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Thread: [M2TW AAR] Caledonian Horde

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    Hex Khan's Avatar Oooooh Yeeeaah!!
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    Default [M2TW AAR] Caledonian Horde

    The Fall of the Normans:

    1080 AD, the King of scotland Malcolm III devised a plan to unite the peoples of britannia under one banner and one king and he would be that king. However he dream would not be easy, he was king of scotland yes, but to the north rebelous highlanders, to the south the rebels of the norman rule, in the west the irish.

    Malcolm bid hi sons to take their armies and invade these lands, holding a great ceremony at the base of the cairngorn.

    "My sons!" cried the king, "Last night I dreamt that our people both proud and strong donned their faces with woad, we sharpened our swords, strung our mighty bows and we cried ''To War!'' like of great ancestors of old!" Malcolm roared, "I dreamt that our great king Malcolm II would defeated the danes at croich daine, came to me and said, 'king of scots, great and honourable you be march out your armies to meet thy enemies!"

    "This I shall do," Malcolm stood staring over the great host of wild war-like warriors. "Too long have we the shielded few been at the mercy of those around us, too long have we been content to hide in our hills waiting for the next would-be-invader! No longer shall I or my sons or you, my children be the victims! No more! They shall be our victims, our foe, our vanquished threat!" Malcolm roared with pride.

    "My dearest Prince I order you to take your army south to York quell the rebels there, crush them destroy them! Loot their lands destroy their homes!"

    "You Edmund you shall go north to the highlands i demand you to burn down the walls of inverness and scatter its peoples like dust in the wind!"

    "And for you my army you will come with me, we march to dublin where we shall make those upstart irish kings kneel before us and see us as the new kings!"

    Together the children of scotland roared beneath the lion rampant and saltire banners.

    Swiftly King Malcolms dreams were hastly realised, york fell, its people slain and lands plundered, dublin too was torn assunder. however the rebellious highlanders in inverness although defeated had slain the king's second son Edmund the chivalrous.

    Malcolm crossed over to wales and besieged caernarvon when word reached him of the death of his valiant son.

    Malcolm but the year before was so full of life, zest and vigor fell to depression retiring to his tent he bid, command fell to the young captain Tristan who continued the seige, wearing the royal crown wearing his lords colours so that his troops and enemies would not know of the faultering king.

    but rumour spread like an outbreak of plague, and the welsh sallied forth, Tristan reacted swiftly ordering that his militia men and border horses should feign a retreat the rash welsh believed it and charged after the milita men and cavalry, and were swiftly routed themselves caught between the highlanders and spearmen, what remained of the broken welsh fled behind their castle walls however not even this would protect them from the enraged scots would climbed over the walls and beat down the gates.

    Caernarvon too fell.

    Tristan stood over the broken and bloodied bodies of his foes, when the king carried on a litter approached him.

    "Good Tristan, I see you are both valiant, brave and wise in equal measure, I wish for you to join my family, for i fear without able men like you that my eldest Edward and my youngest Alexander will not succeed in my dream, as reward for you victory i would knight you but my frail body is beyond it instead i offer you my daughter, Princess Isabel may she be a fair wife to you."

    In the spring of 1086 Malcolm died, leaving Edward as king, and Trisant as the only remaining fiting prince.

    The two met shortly after, Prince Tristan would march on London and King Edward on the stronghold of Nottingham.

    The Caledonian Horde marched on...
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    Hex Khan's Avatar Oooooh Yeeeaah!!
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    in 1088 after the death of King Malcolm III the new King Edward I and the Prince Tristan marched from York and Caernarvon their goal, the destruction of Nottingham and sacking of london, to break the power of the foreign norman rule on the island of britannia.

    The two armies went their ways, king Edward to nottingham and Tristan to London each with their highland horde

    Edward siege of nottingham went uneventfully, the norman prince William Rufus although the son of William the Conqueror posed no real threat the the highland terror.

    Here in Nottingham Edward commited terrible deads of looting, pillaging, raping and destroying of norman and english properties, he didnt care he enjoyed the slaughter and cared little for the merciless reputation he had aquired.

    The day was cold and bitter and it was raining heavily when Tristan arrived before the gates of london unsuprised he was to find them bared and locked with the king William the conqueror on the ramparts high above. The royal banner of england was waving high the duke-turn-king wished to speak.

    "You highland scum get you gone! What savages you are, news has come to me of the atrocity your king has done in nottingham and to my prince! My Son! Now I suppose you wish the same to me!?" He cursed at the prince, Tristan overcome with the aligations retorted.
    "Fair King, Your Highness confuses me so, I am a prince of the realm, fair, just and chivalrous, I seek not your dishonourable death oh lord, nor do i dream of your land ravaged and people slain. I ask you surrender and i will see to it that noone within these walls shall be harmed and that you mean retire to your lands in Normandy, by my honour I sware it."

    Tristan did not see the kings signal, the archers on the high walls rained arrows down on him, the prince fled to the safty of his army, King William the Conqueror laughed heartedly.

    On known to him this would be the last dawn on the glorious days of Norman England.
    Last edited by Hex Khan; January 31, 2007 at 01:00 PM.
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    The Fall of London:

    The simple peasants behind the walls of london could not comprehend the dangers they had now placed themselves in, the local archer milita could only look on as the caledonain horde advanced on to their fair city.


    The caledonian horde assembled before the walls, constructing ladders, and battering rams with which they could scale the walls and tear down the gates


    Word soon spread, and panic spread among the defenders of london, peasants and militia men made haste to the walls with whatever weapons they could find.


    It became a race between who would claim the walls first, the english milita or caledonian ladders?


    the english militia seemed to have been of fleet foot and divine speed for they were on the walls bracing themselves for the oncoming horde of scots, which to their dismay halted, and fell back and the highland archers advanced and began showering the wall defenders under a hail of arrows slowly but with impunity the scottish highland archers took their toll on the dwindling english defenders.


    Tristan then ordered his highlanders and nobles to bear their ladders with pride and haste to storm the walls and slay what remainned of the defenders. All the while the ram crawled closer with impunity from the tower shacks and the militia archers engaged in a shoot out with the highlander archers.

    The highlanders sped up the walls with great haste howling and screamin in their ancient gaelic tongue, their axes sundering the militia kite shields and cleaving heads from shoulders and heads in two.

    Like wise the noble among them were no less barbaric, screaming howling cursing they brought their claymores down upon their poor peasant foe had not the slightest chance of overcoming these grizzled hardened men who seemed like blue demons, creatures from the depths of hell.

    God truely love irony as the highlanders claimed the walls the gates gave way, and Prince Tristan lead his border cavalry through the splintered gates cutting down the what remained of the defenders there.

