under siege. If both are successful, we will have a solid foothold in Northern Africa and be poised to strike in the next year against Tunis. My greatest concern here is our lack of intelligence on the exact disposition of the Spanish in the area. The garrisons appear weak but can the field armies of the Spanish Empire be too far away?
While we have been making plans against the Spanish, our enemies have not been idle. In a move that defies explanation, the Rus have moved against Caffa and put the city under siege!
The Crown Prince himself is said to lead their army. Why they would attempt such a foolish move is simply beyond me. We surround them on all sides and, though we have demobilized masses of troops lately, we still possess ample forces to move against them. I realize they are allied with the French and hold a deep hatred of us, but surely they cannot believe they can win a long war against us? Their aggression can only be described as a slow suicide. Even if they take Caffa, they will not hold it long. I have given Vasileios full discretion on how to proceed in the defense of Caffa and taking the fight to the Rus. He assures me that he has additional forces moving to the city from our garrison forces at Tmutarakan and Azaq as well as forces from Constantinople itself. I just hope they can reach the city in time.
This move, of course, puts us officially at war with the Rus. Again.
Spoiler for Diplomacy 1537:
Closer to my own location, the French have sent yet another army streaming out of the Alps and into Northern Italy.
This time, they are not taking half measures. King Godefroy himself is in command of their Royal Army! This is my opportunity to teach the French a lesson that they will not soon forget. If I can kill their king, perhaps they will think better of sending more forces against us?
With these thoughts in mind, I decide to make straight for the French King to test our mettle against a true Latin ruler! It will be the Imperial Army of the Romans versus the Royal Army of France. Just as it should be.
The Battle of Kings - April, 1537 AD.
Spoiler for The Battle of Kings:
From Battle Report Filed by Emperor Skantarios to Imperial Archives - 1537 AD.
King Godefroy certainly brought his best troops with him. No mere army of militia were these.
The French are known for their cavalry and had some of their finest here. They had two companies of their Noble Knights, two of the Men-At-Arms, and one of the superb French Lancers. For ground troops, they had two companies of Noble Foot Knights, two of Halberd Men at Arms, one of Chivalric Foot Knights, and two companies of Voulgiers. For missile troops, they had one company of the famed Scots Guard, one of armored arbalests, and some veteran archers. They also appeared to have fleshed out their army with some other minor forces consisting of some depleted Swiss Pikemen, macemen, spear militia, and crossbows. A truly impressive force. With all the nobles in this army, I can scarcely believe there were any left in France itself.
The young French King, Godefroy, had taken it upon himself to face me.
He was a true noble of France and was born into the royal family. He had some skill in command and was known for both his intelligence and his ruthlessness. In truth, he reminded me a lot of myself at his age. In another time, we could have been friends and ready comrades. Now, he was my enemy and only one of us would leave this battlefield alive.
I led the Imperial Army. It was almost up to full strength but some of our companies had suffered casualties that I had not been able to replace.
We had four almost full-strength companies of Scholarii heavy cavalry, two of Stratiotae light cavalry, one of Archontopoulai heavy cavalry, and the elephants. To make good some of my earlier losses, I had taken on some mercenaries consisting of one company of German knights and one of the Italian Condottieri. For horse archers, I had seven companies of Cavalarii and two of Magyars. Unfortunately, the horse archers would be of limited use as the high quality of the French armor has proven resistant to our arrows.
Even with the Imperial Army almost at full strength, we would be seriously outnumbered.
The day of battle dawned clear and bright. I caught the French on the road just west of Milan and quickly took the high ground where I offered battle.
The French did not hesitate but immediately form ranks and begin marching in full force against me.
I decided to use the experience of my army against the relative lack of experience of the French. I split my forces into six different wings, three of horse archers and three of heavy cavalry. We formed a wide arc with the open end to the French. The extreme wings were made up of the Cavalarii; inside them were two groups of heavy cavalry; the center was composed of my bodyguard and two companies of Scholarii.
The Lancers were the first to move against me. These super-heavy mounted warriors were some of the finest cavalry I had ever seen. They were professional warriors and not some over-proud noble who had more money than martial skill. I believe it is no exaggeration that they are the finest troops in the French army. Their only weakness is their pride. This was demonstrated in them moving ahead of their army and making straight for the strength of my army, the elephants! They charged headlong up the hill right into the fire of our mercenaries where they were met by not only the great beasts but also two companies of my finest cavalry, the Scholarii.
This was a battle of Titans as the best warriors in each of our armies met in charge versus charge - strength versus strength. The impact alone rang out clear across the battlefield as the armor and lance smashed against each other!
For all the fierceness and skill of the Lancers, they had never met a foe to compare with our elephants much less the Scholarii. The fighting was brutal and, once the Lancers were deprived of their momentum, they began to fall to the tusks and hooves of the elephants and the heavy maces of the Scholarii.
The Lancers were virtually annihilated in only a few moment of fierce fighting.
My horse archers did what they could against the French. They had some success against the Noble Knights but must fire 40 or 50 arrows for each horse and rider they bring down.
Even so, our large numbers of Cavalarii were successful in reducing one company of Men-At-Arms and one of Noble Knights to about half strength.
The French were not used to fighting such a battle of space and dispersement. Godefroy tried to move against all the wings of my army simultaneously with the result being that the French were soon scattered across the battlefield.
My wings of cavalry looked for any opportunity to charge against either the flanks of the enemy cavalry or against their missile troops. The first such target to present itself was the Scots Guard as they attempt to fire on the horse archers. One company of Scholarii descended on them with a savage fury.
They tried to withdraw but were slow and more than half the men go down in an instant. The few that remain took shelter behind the halberds of the infantry and my horsemen wisely withdrew.
The armored arbalests suffered much the same fate when they, too, moved forward to fire. This time, it was a company of the light Stratiotae that charged into them.
They were a little more cautious and so were quite close to the halberds when the charge came. My light horse also withdrew but took serious casualties before being able to extricate themselves.
With all the charges and counter-charges going on, holes appeared in the French lines. From my elevated position, I could see a clear path through to Godefroy and I led my bodyguard through. My men smashed into their French counterpart and we quickly gained the upper hand. I yelled for my men to clear a path as I wanted to take on Godefroy myself!
He fought well and clearly had some skill, even for a pampered noble. We traded blow after blow in a well-matched duel. His youth and fire pitted against my skill and experience. I could detect my bodyguard's concern as the fight raged on but they obeyed orders and stayed back. After some time, I found the opening I was looking for and, after rearing back to gather my strength, I plunged the Sword of Constantine clear through his chest armor and out the other side.
Young King Godefroy died in that instant. I pushed back his helmet to reveal his face before removing my sword (nearly stuck in the strong plate armor). The look on his face was more surprise than pain. He could simply not believe that he could be bested by a man nearly twice his age. I guess there is something to be said for experience after all. Still, I pay Godefroy the best compliment I can; he did not fight like a Frenchman.
