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Thread: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!) Complete + Behind the Scenes

  1. #141

    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    A good update Swaeft, but there was one thing that needs fixing. You have the Cardinal say "I leave my fate to the Gods.", but I sort of feel like a Catholic Cardinal would only be leaving his fate to a single God.
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  2. #142
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Turkafinwë View Post
    I'm really starting to like High Lord Jean, he's grown on me. He is intelligent, brave, honourable and has a down to earth practicality about him. Suffice to say that you have given us another good update to Jean's story.

    Have fun on your holiday!
    Hey, what happened to Mr Daddy Issues? But gee, thanks. Looks like its time to make him more evil again then. Also, thanks for the well wishes!

    Quote Originally Posted by Alwyn View Post
    Great updates! I agree with Turkafinwë, Lord Jean is a relatable and appealing character. I like the way that he stands up for what he believes in without realising how others will react - and the discussion with his father in private is interesting. Your descriptions of events in the battle are very effective, for example of the part when the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre receive the cavalry charge. I hope Gaston's okay, I like his humour!
    That's kind of like me too, I usually mouth off without a care in the world. Thanks, I was wondering how I should portray them since I wasn't going to write form their point of view - though I did mull over the idea for a while! *Cough cough* Spies lead a dangerous lifestyle, my dear Alwyn. There can only be two - a Master, and an apprentice, and Gaston is no longer my *cut*

    Quote Originally Posted by Kilo11 View Post
    A good update Swaeft, but there was one thing that needs fixing. You have the Cardinal say "I leave my fate to the Gods.", but I sort of feel like a Catholic Cardinal would only be leaving his fate to a single God.
    Hey, it's been a while! (And vice versa, I know, I humbly beg Mun'at's forgiveness)

    I didn't know how to address this for a bit, and you were always a sharp one, so I think you probably know what's going on anyway, so here is my response in spoilers(it is a bit of a spoiler after all, but a very minor one, and even then it's up to you to interpret what it means):

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Hey, you're not Kilo11, what're you doing reading this? You want to? Okay, fine, it's not that big of a spoiler anyway, but I did warn you!
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    That was intentional, it was not a mistake.

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  3. #143

    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Oooh, your "spoiler" is interesting. To be entirely honest, I am not a big fan of cliffhangers (like those updates that end in "Oh my God, is Gaston about to be killed?! What is going to happen?!"),* but I do like a bit of mystery and also suspense. Having something like that not be an accident is very interesting and makes my ears prick up (you guessed it; I'm a dog). Most importantly, it gets me very interested in what will happen next, as it creates a sense of "wrongness" in the story that needs resolving, but does that without being too overt or "in your face". So, I guess what I'm saying is "Well done there!" I'll be looking forward to how that detail comes into play later, and if I may make a suggestion, try to keep the workings of the coming scenes subtle in this fashion. It shows a level of forethought and planning that is great to see, and makes the reader much more attentive and engaged. I'm liking it!



    *To stress, this is not to say there is anything at all wrong with them; they're just not my cup of tea.
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  4. #144
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Kilo11 View Post
    Oooh, your "spoiler" is interesting. To be entirely honest, I am not a big fan of cliffhangers (like those updates that end in "Oh my God, is Gaston about to be killed?! What is going to happen?!"),* but I do like a bit of mystery and also suspense. Having something like that not be an accident is very interesting and makes my ears prick up (you guessed it; I'm a dog). Most importantly, it gets me very interested in what will happen next, as it creates a sense of "wrongness" in the story that needs resolving, but does that without being too overt or "in your face". So, I guess what I'm saying is "Well done there!" I'll be looking forward to how that detail comes into play later, and if I may make a suggestion, try to keep the workings of the coming scenes subtle in this fashion. It shows a level of forethought and planning that is great to see, and makes the reader much more attentive and engaged. I'm liking it!



    *To stress, this is not to say there is anything at all wrong with them; they're just not my cup of tea.

    First off, don't worry, I know what you mean, there's nothing wrong with saying that you don't like em, in fact I'm glad you did, so now I know I have to go back and delete all the cliffhanger endings and rewrite them from scratch I jest, I jest, but yeah I try not to have too many of em, it makes them lose their significance if I overdo it. My last AAR was filled with them, I remember at one point I'd go five? or so chapters with cliffhanger (some not really but one liners) endings endlessly. It just fascinated me as much as writing, heh.

    About this kind of writing, I actually tried to do this kind of style before, but I don't think anyone caught on to it so I stopped doing it for a while. But I never planned on completely abandoning it, I like releasing plot details this way, so here it is again! Glad you like it, you can't have everything about the plot handed to you on a platter, can ya? Now you may be thinking, hey, where did Swaeft do that? Of course I'm not going to ask you to re read everything just to find it, it's in chapter sixteen and seventeen. So as not to spoil those who haven't read it, I'll put it in spoilers.

    For the lazy:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Near the end of both chapters



    For those who stay up at night saving the world and have no free time:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Two characters say almost the exact same thing.


    Again, it's up to you how to interpret it, there is no correct answer...yet Also, if you spotted this before, congratulations! You have a sharp eye and definitely a sharper mind than me

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  5. #145
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Character List

    High Lord Jean de Brienne the Honourable – King of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Marie de Lusignan – Wife of High Lord Jean, Queen of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Lord Jean de Brienne – First Prince of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, War Council Member
    Joan de Brienne – Wife of Lord Jean, Princess of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Henri de Lusignan – Close friend, cousin and later brother in law to Lord Jean
    Yolande de Lusignan – Older sister of Lord Jean, wife to Henri de Lusignan, Princess of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Baudouin de Brienne - Younger Brother of Lord Jean, Second Prince of Jerusalem


    Bohemond de Poitiers the Chivalrous – Count of Tortosa, War Council member
    Melisende de Lusignan – Wife of Bohemond de Poitiers

    Jean d’Ibelin – Prince of Acre, Grand Uncle to Lord Jean, Uncle to High Lord Jean
    Melisende – Wife of Jean d’Ibelin
    Balian d’Ibelin – Deceased son of Jean d’Ibelin

    Philip d’Ibelin – Duke of Nicosia, Grandmaster of the Knights Templar, Grand Uncle to Lord Jean, Uncle to High Lord Jean
    Alix – Wife of Philip d’Ibelin
    Jean d’Ibelin – Deceased son of Philip d’Ibelin


    Lord Tigel de Linus - Commander of Jerusalem's garrison, its Master-at-Arms, and Adviser to Lord Jean
    Cardinal Reynaud - Presiding Cardinal in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Adviser to Lord Jean
    The Constable of Jerusalem
    Sir Raimondo - The First Prince's bodyguard Captain
    Alvaro - One of the First Prince's bodyguards
    Foucaud – Spymaster
    Gaston de Rocafolio – Spy
    Colin – Diplomat
    Gautier Corbet – Diplomat
    Pierre Dupuy – Diplomat
    Denethor the Second – Court jester/fool
    Chirgeon – Stable Master in Jerusalem
    Paragon – Treasurer on the Council of Nobles
    Sir Anduril – Hospitaller Knight
    Robert de Quar - Apprentice scribe to the Royal Chronicler
    Stefano - A mystery...for now



    CHAPTER TWENTY SIX



    From the Perspective of Lord Jean, First Prince of Jerusalem, The Town of Al Aqaba, 1237 AD

    A week had passed since the previous battle, but our army, if one could call it that, was still hard at work. Wells were being dug, and foraging parties and scouts worked tirelessly to supply the troops and reconnoitre the outlying landscape. My father often led those parties himself.



