Heimskringla- A tale of Norway's rise (SS6.3 BGR/VH-VH)

[Ichon]

Prince Haakon lands near Pisa and marches his army north. Disobedience to the King is a secondary concern to meeting the Pope in battle and defeating him.



The Pope's army is a mix of unit types. 4 companies of heavy cavalry including the Pope and his bodyguard. 4 Swiss Guard companies. 4 Papal Guard companies, 2 Handgun companies, 3 Pavise spears, and 3 Pavise crossbow companies. The Guardsmen will fight to the death and the heavy cavalry requires caution.

Prince Haakon forms his men defensively at the top of a ridge and orders the Pecheneg horse archers forward, then Haakon awaits the Pope's first move.



The Pope advances with 1 company of heavy cavalry on each flank. The Pechenegs let loose but their arrows have trouble penetrating the knights shields and armor from the front.



The Feudal knights charge and the Pechenegs divide with 1 company fleeing and the other pursuing. Despite some losses from friendly arrow hits and the Feudal knights overrunning stragglers the knights are soon slain.



The Pope orders his infantry forward at the charge- the Papal Guardsmen leading the way with the Swiss Guard attempting to round the Norwegian right flank.



Prince Haakon charges the exposed Pavise companies on the Pope's right flank to lessen the pressure on his lines.



On the other end of the line the Pope is attempting the same maneuver but hits a much more valuable company of mercenary German knights causing over 40 casualties in a few seconds.



Meanwhile the Pavise crossbow mercenaries in Prince Haakon's army have been loosing as many volleys as they could before being engaged in melee. The small height advantage proves invaluable as the crossbows knock out over half the Pope's bodyguard and half a company of Knights Hospitallier.

Prince Haakon attempts to engage the Pope personally but runs into a company of Swiss Guard on the way and is forced to retreat with heavy losses.



The Pope and his bodyguard leave the nearer battle lines and pursue the Pechenegs which have ventured closer after dispatching the Feudal knights... the Pope catches one company who turn too slowly but losses more than half his remaining bodyguard in the process.



The Papal infantry press the Norwegian lines hard and Prince Haakon is forced to order in the Catalan mercenary companies he had been keeping in reserve as well as charging into several small melee himself to aid his men.



The Pope returns to the battle lines and this time Haakon is able to meet him in hand to hand combat and at long last Haakon's vow is fulfilled! The Pope falls dead beneath Haakon's sword. The Prince gestures to his men to hoist the banner and wave the Papal armies signal for retreat... having fought in numerous battles against Papal armies Haakon has had occasion to learn of the correct signal.



Some of the Papal army obeys the signal but the Guardsmen never retreat- they fight to win or buy the rest of the army time to make a withdrawal in good order. Prince Haakon rides down the remaining Knights Hospitallier on his way to chase off the Papal Handgunner companies which have found a good position to fire into his ranks.



The battle is yet undecided even with the Pope dead the weight of the Papal and Swiss Guardsmen is pushing back the Norwegian infantry.



Finally the Papal Guard companies on the Norwegian left flank are slain to the last man and Pavise crossbowmen move up and begin loosening short range volleys into the Swiss Guardsmen who have completely killed a company of Macemen and Pavises.



The Pavise spear company that had fallen for the withdrawal ruse figures out what is going on and turns to fight the Pecheneg light cavalry moving to ride them down and nearly butchers the entire company before it can retreat.



The Papal army has only the Guardsmen still fighting in any organized way but Prince Haakon personally directs the attacks of the Catalans who finally tip the battle in Norway's favor.



The field is littered with the dead and dying... teaching this Pope a lesson has proved an expensive campaign not only for Norway but all of Italy is much reduced. Genoa sacked, Ancona sacked and partially razed, Pisa sacked, Innsbruck and Bologna plague ridden. Likely there is more damage that will never be known except to those who suffered it. The Pope is dead... slain by a man banished by his own King. Norway has stood down the Catholic Church.

Other Kings around Europe seem eager to follow the example Norway and France have set.



Prince Haakon consolidates the survivors of the battle and orders them to find another Norwegian leader. He will no longer command armies in King Ragnvald's name.



The Catalans have proven their value in this battle and will be sought out and hired by Norway in the future.



Prince Haakon does one final deed before leaving the field- he orders a monument constructed and while his own name is mentioned, Ragnvald's is not.



Prince Haakon then rides east to the coast and prepares to board ship. There he is met by all of King Ragnvald's sons. Karl Haakonsson has convinced his brothers to ignore their father's orders and show at least some respect to this old warrior who has led Norway to victory on fields from the steppes to the lands of the Rus, then Poland, and finally nearly defeating a Pope with half of Italy behind him single-handedly. Prince Haakon is moved by the gesture and gives Karl his War Council seal which transfers the authority of a War Council member to Karl. Each brother receives a title or gift before Prince Haakon boards ship. He tells Karl that he knows his daughter has spoken of Karl's brother Erik but that Haakon will leave the decision of who is daughter marries in the future Heirs hands. May he decide better than his father how to treat the house of Hylgaard.