Spoiler for Death of Godefroy:
With the death of their King, all the fight went out of the French army. The militia were the first to break but they were soon followed by the rest of the army.
Our horsemen ran them down with abandon and we allowed only a precious few to escape.
The only company that refused to surrender was the Swiss Pikemen. These mercenaries stayed true to their famed reputation and would not quit. I decided to pay them a kind of compliment. I finished them off myself.
We take some serious casualties but they are minor in comparison to the scale of our victory.
I offer the prisoners up for ransom to see if the state of the French treasury has improved over the past year.
Spoiler for Ransom Demand:
It hadn't.
The fight with the French was more satisfying than any of my battles of the past few years. We faced down not only the French king but also some of his best troops and came out victorious. My personal combat with Godefroy was simply an added bonus. It makes me feel young again to know that I can still best a man half my age.
Still, I am troubled. If I can't secure the passes from the Alps against further incursions, then I will be fighting more and more battles in the plains of northern Italy. If this keeps up, either my army will be ruined or the country will - perhaps both. The French hold one of the passes while the Genoese hold the other. I am in no position to move against the French to the west this year but I can do something about the Genoese.
Whereas the Genoese broke their treaty with our Empire, I can sympathize with their plight. They were put in a terrible position when we and the French went to war; either stay loyal to their French overlords or betray them for us. They were caught between two great powers and did what their honor demanded. Even after breaking our treaty, they did what they could to stay neutral by not allowing the French to pass through their territory and made no offensive moves against us (unlike those honorless bastards, the Rus). Still, they hold a key piece of terrain that I simply must have in order to secure Italy. Therefore, they are in my way and must be dealt with. It is not an easy decision to go to war against them and certainly one I do not make lightly.
Fortunately, I left my scruples behind years ago.
The march into the Alps goes quickly and soon we are at the doors to Innsbruck.
Battle of Innsbruck - July, 1537 AD.
Spoiler for Battle of Innsbruck:
From Battle Report Filed by Emperor Skantarios to Imperial Archives - 1537 AD.
The Genoese seemed to have their entire army in and around Innsbruck - well over 3000 soldiers!
Their first army was commanded by the Republic's heir. They were a varied mix of soldiers of all different types that showed some serious attrition in their earlier battles against the French.
They had strong spear and pole armed contingents with pikes, halberds, and spears aplenty. They also had four companies of varied crossbows/arbalests and two of archers. Their only cavalry outside of the general's bodyguard was made up of a much reduced company of militia cavalry.
The commander of this army was Councillor Catelano.
We was known as a serious man who was both a capable administrator and general. He was a veteran of many years and would not succumb easily to ruses or tricks.
The second field army was another varied mix of soldiers.
They were composed of one company of pikes, one "Free Company", two of crossbows, and one of archers. For cavalry, they had one company of cavalry militia and one of merchant cavalry.
They were led by a young noble named Mosca Buvalelli.
He was a better administrator than a general and was marked to be the next heir once Catelano passed on. Given his age, he was relegated to the smaller command in comparison to those of the Doge and Councillor.
The garrison of Innsbruck was the true strength of their army.
They bristled with pikes, spears, and pole arms composed of two companies of the excellent Swiss Pikemen, one of the Landsknecht Pikemen, one of the superb Swiss Halberds, one of the "Free Companies", one of the Voulge militia, and two units of spearmen. For missile troops, they had four companies of crossbows of various types. Rounding out their army were three very reduced companies of swordsmen. Their principle weakness was a lack of cavalry as the only horsemen belonged to the Doge's bodyguard.
They were led by the young Doge Marco.
Marco was held in high esteem by his people and was known as a capable battlefield commander. Marco's father was the one who originally allied with us several years ago prior to his death at the hands of the French. The son, however, decided to ally with his father's killers rather than with us. It is at his feet that this conflict with Rome can be laid.
The Imperial Army was showing some wear from previous battles but was still almost at full strength.
We were composed entirely of cavalry. The previous battle with the French had caused losses which I made up by reorganizing the Scholarii into three full companies (from four originally) and taking on some German and Condottieri mercenaries. I had to send one of my companies of Stratiotae away for retraining but still had one full company for this battle. Also, I had two companies of Pronarii heavy cavalry as well as the reduced company of my fanatic Archontopoulais. Our horse archers were made up of seven companies of Cavalarii and two of Magyars. Of course, the elephants were still here, as well.
My greatest concern going into the battle was the mass of spears, pikes, halberds, and Voulges of the Genoese. Being an entirely cavalry army, they could cause great slaughter amongst my men if I was not careful. Of course, being massively outnumbered (again) was also weighing heavily on my mind. We would be at a numerical disadvantage of well more than 3-to-1. My men were good - the best really. Still, these were daunting odds for any army.
The day was clear and bright. This would give my horse archers the maximum advantage but would also allow the enemy to use their substantial missile troops against them. As was usual in my battles, I needed to clear away the enemy archers and crossbowmen lest they devastate my horse archers in a ranged battle. My light horse had always done an admirable job at this in the past but I had only one company for this battle. Therefore, I decided to let my mercenaries earn their high pay by sending them in a pell-mell charge into the ranks of the enemy missile troops.
The Genoese did an excellent job of retreating in the midst of this charge but still we caught many and crushed them with hoof and lance.
While my cavalry were busy engaging the archers of the first army, the Genoese reinforcements began pouring onto the battlefield. The first to move against us was the smaller force under Mosca.
Their disordered ranks showed the haste of their approach and the inexperience of their commander.
Doge Marco was only a little slower to deploy the garrison but was soon on the scene. They formed a veritable sea of humanity as they began to form ranks and advance to support Catelano.
Councillor Catelano made the mistake of trying to ride to the aid of his missile troops. Given his lack of cavalry, this is somewhat understandable but a mistake nonetheless. While he was outside the ranks of his spearmen, my Germans counter-charged against him followed closely by the elephants taking him in the flanks.
The fight was brief but brutal. The Genoese had never faced such beasts before and had no answer for their powerful charge. Catelano himself died when his mount spooked and threw him from the saddle. I am told he was crushed under a hoof of one of the elephants. His fine armor not saving him from such a terrible weight.
Spoiler for Death of Catelano:
My horse archers had by this time engaged the smaller Genoese army led by young Mosca. They had standing orders to concentrate on the officers of any army and did so on this occasion with dependable accuracy. Mosca and his entire bodyguard were annihilated by concentrated arrow fire.
Spoiler for Death of Mosca:
With the death of both Catelano and Mosca, the heart went out of their more inexperienced soldiers. I personally led the reserve cavalry against their missile troops and spearmen and was rewarded when they began to break.
We ran dozens of them down in their hasty withdrawal. Only a handful made it out alive.