    On his orders, the bodies of the fallen Ayyubid soldiers were all burned, save their heads, which had been lopped off and gathered. This grisly business was left to the Templars, who had performed it with unsettling zeal. The militia and pilgrims in my father’s army had stood back and watched with unease. But that was not the worst of it.

    My father then ordered all the heads be mounted on spikes and displayed outside every entrance to the town. Once again this task fell to the Templars, and once again they did so with unmatched eagerness. Some of the men whispered between themselves that God and Satan both wrested for control over my father’s soul, and for the past few days, the forces of Hell had triumphed. Although I knew this was not the case, the ease and frequency with which my father flitted between chivalry and dread brought no end of concern to my mind.

    “The Saracens cannot stand seeing the bodies of their comrades desecrated and left in the open.” My father had told me. “They believe that without proper burial, the spirits of the fallen will linger in this world, angry and unforgiving, awaiting their transfer into their eternal paradise. If the new Sultan is to solidify his authority and unite his courts, he’ll have to come here and take down these bodies himself, or at least, have his generals do so. The only way he can do that is to kick us out of here.”

    “This isn’t a very defensible spot, my King.” Tigel de Linus observed. “Perhaps we’d be better of razing this town and withdrawing to Jerusalem or Gaza.”

    But my father had made up his mind. And, as usual, there were sound tactical and strategic reasons behind it that I’d never have thought of.

    “Gaza is not ready for a protracted siege. We’ve only annexed it a few months ago and repair works are still ongoing. Jerusalem is our most populous city, our capital and our main source of income. To have it besieged for any length of time would wreak havoc on our treasury, as Lord Paragon has constantly advised me. No.” My father stretched out his hand and closed his palms. “We will focus their attention here, and battle it out in the surrounding areas. This town will be our fallback position and resupply base. Even if we are forced to retreat to, say, Kerak, we’d have lost nothing significant. The idea is to protect Jerusalem and its people.”

    The officers in the army agreed with that assessment, and some of the townsfolk were ‘let go’ to inform the Sultanate of the atrocities being committed here and the urgent need for a force to expel us immediately. Word was sent to Gaza to inform us if any sizable Ayyubid force was headed to Jerusalem, and the army was constantly prepared to move out within an hour’s notice, should the need arise.

    New information had also arrived from the capital. To everyone’s relief, the northern portion of our Kingdom was holding, but their garrisons were dwindling every day. A few battles were fought, and my father gathered his officers into the command tent to apprise them of the situation. I sat apart from my father, unwilling to look the captains in the eye after severely angering them the previous week.


    The Second Siege of Tortosa, 1237 AD


    My King, I thank you for the reinforcements. I only wished they had arrived in time to help alleviate the siege. I had over a hundred men with me, facing off against three times our number. I would have had closer to a hundred and fifty, but some of the gate guards thought it hopeless and deserted before we could stop them. We were certain this was it, but nevertheless prepared to take down as many of the cursed Saracens as we could before meeting God.

    As was custom, I rode out with my retinue – 14 knights in total – to confront the enemy and maximize the effect of our cavalry charge. Alas, the enemy had ample spearmen to counter my knights, and we only managed to disable their ram and skewer a few archers before being forced to withdraw into the castle.

    I lost almost half my retinue in that sortie, and after that all I could do was hide behind the walls and command as best as I could. We waited with bated breath for the inevitable clunk of the enemy’s ladders on our walls. When it happened, we braced ourselves for the coming onslaught.

    The enemy poured over the walls and engaged my spearmen, giving the sixty or so levy archers I had with me a golden opportunity to fire straight into the exposed sides of the enemy. I think I roared myself hoarse – I must have shouted nock and loose at least a hundred times.



    It was a good thing the enemy could not do the same – their own horse archers were stuck outside the gate, and without a clear line of sight into what was happening behind the walls, did not dare fire upon their own men. When the enemy finally wizened up and decided to target our archers, I led my remaining knights in a charge. The combat was violent and brutal, and many of my retinue fell.



    I do not know how long the battle lasted, but I only knew it was over when there was no more screaming, no more clashing of swords on shields, and no more panicked Seljuk Turks scrambling to run back up to the walls. When I scaled the castle walls myself, I only saw a cloud of dust in the distance. The horse archers had retreated, having no other recourse. All that was left were the bodies of the slain and their weapons and armour baking in the hot sun.





    The men let out a great roar, and we thought it was over, for a while at least. Our spirits were further bolstered by the reinforcements you sent arriving the very next day. Things were finally looking up.

    But it seems God intends to test me once more. The Seljuks have regrouped and gathered an even larger army under a general, and have blocked our eastern exit road. The castle will soon be surrounded again, and I only hope that this messenger makes it out before the Seljuks fully encircle us.



    I fear that I sound ungrateful, my King, but we need reinforcements once again if there is to be any hope of holding on to this castle. After this battle is done, and we emerge victorious, God willing, our ranks will surely be depleted once more – the Turkish host outnumbers us by a large margin. The scouts are still getting in the figures, but there seems to be upwards of a thousand and five hundred, and those are only the visible ones.

    Jean d’Ibelin




    The First Battle of Kerak, 1237 AD


    My King, the enemy attempted a sneak attack at Kerak. As ordered, I have been patrolling the area, and once they were sighted, they attempted to run, for I had a far superior force.

    They didn’t make it very far.




    Put your mind at ease, sire, for they are no more.



    The captains and officers all agreed that these victories were deserving of high praise, yet the situation remained too volatile and dangerous for there to be any real celebration. Constable de Linus summed it up succinctly – constant victories like these were necessary for the survival of our Kingdom, they were not something that could come as a ‘bonus’. Even a single defeat could set our manpower and economy back severely.

    As the officers discussed the details of some of the more minor skirmishes that had occurred, father approached me with a quill and some parchment.

    “It’s high time you wrote some letters of your own. Send them to the quartermaster when you’re done. He’ll deliver them to Jerusalem.”

    I jumped at the chance for correspondence with…everyone. Mother, Yolande, Henri, Joan…and Baudouin...I’ve neglected them all. Even though I’d only been on campaign for over a month, it felt like an eternity since I last saw any of them. “Don’t forget your family.” Father’s voice drawled from behind me. “They will be the cornerstone of your support when you become king.” And with that, he left.

