I think Bismarck is fairly experienced...you might want to drop him a line to get some advice.
And so the great invasion begins...
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And so the great invasion begins...
Originally posted by Carolus Rex
I see ur whooping Burgundy who is whooping France.
Burgundy starts off with control over Paris and Picardie to simulate the state of the Hundred Year War in 1419.
But yeah, Burgundy is whooping ass. But will they kick mine? That's the question...
Hamil, great stuff!!..But, I always knew you would come up with something like this..
Well done. Well told. I like the way you break it down into historical segments, complete with graphics and correspondence. Nice touch.
7. Early Renaissance - The Battle of Antwerp
5-7th December 1419
The Battle of Antwerp is remarkable in two ways. Firstly, it heralded the dawn of a new era in warfare, and secondly, it ended…
On the eve of the 4th of December, the commander of the Dutch forces besieging Antwerp, General Khalid al-Rashid, received scout reports from the south that the long anticipated army of Jean sans Peur of Burgundy was marching north in order to either force him to abandon the siege of Antwerpen or leave him free hand to move nearly 15.000 men into the heart of Holland.
Against his express orders, al-Khalid ordered his troops to abandon Antwerpen and move north as well. However, he decided to move straight north instead of trying to intercept Jean, who tried to keep as far east as he could to maintain as many strategic options as possible.
--Kriege die die Welt änderten, Band 2
Heinrich Hunzinger
Fischer Verlag, Deutschland
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The TV Screen
Voice of Charlton Heston: “… but the heavily encamped siege force couldn’t keep pace with the faster cavalry, which soon reached the small town of Dordrecht. Dordrecht guarded the only heavy bridge spanning the rivers Maas and Waal that had forced the Burgundians to move far to the east and the Dutch cavalry set about preparing the crossing of the nearly 17.000 men of al-Khalid’s forcees….
Part of the TV Screen
Cheese and Wooden Shoes: A History of the Dutch
The History Channel
U.S.A
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Near the River Waal, County oif Holland
Early afternoon, 5th December 1419
Pierre was excited. All that standing in Paris had paid off and on a whim, the Duke had promoted him to the rank of captain in the light cavalry. And only a few months later, he would see action! Real war! This is what he had dreamed about ever since the Duke’s soldiers had come to his village and scooped up any man who could stand without aid.
“Alright men, these are our orders. We move straight north to find suitable crossings over the Waal and Maas.”
“Aye, Sieur.”
“Be careful, lads, this is enemy territory”
And so Pierre and his men started riding north towards the river Waal. But as midday approached, a number of nasty dark clouds started approaching from the east and the first drops of rain fell.
By the afternoon, the roads were unusable and Pierre’s men were forced to dismount their horses and hope for the rain to pass and the roads to dry.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“… The heavy rainfall forced the Burgundian army to slow down, and by mid afternoon, they had completely stopped just in sight of the river Waal. Duke Jean decided that further advance was impossible and set up a camp for the night in the hope that the next day would bring better weather and passable roads. Also, the lack of bridges forcecd Jean to move further and further west in order to find a sutiable passage over the river.
Part of the TV Screen
Meanwhile, the Dutch were crossing the Waal and moving on between the Waal and Maas, for al-Khalid suspected that, if be moved fast enough, the rain would slow down the Burgundians enough to force them to engage him now rather than near Utrecht or even Amsterdam…"
Cheese and Wooden Shoes: A History of the Dutch
The History Channel
U.S.A
5-7th December 1419
The Battle of Antwerp is remarkable in two ways. Firstly, it heralded the dawn of a new era in warfare, and secondly, it ended…
On the eve of the 4th of December, the commander of the Dutch forces besieging Antwerp, General Khalid al-Rashid, received scout reports from the south that the long anticipated army of Jean sans Peur of Burgundy was marching north in order to either force him to abandon the siege of Antwerpen or leave him free hand to move nearly 15.000 men into the heart of Holland.
Against his express orders, al-Khalid ordered his troops to abandon Antwerpen and move north as well. However, he decided to move straight north instead of trying to intercept Jean, who tried to keep as far east as he could to maintain as many strategic options as possible.
--Kriege die die Welt änderten, Band 2
Heinrich Hunzinger
Fischer Verlag, Deutschland
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The TV Screen
Voice of Charlton Heston: “… but the heavily encamped siege force couldn’t keep pace with the faster cavalry, which soon reached the small town of Dordrecht. Dordrecht guarded the only heavy bridge spanning the rivers Maas and Waal that had forced the Burgundians to move far to the east and the Dutch cavalry set about preparing the crossing of the nearly 17.000 men of al-Khalid’s forcees….
Part of the TV Screen
Cheese and Wooden Shoes: A History of the Dutch
The History Channel
U.S.A
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Near the River Waal, County oif Holland
Early afternoon, 5th December 1419
Pierre was excited. All that standing in Paris had paid off and on a whim, the Duke had promoted him to the rank of captain in the light cavalry. And only a few months later, he would see action! Real war! This is what he had dreamed about ever since the Duke’s soldiers had come to his village and scooped up any man who could stand without aid.