I had wanted to fight Doge Marco myself but I was too busy riding down archers to notice him make a concentrated charge against my Pronarii. They fought him to a standstill but the battle was close until the elephants saw the struggle (and the bright pennants of the Doge's bodyguard) and came barreling down on him!
While his bodyguard was getting trampled, Marco fought on with fanatic resolve. He personally slew three of my noble Pronarii before succumbing to our greater numbers.
He fought like a true noble but his cause was lost.
Spoiler for Death of Doge Marco:
With all the Genoese aristocracy dead, the Genoese Republic was essentially over. Of course, you could not tell that by the 2500+ soldiers still arrayed against us!
With no leadership, their armies lost all cohesion. Many of the enemy, especially the militia and newer troops lost their nerve. We helped this process along considerably by riding into their disordered ranks whenever possible and putting separate elements to flight. The missile troops were still our highest priority but they also possessed the lowest morale and training. We slew them with abandon.
Soon, it was difficult to find any enemy ranged soldier who was not fleeing for his life. Riding these men down was tricky given the still numerous spears and pikes on the battlefield. More than once, my men pursued too closely and found themselves face to face with the sharp end of a spear.
One benefit of the slaughter of the Genoese missile troops was that our horse archers had free reign to find a good firing point and fire volley after volley into the massed ranks of the enemy spears and pikes.
The Magyars, as always, were extremely adept at this type of fight. I was only sorry that I had so few of them.
My missile troops could only kill so many and I was forced to use my heavy cavalry to dispatch the armored pikemen. Their rigid ranks and slow movement helped in this process as my nimble cavalry were able to find the flanks and rear of these men and charge with maximum effectiveness.
Even charging against the rear of these soldiers still cost us a few horsemen every time we engaged.
When the enemy pikes turned to engage those charging against their rear, they exposed themselves to another charge from a separate company. We were able to crush these men between our horse with satisfying regularity.
The Swiss pikemen provided a stiff challenge but even they could not resist us forever.
The mercenary Swiss halberds were a much trickier proposition. However, this is not the first time that we have faced specialists at killing horsemen. It was just a matter of maneuver and coordination. One company of heavy horse would hit them from the rear; closely followed by another hitting them from the front.
It was a dangerous game but one that we had refined through years of practice. The timing was difficult but we were able to kill them while only suffering light casualties.
When the last Genoese company was destroyed, our men gathered together for a well-deserved celebration.
Amid our fluttering pennants, the cheer of "Roma Victor!" could be heard ringing out across the hills again and again.
It was a wonderful victory by any estimation. We suffered almost 20% casualties but the enemy was virtually annihilated.
My men fought like the heroes I have always known them to be. The tallies from their exertions were impressive.
Spoiler for Body Count:
The question of what to do with all the prisoners was another heavy one. I could not allow them to take up position in the garrison and continue the resistance against us. So, in another act that showed what war forces me to do, I ordered their execution.
The battle against Genoa was a great military victory but not one of my proudest moments personally. I destroyed a nation who did its best to stay neutral in troubled times. Still, these are the times we live in. In a world at war, there can be no neutrals - even one locked away in the Alps.
With the death of their rulers and the destruction of their army, the Republic of Genoa is destroyed.
Spoiler for Destruction of Genoa:
If only they had stayed loyal to us. If only...
The population of Innsbruck was not so amenable to coming over to our side, however. They have locked the gates and some former mercenaries have taken up the cause of Swiss independence and formed several companies of pikemen and militia to man the walls. Despite all my calls for them to come over peaceably, they have refused. I have therefore been forced to throw up siege lines around the fortress.
Fortunately, Kalamodios has now joined me in Italy and I use his troops to form the blockade while the Imperial Army nurses its wounds and takes a very well-deserved rest. The conditions of the winter camp in the Alps are not the best but we receive regular resupply from Venice and Bologna and make the best of the situation.
During the regular supply runs, I am able to receive regular reports from the other sectors of the Empire. The first of which comes from a consolidated packet detailing our assault on North Africa.
Consolidated Battle Reports of the North African Campaign for 1537 AD.
Spoiler for Consolidated Reports of the North African Assault:
From Battle Reports Compiled by Isidoros Petraliphas to Emperor Skantarios - 1537 AD.
Sire, per your orders, I have sailed from Sicily and made landfall outside of Al-Mahdiya.
Over the winter, we received some reinforcements from Greece and added them to our own army. The cannon were a most welcome addition and I utilized them to make an immediate assault on the city as soon as our troops were in position.
Battle of Al-Mahdiya - May, 1537 AD.
Spoiler for Battle of Al-Mahdiya:
From Battle Report Filed by Isidoros Petraliphas to Emperor Skantarios - 1537 AD.
The Spanish garrison had clearly suffered some losses in retaking the city over the winter. Many of their companies had been seriously reduced but they were still a formidable fighting force.
The bulk of their army consisted of heavy infantry. They had three companies of Sword and Buckler Men, two of Feudal Foot Knights, one of Halberd Men-at-Arms, and one of spear militia. For cavalry, they had two companies of mounted Feudal Knights.
My army consisted mostly of missile troops.
We had five companies of Roman Archers (Mourtati), one of arquebusiers, two of Scutarii spearmen, and one of Scutarii swordsmen. Also, Lord Vasileios had sent along one company of the Varangian Guard to be blooded (and relieve the boredom of garrison duty). For horsemen, we had one company of Archontopoulai heavy horse, one of Cavalarii, and one of the anachronistic Numidian cavalry. For artillery, we had but one unit of normal bombards and one of Mangonels.
The march from the beach went quickly and without incident. When the city was in sight, we formed ranks and marched the cannons into range.
The cannons opened fire and concentrated on just one section of the walls. In short order, they had formed a solid breach large enough for our men to assault through.
The delay caused by the cannon opening the breach allowed the Spanish to form up ranks behind the walls and prepare for our attack.
They did not commit their full strength at this point but kept a significant reserve back in the city. You can't say that they weren't smart.
I was able to move the Mangonel into position so that the defenders were in range. It was a difficult shot but we were able to score a couple of solid hits on the enemy and soften up those charged with defending the walls.
When I deemed that we could do no more damage with the artillery, I gave the order for the Scutarii to charge through the breach.
We became clogged in the walls as the Spanish fought hard to stem our advance. The fighting was very difficult as the enemy had the better position and their infantry fought expertly. They also sent in their reserves from the city square to bolster the defense whenever we made significant headway. We lost several score of our men before we were able to make an impression against their stout infantry.
I decided to lend the weight of my own bodyguard to break the impasse and charged straight into the scrum.
I was able to bull my way through and break through the Spanish ranks. When I had made my way clear, I turned about and pinned the Spanish infantry between my bodyguard and the Scutarii.
