[SS AAR] Kwarezmian Adventure

[Babagitta]

Hello everyone!

After my Irish campaign, I was looking for something new and now, I believe that the Kwarezmian campaign is what I want to play.

This is not a frontpage story but a simple magazine of what's happening in my new adventure including strategies and tactics.

The details.
Game: SS-6.1
Faction: Kwarezmian Empire.
Campaign: Early Era.
Diffyculty: Hard/Hard (manage all settlements).
Reports: every 10 turns.
Sceenshots: using toggle_fow.

Extra parameters.
Plan: Finish the campaign (victory condition).
Honour: I will not attack any of my allies.
Promise: I will not make any alliance with Christian Factions.
Fear: The Mongols (Golden Horde).
Respect: Byzantines.
Hope: United Muslims.
Risky undertaking: Invasion in Europe through Italy (elimination of Sicily, Papal States, Genoa).
Secondary plan: Invasion in Europe through Spain.

Problems: Shape of the Empire, time, distance from capital, economy.

Kwarezmian Empire is already an... Empire, but lets see what's the fate of this faction. I'll use Jihads and the power of the Kwarezmian cavarly to make them strong and fearless.
I'll be friendly with other muslims but in case of aggressiveness... my black flags will be there.

So, here I go. The situation after turn 10.
As you can see, there are many rebels around and I took my first 2 regions.
That heretic! How clever, I can't go there on foot.
My economy makes me feel like a beggar. My capital is Urgench and I have to move it to a different location. Ermm.. I must find 5000 flos first, beause I'm playing on hard.
The World is quiet at the moment...

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Wow! Interesting faction choice, indeed!
Can't wait for the first post...

[Babagitta]

Welcome PowerWizard!

After turn 20.
I'm taking control of the rebels areas and my real enemies are time and my economy. My first Jihad was successful and I'm moving west and south-west with 2 small armies.
As you can see my economy (light blue line) was terrible but on turn 11 I moved my capital to a different location with excellent results. I'm not rich but my banker feels more safe now...

My allies are: Egypt, the Turks and Cuman Khanate.

My first mission is to expand fast to the west by "building a wall" between Egypt and Turkey. I don't want them to go at war as they are my strategic allies. The key is Bagdat and the Templars of course.

The World is not that quiet now...
Ireland made a strategic movement and I really want to see them continue like this.
Norway seems to be happy by doing... nothing.
England has problems with Scotland and France with England.
The Byzantines are in good shape and Venice is not happy about it.
The Sicilians are playing with fire and the Moors attacked Portugal, Spain and Aragon!

The next 20 turns are very important as I want to make my way to the sea.
I'm not expecting any kind of heroism from the Templars but who knows, maybe the lion is not sleeping tonight...

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

Babagitta,


Inspiring, well thought out, excellent challange! +Rep Keep it coming....

[stoma]

Dude take Baghdad. That should your capital.

[Babagitta]

Welcome and thank you Mega Tortas and Stoma!

After turn 30.
...I have a big mouth and for now on I'll use more carefully my words. The rise of the Templars is a fact. They took control of a large area including Jerusalem in 10 rounds! Alepo, Acre, Adana, Antioch, the 4A are Hospitalers' land. Now I'm afraid that they will move to Damascus which is my next target.

Bagdat is mine and the only way is west. Building a "wall" between Egypt and Turkey was a simple plan. Now, I'll face a well organized army and I feel that the good days - hunting rebels - are over.


Look at them! They attacked Byzantines too!


Now, lets see what happened to the World in the first 30 turns.






France is in big trouble. England's actions remind me that AI is not a joke in SS. Ireland shows character and the Sicilians are determined fighters at the moment.
The Byzantines said that they have an Empire now and I believe them...
Seal fishery is Norway's secret weapon... and panic is all over the steppes as 3 factions are fighting each other for the last free lands.

I think that my Empire is growing well enough and by taking 2 strategic regions (Bagdat and Backu) I feel more safe.
But... I have a bad feeling too and I can't understand why...

