Beyond the Dark -RPG HS (SS 6.4)-Sicily and Castille player needed

[Dux]

Hmm, they start a war with their most powerful neighbouring faction while they are being beaten in Italy. Well then, I guess that seals their fate.

Did the Sicily player asked you to do this? He must have a death wish.

[jado818]

The Egyptian Empire prospers in peace and trade however the Caliph is mindful of those who wish to destroy the tranquility of our serene existence. The garrison of Jerusalem has been steadily growing and is now larger than any army in the region. The Egyptian Navy is unmatched and patrols the waters for pirates making merchant ships feel safe and allowing exotic wares to flow into Italy and beyond.

The Caliph has no desire for bloodshed and would urge any kings with bloodshed on their minds to open up their hearts and try some of our exotic specialities.


Scotland is up!!

[StOuFf]

played my turn, despite that i have a termpaper to finish until tomorrow, only because invicta urged me to do it.
and it took me long ......

no time for RP ;-)
war declared on france! because of british claim on northern french territories. something among the lines of that.

[Bcman]

France up

[Peanut2bigforyou]

Scottish general killed, prisoners released.
Crusade called.
BIG things are going to happen.

Pictures. (Egypt-Do you really think that will be enough to stop my armies from achieving their most holy and just cause?)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

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HRE up.

[Makrell]

will be gone till monday. Sub or wait. if the grand patriarch of constantinopel can sub i would be delighted

[jemdkyl]

Byzantine.

[invicta]

Isparta, Bari ,Sinop and Iconium fell this turn.
Through the intermediation of the Venice Republic,peace should be now signed between Sicily and the ERE: Venice will guarantee the peace .
Peace has been offered to the Turks: we suggest you to accept it, otherwise you'll just favor the Fatmids!
Wee need to stop such bloodshed while having such powerful neighbor ready to take advantage of our fight and take the both of us down!
Regardless of whether you accept or not ,my offer, if I see your armies getting closer to my lands (even if in your regions) they'll be annihilated without any further explanation.
You have been warned..

To the Fatmids: your messages of public hostility towards us, and the threats you sent to us in private, despite the NAP you just isgned with us 2 years ago, make really wondering about your honor, if you have some left.
We urge you to make it clear once and for all, whether you'll respect the NAP, which had no other condition than being at peace. You cannot impose new conditions like you tried to do.
And we ask a refund for the merchant who disappeared and the other one who was removed from your trade resource: we agreed to trade rights and once more you're breaking another deal.

SS and a better story will come later.

@Makrell: I'll sub you, don't worry.

[Dux]

Architect Calisto is up.



The board is set, the pieces are moving. Dawn will break the world of Darkness.

[pesto alla genovese]

I think the Sultan abuses Shisha too often.

[Tonno]

...

[Vipman]

EVERYONE TAKE NOTE

Please remember it's ONLY allowed to destroy inns and guilds and ONLY if settlement is not under siege. I'll not hesitate in giving fines if this persists.

Who suspects someone destroyed a building that wasn't allowed has to send me pm about it.

[invicta]

Pro bono pacis

Outside the castle of Bari, in the tent's of the Basileus
a messenger is awaiting to be received by the Emperor

Basileus Invicta:What the message says?
Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos: Good news actually, my lord! The General laskaris managed to take under his control the Anatolia. Fortress of Isparta and city of Sinop fell easily, and the garrison in Iconium flew away at the sight of our men.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Though it seems this is only a strateguc retreat. General Laskaris, fears the Turks are preparing a huge counter-offensive from Adana

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[IMG]

http://i1163.photobucket.com/albums/q550/byebytoad/0007_zpsafcc2332.jpeg[/IMG]

General Laskaris, thinks though that there could be good chances to push back such counter-offensive, but it'll be hard to advance without any further substantial reinforcement, which will require some years.. Moreover it seems that there might be huge complications..
Basileus Invicta:: well, lets not think about complications for one day,are the rams ready to take the castle?
Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos: everything is ready, as you commanded, my lord, but...
Basileus Invicta: but what..?Even today ,right when the glory is waiting for us outside ,would I need to hear your pessimism?
Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos: but my lord, we just received a bad new from the Moorish front..
Basileus Invicta: what news?
Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos: The Caliph is dead, and a the new Caliph Dux delayed the plan we had to mourn his father. This inconvenient allowed the Normans to regroup take Genoa and inflict a defeat to the Moorish forces. We need to carefully considering our situation..what seemed an easy war, it could now get prolonged. And we need to consider the other variables on the table:
'King of Spain didn't make yet his move, neither against France or the Moors. There's no doubt that if he would intervene on Sicily's side, this could truly complicate our situation. And we can't be sure Venice will keep itself indefinitely neutral, and we need to keep in mind they still have armies in our lands. We can't risk any of that, not while the Fatmid's menace becomes more and more real..
Basileus Invicta: what news do you have on that front?
Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos: The Caliph made quite a few hostile declarations against us. I believe this is a clear sign of an incoming war..he also threatened us more than once to break war, despite the NAP we just signed..
And last but not least, our merchants are misteriously disappearing in their lands. Basileus, we must assume the worst at this stage..we must prepare our defenses, because if our fears are true it'll be a though battle against both the Turks and the Fatmids.
Basileus Invicta: I see. This is a war, we can't win on the battlefield. We must win it on the diplomacy's tabe. You need to reach Venice as fast as you can, and use their intermediation to reach a peace agreement that could possibly satisfy all the parties. In the meanwhile I'll capture the Bari and waiting you here your answer.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Few weeks later...
Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos:my lord, good news. Thanks to the intermediation of the Venetian Doge, we might have reached an agreement. Though they had one last request..
Basileus Invicta: I see..
Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos:what reply do you want me to send him?
Basileus Invicta:Tell them I'll do my best to satisfy it, but it won't be easy.
[B]Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos:[/Banything else you wish to be done?
Basileus Invicta:Send this letter of apologies to the Moorish Caplih with the maximum urgency.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Noble Caliph,