Before Prince Haakon leaves with the next morning tide, Karl has a message delivered asking the Prince Haakon despite his feelings for King Ragnvald continue to serve Norway in the hopes that the next king will be different. King Ragnvald has turned even harder and less merciful than when he began the campaign against the Church and he was never known for being a kind mind in the first place. Karl had intended to follow in his father's footsteps but recent experience have shown him that Ragnvald's way might not be best in every situation.



Soon after Prince Haakon's ship has departed all Cardinals able to attend are called to Rome to elect the next Pope. Candidates from Norway, Castile, and Hungary are nominated... King Ragnvald does not hold out much hope for Norway being selected despite some support from Castile and orders his Cardinals to vote for the Hungarian candidate. Obtaining a Pope which favors Norway and even better, improving relations with Hungary in a single act trumps any faint chances for Norway obtaining the Papacy.



King Ragnvald has sent his daughter to seek a French noble's hand in marriage. The French have an unwed crown prince but Ragnvald does not trust the situation between France and the Church. If it comes to war France is the enemy King Ragnvald would prefer. He seeks to gain one of France's best commanders and a loyal general who owes his title and lands to Ragnvald.

Cecile Hylgaard is sent to negotiate with Sicily- King Ragnvald despite his ferocious reputation is trying to build up Norway's image in the eyes of Europe. After the war with the Pope he has learned how much a good reputation with the right people can be worth.

The Normans refuse all offers and King Ragnvald lets his generosity be known. The coming campaign against Sicily and the Normans will be a just one, of that King Ragnvald is sure. Though... some wonder when Norway's promised liberation of northern Italy will occur.



Over the winter the newly elected Pope dies of pneumonia huddled in a small monastery in the mountains north of Pisa. With Rome in Norman hands the Pope is forced to relay on the generosity of strangers. King Ragnvald intends to be the most generous of all and recapture Rome in the Pope's name!



Again Ragnvald orders the vote to go to Hungary. As a result relations with Hungary improve and the Papacy which is dominated by Hungarians becomes much more supportive of Norway.





Prince Haakon lands in Dalmatia and sends out word that he will pay the mercenary contracts of any who wish to fight the Normans in Italy... several companies are gathered and offer their services.

[Ichon]

King Ragnvald gathers all the cavalry he can from around Italy and advances to fight the Normans just north of Ancona. The Normans have cavalry but the main reason King Ragnvald fights with an all cavalry army is speed. If there is any chance of engaging the 2nd and more dangerous Norman army laying siege to the fort blocking the pass between Pisa and Bologna then King Ragnvald must move with all haste.



The battle opens with Ragnvald having hidden some of his cavalry in a small copse of trees just out of the main line of advance of the Normans. The rest of his heavy cavalry he positions in 2 long lines facing inwards in the the shape of an L toward the advancing Normans. The Pecheneg and Mounted crossbow cavalry are sent ahead.

The Mounted crossbow companies are driving back by the Normans Muslim archers and Pavise crossbows but the Pechenegs are able to target a Norman heavy cavalry company far out on the Normans left flank.



As the Norman knights begin to advance at a walk the mercenary Knights hired by the King charge the Norman Handgunners and Muslim archers who have advance to the crest of a small hill.



Mounted crossbow companies have continued trying to harry some of the Norman knights whose pursuit breaks off with the mercenary Knights charge.



The Norman knights completely ignore the mercenary Knights and move away from their lines straight for King Ragnvald's position at the crux of the L.



The mercenary Knights try to charge the rear of the advancing Normans but they turn and counter-charge at the last moment.



With the advance of the Norman knights cavalry militia hidden in a small copse of trees burst forth and ride down the Muslim archers who have regained the top of the hill.



Three separate melee erupt at different points in the field. The Normans have brought 7 heavy cavalry companies and a cavalry militia. The Norman commander had separated his Knights into 3 contingents and it is around these that the fighting is centered.



King Ragnvald has cynically ordered the mercenary companies forward slightly before his own companies... they bear the brunt of the Normans attack while the Norwegian heavy cavalry hit the Normans in the flanks in a blow the sends the surviving Norman knights into a wild retreat.



The Norman captain is slain somewhere in these moments and the Norman army begins to splinter apart. It is not a complete rout as individual companies make a stand but charged from all directions none can withstand the Norwegian heavy cavalry.



It is a Heroic victory... where the odds appeared to be stacked against King Ragnvald but a rapid move to engage the Norman army before it received reinforcements and cold calculating deployment of mercenaries gained Ragnvald the victory. While Prince Haakon's name will carry into legend, its only the fact that Ragnvald was born under Haakon's shadow that his own victories are less celebrated.



The mercenary Knights both take the most casualties and kill the most Normans.



King Ragnvald has ordered that no prisoners be spared but the richness of the potential ransoms leads him to offer an exchange to the Normans whose treasury has apparently been exhausted to raise armies for this campaign and they will not pay.



Within days after the battle King Ragnvald has dispatched assassins after the general leading the next Norman army in Norwegian ruled territory. The War Council has ordered the man's death and 1 less prince to fight in the upcoming battle suits Ragnvald just fine.

The Norman prince's guards foil the first assassin and kill him but as they are displaying the body a second assassins slips into the princes tent and silently garrotes him.