Even so, I could not now turn the other flank and we were still at an impasse. I was finally forced to commit the Varangian guard to the battle and we then gained the upper hand. After some more minutes of vicious fighting, we were able to clear a path through to the square but only after serious losses.
The Spanish knights now made their way into the fight. Our spearmen were exhausted but still would not bend under their charge. Soon, the Spanish Knights lost all their momentum and were now forced to fight it out in a contest of spear versus sword. My Numidians charged into the fight and lofted their javelines over the heads of our infantry and into the packed ranks of mounted knights. The slaughter on both sides was terrible but the enemy commander finally fell to a well placed thrust from one of our common spearmen.
With the death of their captain and our men on the attack, the remainder of the garrison surrendered on the spot. It was a great victory but one in which we lost almost 40% of our army.
The losses were especially severe amongst our heavy infantry. They lost nearly 3/4 of their number.
The population of Al-Mahidiya were still reeling after the Spanish sack this winter. There was no resistance to our occupation - the third time the city had changed hands in two years.
Given my success against the Spanish at Al-Mahdiya, I decided to exercise my discretion and make another assault against the Spanish citadel at Tunis. If the Spanish were able to reinforce the stronghold, we would have a much more difficult time taking it later. The time to strike was now.
Battle of Tunis - June, 1537 AD.
Spoiler for Battle of Tunis:
From Battle Report Filed by Isidoros Petraliphas to Emperor Skantarios - 1537 AD.
The Spanish garrison was very small.
The total troops guarding the citadel amounted to only one company of sword militia and one of Feudal Knights.
I made use of the troops we had previously designated for garrison duty at Al-Mahdiya as an assaulting force.
We had but one company of heavy infantry and those were one of the "Free Companies" brought down from the Italian campaign. The rest of the infantry were missile troops including one company of mercenary pavise crossbowmen, one of arquebusiers, one of Roman archers (Mourtati), and the famous Black Company of gunners. My cavalry came with me from Al-Mahdiya and consisted of but one company of the Archontopoulai and the Numidians.
We attacked at night in order to gain the element of surprise. The garrison must have been asleep as we were able to roll our cannons right up to the outer gates and begin blasting away without meeting any opposition.
The Spanish infantry attempted to rush to the defense of the gates but they were late. By the time they realized that we were already inside the fortress, they could not withdraw to the inner fortifications in time. The heavy horse of my bodyguard met them in the streets and plowed through their ranks like a sharp knife through soft mutton.
The Archontopoulai joined us and soon we had killed or captured the entire company.
The mounted Spanish Knights did nothing to aid their less noble brothers. They simply waited inside the inner fortifications and dared us to assault. A challenge I was happy to accept.
My cannons had soon blown down the gates but still those mounted warriors would not come out to engage. Therefore, I sent the cannons away while my missile troops climbed the walls. Once our missile troops were in place, they all opened fire on the horsemen!
Arrow, bolt, and shot rained down on the knights from every direction. These nobles eschewed fighting on foot and would not dismount and meet an "ignoble" end. Since they would not dismount, they were helpless to answer our barrage.
The enemy captain died in the square after being riddled with bullets from all sides.
It was a satisfying victory. We have taken the great citadel of Tunis and suffered only slight casualties.
Lord Aleksios has made landfall at Tripoli. He had no artillery with him and so was forced to set up siege lines and prepare for a conventional assault. However, shortly after his engineers begun construction on their siege equipment, he was attacked by the garrison who were supported by a large Spanish field army that had made a quick march to the city's aid.
Battle of Tripoli - July, 1537 AD.
Spoiler for Battle of Tripoli:
From Battle Report Filed by Aleksios Chortasmenos to Emperor Skantarios and compiled by Isidoros Petraliphas - 1537 AD.
At first, I thought it was madness for the tiny garrison of Tripoli to sally out to engage us. We heavily outnumbered them and I looked forward to an easy fight.
The garrison consisted only of a few armored arbalests and one company of dismounted knights.
They were led by an old general named Juan Montero.
He was known as one of the trusted confidants of the Spanish king. He was also known more for his administrative abilities than his military ones.
I had just given the order for my men to encircle the garrison when another, much larger army appeared on the horizon! This was a full Spanish field army. They were well balanced and packed with heavy infantry, missile troops, and cavalry.
Their heavy infantry consisted of five companies of Sword and Buckler Men and one company each of dismounted knights, dismounted Men-at-Arms, and halberds. For missile troops, they had two companies of crossbows and one of archers. They had a powerful cavalry arm with one company each of mounted Men-at-Arms, Feudal Knights, Noble Knights, and Jinetes.
This army was led by a younger son of the Spanish King by the name of Diego of Aragon.
He had made a bit of a reputation fighting the Moors but was still better known for his inclination towards administrative functions as opposed to open field combat.
My army had prepared for an easy siege and not for an open battle. Still, we were fairly well balanced.
For heavy infantry, we had three companies of Scutarii spearmen, two of Scutarii swordsmen, and one of Castrophilakae. We also had one company of heavy spearmen and one of Kurdish javelinmen. Cavalry was our weakest arm with only two reduced companies of mercenary Alans, two of Turkish horse archers, two of locally recruited Desert Cavalry, and one of mounted Acritae. Rounding out our numbers were one company of Roman archers (Mourtati) and one of the Siphonatores.
The enemy garrison sallied out in a driving rainstorm. This made perfect sense as it would negate the abilities of both our Turkish horse archers and our Roman foot archers.
The garrison came at us in a full run with no regard for tactics or orderly ranks.
My horse archers were, as expected, useless in the pouring rain. The mounted Acritae did their best and flung javelin after javelin at the bodyguard of Juan Montero but with only limited success.
Juan made an ill-advised charge into the ranks of our infantry and our light horse pinned him and his bodyguard against our heavy infantry.
The old general fought well but we were able to bring him down.
Spoiler for Death of Juan:
I knew we could not stand up to the relieving force in the open field, especially in these conditions. We needed to gain access to the city as quickly as possible in order to use the fortifications against them. Therefore, we charged headlong into the garrison but they held their ground for some minutes. We were finally able to rout them but not before the cavalry of the relieving Spanish army came crashing into our infantry as we tried to make our way through the gates.
The slaughter amongst our infantry was terrible as we could not set our ranks nor fight back effectively. We were able to bring down their armored horse but only after a great deal of fighting and loss.
Young Diego was following hot on the heels of his noble cavalry and I was able to meet him in combat with my own bodyguards. Again, the Spanish gave ground only grudgingly and at great cost in lives. We did, finally, manage to bring down Diego himself.
Spoiler for Death of Diego:
We were finally able to get inside the walls but only at a great cost. We had lost almost half of our men before we could set up a defense at the enemy's gates. This proved a mixed blessing as only half the enemy made for the main gate. The other half went through a side gate and were soon flanking my defenders.
