[M2TW AAR] The Serpent of Milan
...The Biscione (grass snake), symbol of Visconti family (first Duke of Milan) comes from Longobard (longbeards) totem: the blue drake meaning power, loyalty, surveillance and the man in its jaws represents Visconti’s enemies that the snake is always ready to destroy.
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The Duchy of Milan ( a M2TW Campaign)
Campaign Parameters: Short, eliminate Venice and the Holy Roman Empire.
& hold 15 regions. Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Starting Regions: Milan and Genoa
1080 AD. The Duchy of Milan
Milan is located in the north of Italy at the foothills of the mighty Alps.
To the north through the treacherous mountain passes lies the Castle of Bern and the Dukedoms of the Holy Roman Empire, to the south the Islands of Ajaccio and Cagliari, to the east lies Bologna city of the Holy Roman Empire and farther east lies the great city of canals Venice, to the west there is the port city of Marseilles belonging to the French.
..the following is from the chronicles of Christo Caffola, Scholar of the Church of Rome in service of Duke Giorgio ruler of Milan...1080 AD.
The Rossi Family
The major players
Milan is ruled by the Rossi Family, Duke Giorgio is the patriarch of the family and the ruler of Milan which encompasses the cities of Milan (the capital) and Genoa.
The Duke's son and heir is Count Bernardo
The Count is a 1st class commander his gifts in matters of battles are truly of Divine origin. The count is the supreme commander of all military forces.
The Duke's other Son is General Cristoforo Rossi
Cristoforo is charged with home defense and building roads and farms.
While not the equal of his older brother in battle he performs well in his given role.
The Dukes Agents
Information is power, no where is this more true than northern Italy, court intrigue is woven into the very fabric of the rulers in Italy and falling behind is a certain path to ruin.
The Duke pays his agents well and invests great sums of money in the development of top notch agents.
In Northern Italy Treachery is rampant, and the Duke has a keen interest (unofficial of course) in matters of espionage, he is served in this area by Chimenti Bossi the Dukes head of security.
Equally important to matters of the shadows the Dukes diplomatic envoys are the Face of Milan.
Frolio Carcano is the Head diplomat of the Duke.
...The Chronicles of the Duchy of Milan 1080 AD. to 1090 AD.
The last 10 years have been a time of growth for Milan, Alliances have been forged with the Holy Roman Empire, Venice and most importantly His Holiness Pope Gregory who sits on the throne of St. Peter in Rome.
In a Mandate from the Duke A plan of economic and military growth is embarked on in the winter of 1080 AD.
A network of roads is constructed linking Milan with Genoa and the web of trade routes connecting Milan with the rest of the Known world.
Our Navy is expanded in the pursuit of dominance over the Mediterranean sea and the destruction of the pirates who consistently disrupt trade.
Border watch posts are constructed on all four directions of the cross, the serpent diligently watches its neighbors.
Farming and trade are prospering through out the Duchy, the Lord is surely guiding the Duke to glory.
Our spies keep an ever watchful eye on the crows of the Reich who covet our lands with devilish envy. Inquisitors hunt for heresy in the imperial lands, surely the Holy Father knows the Reich's depths of deceit.
Trade has been established with the Normans in Sicily and their empire under the sun.
Count Bernardo has been sent by his Father the Duke under council of the nobles to capture the island settlement of Ajaccio to the south. These rebels and pirates will soon feel the fangs of the serpent as our coils squeeze tightly around them. My St. George bless and keep our troops!
..from the chronicles of Christo Caffola, Scholar of the Church of Rome, humble servant to Duke Giorgio ruler of Milan...1090 AD.
The Capture of Ajaccio
Order of Battle:
Count Bernardo and his Bodyguards
2 units of Italian spear Militia
2 units of Mercenary French Spear-man
2 units of Mercenary X-bowmen
1 unit of mailed Knights
1 unit of peasant archers
2 Battering Rams
Rebel Forces:
3 units of peasants
2 units of peasant archers
2 units of armored sergeants
..The wooden castle at Ajaccio was lightly defended..the count ordered his battering ram forward to smash the gate. Once the gate was demolished, the Count's Mercenary x-bow men marched forward and began to reign bolts of death on the defending rebels. The Screams of agony from inside the walls did not rattle the veteran Mercenaries although some of the militia units were noticeably disturbed..
After a sustained shower of bolts from the x-bows the merc spearman were ordered forward to storm the gate and cut the wavering defenders down.