[Babagitta]

I made a serious mistake and that's why a bad feeling is always in the air lately.
Trying to expand fast hunting rebels, I forgot to take some siege weapons with me. Not a single ballista! Now the war between my Empire and the Templars is a fact and I have only archers, spearmen and horse archers. I have some excellent Generals of course but fighting Hospitalers Knights in the open is a nightmare.

I don't have time to do anything about it now, so I'll attack. The real war begins and the good days are over.


My forces attacked Damascus! After 1 turn Templars' reinforcements came to assist the defenders. The battle took place around the walls and in the city. We won, but we lost some very good men that morning.


After turn 40 and the battle of Damascus, the situation is like this.
These 2 armies is all I got. The Templars want to take their revenge and they are very angry right now. I must go and take Acre and maybe Jerusalem but without siege weapons I don't think it's a good idea.

But, if I take Acre then the road to the sea will be open and my "wall" between Egypt and Turkey will be a reality.




Yes, Spain took Cairo. Pope called the Crusade and Cairo belongs to Spain now. It was a scarry situation but I thought that the Egyptians were prepared for that. I was wrong...


It was a matter of time. The fall of Cairo is a tragedy because none of the Egyptians Generals was there to help the defenders.
They did nothing!
I'm very disappointed...

[Babagitta]

Today is a good day!
My Generals and my soldiers are celebrating a series of victories against the Templars! Beautiful exotic women are dancing around the fire and the night seems to be a gift from the God.

Wakeful guards are on the walls of Antioch watching like leopards in the dark.
We buried some good friends and brothers yesterday, but tonight we feel like imortals ready to meet our destiny.


First we attacked Acre and then Jerusalem. Epic battles, heroic victories!
And then the great Imam called a Jihad and we attacked the Capital. The Templars attacked us from behind with reinforcements from Antioch and the battle was a carnage. We lost 60% of our men but we killed their Leader.


Then we took Antioch and now the shadows of our banners are sending a message to the last castle of Adana.

So, after turn 50 I can say that I'm happy. I was very lucky sometimes but the fact is that my first mission has been completed. The sea is open and my forces are standing between the Egyptians and the Turks. Now, I'm sure that there will be peace in our lands. For ever...




Adana, and then... the Byzantines. And yes, my secret dream Italy and the invasion in Europe.
Spain is still there but not for long. I'll do the job for the Egyptians. Soon...

[Adhamh Ashashi]

Dude great AAR

I want kingdoms so bad so I can play as Ireland and you ahve inspired me!!

+rep

[Babagitta]

Great idea Ashashi!
I say go for it and give us some green pleasure!

[Adhamh Ashashi]

Move Ireland to Baghdad and then we see what happens.

[Babagitta]

LOL
It's gonna be hell my friend!

[Babagitta]

The Templars... Strong and fearless soldiers with ideals and heart of steel.
They had faith but good Generals and a real Leader were missing.
We have many things to learn from the remebrance of those soldiers.


Finally, the Egyptians did their duty by showing a character of fighters.


We still have problems with rebels in our lands but thanks to "The Hunters" not for long. The Hunters are four Generals with bad reputation and they have a few faithful followers of horse archers.
They are patroling all the Empire killing rebels. Their mission is to keep the roads open and the land clean.




And now the Byzantines...
There was only one way: surprise attack! Unguarded towns and castles were the perfect targets. Nicosia, Rhodes, Iraklion, Corinth and Athens.
My 1st field Army attacked like the storm and now we are waiting for the Byzantines' counter attack. The good days are over...


My 2nd field Army took the coastal road of south Africa. An armed revolt in Alexandria gave us the chance to take that city and now we're moving against Sicily. It's a long journey.

After turn 60.
I moved my Capital 2 times: from Urgench to Gorgan and then Kermanshah. I gave 10.000 flos but I have a healthy economy because of that.
Jihads: Isfahan, Kermanshah, Yerevan, Tortosa, Kutaisi (the Turks took the last one by blocking the road!).