My reduced infantry held their own and were able to maintain their position but our losses kept mounting.
We did have some success against the enemy missile troops when our Desert Cavalry met them before they could get to the gates.
Even so, the enemy were armored and our light cavalry were not. We suffered even more losses disposing of the Spanish missile troops.
One company of Spanish infantry managed to scale the walls and were threatening to flank our gate defenses.
I sent my remaining Siphonatores onto the walls and they were able to bring their Greek Fire to bear.
Needless to say, that particular fight was over quickly.
Even with the heroics our men had managed up to that point, the waves of Spanish infantry kept coming. My own heavy infantry had lost most of their number to the heavy Spanish horse outside the walls and had a great deal of difficulty stemming the onslaught. We took horrible casualties until our men could simply fight no longer.
What few of them remained broke and ran.
The remaining Spanish infantry now crowded the square and stubbornly held it. My horse archers tried to engage them but their arrows were virtually worthless.
Whenever a Spanish company would leave the square, we were able to flank them and put them to flight but suffered even more casualties in the process.
By this time, I had not a single company up to fighting strength. In fact, I had lost virtually all of my heavy infantry. A stalemate ensued where the Spanish would not leave lest they be flanked and we possessed not the strength to fight it out in the square.
Eventually, I brought the remaining Spanish captains to parlay. They agreed to leave the city to us and we agreed to let them leave with their arms unmolested. If the Spanish knew how few of us remained, they would probably never have made the bargain.
It was not the most heroic victory in the history of our people but we are now in possession of Tripoli. Unfortunately, my army is mostly lying dead in and around the city and I barely have enough men to hold my position. I certainly do not have enough to reinforce Isidoros to the west nor take any further offensive action on my own.
I have put out a call for reinforcements from Benghazi but it will take some time. I am in a very precarious position here and should the Spanish attack again, I may be forced to vacate the city.
- Aleksios.
I know I have exceeded your directives by extending the campaign to Tunis but I hope you can see that the results were worth it! In all, we have won three great victories in only one summer and taken back the old Africa province for the Empire!
The Spanish are very strong in this area but our victories should hold them at bay for a little longer. I would request more men to hold these regions in the face of the inevitable counter-attack. For myself, I have already given orders to set sail to finish off the Normans on Sardinia and fulfill the original goals of my army. I hope you will approve of this action as I desire to maintain our momentum and keep our foes guessing as to our next strike.
- Isidoros.
After reading the reports from Isidoros I am of definitely mixed emotions. His and Aleksios's victories against the Spanish have been great and their seizure of so much territory is stunning. However, I am greatly concerned that his daring has overextended our forces in Africa terribly and left the garrisons at the mercy of the still-very strong Spanish army. Added to that, he so quickly abandoned his men to invade Sardinia while leaving them hopelessly exposed. He is a commander that I do not know if I can deal with. A daring commander is one I like. One who takes reckless risks and then abandons his position is not.
If our garrison at Tunis is wiped out, it will be on his head. At least they are mostly mercenaries and so the loss to the Empire will be slight. I shall have to take steps to rein him in lest he lead our forces to ruin.
Still, there is no denying success. For the first time in almost 500 years, we have reclaimed Africa Province. Holding it, however, will be much more difficult. I give orders for reinforcements to be sent from whatever we can spare from Italy and Sicily and redirect even more that had been slated for Greece to be sent there. That will all take time and I don't think we have it.
I have just completed sending these orders when I receive the first report of battle in Asia. Things have been somewhat quiet there as Genessios needed time to consolidate his hold in Ray and Ioannis was regrouping his army at Isfahan following his defeat two seasons ago. It is from Ioannis that the report of battle comes.
Third Battle of Isfahan - August, 1537 AD.
Spoiler for Third Battle of Isfahan:
From Battle Report Filed by Ioannis Asprinos to Emperor Skantarios - 1537 AD.
It has taken some time to regroup the Fourth Army following our setback against the Persians. After the reinforcements I received this past winter, I am happy to report that I now have sufficient strength to go back on the offensive and continue my drive east.
The Persians had other plans, however. Over the winter they placed an army just east of the city. They must have called off the attack when their own scouts reported the size of my replenished garrison. However, they did not move away, either.
When my own scouts came back with word about the composition of this Persian Army, I was overjoyed. These are the same bastards that had defeated me previously!
They had suffered only a few losses in our previous battle but it seems they had not been reinforced. For infantry, they had three companies of halberds, three of professional "Saracen" spears, two of gunners, and one very reduced company of heavy archers. Of special note, they also had one company of the devilish Hashashin mercenaries. Their mounted contingent consisted of three companies of Ghulam cavalry and one of Turkish horse archers. None of those men really concerned me. What I was most focused on were their demon elephants.
I had not been at all prepared to deal with the elephants before but, this time, I came prepared.
I had made special requests to our garrisons in the west and they responded. My army now boasts four companies of archers composed of two Turkish, one Armenian, and one Roman, respectively. Also, I had just received three companies of Kurdish javelinmen as my anti-elephant specialists. My infantry losses had been made good by the addition of four companies of Scutarii spearmen, two of Castrophilakae, and one of heavy spearmen. My horse archers had been mostly untouched in the last battle and I still had three companies of Turkish horsemen and one of the Cavalarii. I had also just recruited one more company of mercenary Armenian cavalry as my previous unit had, unfortunately, all been trampled to death by the elephants.
My only concern going into the battle was the presence of the Persian general, Sami Bozbeyli. His absence was strange given the fact that I was sure this was his army and I had received no reports of his death either in our previous battle or otherwise. Perhaps he was recalled by a jealous ruler? That would be in perfect keeping with the stupidity of the Persians - removing the one general that had beaten the Roman army. Regardless, his absence would be sorely felt by his army.
The day of the battle brought unfortunate weather. The skies were cloudy and dark and an unseasonable rain storm blew in almost as soon as we finished dressing our ranks. This would severely reduce the effectiveness of my missile troops but we could not withdraw again as that would be seen as another defeat. The morale of the men could not take it. There was nothing to be done about it, we had to press on.
The Persians sent their one company of horse archers charging up to our lines while my own Turks circled around and brought the Ghulams under fire. My foot archers made short work of the Persians horsemen before they could get off more than a couple of volleys.
The Persians knew how quickly we had buckled under the charge of their elephants before and wanted to repeat that tactic. They sent their unholy beasts charging up to our lines in a thunderous stampede firing their guns as they came.
This time, though, we were ready. As soon as they were in range, all four companies of foot archers opened up on them with pitch-soaked arrows. More than four hundred arrows flew as a solid wave of burning death into the elephants.
The fire arrows did not work right away but they did cause the elephants to stop the charge in their tracks. This hesitation allowed time for our javelinmen to run forward and fling their spears at the beasts while the archers kept up the pressure.
