[SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (COMPLETED 7/24: EPILOGUE)

[Ichon]

Do you have rules against raids? Many of Norway's French cities appear lightly defended. An expedition of 1,000 or so men could really set them back, especially if you give those cities captured back to England. At least it would take some of the pressure off and allow Aragon to be finished. Once N Africa is secure its much easier to focus on Norway moving up into Italy where there is a concentration of rich lands.

[hull19]

Ichon has a very good point. Take the lightly defended stuff and get your ally to help you kick Normay in the ass. If you put pressure from the south and England from North... in a renewed effort... could help you a lot

[TheBard]

That may be a useful idea. Raids are not necessarily against my house rules, depending on how I use them. I won't go in, Viking-style, take a bunch of random cities and demolish all the buildings (because the AI can't and won't ever do that).

But I might be able to go in, take a couple cities, and give them to England to help them reestablish a foothold.

Things are going pretty much the same right now. Having a really hard time against Norway still. I've lost Bordeaux and really have to right it off for the time being. I'm still holding out hope that I can somehow hold Toulouse, but it's dicey.

Things in Africa are going ok, but slow. The Aragonese quality of troops is much lower than the Norwegian ones, but Aragon is fighting desperately now that they are down to only 3-4 cities. Oh, and I've also been excommunicated again.

[Kabeloko]

kickass aar!
its tough to find portuguese ones these days, even tougher finding ones that large already!
i havent had problem with the norwegians in here myself yet, but now i see they can be quite a threat if not contained eh?
great work, congratulations...

[dezikeizer]

Great updates, and the Noregians are proving to be a heck of a challange. I personally would go with a combination of the two suggested strategies, that is, make peace with Norway for now, finish off Aragon, then deal with Norway through raids and crusades. Keep up the great work.

[Halbard]

Who controls Ireland in yer game?

[Scottish King]

Love this AAR. Those people are Norway are tough but if u can deal with your enemies one at a time, u should be able to fight them off effectively

[TheBard]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. I've played ahead a little bit, but I'm not sure when the next update will be. Maybe the next few days?

Halbard: Ireland is still controlled by the rebels, one of the few areas in the entire map to be so. I've looked at them with Fog of War off, and there are half a dozen or more rebel stacks guarding each city (2 cities? More?), so I don't see anyone taking it any time soon. Kind of a cool development, though.

Kabeloko, dezikeizer, and Scottish King: I've decided that I refuse to make peace with either the dastardly Norwegian hordes or the treacherous Aragonese. You'll have to wait to see how that turns out for me...

[TheBard]

Chapter 44: Trapped

As Bras looks over his motley army in Toulouse, he makes a fateful decision: he will not abandon the city. Instead, he will do whatever it takes to hold it for as long as possible. Abandoning the castle would allow the Norwegians to seal off the lands north of the Pyrenees, and it would end any chance of reinforcing and supporting the nearly defenseless Bordeaux. It would also mean that Norway could focus solely on expanding into the English Isle, perhaps destroying Portugal’s only real ally.

Soon thereafter, a large Norwegian army arrives and besieges Toulouse with Bras and his garrison trapped inside.

With no reinforcements immediately available, Bras tries to wait out the siege. The next few years are quiet, as Gaspar, Fernao, Goncalo, and Filipe regroup and recruit and train as many new troops as possible. In 1336, Filipe’s son Marcos comes of age.

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A quick learner, but mean with money, Marcos may yet have a major role to play in the north against Norway.

The same year, Bras’ sister Rute marries a middling nobleman, Marcos de Alvares.

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Almost 30 years her senior, Marcos de Alvares is a man chosen by Bras for his sister. Marcos is loyal, and content to govern one of the less important cities. With two wars going on, and no one to control any unrest in the center of the kingdom, a lack of ambition is actually a useful trait.

The quiet doesn’t last for long. 1336 is a year of troubles and chaos.

Gaspar and his new army head toward Toulouse to attempt to save Bras. Along the way, they discover a medium-sized Norwegian army, led by Snorri Hrafnsson.

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Gaspar has quickly become a tremendous general, Portugal’s greatest since the legendary Pero Bandeira. Only 33 years old, Gaspar may yet cement his place as the greatest Portuguese general in history.
And he may have to, in order to hold the kingdom together.

