[SS AAR] I, Efstathios (A Byzantine Character AAR)

[Desperado †]

Click Here for the original thread. Hope you like !

General Info:
Game: MTW SS 6.1
This AAR will be in two parts. Part I, Starting before the Campaign Map, and then The Main part, Which Starts on Early Era Campaign (1080). Part I follow's Efstathios rise through the ranks of the Byzantine army whilst fighting guierilla and open warfare against the Seljuk Turks. The main part follow's him as a general on the campaign map. If he dies on that I will stop the AAR.
I know that there are a lot of Byzantine AAR's, which is why I've tried to make this one unique. I haven't decided what difficulty I'll have on the Main part, but that will come later. Here's the begining, hope you enjoy - it's my first AAR.

PART I
Part I Chapter I

The year be 1067 of our lord. I, Efstathios Lampinos stand upon a hill in Eastern Kibyraioton. The sun be to our left, as be our good Captain, Aleskios.
Half a year ago, the Captain came to our village, with orders from Constantinople. Bands of Inifidel Seljuk’s have been marauding the Eastern-most lands of our empire for at least two years now. They come quickly, over the plains on fast steeds, burning the crops and taking our people’s. Yet of late, their bands have become increasingly less bandit like. Dismounted troops have began to cross our borders, some small bands even coming as far as Eastern Kibyraioton. And so Aleskios came, and took every able bodied man from our village, which numbered a rough 60, and trained us in the way’s of war. And upon two week’s ago, word of a small band of Musselmen crossing the hills came to his knowledge, and so we set off. And now, we stand upon a hill, awaiting their arrival. We have word that within the hour they will arrive in the valley. They also have word that we are waiting, and have set up a camp further back and are marching towards us.

There is not a sound to be heard as each man eye’s the horizon. There is the stink of sweat as each man awaits battle. I wear my fine leather tunic and hold the good weapons that Aleskios had the smith make. The metal of our weapons are yet to be tarnished by the blood of man, as this will be our first encounter with an enemy.
Then a smudge, a simple blot upon the horizon meets our eyes. Then the glint of armour in the sun.

“They are upon us,” A man to my left announced. His voice broke through the atmosphere like a sword through water. I kept staring, my eyes scanning the plain before us. We had the advantage, being upon a hill and facing downwards towards the enemy.
As the enemy neared, and the blots became men, I heard Aleskios groan. It must of been loud, as I stood three men to the right of him. I stared harder at the enemy to see what Aleskios had seen. Two clumps of the enemy had fallen behind the main force. They seemed to be surrounding two wooden structures...

“Ballistias!!! Loosen formation!!!” Aleskios shouted, his voice loud and coarse.
But even as he said the words two flaming bolts were upon us, nobody had time to lift their shields or even realize what was happening.
They landed, one less than a metre in front of our good Captain.

“Loosen formation!” Aleskios shouted once more, apparently unnerved by his dance with death. He kept his mind under control like a mad horse upon a leash. A good captain. More bolts fell. I heard two men fall by the same blazing bolt. I dared not look when I heard the screams, though I could still smell that accursed smell of burning flesh. What a way to die, to have your body miss-figured and burned into to nothing, never to be buried and reborn on the day of judgement.

Aleskios quickly realized the situation. As did I and a few others who kept our cool. Either wait here, and brace the bolts but have a great advantage, and march down and die in the valley. The choice seemed honest for me. Stay and die as burning carcasses, or march and die as men. I looked around, and saw the simple folk we were, dressed as Soldiers, yet truly fathers and sons and farmers. We could always run. Home, to our fields and pastures and Mothers and Children. I had to brace my legs. My heart was pounding. I could see fear in others eyes also. Petronas, my good friend and companion, was shaking. I stared at his deep blue eyes, and saw them begin to water, whether it was from the stench, the heat or the fear I knew not. Then, when every man seemed lost, like a good shepherd Aleskios ralied his men. He drew his sword high into the air, it shone brilliantly in the golden sun. His voice was loud and all could hear him.

