Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
Basileus Skantarios the Merciless, the Silver-tongued, the MIGHTY!! I love it!
His army is crushing everything in its pad. Perhaps only a mighty feeld army of The Golden Horde can stop him.
Unfortunate you lost the battle of Smyrna. Defeat was inevitable.
Good luck with the Counter-Jihad
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
Originally Posted by dezikeizer
Shouldn't town be tower.
You are correct. Fixed.
Originally Posted by Holy winter
Basileus Skantarios the Merciless, the Silver-tongued, the MIGHTY!! I love it!
His army is crushing everything in its pad. Perhaps only a mighty feeld army of The Golden Horde can stop him.
Unfortunate you lost the battle of Smyrna. Defeat was inevitable.
Good luck with the Counter-Jihad
Thanks. Yes, it is kind of funny how the game keeps changing Skantarios's moniker. We've gone through "the Conqueror" and "the Merciless" and "the Silver-Tongued" (no idea how that became the dominant trait for less than a turn) and now the "Mighty". I have a feeling he will be going back to "the Merciless" soon.
If anyone would care to weigh in, do all the battles add to or detract from the AAR? I could easily skip a few of the smaller ones if the updates are starting to get weighed down by it. It would also save me some time. Just trying to get a feeling for how well this is flowing given that the last update and probably the next one seem to be just a continuous flow of battles.
Again, thanks for reading! I enjoy hearing the feedback.
Okay, now I'll get started on the next update. It looks to be epic as I have a lot of battles to cover. May be tonight or tomorrow. Hopefully not much later than that.
Read the review of I am Skantarios! in the Critic's Quill here.
Skantarios in the Fight of His Life, Retreat and Defeat in Anatolia, and the Counter-Jihad Continues
From the Diaries of Emperor Skantarios.
March, 1489 AD Location: West of Nicaea
The collapse of the southern front is of great concern to the Empire. The training of troops to replace them is hampered by both time and money. We have precious little of each. Until we can patch up something resembling a defensive force for the south, our toehold in Anatolia is vulnerable. I can only hope that the Turks will turn against Egypt and not back to us.
As I survey the lands we hold, I am struck by how we are over-weighted in fortresses compared to the cities we hold. We have seven cities (two recently sacked and taken) but eight fortresses. This is the nature of our nation at war with multiple hostile frontiers. While this provides us ample training facilities and a base for our military, we are continually hampered by our lack of funds. Also, with many of our neighbors openly hostile, we have only a few avenues of trade outside of our own Empire. Even those cities with ports are periodically blockaded restricting trade even more. If it was not for our sacking of numerous cities during the campaign, we would be hopelessly in debt. I have taken steps to improve the economy but this will, again, take time and money that we don't have a lot of. Still, I cannot cut short the military as it is the only thing keeping us alive.
An overview of the strategic situation shows our troubles and the tenuous nature of our frontiers. The north seems secure for now. However, around Constantinople five Jihad armies are either at the capitol or within striking distance.
To the west, the Sicilians have landed another army on our coast at Arta and are preparing to attack the fortress.
To the south, the Turkish armies are fresh off their victory over my son and look to be readying an attack on Canakkale.
And to the west, our new conquest of Ankara has only a scratch garrison of a few mercenaries and lies on the hostile border with both Egypt and Turkey.
Our ultimate priority remains the safety of our capitol and the defeat of the (seemingly) never-ending Jihad. To this, I turn my attention. My first move will be to attack the forces of the Jihad.
I utilize the newly constituted home fleet to move my army across the Straits and link up with some of our newly retrained forces from Adrianople and Sofia. With my army back up to a serviceable strength, we attack the Egyptians.
Ninth Battle of the Counter-Jihad, April 1489 AD
Spoiler for Ninth Battle of the Counter-Jihad:
From Battle Report Filed by Emperor Skantarios to the Imperial Archives 1489 AD
This army constitutes the fifth that the Egyptians have contributed to the Jihad. They are the most powerful Islamic nation and seem to have an inexhaustible reserve of manpower to draw from. I do note with a great deal of satisfaction that this army is led by the Heir to the Egyptian Caliphate.
If I can defeat him here, will his father come next? I pray that I will live to see that day and face the leader of the despicable Egyptians to pay him back with steel for the assassination of my father. For now, though, I will content myself with slaying his heir.
Their forces are strong in archers and horse.