The World is on fire!
Like a Persian carpet, war is everywhere. England is a great power and Genoa is too aggressive. It seems like France has no future.
Novgorod is in terrible situation and Hungary is not playing games.
At last, Norway left behind the fishing rods and they're using the art of sword.

[Leutrim]

Fantastic, I'm loving this one. Keep it comming.

[Nole4694]

Great AAR man.

[Laconian]

Nice AAR. Keep it up!

[Babagitta]

Thank you Laconian!

[jman47]

good job so far, great faction choice, keep it up!

[Babagitta]

Thank you jman!

I can't believe how difficult is the situation for France. Never saw that before. England and Genoa want to eliminate the faction asap.


There is no way out. They're going to die and I feel sorry about them.


But, at the same time Scotland took London! The Island is on fire!


After we took Sicilia, the Sicilians attacked Bari twice. We broke the siege and we killed many of them. Then we had our chance...
Naples was my last target and we attacked!


Sicily is a very strong faction and Palermo is the home of Norman Knights. You're looking for trouble if you attack them there.
But this time the Sicilians made some serious mistakes. They were thinking about how to defeat the Byzantines after they lost Bari and they left 4 regions unguarded and Sicilia with only 12 units!
The last moments were dramatic but it was too late...


The fall of Naples was a shock to every Catholic faction. I was prepared to defend the city but not so soon!
And the attackers were the Pope's elite forces... Believe it or not, the rebels saved me by blocking the road.


The battle was epic. We opened the side gates and under the protection of our cavarly we put ballistas and catapults in position. With no archers and no cavarly, the enemy lost the battle.


We were not so tired and Rome has only 2 units inside and my lovely friend... the Pope. My ships were ready as always, so we attacked from behind. The 2nd army of Rome was at Naples and our defenders were just 3 units of spearmen. It was a risky plan but we were lucky. We took Rome and they didn't attack Naples. Pope was dead and they were so confused...


The whole situation is getting harder and harder. My economy is not so healthy anymore because my new regions are so far away from my capital. I'm fighting alone and my allies are just watching. I need their help soon or else...

[Babagitta]

Well, I think we have a problem now. Ha! We have many problems but this one is a constant headache.
The last 7-8 turns, the Egyptians attacked Turkey about 5 times. I'm always with the Turks because Cuman Khanate is ally to both of us and I don't want to go at war with any of them.
Also, I don't need a war in that area because of the Mongols' invasion. I must prepare myself and my defences.

And no, I don't have enough flos to organize a new army and attack Egypt. They have 5-6 stacks in the area and I have... one diplomat and every time they attack Turkey, I'm asking for alliance again and again. I'm protecting peace but they want to kill each other...


So I called a Jihad (7th - Adrianople) just to make them feel better (and because I'm going to die). After all it would be nice to have my allies in that area. The Byzantines are very angry at the moment and I have limited number of defenders.


They attacked Smyrna 2 or 3 times in a row. We won and with the same strategy again, we used our ships to attack Canakkale. But, it was an ambush! Reinforcements came fast from the forest trying to get the flank. It was not just a simple battle but a festival of tactics. The Byzantines were fantastic but we won.


The Byzantine capital was ours!
First, I thought to keep a defensive position but I was looking for money.
We had only one chance and like the thieves in the dark, we attacked Constantinople from the coast.
Only 2 units of lancers and some horse archers were standing between us and the money...


We took the money and after that we did the same in Nicaea.
Now, we have 4 regions in that area but not enough men to protect them. That's why I called the Jihad. I hope my allies will be there soon or else I'll burn the cities down to ashes before abandon them.

Generally, I'm in terrible position and I have 50 regions after turn 80. I need 20 more to finish the campaign and I don't have many options.
I'm not ready to attack Hungary and the truth is I don't want to...
I'll take the last Pope's region and then I'll attack Venice. Yes, maybe...
Also, I'm afraid that I'm Genoa's next target. Nightmare...
And Egypt! They want war and I can give them some but I need a fresh army. I can't hold them for ever with only one diplomat. I just can't...