[SS AAR] Sicily and Beyond - The Renewed Tales

[tree151]

[hr]
Okay, This is my first AAR, and I'm focusing it on the Stainless Steel version of Sicily. As I stated before, this is my first AAR, and I'm not proffesional at it. should also state I'm not the best battle strategist...

I will run the campaign in a Medium\Medium difficulty, becuse I'm sure I will be burned alive if I do not start it on something easy. I will automaticaly resolve battles if the opposing army is a rebel army with no more then 300 men or a regular enemy army with no more then 150 men.

The length of a turn is 1.5 a year, so in each endturn the year changes by one year and a season.
[hr]

Prologue

The year is 1080AD. Sicily, an empire which settled on a land filled with history from the anchient times, ironicly, does not posses enough histroy whithin it's rule, or it's reach. Sicily, by the lords of the wartorn Europe, do not even care about it's exictance. A terrible standard has fallen on the young empire, but with a small amount of detication, loyalty and courage, nothing will stay the same. An empire will rise. For it's Sicily...and beyond!

Leading the growing empire, Is the noble king Ruggero, At the meantime resting at the sancuary of the Sicilian castle, Palermo, in the western disctrit of the Sicilian Island. His son, from his marrige with queen Judith, is called Simone, who is also the current governor of the Sicilian settlement of Naples, in the Italian Peninsula, north-east by a few kilometers from the Island of Sicily. The Sicilian Empire also nominated one of the noted generals of Sicily, Alberto D'ottaviano, as the governor of the town of Syracuse, in the far south-east of the Sicilian Island. The Sicilian Empire gathered no enemies, non would care about Sicily setteling in it's named Island. Non even cared if Sicily conquered Naples, along with the southern tip of the Italian Peninsula. The two main problems of Sicily were the rebels, who were roaming the lands and Islands around Sicily, and the gathering of many religions around Sicily.

Chapter One - The Trial of the Empire

People all over the Empire of Sicily were fighting each other in a light, almost unnoticed religion war allready. There were no all-out religious battles around the Empire, but from time to time there were individual murders and even a few quarrels between the worshippers of Christ, Muhammad and Moses in the heavily guarded cities, they were oftenly inturrupted sucsessfully by the city guards, but even the guards are not endless.

An Idea was proposed to King Ruggero - to put one person of each of the opposing religions in the Sicilian Council. The king was amused by the Idea, and quickly ordered the finest of his messengers to dispatch to every village, town and castle in control of the Empire, and seek one man of each religion who are politicaly able to benefit the Empire, along with the hope to reduce the anger of the religions around Sicily.

The Canidates were quickly found by the proffesional scouts, A christian canidate for the Council was Giacomo De Bisceglie, A noble in the rich distcrit of the town of Syracuse, he was known for his amazing diplomatic talent, leaving his guests speechless after each of his parties that he constantly created. The muslim canidate was Mahmud Vallane, or known by his new Sicilian name, Pietro Vallane, an Egyptian Arab whom migrated towards Sicily ten years ago, he worked with a famous spying group, which worked with the Syracuse government in spying on important targets. A canidate for the Jewish council member was Enrico Mosca, the lead merchant in the famous trading group of Naples, and not in vain, as his talent in trading is extraordinarily enormous.
All of them were called to Naples for the rest of the year, until new tasks come to them by the supporior council.

Palermo and Syracuse were still heavily affected by the religious unrest, and so the governors Issued a building queue, A small chapel in Palermo and a small church in Syracuse.

[End Turn - Year 1081, Winter]

During the year, many new things happened. The Papal States, pleased from the creative way of dealing with the religious unrest in the Sicilian territories, proposed a Trade Agreement between Sicily, talking with Prince Simone as they went into Naples. The prince agreed at the Papal States' generous offer, waving the Diplomat goodbye as he mounts on his horse and rides back to central Italy. A day after, trading caravans have been dispatched all over central and southern Italy, trading day and night with the Papal market.



The other news came from the council of nobles, they requested the capture of the settlement of Bari, they gave Sicily approximatly 22 years [15 turns] to capture it. The Sicilian government has agreed to travel to Bari, and lay siege on it until it is under the flag of Sicily, but the Sicilian military is unprepared and lacks the numbers of soldiers to exit Bari with the minimal number of casaulties. action must be taken.