we must regretfully withdraw from the war with Sicily and make instead peace. Political enviroment is quickly evolving, and major concerns are arising on our eastern front. This war with Sicily was supposed to be quick and painless. Unfortunately the death of the old Caliph, delayed our plans, and gave Sicily the time necessary to regain strength. The attack on Genoa, filled their coffins and new armies are being recruited. We expeted to end the war within 2 years.
But now, with the recent events there's no end in sight. And if the kingdom of Castille decide to join the war (he's been inactive until now, but there's no way to predict what his king is planning), it will become even more difficult to predict the end of the war. Moreover if the war prolong, the Republic of Venice might decide to intervene, has it's been pressured by Sicily on this (we wouldn't had run such risk with a quick war). Wars are extremely expensive, and now that our eastern front is enlarging, and Fatmids might join, we cannot afford anymore to keep 2 fronts open. Too many risk involved, we need to focus on our biggest threat.
There are many signs indicating us that, despite our NAP signed with the Fatmid's Caliph, he won't keep his word and attack us at first chance. Also their public declarations are hinting to that:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...5#post12547765
Our merchants have been acquired/killed/kicked from their lands without any further explanation.
We have no doubt you can win the war against Sicily, even is Castille joins the war. Our problem is not if, but when. We cannot afford to indulge any more.
The Emperor is saddened we had to abandon the battlefield, but we have no other choice if we want survive.

Signed and sealed
Basileus Invicta

It's shameful for us to withdraw from the war , but we have not choice left and I hope the Caliph will understand.
Send one of our diplomats to the Turkish Sultan: lets hope that stubborn man realize that heeds peace as mauch as we do.
This war would only benefit the fatmids, and thus we need to stop it.
In the meanwhile, tell Laskaris to keep going the military operations: we need to act assuming the worst outcome and prepare all the necessary defenses.
Mesazon Nikephoros Choumnos:So are we at war with the Fatmids?
Basileus Invicta: : not yet.. lets send a diplomat to request an explanation from the Caliph itself. I don't trust him and he doesn't seem a man who can keep his word. Lets ask a refund of 5k for the interrupted trade and the disappeared merchants. Based on his reply, we will know what to do.



PS: the settlements taken were already under siege last turn, in case anyone was wondering. Odds were clearly in my favor (like 9:2 or better) so I didn't post the ss of the odds

[jado818]

Leave it to the Byzantine's to break all their NAP's ;p

[jemdkyl]

Oh snap!

How frequently will map updates be released?

[invicta]

At the start of turn 7 I'll post the map as at the end of turn 5

[invicta]

Guys everyone stop playing: we might have a major breach in the rules
France's player told me he joined the crusade with 5 armies.
If this is tru we might have to ask France to repeat his turn.
Everyone should read the rules. It's not acceptable people are playing the game without having read them.
Moreover there's never been a HS in this forum that allowed to join with more than 2 armies!

Only 1 army is allowed per faction. And the army is to be intended to capture the enemy target!
The crusade/jihad army can attack armies/fort of the target faction or its allies armies, onlt if they represent a real danger for the crusade/jihad army itself (which means enemies armies that could attack the crusade/jihad army when their turn comes).
And in no case such armies can be used to take any other settlement that the target.
Obviously it'll be to the admin to judge case by case, and I think the admin won't be strict.
But obviously, just to make an example: france can't use a crusade army to attack Scotland or HRE armies, or take a tour in Britain with it.
Cannot capture settlements, and cannot use the crusade army as a reinforcement to take settlements or attack armies that have nothing to do with the crusade.
Be reasonable.

[pesto alla genovese]

WTF?! Is it THAT hard to read the freaking rules???

[invicta]

It was confirmed by Giumbix France joined the Crusade with at least 4 armies.

Turn of France replayed following Giumbix instructions : France has been fined with 7500
Scottish general new Caen has been defeated and retreated into a ship. So Stouff should remember to not move it (it was only a general unit against the army in caen, so I didn't take the ss)

[Matto16]

Why replaying all those turns? We could simply wait for France next turn when admin could disband all his Crusade armies except one. Also France can be fined then.

Its not right for other players to replay their turns only because one player breach the rules. I dont agree with that.