Woha! It seems Philippe is going through some really hard times.
I hope you to emerge victorious, but I hardly can see how
Woha! It seems Philippe is going through some really hard times.
I hope you to emerge victorious, but I hardly can see how
Sivilombudsmannen
Yeah, it was one of the worst battle I've played in my DLV adventures. Indeed, my army was rather a defensive one (apart from the Crusader cavalry), and the Papal guards, which were the bulk of the foes army, are extremely strong units with a lot of courage. You can charge them in their back, and then surround them, but they wouldn't resign or rout. So you can expect huge casualties.This looks pretty dark indeed, how on earth will this play out? You say there is a cavalry or a reinforcement doing quitwell? And that your main infantry is crampt down? Talking from DLV experience, I say you are fecked pretty badly
When it comes to the massacre of Rome, then I'll let my buddy Niccolo speak up:
Quote:
So far as he is able, a prince should stick to the path of good but, if the necessity arises, he should know how to follow evil.
~Wille
Who is the "buddy Niccolo"? I think Philippe quite agree with him
Well done for finding this citation which stick with the story.
Karnage
You are completely right my friend. We all play with large armies and it doesn't happen often when the AI outnumber us. So we have to enjoy when it happen. And try to win by the way...Fighting outnumbered is what I like best, it kind motivates me to do better, use the field to my advantage, seek weakness and exploit them. You are facing a large enemy, if your not careless, if you play this thing right, you will be fine. I actually expect you to win this battle, although I expect some heavy casualties. Godspeed my friend in this crucial battle.
Draco092
Thanks for your comments. Philippe is young but already an old warrior.Woha! It seems Philippe is going through some really hard times.
I hope you to emerge victorious, but I hardly can see how
I'm going to post today the rest of the battle story.
I will also post a details of the casualties, in order to show that I'm not the best of the gamers![]()
Italian Campaign (Part II)
Chapter XXVI : Snake of death.
An de Grâce 1203 AC.
Papal State.
South countryside of Rome.
Current world...
Aide memoire:
Philippe's trips
Heroes...
That moment, I still didn’t know where Olivier and his Crusader knights were. Probably fighting at the wings against the Papal cavalry.
I suddenly saw Urbanus charging in front of me, behind his troops line, and trying to engage a close fight with my own bodyguards.
I wasn’t expecting that. I quickly raised Durandal out of its scabbard and ordered my men to charge the merciless Urbanus. The first moments were furious. I remember fighting with an old Italian bodyguard. His armor was well decorated. He should have been a count at least. I avoided his blows and succeeded to cut his left arm. He cried, blood flooding, and he didn’t see one of my own bodyguards hammering his sword in his back. The brave Italian felt and was soon crushed by the heavy war steed.
My bodyguard helped me to avoid the center of the fight and protected me until I was in a safer position. Then, I saw Urbanus, fighting in the melee, with his last bodyguards. Despite his strength and bravery, he couldn’t resist to the linked forces of my bodyguards and spearmen.
He was slain at the end, and I was still alive.
The news started to spread in our lines, and helped some desperate spearmen to release their last strengths in the battle.
The best example was that of my axmen who were surrounded by Papal Guards and halberd militia. They stood up and fought in a blood bath. The ferocity had reached its height.
The trigger came from Olivier. I was fighting against dangerous spearmen when I heard his horn. He had finally succeeded to reach the back of the enemy lines and was starting to charge. It was the best news I could have heard. The trend had been reversed and it was a matter of time now.
The fight between death and life was still played. The only difference is that cavalry had entered the death circle now. It was a real butchery. Even when I did some slaughters in Pamplona or near Zaragoza, it wasn’t that hard.
Flesh, blood, bones and steel were mixed together. Pain and screams were the product released. I felt disgusted and guilty.
But there were the rules of War. Everybody knew that.
Some of my soldiers were still making some heroic actions. I remember my only unit of swordsmen dismounting a mailed knight, at the risk of their life, before to slain him on the floor.