There was confusion in the Counts orders and the green militia spearman charged forward ahead of the merc spearman to engage the ranks of the enemy..The spear militia learned a painful lesson given by the cruel tutor of battle and one unit lost half of its original numbers to clumsy tactics, as the militia units fell back the merc. spearman moved up and held the line.
The Mercenaries hold the line
The Count orders the somewhat shaken spear militia to move around the left and take a street around to the enemies flank the other unit of merc. spears takes the right road and the mailed knights follow. The front being held by the merc. spears is not moving as the rebel commander has reinforced his ranks. From behind the enemies front archers are reigning down flaming arrows on top of our troops and burning just as many of theirs. What a waste....
The flanks of enemy archers are charged almost simultaneous by the spear units immediately sending the archers into a panic, just then the calvary races down the side street and slams into the rebel sergeants from the rear..This battle is over!
Of the 548 men deployed by the Count 190 will never see the shores of Italy nor their families again...May God keep them in peace!
For the rebel Survivors who refuse to bow to the Duke of Milan the gallows shall embrace their stubborn necks!
The castle was garrisoned with a unit of spear militia and one unit of peasant archers, the dead were buried in a new cemetery built by the new citizens of the Duchy of Milan.
The Count took the remnants of his army and sailed for Genoa, to refit and rest his troops.
The Duchy of Milan 1090-1100 AD.
..in the last ten years the small city-state of Milan has grown to encompass the island of Ajaccio and the province of Florence.
The Dukes youngest son Puccio has begun his tutelage with his brother Count Bernardo and is showing promise as a great commander.
The Dukes charming daughter Flora has absorbed her lessons in the art of diplomacy and on her first mission she has secured an alliance with the King of France.
The Dukes War Council has decided that Florence would make an excellent addition to our growing Duchy and Count Bernardo has begun preparations for the capture of Florence, his brother Puccio will accompany the army as second in command. The Dukes spies have assured him that the city is poorly defended but warns that the defenders will not lay down at our approach and will surely refuse submission.
The Capture of Florence
...Count Bernardo and his brother Puccio have traveled many months to reach the gates of Florence. The Ships are unloaded and the army of the Count marches towards their target.
Order of Battle
The Counts army
Count Bernardo and his bodyguards
Puccio Rossi and his bodyguard
3 units of Genoese crossbowmen militia
1 unit of peasant archers
2 units of veteran Italian spear militia
2 units of veteran Mercenary spearmen
1 unit of mailed knights
The Defenders of Florence
1 unit of armored Sargent's
3 units of peasant crossbowmen
3 units of spear militia
3 units of peasants
...The battering ram is ordered to smash the wall, as the sinister sound of crossbow bolts reign death down upon the defenders huddled behind their wooden wall.
Rain has started to fall and the wind in picking up from the east. The ram becomes harder to push as the men make their way across the slightly muddy ground to the gates.
As the ram splinters the gate in vicious percussion, the armies priest leads the men in a prayer for victory.
..when the gate is finally broken..the count orders his veteran spears through the breach. The men howl like wolves as they fall upon the first rank of shaken defenders, savagely butchering them.
...as the ranks of defenders are pushed from the gate the crossbowmen draw there swords and enter the fray.
...under such brutal attack the commander of the defenders rushes into the battle in a desperate attempt to rally his men and is cut down by a bolt that pierces his heart. The defenders quickly surrender upon seeing their fallen leader bleeding in the rain soaked streets..may God forgive us for shedding Christan blood.
...Florence is now under control of the Duke. The town is sacked and its inhabitants are given an ultimatum...swear allegiance to the Duke or join their commander in the ground! For the love of mercy the citizens agree and begin to clean the city of corpses and repair the damaged gates.
..The victorious Count and his brother take the remainder of the army (after leaving behind a small garrison) and head back to the ships and sail to Genoa, to bring news to their father in Milan.
A Dark Day!
..the people of Milan mourn..the Duke has died.
..Count Bernardo is grief stricken upon hearing the news when he lands in Genoa. Now he is Duke of Milan. He takes his army to Milan to rest and refit and to mourn. ...all hail Duke Bernardo ruler of Milan!
.. ..from the chronicles of Christo Caffola, Scholar of the Church of Rome, humble servant to Duke Giorgio ruler of Milan...
The Rule of Duke Bernardo
..Duke Bernardo has inherited the Duchy from his deceased father Giorgio.
He spent many months in Milan meeting with council members, spending time with his mother and other grieving family members at the Rossi family estate in the Milanese countryside.
..Duke Bernardo has learned as much as he could about the dealings of The Duchy and the seemingly irrational squabbles of the Burghers of Milan.