Spies are sent to gauge the reaction in the Normans camp and verify their numbers prior to King Ragnvald's attack. The recent assassination attempts has left the men on edge and the first 2 spies are caught and killed. The 3rd spy discovers evidence that perhaps not all in the Church as as enthusiastic about Norway as the new Hungarian Pope. It appears spies paid by the Church had aided the Normans in capturing the first 2 spies.



Despite the loss of surprise there is not much the Normans can do about the approach of King Ragnvald and his gathered armies.



This Norman army has brought even more heavy cavalry than the last but its accompanying infantry are much weaker. Only 2 companies of dismounted Sicilio-Norman knights are a threat. Pechenegs and Mounted crossbows harry the advance of the Norman knights.



The Norman knights charge frighten a Mounted crossbow company into turning and running into the single line of stakes the 1 Free Company of English has planted.



The Norman charge thunders into the Norwegian lines which has bunched together in an effort to be shielded by the stakes and 2 large formations of free standing boulders in the otherwise open field.



The Normans having seen the Mounted crossbowmen run into the stakes largely avoid them but the boulders do blunt their charge.



The Pechnegs had moved out of the way of the first Norman charge and then swung back behind to launch volleys of arrows at the 2nd wave of Norman knights.



King Ragnvald had brought too many men to this battle to effectively control himself and had put Captain Lars in charge of the all infantry force which had arrived late to the battle. Several Norman companies divert to intercept these infantry and the remaining Mounted crossbowmen attempt to distract them from charging the exposed infantry.



The second wave of Norman knights hit the Norwegian lines...



Observing the Norman knight company that appears to have the commander in its midst King Ragnvald orders his own heavy cavalry to engage.



The Norman commander is slain but not before half of his army has begun to charge the just arrived infantry companies commanded by Captain Lars.



Norman knights and cavalry militia manage to drive home a full charge into mercenary Prussian spearmen but are cut down from behind by the arrival of a company of Swordstaff militia and the bolts of Mounted crossbowmen.



With the Norman heavy cavalry finally killed or sent running from the battle field the Norwegian heavy cavalry can finally fall upon the Norman infantry.



The battle is a clear victory for King Ragnvald who preserves most of his heavy cavalry without losing many infantry aside from mercenaries.



Nearly every single company has participated at some point in the fight...



Though Captain Lars did not make a good showing his arrival did distract several companies of Normans at a delicate time in the battle.



Fewer Normans escaped the Pecheneg and Mounted crossbowmen who didn't even try to capture them but merely shot them down as they fled so the ransom offer is lower but King Ragnvald makes an offer knowing it will be refused and then callously orders the prisoners put aboard 2 damaged grain ships and sunk just beyond Pisa's harbor entrance.



Spies near Naples report that the Normans have raised more armies nearly identical to those just defeated.





King Ragnvald just want to capture Rome to be able to generously return it to the Pope and had originally intended to leave Italy after. The richness of the Italian cities and the war between France and the Holy Roman Empire is causing him to re-think that position.

Prince Haakon had gathered mercenaries in Dalmatia and now is on board ship returning to Italy... now one knows what his intentions are though Karl Haakonsson appears far less worried than his father about this development.

[Maltacus]

This must be the longest post I have ever seen. Down with Sicily, the eternal scum beings of M2TW!
I like the shape of your kingdom. I always get that kind of borders when playing Baltic factions. Scandinavia and the Rus cities just have to be conquered.

Excellent battle pics as usual!

[Ichon]

Yeah- some of these posts get pretty long. Sicily has always interfered with my plans as well. Usually its when I play as Aragon or Genoa they land armies constantly on my islands but sometimes they reach into Anatolia or central Europe as well.

[Ichon]

Prince Haakon lands and lead his mercenary army on an attack on Norman held Ancona.



The Normans are reeling from suffering 2 crushing defeats by their northern armies in a row and have left not even a full company as garrison. The battle is won without Prince Haakon even having to participate.



Having been banished and given his War Council Authority over to prince Karl this attack once again goes against King Ragnvald's orders.



The Sicilians have landed another army north of the Tiber with a small fleet. This landing moves King Ragnvald to issue orders for fleets to be constructed at Pisa and Venice. Norway controls the Baltic and might need control of the seas around Italy now as well.



King Ragnvald moves south and attacks the recently landed Norman army intended as reinforcements further north no doubt. The Normans are shocked when a much larger Norwegian army appears when there were not supposed to be any nearby.



Pechenegs forward to harass the advancing enemy as normal....



The Normans have more Muslim archers and Pavise whose missiles begin to fall amongst the Norwegian infantry. The Norman Halberd militias had advanced further and been met with short distance volleys from longbows and crossbows, their front ranks whither away under the devastating fire.

King Ragnvald orders his heavy cavalry to charge into the gap opened between the Halberd militia and the Norman archers...



Handgunners open fire on the Halberd militia which is now surrounded with Norwegian heavy cavalry to the rear and the barrage of fire to their front. Their morale collapses and they turn to run.



The rout is on and when the Norman commander is slain somewhere on the field there is no hope for an attempted rally. The Norman army barely offers any resistance at all.



The Free Company of English archers suffers the most casualties...



Rome is heavily garrisoned but 3 spy teams working together manage to open the gates...