The have fewer spears than normal and, perhaps, this will be something I can exploit.
As this has the makings of a ranged battle, I bring up many archers from Adrianople to augment my invaluable Cavalarii.
The foot archers will have the responsibility of taking down the Mamalukes.
The battle begins, as expected, when the Mamalukes race out to bring our forces under fire.
The foot archers get the better of the duel. The Egyptian Taj sees this and decides to exploit our lack of spears. He leads a charge of his cavalry against my archer line.
My archers try to fall back but are caught by the enemy horse. I lead my bodyguard and heavy Scholarii against them.
The lack of Egyptian spears now comes into play as they are ineffective against my cavalry. I concentrate my own attack on the Taj and his bodyguard. I slay the Heir to the Caliphate with my own sword.
With their general now dead, the infantry break. The Mamalukes, however, fall back and continue to rain fire down on my men. My Pronarii heavy cavalry give chase.
In a reverse of previous battles, it is now Roman heavy horse chasing horse archers.
The chase is long but eventually, the horse archers are pinned against the Black Sea and rout.
We take over 200 casualties but mostly in our foot archers trapped in the Egyptian charge. We attempt to ransom the prisoners but they would prefer to meet their maker in "Paradise." We oblige them. I do spare one of their number and give him the head of Taj Amir Abdul-Darda Hashim. I give the man a little gold to deliver the head back to the Sultan. The body I leave for the crows.
After the defeat of the Egyptians, we are now in contact with the Moorish army. They refused to help their Egyptian "brothers" in the previous battle but now face us in battle formation. We have no time to rest or replenish our numbers but must immediately move to battle!
Tenth Battle of the Counter-Jihad, April 1489 AD
Spoiler for Tenth Battle of the Counter Jihad:
From Battle Report Filed by Emperor Skantarios to the Imperial Archives 1489 AD
The Moorish army is led by one Rashid.
He is an experienced officer who boasts some success in his military career. He also seems to have a dislike of all Christians. Whatever his career and passions, I will attempt to end them here.
He brings a mostly mercenary force to this fight. The Moors commitment to Jihad does not appear to extend to their soldiers.
The most troubling thing is that he has a contingent of elephants with him. These beasts could cause us some serious problems. What Rashid does not have are any spears. This should be a fatal weakness if we can figure out how to defeat the elephants. Fortunately, the report filed by Vasileios and my own reading of history provides some guide.
My own forces are fresh off the defeat of the Egyptians. We have taken some losses but should still be more than a match for the Moors.
Fortunately, I still have many of my best archers. I order them to prepare their arrows with fire. Let's see how the mighty beasts of the Moors react to being on fire!
The battle begins at dusk. We send cavalry out to the flanks and attempt the lure the Moorish forces into a killing sac. The Moors move forward and our archers bring them under fire. The Moorish general is clearly pinning all his hopes on his elephants and they charge our horse archers.
Our horse archers have no effect on the great beasts. Our arrows seem to just bounce off their hardened skins.
We have better luck with the camel archers. They fire short bows and do not have the range to compete with our Cavalarii.
The elephants finally wander into range of our foot archers. Arrows dipped in naphtha fly through the darkened sky and rain down on the elephants and their riders.
The elephants soon begin to panic and run in every direction even though they have not lost a single animal. Both of our armies manage to stay clear of their rampage but only just.
Our archers keep up their fire on the elephants and soon some of them catch fire!
The Moorish general is soon alone and surrounded. He comes under fire and his entire bodyguard falls around him.
He will not fall to arrows. I therefore decide to give him an honorable death and charge my own bodyguard at him.
He falls under the powerful hooves of our horses. With the death of their general, the mercenary army sees no reason to continue fighting. They throw down their arms and run for the hills.
The few men we lose is the result of an untimely charge by the Moorish general into our archers. Our horsemen are almost untouched.
As a final note, Vasileios was right. Elephant meat is excellent.
Since Constantinople is not under siege at the moment, I decide to finish the campaigning season in camp to the west of the city. Reinforcements for my army are on the way and I have great need of them.
Maria has sent me news that our oldest daughter, Likenia, has now come of age.
I confess that I had completely lost touch with the situation at home. Could it really be so long since those dark days when I sought out Maria for an alliance with the Hungarians? I don't think I would even recognize Likenia today if I saw her but Maria has sent a rather detailed report. She states that Likenia is a good girl and a natural diplomat. However, she is not much to look at and perhaps has become too used to living the good life of court.
