A Eastern Roman AAR based on a Hotseat Campaign

**tavix** · February 14, 2011, 05:21 PM

Year 1176, spring

Emperor Manuel sits in his tent outside Ankara , The castle will fall in winter , the enginners have enough time to finish the assault machines or their heads will stand with their feet , said the Emperor to Ioannes Ducas , a former roman general who was promoted in the royal family last season . He assisted Manuel in the battle of Konya ,the former turkish capital . His good advices and his bravery in battle were more then enough for the Emperor who made Ioannes his right-hand. Ioannes was the Govenor of Nicaea like his father and his grandfather before him, but forced to leave the castle and fight against the turkish normands.

I am sure they will finish their work in time ,Emperor ,said Ioannes to Manuel , but in the same time his thoughts were elsewhere ,The Emperor is a merciless and cruel leader but without him the Roman Empire was doomed....

In just 2 years , he reorganised the roman army and began the counter-atack . He ordered the immediat atack of Dorylaeum and Amorium in Asia Minor and the union of Cyprus with the capture of Famagusta.

Asia Minor in 1174:

Asia Minor in 1176 ,after the capture of Dorylaeum and Amorium , Manuel crushed the turks at Konya and renamed the former turkish capital to his roman name , Iconium . The turkish sultan , Kilij Arslan rushed to save Konya and atacked the Roman Emperor . The two armies had more than 1,000 men each and were evenly matched. The battle was bloody and the two sides lost many men but in the end the Emperors command skills made the diffence . Manuel saw Kilij Arslan on the battlefield and provoke him to duel . The leaders battle was equilibrate but Manuel found the Sultan weakness , a undefended spot under his right hand and strike with his full force. Kilij Arsland fell of his horse and smashed his head. The sultan was dead. The news come to the turks ears who lost their morale and began to route. The romans speculate the advantage and began to hunt the muslims like wild beasts. It was a massacre , only a hand of turks escape to tell the battle story. The odds turned in just two years , the turks who ruled these lands from the battle of Manzikert (1071) almost 100 years ago are forced to retreat by the roman rampage.

The city of Famagusta fell 1174 ,and the island of Cyprus was united under roman rule. The island was very important for the Empire , the romans will control the Mediteranean trade and can launch invasions to the Holy Lands , Egypt or Armenia .

In the western part of the empire , Prince Alexius showed some of his father command abilities and with just a hand of roman soldiers and some armenian mercenaries captured the rebel city of Amasia. The turks are surounded by two sides now.

Ioannes quickly enumerate the most important events that took place in the past two years. He was proud that he is the right-hand of Manuel , who revived the Empire. Although he is 57 years old , the Prince , Alexius , prove himself worthy to rule the romans and the Empire will continue to prosper.

The Emperor wants to create a Christian League and invite all the Christian states to fight against the agressive muslims and heathens.
First alliance was signed with The Kingdom of Georgia , a small state in the Caucasian Mountains. They are in a difficult possition surrounded by the pagan Kypchaks , in the north-west and the Great Seljuks ,in the east.
The Armenians were next but the two kingdoms only exchanged trade rights. Manuel was surprised because they share the same enemy , the Turks , but it was the Armenian King decision .
The last alliance was signed with the Kingdom of Jerusalem who suffered the most . In the last year they lost the castle of Kerak and the Holy city of Jerusalem. Sultan Saladdin himself commanded the atack in 1175 and killed the chrians king , Baldwin . Now the fate of the Kingdom stands on King Guy's shoulders.
The Crusaders will receive an undreamed help from the Pope who called the first Crusade .

The Crusade should give an important edge to the christians in their efforts to recapture Jerusalem.

Manuel sends Ioannes Ducas to sleep and continue to work. He studied the Crescent for many years and their kingdoms . He made a list with the most important rulers in the Emperor's mind:

Eastern Roman Empire - Emperor Manuel
Kingdom of Armenia - Takavor Reuben
Kingdom of Jerusalem - King Guy
Ayyubid Sultanate - Sultan Saladdin
Great Seljuks - Sultan Sanjar
Khwarezm Shah- Shah Ala-Addin
Sultanate of Ghazni - Shah Khusrau

Ghorid Sultanate - Sultan Ghiyas-Uddin

Kingdom of Makuria- Negus Melku

The others are incompetent rulers or too insignificant for Manuel.

Its was a long day for the old Emperor , the tent will be his house in the next season , until the fall of Ankara .

This is my first AAR , all your critiques are welcomed.

**kostas84** · February 15, 2011, 10:36 AM

Nice to see some AAR's again.

Keep it up.