Before the garrison quite realizes what has happened King Ragnvald and his men are in the streets.



The garrison never makes back to the central square.



The Norman knights and infantry stationed outside the city arrive more quickly than expected and catch a company of Mounted crossbowmen still deploying in an attempt to greet the Normans at the gates...



The Norman knights purse for several streets before turning back towards the central square.



Not every Norman company surrenders when things get tough and King Ragnvald runs into some trouble against a company of Pavise spearmen but is met by a company of mercenary knights who entered through a different gate and between them they crush the Pavise spearmen's futile attempts to reach the central square.



Another company of mercenary Knights had held the central square from the oncoming Norman knights allowing Mounted crossbowmen from side streets to kill much of them, along with Pechenegs stationed on the edge of the square above. However eventually the weight of two full companies of Norman knights versus the half company of mercenaries is too much and the Normans break through though less than a dozen are still moving.



The survivors make it into the square only to be charged by a full company of Huskarl axemen...

The reinforcing infantry from outside the walls never makes it to the central square.



King Ragnvald orders all prisoners executed and left to dangle from platforms set up outside the gates of Rome.



Aside from the mistake by the Mounted crossbowmen the battle goes according to King Rangvald's plan and casualties are light.



King Ragnvald has marched 1/4th the length of Italy in a few weeks and fought 3 battles. His men are exhausted and he decides to rest a few months in Rome.

Karl Haakonsson has called his brothers to join his army waiting in a small forest just north of a fort setup to control the road to Ancona. If the Normans slip past they will run right into an ambush. Joining the Royal famil is Gillis d'Eu... the French prince that Karl's sister had married a few months earlier and who has sailed up the coast to join the war.



The Pope requests Rome be returned to rule by the Papal States.



While King Ragnvald is mulling his response the Pope calls a Crusade! Hungary and its war with the Turks has captured the imagination of Europe. and a Hungarian Pope is not adverse to using that sentiment for the advantage of his Kingdom.



Within a week of the announcement King Ragnvald is dead. There are whispers of poison and the potential suspects are nearly limitless. Karl Haakonsson spends several months trying to get an answer and finally events that would shake the foundations of the Kingdom are made clear. Prince Haakon had not taken the slight by Ragnvald lightly. The old man had expected to die a Norwegian hero lauded by all, not banished from the lands ruled by Ragnvald. Following the King's own behavior Haakon had dispatched a trusted assassin who was easily able to slip poison into Ragnvald's favorite dish... Cloudberries planted in crates and shipped from the Baltic to Rome. Haakon had confidantes all over Norway and arranging for a a dish of whipped cream destined for the King's room late one night was easy to arrange to be unattended briefly. The irony is that King Ragnvald was not a patient man and had decided he couldn't afford to wait for Prince Haakon's death and dispatched his own assassins who slipped into the old man's rooms and smothered him.



A sad way for the 2 greatest generals of Norway to die. Karl is crowned King and decides to make sure the truth is never heard. The death of Haakon is attributed to old age and Ragnvald's poisoner is marked for death but Karl turns the hunt towards unhappy men in the Church in Rome.

Karl's younger brother Erik is named Heir and Karl soon arranges a marriage between Erik and Cecile Hylgaard. He doesn't trust himself not to betray the truth if he takes the girl for himself and it will go a long way towards soothing Erik's anger over Ragnvald and Karl having denied him permission to marry the girl 2 years ago when the subject was first broached.



The war with the Normans of Sicily is ongoing but the Pope has cagily proclaimed an edict that all violence between the warring Kingdoms must halt for at least 7 seasons... long enough in the Pope's estimation for both to prepare and mount an expedition to join the Crusade.

[Byg]

Your AAR has a stunning amount of detail and doubles up as a difinitive guide for both campaign strategy and battle tactics. For that reason you should advertise it in the SS forum.

[Kabeloko]

it seems u totally regreted it making it a short campaign, because u are going to conquer the world in this rythim...

[Ichon]

I've played the end of this campaign but haven't organized the screen shots or anything yet. Will do that in the next few days. The last region I set myself to capture as a goal was Hamburg. Now it is a new generation in the game and there aren't many challenges left right now. France doesn't have its best units yet, and only fighting Hungary might offer some tactical interests. The Mongols are in decline while Turks and Fatimids are not usually much of a challenge at this point in the game.

So! It has been fun and the longest I've played a Scandinavian faction. Now I am thinking to start a new AAR. My current choices are;

1. Start as Moors, give all territories aside from Tunisia to Khwerziams and play as Hafsids starting from only controlling Tunisia. Goals to control S Italy, N Africa, all the western islands, and Spain.
2. Start with Genoa and play 100 turns without gaining or losing anything aside from the purposes to setup the world a bit closer to historical 1350- Aragon in Sicily and Sardinia, HRE still alive and strong, etc. Goals would be the conquest of Italy and establishing trade colonies in every major coast in the east, Levant, Anatolia, Greece, Balkans, N Africa, etc. Italy in this case would include Savoy and Swiss. After 100 turns start the AAR with the only things having been done constructing a few buildings.
3. Scotland migration to Swiss cantons in late campaign, move capitol and abandon all regions in the isles then expand in all directions from the Alps until can establish peace with all surrounding powers while ignoring the Pope's orders completely even if it means excommunication and even warring with the Pope directly if necessary.