    As I raised the quill to the parchment, I realised that I did not know who to write to first. A myriad of thoughts swirled inside my head, and I must have stared blankly into space for a few good minutes before scrawling my first few words. It took me at least two hours to finish writing them all - the starting was the hardest, but once the first few lines were written the rest of my thoughts condensed into words and the paragraphs flowed with comparable ease. When I was done, I rolled the parchments up, affixed the royal seal to it, and delivered them to the quartermaster myself.

    "All to Jerusalem, sir?" The quartermaster inquired.

    "Aye," I replied, "and one to Gaza."



    Author's Note:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    I know, I know, I said don't expect a chapter this week...but *insert Moriarty voice* I'm so changeable!!!! Enjoy Also, I'll have to try your tip for removing the campaign flags and HUD next time, Turkafinwe. These pics were taken together with the pre-written chapters, but I'll definitely try it out next time. Also, this Al Aqaba arc is taking quite a bit of time...hmm...

    Last edited by Swaeft; January 10, 2019 at 03:54 AM.

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  6. #146

    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Absolutely outstanding AAR, easily the best I have ever read, thank you very much! Read every chapter in a single sitting
    If you might be interested, I have released the new version of Real Recruitment/Real Combat (RRRC Compilation Ultimate Edition, as used in SS6.4) after many years of work; this thread contains all the details:
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...tch-2-Released
    There is a new update being released shortly.

    Very much looking forward to your next chapter!

  7. #147
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Point Blank View Post
    Absolutely outstanding AAR, easily the best I have ever read, thank you very much! Read every chapter in a single sitting
    If you might be interested, I have released the new version of Real Recruitment/Real Combat (RRRC Compilation Ultimate Edition, as used in SS6.4) after many years of work; this thread contains all the details:
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...tch-2-Released
    There is a new update being released shortly.

    Very much looking forward to your next chapter!

    It's...it's Point Blank!! I am not worthy...I am not worthy...murmurs into a coma...

    How the hell did you manage to read it all in one sitting??? Mad respect for that, I'm glad you were able to read through it without being turned away by the rough-ish start. Also, congrats on the new update! Must have taken a lot of time and effort, so I just wanna say thanks for allowing all of us to enjoy it, much appreciated. The next chapter should be out during the weekend!

    P.S. So you are the man I have to blame for not being able to recruit my badass Templars and Hospitallers...

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  8. #148

    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Haha maybe I should look into that

    I read your chapters only, all the speculation in the comments made my head explode!

    Yes the number of changes and updates is in the new RRRC version is absolutely enormous; most are detailed in the thread above. The next update, #3, will focus exclusively on campaign improvements, since RC is finally complete now (after more than 10 years haha). It will also include four mini-campaigns with customized regional maps and events, including historically-accurate armies and generals. As much as possible, they will strive to represent the respective faction armies and settlements with a high degree of fidelity - if not 1:1, then as close to it as possible. That should be very interesting:

    The Reconquista 1146
    Italian City States 1280
    The Hundred Years War 1337
    The Italian Wars 1494
    To be followed down the road by a Late Era 1370 grand campaign, with a whole raft of new and updated factions and units. This is the provisional faction list, as well as some of the novel AI personality types that will be introduced:

    Naples: fortified roger
    England: fortified henry
    France: balanced smith
    Burgundy: fortified smith
    Moors: balanced mao
    Milan: trader smith
    Venice: sailor doge
    Florence: fortified doge
    Crusader States: fortified richard
    The Golden Horde: balanced subotai
    Timurids: balanced ghengis
    Portugal: fortified smith
    Aragon: balanced smith
    Turks: balanced arslan
    Byzantines: craftsman smith
    Georgia: fortified smith
    Egypt: fortified saladin
    Novgorod: fortified tsar
    Moscow: balanced tsar
    Lithuania: balanced smith
    Spain: fortified alfonso
    HRE: craftsman heinrich
    Teutonic Knights: fortified heinrich
    Denmark, Norway: sailor knud
    Hungary: balanced vlad
    Wallachia and Moldavia: fortified vlad
    Poland: fortified wyvadslaw
    Papal States: religious smith, which should reduce its aggressive tendancies

    So plenty of variety there. There will be a new campaign AI, Skynet (lol) as detailed here:
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...5596-Skynet-AI
    which is extremely well-researched, updates to many unit models and textures, and some changes to BGR (costs and penalties, player-owned ports acting as supply centers) and additional submods implemented. Overall, it should be a good one.

    Next chapter on the weekend, great!
    Last edited by Point Blank; December 07, 2018 at 11:41 PM.

  9. #149
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Character List

    High Lord Jean de Brienne the Honourable – King of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Marie de Lusignan – Wife of High Lord Jean, Queen of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Lord Jean de Brienne – First Prince of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, War Council Member
    Joan de Brienne – Wife of Lord Jean, Princess of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Henri de Lusignan – Close friend, cousin and later brother in law to Lord Jean
    Yolande de Lusignan – Older sister of Lord Jean, wife to Henri de Lusignan, Princess of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Baudouin de Brienne - Younger Brother of Lord Jean, Second Prince of Jerusalem


    Bohemond de Poitiers the Chivalrous – Count of Tortosa, War Council member
    Melisende de Lusignan – Wife of Bohemond de Poitiers

    Jean d’Ibelin – Prince of Acre, Grand Uncle to Lord Jean, Uncle to High Lord Jean
    Melisende – Wife of Jean d’Ibelin
    Balian d’Ibelin – Deceased son of Jean d’Ibelin

    Philip d’Ibelin – Duke of Nicosia, Grandmaster of the Knights Templar, Grand Uncle to Lord Jean, Uncle to High Lord Jean
    Alix – Wife of Philip d’Ibelin
    Jean d’Ibelin – Deceased son of Philip d’Ibelin


    Lord Tigel de Linus - Commander of Jerusalem's garrison, its Master-at-Arms, and Adviser to Lord Jean
    Cardinal Reynaud - Presiding Cardinal in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Adviser to Lord Jean
    The Constable of Jerusalem
    Sir Raimondo - The First Prince's bodyguard Captain
    Alvaro - One of the First Prince's bodyguards
    Foucaud – Spymaster
    Gaston de Rocafolio – Spy
    Colin – Diplomat
    Gautier Corbet – Diplomat
    Pierre Dupuy – Diplomat
    Denethor the Second – Court jester/fool
    Chirgeon – Stable Master in Jerusalem
    Paragon – Treasurer on the Council of Nobles
    Sir Anduril – Hospitaller Knight
    Robert de Quar - Apprentice scribe to the Royal Chronicler
    Stefano - A mystery...for now



    CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN



    From the Perspective of Lord Jean, First Prince of Jerusalem, The Outskirts of Al Aqaba, 1237 AD


    I am God’s Steel.