The Portuguese infantry are a mix of elite professional knights and feudal light men-at-arms. They stand strong, determined to hold back the onrushing Norwegian axemen and huskarls.
In the meantime, Gaspar personally charges Snorri. As the two generals engage, dozens of Portuguese cavalry return and smash into Snorri’s bodyguards.

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Gaspar and the cavalry make short work of Snorri, who is killed by a lance from one of the charging knights.

The Norwegian infantry fight on, but the Portuguese cavalry circle and envelop them, sending most of them scattering. The result is a decisive Portuguese victory.

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Still, Gaspar’s work is far from done. After only two days’ rest, Gaspar gathers his army up and quickly marches toward Toulouse. Somehow, they arrive before the Norwegians can assault the castle.

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Gaspar’s army marches up, and Bras’ garrison sallies forth from the castle.

Gaspar again sends his knights forth against the enemy cavalry, hoping to leave the Norwegian infantry with no support.

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As the respective cavalries face off, Gaspar sends his remaining knights charging downhill against some of the attacking Norwegian foot knights.

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The Portuguese cavalry are again able to eliminate their Norwegian counterparts. However, the Portuguese infantry, weakened by two huge battles in only a few weeks, with a hundred-mile march in between, begin to waver.

At that moment, Bras’ hard-charging cavalry come flying forward, far ahead of the rest of his army, smashing into the side of the Norwegian lines, and the battle is all but over.

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Thanks to Gaspar’s heroic actions and Bras’ timely arrival, Toulouse is free. For now.

Only a few days later, Gaspar and Fernao’s younger brother Bento is attacked by Aragon after foolhardily placing his army too close to the walls of Beleb al Anab, and too far from Manuel da Cunha’s reinforcements.

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Outnumbered and taken by surprise, the King’s and Prince’s younger brother is in for the fight of his life.

Still inexperienced, Bento takes the only option available and sets his army up on a small rise, hoping to rain down arrows and boulders before sending his knights charging downhill. The catapults begin launching their projectiles, but the Aragonese are undaunted.

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As Aragonese jinettes and mounted crossbowmen move closer, the Portuguese archers let fly their arrows, and handgunners fire volley after volley.

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Devastated by the missiles and balls, the Aragonese make a desperate charge uphill. At that moment, Bento sends his infantry and cavalry straight downhill.

The battle is vicious. Hundreds are cut down on each side. Eventually, with momentum and morale on their side, the Portuguese begin to push the Aragonese back downhill.

At that moment, Bernardo Covarubias arrives with more than a hundred men. Just as he is about to join the battle, 40 Portuguese mounted crossbowmen spring their trap, charging out of the woods and firing hundreds of bolts in only a few minutes. Bernardo is struck in the spine. Paralyzed, he falls from his saddle and is trampled underfoot by his panicking knights.

It is the pivotal moment in the battle. Already exhausted, the Aragonese rout as they watch Bernardo fall.

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It is a huge victory for the young Bento. With Bernardo dead, the few survivors stream off into the desert to the east, hoping to find some manner of safety in the remaining Aragonese lands.

Beleb el Anab is taken, and sacked for good measure. The noose is beginning to close around Aragon.

However, dire news soon arrives: Fernao has again been excommunicated and the entire Kingdom of Portugal put under interdiction for continued aggression against the Pope’s masters, the Norwegians.

While the King is anxious about the ramifications both for his own soul and for those of his people, his brother Gaspar convinces him to carry on with both wars. Gaspar assures Fernao that he will be reconciled as soon as a Portuguese pope is elected.
Uncertain, Fernao nervously agrees.

After the meeting with his brother, Gaspar and his army begin moving toward Bordeaux, now under siege for more than 3 years. The garrison has swelled to a few hundred more, all of the healthy and capable men of age. But before Gaspar can arrive, the Norwegians start their assault, outnumbering the defenders more than 3 to 1.

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The Norwegians push toward the castle, moving up a ram, siege towers, and ladders. However, they did not account for the castle’s cannon towers, and the ram is almost immediately destroyed by a direct shot.

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Then, the top of a siege tower is cleaved off cleanly by another cannonball.

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But the Norwegians continue forward, massing beneath ladders propped against the walls near the gate.

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A second ram is brought forth, and this one survives a desperate onslaught by the cannoneers, allowing the Norwegians to bash down the gate.