    "God has deserted us! These blue fiends are of the Devil!" a coward among them cried out in distress, moral collapsed and the bloodied militia men fled to the plaza, where the old King hid with his retinue.

    However some among them perhaps the stoutest of guardians or the slowest cowards were trapped and cornered by the horde and slain few escaped to bring word of the comming carnage.

    William gave out a desperate cry of anquish that he should see everything he had worked for tumbling down in his life time and here in this town it would all end, he knew his troublesome son robert who sat smuggly across the channel would not left a finger to avange his brother of father.

    "Listen to me! Never has our county known such hard times, our enemy comes to us with axe in hand and the taste of good honest english blood on his lips!"
    "Know this, we will fight like englishmen, we shall hurt them and they shall know that they have fought us and they shall pay for it dearly!"
    with that the King William ordered the last few loyal men to fight the massive caledonian horde.

    And so passed the Great King William the Conqueror


    Edward sat smugly in london over the winter until the papal legit arrive bring his holiness the pope's greatest of displeasure. in the papal scroll the pope gregory complained how a offically sanctioned kingdom that was blessed the holy banner had been vily violated and demaned an imiediate ceasefire and for the english and scots to reconsile their differences. OR ELSE...

    Edward looked to his Prince and grinned wickedly

    "Tell his Holiness that we scots are noble and loyal subjects and that we no longer have designs on territorial expansion. He may, rest assured. Scotland shall spill no more blood this day."

    Last edited by Hex Khan; February 01, 2007 at 06:33 PM.
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    righty i'm back to finish off the fall of the normans chapter of my nation's rise to power, then i'll disappear again to make some more pixs for the next chapter the fall of rome, stay tuned
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    Well... bloody story....I shed no tears for King William. After all he was just a norman, and spoke french!!! Out with him!
    But he died like a man, and for this he deserves respect. Looks like the scotts really started a new, Dhenghis khan-style warfare. Lot of fun it will be...
    But was the scottish king straight when he spoke about his intentions of peace?
    To me he doesnt seems to be a new Gandhi....
    IN PATROCINIVM SVB HORSEARCHER
    quis enim dubitat quin multis iam saeculis, ex quo vires illius ad Romanorum nomen accesserint, Italia quidem sit gentium domina gloriae vetustate sed Pannonia virtute

    Sorry Armenia, for the rascals who lead us.


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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    With the papal legit dismiss, Edward looked up to Tristan standing by his side, "Don't say mi Lord, let me guess." He sharply injected. "We'll order the construction a a fleet during the winter season, the most terrible time which to build one and sail in early spring and we'll be sacking the last norman bastion of Caen Castle? Then once thats done we'll just ignore his holiness'es wishes and expand rapidly into neighbouring lands of flanders and rennes?"

    "Your a wick een, arent ye?" Edward smiled, "But alas, I will do this alone at least the sacking of Caen, you'll take a smaller force to Bruges and then to Antwerp before those bloody danes and holy-germans-romans get it."

    "You mean, holy roman empire?"
    "Aye those, their plainly germans why they call themselves romans is beyond me."
    "Oh Lord," Tristan remarked shaking his head.

    Across the chanel the last of the normans King Robert gathered to him desperatly whatever he could preparing himself for the comming invasion, he had received the papal envoy telling him of the popes demands, but he knew that these bloody blue faced savages would defy, their history shows it all to well.

    Spring 1088 King Edward marched out with his army to the cliffs of dover and swiftly sailed across the channel laying siege to caen, Tristan followed landing at bruges, his army swelled with mercenaries from the region some 200hundred spearmen and 200 crossbowmen bolstered the Princes ranks.

    Sacking of Caen Castle and the Fall of the Normans:

    In the cold winter Edward said this to his men before the battle of Caen Castle

    Edward ordered his secret weapons to be unleased on the stone walls, the massive counter-weight-trebechets thundered down crashing the and

    splitting the rock surface of the walls, the defenders could only brace themselves and look on as the trebechets continued relentlessly hammering their walls and castle.
    Last edited by Hex Khan; February 01, 2007 at 06:35 PM.
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    As the wall began to fall Edward ordered his pikemen forward to hold and pin Roberts forces at the breach so that while the Norman King's gaze was elsewhere his trumph would go unseen


    All the while as the norman king orders more and more of the precious few peasants and levies to the breach he is unknowing of the scottish underhanded tactic that is creeping beneath the castle walls, the infamous scottish raiding ladders. Light and swift a neccessity for any raid, carried by no other than the rightfully scottish highland nobles weilding fearsome highland claymores, un beknown to the peasant achers who are busy firing at the solid ranks of highland pikemen hovering around the breach in the castle's wall now being reinforced by the scottish king and border horses,

    "See how he commits himself to the battle!? His men must be wavering send in more men! More! Overwhelm them!" Robert barked as more archers and peasants joined into the stalemate slaughter at the breach

    it was too late for the archers when they noticed, as highland nobles suddenly materialised over the ramparts their massive shimmering steel blades glimmering in the sun making the spilling of blood an almost beautiful affair to behold.


    When news reached Robert of the caledonian infaltration he moaned and cursed, why hadnt's someone else did something about it? In panick stricken madness King Robert ordered his levies and peasant to disengage the pikemen.

    Edward's scheme paid-off the enemy ran, he ordered his cavalry to chase and kill them, "Follow me we have some killing to do! It'll keep us warm in this numbing cold day at them!!" none made it to the norman king.

    Robert roared with anger, "I will not be slain by these norther savages I will kill their king before he kills me! CHARGE!!!"


    In an act so often seen in battle the desperate King rallied the last of his broken men to him, archers, spearmen disilusioned peasants all joined in with their king as he charged the nearest foe. A glorious and honourable act that has been sung throughout the ages as fine example of chivalry and pride.


    However it was not King Edward Robert had charged but the scottish highland nobles their great swords slaughtering the king and all those who followed him on the one last glorious but futile charge.

    The Lion Rampant was hoisted up high over Caen Castle, the Normans were wiped from the maps and if the Caledonian Horde would have its way from history too, however fortune smiled on the vanquished Normans to whom history would soon forget, for they were not to be alone for long for the Caledonians had designs on others also...

    And so it was that the sun set on the Norman Dynasty in England for the last time
    Last edited by Hex Khan; February 01, 2007 at 01:50 PM.
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    While his king wrestled Caen and Normandy from thelast remains of the once glorious norman dynasty Prince Tristan stormed into bruges with his small number of scottish noble archers and border horses supported by local mercenaries.

    The mercenary spearmen performed excellently taking the walls from the flemish pikemen who had occupied the wooden walls, as they fled Tristan ordered his men to halt and fortify the gateway.