I will send her out into Europe to fill the role that Anna played for so many years. Perhaps her soft smile and negotiating skills can ease some of the tensions with the Catholic west. If there is a favorable match to be found, she may even bring us needed allies.
I also hear that Genessios has found a woman at Canakkale that he has become fond of. Although she is only a commoner, I send authorization for him to marry.
I do not want him to think of this as a reward following the disaster at Smyrna. But, perhaps she can help rebuild his shattered confidence with her warm embrace.
The year ends with my forces in camp west of Constantinople. When my reinforcements arrive, we will continue the fight against the Jihad.
April, 1490 AD Location: Thrace, West of Constantinople
The new year opens and I find myself surrounded by Jihad armies!
The Egyptians have laid siege to the capitol, the Turks are to my south, the Moors lay just across the straits, and a new and large Mongolian army has taken up position just north of me.
To the west, the Sicilians have, as expected, laid siege to Arta.
To the south, my scouts report that, inexplicably, the Turks have not moved against Canakkale but instead have contented themselves with blocking the passes to Smyrna. One note of trouble is that we have lost track of Bayezid Taskentli and his powerful army of Janissaries. Are these men demons that can appear and disappear at will?
I cannot worry about that, though, as I have plenty of trouble surrounding me here. I decide to first move against the Turks to my south.
Eleventh Battle of the Counter-Jihad, May 1490 AD.
Spoiler for Eleventh Battle of the Counter-Jihad:
From Battle Report Filed by Emperor Skantarios to the Imperial Archives 1490 AD
The Turks have sent their supreme military commander as the leader of their Jihad forces. He is also the Emir of Trebezond, a former Roman possession.
Zekeriya brings a competent force to this battle. They seem quite balanced but I do note the large mercenary element to their army.
The reinforcements I had planned on receiving in the new year are blocked by the Jihad armies so I go into battle with much the same army as I had at the conclusion of last year.
Fortunately, I still have many of my best foot archers. I will count on them to counter the Turkish bowmen.
I await the Turks on the only piece of high ground in the area. The Turks don't wait for me to maneuver but begin moving toward us immediately.
They are an impressive sight at a distance.
The battle begins predictably as a throwing battle between the archers.
I decide to use my mobility to our advantage and send my horse archers to the flanks to take advantage of the Turks being focused on my archers.
The Turkish general rather stupidly tries to run down our horse archers.
His bodyguard loses many.
The Turk must have realized his pursuit was hopeless and he soon turns tail and races back to his infantry and their hoped for protection.
He uses the bodies of his soldiers as shields from our missile fire. It does not go well for them.
The archer battle continues but my men have the advantage of height and kill five for every one they lose.
The supposed safety of hiding behind his infantry is proven false when the Turkish general finally succumbs to concentrated arrow fire.
I look on impassively from on top of the hill.
The death of the Turkish general is the signal for our men to charge!
The Turks wilt under the pressure of an attack from all sides and break as a group.
None escape and none are ransomed.
With the defeat of the Turks to the south, I can now turn my attention to the Mongolian army to my north. The last force sent by the Mongols was just a mercenary rabble, this one is quite different.
Twelfth Battle of the Counter-Jihad, June 1490 AD.
Spoiler for Twelfth Battle of the Counter-Jihad:
From Battle Report Filed by Emperor Skantarios to the Imperial Archives 1490 AD
Subutai "the Merciless" is a wily veteran of steppe warfare and has brought a large and veteran Mongol army with him. As a good Mongol army, they have many archers and will not be so easily overwhelmed in a missile battle.
They also have powerful heavy cavalry. My only advantage is their lack of spears as they have packed their ranks with commoner "Ghazis" fired more by holy ambition than skill.
My forces have lost some men in the previous battle against the Turks. Also, I do not have as many of my best archers as they have taken the brunt of the losses this year and last. I have recruited one unit of mercenary Albanian light cavalry to help offset the losses among my Roman light cavalry.
As we move against the Mongols, I am dismayed to see that the positions are now reversed from my previous battle. The Mongols hold the high ground and do not seem intent on moving anytime soon. Subutai clearly knows what he is doing. His archers will be deadly from their height advantage and I do not have enough light and heavy cavalry to push them off without suffering losses I cannot afford.