The arrows and javelins had the intended effect; the elephants spooked and went straight away charging right back into the Persian ranks.
It was comical to watch the great body of Persian infantry run away from the elephants as fast as their feet would carry them when it became clear the beasts were no longer under control.
Too bad for them that their panicked run brought them squarely into the waiting spears of my heavy infantry. The combination of our disciplined ranks to their front and rampaging elephants to their rear was too much for them and they began retreating after only offering token resistance.
The enemy captain attempted to join his men in this disordered rout but his fine armor stood out amongst his men and he was ridden down by my Turkish horse archers.
With the enemy infantry in full flight, my Kurds could now go elephant hunting. They cornered the beasts and flung volley after volley of javelins at their exposed backsides.
We had to take them down one at a time but we were thorough. Before the end of the day, not a single elephant remained alive.
We suffered some casualties in the infantry battle and when one of the companies of Ghulams caught my Turkish foot archers out of ranks but we still had a total victory.
I have ordered a celebration to our victory and the restoration of our honor. The featured meal at tonight's feast will be roasted elephant steaks!
We will soon be ready to continue the fight east. Nothing can now stop us.
- Ioannis.
I am glad to see that Ioannis has expunged the black mark on his record and removed the most capable army the Persians have shown in recent years. In truth, I had little doubt he would. Ioannis may not be as reckless as Isidoros but he is every bit as confident and cocky. That, I suppose, is the way of this younger generation of officers. They don't have the healthy fear that those of us who grew up under the shadow of the Turks do. I am not sure that that is such a good thing...
The next report from Asia comes quickly. This one comes from a source I had not heard from in quite some time. After years of preparation, my able commander (and son-in-law) Vitos is now back in action! Following the conclusion of the war with Novgorod, I gave Vitos permission to launch a new campaign against the last intact Muslim power in our area - the Mongols. He has gathered a force at Tbilisi and Baku and made his way across the Caspian. His forces have now landed outside the port city of Gorgan and he has gone straight to battle!
Battle of Gorgan - August, 1537 AD.
Spoiler for Battle of Gorgan:
From Battle Report Filed by Vitos Vasilidis to Emperor Skantarios - 1537 AD.
Sire, I have completed my preparations for the assault on the Mongols. As the opening stage in the campaign, I landed at Gorgan in order to establish a foothold on the eastern bank of the Caspian and set the stage for future subjugation of our old enemy. When I landed on the shores, my scouts reported a small force outside the city and drawn up against the foothills of the Kopet Mountains.
This force consisted of little more than two companies of Mongol infantry and one unit of ballistae.
The garrison of the city was composed of just the Mongol general and his bodyguard.
The Mongol general went by the name Mamdu.
He had been appointed governor of the city and was known more for his loyalty than his skill in battle or in administration.
I had a large army at my command but I wanted to bring out the Mongol general from the city to avoid a siege of that place. I needed to bring few enough to make sure the Mongols would fight but not so many as to cause them to withdraw. The Mongols are fierce but not stupid.
Therefore, I only proceeded with a few companies of cavalry and left the rest of the men at the beach.
In my expeditionary force, I brought with me just three companies of Cavalarii, one of Turkish archers, one of Alan mercenaries, and one of Tartar lancers.
The Mongol infantry were drawn up with the mountains to their backs. This was an excellent position given the composition of their forces. It would allow them to fire at an elevated position and deny us the ability to flank them. Of course, it would also cut off any possibility of escape, as well.
Since the Mongol position denied me the use of any subtle tactic, I ordered a full out charge by my light cavalry and my bodyguard. The fleet Alans were the first to arrive and they charged headlong against the ballistae.
Unfortunately, they did not go so far as to disorder the Mongol archers and soon suffered almost 50% casualties when they were exposed to a full volley by over 200 archers.
The Alans did not have to suffer for long as the rest of the cavalry soon caught up and we charged at full speed into the lightly armored archers.
The young Mongol general was not long for this world as my three companies of Cavalarii horse archers rode against him and his bodyguard. Their accurate fire killed his bodyguard with practiced ease.
There was something ironic that, in our first battle of the renewed war with the Mongols, their commander was killed by horse archers.
My Alans and Tartars suffered significant casualties killing the Mongol infantry. Still, we took five of them for every one we lost.
With the governor of the city dead and no other Mongol soldiers in the area, the city was open to us. Since this is the first time Gorgan has ever been occupied by Romans, I had to hang a few dozen of the rabble in order to show them that we mean to stay. Any thoughts of disorder quickly left their minds.
With the capture of Gorgan, I now have a solid foothold on this side of the Caspian. The Mongols are quite powerful in this area and I expect them to move against us soon. My intention is to hold the bridgehead at the Sumbar River and prevent any Mongol reinforcements from moving south until we have consolidated our position here. With luck, I shall soon link up with Genessios as he completes his drive east on the other side of the mountains.
It's good to be back in battle against our old foes.
- Vitos.
Vitos is as able as always. He has won the opening skirmish against the Mongols but the real war has yet to begin. I hope this puts the Khan on notice that we have not forgotten our old war and that it is now us, not him, taking the fight to the heartlands. That is, if you can call an inhospitable wasteland of a desert a heartland.
Vitos must be careful. The Mongol reputation for battle and cunning was not given lightly. They will soon recover from this minor setback and come against him in force. However, if anyone can bring down the Mongols, it is Vitos. Too bad that I will most likely not see the Great Khan humbled. That war has a long ways to go.
I simply pray that my two "sons" will soon be together again and joined in victory. My only regret that I cannot be with them.
Now that Vitos is battling the Mongols, he is not available to bring the fight to the Rus. Those oath-breakers have completed their preparations and have assaulted Caffa. Vasileios was not idle, however, and managed to get a sizeable force secreted behind the city.
They will support the garrison when the Rus attack. They don't have long to wait, for in the early winter the assault is launched!
Defense of Caffa - October, 1537 AD.
Spoiler for Defense of Caffa:
From Battle Report Filed by Captain Aleksios to Emperor Skantarios - 1537 AD.
The Rus have laid siege to the city for the better part of a year. We watched as they completed the work on their siege tower, ram, and ladders. During that time, we had an excellent opportunity to observe their forces.
The Rus brought a large number of infantry but only a few cavalry. Their infantry were composed of three companies of "Bardiche" militia, one of halberd militia, three companies of various spearmen, some axemen, and one company of dismounted "Boyars." For archers, they had two companies of crossbows and one of archers. Their only cavalry outside of the general's bodyguard were a half-company of mounted militia. Most troubling, they also had one unit of cannons.
The heir to the Rus throne led the army, Crown Prince Tikhomir.
He was a young man full of fire and hatred for us - misplaced though it was. He had only limited experience as a commander and it would show in the battle.
We had raised several more companies of militia when the first reports of the Rus advancing but were still very limited in capabilities.