The small chapel ordered in Palermo and the small church ordered in Syracuse are halfway into completion, and the Sicilian coffers hold approximatly 8,394 Florins.

The question arises from the darkest pits of Sicily, what will the Sicilian government do with the money?...

[I will probably continue this tommorow or in the weekend]

[Last of the Mohawks]

I like it, plough through Updates 1-7 and people will notice this, and I'll subscribe because its promising. Keep going! But don't get disheartened because no one posts, they will eventually and a lot

[Pink Beard]

Sicily is kinda popular.... this is the 5th i see here lol!

anyways keep it up!

[Last of the Mohawks]

Especially SS sicily, but its nice to see a new kid on the block

[tree151]

Okay, so I am updating earlier for my second update, becuse I realy don't have anything better to do right now

Oh, and I didn't know Sicily was so favoured by the AAR writers, I chose it becuse I though it's an uncommon faction to choose...

--------------------------------
Chapter Two - The Rebellion Bane

Prince Simone was eager to besiege Bari, the rebel settlement in the south-eastern tip of the Italian peninsula, the village that the council of nobles ordered to capture. Simone knew he could not defeat a settlement of bloodthirsty rebels with only a few soldiers, and so he asked aid from his father that rested in Sicily. King Ruggero happily agreed to send two squads of Italian Spear Militia, one squad of Mounted Sergeants and one squad of Peasant Archers to help in conquering Bari along with the Prince. The prince also issued training of one squad of Italian Militia and one squad of the Italian Spear Militia, to tip the battle of Bari more on his side.

Prince Simone was looking to set workers to build new building at the city while he will be away. Naples was portless. It only had a fishing village, which did not hold any ships. Strategicaly, If Naples will have a port it would be easier to sail into the western side of the Sea, without waiting for boats from the Island of Sicily. Also, the prince issued a queue to the workers to focus on building a school in the city after they build the Port, so that future generations of Naples would be supperior to those of most of the non-Sicilian population. The only thing left was to wait for the squads Simone ordered to train, and for the reinforcments to rest from they're long cruise from Sicily.

Then all that remains is Bari.

[End Turn, Year 1082, Summer]

Another year has passed. The heat of the summer rose again, it has been waited for a long time since last year. the Naples veterans completed in training the new additions to the army, and another squad of Italian Militia and Italian Spear Militia entered the ranks of the Sicilian force. Simone, confident of himself, takes a small force of 5 squads of Italian Spear Militia and one squad of Mounted Sergeant, along with his personal guards, takes his force east to the lands that sorround Bari. The way is hard to cross, and so the army of Prince Simone rest for the year in the villages around Bari, preparing themselves to the siege of Bari.

The Small Chapel that was ordered in Palermo and the Small Church that was ordered in Syracuse were both finished this year's summer. The beutiful work done inside and outside the buildings was worth the wait. King Ruggero and Alberto D'ottaviano still camp inside the reinforced cities of Sicily, awaiting to hear news from Simone's journey to Bari.

[End Turn, Year 1084, Winter]

Another year has passed, and Simone's army has reached the gates of Bari. Sicily's army did not have any siege equipment at hand, and so Simone had to order his army to build a Ram so that his army may beach Bari's wooden walls, and destroy the rebels until they all flee, or better yet, until all they're bodies litter the soon ghastly streets. The ram should be finished next year, for now Prince Simone has to maintain his siege and not let any food in or out the city. If a ram can't bring us passage, desperation will.

During the year, A venetian diplomat has reached the walls of Naples, and requested to talk with the officials of Sicily. Since Prince Simone was way for Bari, Giacomo De Bisceglie, the Diplomat that was inside Naples has talked with the Venetian. The meeting lasted for a few hours, and after the long waiting time, both agreed - an alliance has been created between Venice and Sicily. Let us all hope Venice has only peace in it's mind, as betreyal is inacceptable.

Now that there is an alliance between Venice and Sicily, does this mean anything, or is it just a trick for Venice to stab Sicily in the back in the worst moments? What will happen to Prince Simone and his army as they lay siege upon the rebel Wooden Castle of Bari?

