[M2TW AAR] Nova Roma- Rise Of The New Roman Empire

[emperornovaroma]

Hello TWC forums, As a new member I wish to start a campaign story. Its centered about the Byzantine Empire. If People like it then I'll continue it with more extras. Enjoy.




Constantine the Great after gaining total control of the Roman Empire embarked on creating a great new capital. Rome had after years of corruption and decayed became a breeding ground for treachery. Rome wasn't good enough for Constantine. He would not have pagan Rome as his capital. Instead he would create his own, a new capital for a new Christian Empire. He would call this city NOVA ROMA.

Rome fell, but it remained in Nova Roma. After centuries its original name has passed into nothing. It is now known as Constantinople.

In the Year 1080, the now called Byzantine Empire was in decline. The Turks are on its borders ready to strike and the Western Europe Kingdoms are ready to take advantage. However a new emperor has come to power.......

On a warm summer day, the new emperor Alexios I Komenos stares at a map of the once glorious Byzantine Empire. He thinks about the great Justinian who once almost regained the western Roman Empire. He sighs, thinking that glory has long past. Prince John enters into the room along with the chief historian Androkrias. "Father, Androkrias has discovered a document from the time of Constantine." said Prince John. "What is it, Androkrias?!" replied Alexios. "It is a great scroll made by Gregory the Illuminator. He states that God has ordained onto Constantine a new city. A new holy city. This city is called Nova Roma." "Where is this Nova Roma?!" "Its Constantinople, emperor." "Nova Roma.....Prince John" "Yes, Father." replied John. "From now on, Constantinople shall be NOVA ROMA!"

[Strattios]

OOOOOOOOHHH!!!!

I love all the Byzantine AAR's, they rock. It's really hard to go wrong with such an interesting faction that can expand into such a variety of regions.

Really looking forward to this!

GO GREECE!!! GO ROME!!! LONG LIVE THE ETERNAL CITY!!!

[Kallum]

can't wait

[emperornovaroma]

Ok, since i guess some people want me to continue. I'll start. Since I've been playing a little since I first posted, alot of things have happened, but I'll review them and really start the campaign story.

Emperor Alexios and the rise of the Byzantine Empire had always called it "Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων" or the Roman Empire. However Western Europe did not see it this way. Instead, under the guidance of the Pope they referred to them as "The Greek Empire". Alexios saw that his Roman Empire was now very Greek, but he believed that his new Empire would be both Greek and Roman.
However Alexios knew that unless Greece, the Balkans and especially Anatolia were secured in the grasp of the empire there would be no Nova Roma Empire.
So Alexios decided to expand, and reconquer lost lands. He first strengthened the lands he already had control of and started raising armies. By 1090, Alexios had reorganized the army and set it out to conquer rebels that had broke away. The Rebels' main base was at the town of Durazzo. Durazzo was a small town, but had an important stragetic value. It could be the gateway to the West and especially Italy. The rebels soon fell due to the might of Nova Roma, but because Alexios was a godly man he spared the population of harm and set out to make Durazzo into a great city.


The Siege of Durazzo

In under 10 years, Durazzo would become a bustling commerical city that would serve to strengthen Nova Roma power in the West and with ease Nova Roma regained all of the Western coast of Anatolia and Rhodes.However all was not well and the Venitians saw the resurgance of the Roman empire as threating and declared war. Across land and sea, battles raged. However Nova Roma had become to powerful for Venice, as Venice lost the Isle of Crete which became a great Roman city again.


Crete

Nova Roma was winning the war with Venice and was taking lands in Eastern Europe, but the Kingdom Of Hungary also became afraid and fearful of Nova Roma and also declared war. Nova Roma was now fighting a 2-front war, so Alexios decided that in the best interest of the Empire, that the Balkans must be fully taken and his army defeated the rebels and conquered all the way into Hungary. Hungary would face the wrath of Nova Roma!!! However the King of Hungary was a fool and felt safe in his capital until his great General Isvan turned to the Roman side!!! Under a mercenary army, Isvan then captured Sofia which was the King's main defense against the Romans. However the King of Hungary would get more startling news!! The Holy Roman Empire and Nova Roma had entered a mutal alliance and the city of Vienna was given to Nova Roma for a thousand ton of gold and spices. The Holy Roman Empire would become rich and the capital of Hungary would be endangered by Nova Roma.


Siege of Sofia

Alexios was proud of his empire and decided to start taking back the Holy land and Anatolia. A legion from Cyprus was sent to conquer southern Anatolia which fell quickly due to weak resistance. The Turks saw the rising power of what they called Rum and decided war was immenient and decided to strike first. Under the Sultan, a large army invaded Nova Roma territory. Emperor Alexios and Prince John remembering the disaster of Manzikiet marched with their own legions to defeat the Sultan. The Sultan was beaten back Turkish land, but Alexios was sick of the Turks. He decided to take the offensive and went foward. He directed Prince John to take all the land to Trebizond which had fell under Turkish rule. Alexios would siege Iconium himself. So in the year 1102 the Siege of Iconium began.