I send several companies of my horse archers around to the flanks to see if I can either get a good firing position or lure the enemy off their hilltop.
This backfires as the enemy horse archers pursue and my men take terrible losses as they attempt to maintain their separation and not get in range of the foot archers.
After some time, I advance forward and I am rewarded when Subutai sends his foot archers out to engage us.
This is the moment I was waiting for and my light horse charges into them.
Their horse archers move in to support and I send in my light and heavy horse against them and their Ghazis. As the foot archers are running back to their support, they cannot fire on us and we close the distance quickly.
Subutai then makes his second mistake and sends his heavy horse against my horse archers on the other flank. My men scamper away and take down many of the enemy from range.
My light horse now move against the archers that survived our initial charge and hit them from behind.
Soon, the only one left is Subutai and I bring him down with my bodyguard.
We lose close to a quarter of our men in this fight. Our foot archers were not even able to engage and all the losses were to my cavalry. I will feel their loss keenly in the coming battles.
When I offer the captives up for ransom, it is refused.
The victory clears the area to the west of the capitol but the Egyptian army has laid siege to the east.
I decide to move across the Straits and attack the Moorish army that lies just across the Golden Horn. Again, the Home Fleet provides quick transport to us and the entire operation is complete in just a few days.
The Moors are pinned against the peninsula and have nowhere to run.
The Thirteenth Battle of the Counter-Jihad, July 1490 AD
Spoiler for Thirteenth Battle of the Counter-Jihad:
From Battle Report Filed by Emperor Skantarios to the Imperial Archives 1490 AD
This Moorish general, Abbas, is known both for his speaking abilities as well as his prowess in battle. However, he has never faced true Romans!
I note that the heir to the Moorish throne is also here but has ceded command to the more experienced Abbas.
Since Abbas is the Sultan's "right hand," I cannot imagine why he has brought the heir with him with so few soldiers. It does not seem like he is taking care of the succession very well. Unless the Sultan really does wish him to "take care" of it...
His forces are a mixed and exotic bunch.
The high mercenary content of his army makes me believe that the Moors must (finally!) be running short of troops to commit to the Jihad. They also only have a few long range archers. This is music to the ears of our horse archers especially after the previous battle with the Mongols.
My forces are depleted but are now almost all veteran and come full of confidence.
I sent many of my men back to Adrianople for retraining after our significant losses against the Mongols. I am also critically short of light cavalry although I have recruited another unit of Albanians to take help make up for the loss.
The battle begins poorly for us as an unseasonable rainstorm comes on. This is terrible for our composite bows and will severely limit their effectiveness.
Still, our horse archers move to the enemy's rear and attempt to engage their generals. We have some success against their bodyguard but the rain has weakened our bows to the extent that we cannot kill either of the two Moorish generals.
I decide to take things into my own hands and lead a charge of my bodyguard and Scholarii against the the heir.
His bodyguard falls and he throws up his hands in surrender.
I then lead a second charge against Abbas as my Magyars take down the enemy infantry.
He goes down under a flood of Roman horse.
With one general captured and another killed, the rest of the mercenaries and Ghazis flee.
I offer up a ransom to the Moorish court but it is refused. Apparently, the Sultan really did not want his heir to survive. Politics in Africa must be brutal.
As the campaigning season comes to an end, I find myself in much the same position as two years ago. Fresh off defeating a Moorish Jihad army, I watch as, across the Straits, Constantinople holds off another Jihad army.
Our pleasant interlude is interrupted as, seemingly from nowhere, we are attacked by an army of Turks! I am horrified when I learn that this is the same army that defeated Genessios only two seasons ago. They are led by the same Bayezid Taskentli and come out of nowhere. Again, my spies and scouts have failed us! Is this demon some sorcerer that can appear and disappear at will to strike at us when we are least expecting it?!
We are exhausted and unprepared for this battle but we are as trapped as the Moors were when we attacked them. We have nowhere to run and must turn and face the Turks.
Battle of the Bosporus - September 1490 AD.
Spoiler for Battle of the Bosporus:
From Battle Report Filed by Emperor Skantarios to the Imperial Archives 1490 AD
Bayezid's forces show little wear from their battle with Genessios. They are packed with veteran Janissaries, heavy cavalry, gunners, and archers. They seem to have no weakness in arms.
My own forces are woefully unprepared for this battle.