“A day of darkness.” He began, staring around at his men, catching each one’s eye briefly. “A dawn of darkness. Like a thousand crows have flown over the face of the fair sun to block out it’s golden rays, many more a Seljuk have ridden into our lands and steal from us all hope of golden times once more. Every good Roman whilst sleeping in his bed now dreams of past times, when the Great Emperors of our people could crumble Great Kingdoms with the waving of a hand, Burn Great Cities with the clicking of a finger. All of Eastern Christendom would wait and bow to the commands of him, he who rules the Roman people. Alas, these day’s are lost.” He paused. More bolts fell, though no more men.

“May we not be proud of our Empire? Do we bend our backs to the will of these foolish Musselmen? These circumcised Seljuk’s? These cowards who fight upon fast fleeing steeds, who would rather fight their enemy from afar than face them upon the field of open battle?

But today is not that day. The day of darkness is not yet to befall the true Romans of the East. Not when good men plough it’s fields! Not when good men hold metal in their hands which will match any Seljuk in steed or on foot!
And so forwards good men of Constantinople, forwards for glory, if it be in death or in victory!”

[Desperado †]

Part I Chapter II

It was only then that I began to feel truly scared. With the bolts flying overhead, now and again falling by the hand of chance to take yet another man’s life and leave his fleshy corpse burning, stinking, so that even the crows would leave him be.
We were running now. My hands were sweaty as I tried to tighten the grip on my spear. My stomach began to ache. My feet were slowing. I was panting. The world seemed to change, to be brighter yet darker. I could feel the dizziness. The sweat. The fear.
And then in a split second it was gone. As if by ancient instinct that ran through my veins, or just chance, I began to feel the fear dissolving, evaporating with the sweat that hung on my neck above the heavy leather tunic. My feet began to catch the pace, and my heart, still beating like the hammer of a smith, began to give me new hope with each beat. The fear I had felt was replaced with anger. I thought of the homes we had passed, the ones that fortune had spared from burning, the ones which still held the widowed wives and orphaned children, those that had not perished.
We were nearing the enemy. The great crescendo of war seemed to be gaining. I could feel the adrenalin beating through my veins which held my true Roman blood. We tightened formation, so that our shoulders were almost rubbing. And then, as my eye’s adjusted and I raised my head from the ground I saw these Seljuk’s. And like a stone to the ground I felt all my hope begin to plummet.

These are warriors. Warriors with armour. Armour and swords. Swords not afraid to pierce the fleshy skin of us till we bleed to death from our necks like chickens being slaughtered. Death was upon us.

As Aleskios drew back his gleaming sword I saw that at least fifty more would be facing us. We outnumbered the Turks, but I knew we would still face a slaughter. If victory was to come then there would probably be less than a score of us alive. I suddenly realised the truth would be so, or worse, if we lost. There was nothing left but to raise our spears. In a last attempt we vainly screamed, some shouting for the Empire. But I simply screamed, my mind long lost from my body as I insanely charged towards the Musselmen.

[snuggans]

really cool AAR, i especially like the picture with the smoke trail of the overhead artillery rounds. minor but nonetheless beautiful editing of pictures, im not particular fond of cliffhanger endings but i liked this one. can't wait for full fledged battles.

[Desperado †]

Part I Chapter III

I wonder how many lives by chance were vainly spent that day. How many good men fell in that now blood soaked valley. A feast for the birds I'm sure It would of been. All that hope, all that life, those fathers, those sons, those farmers and those wood cutters, those fishers and those smiths, those good men of Constantine.
We fell like grass for the cutting to those sharp Muslim blades. Aye we had shields, strong and wide be they, but they were nothing to the rellentless slicing of those metal blades. The Musselmen jumped through the air as if war was a dance, slicing and stabbing. They quickly out flanked us. We were doomed.

I did not see our good captain fall. He was on the flank and had no shield though armour did he whear. I am sure he would of held the flank fast before he fell, bringing down at least free Musselmen lives for his.


Whatever did happen, I know he was not among us at sunset, and that his body had most likely fallen like an Autumn leaf as so many others had that day.

We were not cowards. We served our land well. We held our shields strong as we saw our friends and comrades fall among us. My eyes were blurred with tears and my brow with sweat yet I had not a hand free to wipe it. The screams and smell of death was among us, ever to haunt our dreams in nights long to come.