All with either 6.3 or 6.4 and BGR IV on VH of course and late era campaign starts.

Will take votes over the next week and then take the clear winner if there is one and start a new AAR. If you offer other suggestions please also still vote 1 of the above options. If someone has a really good idea then I'll add it to the choices above. If there is no clear winner I'll just choose which sounds the most fun of the highest votes.

[Biggles]

Wow, you really made it hard to choose there! I might have to think about that

[Radzeer]

I agree with Biggles: all ideas are great! I would favor the Genoa scenario, but would be happy with either of those.

[Byg]

The scotland one sounds interesting, but the difficulty of obtaining peace would depend on which ai you use.

[cisse]

The genoa idea! Would be fun to see the map after so many turns with little player influence.

[Ichon]

The Pope urged on by Hungary announces a new Crusade- to retake Constantinople which has recently fallen to the Turks. King Karl decides to join while the Pope has ordered a ceasefire with Sicily. He leaves Prince Erik and his youngest brother Toke in charge of the Kingdom and sets off on Crusade.

Meanwhile Genoa has moved to lay siege to a fort guarding the road to Bologna while Venice has simultaneously laid siege to Genoa in Milan. Genoa rejects generous peace terms and Prince Erik decides to attack the nearest Genoa army that is on Norwegian ruled territory.



Genoa has a large fleet but lacks modern ships. Prince Erik is confident that Norway's relatively small southern navy can handle the challenge.



Meanwhile orders had been previously dispatched to gather and reinforce some more of the few veterans left in Russia and set them on their way towards Germany. Fresh recruits are also gathered to replace the heavy losses in Italy.



The battle is joined against Genoa-



Genoa lacks heavy cavalry equal to most Europeans but has numerous medium cavalry militias which lead its first charge....



That charge founders against the Pavise crossbowmen and a counter charge led by Prince Erik himself.



With the heavy cavalry contained Prince Erik orders his own cavalry to charge.



The battle is soon over with only some of the Pavise crossbowmen and a company of mercenaries suffering heavy casualties.





Genoa has potent combined forces but must be led by a competent commander to pose much danger.



The Pope has ordered a ceasefire with Sicily and King Karl is not ready to upset the gains that his father had made with the Church and intends to be obedient as long as the Pope's orders don't go too far. There is still considerable latitude for a more subtle campaign of terror against the Sicilians however. Several Sicilian royal family members lose their lives in the next few months and Naples suffers a rash of fires and construction mishaps.



The treasury is low on funds and would be in the negative without King Karl having gone on Crusade removing the expenses of his army from the rolls for now. Thorn is gutted of all military supplies and buildings while the stone from its Citadel is used to construct a new wall around the castle's town.



King Karl is forced to land briefly in Italy to ensure his army is composed only of volunteers for the Crusade. A company of Mercenary German Knights had offered their services without being informed the next destination was Constantinople.



A year later Constantinople falls to Hungary and King Karl decides to land in Greece and make an assault on one of the remaining Latin Kingdoms by laying siege to Athens. The forces of the Latins respond the following season attempting to relieve Athens.



King Karl and his army are outnumbered nearly 5 to 1 but the Latins have mostly militias with a few professional companies.



The battle opens with the Norwegians deployed on a small rise facing the first arrived Latin army which moves toward the Norwegian lines.

King Karl dispatches his heavy cavalry first in an effort to break this army quickly and save his infantry for the 2nd larger army approaching from the SW.



Mounted crossbowmen are sent to harass a small group of Latins attempting to link up with the first army and also keep an eye on the advance of the 2nd Latin army.



After several vicious charges the Latins in the first army are much reduced but remain undaunted.



The Norwegians on the ridge ready their weapons as it appears the first Latin army will succeed in reaching their lines.



Only 2 companies of Latins from the first army do actually arrive to clash with the Norwegian infantry. King Karl manages to cut down the Latins commander and most of their army begins to rout but surprisingly quickly reforms and attempts to retreat up a hill into the cover of trees and await the arrival of the second Latin army.





Karl manages to prevent the reformed Latins from remaining a threat and sends his light cavalry to the crest of the hill to harass the slowly advancing Latins of the second army.



The light cavalry are sent into temporary retreat as several companies of Pavise crossbowmen in the second army let fly with volleys that outrange any response the Norwegians can make. The Latins then settle into a defensive posture for several hours at which point King Karl reluctantly orders his army forward. The heavy cavalry again in the van of the attack.





The Norwegian heavy cavalry still had not recovered from the earlier engagements and the terrain the Latins occupy is not as favorable to charges. King Karl signals his infantry to charge from much further away than he had wanted- most likely many will arrive to the fight winded but the heavy cavalry are slowly being whittled down and need infantry support.



The fierce charge of howling Norwegian heavy infantry send the nearest Latins into flight but the majority of the Latins show grim resolve and fight on.



However it is merely a matter of time before their courage is ground down by relentless attacks by both the Norwegian cavalry and infantry. The battle ends just before nightfall with the Norwegian completely victorious.