Our light cavalry is decimated and our heavy cavalry are no match for their pole arms and guns. We have some archers but they are outclassed and outnumbered.
The Turks advance in excellent order. They swagger to battle in full confidence of having defeated Roman arms before.
I struggle to come up with a plan to meet this monster. The only thing I can think of is to disperse our forces and try to get the Turks to split up and then take them on one piece at a time. Their horse archers run up to take on our foot archers. We emplace stakes to prevent their heavy horse from taking us in a rush. The enemy pause and the ranged battle begins in earnest.
My forces are soon scattered over the battlefield in small groups probing for any weak points. We find none. Whenever my horse archers swoop in to take them under fire, they are met with a hail of arrows and bullets. The enemy reacts very quickly and keeps their discipline and mutually supporting fires.
I can think of only one thing to attempt to break them up. I lead a desperate attack against Bayezid himself!
My personal bodyguard are veterans of many, many battles and they fight like heroes of old. However, the Janissaries rush up to support their general and my men fall all around me. Many sell their lives dearly to preserve my own. I swing the Sword of Constantine again and again. Finally, a path to Bayezid is clear. He faces me in a one on one duel. He is a stout warrior and his determination matches my own. I take blow after blow to my chest, legs, and arms. As I feel the Janissaries pulling on my reins, Bayezid is distracted by a blow from a member of my bodyguard. He turns and that is when I cleave him in the neck with one last blow. He falls in a bloody mess off his horse.
While the Janissaries are distracted by the loss of their general, I order a hasty retreat with what remains of my bodyguard. Only five follow me out of the scrum, twelve do not.
If I had hoped that the death of Bayezid would break his army or cause them to lose cohesion I was mistaken. They stay in their mutually supporting positions and move against each piece of my army. The only exception is when their heavy horse break ranks for a time and try to chase my horse archers. We are able to kill some but mostly our arrows just bounce off their heavy armor.
The Scholarii take them on but it is a well-matched duel. The Scholarii fall in droves but take at least one of the enemy's heavy horse for each loss of their own.
The battle ranges all over the field. We are too weak in armored horse to take on their infantry and our horse archers cannot close with the main body without being assaulted by arrow and shot.
I attack again and again with my bodyguard and Scholarii against their gunners but our numbers are depleted further and further until only a few of us remain.
My Cavalarii horse archers, their quivers spent, now charge against the gunners. The gunners are armored and my horse is not. The Cavalarii triumph by sheer force of will but lose half their number in the process.
Doubt begins to creep into my mind as to whether we can win this battle. I pause at the top of the hill with what remains of my exhausted bodyguard. Their faces are blood spattered and fearful, I am sure mine is the same. At that moment, I look down at the Sword of Constantine my father had sent me so many years ago. I feel the power of my ancestors flow through my veins and I decide then and there that I will either win this battle or die here. I grip my sword, spur my horse, and let out a mighty cry in ancient Latin of "Roma Victor!" and charge again into a hail of bullets against their gunners. The few remaining Scholarii follow.
At last, the gunners are killed and the archers driven from the field, my remaining Magyars close and fire point blank on the Janissary infantry. It takes a long time but eventually they succeed in bringing them all down or making them flee.
The victory is ours but only by the narrowest of margins.
This was a battle of mutual annihilation. The bodies of our soldiers lie strewn about the field mixed with those of the Turk.
Our losses are terrible. Little remains of my once-proud army.
My horse archers mostly avoided close combat and many survived. However, we lost over 3/4 of the Magyars and virtually all the light horse, the Pronarii, and the Scholarii. The mercenaries were completely wiped out. The foot archers are all dead. Of my bodyguard, only one survived. For myself, I am seriously wounded from several blows but can still mount a horse and command. I have fought many battles for victory. This day, I fought for my life.
We pull a few survivors from the field but not many. The cream of my army is simply gone. Soldiers who followed me from battlefield to battlefield for years now lay dead here at the Bosporus.
My army is shattered.
March, 1491 AD Location: West of Nicea
The new year of 1491 begins with picking up the pieces from the Battle of the Bosporus. Once we have salvaged what we can, I order the Home Fleet to transport us back to the European side of the Straits. I send my Cavalarii, Magyars, and what remains of my heavy horse away for retraining. Because of the scarcity of trained marksmen, I must scatter the horse archers to fortresses as far away as Mystras and Scopia to the west as well as Adrianople and Sofia closer to home. The only saving grace is that many of my veteran light horsemen were already away for retraining. I will have to count on them for the coming battles but it will be more than a year before I have something resembling a coherent force again.