    He ordered his crossbowmen up on to the walls and moved the spearmen into the main road leading into the plaza. lined up shoulder to shoulder four men long six men deep the spearmen held like an iron wall of sharpened death repulsing the furious charge after charge of the flemish captain and his mailed knights, all the while the archers and crossbowmen rained death down their on their enemies.

    The flemish captain roared his men to break the spearmen one last time, he meant buisness he rallied the last of his pikemen and mercenary spearmen and crossbowmen to him and together they thundered towards the line of scottish shields and spears.

    "Hold Men!" Cried Tristan

    And as fate would have it a stray arrow or perhaps bolt hit the captain's horse send the horse up on its hind hoofs in pain when some unknown archer killed the captain.

    An arrow struck captain's arm pinning it to his thigh reflexively looking to his wound and arrow pierced through the coif just below the rim of the spangelhelm piercing the arming cap and protruding out his temple.

    Seeing this happen before their eyes the flemish defenders begged for the fighting to cease and the that the city was now scottish by conquest.

    Tristan forgave the flemish peoples for they were only fufilling their duty and in fact there was no need for the forgiving they had not wronged.

    Days later news reached Tristan of the death of Robert and the fall of the Normans, the decree he recieved ordered him to announce bruges as the capitol of the Caledonian Kingdom and that he must with the up most of haste to antwerp where a danish siege had failed to take the city and now was the time to take the city.

    Having announced the city the kingdom's capitol the following day Tristan marched north to antwerp with his war band of highlanders and mercenaries.

    The city surrenderd shortly after the battle was joined, Tristan and his knights trampled the city captain under his hooves, the weary people no longer wished to fight again Tristan agreed to their surrender and all were spared.

    "Long Live Prince Tristan Champion!" became the common phrase in western europe.

    However old men in high offices, popular heroes of old did not take kindly to this growing fame of a savage barbarian prince who brought freedom in his wake.

    And so they schemed...
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    1092 AD, King Edward the merciless holds court at Caen Castle, Prince Tristan had come from, Bruges the new capital of Bruges, Edward's youngest brother Alexander was there also, so too was Tristan's cousin Morgunn de la More.

    "My lords of the land, it is the campaign season once more and our men sharpen their axes and string their bows. What news?" Edward asked.

    "My King we have heard back from Patrick Macdougall, the Duke of Milan has accepted our trade and have agrees to an alliance they too wish to expand." Tristan began. "Milan tells us that their imiedate foe sicily has allied herself with the titan that is the Holy Roman Empire, the Empire rumour has it covets Antwerp."

    "Antwerp you say?" Edward grinned "Bolster the guard there so the movement near metz meant something after all."

    "What else my lords?"

    "My liege, comes from our embasseries in hungary and poland, hungary as accepted trade and exchange of maps and our sincere alliance. Poland however has accepted trade but do not wish an alliance as of yet." Alexander Canmore answered having been stationed in Antwerp.

    "what about those people of rus?" Edward questioned

    "No word my liege, but word has reached me that spain has accepted trade and an alliance, portugal however was not so willing, these seem to suspicious." Tristan answered. "My King if I may, I have heard france has allied with the germanic empire, should either attack we will have two large very powerful enemies to contend with,"

    "Yes I know as much, but we have Milan and Hungary flanking them respectfuly as they flank us, spain also boarders france."

    "but i fear for hungary, all it would take is a little german or frankish gold to turn the poorer northern peoples against us and isolate hungary."

    "That what you suggest Prince?"

    "I say you send young Alexander north to the independant castle of Hamburg this way we divide the danes from the poles and from the germans, then once done he should march to Oslo, where as maps currently show is still free of kingship. this way we have two strongholds, both as a reminder to who is the dominant power and both can be used as springboards fro any northern campaigns and that we may yet coax the poles and rus people to our side before its too late." Tristan explained.

    Edward nodded, "Aye, ye'll make a fine king."

    "Now hear my orders, Alexander me young noble brother, you will follow Tristan's instructions march north to Hamberg then onto Oslo, we still have the disassembled siege engines take them with you.

    Tristan I wish for you to remain in Bruges and over see the construction there.

    Morgunn return to Antwerp where I want you to patrol the borders for french or german activities attack if they draw too near.

    I shall march on Rennes and bring their freedom to an end. May we be victorious."

    the court was dismissed.

    As the nobles of the land left Tristan grabed the arm of his younger cousin, "kin listen, i will dispatch my highlanders north to aid you when i return to Bruges, and for the love of God, this not a game we play, theres no crossed-fingers, play-dead in war, the reich has may veteran generals."

    "I do not fear the tricks of old drunkards, what i do fear is that my blade wont kill them, much rather get stuck in their flabby hides." Morgunn retorted with venom shoving free of his cousin.

    "He'll be the death of me." Tristan sighed.

    Alexander's conquest of the northern fiefs went passed with little difficulty, and the young noble showed his honourable personality sparing the peoples of Oslo and Hamburg from the sword.

    Edward's bloody suppression of the freemen of rennes was short and brutal, lands were scorched, women were raped, men slain where they stood and children sold to slavery. None would dare oppose the dreaded scottish king or seek to bring about his vengeful ire or so it was thought.
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    Battle of the Antwerp Way:

    It was late spring and Morgunn was out scouting with the local merchant militias when they came across three panick stricken peasants fleeing across the field.

    "Mi Lord!" they cried in distress.
    Morgunn motioned the cavalry forward.
    "Speak swiftly peasant!" he ordered with contemptable ire.
    "Germans come two imperial banners fly through the woods to the east!"
    "Excellent." He grinned reaching to his scabard and drawing out his sword. "Hew, take your men back to Antwerp and summon the rest of the men here, do it quickly!"
    Hew nodded and swiftly galloped off with the rest of the merchants. Turning to the rest smiled and said this of there foe,


    Morgunn took his retinue across the valley to investigate the peasant's claims and surely enough his mood was not spoiled by what they spotted through the dense forest line.


    The enemy see the captain dangerously exposed and race out from the woodline, the archers trying to kill him and the knights trying to capture him. The old HRE general Sigismund hungary for the glory of his youth leads his knights in the chase.



    rushing back to the higher ground that his coming army had occupied, Morgunn to in consideration what his cousin said about be prude in war, so he waited and watched.


    the young HRE captain Leopold argues against the chase takes control of the remaining HRE armies and recalls them back to the woods where they continue to hide. Realising now that his brazen act has left him valnerable Sigismund returns to the forest line and hides therein also.

    The sun rises high into the noon sky and his men beginning to show the signs of heat fatigue and water becoming scare, Morgunn orders his army down of the high vantage point they occupied the marched across the now scorching valley and sat at the base of the forest.