    Those four words repeated themselves in my mind as I hacked at the Ayyubid spearman in front of me. He parried with his shield, an angry snarl upon his lips, and jabbed at me. I twisted to my right to dodge, then tried to slash at him, but he took a few steps back, evading my strike with ease.

    Blast it.

    All those years of training in Jerusalem, and for what? Sword against sword, sword against shield, horseback combat against another rider, and not once was I trained to fight from atop a horse against an unmounted enemy. Stupid, stupid. What was I thinking? That I’d just ride them down?

    The spearman lunged forwards again, and I brushed his spear aside with my blade. We both cursed, and I attempted another downwards slash, but my opponent sidestepped it without breaking a sweat. Then, he grimaced and lowered his shield, his rage melting into trepidation.



    Fervent roars muffled by heavy helms announced the arrival of a detachment of Templar Heavy Infantry. They smashed into the Ayyubid spearmen with their usual zeal, and cut them to pieces before my eyes. “Push forward!” I yelled, but they needed no instructions – on the battlefield, these men let their training and bonds of brotherhood take over, making them very efficient killing machines.

    Raimondo reined his horse in beside me and lifted his visor, beads of sweat dripping down his nose and cheeks. “They’re fleeing, my Prince. We’ve got them.” I cast a sweeping gaze around the battlefield – a desert plain a few leagues to the west of Al Aqaba – and nodded with affirmation. “Order the men to pursue. Round them all up.”

    Raimondo saluted and dished out orders to everyone in the vicinity. Then, he removed a horn tied to his breastplate and gave one long blast – the signal for a general advance. It took fifteen or so more minutes to completely defeat the enemy – they only had spears and a few archers –then a similar amount of time to secure the battleground. The prisoners bowed when I approached, the consternation clearly visible in their eyes and facial expressions. These are obviously not the regulars of the Ayyubid armies. Levied townsfolk, perhaps.

    “Let it be known that it is only by the grace of the King of Jerusalem that you are to walk free today.” I announced. “Return to your homes and do not –“

    “The King of Jerusalem is an honourless dog.” One of the prisoners spat. What an ungrateful –

    “Kill that one.”

    A Templar moved in to obey Raimondo, and for a brief moment I wondered if I should countermand him. I couldn’t decide – and the execution happened so fast I was a little taken aback. Somehow I managed to find my voice, and gave orders for the rest to leave before anything else happened.

    “A fine victory, my Prince.” Raimondo decided. “Your father would be proud of you.”



    “That was hardly a battle.” I countered. “These fanatics are crazy, coming against us like this. I’m starting to see why we shouldn’t always let them go, but that’s not how I was brought up.”

    Raimondo nodded. “Indeed. Let them go and they just return to their liege, ready to bear arms against us again. Sometimes you have to decide what is right based on your experience, and not by what others tell you.” He nudged his horse forwards. “Let’s be on our way, my Prince. We need to report this to your father.” I glanced at the Ayyubid bodies around us. Of late we had stopped burning them – another order from my father, who intended to antagonize the Saracen armies to Al Aqaba any way he could.

    Sighing, I raised my sword and directed my men out of the area, leaving the corpses to rot.
    **

    I arrived at the town expecting to head in for some fresh water and some rest, but it was not to be. An anxious guard rushed up to me and informed me that my father had departed to engage a sizable Ayyubid force just south of the area not too long ago, and left instructions for me to reinforce him when I returned.

    A good half an hour’s travel later, I caught up with father, and reported my minor success to him. As expected, he simply grunted and assimilated my troops into his force. Then, he lifted a finger to the horizon.

    I saw the siege machines before I saw the men. The Ayyubids had brought two, and they were lumbering slowly towards us, accompanied by a host of men of comparable size to our own.



    My father had positioned his forces in the direct path of the Ayyubid army, arraying his men on the beginning of a downslope. The True Cross was positioned in the middle, with spearmen in front and our own trebuchets behind. Flags and banners waved gaily in the afternoon wind, a stark contrast to the stern and uncompromising men of the Crusader States.

    Or so I thought.

    When father raised his sword, the steely exterior of the troops gave way to one marked by jeers, shouts, taunts, and general pandemonium.



    “Ayyubid fools!” and “Infidel scum!” were some of the more common insults I managed to catch, although “Dung eaters!” generated higher approval and “You’ll never be half the man your mother was!” a few guffaws to those who heard it. But the one that was shouted the loudest and garnered the most agreement was “YOU WRETCHED MONGRELS! You bathe with SAND and excrete in your own food! I PERSPIRE MORE from SHOUTING than FIGHTING WITH YOU!” Somewhere to the left, a man I presumed to be the shouter was patted heavily on the back by his fellows. Though I normally didn’t approve of such actions, I allowed myself a smile at that one.

    Then the enemy army halted.

    My father rode to the front, and quickly dispensed with the raucousness. “I WANT THIN LINES! SPREAD OUT!” His words were repeated by the officers and captains, and our army rushed to obey. “FIRE!” My father roared, and within the space of three heartbeats, our trebuchets roared with him as they unleashed their payload downhill.



    I couldn’t see where they landed, so I rode forwards, our lines parting to allow my retinue through. “Jean!” A voice rasped. I looked to the left, where my father was beckoning me over. “The enemy have more cavalry than I expected. I need you to join me in the charge.”

    I didn’t have time to fully process those words as the Ayyubid siege engines let fly their reply. A great ball of fire thundered towards our lines, and passed out of sight.



    “We need to silence those trebuchets! JEAN!” My father grabbed me by my shoulders, shaking away my preoccupation. “I know you’re not that fond of combat, but we need every knight we have, and it will look terrible for you if your men charge without you.” Then he slapped me on the back. “Man up! We can only attack the trebuchets if we eliminate their cavalry while our infantry occupy theirs. FORM ON ME!”

    I subconsciously urged my mount forwards. I’ve never been in the vanguard. I’m not father. I looked on anxiously as father’s retinue and mine joined ranks, complemented by a detachment of Templar Knights. I’m in front! The first charge! This is suicide!

    Then I spotted two companies of enemy horsemen approaching rapidly. I felt my heart start racing as somewhere, someone let out a long blast on a war horn. “FORWARD!” I did not know who gave the order, but all at once the entire line surged forwards, and my own horse got caught up in the momentum.

    We were barreling downhill, driving straight at the enemy. Even with my visor closed, I could hear the wind whistling past my ears, the sound of which was partly swallowed by my fellow knights’ war cries. That too was permeated by a huge din overhead, which I recognized to be another flaming rock from the Ayyubid trebuchets. I stole a glance backwards, and saw it smash into a few unfortunate souls from our lines, currently racing downhill as fast as they could, just like us.