Yet I had no Idea that there were nights to come. I truly thought I'd die there and then. In that doomed valley upon that blood soaked grass. I stabbed and I pushed my shield hard against the dancing Musselmen. When they did not easily dodge our blows or parry them with their feeble shields the spear would usually fall uselessly against their shining armour. I do not think I killed a single man that day. I remember their eyes. His eyes. Those dark eyes hiding behind the slits of his helmet. Yet I did not give him the satisfaction of my death. My blood did he spil more than once, when he swung above my shield or quickly at my outstretched arm.



But then the word was called. I did not know who called it, but it was like an omen from the heavens. I did not realize the word at first. It was like an echo of a dream. But then I understood. I turned and ran. I did not hesitate. I would run to the end of the world and back to escape the hell that did not follow death.



"Retreat! Retreat!"

And so back up the hill we ran. Dragonas seemed to be leading the retreat, the late Aleskios's right hand man. The men soon realized that Aleskios was not in our company, and it only lowered their hearts more. It seemed we would run back, and hold the hill, were we would make our final stand.



_____________________________________________________

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Excellent work, Caradog. Can't wait for the Main Part...

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Are you going to continue this?

[Desperado †]

Ive been busy for a while. But I might just add another chapter soon....

[Desperado †]

We reached the top of the hill at last, tired and exhausted, the gulams hot on our heels. Before we could take another breath the quick thinking Dragonas shouted another command.

Circle formation!

Suddenly, we realised how few our number was. We began to fumble into positions, sweating and bleeding.



We clumsily fell into our positions. We tried to lock our shields the way we had been taught and drilled for months gone by. I was facing the Ghulams. They were almost upon us. I raised my spear...



And they hit our shields. Men fell, backwards, to be trampled in the mud. Others had their necks sliced open. The mud became scarlet red, and you might of thought it was clay had you not realised there was not a river for miles. I just held my shield firm, bashing and blocking Ghulam after Ghulam, stabing now and again if I got the chance, though rarely piercing their fine armour. I could see our numbers fall even more. Dragonas was struggling to keep command. Everyone was dying.

I am no coward. Though Dragonas was a fool. Keeping us here to fall to our deaths. I swung my shield hard, and smacked a ghulam to the floor.

Retreat! Retreat!

I called.

I ran. Men began to follow me. I turned, and saw for ma second the Musslman captain. And Dragonas. I saw him slaughtered like a pig, by that Muslman captain. I swore he would pay for the lives he wasted this day.



And so we ran. Like hunted hares we ran through the fields. But eight of us were left out of the sixty that had stood with us, as friends earlier that day. We knew not where to we ran, for we were miles from home.

Only one thought was clear through the confusion. To survive.

[RVFVS]

nice aar my little welshman!

[Desperado †]

Lol Thanks

[Kallum]

nice are you contineuing it?

[Desperado †]

nice are you contineuing it?

Yep. I am going to add a new chapter soon. I hope to intoduce Efstathinos to the world of guierlla warfare .

[Kallum]

soons promising I will be tuned

[Theodotos I]

Took me a while to find this again. . .

[Desperado †]

Part I, Chapter IV

And so we ran. Like hares we ran through the fileds, fast and panting, hunted by the Musselman eagles. Fortunately, few had horses. They had left them back four miles or so, not wanting to take them to the battle due to their bad condition, and also the fact that we had spears and large shields. But after about an hour of running, the Musslemen hunters where upon us. There was three of them. One had a small but wickedly fast bow. The other two rode with swords, certain that all was safe and that they would rather kill their pathetic enemies up close and watch them squeal.

It was there that their mistake was made. I can remember hearing the sound of hooves, beating over the ground. We where running towards the woods which was but a hundred yards or so away. But the horses where gaining. I turned to see one man who had lagged behind with a bleeding leg, being sliced into the back. An arrow flew down beside me. The third horseman was upon me. I knew it. I could hear his horses hooves. Death was nigh. He was riding quickly.

And so I turned. Quickly and suddenly. at the sam time I crouched down so that the shield was covering my body, and only my eyes where above the iron rim. And I brought my spear into place. The horseman had not time to halt. He was coming up on my right. My spear met his chest, hard on his chainmail so that it tore a hole, and he fell off the horse with the impact, blood streaming from his wound. My spear shaft broke nand splintered with the impact. An arrow hit into my shield, thudding as it hit the wood. The Musselman was on the floor, panting as the last breaths of life left him. His horse was still riding, but I saw as another spearman grabbed the reins, and mounted.