Thanks to Olivier’s efforts, the battle quickly ended. The last fighters of the elite Papal Guards were surrounded by a wall of Red Cross shields. They refused to surrender, and were executed.
They were the last warriors of a Kingdom.
My heroic warriors were exhausted. They had fought four hours under the sun. I was also dried out.
The spearmen were still there, but they were few now. A lot had been wounded, and a great part slain by those bastards Italian. I appreciated their bravery, but I preferred them lying on the ground that with a spear in their fist.
There was a sea of dead. The meadows had been bloodied by French and Italians swords and spears. I could clearly distinguish a giant snake of death across the field.
It was a terrible sight.
That evening, I dreamt of living in another world. In the world of my youth. In the world of my dreams. I was wishing to join Hélène.
And lay in peace forever...
Anyway.
The victory was mine, once again.
But it was a Pyrrhus victory. More than the half of my strengths was dead. I couldn’t have fought another fight. I needed to breathe now.
And I was allowed, because no Papal soldier was remaining.
We were a decimated army from now on.
It was time to open a new door, without knowing anything behind…
Last edited by la coupe est pleine; September 01, 2010 at 04:30 PM.
Amazing update! Glad to see Philippe returning to his original "ideas". It was clear how blood thirsty he became when Philippe Auguste died. He stopped talking about Joyeuse, Durandal and the Chivalry Code and started talking about revenging Helene, killing Louis sans Merci and the swine Alexander. Now he seems calmer, again.
Am I right?
It seems you did pretty good actually, counting by the remaining number.. Hm, maybe because all the Crusader Coconuts? Next time, you should go for Taiji's BB. Then you would be literally raped. Anyway, good battle. It sure took it's tool, but it was a good sacrifice non the less. The final question, where now?
And will your army follow you........
~Wille the Skald
Thorolf was thus armed. Then Thorolf became so furious that he cast his shield on his back, and, grasping his halberd with both hands, bounded forward dealing cut and thrust on either side. Men sprang away from him both ways, but he slew many. Thus he cleared the way forward to earl Hring's standard, and then nothing could stop him. He slew the man who bore the earl's standard, and cut down the standard-pole. After that he lunged with his halberd at the earl's breast, driving it right through mail and body, so that it came out at the shoulders; and he lifted him up on the halberd over his head, and planted the butt-end in the ground. There on the weapon the earl breathed out his life in sight of all, both friends and foes. [...] 53, Egil's Saga- The pranks played on the knight Jean de Joinville, 1249, 7th crusade.I must tell you here of some amusing tricks the Comte d'Eu played on us. I had made a sort of house for myself in which my knights and I used to eat, sitting so as to get the light from the door, which, as it happened, faced the Comte d'Eu's quarters. The count, who was a very ingenious fellow, had rigged up a miniature ballistic machine with which he could throw stones into my tent. He would watch us as we were having our meal, adjust his machine to suit the length of our table, and then let fly at us, breaking our pots and glasses.
http://imgur.com/a/DMm19
Great update and as I expected, a hard fought battle with some major casualties but an heroic victory nonetheless. Everytime I go through battles like these, I always have this feeling of pride that comes with such victories. Well done my friend, well done.![]()
My work in progress AAR, come and have look.
L'État c'est moi, The Monarchy of France
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=355826
Critic Quills review about my AAR.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=365219
Draco092
Very interesting comment. So you expect Philippe to be calmer. It is right that he saw so much blood in that last battle, but the problem is that he is now in an uncomfortable position, having killed the Pope and exterminating Rome. Dificult to find some allies now, isn't it?
So, even if Philippe wait for calm, it could be quite dificult to convert him in a poet monk, instead of staying a war lord...
Yeah, you can definitely expect some storm after the calm.
It is the problem of being heroe of an AAR.
Sivilombudsmannen
Ahhh yes, those Crusader Coconuts helped me a lot in that battle.