[tuore]

Hahaa, that looks so much like my Stainless Steel Sicily AAR start. For me too, i first had diplomatic negotiations, and then Simone attacked Bari. But for me, Ruggero (king) first took Cagliari.

+rep for nice start. Go look at my AAR, too.

[tree151]

Tuore, it is probably becuse the SS Sicily is scripted so the council gives you a mission to capture Bari and the Papal/Venice diplomat comes offering trade agreements... but after the start the campaigns tend to be more open, so there's a lot to wait for

also, made a few mistakes, and I'm fixing them, the year of the fourth update is 1084, and not 1083 as I wrote, and Bari is a wooden castle, and not a Motte and Bailey. sorry.

--------------------------------
Chapter Two - The Rebellion Bane
Part 2

[Year 1086, Summer]
The siege equipment at Bari was finished, and went fully funcional at the end of 1084AD. A few months of verifying the Ram, and training the troops in a training quilivent to the castle's structure did not hurt anyone, and made the troops even more eager to sink they're sword into the enemy's heart. Prince Simone was almost ready for battle, a day before he planned to attack, news came for him - his sister, Princess Matilda has married a man named Guglielmo De Trani, and her marrige commenced today. The messenger also brought a portrait with him, it was of his sister and her new husband, in they're wedding.



Prince Simone shed a few tears, but quickly wiped them out before any of his soldiers see them. He promised Matilda that he will be there when she marries, but he lost the opperatunity. "Thank you for telling me the news... bring the portrait back to the city hall of Naples, when I come back, It will shine over the treasures of Bari!" Prince Simone lifts his sword in pride, and marches back to the troops.

A day after, it's the day of the attack. Prince Simone readies his troops a kilometer or two next to the Wooden Castle of Bari. The towers are unable to hit any of Simone's troops in this lengh, but to capture the settlement, Simone needs to take action, the rebels will not kill themselves, as everyone knows.



Simone sends the Ram carriers and it's protection infantry first, along with another unit of Italian Spear Militia, to divert the attention of the enemy from the ram and hit them, but then Prince Simone realised something terrible - he left all his archers to protect Naples, he only had five units of infantry and 2 units of cavalry, including his bodyguards. It all went worse, as the enemy towers fired flaming arrows at the Ram, quickly lighting it up with ease.

"Retreat!!!" The prince shouted a yell that was heard on the other side of the battlefield, not one minute passed and the troops were allready halfway to the hills. This was a terrible blow to prince Simone, but now he learned that commanding is not agame. He sent a messenger to Identify the Naples garrison to quickly send any available archers. only two squads of Peasent Archers were available, but they were enough for the prince to keep going.

[End Turn, Year 1087, Winter]

In the mid-year, the archers and the main troops reach each other. Prince Simone spends his time in a small village near Bari, they're still with the Italian government, and they welcome the prince with open arms. The prince found himself a women of liking in the village, he sought her beutiful and requested to marry her. her name was Lolanda, she was one of the only middle-class people inside the village, and she quickly accepted the proposal. Lolanda and Prince Simone married in the small chapel in the fields next to the village. But it was not a time for the prince to rest, he was again off to the wooden castle of Bari, not loosing hope at any moment.

This time, the prince had archers. He was confident that this time the castle would be his, Sicilian for everything, and that the rebel army would be defeated in place. This second trial was ready to begin next year, as the Siege Tower and the Ladders he ordered would be completed.

[End Turn, Year 1089, Summer]

The Siege equipment was finished. Simone would not tolerate another defeat, he must have this castle. at all costs. He issued another attack, and placed his soldiers again.
It was raining, the water drops flew in the air like arrows, hitting everyone in they're way. The weather did not realy help Simone's men, it was hard for them to get steady, and the heat of the summer made them more exhausted then they should be. but that did not matter the prince at all, he had only victory at his mind. for his empire. for his sister. for his pride.

Simone placed the ladders and the siege tower facing the north-western wall of the gate, and placed his archers around the siege tower and ladders to provide support as the the siege equipments go slowly to the castle. The ladder holders run to the wall, and reach there first, with the ladder holders climing up the ladders, facing the resistance on the wall with another division of Italian Spear Militia after them to fight the wall resistance too. The siege tower reaches the walls a few minutes later, and lands the tower crew on the walls, with the other Italian Spear Militia going on it to get to the wall, after the three squads were allready there.