Defeating The Turks

The crusades by Western Europe had luckly not affected Nova Roma, but the kingdom of Jerusalem had expanded quicker then the Islamic factions thought was possible. In the East, a new Persian Empire arose calling ithemselves the Khwarezmian Empire. It was the greatest economic power in the Holy Land with the city of Baghdad. To the South the Egyptians were growing and power, but feared the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Kingdom of Jerusalem was powerful and strong. However it knew the might of Nova Roma and felt that Nova Roma was threat, so they also declared war on Nova Roma. Under the leadership of all of Europe's most evil general, Jerusalem marched on the Empire. However the Empire raised a legion and met Jerusalem. Jerusalem had heavy troops, more armored the the empire, but the Empire was more mobile and was able to outmanuver the knights and engulfed them wiping them out. The Kingdom of Jerusalem had lost a great army and Antioch was open to siege. So the Empire sieged Antioch and took it and with it Syria. Antioch was were most of Jerusalem's troops were and they were dealt a heavy blow. However the war would not end.

Antioch

In the West, Venice had gathered a large army mostly of mercs. The Empire's spies saw this and were able to relay information to Alexios. He directed a legion to fight this army. Venice had to win because this army was 1/4 of its entire military! They tried to defeat the Empire's s legionaries but was defeated by horse archers and heavy cavarly encircling them. The Venetian army was totally devasted. Of their entire army, only 5 men survived.... As the Empire consolidated its hold on Eastern Europe, the unthinkable happened. The population of Sofia rose in revolt and ousted Isvan. Alexios furious, ordered Isvan to reestablish control. Isvan resieged the city and massacred the population.



Massacre of Sofia

Alexios was saddened by this massacre and decreed that Sofia would pay no taxes and that there would be a massive rebuilding project. Startling news again reached Alexios' ears. A Jihad was called on Jerusalem! Alexios was troubled. Yes, the Kingdom of Jerusalem would be weakened, but would happen if the Islamic Factions take over Jerusalem?!

, Venice, Turkey and Jerusalem were not united and as a result could not take on the Empire head on, but a four-front war was still difficult. If these factions could unite or an even more powerful faction decided to fight back. With a Jihad and maybe a Crusade coming soon, the future looks grim for Nova Roma.

Coming Up and Comments:
2 battle further description- description of The Battle Of Ragusan Hills and The Battle of Antioch Shore

- Alternate History- College of Patriachs and the Legion Reformation

Comments:
I would like for people to play a part in where this campaign goes, so i will ask you guys questions from time to time. Please answer.

As the Empire is expanding, should I:
A] Expand Into Italy and Central Europe
B] Expand into the Holy Land
C] Expand into Eastern Europe
D} Expand into Africa from Crete

And Should I Make Peace With:
A] Turks
B} Kingdom of Jerusalem
C] Hungary
D] Venice
E] None

Ending Comments:
The Khwarezmian Empire is powerful and I do not want to be too hasty with them and peace will probably be maintained with them. However with the Jihad, I'm sure there will be a swarm of Islamic armies. I may have trouble with them, but I'm sure that a new force will come that will probably upset the balance of power in the Holy Land. They will be very hard to control for me and the factions in the Holy Land, but they could save me from fighting Khwarezm. They use a lot of cavarly, this I know. Do you know who they are?

[emperornovaroma]

Upcoming Things- Invasion Of Italy, Jihad on Jerusalem, Invasion of Africa.

[Zadig]

Expnad into Italy and make peace with the hungarians

[emperornovaroma]

I would like comments on the aar and anything i need to improve. I see few people read my aar.......... Is there anything i need to do to make it better?

Oh yea, an update.


Conquest of the Crimea


Emperor Alexios saw his borders expanding, but contested by three major powers. He also a great power rising in the North....,Poland. In order to have a base of operations inorder to protect against potential future invasions from Poland as Poland does not with for Nova Roma on its border. Emperor Alexios ordered an invasion on the Crimea. With only scattered barbarians to defend it, the penisula was taken fast and easy. With this new territory gain, a defense against Poland can be build and just maybe Trebizond can be retaken.



The Crimea

[emperornovaroma]

well it seems nobody cares about this aar. maybe too many byzantine aars then, maybe i'll give up or start a new aar like an italian faction, or even england. does anybody have an opinion.....please?