Yes, I still feel guilty having used them because it is clearly an advantage. However, the Papal spearmen are truly amazing and were so hard to slaughter. I really missed to lose that battle. If that idiot general didn't charged me and stayed behind his lines, I would have surely lost.
But my crusader spearmen finally suceeded to maintain their position until my Coconuts could charge in the back and be the crucial weapon of the game.
But don't worry, I will try to keep Philippe as a human general and not as an undestructible machine. Even if I failed for this battle. But it was so nice to finally suceed to destroy the Papacy, which was the first goal of that AAR.
Ouf, il était moins une...
Anyway, I should have used Taiji's improvement before to start that AAR. I would have love some hard hard fights. Net time will be the good one
Karnage
Thanks or your congratulations. It was really a nice battle. At the beginning, I was thinking I could easily win, but when the fight started, I saw my spearmen lines being eaten by waves of Papal Guards, and I feared to loose.
It was a tough victory, but a crucial one, because of the end of the Papacy.
Thanks all for reading and writing comments like that. Your point of view help me to improve and influence slightly the story.
I hope what is going to happen won't be too slow now. Indeed, less battles are planned.
My Crusaders coconuts are going to give me up.![]()
![]()
Last edited by la coupe est pleine; July 26, 2010 at 04:53 PM.
Yeah, you have a point there, but I was talking about his attitude to the things that happen around him. You can be the King of the Chivalry and still be a War Lord (Saladin is probably the biggest example). What I meant was that Philippe became SO blood thirsty that he forgot how victory is supposed to be archieved. Now, well, he's not gonna give up to everything he earned and retire to a monastery, but I see him like he's going to confront everything that the world throw to him the way Philippe Auguste would.
Uff, sorry if I extended too much
Anyway, I'll follow this AAR even if Philippe becomes Count Dracula.
Last edited by Draco092; July 27, 2010 at 02:21 AM.
Draco092
Ah, sorry for my.it could be quite dificult to convert him in a poet monk, instead of staying a war lord...
Not a very clever statement I agree
Yeah, I misunderstood what you were meaning.
And you are right. Thanks for comparing Philippe thoughts with Philippe Auguste ones. It means that the first part of my story was not so bad written because I would like Philippe to grow with chivalry feelings, before to be confronted with the real medieval world.
During the battle against the Pope, Philippe was blood thirsty indeed. Let see what will happen. I am going to update tonight, and be sure your comments will influence the story. (But expect some other surprises soon).
Cheers again...
Italian Campaign (Part III)
Chapter XXVII : Gregorius X.
An de Grâce 1204 AC.
Papal States.
Tiber.
Current world...
Aide memoire:
Philippe's trips
Heroes...
We spent 3 days celebrating and looking after the wounded. The weather was very warm for the season. I took the time to relax and to decide what should be done. I sent some messengers to Rome, in order to make them aware of the current situation.
When the messengers came back, I saw them and asked if everything went right in the city. They replied me that everything was nice, but that there was a bit of a problem.
I frowned.
- “Quoi”, I said, “What is the new problem? I hope you are not wasting my time with little things.”
- “No my lord” the first messenger replied, “the thing is that the cardinals had gathered and they have elected a new Pope”.
- “And after?” I asked. “Were you thinking they wouldn’t do that? It doesn’t surprise me. The thing is that we have to take care about the fact that the new Pope will be friendlier with our Kingdom.”
- “Eh bien,” the second messenger announced, “The cardinals had succeeded to enter Rome and elect the Pope in the Cathedral St Pierre. The Pope is currently in the countryside of the Papal States, but we hadn’t found him yet.”
- “What?” I burst with anger. “The Pope is provoking me here, when I’m just decimating his last army. I can’t believe it. What is his name?”
The third messenger took his breath and said quickly:
- “He is Gregorius X and he is an English cardinal.”
It was too much for me.