[Ichon]

Prince Erik has left Italy under the command of Toke Haakonsson who receives permission to marry old Haakon the Brave's daughter- finally joining the two most powerful Norwegian families together.

Erik had spoken with his older brother King Karl before Karl had left on Crusade about the aspirations of many Norwegians for generations to lay claim to Hamburg and finally control the Baltic without question. Previous wars had constantly delayed any furthering of such ambitions but the way now appears open for Norway to stake its claim.

As Erik travels north his small army is attacked by a German lord who objects to Norwegians traveling through his lands...



Prince Erik had failed to heed the advice of his spies and scouts and detour this lords land or at least wait for reinforcements. The attacking army has several companies of heavy cavalry and even some heavy infantry.

Erik rallies his men and forms them as well as he can given the situation.



The Germans send their crossbowmen slightly out of range of the following foot and Prince Erik races to take advantage.



The rest of the German army marches straight for the Norwegian position and the German cavalry avoid the stakes the single Free Company of English archers had planted.



Prince Erik charges the nearest German heavy cavalry but is forced to withdraw after a bloody melee losing 1/3 of his bodyguard when 2 more companies of German heavy cavalry arrive- the battle becomes chaotic with Norwegian handgunners firing constantly and a pall of smoke drifting over the the field confusing friend from foe and leading to ceaseless mayhem. Prince Erik finds himself in the fight of his life as wherever he turns more German companies loom out of the smoke... constant charges and retreats hurt the Germans but Prince Erik is steadily losing the men of his bodyguard and now at least 2 companies of German heavy cavalry are in dedicated pursuit.



Erik tries to circle to the German right flank and then retreat back behind his lines away from the pursuing German heavy cavalry but is foiled by constantly having to fight German companies who turn to charge at his approach.



The battle wages long and the victor is in question nearly until the end- Prince Erik wins past the German left flank and in the final charge with only 3 men left alive of his bodyguard manages to push the German commander into fleeing the battle... Erik is unable to pursue as he has to rally his men who are near flight themselves. Finally the constant barrages of the Handgunners and the disappearance of their commander convince the Germans to quit the field.



The battle is close and barely does Prince Erik consider it a victory as nearly half the Germans and their Lord escape while his own small army is cut nearly in half.



Casualties are heavy and Erik is forced to dismiss the mercenaries still alive. The battle is a disappointment but given the odds and the fact that Prince Erik is alive and free to march on towards Hamburg there to meet the reinforcements sent by ship from Konigsburg the result should only be a small disappointment.



Spies from King Karl inform him that attempting to capture southern Greece and the final Latin holdouts would be dangerous without reinforcements. The Latins have enough cavalry and Mourtari archers to be dangerous especially with the numbers of militias they have raised.



King Karl decides to give Athens to the French. The move should strengthen relations with the French and also give Hungary and France a closer look at each other and possibly reasons to ignore the Kingdom of Norway which has gained much territory right in their midst.



Toke Haakonsson orders the construction of a giant civic building designed to further Norwegian exploration efforts and put together the accounts of various adventurers and merchants to construct new and more accurate maps and detailed knowledge of the wider world beyond Europe's borders.



The very first project is to assemble a more accurate description of the newest invaders from the East. Reports of a massive invasion capturing Baghdad and threatening Hungary and the Turks are passed on to King Karl.



Meanwhile in Germany Prince Erik has taken command of a large army and is within a few weeks march of Hamburg...

[Ichon]

King Karl has departed from Greece after handing over Athens to the French. The Pope's order to cease hostilities with Sicily has expired and Karl decides to risk a strike to the south. If he can capture Sicily itself the Normans will be greatly weakened.



The single spy traveling with Karl manages to sneak into Syracuse and arranges by some relatively small bribes that the gates to the city will be opened to King Karl's army beneath the noses of the garrison.



The garrison is soon roused and heavy fighting develops in the central square.



The Norman garrison puts up a hard fight hoping to hold out until the nearby Norman armies can arrive.



The Norwegian army simply overwhelms the garrison and King Karl considers meeting the approaching Norman armies at the gates but decides to secure Syracuse first.

Game Info-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Actually I had to fight this battle 4 times. Had a CTD every time I kept the battle going past holding the square though the 3rd time nearly made it to the end so the 4th time I just held off. Interestingly enough casualties turned out to be almost exactly the same fighting all 3 armies in 1 battle. 21% in 3 battles vs 22% in 1 battle. The only major difference is that the Swiss took heavy casualties fighting 3 armies in 1 battle due to holding the gates for so long.

Casualties from capturing the city are fairly light and the approaching Norman armies turn away when they realize the city is held by Norway.



King Karl secures Syracuse more quickly than he anticipated and sallies out to catch the nearest Norman army before it can move and link with the 2nd Norman army to the NE.



Karl sends the cavalry forward but the Pecheneg horse archers take serious losses from the Pavise crossbows in the Norman army so Karl orders his heavy cavalry to charge.



While the Norwegian heavy cavalry charges the Norman lines repeatedly the Normans send their own heavy cavalry up the slope into the Norwegian infantry. A hail of javelins greet them and Huskarl axemen readied for the charge.



Karl charges the Norman knights from their rear once their charge has foundered on the slope and the Huskarl infantry.