    Still there was no movement from the HRE armies, how remained settled beneath the dense canopy of the forest shading them from the sun.

    The keen eyed, strong armed caledonian archers fired into the ranks of feudal knights and archers who they could see

    very few were slain in their volleys but it was enough, the general and captain ordered the advance archers front, spearmen back.

    Seeing this Morgunn ordered his pikemen and town militias forward to engage while himself and the cavalry swung around the flank all the while under a consant rain of scottish arrows.


    Erupting from the densely covered flanks the caledonain cavalry tore through the archers who broke ranks and fled, panic become the order of the day as the imperial captain Leopold was slain by the on rush of caledonian cavalry as he fled.


    during the ensuing the senior general Sigismund was slain, his old body torn down by ranks of scottish spearmen, and massacred beyond recognition.


    too much horror was seen in that forest so much so the HRE armies broken and routed fleeing never to be heard from again
    Last edited by Hex Khan; February 01, 2007 at 06:37 PM.
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    The Fall of Rome:

    Morgunn returned to Antwerp triumpant bearing tied to his horses harness the heads of the fallen german captain Leopold and general Sigismund. Where upon his arrival to the cheering jeering crowds he was knighted and accepted into the royal household like his cousin before him. The King Edward looked on with pride as he beheld another dread general very much like himself was in the making.

    Edward having taken the counsel of Morgunn agreed to a two pronged invasion, Morgunn and Edward would take armies into northern france and plundering the lands to draw out the struting peacocks that was the french nobility, impale them on the ends of their pikes and take the liberty of the now danerously exposed lands.

    Where as Prince Tristan would take a third army into the Holy Roman Empire, marching for metz, then to Frankfurt, and down into mountain castle of Stuafen then once the empire is broken the prince would offer terms of peace being of noble and honourable intentions, should the empire accept these terms france will be alone and crushed swiftly. Should the terms be snuffed at by the arrogance of the reich then Tristan would continue east words to Prague then south to Vienna bout turning and then onto the last bastion of the reich the Inssbruck Castle.

    Tristan moved to Caen Castle rallied his veteran army and marched for Metz. It was a dark terriblely cold morning, fog was heavy, the rain pelted down so hard bear flesh would brouse, it was going to be a hard days march, that was untill the the elite border horses returned announcing of two armies marching this way, one bearing the banner of the imperial reich the other bearing the banner of france.



    Tristan withdrew his army, off of the flat ground and out of the dark forest, up a steap mountain side he ordered his mean to deploy. dividing his forces into seperate units each facing the oncoming enemy but close enough to support the other with pikes in the front, archers in the back stakes deloyed, between the highlanders wedged in the middle to fill the gap, highland nobles on the right flank with the border horses, Tristan in the back commanding battle from high ground.


    hearted by his call, Tristan denounces the france and the reich


    Tristan and his army could only watch as the two armies marched on. The french foe had the lead over the reich their army was closer, Tristan smiled, inwardly he praised God, "Thanks to you heavens above! are foes march divided! We shall surely have a desisive victory here this day!"

    Suddenly the French captain Guy halts his army just before the base of the mountain still some distance away from Tristan's Caledonian army.


    Tristan's eyes widened, he was wrong they were not to charge up hill alone instead the french have forsaken the elan and waited now for their allies before charging!

    promptly the reich increased its pace sprinting to the french position at the foot of the hil. Both now halted, the scots could only look on eyes squinting trying to make out what they couls see through the fog, heavy rain and darkness of this bitter day.

    Suddenly the Holy Roman Army marched on...


    Tristan laughed aloud so his mean could hear it and perhaps with the luck the germans and french too, "Hark! What is this I spy!? Has our french foes lived up to their history of indesisiveness once more!? Look! how cowardice and fear replaces their captain's pride and valour!"

    Hans von Lombardy cursed his weak french allies. "Neine you cowards! to think the reich attacked these unclean foes in your name, now when it is your turn repay the debt, look at you!, 'vee vont go about ze attacking of zis barbarian rabble until ze reich does,' how pityful you french folks be!"

    Cursing his would-be allies Hans ordered his men on


    Slowly the heavy imperial troops climbed up the steep slope, their lighter footed crossbowmen isolated from the rest of the main force for charged thunderously by the border cavalry.

    Impetously the riech heavily armed men-at-arms charge up hill to the caledonain cavalry give way to them retreating back behind the line of pikes and stakes.

    under heavy fire from the noble highland archers the overly paid, underly used men at arms charge into the lines of scottish pikes


    Hans realised his professional soldiers arent overcoming the widely spread pikemen like they should, "Commit the Fuerer's armies," he announces, on que the imperial army commits its army


    The glorious froth of the germanic nobility thunder up hit to support the bewilderd men-at-arms suddenly mounted knights fall tripping on pikes and plummeting on to sharpened stakes behind the pikemen, in a chaotic painic the what remained of the feudal knights bout turned and fled followed by the men-at-arms.


    Furious the Reich general Hans of Lormbardy rushes up hill to charge the feebly spread highland pikes supported by the last of his spearmen. The reich makes one last ride to glory



    Alas! Now the overly confident general Hans sees that inspite of their looks reputation the hardened highland pikemen prove to be too much even for his own retinue.

    At long last as the army of the Reich stands on the edge of the razor the french captain Guy commits his troops to the fray


    His honour and pride in tatters Hans is filled with a momentary bout of woe and flees the field when one keen eyes caledonian highland archer takes aim and lets his bow sing with the fury of his homeland


    Guy laughed aloud as he witness the fall of Hans and ordered his crossbow men to fire into the melee between the remaining german men-at-arms and highlanders, alas as they did Tristan lead his retinue and border cavalry down the mountain crashing into the thin lines of spearmen they routed and the ever weak willed french broke also as the blood covered caledonain cavalry thundered nearer.


    Seeing the caledonian right flank exposed Guy orders his knights to attack. the cream of french nobility thundered up hill with great haste lances levelled but suddenly shining blades ripped out of the forest on the flank, the highland nobles erupted their great claymores tearing through chainmail, felling the mounts, savaging the french with impunity, suddenly the nobles were surround as the poorer of the french nobility slammed into their rear, but this mistaken act of gallantry was rewarded with another hidden band of highland nobles crashing down into their flanks


    Seeing his cream knights and cavalry turn sour before the might of Caledonia Guy beat a hasty retreat, his army followed suit


    And so too did Guy's life


    Some three thousand men marched to war that morning against the Caledonian Horde that numbered little under one thousand strong, some six men would make it home that night.

    Tristan offered to ransom the captured back to their nations both agreed neither paid, reluctantly the young prince had them all hanged, he could afford the man power to keep these prisoners, at least so he tried to believe...