- “An English? I’m sure he had already called a Crusade against the Kingdom isn’t it? It’s amazing.”
I was stunned.
- “No”, the first messenger said. “He has not done anything yet, but some rumors spread that he wants you and Louis to be killed as soon as possible. He is said to be one of the best friends of the English King.”
I took a deep deep breath.
- “Eh bien, we have just to rush and make this piggy English silent.”
This news was bad, but I had the possibility to react quickly and eliminate the devil as soon as possible. I asked Olivier to come. I explained him the situation. He agreed with the fact that this new Pope was not good at all, but was a little reluctant to slay him like Alexander. Moreover, he explained me that the men wanted to go back to the Kingdom. The last battle had been butchery and they didn’t want to see some more blood again.
I understood that the men would like to come back, but I faced a new difficult situation. I should maintain order in Rome, and it was difficult without any troops. I wouldn’t try to hire some mercenaries, because I didn’t have any money, and didn’t trust them. They could easily capture me and ask for a ransom.
I decided to call my generals and to implement a plan. After tough negotiations, we agreed to keep the troops during the all winter, and that they would sail back in April. I thought it would let me sufficient time to achieve my plans.
Now, I should deal with Gregorius as soon as possible. I took the decision to track him with my spies and then to kill him in personal fight, in order to show the Christendom that no-one could make laugh about me, nor asking for my dead head.
I was very disappointed. How could I reach the calm I was waiting for if each time another man raise against me and want to see me dead? I was just hoping that Gregorius blood would be the last one to dry on Durandal.
I was hoping for peace.
Blood was the only way…
My spies took 2 months to find him. He was near the Tiber, not far from the city. The problem was that he was protected by a little troop of skilled English knights, who had sworn fidelity to the new Pope. They would sacrifice their lives to protect him.
I took the hard decision to meet him with my own bodyguards. I would like to impress the Christendom. Either I would kill him or my friends and I would kill him and his English pigs.
Around the beginning of December, I joined the Tiber and forced the Pope to fight with me. Despite the efforts of my diplomats, Gregorius refused to fight a duel with me. He had heard about my previous victories and relied upon his English friends to save his 57 years old skin.
Anyway, I decided not to wait and to engage the fight.
They were more knights with the Pope than me and my friend’s bodyguards, but I thought that we could rely on our experience and strength.
How could an elderly people defend himself against the flower of the youth?
Last edited by la coupe est pleine; September 01, 2010 at 04:31 PM.
Another papal duel??? My My, Phillipe truly hates papacy. This should be a hard battle, especially duels such as these, you have experience, but they have the numbers, and anything can happen in battles such as these. I would say the odds are 55/45 agaisnt you. Be smart and you'll pull through my friend
![]()
My work in progress AAR, come and have look.
L'État c'est moi, The Monarchy of France
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=355826
Critic Quills review about my AAR.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=365219
Definitely the world hates you, mon seigneur Dauphin. You killed a swine and the Cardinals provide you another one..
Karnage, Draco092,
Actually, I didn't planned what ocurred. I was thinking I could eradicate the Papal States before a new Pope appear.
But as you said Karnage, some posts ago, the Papacy can't die. You are right.
The problem was that the new Pope was English, and how a french medieval lord could accept that without doing nothing? Impossible.
So, another duel I took the risk to play. I bet on the experience of Philippe and his youth. The Pope is old and had some bad caracteristics (-2 life points, ...)
Here is the new chapter, at least I'm sorry.![]()
Italian Campaign (Part III)
Chapter XXVIII : Depressive victory.
An de Grâce 1204 AC.
Papal States.
Tiber.
Current world...
Aide memoire:
Philippe's trips
Heroes...
The Pope decided to stand on the North side of the Tiber. The Tiber was not really high and powerful this year. I advanced in front of the Pope.
The weather was very bad. The wind was powerful and a terrible storm was expected to happen. My friends were confident of our strength, because they had seen the death of the previous Pope.