Near to home, Constantinople remains under siege by the Sixth (and last?) Egyptian Jihad army.
The capitol's garrison is still strong but anything can happen if the Egyptians decide to attack.
The bad news keeps coming with the dawning of the new year. The Turks have moved against Canakkale in the south and now lay siege.
Genessios is still in command there and he has been able to gather some defensive forces. Still, he is terribly under strength.
Also, the Egyptians have laid siege to Ankara in the east.
The garrison consists of only a few mercenaries and local militia but I have no troops with which to ride to their aid. They must stand on their own for now.
The Sicilians have continued their siege of Arta and look poised to attack at any moment.
I will use the balance of this year gathering what forces I can and putting my army back together. I can only hope that the Muslims and Sicilians will give us the time to rebuild before they do too much damage to our domains.
We stand again on a precipice. All of our work of the past twenty years is in danger and I have precious little to counter the onslaught of my enemies. This coming year will tell the tale of what is to become of the reborn Empire.
I am Skantarios.
Special Addendum:
Spoiler for Personal Diary of Emperor Skantarios 1491 AD:
Personal Diary Entry of Skantarios Laskaris, February, 1491 AD - Recovered from Imperial Papers - Confidential - NOT for Publication.
I am weary of war. The constant movement, hardships, and weather have all taken their toll. I have lost so many. The faces of the men I fought beside for years now seem to fade into just a continuous blur. I cannot remember their names any longer. The list is simply too long. Their blood will not come off no matter how long and how well I bathe. I own no clothing that has not been stained with blood.
There is no joy to my life. Only the mission of conquest. Always the mission. War has become my life. There is always a battle to be fought, always an enemy to be defeated. I must continue to move forward. For, if I rest, I fear that I shall never move again. Sadness and pain are my constant companions; always present and my only remaining link to humanity. Still, I am alive. The mission continues.
I am Skantarios.
Last edited by Skantarios; May 23, 2010 at 02:27 AM.
Read the review of I am Skantarios! in the Critic's Quill here.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
Nice to see you lost The situation does look difficult. I wonder for long they will keep sending Mujahideen against you. I will disappointed by the AI's use of their elephants though
Rep me and leave your name and I promise on pain of death to rep you back!
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
Spelling Nazi here again.(Yes, I know they usually attack grammar; deal with it.)
Not feeld; field is the word you are looking for.
That aside:
Great updates, it must bite when those mounted archers are working against you.
Well, that was obviously clear to all reading.
Looking forward to seeing which holy fire will burn brightest.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
I think the battles are very well done. The only problem is that you always win, and you did just lose (and it was the heir to the throne who was defeated to!) You dont seem to fight many "minor" battles, though the crushing of those small forces along the road is the exception. Other then that you always have a chance of losing to the enemy force, somehow.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
"Kill them all!"
That was the best motivational speech I've ever heard.
Otherwise, great AAR, I don't think I would have the skills to handle 1450 Byzz campaign.
The battles of the past year have decimated our army but not our resolve. Our supreme confidence has been torn away and replaced with a steely determination and a thirst for vengeance. Not a soldier in my army has not lost a brother, father, son, or dear friend. We've witnessed firsthand the ravages the soldiers of the Jihad have wrought on our lands and our loved ones. If there was any thought of pity or clemency in our hearts, it is gone.
I am pleased that so many still flock to our call to arms. Even with our losses to this war, new arrivals come daily into our training centers at Adrianople, Mystras, and Sofia. The light and heavy cavalry are being brought back to full strength at a speed I would not have believed just a few years ago. Soon, we will be ready to resume the offensive in Anatolia and drive back the tide of the Muslims. Unfortunately, our campaign must wait as we are still too weak to resume the offensive. Our fortifications must stand on their own until next year when we will return to Anatolia and pick up the pieces of what remains.
For the moment, I must stand impotently by as my garrisons attempt to hold their possessions against the attacks of our enemies. This inactivity enrages me and I stalk about camp in a perpetually bad mood. I train the soldiers hard and share in their suffering. However, no amount of physical exhaustion can quell the rage I feel in my heart. My cities are under attack and I just sit here!