    Now with the armies of France and the Holy Roman Empire crushed their would be little in the way to stop Horde from conquering the lands of the Reich and pillaging the lands of France...

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    The Slaying of the Old King:

    Edward's army marched from rennes with his army on a glorious summer his aim was the castle Angers, but before his desination could be reached he spied a bump in the road.

    Across the river he could spy the royal banner of the French King, "At last!" Edward rejoiced raising his hands to the heavens, "Perhaps there is a heaven after all for god has gifted me a King to slay this day!"

    rallying his men at the far bank he taunted the French and their King


    The french for their sake taunted back...


    The French king chose initially to deploy his army in a rather curious fashion...


    "Is this in infamous biquet formation the french are so keen on when it comes to 'thurst'!?" Edward mocked ordering his caledonain pikemen to sieze the bridge.


    The french king saw the charging hordes of barbaric scots and ordered his army further up the road to the top of the small slope,


    Edward looked on from the otherside of the river with bewilderment, turning to a grizzly bearded bodyguard he asked, "Has the french king fallen to madness and he himself and the world are also so mad that we do not know it ourselves?"
    "I know not my liege,"
    "Never mind so long as he dies all the same if not maybe a tad more excentrically!" Edward grinned, "If he is dumb enough to offer us more ground to establish ourselves, I for one say let him, make my day easier."

    Suddenly as Edwards retinue crossed the bridge the french king orders yet another movement, and again the french army gives up its defensive formation and procedes eastwards towards paris.


    Edward now completely bewildered not by cunning or the threat of superior man power but rather the madness of a king, the French army has stopped it back to the enemy! It makes no attempt to face the scots rather seems content to stop and stare at the noon sun.

    "Are they completely mad!?" Edward demands, "I come here to conquer Angers and instead my army is confronted by a lunatic of a king! I have had enough, it is my Kingly duty to show them how a battle is to be fought, Knights! Hobilars! With your King!" Edward commands.

    His horsemen thunder across the the field and tear through one band of militia pikemen, pull back and charge once more into the rear of a second pike milita and once more into the last of the pike formations


    All the while the French King sits staring at the sun in the blue azure sky above.

    Edward thrust's his blade down through the throat of the last pikeman, wrenching his blade free blood spurts onto the fresh white of his surcoat, 'typical,' he thinks. Rubbing the sweat from from his brow, "At last the first sane thing this king has done! He bout turns his army to face us!" Edward jests sarcastically.

    Edward send word for his highland horde to advance up to face them, the French king starts speaking sense and orders his men to attack, but alas his once loyal men have nothing but contempt for their king, and refuse, all the while units begin to route as the highlander archers take their toll.

    "Back you knaves have you no valour, I am your K-King!" He stutters seeing in the conrner of his eye caledonian cavalry crashing into his flank


    Edward grins viciously as he hacks his way forward, surrounded and his men forsakening him, the french king moans with dispair before he falls silent


    Later that night Edward sits around the camp fire with his men all were merry and cheerful on french wine and women, picking the fallen kings head up from his side, staring into the lifeless eyes Edward remarks

    "Perhaps the pointless battle you gave me, would help if you faced it at me!"

    All laughed,

    Later Angers would fall, they surrendered shortly after realising the King of the Caledonians had killed their King, again.

    Morgunn's campaigns in Rheims were uneventful, measily town militias a few mercenaries all of which were put to the sword and anything of value looted, he later marched on to Paris, that was left unbelievibly undefended, Morgunn waltzed into the city and sacked it there after.

    Morgunns army marched south to Dijon however turned back when they scouted a large milanese army besieging the city, "Might as well let the Milanese have something they are after all our allies!"
    "Its not like they are a threat!"

    Indeed the Milanese had been loyal allies to the Caledonian Highlanders in fact it would from another ally that danger would come...
    Last edited by Hex Khan; February 01, 2007 at 06:38 PM.
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    Betrayal:

    Spain, Spain had long been an ally to Scotland, although perhaps it was not the best alliance, Scotland never intended to go into the iberian lands, in fact the alliance was a sham to engulf france to whom scotland had designs for.

    But at least the false alliance between the two countries wasat least married a healthy respect for one another, never did scotland dream to be at war with them, it was often spoken tht after the conquest of the germans and french the King schemed to conquer the portugese held lands of parmola south of Bordeaux.

    Indeed it was a dream the Laird of Rennes awoke to when news was brought to him that a spanish army under command of the respected Vaasco had laid siege to Rennes...

    The spanish army had yet to fire their catapults at the walls for what reason no one knew for sure, but perhaps the enemy wished for them to dispair, and indeed the townsmen watching from the ramparts dispaired at what they saw,


    The David Laird of Rennes rallied mant fresh troops and spoke to them giving them courage he spoke illy of the betraying spaniards.



    David realised to let those catapults fire at the walls would be disasterous for the caledonian militia, so hastefully he ordered his men to sally forth and take the battle too the enemy before they could take it to them!


    David along with the pikemen march out first pikes levelled when Vaasco charged them, "Hold men! Let those dirty sun burned spaniards do the dying!" The pikes tightened embracing for the charge, the cavalry melted under the advancing pikes horses scream and men cried as they were stabbed trambled, mauled all the same, Vaasco retreated


    As he ran his loyal men rushed forward to intercept the scottish pikes


    The spanish knights learned the hard way, the men of caledonia were a force to be be reckoned with!

    yet the desperate battle was not lost, spain had many archers and their catapults remained in tact, David ordered his cavalry to cut down the numerous archers, while david himself took his pikemen to engage the siege engineers and sword militias


    With their general fled, and their catapults lost the spaniards must have foreseen the dangers to come, and with prayers on their lips the fled south back to spain, if it was not foresight that moved them it was cowardice


    Alone in Toledo the Spanish King must have dreaded his actions, not only had he unjustly attacked a loyal ally, he had attacked the mightest kingdom in christendom and signed in secret an alliance with france and the holy roman empire the very foes to the faction who in the previous winter had been accepted as friends to the pope and most righteous allies to his Holiness the Pope, Alfonso must known what what was to follow.

    They all must have, unless they were all unforeseeing...
    Last edited by Hex Khan; February 01, 2007 at 06:39 PM.
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    Tearing Open the Maw of the Imperial Eagle:

    Tristan left his royal tent in fair spirits, the snow settled gently on his face he bore a proud smile on his scared face, news reached him, his wife Isabel has borne him twins, a boy Roy and a duaghter Ellen.

