[SS AAR] Brief History of my favorite unit in my campaign...

[JayBee]

I'm bored at work and wrote this because of the screenshot I took. What follows is accurate as to what happened in my campaign but I made it a little more story like. I'm sorry its long but I really got attached to these guys. I posted this on the totalwar.com forums first but then I thought that this was a better place for it. Hopefully it is somewhat entertaining since there is only one screenshot.


The Lions of North Africa

Swept up by religious fervor and promise of wealth and power, a band of knights joined an English crusade against the Egyptian capital of Cairo. Leaving their home in northern France they set out around the Spanish coast, through the pass of Gibralter and into the Mediteranean. The massive fleet carried a heavy army of 1800 men ready to fight for their Crown Prince Aubrey.

The battle for Alexandria and Cairo were bloody but the Lions of North Africa proved there worth in both battles, scaling the walls, slaying hundreds and flying the English banner from Egyptian towers.

After the fighting ceased, Prince Aubrey stayed in Alexandria recouperating his losses. While there (and so far away from his wife) he became known for his revelries at night which won him favor with his men, but cost him the order of his citizens. Chruches were built and priests began to preach the gospel to the people of Alexandria and its surrounding towns.

To the west lay the Moors, an unconquered and wealthy nation. Prince Aubrey, his army of loyal Enlish soldiers and the Crusader knights were eager for conquest. Leaving a sizeable militia garrison in Alexandria, the Crown Prince marched west with 1300 men. It was not long after Prince Aubry left that he recieved word of his fathers death. With renewed vigor Aubrey, now King of all England, pressed on.

The first Moorish stronghold fell, the second, a city trampled under boot. But as the English army neared the city of Oran the heir to the Moorish throne met him with a force that was 1700 men strong. The battle that took place on the north aftrican coast was a battle that will be retold in English history books for centuries to come.

Outnumbered by 400 men, King Aubrey the Conqueror boldy faced the enemy on the open plain. With his army set up in battle formation, the crusader knights guarded the left flank. Rows and rows of moorish spearmen slowly lumbered forward towards the english line. On the flanks, arab cavalry began to pepper the line with light arrow fire. The english archers answered with a volley and fell at least 20 of there number. The the crusader Knights had since earned the nickname of Lions of North Aftrica (coined by the King himself at the battle of Cairo) and in this battle they proved there mettle. The Moorish spearmen crashed into the English line, the fighting was severe and brutal. As the line was held, the Lions of North Africa plunged into the flank. After hours of fighting, the moors began to break. Emboldened by this turn of events the english pushed ever harder and the Moors broke into full retreat. The Armored Seargents who flew the Kings banner in the center of the English line cornered the Moors crown prince and captured him. Victory for King Aubrey and his valient army. As a sign of his intentions, and in reprisal for the loss of his men, King Aubrey exectuted the Moorish Crown Prince.

It wasn't long after this battle that the Moors, infuriated by King Aubrey's disrespect and barbarism, sent another army to stop him. This time, led by the Sultan himself. Battered and weary, Aubrey could not afford another battle of such magnitude. Hiring a local trade fleet, he boarded all his men onto boats and sailed across the straight of Gibralter and landed in Southern Spain. Spies found that the Castle over-looking the mediteranean coast was very lightly defended and so Aubrey decided to take it.
It was a magnificent prize, Granada was the gateway to Spain and a base for all future military operations. Again, the Lions proved there worth and stormed the walls of Granada. Only 40 in number compared to the 90 that set out from france remained.

Two Moorish armies were sent from the capital of Cordoba. In all there might they could not break the english garrison at Granada. For two years, the castle lay untouched as Aubrey rebuilt fortifications and improved local infrastructure. Then the unthinkable happened. At age 58, King Aubrey the Conqueror died in his sleep. His heir in Silves assumed the Enlish throne at 41 years of age.

Quickly, a replacement general was dispatched to Granada from a recently conquered city in Lisbon (the Portugese had lost it to the Moors about the same time that the Battle of Oran was fought.) No sooner had John Plantagenet arrived in Granada then the Moors layed siege with 1800 men. Frightned and green, John withdrew all units from the walls to defend the city square except the Lions of North Africa. They were told to hold the gate and operate the Ballista in order to try to set the enemy siege engines on fire. Disgruntled but obedient, they drew up in formation above the gates.

The moorish trebuchets quickly went to work. Despite the efforts of the Lions, a breach appeared on either side of the gatehosue. It seemed hopeless. Trapped, the Lions had no choice but to fight to the death. John realized his error but it was too late, the entire English army watched saddly as the Moorish spearmen poured into the city and surrounded the gatehouse. Only 20 strong, the Lions huddled together and waited for them to come up the tower. The fresh Moorish recruits could never have expected such ferocity...








150 young moorish men perished trying to take the gatehouse of the great Castle Granada. So horendous was the fighting that they broke and fled from the gatehouse, giving the crusader knights a much needed break. Only 9 remained. Spurred on by such great courage and galantry, the English began to pour through the streets, cutting down the Moors as they tried again and again to break through to the square.

The Moorish general needed a morale boost for his men. He quickly ordered two more units of spearmen to wipe out the knights in the gatehouse. Alas, after hours of heavy fighting, the Lions of North Africa could no longer hold. The fresh spearmen were too eager for the weary knights. One by one, Moorish spears pierced them and they lay slaughtered, faithful to there orders.

The english army let out a ferocious war cry and charged the gate, smashing into the enemy. The Moorish general fell to the spearmen and his army broke. Granada was saved. John Plantagenet had won his first victory. Military operations in Spain were now secure, but the Lions of North Aftrica, who served with noble princes and kings, were gone. Statues and Memorials to there name are being erected in all English cities. Long live the Lions!

[Rex Anglorvm]

A great short story, just a shame all those Englishmen had to meet their maker:violin2: