Sollevarsi di un Impero - A Sicily AAR -

[Sun Devil]

Chapter 1: Unificazione di Sicilia

The year is 1072, and the Norman Kingdom of Sicily has just recently been established in 1041. With a steady footing in southern Italy and northern Sicily it looks to expand its borders. Under Roberto d’Altavilla, the King of Sicily, a modest force of recruits and veteran vassal knights marches southeast from Palermo to Syracuse and laid siege. The Muslim army there was out campaigning abroad in the countryside and returned to find their city under attack. They quickly assaulted the forces, but were comprised of such pitiful forces the army was crushed and Syracuse was taken for the Normans.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

With this quick success the economy soared and another army of similar size was raised in short time. Led by Enrico Peralta, they besieged Girgenti, but this time the infidel army deliberately attack from multiple sides and Peralta was soundly beaten, taking only a quarter of the enemy with him.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Enrico Peralta staring down the enemy army.

Relieved of command for his incompetence, Rugiero d’Atlavilla was placed in his stead. With the same size force plus one Italian City Milita, he once again laid siege to Girgenti. Employing the same pincer tactic, Ruggiero was defeated, but managed to take the majority of the enemy down as well. After infusing his army with new recruits, he took the city with little resistance.

Played on the BI exe on H/H

[charles the hammer]

good to see a new chivalry AAR Its a very promising start.

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

looks good, i hope you CAN finish it since I have deleted my savegames of my AAR lol

[Sun Devil]

good to see a new chivalry AAR Its a very promising start.

looks good, i hope you CAN finish it since I have deleted my savegames of my AAR lol

Thank you, and i'll definitely finish it, because i'll wait to update my version if I have to. I'm not really concerned with CTD's or anything since ive never had any knock on wood.

[DaVinci]

Cool! Will add it soon to the AAR list. Could you please say in the first post, which version it is exactly and on which difficulty it is set, as well it is interesting if on RTW or BI exe, i'm curious?

Btw., the last screen shows the muslim governed Malta, not the roman Crete?

P.S.: I for myself as Sicily player would take Napoli first to the historical date (just later i guess as you took it in your campaign?), which then let to the offical foundation 'Kingdom of Sicily', formerly Norman-Sicily realms were Norman Dukedoms of the southern Italian realms and on Sicily. And i would have tried to sail for the Holy Land (Antiochia) at 1095 as crusader under Boemundo. But of course, that's my personal approach of playing historically.

[Sun Devil]

Cool! Will add it soon to the AAR list. Could you please say in the first post, which version it is exactly and on which difficulty it is set, as well it is interesting if on RTW or BI exe, i'm curious?

Btw., the last screen shows the muslim governed Malta, not the roman Crete?

P.S.: I for myself as Sicily player would take Napoli first to the historical date (just later i guess as you took it in your campaign?), which then let to the offical foundation 'Kingdom of Sicily', formerly Norman-Sicily realms were Norman Dukedoms of the southern Italian realms and on Sicily. And i would have tried to sail for the Holy Land (Antiochia) at 1095 as crusader under Boemundo. But of course, that's my personal approach of playing historically.

The last pic is just me leaving for the Crusade, I must have forgot to put in my actual one of Crete. And I couldnt sail all the way to the homeland because my navy still isnt strong enough, and the cities that can build my navies are also my army ones. Thats also why my crusade was delayed from leaving at at least closer to 1095, because when I sent my scout ship I saw how truly massive the Byzantine fleet was. And I took Napoli because thats where my grandfather emigrated to the US from so its my favorite Italian city. And gameplay wise, I was afraid of the Pisans growing too strong. Ive also been surprised that they havent attacked me, because I share a border.

[Sun Devil]

Chapter 2: Vendetta e fare una crociata di Kandi

With Sicily united and the economy strong, eyes were turned towards the jewel of Italy , Napoli. A large army composed of veterans from the Sicilian campaign plus recruits from the new army center in Siracusa commanded by Enrico Peralta took a coastal route from the staging area in Mileto to southern Napoli and laid siege. Peralta, eager to redeem himself, decided upon a war of attrition, since the Neapolitan army was of equal numbers but stronger men. Within three years the starving men of Napoli were forced to sally forth and meet Peralta in the field before their strength was gone and they could no longer bear arms. Peralta deployed his men with 100 Saracen archers in the front, 300 Saracen heavy swordsmen forming the main battle line, and 420 Italian City Militia behind them. The archers fired with little effect on the charging and heavily armored troops, so they dropped to the flanks. The first wave of enemies hit the Saracens, and were quickly outnumbered and surrounded. But before they could be completely routed, the main army engaged, and so the Italian City Militia charged forward, and drove a spike in the middle of the enemy. The Saracen archers in waiting swung around the backs of the enemy, and being competent with a sword, fired a volley then charged in. The surrounded army routed once Peralta killed the enemy general Riccardo Castiglioni in single combat. As many troops as possible was spared, and Peralta was hailed as a hero by the citizens.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