    From my point of view, all I could see was a couple of flags disappearing, their bearers scorched beyond recognition. Their death rattles were eaten up by the cacophony of noises resonating all around me, but even I knew it was a painful and torturous death. I quickly suppressed a sudden urge to expel my breakfast from my innards, and set my mind to focus on the task at hand.

    It had only been for a few seconds, but when I faced front again, the enemy was almost upon us. “LANCES!” Someone else yelled, and I suddenly realized I didn’t have one. As I dithered over whether to let someone with a lance overtake me, the knight to my right uttered a choked cry and fell from his horse, slamming into the knight behind him and unhorsing him as well. A javelin protruded from his chest plate. Skirmishers!

    If an order to raise the shields was given, I didn’t hear it, but most of the knights did it anyway. A few more fell from their horses, and I saw one horse struck in the legs, instantly crippling it and causing it to crumple to the ground together with its rider. I raised my sword and yelled my war cries – I had always hated being on the receiving end of ranged projectiles. Aside from being incredibly hazardous to one’s life expectancy, it never gave one a chance to fight back before being impaled or worse.

    You’re a two faced brat. I told myself, remembering that I had once wanted my retinue to be armed with bows instead of swords and horses. Then that thought vanished from my mind as we crashed into the enemies.

    At least, that was what I thought had happened. The sudden loss of motion was not due to us hitting our enemies, but rather one of their javelins hitting my mount. The inertia sent me flying as I saw my horse fall to the ground, neighing in agony. It was as if an invisible hand had picked me off the back of my horse and lifted me into the air, before slamming me into the ground.

    Surprisingly, the pain that I expected to come never did arrive.

    As I lay there on the desert floor, stunned and dazed, I slowly realized that my armour had absorbed most of the impact. The enemies! I looked up, suddenly worried that I would be surrounded, but the enemy cavalry were nowhere near me. They had retreated, utilising the skirmishing tactics that I heard many a knight speak about with great disdain. Cowards, the lot of them. One of the knights in Jerusalem had spat. They rely on a woman’s stratagem of throwing things, then run away squealing to their mothers when we draw close. They know they can’t stand up to us.

    Stand up. STAND UP!

    With a groan, I clambered to my feet, not an easy task when garbed in such heavy armour and being disorientated. I reached for my belt, relieved to find that my sword was still buckled. As I stumbled back to my dying horse, the sounds started returning to my ears – and with great horror I realized the bulk of the Ayyubid infantry were now charging towards me! Almost instantly, I turned and saw that our own infantry were rapidly catching up to me, and I would soon be in the centre of the conflict.

    I drew my sword and prepared to join the onrushing Crusader States infantry in their charge. A shower of arrows came my way, and I didn’t have time to dread losing my shield in the fall before they clanged harmlessly off my armour. Hah! Thank you smiths of Jerusalem!

    The crusader infantry reached my position first, and I joined their ranks. Now I’ll get a chance to put my training to the test. Up ahead and to the right, my father had sent the Templars after the desert cavalry, while he and his retinue wheeled around towards the Ayyubid siege machines. Soon there was nothing else in my field of vision aside from the enemy spears charging at us.

    I managed to stab the first guy in the stomach, but as it turns out I wasn’t prepared for combat as a unit either. I had lunged too far in front, and exposed myself. A few spear slashes bounced off my armour, and before I could recollect my thoughts, someone slammed a shield into my face.

    I staggered back and lost my footing, and the last thing I remembered was a sharp blow to my head from behind.
    **

    “He’s awake. Inform the King.”

    A dull, throbbing pain was all I felt for the first few seconds, until the tent I was in came into focus. A very concerned Raimondo was staring down at me. “What were you doing with the infantry? A few of the Templars brought you back. Apparently someone’s mailed boots banged you up pretty good while you were on the ground, and you lost consciousness.” He waved a hand. “I know, you have questions. Don’t worry, we won the battle. In fact, we fought another one straight after that, and won that one too. Morale is pretty high at the moment. How are you feeling?”



    I opened my mouth, but father burst in before I could say anything. “Jean!” He roared good naturedly. “I didn’t put you in charge of the infantry, did I?” He cackled at his own joke, and clapped Raimondo on the shoulders. “You missed it all! The desert cavalry were eliminated by the combined strength of our mounted sergeants and Templar Knights. You should have seen their faces when they thought they could outrun our knights, only to have the sergeants come at them from behind!”

    His jovial mood brought smiles to all the soldiers in the tent, and he wasn’t done. “Those snivelling bastards sabotaged their own trebuchets before we could reach them. Hah! They knew they didn’t stand a chance against us. After we encircled their army – no easy feat, I tell you, they had roughly the same amount of men we had – another, smaller force approached. Those men were a war party returning late from a patrol, unaware their main force was engaging us. We destroyed them too. Those bastards never learn.”



    I winced as I sat up, the aching in my head not going away. “How are the men?” I inquired. My father laughed and opened the tent flap. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”

    A boisterous mix of cheering and applause flowed into the tent, and as I took slow steps to the entrance, I could see our army was in a celebratory mood. Just then, a rider slowed from his full gallop and dismounted. He approached us and saluted. “My King, we need to speak in private.”

    “Sure, sure. Clear the tent, gentlemen.”

    As the soldiers in the tent ambled out with grins to join their fellows, father motioned for the messenger to enter. The man glanced nervously at me. “This is my son, Jean.” Father said with a sigh. “Anything you have to say to me can be said in his presence.”

    The man bowed. “Apologies, my Prince, we have not had the pleasure of meeting. I am Gaston de Rocafolio, an information gatherer. My King, I bring an urgent message from Foucaud.”

    Father grasped the parchment that was given to him with two hands, and gracefully untied it. As his eyes narrowed and his temples throbbed, I began to fear what the message was. Did something happen at Jerusalem? Or Gaza? Is Henri…dead?

    Those worries were alleviated when my father scowled and slammed his fist on a table, his benign demeanour vanishing completely. “Raimondo!”

    A puzzled looking Raimondo entered and saluted. “Take five men and horses and ride hard for Kerak. Inform Lord Phillip that I have summoned him and he is to comply immediately. WAIT!” My father rubbed his temples in frustration, shaking his head. “On second thought, send a trusted messenger with the usual two escorts. Invite Lord Phillip to join us at Al Aqaba, tell him that I wish to thank him personally for defending Jerusalem and Kerak, and say that he does not need to bring his men with him.”

    Raimondo raised an eyebrow, but departed without questioning my father, who had turned to Gaston. “Summon Foucaud as well, please. Where is he, anyway?”

    “Nicosia, my King, gathering more information. I shall send for him right away.”

    “Father?” I pried.

    “Not now, Jean. I’ll leave you to your…recovery.” With that, he stalked out of the tent. Perplexed, I resolved to lay back down and rest.

    So much for saying anything in my presence.