I stopped and shouted.
- “Gregorius, bastard English. Do you fear to fight against me? Maybe it is more easy to ask for my head when I’m far away? If you want some tissues to clean your wet pants, I’ve brought some with me.
I’m just sorry that because of your madness, your kind English friends will disappear with you in hell.”
The Pope stayed silent, hidden and protected behind his English knights. I just heard the rain which was starting.
I raised Durandal and launched the charge. We were already wet so the Tiber didn’t refresh us anymore. I feared one moment that the current was too powerful but we finally all reached the other side. The Pope side.
Thanks to our powerful charge, we broke through the enemy lines. The real fight could begin.
I searched for Gregorius but I was blind because of the strong rain, slapping my eyes. I soon understood that I was in the middle of seven English knights. I received a severe blow in my back, missing to lose Durandal. I was injured but my armor had protected me. I cried, turning back to find the coward.
I waved my arms around me and started a furious fight with the foes surrounding me. They tried to avoid my sword but two of them felt, dead or severely injured at the head. I tried to slain a third one but he anticipated my movement and protected him with his shield, which burst because of the impact.
I tried to attack him again but he rushed back and a new knight took his place. I heard my friends calling from me and it helps me to fight again and more accurately this time.
I waved my arms again and finally tried to decapitate him with a single blow.
His friends, impressed, moved back for a while, and it was enough time for some of my friends to come and protect me. Once again, I was safe and saved.
However, my back was very painful and I suddenly had difficulties to move.
The fight was going well. As expected, the experience of my “frères d’armes” was determinant. Once again, the quality was better than the quantity.
Olivier was fighting in front of me. He was like a devil. His sword smashed English skulls and bones without any mercy.
Suddenly, we heard a scream. It was an unusual scream. The scream of an old man. The scream of Gregorius.
The Pope had been stricken by a sword, and it was too much for his old body. The time seemed to stop. The Pope was still in his steed. His sword felt. He glazed at the other knights remaining. The rain was pouring on his wound, mixing blood and water.
And the old man felt, like a puppet, motionless.
It was the end. I wasn’t the murderer, but it was like I was responsible for the death of the second Pope. Who could say the same? I guessed, glancing at the end of the fight.
The three remaining English knights understood a little late that the thunderstorm wasn’t God’s one, and that he wasn’t there to petrify me by a single lightning, as should have said Gregorius.
They started to flee, as English sheeps without leader.
The area was full of horses and knights corpses. It was distressing. What a painful view to see proud and chivalric warriors lying on the mud. I recognized some of my old friends, having sent their lives for the eternity.
Some tears appeared at the corner of my eyes. I didn’t know if it was my fault or my fate. My friends died because of their loyalty to me and my feelings. I shouldn’t fail and prove them that I will be worthy of their loyalty, of their sacrifice.
I promised to build a great Cross to honor them in that place.
“The place where men stood up against the tyranny”.
I lost thirteen of my closed friends that day. It will never happen again, I hoped.
The travel to come back to Rome was sad and respectful of our dead. Olivier also was also deeply concerned. When we arrived in Rome, the news had spread about the death of the new Pope. My soldiers were still loyal to me, but they feared me more than never and it was clear that they wished to leave my criminal lead.
Ah! Happiness. You seem to be far away.
Could really a leader be happy?
Last edited by la coupe est pleine; September 01, 2010 at 04:31 PM.
Tough fight my good friend...hope that Durandal doesn't meet the new pope's blood.
Great update my friend, as always, you pulled through. I thought I should let you know that I will be away for the month of August, I wish the best to you in the AAR competition and I will follow up on your AAR upon my return. I only have one request. Dont die on me![]()
My work in progress AAR, come and have look.
L'État c'est moi, The Monarchy of France
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=355826
Critic Quills review about my AAR.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=365219
NotYetRegistred
Thanks for your support my friend.