Hundreds of Norwegian knights stream into the castle on horseback.

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With the walls lost, and unable to hold back the cavalry, the Portuguese defenders fall back to first one, and then the last ring of walls.

Alas, there is no sanctuary to be found in this doomed and cursed castle.

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A few dozen survivors surrender at the last moment, hoping for mercy from their enemies. Instead, they receive only a quick death after Bordeaux is taken.

Though neither Fernao nor Gaspar really believed Bordeaux was defensible, there was some hope after freeing Toulouse. Now, Bordeaux is lost, perhaps for good, and Gaspar and his weakened army are trapped and isolated in enemy territory.

[Scottish King]

Great update. Deciding to take on both countries at the same time is risky but with Aragon weakened it will an easier job. With the Portuguese losing Bordeaux is a loss from which it can recover however continued losses can be devastating. Can't wait for the next one.

[SavageFeat]

Ahhhh i finally got to the present after a couple of days of reading! good AAR BTW i really like it....

[TheBard]

Great update. Deciding to take on both countries at the same time is risky but with Aragon weakened it will an easier job. With the Portuguese losing Bordeaux is a loss from which it can recover however continued losses can be devastating. Can't wait for the next one.

Thanks, Scottish King. It is definitely a risk, but I am so tired of Aragon that I want them dead, even if it means losing to Norway. The biggest problem I have right now is that Norway is getting perilously close to achieving all of their victory conditions. They have been expanded eastward for quite a while and are almost at 50 regions. Once they achieve that, they only need to take the Scottish Highlands. I haven't seen them really do any naval invasions yet, but I'd rather not be relying on that keeping them from winning.

That's why I have to keep fighting Norway to keep them from getting to 50 if possible.

If I thought about it rationally, I'd sue for peace with Aragon and turn all my attention to Norway. But I just hate Aragon so much after hundreds of years of war, that I want them to be finished. We'll see if that emotional reaction ends up as a mistake.

Ahhhh i finally got to the present after a couple of days of reading! good AAR BTW i really like it....

Thanks, savage feat! I'm glad people still find this interesting. I just realized that I've been doing this since September! That's much longer than any campaign I've ever done before, or any AARs that I did with Rome. Things remain pretty interesting, so I'm going to keep going.

I need the family tree to expand again, or I'm going to run out of generals/governors.

[hull19]

Great update Bard! you play which version of SS? 6.3 with no other mods? If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to have your savegame file... and see if I can play against Norway

[TheBard]

Great update Bard! you play which version of SS? 6.3 with no other mods? If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to have your savegame file... and see if I can play against Norway

hull: I'll have to double check which submods are enabled. It's SS 6.3 with RR/RC, permanent watchtowers, and the heir crown. I think that's it, maybe. I'll double check and upload the file.

[Kabeloko]

damm! now u must rely to pamplona in order to get bourdeaux back, both ex-french fortress will be key to victory dont doubt that...
but its not a priority tough, if it was really exterminated, it will take time for it to produce units again...
nice update, good AAR friend, keep us updated...

[TheBard]

Chapter 45: The Story of Hermé

After the loss of Bordeaux, Gaspar must fight his way out of Norwegian territory. Caught on the western side of Bordeaux, the crown prince is forced to attack a determined Norwegian army under the command of Haflidhi of Copenhagen. Haflidhi’s skills are no match for Gaspar’s, but the Norwegian’s troops are superior, though outnumbered.

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Portuguese handgunners fire into the Norwegian lines, dropping dozens. Identifying the threat, Haflidhi and most of his cavalry charge recklessly into them.

Gaspar and his own cavalry take this chance to outflank the Norwegian general, charging into him and his guards.

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The Norwegian and Portuguese cavalry smash together, scores of men killed in the first few minutes. While the infantry lines face off against one another, Gaspar and Haflidhi fight for their lives.

Unlike their infantry, the Portuguese knights and mounted men-at-arms are superior in both number and quality to their Norwegian counterparts. Haflidhi soon finds himself surrounded by enemies.

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Bloodied and dazed, he eventually succumbs to the overwhelming crush of enemies. In that tumultuous fight, Gaspar personally kills another Norwegian general, Dan Stenger.

With the loss of two of their leaders, most of the Norwegians begin to flee. Gaspar sends his cavalry forward to run down the fleeing Norwegian handgunners.