It seems the merchants hate each other more than they hate the enemies of the Duke. Perhaps a war against a common enemy would unify the citizens in a solid front.
..The Dukes nephew Augostino has joined the army of the Duke to begin his military career. Vicco Cremasano, husband of the Dukes niece has also joined Duke Bernardos grand army as a political favor to the Cremasano family of Milan. Duke Bernardo is uneasy about having to rely on someone untested in his army..but only the heat of fire in combat will expose the incompetent.
The Coin Wars (war with the fat merchants of Venice)
..As the Duke consolidated his power over the Duchy, the treacherous Canal Rats of Venice have broken their alliance with the the Duchy, perhaps the death of the Late Duke as given them reason for this vile act. These disgusting bankers will feel the serpents wrath soon enough.
...As Duke Bernardos army captured and executed rebel brigands near the Alps, an army of Venice led by General Antonio Selvo marched to the walls of Milan and set camp. This audacious cur sent an envoy calling for the surrender of the city or payment of gold to leave....typical bankers!
..riders were dispatched west to inform the Duke. Upon hearing the news Bernardo drove the army at a superhuman pace in a march to intercept the Venetians.
Battle in the Po valley
..spies report enemies strength to the Duke.
..the Venetians upon learning of the Dukes arrival on the field of battle turn to flee but are caught near the river Po.
..Prepare to engage the enemies of the Duke! Death to the vermin of Venice.
The Duke and his forces take the field..
...as the army of Venice takes the field., the Dukes men form battle lines, genoese x-bowmen form the front ranks, spears from the second line the standard of Milan takes the center in the rear with the duke to the right, the Frankish Knights are ordered to head through the woods to the left flank and work their way to the enemy rear. The Duke has ordered the Frank's commander that he will charge the rear of the enemy when the bell of the standard is rung three times.
..as the Venetian troops form up, the duke orders the superb Genoese x-bows to open fire on the enemy archers and pavise x-bow men who have moved up to find their range. The x-bow bolts inflict heavy losses after only 3 volleys.
..the enemy is doomed under the severe fire from our x-bowmen and enemy archers lay dying on the PO river plain. The enemy General Antonio Selvo orders his catapults into range as his horse rears up nearly throwing him as one of his house bodyguard knights are cut down only a horse length in front of him. Antonio grits his teeth and orders his spearmen forward into the murdering fire of our x-bows.
Antonio is nearly thrown from his mount.
..the catapults fire flaming pots, but are guided by the lords hands to fly well behind our lines. As the catapult crews are loading another pot the Frankish Knights hear the Bells and charge into the catapults and ballistae butchering the crews in short order, just as soon as they appear the Franks vanish into the trees before the Venetians can respond...
The Franks destroy the enemy artillery
...panic is spreading in the enemy ranks as news spreads that our calvary have destroyed their artillery.
...The enemy spears having suffered great casualties form our x-bows have reached our line..the Duke orders the spears to engage..just as the spears collide the bell sounds and the Franks hit them in the rear causing an instant rout..
The Enemy retreats
..the Franks having obliterated the enemy spears now attack the Venetian x-bows almost killing them to a single man..
The enemy x-bows are broken
..as the enemy starts to break and run the vile general Selvo is cut down by the soldiers of Milan..the battle of Po river is over..The Duke is victorious, again, St. George be praised!
General Selvo falls!
...after the battle the dead are identified by family members removed from the field and buried.
..the Duke rides to Milan to refit his troops and discuss options with his war council..
..the Holy Father has called for Christans to take up the cross against the heathens of the Egyptian sultan who has captured Jerusalem and barred Christan Pilgrims from entering the city.
...after a 2 week meeting of the war council it has been decided that Venice will be punished for their betrayal by capturing the great city of Venice crippling their economy and adding another Jewel to our Duchy's crown.
...On the matter of the Crusade to the Holy Lands is has been agreed that the Dukes son Catelano and the Dukes brother in Law Pietro Caetani shall lead the troops on this most holy expedtion..the lord is truly with us, church bells are ringing throughout our lands in celebration, thousands of peasants are joining the ranks some are heading to the Holy lands on their own accord.
..this crusade is ripe with potential in profit for the Duchy and serving to unify the citizens of Milan, time to pick the fruit.....
..from the annals of Christo Caffola, scholar from the Church of Rome, adjunct to the Duke of Milan.
I will continue part 2 of this campaign story as a new topic. Thanks to everyone who took the time to read, Cheers!
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Originally Posted by Shaun
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