Draco092
There won't be more Pope blood as long as no english cardinal would become Pope![]()
Karnage
It seems your are taking some holidays. Good new. Enjoy a lot and be sure I will wait to see your next updates.
Have a good August month Karnage...![]()
Italian Campaign (Part III)
Chapter XXIX : Retreat !
An de Grâce 1204 AC.
Papal States.
Rome.
Current world...
Aide memoire:
Philippe's trips
Heroes...
It was time to implement the plans I’ve thought for months now. I knew that it wasn’t possible to maintain the order in Rome. Therefore, I decided to found an advantage of the lost of the town. I secretly used my new spy network to loot everything we could in the city, and keep the amount of gold secured.
I didn’t tell that to my generals and soldiers because it was a shadow work, and I wouldn’t damage my reputation anymore. We succeeded to find a lot of old jewelry, Romans inheritance, and even expensive draperies.
It wasn’t difficult to find some grasping Italians merchant to sell that stuff. Thanks to those resources, I could prepare my come back to the Kingdom.
I also discussed for a long time with Carlos, a Spanish diplomat which came to Rome after we took it, the year before. I proposed to offer the town to the Kingdom of Spain, because of our strong alliance, and to honor my wife Clara, the daughter of the King Vermundo the honorable.
He was totally aware of the fact that this town was a pain in our ass, but he also knew that if he refused, the town could become the possession of the Royaume de Sicile, or even the one of the Lombard and Venetian. It was an excellent opportunity for the Kingdom of Spain and he agreed. I managed to make the Spanish paying a good amount of gold for that. I managed to make them believe it would be the pay for my army.
Instead, it was just more money for my personal views. I needed the strength of money to achieve my protection and to build the start of a new come back.
Thanks to that, our relations improved.
My plans were to try to take possession of the French cities I conquered in the North of the Iberian Peninsula, and if I failed, to ask the protection of the Spanish King. Therefore, good relations were crucial. I needed a powerful ally, in the case Louis Sans Merci and Michel would take the opportunity to sacrifice me to the new Pope. I was pretty sure they would be both pleased to get rid of me and to take again the favors of the Papacy.
I asked Carlos to send Carla some love letters written by the best of my troubadours. My beast wife was also a mean to secure my new instable position. The more allies I could gather, the less I would be hunt in the Christendom. I hoped that Clara would forgive me our last “Au revoir” and I started to regret my proud behavior of those times.
Then, it was time to organize the disbandment of my army. For the last time, I greeted my old veteran soldiers. I wished them to find peace and calm in their villages, houses and families. I said they could be proud of the battle they had done, and that they helped the Kingdom of France to be saved from a devil, wearing Papal clothes.
It was a poignancy separation.
Definitely, I would surely miss the strength of those experienced and loyal soldiers. But they were no other possibility than letting them to recover their freedom, and letting them away from more fights, swords and screams.
They acclaimed me a last time, and the long column started to come back. They were supposed to pass through the Alps, by foot, and to join their homes. I wished them a good travel.
I stayed with my personal bodyguards and the most loyal soldiers who asked me to stay beside me. Olivier and Margit were amongst them.
Rome wasn’t safe anymore for me, and I left the town, letting the keys to a little unit of Spanish fighters, who joined Italy by boat the week before. I saw the pride in the Spanish general eyes to be the new governor of the most famous city of the world.
I smiled secretly; knowing the problems the population would surely impose him. I just hoped him not to be slain before the arrival of the bulk of Spanish strengths.
We disappeared in the countryside, riding toward the Mediterranean Sea. I missed France. But I also feared a lot what I could find there. I was without news since more than one year.
Everything could have happened…
Last edited by la coupe est pleine; September 01, 2010 at 04:32 PM.
Interesting move...quite unexpected.
It's funny 'cause in RL the spaniards were one of the most deeply catholics in the Middle Age, so they shouldn't be your best friends right now XD
I'm also wishing to know what is that french diplomat talking about with the pope![]()