    Author's Note:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    A bit of a longer update, but necessary. Still debating whether I should use the contentboxes for battles or leave it as it is, but I think I'll make a decision soon. Any opinions on this will also help me decide @Point Blank That is indeed an extensive change list, and it sounds really impressive. Part of me wishes I started this AAR after you made your changes to the AI, but I guess I'll be able to enjoy the new RRRC on a campaign of my choosing without the baggage of writing an AAR for it . The AI personalities look particularly interesting!
    Last edited by Swaeft; January 10, 2019 at 03:55 AM.

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  10. #150

    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Another fantastic chapter! You have an impressive talent. If you do another AAR, and I hope you do , you might want to consider using one of the new mini-campaigns (especially The Italian Wars 1494, featuring France, Spain, HRE, Papal States, Venice, Milan and Florence, each at the peak of their power; units from The Italian Wars mod; a new mercenary system and units). Each will be packed with as much historical detail and as many new events as possible.

    Will keep you up to date on progress on the next RRRC update, more info:
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...1#post15708033
    It won’t be too far off. As many of the changes as possible will be retrofitted to the existing Early and High era campaigns.

    Was considering doing a Crusades mini-campaign using the Kingdoms Crusades map, details:
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...1#post15685228
    but will prioritize the Late Era campaign at the moment.
    Last edited by Point Blank; December 09, 2018 at 10:02 AM.

  11. #151
    Turkafinwë's Avatar The Sick Baby Jester
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    A very exstensive recollection of the battle. It seems Jean is learning how to overcome his fear for battle, standing firm to join the infantry once his horse was downed. The mystery continues with Foucaud's message to the King.

    Another job well done!

  12. #152
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    I agree, this is an exciting chapter, with a heart-stopping charge and brilliant screenshots!

  13. #153

    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    I just put this into the main RRRC thread:
    I absolutely recommend this AAR, it is easily the best one I have ever seen and is quite compulsive reading :
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...-IV-and-more!)

  14. #154
    Swaeft's Avatar Drama King
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Point Blank View Post
    Another fantastic chapter! You have an impressive talent. If you do another AAR, and I hope you do , you might want to consider using one of the new mini-campaigns (especially The Italian Wars 1494, featuring France, Spain, HRE, Papal States, Venice, Milan and Florence, each at the peak of their power; units from The Italian Wars mod; a new mercenary system and units). Each will be packed with as much historical detail and as many new events as possible.

    Will keep you up to date on progress on the next RRRC update, more info:
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...1#post15708033
    It won’t be too far off. As many of the changes as possible will be retrofitted to the existing Early and High era campaigns.

    Was considering doing a Crusades mini-campaign using the Kingdoms Crusades map, details:
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...1#post15685228
    but will prioritize the Late Era campaign at the moment.
    Hey, thanks for the very kind words. I can't promise anything about another AAR because I actually have a lot of things on my to do list for now, but in future I'll definitely look at it. The features are definitely more than impressive enough to convince me to do a playthrough (or two...or three...or a year of playthroughs with all the new factions and AI personalities ). The crusades campaign has piqued my interest the most


    Quote Originally Posted by Turkafinwë View Post
    A very exstensive recollection of the battle. It seems Jean is learning how to overcome his fear for battle, standing firm to join the infantry once his horse was downed. The mystery continues with Foucaud's message to the King.

    Another job well done!
    My thanks, Turk! Been wanting to do a larger battle for a while now, so I'm glad the Ayyubids placed their armies there for me to attack Yes, Jean does finally seem to be getting into the swing of things, or could it just be his confidence in his training? And yes, the plot thickens...it's been taking a while to if I may say so. Thanks for stopping by!

    Quote Originally Posted by Alwyn View Post
    I agree, this is an exciting chapter, with a heart-stopping charge and brilliant screenshots!
    Right you are Alwyn, those two are always high on my priorities when writing chapters about battles


    Quote Originally Posted by Point Blank View Post
    I just put this into the main RRRC thread:
    I absolutely recommend this AAR, it is easily the best one I have ever seen and is quite compulsive reading :
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...-IV-and-more!)
    That was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. A very welcome one. A very very oh Point Blank why'd you go and do that? I am in your debt now Thanks for the advert!

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  15. #155
    Kallum's Avatar I win, you lose!
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    I just read this from start to finish and I must say that this is an excellent piece of work! Great job!
    Carl von Dobeln's son
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  16. #156
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Kallum View Post
    I just read this from start to finish and I must say that this is an excellent piece of work! Great job!
    Once again, I am amazed by people's attention spans and their interest in my work. Thank you kindly for reading and posting about it, I do hope you'll like the upcoming installments as well.

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  17. #157
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Character List

    High Lord Jean de Brienne the Honourable – King of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Marie de Lusignan – Wife of High Lord Jean, Queen of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Lord Jean de Brienne – First Prince of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, War Council Member
    Joan de Brienne – Wife of Lord Jean, Princess of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Henri de Lusignan – Close friend, cousin and later brother in law to Lord Jean
    Yolande de Lusignan – Older sister of Lord Jean, wife to Henri de Lusignan, Princess of Jerusalem and the Crusader States
    Baudouin de Brienne - Younger Brother of Lord Jean, Second Prince of Jerusalem


    Bohemond de Poitiers the Chivalrous – Count of Tortosa, War Council member
    Melisende de Lusignan – Wife of Bohemond de Poitiers

    Jean d’Ibelin – Prince of Acre, Grand Uncle to Lord Jean, Uncle to High Lord Jean
    Melisende – Wife of Jean d’Ibelin
    Balian d’Ibelin – Deceased son of Jean d’Ibelin

    Philip d’Ibelin – Duke of Nicosia, Grandmaster of the Knights Templar, Grand Uncle to Lord Jean, Uncle to High Lord Jean
    Alix – Wife of Philip d’Ibelin
    Jean d’Ibelin – Deceased son of Philip d’Ibelin


    Lord Tigel de Linus - Commander of Jerusalem's garrison, its Master-at-Arms, and Adviser to Lord Jean
    Cardinal Reynaud - Presiding Cardinal in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Adviser to Lord Jean
    The Constable of Jerusalem
    Sir Raimondo - The First Prince's bodyguard Captain
    Alvaro - One of the First Prince's bodyguards
    Foucaud – Spymaster
    Gaston de Rocafolio – Spy
    Colin – Diplomat
    Gautier Corbet – Diplomat
    Pierre Dupuy – Diplomat
    Denethor the Second – Court jester/fool
    Chirgeon – Stable Master in Jerusalem
    Paragon – Treasurer on the Council of Nobles
    Sir Anduril – Hospitaller Knight
    Robert de Quar - Apprentice scribe to the Royal Chronicler
    Stefano - A mystery...for now



    CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT



    From the Perspective of Lord Jean, First Prince of Jerusalem, The Town of Al Aqaba, 1237 AD

    It was starting to feel all too familiar to me.