During the siege of Napoli, the Byzantine Empire sent a force of unknown strength and attacked Bari. After a year and a half under siege, Bari was assaulted. The enemy they found attacking came as a shock. Scouts had only reported on Tzarkones and Ripartisati(sp), but the enemy army ended up being comprised of mainly peasant levies. Guido Ventimiglia easily slaughtered the force, leaving no man alive. This should have been a sign to the Byzantines that Sicilian armies were superior, but alas they would not sign a peace treaty.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

No fake Roman Empire can beat true Italians.

With all of southern Italy secured, and another influx of cash from Napoli, a crusader army was raised. Led by Federico Ventimiglia, they sailed for the Holy Land. But in their insolence, the Byzantines attacked the fleet on its route, and were promptly beaten. As revenge though, the crusaders changed course and set a course for Kandi on Crete. The garrison there was minimal, and easily overcome with few losses. Navally it was a different story, another massive Byzantine fleet came and crushed the remaining Sicilian fleet. At least the people of Kandi were pleased to be freed from the tyranny of the so called Emperor.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The crusader army prepares to set sail.

[Sun Devil]

Chapter 3: Angoscia

All was going well, a crusader army was on its way to the Holy Land, when disaster struck. The Eastern Roman Empire, long our rivals, launched a massive army of mainly medium hoplite and light sword infantry on our Adriatic city of Bari, who’s garrison was commanded by Riccardo d’Altavilla. The Byzantines launched an attack within six months. Vastly outnumbered, and with not even the grace of batter troops, Riccardo was soundly defeated and slain. He was a good man, though, and took many with him. What happened afterwards to our glorious city was unthinkable. The devils of the east razed many buildings; slaughtered men, women, and children alike; and looted the city like dogs chasing a bone. The city was quickly retaken using the garrison at Napoli, but the damage had been done.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These atrocities will not go unpunished though. Our crusader army was diverted from its path to the Holy Land, and the army, led now by Corrado d’Altavilla, a promising general and statesmen, landed on the western shores of Pelopenossus. He quickly marched his men across the peninsula and took the lightly guarded Korinthos and slaughtered the citizens in the manner that which ours were. Not stopping there, he built a garrison force there and moved north, taking Athina, who shared the same fate as their other Greek brethren. Our thirst for revenge shall not be sated until Constantinople itself is ablaze with our flames, and the heads of a hundred thousand citizens line the road to Palermo.

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It is not all revenge, either. With only their Anatolian provinces remaining, the Turks will surely finish the job for us. Then, with the seas clear of their sails, we will finally achieve our dream of the Holy Land.

[hammy the hamster]

I like that when the byzantines called for aid from a crusade the only people to answer were their enemies.

[DaVinci]

AAR added to the sticky list.

[Sun Devil]

Chapter 4: Stallo

This is no David and Goliath story, and as two titans clash it is inevitable that for a while they will appear even, and we are at this time. Even though the ‘Romans’ are a larger empire, they fight on three fronts to the smaller Sicilians two, causing a balance of powers to occur. On the Bari front, as it is called, Uberto Marino has defended and attacked multiple times. In the year 1114 when he was in the heel moving to take the Illyrian coast from the Byzantines, he was attacked by a large force under their vassal Stefanos. He withdrew, though, to build up some more, just to be amazed that the clearly superior enemy had left. Prior to these events, Athina had been sieged, but Corrado d’Altavilla easily beat back the small enemy force.

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Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Corrado and his guard eliminate a routing skirmisher.

It was a double edged sword, as he had withdrawn to attempt to crush a medium-sized hit and run force led by Corrado d’Altivilla. The original plan for Corrado had been to harass and weaken the garrison at Thessalonika, but this got thrown awry with the bulwark of forces from Stefano. He did manage to weaken the enemy armies, but at much higher cost than originally anticipated.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Now with a slightly stronger force, Uberto decided to once again attempt to retake the southern Illyrian coast, and moved in. His forced was attacked by Theodoros Staurakios, who possessed a stronger force by about 400 men. Uberto prevailed, crushing the enemies as best he could, but was immediately attacked again. The Byzantines could not overcome him, but he was so battered his force limped home and is now retrained and on the road again.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Uberto forcing the enemy to fight uphill.

P.S. Been about a week since my last update, but I was holding back from doing one until I had taken a city. This didn’t come, plus it was a double XP weekend on CoD 5, so that tied up most my weekend.

EDIT: This stupid thing keeps putting my spoilers in two seperate deals per section, so just open them both and pretend they were together.