    Calling his army to him he said to them all, "Today is a good day, the rider who entered camp this morn hath brought with him good and noble tidings, I have sired twins, a boy and girl, and I have it in mind to celebrate their birth and the capture of this castle and if we move swift enough we can bring down this imperial beast that is the Holy Roman Empire, neither Holy, Roman and when we're through with it hardly worth calling it a fiefdom! Will you join with me to drink to the long health of my children in the keep of this castle? What say you!?"
    Tristan's army howled with delight both for the prospect of a short war and their beloved Prince's siring of children.


    Tristan ordered the ladders to be assembled and given out to the men, a fool out assualt was the plan with the archers hanging back providing support from afar.


    And as tradition had it the scottish raiding ladders moved swiftly to the walls, the defending crossbowmen did what they could being so few in number and so slow in firing did little to stem the oncoming ladders.


    Seeing the ladders poke up over the ramparts the defending men-at-arms lock shields and brace for the coming horde,



    Swiftly climbed the caledonian highlanders, sprining up over the walls axes in hand shields ready. The first would lunge in screaming and cursing parrying the thurst of the spear with his shield, his axe coming down hard cleaving the helmet and cranium in one, and by the time this bloody feat was achived more highlanders would have pushed their way on, axes raised high crashing down on shafts, shield rims, faces, helmet and fingers.

    All over the castle walls this was common the lighter caledonian highlanders shocking their foes into routing with grotesque acts of barbarism they have been long accused of and that had long kept their people free, now it was given a new aggressive goal and it relished in it completely


    Pikemen on the walls were deadly indeed, as two schiltroms of them pressed in from either side, pushing and shoving, grunting and cursing, pressing on till the last man had fallen


    reports flooded the german captain, from all over the walls, all was lost and now the horde made their way for the gates to let in the rest of their forces in, which would surely spell the end of them.


    "Dispatch more men!"
    The last of the great feudal knights of the region gathered to fufil their feudal duties and advanced



    The Caledonian Highland Nobles ripped through the heaily armoured Men-At-Arms they realised all to late the tales by the bravery and savagery these celtic peoples fought and it overcame them, pushed back they were, but the resolute resistance remained to fight to the last, for their families where now at risk!

    The Caledonians were living up to their savage reputation which many had labled them as, but they would not forget these stout guardians defending the tower from their foes against all odds as all others broke and fled to the safty of the town plaza.

    With the last of the knights slain and the peasants routing the highland pikemen had control of the gates and in rode Tristan and his Knights and Highland Archers to join in the slaying.



    Panic and dispair set in as the Holy Roman army quickly realised this was it all was lost, and all that was left was to stand to the last man and fight like the men they were said to be. The bravest of them charged the oncoming tide but were quickly overrun and subdued by pike and sword and axe, thrusting and slashing hacking the horde overcome them.


    The captain fled screaming with fear when a woad faced demon lunged at him from within the maelstrom of the chaotic battle, the blue demon's axe cleaved through the maille coif hacking the neck and shattering the collar bone, he fell back into the ranks of his hopless men.


    Alas the battle seemed won, for indeed it was but dread and misery must have been rife amongst the last of the defenders forgotten or forsaken, they had successfully seen off their highland threat but alone and surrounded prisoners within the castle that was once their own, they had no option left to them now but to fight and uphold the honour and glory of the reich...
    Last edited by Hex Khan; February 01, 2007 at 07:45 PM.
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    The Fall of Rome: Casting down of God's False Kings


    It is the summer of 1100 AD, His Holiness the Pope has in honour of his alliance with the Caledonian King Edward the Butcher excommunicated the Kingdom of France, Kingdom of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire and has forsaken them from God's Grace.

    Hearing this news the Prince Tristan undertook a pillgrimage from Staufen to Rome where upon the chivalrous Prince recieved a momentous welcoming in the Holy City of Rome crowds gathered in the thousands singing of his valour, his grace and many righteous victories.

    What as once seen as a savage barbarian had become a saint amongst men, a shining example of pious dedication and chivalric ideals, and as a gift of the occation the Grand Cross was offered to the Prince to aid him with his crusade against the heathen Germanic Emperor and his corrupt nobles.

    Tristan could not refuse, far from it overcome religious ferver the Prince prostrated himself before the pope, claiming "Before your Holiness I sware, I shall bear with me where ever i hither the Cross of Our Lord God and Fight all how oppose his will! Once I have undertaken this crusade to Frankfurt I shall look to Jerusalem, too long has poor old poor old Jerusalem laboured under the ill-mastery of the saracens, I shall return to you Lord of Rome with Christ's city!"

    Filled with ferver Tristan marched his army to Metz where through the Alps and across the mighty river he spied the Imperial Capital Frankfurt. Holding his young son Roy and his wife Isabel by his side cradling their newly born son Domongart, he spoke softly, "My wife, today I will leave here to ford that mighty river and claim that city before us, then I shall turn east to Nuremburg then onto Prague. I will then return here for you my family and we shall leave here, we shall travel to Asia Minor to claim the city of Adana and from there to Jerusalem."
    "I know my husband, I heard the speech, I was there cheering for you like all the rest of Rome." Isabel answered.
    "You sound weary my wife,"
    "I am, this war has been ongoing for twenty years now my prince, when we were young children it started my father and brothers set out to conquer britannia, first my Brother Edmund died in inverness then my father soon after your capture of caernarvon. Will it ever end?" Isabel asked with a heaby heart.
    "Yes, the wars in europe should end soon, all it will take is the Germans to submit to us, the rest shall follow."

    Wrapping his arm around his wife's waist Tristan reassured her, "It'll all end soon, but it will start today."

    Tristan's men marched out across the alps, the prince would alway look back past the enormous cross seeing the mountain fortress of Metz getting smaller and smaller, his wife's worries making him long to return home to be a husband and father, but his duty was to King and country Edward wished him to battle the germans and so too did the peoples of caledonia, so he must do it as their champion as their prince.


    Tristans crusader army stopped before last obsticle between him and Frankfurt, and there on the other side he spied the banners of the Imperial Reich's Emperor Heinrich.


    Calling to his men he reminded them of the battle of the day, "This is it men, these germans, these false romans, surely know now how wrong they are. Before them they can see our holy banners, our righteous intent, our pious duty, and if these german pigs still fail to realise this today, there is but one item among us they can not deny they can not refute the emblem of our Lord Christ we bear with us the Grand Cross, the greatest relic of christendom!"



    Tristan observes the Holy Roman Emperor, who sits with his retinue up a hill overlooking the battlefield. Tristan orderes his highland pikes forward, realising the Empire intended to fight this on the defensive surely waiting for their Prince to arrive from Frankfurt with more men when suddenly Emperor Heinrich's army bursts with life, his cavalry knights and spearment march to the river ford



    Slowly knights begin to cross the river under the fire of the caledonian noble archers.



    Tristan orders his men to form up a defensive line block the reich's forces from breaching the ford on their side when suddenly the second Imperial Army under the Prince Henry travels upstream to join with his fathers forces gathering at the ford enmass.



    "My God! where have these numbers been found? Had we not bled them white? What a grand host comes our way! Woe to us this day!
    "Men harken to me tighten your ranks! level your spears and pikes, lock shields and bite the rim! Ready your sword and raise high thy axe! we will have victory yet!" Tristan proclaimed rallying his men.


    The two imperial armies rallied with eachother before the gaze of the caledonians, what a mighty host it was to behold



    Tristan demanded his archers to continue firing into the exposed flanks of the imperial host, though it seemed to have no effect the tightly ranked mass pressed on, perhaps under these dire times the caledonians had awakened the old spirit that had covered the land...

    For the behemoth juggernaught was getting closer, each army braces for the impending charge...


    The bugle sounded and the fallen favourites of god rushed out of the give charging into the lines of sharp caledonian pikes, spears, swords and axes, amongst the reckless abandon men screamed as they were cut down, impaled, trampled as they fell under the boots and hooves of their allies. Horses whined as they too fell upon death under their own momentum and that of their commadres pushing ever onwards.


    The river turned light scarlet with the blood of the fallen bodies floated with horrid wounds and arrows piercing their bodies.

    As the bitter day continued the river ran a dark crimson as more and more men had fallen, tristan watched with dismay, his line was spread thin and giving way before the huge mass of imperial might.


    "Take the cross to them! Give them something to fight for, remind them who is with them this day!"
    the Grand Cross retinue marched to the thick of the battle,


    Heartened by the cross covering them with its righteous shadow the caledonians fought with renewed vigor and righteous conviction, but alas this too was not alone enough to break this battle.

    The reich was too strong in number and equal in morale both their King and Prince was their coaxing them on.


    The din of melee was great indeed, the cries of the dying could be heard as the clash of swords sang accompanied splintering of shields. Tristan looked on as his soldiers, his men no, his family fought on struggling if the cross of christ was not enough perhaps his aura in battle would be?

    If not he would at least stand and die with his men have done for him so often.


    The reich was breaking through the line was giving way, the escort of the cross now found themselves fighting for their lives and the purity of the holy relic, the Imperial Prince Henry and his father Emperor Heinrich joined the fray and it spelt the doom of the hardened Caledonian horde, their will wavering their spirit broken,

    The only things they fought for was their lives and the honour of their beloved Saint of a Prince.

    When by chance God must have intervened for the Reich Prince was slain his horse impaled on the last remaining pikemen and trampled beneath his own retinue.


    the imperial reich relented cowards began to flee when in a bout of rage the old Emperor cried out to them demanding them to return to battle his horse collapsed and the Emperor Heinrich was never seen again, and his body was never found.

    it was thought he was run through by one mistaken knight making won last charge for glory before being trampled underneath the broken remains of his tattered army


    The caledonians sang their praises to god for his aid in their hard fought victory that day



    With this glorious victory over the last remaining Imperial armies of the reich Tristan could then move to subdue Frankfurt, Nuremburg, Prague and Vienna with little opposition militias and ill trained mercenaries were crushed under the horde's onslaught.

    The Imperial Reich refused the honest Caledonian ceasefire, enough blood had been spilt yet still they arrogantly or proudly fought on with Bologna, Innsbruck and Zagreb remaining loyal to the Reich.

    Edward Having heard of the Spanish betrayal and raid on Rennes saught open battle with them but the spaniards fled back their homes, later crawling for forgiveness for their transgression. Edward would accept but for the 11 thousand florins over several years.

    Mean while Tristan took his army on a crusade to Jerusalem their goal was the fortress city of Adana, their honourable allies Hungary joined them but with such a large army could not resist attacking their old foe byzantium's capital of Constantinople.

    Having successful wrestled Constantinople from Byzantium a jihad was called on constantinople.

    Tristan having heard news that Adana had now fallen to the Seljuk Turks decided it would be best to claim iconium before moving to Adana so that their stronghold would not be surrounded by aggressive turks in iconium in the west, caesarea to the north and antioch in the east.

    Inconium fell swiftly and so too did adana the turk prince slain by the fine nobles of Caledonia. However now the mamluk led jihad has entered Caledonian lands head to take Constantinople....

    Tristan looked over the ramparts and wondered is it worth risking his crusader army against an unknown force of a Jihad to honour their alliance with Hungary all the while leaving themselves open to a turkish counter attack or worse yet an invasion by byzantine forces looking for a way to strike back at Hungary for seizing their great city?

    Else where Denmark later besieged Hamburg their small army overcoming the small garrison by means of a hidden traitor, also their allies poland attacked prague, Edward Morgunn Moir was dispatched from Rheims to fight the polish aggressors and King Edward's brother Alexander was ordered from Oslo to besiege Stockholm then to Arhus wit the goal of bringing the defiant Danes under heel.

    After a glorious start and twenty six years of glory and prosperty the Kingdom of Caledonia seems to have entered dark days...
    Last edited by Hex Khan; February 02, 2007 at 02:14 PM.
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  16. #16
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    Well, very action filled story and lot of good pics.
    (Although Im not amused that the scotts kill my HRE friends! Das ist ein Schande!! )

    But pls a bit smaller pics or a bit less, it takes me now 5 mins to load this thread...
    IN PATROCINIVM SVB HORSEARCHER
    quis enim dubitat quin multis iam saeculis, ex quo vires illius ad Romanorum nomen accesserint, Italia quidem sit gentium domina gloriae vetustate sed Pannonia virtute

    Sorry Armenia, for the rascals who lead us.


  17. #17
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    Sorry Odo, its all about the violence, and big pixs to show it
    stick around, I've got another three stories to write up, the breaking of a jihad, which was interesting never fought against one before, i got lucky, perfect terrain for my kind of tactics.

    the sacking of Acre

    and the second last story I'm going to write, fall of Nicaea such a terrible day it was....
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    Tristan looked over the newly restored rock ramparts, his skin baked under the scorching sun, "I miss the cool morning breeze of aberdeen," Tristan sighs to his wife,
    "I miss home my husband." Isabel retorts smiling.
    "Will you begrudge me this day?"
    "No my Prince," she answers softly, "Nor will I ever, what you do is to honour the alliance that has existed for sixty years, it is both noble and honourable to up hold its terms."
    "Thank you my love." Tristan replies kissing Isabel's cheek before leaving.

    "Roy, Domongart!" Tristan cries to the two children playing with wooden swords on the ramparts with some other children. "I want you to play especially hard when I am away, to make sure no evil turk, mamluk or saracen dares to approach this castle's walls, for fear of you and your friends will surely beat them home!" Tristan commanded, they nodded and charged with glee into the other children who fought.