    Every day at dawn I would rise, bathe, and garb myself in my training gear. The rest of the morning would be spent refining my swordsmanship and horsemanship. Of late I had focused on training to fight as a unit with some of the men. It was very restrictive, having to coordinate with many other people at the same time, synchronizing our sword strokes and being careful never to step too far in front or behind the person next to you in line. It was a significant change in my style of fighting, and after a few days of it I was still debating its merits.

    Lunch would be at midday, as usual, and after that it was patrol duty. Each day, I would take a detachment of cavalry and watch over certain sections of the desert around Al Aqaba. This would be the hottest period of the day, and our horses were weighed down by as much water as they could carry, for both themselves and their riders. From what I could gather, very few such patrols ever garnered even a glimpse of the enemy, and when some group of mounted riders were lucky (or unlucky) enough to catch sight of the Ayyubids, they would simply vanish into the desert, their horses far outmatching ours for speed.

    Of course, that is not to say there weren’t any engagements. Hostile patrols would often clash with our own, but unless one side was obviously inferior to the other, both patrols would fight it out before thinking of seeking reinforcements. These small yet numerous skirmishes took its toll on our troops, and every week at roll call we would be short a dozen men or so. Yet I took no small amount of pleasure to learn that these skirmishes had taken a far greater toll on our enemies than it had for us.



    After dinner, I would be in the command tent with my father and his battle council discussing tactics. “Your mind is like a sword, Jean. It is a weapon that needs to be constantly sharpened, and when done properly, is fatal to the enemy.” My father often invited me to present my solutions to hypothetical battle scenarios in front of the captains. What if a patrol got ambushed? Or if there was a sudden attack on our flanks? What if our supply lines from Jerusalem were being raided? How many men do we send out? What if they themselves were attacked en route? These scenarios were unlikely to happen, father conceded, but should they ever occur, it was our job to know what to do and how to deal with them.

    The Ayyubids never stopped throwing men at us. Sometimes it seemed as though God was throwing down the gauntlet to us. In my early youth, Cardinal Reynaud often spoke of God testing us by planting obstacles in our way, but day after day of battle made it feel as though God’s lust for death and destruction would never be satiated. It was exhausting. I thought of Baudouin, of Joan, and of mother, and wondered how long father intended to keep me here before I could see them again.


    **

    A week later, an honour guard was formed up in front of the command tent, and I was ordered to be present. As I made my way there, Raimondo informed me that Lord Philip was on the verge of arriving. Good, I thought. Now I can learn what the fuss was all about.

    As I sat in the tent with the rest of the captains, I noticed a conspicuous lack of Templar leadership. In fact, as I sized the individuals in the tent up, I realized not a single Templar was present, and there were more guards than officers. Tigel de Linus’ men ringed the table that we were seating at, and there was a noticeable unease in the air. Then, my father stepped in.

    “Ah, Jean, good, you’re here.” He placed an arm around me and guided me to the chair next to his. “What I’m going to say next is very important, so I want you to listen carefully. When you become King, you’re going to have to deal with disobedient vassals every so often, in the Holy Land even more so. I want you to sit here and do nothing but listen.”

    “But father, I don’t understand. What has Lord Philip done wrong?”

    High Lord Jean placed a hand on my cheek. “My spies tell me that Lord Philip has been stockpiling men and supplies on Nicosia instead of using them to defend the Kingdom. He has subverted trade around the Cyprus region and not even declared that he has such supplies and men ready. I intend to find out why. Whatever happens, do not interfere. Your presence here will serve to stay Lord Philip’s hand should he try something.”

    Still not fully comprehending, I nodded and sat down. A fanfare of trumpets outside announced the arrival of the man who was Grandmaster of the Templars and the Duke of Nicosia. In stark contrast to the men outside cheering for the Defender of Kerak, the officers in the tent wore grim faces and the guards had their hands on their pommels.

    When Lord Philip d’Ibelin entered the tent flanked by two Templars, my father stood up, followed by everyone else in the tent that was sitting down. He strode over and embraced Lord Philip, not a hint of tension on his face. I myself went over and inclined my head. “Grand Uncle. It is nice to see you again.”

    Lord Philip stroked my hair affectionately. “Young Jean! Still alive, eh? My Templars tell me you tried to join their ranks a few weeks ago.” I felt myself redden. I’m never going to live that down, am I? My father laughed, and a few of the officers in the tent chuckled half-heartedly. “I have your Templars to thank for delivering my son back to me safely, Philip. Do give them some remuneration on my behalf. Please, sit.”

    As everyone took their places, father clapped his hands, and not a moment later a lavish variety of food was brought in. Stuff the common folk would be lucky to lay their eyes on, much less their hands. There was a huge pig, some duck, an abundance of chicken, as well as fish, mushrooms and the like, all accompanied by some choice garnishing and a selection of the King’s finest wine.

    Lord Philip looked completely at ease as he regaled the officers with tales of how he chased away numerous Ayyubid raiding parties between Jerusalem and Kerak. “I’ll bet my reputation precedes me, even among the Saracens.” Lord Philip jested. “We saw so many of them, but they all denied me the honour of a proper fight!” He placed both his hands around the shoulders of the two Templar officers flanking him. “These men and their heavy cavalry were invaluable to me. Nothing could withstand their charges. They deserve as much of the credit as I do.”



    I shifted uncomfortably, my confusion rising. This doesn’t sound like a man committing treason.

    When the jovial smiles and the contended chattering died down, and the sumptuous food fully consumed by the officers, father ordered the plates to be cleared and the table to be cleaned. Just then, a soldier strode in and whispered something to Tigel de Linus, who in turn put his mouth to the King’s ear. A brief moment later, my father turned to Lord Philip.

    “Well, Philip, I called you here not just to toast you. I wanted your opinion of how we were going to proceed from here. What do you think of my strategy of drawing the enemy to Al Aqaba?”

    The suddenness of this question gave Lord Philip some pause, but he recovered quickly. “My King, surely you have enough competent advisors around you to answer that question, but I shall not shy away when my counsel is required.” Father smiled widely at that statement, but I could clearly see he was faking it this time. “I think your strategy of baiting them here is an excellent one. Spares the capital and the North the wrath of the Ayyubids, and forces them to fight on their lands instead of devastating ours. If I may be so bold, we should commit more of Jerusalem’s forces to this region, to be able to better withstand the Ayyubid attacks. I hear you’ve been bearing the brunt of it. My Templars can guard Jerusalem for you. It was a very risky move though, assassinating the Sultan. You never know what they would do in retaliation.”

    My father rolled his eyes. “I assure you, Lord Philip, I had nothing to do with that. Cardinal Reynaud acted on his own in defiance of my orders. You do know what I do to those who defy me and the law, don’t you, Philip?”

    This time Lord Philip did more than just pause. As he looked around the table and the stern faces of the officers and guards stared back at him, it seemed to me as if the reason he was summoned to Al Aqaba without his army might have just crossed his mind.