[Nole4694]

This is a pretty good AAR, but to appeal to more people add some game pics you know of battles and campain map and put in a little less writing

[emperornovaroma]

well i've decided to continue the aar. i'll try to put game screenshots to appeal to more people. I going to show you the update of the tactical map of the world.

well the turks have a jihad army marching to jerusalem. i'm still at war with jerusalem, turks, hungury, and venice. A four way war is taking a real big chunk of my money, too much money. i may go bankrupt later............ I've taken florence to establish a base in italy. I find that the teutonic order is doing really good in the north and threatens poland, russia, and denmark....its like a superpower with its knights......,even i fear what would happen if they got close to me. Sicily is doing good against the HRE in their war. This suprised me as HRE is actually the strongest european power. On that subject the order of power in europe is HRE, Teutonic Order, Poland, Sicly, england,denmark, russia, spain,portugal, scotland.
I really want to destroy venice, they only have..........venicei going to take it! Venice will aid me in retaking italy! still there are tough decisions. Anybody want to help me decided?

Jerusalem is weakened, but the Turks are on the fast track to take it. Destroying KOJ is good, but doing that will allow the Turks to take Jerusalem and make it harder to beat the Turks. Should I:
A] Make Peace with KOJ and kick the Turk's ass?
B] Destroy KOJ and let Turks take Jerusalem?
C] Just kill them both!!


A 4-front war is expensive, should i make peace with:
A] Hungry even though i can take their capital.
B] Venice.....yea right
C]KOJ
D] Turks

Should I at the moment expand more into:
A] Italy
B] Holy Land
C] Egypt
D] Eastern Europe
E] Russian Lands
F] Western Europe
G] Central Europe
H] Spain
I] North Africa
J] Egypt

I have an army that can bring down KOJ's last forces, but the Turk's jihad army is near. Should I:
A] Let the Jihad army go and destroy the KOH forces.
B] Go after the jihad
C] you choose
Oh yea the year is 1124, so i'm just waiting for the mongols to come. i wonder what their arrival will bring. when is the mongols anyway?

[emperornovaroma]

Well i was playing and some things happened that i just needed to put in an update.

A] I was siegeing Ajaccio for a base near Italy, but my army betrayed me!!

B] THE POPE ATTACKED FLORENCE!!!!!!
I really did not think he would do that. He brought a pretty large army. Its good enough to defeat my forces. I wanted to build up my forces in Italy with Florence slowly, but the pope ruined my plans! I wanted to take Ajaccio but those traitors messed up my plan. if i had succeeded then i would have been able to hold out in Florence for sure, but now that seems grim. Rome is weak now, but i have no army to take it! If i go to war with the pope, then he may call crusade on me. All of catholic europe will crusade on me........thats scary....... knights everywhere..................

C] I find that Venice has 3 full stacks!!!! And that the city of Venice is also full with man good soldiers. it seems that the venitians have been busy while i've been dealing with the hungruians....... My forces in that area aren't strong enough to deal with 3 full stacks....... I guess taking Venice will be harder then i thought.

The situation is getting harder for me. i need help...anybody want to give advice. Now i have a five-front war. this is the funniest campaign i've ever had. imagine a war with everybody.................

If have to go down, then i'll go DOWN FIGHTING!!!!

[emperornovaroma]

i guess i'll try that

[Theseus1234]

looks like an interesting story, but as people have said: it would be nice to see actual campaign pictures and less pictures of the internets and smilies

[emperornovaroma]

i know, i have the screenshots,but i don't know how to post them, if somebody can tell me how, then i can show alot

[Theseus1234]

well go to a site like photobucket, get an account and upload your photos, then post the url image in the text of your next update
its free

[emperornovaroma]

great news, i'm uploading my screenshots to photobucket. if all goes well i'll be able to show you really how weird things are. if you ever want to say anything, just post. Still i've just realized that nobody has decided to give me advice on what i should do except for one short post. If anybody wants to, i'll accept any advice.

[Watercress]

heres my advice: do what YOU want to do.

[emperornovaroma]

Great, I've gotten the screenshots and are able to post them. Lets really start the campaign.

Well this is the pope attacking my city of Florence, and the Venitians with their armies and only city:Venice.

[emperornovaroma]

This is the current state of my diplomatic affairs. The Hungarians, Venitians, Turks, Kingdom of Jerusalem, and Pope are at war with me. This is really using up alot of money.


My great capital of Nova Roma!


My Western Border with the Hungarians, too bad i don't have an army to attack their capital.


Central Borders with the Hungarians, again no army to defend.


My Eastern Border with the Hungarians, more defended, but still kind of weak. I'm lucky that the Hungarians don't have enough resources to invade me, but still...........


The situation in the Holy Land. Jerusalem is in danger of extinction. I have two armies at their north borders. The Turks have a large Jihad army about to attack Jerusalem, which is really ill-defended.



My invasion fleet commanded by Istvan is headed to attack Trebizond. I hope he will succeed.


My expeditionary force to take Edessa.


My next target for invasion to bring back the glory of Rome, SPAIN

[Kallum]

nice can't wait for the update