One piece of good news is that no new Jihad armies have appeared on our shores. Perhaps, at long last, the Islamic nations have reached the point of exhaustion??
My mood is further lifted by the news from the west. The garrison commander at Arta reports that the Sicilians have broken off the siege and moved north. For what purpose the Sicilian commander departed is not known. Whatever his motivation, the road back to Thessalonica is open again and supplies pour into our garrison. They will be ready should the Sicilians return.
To the east, the news is not so welcome. The Egyptians have attacked the city of Ankara!
Fourth Battle of Ankara - August 1491 AD.
Spoiler for Fourth Battle of Ankara:
From Fragmentary Account of Survivors of Ankara 1491 AD.
The Egyptians have only a small force but their troops are well armed and well armored.
Unfortunately, the garrison is not remotely prepared to fight off a siege.
They consist of a few mercenary survivors of previous battles and some poorly armed and armored militia conscripted from the local townsfolk.
Our captain makes what preparations he can. He orders his men to lock shields before the gate in the hopes that he can jam the attackers in the entrance and force them to fight on a narrow front.
The Egyptians attack in the early morning mist.
They have constructed only a single battering ram and have not even bothered to construct ladders or a siege tower. They obviously are extremely confident they can win any battle with our militia.
Their ram soon breaks down the gates and our men face them with the determination of the damned.
The enemy charges headlong through the gate in a clamor of clashing steel and pounding hooves.
Our men soon buckle under the pressure of the assault. They fight as well as simple townsfolk can be expected to but are soon pushed back under the sheer weight of the enemy charge.
The men go down by the dozen and soon the survivors start to flee back to the rallying point in the town center.
The enemy cavalry pursue and chase down virtually all of them before they can make it.
The outcome was never really in doubt.
What survivors there were of the garrison have been executed. By the fragmented reports we receive, Captain Ruben met a particularly gruesome death by impalement.
In a fit of pique and revenge, the Egyptians sack the city.
I cannot imagine what gold the Egyptians find. The city was sacked when they took it from the Turks and we sacked it when we took it from them only three years ago. I doubt the long-suffering populace had any possessions left of value.
Of far more importance, the Egyptian Jihad army has finally assaulted Constantinople!
Fifth Battle of Constantinople / Fourteenth Battle of the Counter-Jihad, August 1491 AD.
Spoiler for Fifth Battle of Constantinople:
From Battle Report Filed by Diadohos Vasileios to Emperor Skantarios 1491 AD.
The sixth Jihad army the Egyptians send against the capital shows that it is far better suited to an open field engagement than a true assault force.
They are packed with archers and light mercenary troops but they have only a few companies of heavy infantry with which to assault the walls.
Our garrison are all veterans of many assaults.
We have strong compliments of heavy infantry as well as artillery and three companies of the invaluable Siphonores.
The Egyptian army is an impressive sight with their packed ranks of horse. They advance in good order.
The Egyptians are obviously unaware that we now have a Mangonel as part of our garrison. The crew make their presence known quickly.
Barrels of liquid fire explode over the tight ranks of the Egyptians.
Our archers add their own arrow fire to bring down the enemy horse archers. They fall where they stand in their beautiful and orderly packed ranks.
The Egyptian's lack of heavy infantry is exposed on the walls as my swordsmen cut them down as they emerge from the tower.
Every Egyptian who drops from the wall is met by at least five swords before he can take more than a couple of steps.
Eventually, the enemy ram breaks down the gate and the Egyptians charge!
The masses of horsemen they leave behind on the field show the devastating effect of cannon, arrows, and Greek fire.
The few who manage to make it to the gate are met by a wall of spears and a curtain of fire.
The heart goes out of the Egyptian attack soon after their general falls.
The many survivors flee to the west and out of our domains.
The enemy dead and the prisoners are added to the (now) immense Muslim burial pit outside the city. The number of bodies in "The Pit" is now beyond the counting. The Egyptians are mixed with their Turkish, Moorish, Khwarezm, and Mongolian brothers. Perhaps in death they can find the kind of solidarity they lacked in life...
The battle was a heroic victory for Roman arms! The city is now clear of the Muslim foe and trade can flow once again. The victory has also breathed life back into the morale of our Empire and acts as a welcome counterweight to the bad news of the past two years. Our sacred capitol is safe.