**tavix** · February 15, 2011, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by kostas84

Nice to see some AAR's again.

Keep it up.

Thank you sir !
My turn will come up from 4 to 7 days in the hotseat , the process of this AAR will be slow

**ByzantineCaesar** · February 16, 2011, 04:14 PM

Wow nice Roman AAR. It is nice to see that you are continuing the policies of Manuel I of uniting the christians. Good luck with your campaign & AAR!

**tavix** · February 18, 2011, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by ByzantineCaesar

Wow nice Roman AAR. It is nice to see that you are continuing the policies of Manuel I of uniting the christians. Good luck with your campaign & AAR!

Thank you.

**tavix** · February 19, 2011, 07:36 AM

Year 1176 , winter

Its winter. The snow covered the vast russian steppes of our northern neighbours , the Kypchaks . Manuel didnt liked the season , he remembered a trip to Kiev at the Knyaz Palace , ten years ago .When he arrived only the knyaz escorts were seen in the city ,the streets were empty . It was depressing .
At least he shared the same thoughts with the Knyaz regarding the growing power of the pagan Kypchaks . They shook hands and arranged another meeting at Constantinopole .

Manuel s tent near Ankara ,

Apology , Emperor .

Manuel was distracted from his memento by Ioannes Ducas .

Manuel : Ioannes , why these turk engineers didnt finished their job in time ?
Ioannes Ducas : They need more materials , Emperor .
Manuel : More materials ?! I gave them more than enough .
Ioannes Ducas : I dont like them either but it was the only solution to assault Ankara so quick.
Manuel : Bring me Ibrahim and Ali !
Ducas returns without them .

Ioannes Ducas : I found them praying , they said it may take a while .
Manuel : Ioannes , i said now !

Two soldiers carried the turk enginners in the royal tent .

Manuel : What is the meening of this ? You come when i summon you . That was the agreement in Inconium .
Ibrahim : The city name is Konya , Emperor .

Manuels sensitive cord was touched and with a fast perfect strike he cuts Ibrahims head with one blow.
Ali was stunned . He was terrified but couldnt move .

Manuel : You dont respect me in my own house ? ,yelled the Emperor . You re deadline had passed , you had 6 months to build the assault machines. I had enough.

The Emperor rises his sword and cuts Ali in two .

Manuel : Put their bodies near the castle , the muslims will know their fate . No one will be spared .
Ioannes Ducas : Apology , Emperor , now that the engineers are dead how we will assault the castle ?
Manuel : Ioannis Vatatzes brought a few to Iconium . They should arrive in any moment.

Ioannis Vatatzes is an experienced roman general and the new governor of Iconium .
His good reputation from Smyrna , where he was governor for a long time earn him his new title . At first sight , Ioannis seems a pious and loyal man but he has a secret , his power greed . Now he is the governor of Iconium , a city placed in the "warzone " he could advance , the next step is to enter in the royal family . He needs to have the roman people apreciation and ordered to build an orthodox church in the city . His engineers told him the construction will take half a year .
Ioannis is also jealous on Ioannes Ducas who was adopted in the royal family after the victory at Iconium . He was first invited by the Emperor but urgent problems kept him in Smyrna and Ducas took the opportunity.

Manuel : Now lets discuss other problems . Whats my favourite diplomat doing ?
Ioannes Ducas : Michael sent me a letter this morning . He said he meet Bogale ,the makurian diplomat , near Tripoli and offered him a deal . We now wait the Negus reply .
Manuel : Very good . Thats all for now , Ioannes , i need to rest.
Ioannes Ducas : Of course , Emperor .

Meanwhile , in west , Prince Alexius waits the perfect time to strike .
He followed the turkish army routine for the last six months and prepare something for today .

Many said Alexius is Emperor Manuel in his youth . His simmilar character and his long blond hair remind them of young Manuel .
Prince Alexius is 25 years old and unmarried .
He needed more troops from Constantinopole and his father sent Mavrikios Aminas , a very loyal general to help him .

A turkish general was sent scouting near the roman border . It was the oportunity Alexius was seeking for months .
Malik was a skilled turkish general from the old guard. He was loyal to the last sultan , Kilij Arslan and now was the perfect oportunity to revenge him by killing the Emperor s only son .

The turks outnumbered the romans with more than 100 men but their army was formed only by infantry .
Alexius army was majoritary formed by cavalry : his and Mavrikios mounted bodyguards , 2 regiments of Trapezitae Javelin Cavalry ,one regiment of Royal Kataphractoi and 2 regiments of Archer Auxilia .