We had but three companies of spear militia, two of archer militia, and one of Latin handgunners. Our only professional soldiers came from my own company of Castrophilakae and one of the Siphonatores. We had one unit of Mangonels but only enough soldiers to man one of the machines.
Fortunately, the Rus had not detected the reinforcements rushed to the area at the direction of Lord Vasileios.
He had sent two companies of Castrophilakae, two of Varangian spearmen, one of heavy spearmen, and one Cavalarii.
As soon as the Rus formed up for the assault, our reinforcements left their hiding spot and rushed to the gates of the city. The Rus cannon opened up their barrage but their aim was terrible.
They pounded away at the city walls but missed much more often than they hit.
During the assault, the Cavalarii rode ahead of the men and brought Tikhomir and his bodyguards under fire.
The rain greatly reduced our effectiveness but it did succeed in making the Crown Prince rush after our men and away from his infantry.
Tikhomir kept moving against the Cavalarii until he came upon the Varangian spearmen making their way to the city. Whether it was his own impatience to come to battle or his distaste at seeing his countrymen fighting for us, he led his men in a powerful charge against one of the companies.
His bodyguard was superbly armored and fought very well. We lost over two dozen of our spearmen in his first rush but our ranks held. The second company of Varangians then swept around to the bodyguard's flank and started jabbing away at the horsemen.
Though we lost many, our Varangians were able to bring down Tikhomir.
He died in the churned ground outside the walls immersed in the water, mud, and piss of the battlefield.
Spoiler for Death of Tikhomir:
Though their general was dead, the Rus continued on with their assault. As I said before, the enemy cannon's aim was terrible. They fired volley after volley but could not fully breach the walls; much to our relief.
When the cannons ran out of ammunition, we formed up a defensive perimeter around the gates and awaited the inevitable assault.
The attack was quick in coming as the enemy charged forward with their ladders and sent their spearmen scrambling over.
There, they were met by our heavy infantry in a sharp fight on the walls.
Their ram succeeded in breaching the gates and the disordered ranks of the Rus poured through.
Our men were ready for them and we had the advantage from the start. Although the Siphonatores were ready, we had no need to call on them. We fought them in the traditional way and routed them all.
The dismounted Boyars proved to be the hardest fight of the day. Even after all of their countrymen had fled, these young nobles fought on. Our heavy infantry met them on one flank while our archer militia shot flaming arrows at them from behind.
Soon, this onslaught proved too much for the Boyars and they joined their kinsmen in running from the city.
The reinforcements proved decisive. We have held the city and destroyed the army sent against us!
- Captain Aleksios.
Though the Rus were turned back at Caffa, my scouts and spies report that they aren't done yet. There are two additional armies east of Kiev that appear as though they may move against the city.
Benedek may be retired but he is still in command there. Vasileios reports that he is sending additional forces from Iasi and Brasov to reinforce him and we should have a substantial army assembled shortly. Should the Rus be so foolish as to fight my "old warhorse", they will be very unpleasantly surprised.
This has been a momentous year for Roman arms. We have seized most of northern Africa in a daring (reckless?) campaign and turned back our foes at every turn. Additionally, we have killed two of the rulers (and one heir) of our enemies and destroyed Genoa.
Spoiler for Death of Kings:
Still, our nation is at war on all fronts. I had hoped to leave this world with an Empire at peace and in prosperity. Instead, it appears that I will leave it with fires burning at every corner.
Perhaps there is yet time to turn this around? I am not sure how but God has always shown me a way in the past. May he yet grace me with His wisdom one more time.
- I am Skantarios.
Spoiler for Personal Diary Entry of Emperor Skantarios:
Personal Diary Entry of Skantarios Laskaris, December 10, 1537 AD - Recovered from Imperial Papers - Confidential - Not for Publication.
What has become of our armies? Everywhere I look in my reports of battle, I see masses of foreigners in our ranks. Turkish horse archers, Kurdish javelinmen, Swiss pikemen, Varangian spearmen, Muslim archers, Armenian cavalry, etc., etc. There is barely a true Roman or Greek among them. I realize that we are fighting far away but how loyal will these men be should the tide of conquest turn against us even for an instant?
This is one unintended consequence of our many victories and our rapid territorial expansion, we do not have enough men in our heartlands to support our armies. The old Roman Empire made that mistake with their "Foederati" auxiliaries and they paid for it dearly. Hordes of barbarians, trained by Rome, beating down the very gates of the capitol.
Are we even now making the same mistake by bringing in so many mercenaries and ethnic Turks into our ranks? If we continue to outsource our military, do we beget a cancer that will one day eat us away entirely? Do we train men today who will be our enemies tomorrow?
We can't do anything about it now with war raging on every front. We need every one of these men to fight our many wars. One day, we will have peace and I must make it a point in my lifetime or put a warning in my will to take great care and ensure our people remember their duty to the army and the Empire. Will my heirs take heed or will they fall into the trap of cheap and easy recruitment at the expense of loyalty and duty?
If one day the common man thinks that military service is beneath him, then our strength will be broken. If that happens, our Empire is truly lost.
The world as we know it - 1537 AD.
The world as it really is - 1537 AD.
Last edited by Skantarios; June 07, 2011 at 01:40 PM.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/3
Just like to say what an awesome read. Over the period of 5 nights, I'ev settled down when bored, and just read through here, 1st post to 622nd. I looked in occasionally at first, and it wasn't bad, but I couldn't get into it, so soon stopped - not to mention the ERE hadn't really interested me in Stainless Steel, despite the CBUR (I much prefered the interpretation of the Broken Crescent, although that's a different Theatre).
However, five days and 32 epic pages later, I can pretty much guarantee that this will be the best AAR I will read this year. So, +Rep for that, and I look forward to the next update!
[ Cry Havoc:: ] - [ link ] - [ An Expanded World Submod for Call of Warhammer ] My turban brings all the muslims to the yard and they're like العنصرية ش
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/3
9000 words!!! Wow Skantarios, your really putting a lot of effort into this. I say just for the effort you put into this whole AAR deserve all the votes in the competition. Although I agree there are very good AAR out there"although I dont want to mention them by names" Those AAR's in question havent been updated in a while. While yours is constantly updated which keeps your readers interested and hooked. Good job
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/5
The new update is now posted. This takes us through the very eventful year of 1537 AD. If you haven't read that post (#621), please stop reading this and scroll back up there to do so now as I will be discussing it here.
Originally Posted by Noble Lancer
Let me guess the next faction to be destroyed I think it would be Sicily. The faction leaders of Sicily and France will get killed
You were right about the King of France but it was Genoa, not Sicily. So, half credit.
Originally Posted by Karnage
As for an AAR, I still dont know if I can manage screenshots though..Until I master the art of screenshots with my limited computer knowledge, I doubt you will see any. Mind you, I like log entry type AAR, perhaps I should try that and see how it goes.