Karl slays the Norman commander with his charge and the rest of the Norman army offers slight resistance when the Norwegian infantry charges down the hill into their lines. Casualties are light.



The Pecheng horse archers take the heaviest losses because they are so difficult to replace.



Karl advances rapidly to force the next Norman army into battle.



The battle opens under heavy rain and the armies quickly clash...



Prussian light cavalry succeed in drawing off some of the Norman heavy cavalry and loose several volleys of javelins.



The Norwegian infantry storms the Norman lines and faces stiff resistance.



The Normans finally buckle when their commander is slain but the Prussian light cavalry has lost the interest of the pursuing Norman heavy cavalry who return with a devastating charge against a company of Norwegian Swordstaff militia.



The rain ends just as the Prussians sweep towards the rear of the last company of Norman knights who flee the field as Handgunners open fire on their flank.



The battle is a victory.



The Swordstaff militia company takes the heaviest losses.



Karl approaches the final Norman army near Syracuse and forces them into battle.



The Norman occupy the top of a ridge and Karl is forced to deploy his army as near as possible and hope to attain the ridge quickly as the Normans have several companies of Muslim archers and Pavise crossbowmen.



The Normans also brought 2 companies of Mounted crossbowmen which are the first to face a charge by the entirety of the Norwegian cavalry.



The Norman light cavalry is quickly eliminated and a stray unit of Muslim archers caught in the open. Karl decides to risk a direct charge on the Norman commander and his bodyguard of heavy cavalry before the rest of the Norman infantry can protect their general.



The Norwegian infantry which had been climbing the hill at a slow pace designed to sustain their stamina now break into a charge while Norwegian light infantry breaks off and chases down unprotected companies of Muslim archers on the Norman flanks.



Karl is forced to retreat when his attack on the Norman commander is beaten off but the Pecheneg horse archers move forward with the last of the Muslim archers eliminated and finish the job.



The battle swings into the Norwegians favor with the death of the Norman commander but 2 Norman companies put up a ferocious fight. A company of Halberd Men at Arms and another of Halberd militia. Surrounded on all sides their courage finally falters but lead to more heavy casualties than necessary.



The battle is a clear victory but after 4 successive battles King Karl's army is beginning to show the strain of a long campaign.



Casualties among the Norwegian cavalry have slowly accumulated and will need careful management or reinforcements before the next battle.



The Normans have fielded several units unfamiliar to Karl- Muslim archers, Sword and buckler men, and Halberd Men at Arms. Sicily has so far refused to meet ransom for its defeated armies after every battle.



King Karl hears reports of the Norman armies guarding Palermo. A tough battle awaits to capture that Citadel.

[Ichon]

The Kingdom of Norway underwent significant re-organization with the death of the last generation. Salzburg is now the center of military recruitment in Europe while Konigsburg remains key and a 3rd war councilor title has been awarded to a general who has taken residence in Smolensk to control the vast Rus territories. The veterans of the Italian campaigns have retired to Salzburg to train their replacements and some few of the younger men will stay on.



Prince Erik has organized the reinforcements who joined him the previous season and spies have sent word that the gates to Hamburg will swing open when Prince Erik approaches. Erik however decides to attack the nearby army and force the Holy Roman Emperor to leave the protection of his walls or endure a long siege when his hope of relief is destroyed.



The two forces are virtually even in strength with the Germans having more heavy cavalry but the Norwegians have more heavy infantry.



Erik deploys on the top of a ridge but decides to send his army forward in a massive charge to take as much advantage of the time available before the Holy Roman Emperor and his garrison army arrive.



The battle is joined and the Germans have numerous companies of Zweihanders, heavy infantry nearly the equal of the Norwegians. Erik orders his heavy cavalry to move to the German's right flank and charge on targets of opportunity.



The first target are two companies of German knights who give as good as they take and the arrival of more German knights and a company of Zweihanders lead Prince Erik to order his cavalry to pull back when Norwegian infantry moves up to engage the Germans.



The Norwegian infantry bears the brunt of the fighting as the Norwegian cavalry does not dare commit before the Emperor and his army arrives.



The Emperor finally arrives and charges toward the Free Company of mercenary longbowmen who run behind the protection of previously deployed stakes. The Emperor leaves off and seeks easier targets.



That target is a company of Landsmenn who are attempting to flank the remaining German lines of the first army.



With the reinforcing German army and the Emperor committed Prince Erik orders his heavy cavalry to charge.



The Emperor has caused heavy losses to Norwegian infantry and a company of Norwegian Feudal knights line up part way up the ridge to charge down onto the distracted Emperor and his bodyguard.



The Emperor realizes the danger with bare moments to spare and escapes the charge of the Feudal knights only to have Prince Erik lead the charge and personally take the Emperor's life.



The death of the Emperor takes the fight out of the remaining Germans and most attempt to flee soon after though a few companies fight on.



Casualties are heavy- mostly due to the efforts of the German heavy cavalry and Zweihander companies.



Prince Erik offers the survivors for ransom and the Germans accept.



The coming siege will establish total control of the Baltic for Norway and fulfill the ambitions of King Magnus and old King Haakon 161 years ago...