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The battle quickly becomes a rout, as the Norwegians are beaten back from the shadows of Bordeaux, and a few dozen survivors flee into the surrounding forests.

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Three weeks later, the King and a large army bolstered with mercenaries find a medium-sized Norwegian army lurking northeast of Toulouse. With confidence from his superior numbers, Fernao sends his troops forward.

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The Norwegians march steadily forward, their polished armor glinting in the mid-winter sunlight.

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King Fernao begins to shake visibly. Suddenly, he turns his horse around to flee. Seeing his king start to run away, Fernao’s aide de campe, Hermé, charges his horse after him.

Hermé, a Frenchman from north of Bordeaux, has served King Fernao ever since his coronation in 1322. Hermé, now in his 50s, had once served in the English army, before they had been pushed out of the ancient French lands by the Norwegians. As a landed man-at-arms, Hermé had fought with Alexandré and Talio, sons of the late Pero Bandeira’s once second-in-command, Casono. Though Alexandré and Talio lived under the shade of their father’s treachery, they fought well and honorably.

Hermé never learned how exactly the two young men made it out of Portugal into English territory. Hermé and Talio each moved up the English ranks until the English were forced completely out of the mainland. Talio went with their king back to England to fight against the Scots. Alexandré disappeared after one of the most vicious battles against Norway and was presumed dead or deserted.

Hermé became a captain of the guard, and was eventually knighted in Bruges, just as the English were about to be pushed back over the sea. Uninterested in going to England, Hermé and a small band of mercenaries performed raids on some of the smaller Norwegian armies until eventually joining up with Sancho in 1318. When Fernao was crowned, Hermé and his men went with the new king, and Hermé eventually became Fernao’s aide-de-camp.

Hermé’s duties often involve steeling his king’s anxious nerves. But this is the first time Fernao has ever actually fled ahead of a battle. Catching up to him, Hermé urges Fernao to return to his position in the middle of the army. Eyes wide, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes, Fernao is nearly manic. Still, Hermé manages to calm him enough to return, even if it is with Hermé holding his king’s reins.

Disconcerted at the actions of their king, the Portuguese infantry slowly move forward. Portuguese knights hold them together as they crash into the Norwegian axemen.

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Jinettes pepper the enemy cavalry with javelins, thinning their ranks. The Norwegian cavalry charge into the midst of the lines, but the Portuguese cavalry counter and easily destroy the weaker Norwegians.

With King Fernao frozen atop his horse the entire time, the Portuguese rout and destroy their enemies.

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It is only the most recent instance of Fernao’s fear getting the better of him. Hermé knows that he will need to do something soon or the people will lose confidence in their king.

Gaspar, on the other hand, continues to take on every military challenge, to the point of sheer recklessness. Still deep in Norwegian territory, Gaspar’s army is attacked by a huge enemy army. Rather than retreating for a more favorable situation, Gaspar eagerly defends.

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Hundreds of Norwegian urban spear militia and dozens of Norwegian knights bear down upon Gaspar’s army.

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As the lines near, Portuguese handgunners fire directly into the dozens of axemen nearing them.

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Dozens, if not hundreds, of axemen are dropped by the small metal balls. They fly through bone and flesh, demoralizing the front-line Norwegians.

The Portuguese knights hold the right and left flanks, turning away the Norwegian cavalry. Then, Gaspar and his bodyguards charge into the middle of the infantry, scattering the Norwegian axeman and huskarls.

Gaspar’s charge breaks the enemy, and the Norwegians flee.

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Gaspar’s army is cut in half, and they are still trapped in enemy territory. Still, it is a crushing defeat for a Norwegian kingdom that desperately wants to push the Portuguese back past the Pyrenees.

Rute and Marcos de Alvares have a son named Fernando in 1337. Less than a year later, the late Sancho’s daughter Carla marries Bras de Matos, her cousin’s son. Despite being so closely related, the marriage of Carla and Bras is one of both convenience and necessity. Unmarried at the age of 27, the snobbish Carla has had trouble finding a suitable and willing husband. The 34-year-old Bras has been trapped in Toulouse for years, and has devoted his entire life to the military.