I hoped he would ride down, and quickly kill the other mounted Ghulams. But he didn't. He was a true coward. He rode, off towards the woods, past the other spearmen who where cursing at him to return. But an arrow hit him in the back, and he fell, though his hands still held to the reins as it rode into the cover of the woods.

I stood, and stared at the other spearmen. They had halted now. I knew not whether they where going to run on to the woods. They where almost there. But I think they had realised.

In the woods we would still be hunted, and still die. And we had no food. Nor did we trully know where we were. We where far from home. But I believe the other five Spearmen, for five they where now as another arrow had thudded into the back of another Christian, realised, that with horses we would be able to escape. To find a farm, and food, and ride on from there, to Home, oh golden Home, and escape from these foul demons.

So they turned, and like me they crouched down so that the shield almost protect their bodies completely. I shuffled fowards towards the dead Ghulam. The second Horseman, had reared back now. He eyed us from his horse whilst his companion shot arrows, which would not and again fly over our heads or thud into our shields. Now and again, after an arrow shot, one of the spearmen would rise a little and hurry towards me. I was to the side of the dead Ghulam now. His chainmail looked worth taking, but I had no time to dress in it now.

I reached for the curved Musselman sword. It was held firmly around his dead fingers. I swore one twitched. As my hand grasped on his to pull the weapon off him, he rose quickly, obviously not dead, though he seemed half so. He screamed, trying to pull the sword down upon me. I pulled my shield around and slamed the rim of it into his face, so that it hit him hard. His face bled and he fell to the floor. But I could hear hooves. I turned, the Turks sword now in my hand, and saw as the second swordsman rode towards me, his sword flying. I stood this time. His sword flew for my head, but him my shield as I rose it not a second too late. I heard a war cry, and turned to see that one of the Spearmen had dropped his shield. He ran towards the Musselman and threw his spear like a javelin.

It hit him hard onj the shoulder, and he fell to the floor. The spearman grabbed the horses reins, and mounted. He was undefended. But no arrows where flying. I turned to see that the third horseman, the one with the short bow had ridden away. Out of arrows perhaps. Or a coward. Or both.

But I turned quickly, to see the dismounted Ghulam, his shoulder bleeding, charge towards me. I had the short curved sword in my hand, and my shield in the other. I screamed and ran towards him. My shield was huge compared to his small buckle, and I slammed it into his sword swing and face the same time. He braced the impact, but seemed daved. I threw myself into him. The shield hit him again, but on his bad shoulder. I heard him groan. I swung my sword around, and he was too slow to pull his up. It hit his neck but he was too well defended by the chainmail. I took a few paces back, and stared at him. And I ran again, screaming, and hit him for the thirde time. I did not slow. I kept moving. I felt him topple from the impact, but rise his sword up. It skimmed my leg, pulling of the skin and giving a light wound. I screamed, but slammed my foot down onto his sword hand, snapping his wrist. I held it there as he feebly struggled beneath my feet. I think the spear woudn was getting to him now, and he was daved from my shield bashing. I daredsay that his mouth was bleeding behind the helmet.

The other spearmen where with me now. I was full of anger. Anger for the death of my comrades. Anger at these men for invading our lands. But I was also simply angry due to the anger of battle, the bloodlust that comes when you are near death.

'Pull off his helmet!' I ordered. One man did, then pulled down the chainmail that covered his mouth. I stared at him. His nose was bleeding and one of his teeth had fallen from the bashing of my shield. Someone passed my a spear. He began to struggle maddendly beneath me, but he barely had the energy to lift his arms. I drove the spear into his neck. It broke through the chainmail, and dug into the fine flesh bellow. He screamed, his arms began to flap, his legs kick, and then suddenly he stopped. Dead, his eye's staring blindly into the sky.

I turned to the other five men. I knew them not, though they probably came from a village but a few miles from mine. They stared at me. The javelin thrower had dismounted from the stolen horse. They where all looking at me as I stood on the Musselmans body. I was their captain.

[Kallum]

nice update continue like this and you are golden

[Hesus de bodemloze]

nice story man. +rep