The Spear Militia quickly clear the resistance on the north-western wall, and four of the five squads go to the ground, and run to the plaza, to face the captain of the rebels. The other squad that stays on the walls provides as diversion to the troops on the south-western wall, the other side of the gate, so the Sicilian troops may slay the captain with less oposition, with the archers providing the group on the south-western wall support, to ease they're diversion.

Simone's Italian Spear Militia almost reach the plaza, but two squads of rebel Militia stop them from reaching the general. A fierce fight begins between the groups, but not longer after it started, the rebels are broken by the Scilian units, and run away to the eastern gate, on the other side. now only the captain and his bodyguards remain - the Italian Spear Militia clash into the bodyguards into a bloody fight, where most of the Sicilian troops lose they're lives.

Eventualy, the bodyguards flee, along with the cowardly captain of the rebels, the gates are open - Simone and his bodyguards run into the castle's courtyard and chase the captain as he flees, killing him with some of the bodyguards who were not lucky enough to escape.
This was a clear victory - Simone earned it. but the cost of his men was fierce, and so he rested inside his new captured castle, meanwhile telling a messenger to send word to Sicily that the victory was accomplished.

[Last of the Mohawks]

Lovely, maybe a few more pics on the battles and FOW off for campaign pics, coz I like to see what the AI are doing.

[tree151]

I will set FOW on in the next update. It will either be later today or tommorow.

[Last of the Mohawks]

I will set FOW on in the next update. It will either be later today or tommorow.

Great! I'm looking forward to it, oh and plus rep (When I can )

[tree151]

I've made it a bit shorter then most of the parts, becuse it's very late now in where I live... don't worry, there's more to come in Part 4!
--------------------------------
Chapter Two - The Rebellion Bane
Part 3

It was an ending for the task of Prince Simone, for now. The advisors of King Ruggero were quick to suggest for the king to send one of his generals to the south - Africa. The land was ruled by Islam, no christian leader realy had control in it. Settling a christian empire in the area would surely make the empire of Sicily noticeable for all of Christendom for the rest of the world's memory. Sicily's next target is Tunis, A significant port castle in the Sahara, north Afrika. The king put Princess Matilda's husband to the trial, Gulielmo De Trani.

[End Turn, Year 1090, Winter]

In the end of 1089, Gulielmo De Trani went on his journey to Tunis, accompanies by his loyal men. the boat he sailed him landed him on the Tunisian shores in the start of the winter of 1090. Gulielmo's troops never saw the Sahara, the Sicilians could only imagine, and the picture of the rough desert that caught them by surprised stunned the troops. The winter, that in Italy was significant, here it meant nothing. the heat was unbearable, for europeans, and it was not good news for Gulielmo. Gulielmo decieded to camp near the wooden castle of Tunis before attacking it.



Meanwhile, another Council of Nobles was held, the King attended it. There were many quarrels on the desition to capture Tunis, as It may anger the Muslim nations. Though at the end, the desition was made - the conquest to Tunis would still commence. In the end of the council meeting, the Nobles agreed that now that Sicily has an alliance with Venice, It should also ally with Genoa, the third kingdom in Italy.



[End Turn, Year 1092, Summer]

Two years have passed, and the forces of Gulielmo De Trani readily besiege the castle, they have been used to the heat of the Sahara, enough to survive from day to day, but now they will come to trial if they're new body heat is able to stand the heat of battle. the Tunisian walls are the only obstacle from victory, and so Gulielmo orders the construction of a Battering Ram, to destroy the castle's gates.

Scouts have reported to see the Pope leaving rome, and going through the southern road of the Papal States in what seems to be a half circle, then back to the shadows of rome. What could this mean? We could only hope for the best.

[Last of the Mohawks]

Awsome, cant wait for the battle of tunis!

[Pink Beard]

Dude! Nice! u almost beat tuore with your AAR!!*

oh, it would be a nice idea to do something silly, like being a crusading sicily, or conquer the british isles whatever... that makes it more interesting then the "usual" conquering of Italy. But it is your choice!

* ps: don't tell... i have a big dislike for gallows...