Give it a shot. You should write this for yourself and not for others. So, whatever you choose to do will be the right decision.
Originally Posted by PringlesMan101
Aww only 4 more? Maybe you should start considering a sequel, if you want to of course.
Well, I have talked about doing one called "The Legacy of Skantarios." If I do, I envision that as being a wrap up of the Muslim campaigns and possibly some action against France and/or Spain. Basically, just tying things up from this one that the lifespan of Skantarios did not allow. If not that, then I am not sure what. It would have to be something completely different as I think I've had about all the fun to have out of this one. Either way, there will definitely be an extended break before I try something new. Although this has been fun and rewarding, I need a break.
Originally Posted by Exarch
lol, good luk trying to vassalage the pope. i've been trying in my campaign, but let us know when or if it does happen
We'll see what happens. It is either that or the new Pope must die. Good stuff either way.
Originally Posted by Minastir II
You know at the start of the AAR, where you only held Constantinople and, was it Corinth? Anyway, how did the Turks end up taking all your territories because you are elite at this game. Did you let them or was it by coincidence?
It was Constantinople and Mystras (the Pelopennese). Praefectus praetorio is absolutely correct. I am playing the 1450 Campaign by JaM that is part of the SS 6.2 mod. Those were the starting positions.
Originally Posted by Karnage
3 Questions for you, maybe I'm ahead of myself but considering how many updates are left, I have to ask them.
Originally Posted by Karnage
1: Will you be continuing Skantarios Legacy in another AAR?
2: Since Skantarios was not lucky enough to have a son, who will you lead into this new legacy?
3: How far off will you be starting it after Skantarios, will it be right after his death? A generation away?
Answers: 1) Maybe. 2) Don't know but would probably go straight into it with the faction heir. 3)Probably right after. Going further into the future would either involve me figuring out how to mod (not going to happen - too much work) or using cheats or some other such device to put me where I need it to be for the story. Really, I just don't know. I'm going to take some time away, rest, catch up on all the stuff I haven't been doing so I could do this, and then decide. I like doing the AAR but it is a huge amount of work.
Originally Posted by Pannonius
...that screenshot of a monster ribault shot leaving a trail of blood through the french ranks was amazing.+rep
Glad to have you following again. I liked that shot myself. One of my favorites but I wished I had zoomed in a little more.
Originally Posted by Supreme Turkey Lord
Oh wow, 9000 words. Looking forward to it.
I haven't kept track of these things really but this may have been the longest update. Wound up breaking 10K. Thank you Word for counting them.
Originally Posted by Vaz
However, five days and 32 epic pages later, I can pretty much guarantee that this will be the best AAR I will read this year. So, +Rep for that, and I look forward to the next update!
Glad the AAR finally brought you around! Thanks for the compliment, as well. I am sometimes concerned that the sheer length of this will drive some away. I hope it was an easy read getting caught up.
Special thank you to all who voted in the MAARC. I am happy see that there are a lot more voters this time around. It seems to go in cycles but I haven't been doing this long enough to really say there is a trend. I hope that it will draw interest for all the AARs.
The year of 1537 was a big one for the Empire. They've taken much of what was the Africa Province in a "Belisarius-esque" lightning campaign but at a high cost. The forces there are really stretched and the Spanish are present in force. It will be a challenge to keep it. Also, the war with Kiev (the Rus) is now back on and it will be a scramble to keep things stable. Skantarios is still fighting the French hordes in northern Italy and that shows no sign of abating anytime soon. Vitos is now fighting the Mongols and some epic battles will come. Unfortunately, that war has the hallmarks of an extended campaign and, with only a few updates remaining, one that I most likely won't finish.
No specific spoilers for the next update but I can tell you it will be quite a bit shorter than this one but there will still be plenty of action.
If my calculations are still correct, there are only three updates remaining! I will attempt to keep to the every other day schedule but I have some commitments tomorrow that may prevent me from doing the prep work needed to get it done. So, hopefully Friday but maybe Saturday.
I really appreciate all the interest and I hope the remaining updates will not disappoint. As always, thanks for reading!
Read the review of I am Skantarios! in the Critic's Quill here.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/5
Great Update, the north african campaign is a risky one that may be extremely harsh as your forces in the area was surprised, I am sure Spain will come at you in full force, I just hope you can hold your holdings. Your victory against the french king was a great moment. As for the Rus...lol, if they dare face Benedek, which I believe is second to Skantarios in battle experience, they will be in for quite a surprise. Keep up the good work
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/5
Nice update as always. I thought that you would not attack Genoa because after the battle the city would revolt but that's actually what happened
Looking forward to the end of an era... Skantarios deserves more than just a city named after him
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/5
another awesome update haha
good shout out to the predicament of the WRE having to hire non roman mercenaries; good to see the Emperor is learning from the past,
loved hearing about the takedown of Gorgan; the idea of Roman arms penetrating that far east is quite exotic and awesome-i always like having my armies out in the eastern wastes of transoxania and near the black sea...seems....awesome like something from conan the barbarian lol
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/5
Skantarious where did you get the Stainless Steel 6.2 mod? I only have the 6.0 and can't find any others. Can you give me a link too maybe? Just make sure the site is a good one because I already made a mistake with trying to find a wesbsite and my computer caught a whole bunch of viruses. But then my dad fixed it so no worries.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/5
Originally Posted by PringlesMan101
Skantarious where did you get the Stainless Steel 6.2 mod? I only have the 6.0 and can't find any others. Can you give me a link too maybe? Just make sure the site is a good one because I already made a mistake with trying to find a wesbsite and my computer caught a whole bunch of viruses. But then my dad fixed it so no worries.
Have you tried SS 6.1, its the mod I am using and its a pretty good one
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/5
Originally Posted by PringlesMan101
Skantarious where did you get the Stainless Steel 6.2 mod? I only have the 6.0 and can't find any others. Can you give me a link too maybe? Just make sure the site is a good one because I already made a mistake with trying to find a wesbsite and my computer caught a whole bunch of viruses. But then my dad fixed it so no worries.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire - Updated as of 5/5
Fortunately, I left my scruples behind years ago.
Fortunate for whom?
Very big update.
Especially thankful for this one, gave me something to read while I was awake and lonely at two in the morning, eating a dinner of scrambled eggs and toast.
The Year of Troubles; An Old War Renewed; Battles of North Africa; Battle of Kings; Battle of Genoese Extermination
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Can't wait for the next post.
Originally Posted by Noble Lancer
I think it would be Sicily. The faction leaders of Sicily and France will get killed
Maybe you should start considering a sequel, if you want to of course.
Thank you Word for counting them.
Thanks for the compliment, as well. I am sometimes concerned that the sheer length of this will drive some away. I hope it was an easy read getting caught up.