The union is arranged by Fernao, and neither Carla nor Bras are happy with it. Carla, illegitimate daughter of a temporary king, is somehow certain that she deserves better. Bras, meanwhile, is unhappy being saddled with the unattractive princess.

Hermé convinces King Fernao to take up the defense of Toulouse. Happy to get away from his new wife, Bras takes the king’s army and heads west toward Bordeaux. Gaspar, meanwhile, takes most of the garrison from Toulouse and heads east to deal with oncoming Norwegian armies.

Soon after, Pero Bandeira’s granddaughter, Luisa, marries a middling baron, Bernardo Dias. With Fernao’s recent actions on the battlefield, the contingent of nobles hoping for a rival has increased; many see Pero’s line as the one that will produce a more effective male heir. That contingent will remain quiet as long as Gaspar lives, though.

Having consummated their marriage before Bras left Toulouse, Carla has a daughter named Raquel shortly after.

Far to the south, in Africa, Bento and Manuel attack the Aragonese prince, Froilan, and a small reinforcing army near Tunis.

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Bento’s catapults fire flaming balls of pitch over the Portuguese lines, directly into the Aragonese.

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As the balls of pitch fly over them, Portuguese handgunners fire directly into the Aragonese jinettes.

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Bento and his guards seek out Prince Froilan, facing off against him behind the Portuguese lines.

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Bento’s cavalry are more experienced and better armored than their Aragonese counterparts, and Prince Froilan is quickly overwhelmed and killed.

At that moment, Manuel’s army arrives, and the Aragonese reinforcements are crushed. It is a huge Portuguese victory.

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Almost immediately after the battle, Manuel and Bento besiege the weakened Aragonese city of Tunis.

Pamplona and Toulouse, meanwhile, are soon under assault by the Norwegians. It falls upon Luisa’s father Goncalo Nascimento and an aging Filipe de Paiva to try to clear the enemies from near Pamplona.

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Goncalo takes the lead, attacking the first Norwegian army. Even though Goncalo’s infantry are elite, it is an incredibly difficult fight.

Nonetheless, he destroys the first army and manages to hold the second one just long enough for Filipe to come up. Filipe and Goncalo ride together, smashing the second army.

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It is a difficult, but inspiring victory. Pamplona is free and Bordeaux is relatively undefended. With the successes in Africa, there might soon be a chance to push back against the Norwegian masses.

Gaspar, angry about the Norwegian moves toward Pamplona, races westward to attack a large army under Olaf Milling.

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Hundreds of Portuguese handgunners fire upon the Norwegians.

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Gaspar uses his knights and his personal guards to smash the Norwegian cavalry. Then, they turn inward, rolling up the Norwegian lines.

The result is a huge Portuguese victory, though Olaf Milling’s fate is unknown.

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Gaspar’s army is nearly destroyed in the process. With few troops in Toulouse, Gaspar takes most of Bras’ army and heads east to deal with the continuing stream of Norwegian armies. It will be a further test of Gaspar’s skills to hold off the enemy hordes while the Portuguese military is still split between Africa and Europe. The successes of the last few years have put the Norwegians back on their heels, giving hope that Portugal will strike back at Norway’s interior French territories.

[Scottish King]

Good to hear the Portugal has had some success against the Norwegians. Some king Fernao is! Running before the battle even starts! I hope Gaspar survives to take the throne when his brother dies of fright.

[hull19]

Very ncie new chapter.

Fight hard mate, go get 'em!

[Thokran]

Talk about a slug fest! You and Norway have been duking it out for Southern France for quite some time now, almost to a dead stalemate! At least Aragon seems to be on its last legs so you can redirect your focus from Africa onto Italy or other parts of Norwegian Europa. Best of luck in the ongoing war, and I hope your King and/or Prince have an heir so that the Brito Dynasty lives on!

[TheBard]

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

Scottish King: Fernao is not much of a fighter, that's for sure! He has the "un-manly" trait, which has been my excuse to roleplay him a little differently than previous kings. It's been a while since we've had anything other than a conquering hero king, so I hope this adds some intrigue.

hull19 and Thokran: This war against Norway is really hard, with lots of back and forth. I appreciate that they are actually holding their own through a combination of good strategy and superior units, rather than simply spamming me with tons of armies.

I'm hoping to maybe get another chapter up this weekend.

The next chapter will include a key victory, a key defeat, and a hero's return.