The romans took a strategic position on a hill and waited their enemies . The turks made a big mistake climbing the hill slowed by the javelins and flaming missiles. Only half reached the top where they faced the mighty roman cavalry . Their charges decimated the muslim infantry and the soldiers started routing .
The romans hunted them and didnt showed any mercy . In the same time , in the other corner of the battle , Alexius smashed Maliks head with his mace .

All the turks were killed today . The romans lost some mercenary archers and the Trapezitae Cavalry.

**tavix** · February 25, 2011, 03:44 PM

Year 1177 ,summer

Manuel was in his tent thinking , The poor turks were right ,the assault machines cant be made so quick , even my finest engineers have dificulties .But they were turks so they deserved to die . If i didnt rule this Empire with iron first , all my vassals would have tried to gain more power for themselfs and divide my Empire . My son has to understand that these nobles are all hungry for land and needed to be kept at distance. Prince Alexius , i wonder what he s doing this days ...

Ioannes Ducas enters in the tent.

Manuel : Ioannes , im glad you re here .
Ioannes Ducas : I bring the latest news , Emperor .
Manuel : Very good ! Start with the ones about my son . I miss him .
Ioannes Ducas : Prince Alexius is sieging Kirsehir at the moment , a town left to the turkish capital . Last winter he defeated Malik near the city .
Manuel : Malik ? I knew the old man , he was good general . He almost defeated me five years ago , near Nicaea . My son shows shows good command skills .
Ioannes Ducas : He inherit them from you , Emperor .

Manuel (laughing) : His training in Constantinopole was the best known in the world. Now , tell me the other news.
Ioannes Ducas : I have a letter from Aleksios Pikernes , the govenor of Nicaea .
Manuel : I want to hear it .

Ducas opens the letter and began to read it :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Letter to Emperor Manuel

Great Emperor , im Aleksios Pikernes ,the govenor of Nicaea .

My men spotted a turkish general spying in the Empire territory . His name is Toghrul , one of the Sultan's trustful generals . I dont know what he was doing there alone but it was an oportunity hard to miss . I gather my bodyguards and a spear militia regiment and rushed in his dirrection .

I spotted him on the other hill and i ordered my men to march threw the forrest . The trees protect us from the hot sun until we arrived at the base of the hill . Now , we began the hard part , climbing the hill on a very hot day . I think it was the hottest day in my life .

Once we got to the top , i ordered my infantry to charge . Taken by surprise , Toghrul knew he didnt have time to run and told his men to counter the infantry .
Toghrul acted in time and his bodyguards stoped the infantry charge cutting threw flesh and bone . The fight heighten and the two sides started to lose men .

My plan worked . Toghrul's attention was on my infantry so i charged with my bodyguards from his right side . The turks were caugh exposed and the roman maces began to make victims . The turks were surrounded in short time and the victory was near .

The turks began to fall one after the other when just one remains . It was Toghrul . He gathered all his rage and started to kill anyone near him . Many romans died by his hand today .Eventually, he got tired and the romans hit him from all sides . He ran to save his life but was caught fast by me and my cavalry and the fight continued . I felt him tired and kicked him from his horse with my mace . He smashed his dead and bleeded to death .

All the turks were killed . It was important not to late anyone escape and complete the espionage mission . He could have important informations about the landscape that later could be used in their fast advantage in the Empire territories.

I send a bag with the letter. Toghrul's head is in .

Aleksios Pikernes , governor of Nicaea.

Manuel : Excellent ! I like him this guy , i hope i can find more like him . He's young , he can help the Empire after my death . Send him my reward :

Ducas : Of couse , Emperor . He will be honoured .
Manuel : Now , my surprise atacked worked ?
Ducas : Worked so far , Andronicus crossed the sea unnoticed and besieged the city of Alexandria.

Manuel : Excellent . The ayyubids have their troops in the Holy Lands . We can do some damage with so little troops .
How's my friend , King Guy doing ?

Ducas : Im afraid he's dead , Emperor . He was killed last winter in Acre while defendind the castle from the muslims.

Manuel : Jerusalem first and now Acre ? Oh god ! I hope we are not too late .
You have Melku's reponse ?He changed his mind ?

Ducas : I know he first said that the makurians were taught to fight alone but his defeat at Cairo seemed to changed his mind .

Manuel : Great ! With makurian help we can put some presure on the egyptian and they we ll be forced to bring some troops here .I hope it will be the oportunity the crusaders were looking for .

Ducas : This was the last one . I will send your word to Aleksios .
Manuel : Very well !

The Emperor didnt see with good eyes the situation in the Holy Lands and Egypt but until the turks wont be defeated he cant do much...