Game Info-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

So after this siege and the battle of Palermo in the next update this AAR will be officially over- I haven't completely decided on my next AAR but I think it will be either Genoa after 100 turns or migrating Scotland to Bern. I am playing forward a Genoa campaign to 100 turns now(only on turn 40- I get bored clicking end turn...) and also started a migration of Scotland just to see what the initial conditions might be. I think if I do Scotland I'll play it forward 50 years as well but not do as much interventions as with Genoa to control how the AI factions nearby develop. I only will work to preserve HRE- any other faction can die though with Genoa I am trying to keep all factions alive and actually have Aragon become quite powerful.

[Ichon]

Prince Erik leads the assault on Hamburg as spies open the gates...



The Prince leads his heavy cavalry in a rush for one of the Citadel's inner gates but arrives too late to prevent half of the garrison of reaching the inner walls.



As the Norwegian infantry move through the streets cannons in the towers open fire causing heavy losses as cannonballs shred multiple ranks of infantry.



The majority of the battle takes place in front of the gates to the second set of walls. The Germans trapped beyond the inner walls break quickly once the Norwegian infantry arrives but inflicts heavy losses onto the Norwegian heavy cavalry.



Once the outer city is secure Prince Erik leads the attack into the upper city where the German commander flees to the upper Citadel and the rest of the garrison collapses behind him.



Prince Erik leads the pursuit and his bodyguard is hit from all sides by cannon fire from the towers around the inner Citadel. The German commander has had time to recover his wind and when Prince Erik and a company of Feudal knights arrive they are nearly very tired and suffer heavy losses but manage to capture the citadel anyway.



Losses are heavier than Prince Erik had hoped- caused mostly by the defenses of the Citadel itself and impatience to capture the inner city.



AAR FINAL

Over 20 of the lost battles occur in the first 40 turns in the battle with Denmark and the major naval battles where England and Scotland also intervened. Most were naval losses but some reinforcements were ambushed as well a few times but since it was single units didn't bother to show the battle in the AAR.

Two major battles were lost- the first in England when entered the battle right behind reinforcement army, the second battle lost was against the Pope when the Swiss Guards simply proved too strong.



The core of the Kingdom of Norway- the only area where building programs have continued uninterrupted. Most other areas had construction halted at various times for financial reasons. Lund is a surprise- never had such good income from it before.



The conquests in Italy are some of the richest in the kingdom but took a toll in heavy casualties amongst some of the most elite Norwegian companies. It will take a generation to recover.



The current generation of the Norwegian royal family is a mixed group. King Karl has stepped into his role but his younger brother Erik despite experience in several battles and great responsibility seems to be maturing much slower.



Norway in its expansion first fought Denmark, then a Scottish invasion, then Norway invaded Scotland once forcing peace with Denmark. Scotland was destroyed with one memorable battle with William Wallace. The invasion of England began before Scotland was defeated and was not met with immediate success but once a Norway had a brilliant commander and the resources of Scotland fully behind the conquest England was defeated. A Crusade was called and Norway answered but the King died on the voyage. The resulting heavy taxes forced into debt some Norwegian family members just as the invasion of Lithuania commenced. Lithuania was quickly defeated but wars with Novgorod, Poland, and Hungary began before the last Lithuanian fortress fell. Peace was arranged with Hungary by royal marriage which also forced Hungary to the peace table. Novgorod was defeated followed by England and Denmark. The Mongols arrived and forced several huge battles but were pushed back deep into Russia. The war against Poland was vicious with several large battles but Poland eventually fell. Kiev challenged Norway and was vassalized as a buffer against the remaining Mongols. A new Crusade was called and Norway stormed through the east capturing several regions and turning them over the the Byzantines and Norway's ally Hungary to help in their war against the Turks.

The first Norwegian Pope had embarked on a campaign of expansion nearly defeating Genoa and Venice. Disagreements between the next Pope and the Kingdom of Norway led to a massive war when Norway pushed back the forces of the Pope and Norman Sicily capturing most of Italy and finally defeating the Pope and capturing Rome itself. The Papacy accepted its chastisement but the battle with the Normans rages on as King Karl campaigns in Sicily. Hamburg had been the core support of the Holy Roman Empire through many troubles with France, Norway's former ally fighting the Germans and slowly pushing them back. The war with the Pope destroyed the alliance with France but Norway had desired to control Hamburg for generations and finally the last gateway on the Baltic is captured and Norway controls the entire Baltic and North Sea trade.

Thus ends the Heimskringla... future history would show Norway's fortunes wax and wane but the greatness achieved by successive generations of Norwegian King's who even when poor leaders still managed to lead the expansion of the Kingdom.

[jester204]

Sick AAR buddy I'm planning on doing either a Scotland or Genoa AAR in the future. I was wondering though I have fraps and would rather videotape my battles then post screenshots, is such a feature possible? can you place videos into the spoiler alerts or what have you.

[Ichon]

I don't see why not... some people have asked about that before in tactics discussions threads too. Main reasons I don't do video is time it both takes to create and the time it takes to watch compared to pictures and I think if you get a good screenshot it makes a better frame for a story to hang from. However I have been thinking I will probably do a AAR of a historical battle when Rome 2 comes out as it finally looks like historical battles might be worth doing and interesting enough to make an AAR around.