    "They take after you."
    "Then I know our Kingdom has a bright future indeed, with your looks and my brawn." Tristan smiled,
    "Good Princes of the realm they will be. We shall see to it."
    "Yes, yes we will Princess." Tristan looked over the rampart once more, "look after them for me while I'm away."


    Battle of Tarsus:

    Tristan and his hardy caledonians shadowed the massive jihad through the region, Tristan was heartened by his men's adaption to the severe climate here, his men heartened by the arrival of a Knights Hopitaller contingent.

    Setting up on a mountain side with two slopes one to the left and one to the right and a plateau in the centre. Tristan again ordered his men divided, he had long stufied the tactics of the mamluks, they would march in a curve, their horse archers on the extreme wings trying to ring around the flanks while the infantry centre would engulf, the high ground would deny them this tactic.

    the Army was divided thusly
    two sections left and right,
    with three highland noble archers with stakes planted in the sand
    two highland pikes
    one unit of highland nobles
    one unit of highlanders

    with the cavalry and grand cross tucked in the centre.

    Tristan laughed at his foe and told his men,


    As expected the mamluk archers sped across the plain widely dispersed, they stoped and open fired on the caledonian left army, inspite of the tales told of these saracen mamluks being great archers few caledonians fell under their volleys


    The caledonian highlanders took aim and struck back at the mamluks showing them how fire a bow


    The battle hardened archers slaughtered the horse archers with few return volleys, the fresh mamluk horse archers broke and fled. Greatly annoyed that his archers were broken by a few measily barbarians the mamluk general ordered a majority of of his foot archers to attack the caledonian left flank,


    slowly marching up the hill to get within ftheir iring range to retaliate back against the highland archers. enmass they drew their bows and fired suppenely Tristan orders his knights out to cut down the exposed saracen archers



    All the while the saracen heavy infantry marches closer. Supported by great many heavy cavalry


    The right flank faired as well as the left, it must have seemed futile to the mamluk general, as he watched the last of his mamluk archers being shred by the fine aim of caledonian archers.


    realising how bitter the fighting had turned the saracen commander ordered the last of his forces on an all out charge, regardless on how foolish it was, even if allah was there he did little for those fighting in the name of islam...


    Tristan at the end of the battle turned to his army and spoke what they all must have thought, "Surely this is not the best Islam has to offer us in battle!?"

    Tristan following the reports of his spies siezed the reigns and marched into the mamluk lands, and with little to oppose him Antioch was reconquered, Aleppo, Nicosia and Damascus fell.

    It was during the siege of the last northern mamluke castle of Acre terrible news reached Tristan...
    Byzantium had attacked their rear city of Iconium! And the evil Emperor Alexi the Mean led the assault.


    This annoyed the Prince greatly for he could see just how barren the mamluk lands were, there and open to him should he dare reach out and take them!


    Should he continue with the siege of Acre and then return to iconium hoping the city would hold till he returned or should forsake the siege and make haste with his army back to Iconium and do battle with the treacherous byzantines and their emperor? but should iconium fall all Tristan had achieved would fall apart leaving the crusader prince isolated and and far from home...

    Worse still once Iconium fell Adana was would be next, his wife, sons and daughters were taking refuge there. Tristan would have to move swiftly or risk loosing everything...

    Looking back south Tristan cursed, "Alas! My poor Jerusalem! We have braved much to see you before us and now we leave you a beggar's throne!"

    Tristan roared with fury and damned his predicament cursing the egyptians and byzantines alike...
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    "Damn it all! Lord you test me so!" Tristan slamming his fist into his thigh, his old black stallion warhorse Berigo whined a little. Instantly the clenched fist turned to an open palm which stroked the startled beast, "sorry old boy."

    Tristan continued the siege till the reinforcment had come from antioch and damascus, poorly experience levies they were town and spear militia at least some noble archers had been trained to to provide some support for this siege, Tristan passed control to the Hospitaller Captain James


    During his time besieging the castle Tristan had ordered the construction of several ladders and a single ram, but he had also experiemented with siege plans found in Antioch, they were out lining the construction of Siege Towers, the caledonian engineers did fine job reconstructing the massive engines


    James ordered the ram and ladders forward along with the towers to provide some distraction for the slowly lumbering towers.

    The excellently armed spearmen raced up their ladders and began to fight every well initially slaying many a saracen on those walls


    However caledonian fortunes were not to hold as the lack of experience and discipline within the troops of the scots began to show as men were mercilessly hacked down by the saracen milita and archers as they climbed over the walls

    Further more the first of the siege towers were destroyed by saracen flames still burning bright following the massacre at Tarsus

    The ram was also burned as it neared the gates...

    Things seemed to have turned from good to terrible in the blink of an eye...

    All hope to the men who fough valiantly on the walls but alas the weight of expectations and enemy numbers over came them


    As things entered their darkest hour as the last of the spearmen were about to be cut down James had an inspired idea, he still possessed five strong units under his command, three noble archers and two remaining spear militia units...

    James ordered his spearmen up the ladders for one final push to hold back the saracen tide to give the archer nobles enough time to rush the gates and to slay the archer milita guarding the door this way his Hospitallers could join the fray and surely turn the battle with a keenly timed charge...


    The militia men raced up the ladders and flung themselves with reckless abandon towards the saracen militia and dismounted arabs in their lips the howled in their native tongue "Croich Saracens!", "Slaughter the Saracens!"


    Such bravery inspired the majority of nobles to stand and fight shoulder to shoulder with their kin, axe and spear, hacking and thrusting slowly together they pushed back the stronger saracens and arabs


    The nobles proved too much for the feeble saracen archer militia who broke and routed before their blue-faced killers, and at last of the arab spearmen soon followed and at last the caledonians held the gates!



    James ordered his knights foward the gates swung open for them and all was over for the remaining militia, their captain slain under Hospitaller hooves and acre fell with him.


    But it had cost the caledonians more than it was worth perhaps....

    So ended a bloody day,
    Historical Reenactor and Proud of it
    Winner of Best AAR Writer Award 2007

  20. #20
    Hex Khan's Avatar Oooooh Yeeeaah!!
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    Dec 2006
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    Default Re: Caledonian Horde

    Well kids I did intend to type a third part to this tonight, the fall of Nicaea but its getting late here in scotland and i'm blatantly nackered, so this post will be altered sometime tomorrow morning/afternoon with the Fall of the Righteous : Fall of Nicaea.

    Since my scottish campaign is drawing to a close I'm up for a challenge is there any other faction you huys would enjoy a bloody story telling of? Comments are welcome
    Historical Reenactor and Proud of it
    Winner of Best AAR Writer Award 2007

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