February, 1492 AD Location: Adrianople
Our diplomats and spies have confirmed what we have suspected for some months now. From the mosques and town squares of Anatolia, the news rings out in mournful tones to Muslim ears but as sweet music to Christians. The Jihad is finally over!
Spontaneous celebrations ring out in Constantinople. I personally take leave from the army to preside over a ceremony of celebration to God (and Roman steel) in the Hagia Sophia. Throughout the Empire, similar celebrations ring out as the news is passed by courier and word of mouth. The Soldiers of Christ have triumphed over the Muslim.
Tallying the toll of the Jihad is staggering. According to my chroniclers, we have lost some 1,345 Roman soldiers fighting the armies that took up the banner of Jihad. However, according to these same men, the Muslim armies lost some 17,120 men. If it is true that these "holy warriors" receive 72 virgins each, then Allah must come up with well over one million virgins to fill the bill. Somehow, I don't think he has them...
My army is now back up to a fighting strength. We are not as strong as we once were but I cannot wait any longer. I must move south to relieve my son at Canakkale where he still holds out against a Turkish army. The reinforcements will have to follow as best as they can.
As we move south past the road to Constantinople, we pass by several of the former Jihadist camps. I notice a crude sign hung on a post by the side of the road written in Arabic. It has an arrow pointing down the road toward the capitol. It seems to be hastily written, perhaps by one of the retreating "Mujahedeen" from the last battle at Constantinople? It reads:
I ask my interpreter with some curiosity if this is how you write "Constantinople" in Arabic. He looks at the sign for some time and shakes his head. He says, "No... The rough translation is:
'The land where Muslims go to die.' "
I think that is as fitting an epitaph for the Jihad as any I could write.
I am Skantarios.
The World in 1491 AD.
Last edited by Skantarios; January 26, 2010 at 12:04 AM.
Read the review of I am Skantarios! in the Critic's Quill here.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
Originally Posted by IPA35
You lost on purpose, didn't you?
No, that one I lost fair and square. I have no idea where that army came from. I don't know this for sure but the game seems to auto-generate those veteran Janissary armies every so many turns. They just appear and cause havoc. I didn't see this one coming and the army was not ready for them. Looking back, not sure there was much I would have done differently as far as tactics. I was just outclassed and outnumbered. Had to happen eventually.
Will post the next update tonight. Have it pretty much finished, just putting the last touches on it.
Read the review of I am Skantarios! in the Critic's Quill here.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
He didn't stand a chance against that army. It was the perfect setup and they were all upgraded elite veteran troops. Even if Skantarios was using his main army he would have had a tough time.
Rep me and leave your name and I promise on pain of death to rep you back!
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
Hehe that last part reminded me of The Hurt Locker Excellent update, possibly your best chapter yet. Skantarios seemed very lucky to survive. What will you do when he dies?
Rep me and leave your name and I promise on pain of death to rep you back!
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
Originally Posted by eregost
Hehe that last part reminded me of The Hurt Locker Excellent update, possibly your best chapter yet. Skantarios seemed very lucky to survive. What will you do when he dies?
When Skantarios dies, so too will the AAR. I'm not completely sure I have the energy (or time) to continue it to that point, much less beyond. It's taken up a LOT of time, although I've enjoyed it. Will probably stick it out to that point, though. I'm just stubborn that way.
Short of death in combat, Skantarios still has some years to go. I think he is about 44 right now.
As for Hurt Locker, really liked that movie. Best depiction of the war as it actually is that I've seen so far. Didn't necessarily inspire that particular passage but the feelings are similiar.
Last edited by Skantarios; January 26, 2010 at 12:29 AM.
Read the review of I am Skantarios! in the Critic's Quill here.
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
Oh my...
Brilliant playing to maintain control of the capitol thoughout all those Muslim attempts to take it.
What are your plans to take Anatolia? A solid push directly east accross the penisula? Or perhaps you will land a force north or south, to take and hold an important settlement.
Speaking of which, I don't know too much about the history of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Anatolian settlement is most precious to the empire? (And will that be influencing your campagin?)
Tiro
Re: [SS AAR] I am Skantarios! - Rebirth of the Eastern Roman Empire
AAR Writer
Originally Posted by dezikeizer
Semisalis
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The situation does look difficult. I wonder for long they will keep sending Mujahideen against you. I will disappointed by the AI's use of their elephants though
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