    “I do hope you are not accusing me of being remiss in my understanding of the law, Jean.” His voice was a few octaves deeper than it was before, and the change in tone did not escape the notice of his own Templar captains, who were looking very confused.

    “I would certainly hope not.” My father responded, the same hard edge in his voice. “Tell me, Lord Philip, what is the commensurate punishment for treason?”

    “…if you are asking me what should be done with the Cardinal, I –”

    “Answer the question, Philip.”

    “It’s death, sire, you know that very well. Why am I being subject to this…this inquiry?”

    “I’m asking the questions here, Philip. I’ve just received news that your army has been spotted not several kilometres from here. Why did you bring your army here, after being told not to?”


    Templar Heavy Spearmen

    Templar Foot Knights

    Lord Philip looked dumbfounded, as if he was being asked the stupidest question he’d ever heard. “I…was going to patrol the area around Jerusalem after this…whatever this is. I didn’t want to ride all the way back to Kerak just to link up with them. I was going to redirect them towards Jerusalem myself once we were done here. What’s wrong with that?”

    My father shrugged. “Just seems odd to me,” his tone suggesting that it was anything but odd. He was now a wolf, affixing his icy stare onto Lord Philip, who was quickly becoming somewhat like his prey. “So, as you were suggesting just now, you’d have me bring more of my troops from Jerusalem to Al Aqaba, and leave you to guard the city?”

    Lord Philip answered almost instantaneously. “I’m sure you’re aware yourself the many times I’ve had to defend Jerusalem in your absence, sire. I do not think it boasting to say that I could probably do it again.”

    My father smiled and nodded. “You’re good, Philip. You came prepared. You’ve got an angle for everything.” Lord Philip looked as if he was going to protest, but my father cut him off with one of those trademark waves of his hand. “I’m very interested to see what your reply to this will be, though. I recently received information that you’ve been stockpiling weapons, armour, and supplies in the city of Nicosia, as well as having taken it upon yourself to divert trade goods heading to Jerusalem from other kingdoms and sending only the florins so that my Lord Treasurer wouldn’t notice the shortfall. After all, he only counts coins.”

    If Lord Philip was acting, I would have certainly fallen for it. The man looked totally astounded. “I assure you, sire, I gave no such order. Why would I?”

    My father slammed his fist onto the table, denting it. “FOR GOD’S SAKE PHILIP! Quit your acting! You’re telling me you haven’t planned your coup to perfection? The Council of nobles is in on this, either in part or as a whole! There’s no way they could have kept this secret from me for this long unless they wanted to! I will arrest Lord Paragon when I return to Jerusalem and wring the truth out of him, so you might as well tell me what you’ve done now.”

    When Lord Philip said nothing, my father roared with rage. “WHY, PHILIP, WHY? Twenty years we’ve been fighting so hard to keep this Kingdom together. Is it your son? Did his death drive you over the brink? I promised you and your brother vengeance, did I not? I even called a crusade! What MORE do you expect of me?”

    When Lord Philip continued to protest his innocence, my father shook his head in frustration and ordered him clapped in irons. Tigel de Linus’ men had their swords to the throats of the Templar captains before they could react.

    Just then, a messenger burst into the tent, almost knocking over a guard stationed at the entrance. My father turned his fury onto the intruder. “You men have a knack for entering at the wrong times,” he spat, then directed his displeasure at the guards. “Are you lot asking for a flogging? Didn’t I say no one was to enter?”

    The guards bowed, and their captain spoke. “My humblest apologies for the intrusion, my King, but this one claimed he had urgent news that could not wait a minute more.”

    To my father’s surprise, and very much my own, the messenger was none other than Gaston de Rocafolio. “I beg your pardon for returning so early, my King, but this cannot wait.” He cast an uncertain glance at Lord Philip, who was currently being restrained by Tigel de Linus’ men, as if to reconsider his words. “I was about to depart Jerusalem when one of my subordinates from the Ayyubid Sultanate reported back to our headquarters in person. I would have had him deliver this message himself, but I judged it better if he went back to collect more intelligence on the Ayyubids immediately.” He stole one last glance at Lord Philip before continuing.

    “You should return to Jerusalem, my King. A Jihad has been called on the city, and it is quickly falling into chaos. The council of nobles is doing all it can, but in your absence, no one knows who is leading the court. Some of the nobles prefer to defer to the queen, but the majority seem to follow the council.”

    All at once the tent fell silent. Even my father seemed lost for words. I struggled to recall what a Jihad was, but once I did, the implications that followed aroused strong feelings of horror within me.

    “Gaston.” My father began, his voice weak. “Thank you for delivering this information to me. Please return to your…previous assignment at once. It is now a top priority.”

    Gaston nodded and bowed, and for the second time, left the command tent for Nicosia. My father sat back down in his chair, his right hand clenching and unclenching uncontrollably.

    For the first time in my life, I saw raw fear flood his eyes.





    Author's Note:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    I consider this the pinnacle of the campaign, and what gave me such motivation to write the AAR in the first place: The early Jihad! Really gives me a lot of options story wise, as well as a heck load of battles! (Not that there's any shortage of them, I'm actually fighting many battles per turn but to put them all into the AAR would drag it out and make it somewhat tedious to read. I'd rather put in lesser but more well fleshed out battles, but if anyone wants MOAR I will be happy to oblige Sit tight and free your weekends this December and January, more excitement is on the way!
    Last edited by Swaeft; January 10, 2019 at 03:55 AM. Reason: Century Gothic! Don't fail me now!

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  18. #158
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
    Content Director Patrician Citizen

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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    I enjoyed this! It seems that the First Prince is learning much of warfare, and that he has much still to learn of political intrigue. The encounter between the King and Lord Philip is well done and Gaston's relevation is an exciting moment.

    I agree that it's better to focus on the battles which are more interesting for the development of your nation's strategy and history, for the story and for the development of your characters, rather than including every battle (at least, in detail - of course, an account of a battle can last several updates, or several battles can be covered in a single paragraph).

  19. #159
    Turkafinwë's Avatar The Sick Baby Jester
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    I agree with Alwyn, a very enjoyable chapter! Indeed the meeting between the King and the Lord Philip is expertly done and then Gaston has to partycrash it. Way to ruin a party Gaston.

    I also agree on the battle-side of things, if we were to report every single battle in the campaign we would come to a point where we won't report on anything else but battles.


    a Jihad you say ....... *mutters under his breath* Inshallah we will smite this foe

  20. #160
    NorseThing's Avatar Primicerius
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    Default Re: [SS 6.4] God's Justice (Crusader States AAR, with BGR IV and more!)

    Catching up. I just read the few previous chapters. I will need to reread more to sort things out. You are doing a great with your writing, it is my reading and memory that need work. I will be looking forward to more this January!

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