“Alright men, these are our orders. We move straight north to find suitable crossings over the Waal and Maas.”
“Aye, Sieur.”
“Be careful, lads, this is enemy territory”
And so Pierre and his men started riding north towards the river Waal. But as midday approached, a number of nasty dark clouds started approaching from the east and the first drops of rain fell.
By the afternoon, the roads were unusable and Pierre’s men were forced to dismount their horses and hope for the rain to pass and the roads to dry.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“… The heavy rainfall forced the Burgundian army to slow down, and by mid afternoon, they had completely stopped just in sight of the river Waal. Duke Jean decided that further advance was impossible and set up a camp for the night in the hope that the next day would bring better weather and passable roads. Also, the lack of bridges forcecd Jean to move further and further west in order to find a sutiable passage over the river.
Part of the TV Screen
Meanwhile, the Dutch were crossing the Waal and moving on between the Waal and Maas, for al-Khalid suspected that, if be moved fast enough, the rain would slow down the Burgundians enough to force them to engage him now rather than near Utrecht or even Amsterdam…"
Cheese and Wooden Shoes: A History of the Dutch
The History Channel
U.S.A
Last edited:
Very good Hamilcar! With so many good AARs out there right now I 've managed to miss this gem. I'll try to keep up with your exploits.
Joe
Joe
Excerpts from a letter by Giovanni Vittorio di Lorenzi, an Italian merchant, to a friend
5th December 1419, Utrecht, County of Holland
…perhaps, dear friend, you will be disturbed to hear of the news from Holland, as the audacious Duke of Burgundy has assaulted the Dutch under the pretense of the countess’ refusal to abdicate virtually all her powers.
…
I am sound and safe here in Utrecht, though there is talk on the street that the Burgundians are slowly inching along the river Waal in search of a secure ford or bridge to march upon Amsterdam. Of what the Dutch are doing, little is known to me except that the strange Arab called al-Raside, who is Her Grace’s general is moving north in some strategic scheme.
…
Leaving, for some days, for Amsterdam, I met a most curious man at the harbour, a Portuguese sailor on a merchant vessel. He told us wondrous stories of his travels, amongst them an account of a journey he undertook last year.
Diario di Giovanni Vittorio di Lorenzi
Biblioteca Centrrale della Facolta di Lettere e Filosofia
Università di Torino, Italia[/b]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pierre & Company go hunting for Hare
5th December 1419, Utrecht, County of Holland
…perhaps, dear friend, you will be disturbed to hear of the news from Holland, as the audacious Duke of Burgundy has assaulted the Dutch under the pretense of the countess’ refusal to abdicate virtually all her powers.
…
I am sound and safe here in Utrecht, though there is talk on the street that the Burgundians are slowly inching along the river Waal in search of a secure ford or bridge to march upon Amsterdam. Of what the Dutch are doing, little is known to me except that the strange Arab called al-Raside, who is Her Grace’s general is moving north in some strategic scheme.
…
Leaving, for some days, for Amsterdam, I met a most curious man at the harbour, a Portuguese sailor on a merchant vessel. He told us wondrous stories of his travels, amongst them an account of a journey he undertook last year.
Diario di Giovanni Vittorio di Lorenzi
Biblioteca Centrrale della Facolta di Lettere e Filosofia
Università di Torino, Italia[/b]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pierre & Company go hunting for Hare
The next instalment will be up today - hopefully. IFU is such a wonderful distraction....
Love those maps, graphics and flavour pics. Adds a whole new dimention to what is also a really great AAR in its written component. I don't know how I missed the instalments a few days ago...idiocy I suppose.
I'm not sure how you managed to get Charlton Heston to narrate, though. There weren't any guns involved.
I'm not sure how you managed to get Charlton Heston to narrate, though. There weren't any guns involved.
Burgundian Cavalry Company near the river Waal
6th December 1419
By now, Pierre was afraid. Truly afraid. He hadn’t been prepared for this, he had no proper orders and he had to act now lest he be killed and his Duke’s army annihilated.
‘Damn Dutch! Damn those perfidious bastards,’ he exclaimed.
None of his men dared to comment, for any word could be construed as mutinous.
Last night, Jacques, one of Pierre’s men, had spotted several fires near the river Waal that they had only crossed yesterday. The Dutch cavalry had managed to collapse the bridges spanning the river and were laboriously setting fire to anything that could float.
‘Monsieur Lieutenant! Monsieur,’ shouted an incoming scout, restraining his horse. ‘The Dutch cavalry are due east, Monsieur!’
‘East!? How the hell did they get east! They were south and west last time I checked! Goddamit!
Those words were almost equivalent to a death sentence, lest Duke Jean could create a miracle of tactics, for all their retreats were now cut off and the Burgundian army was sandwiched neatly between the Dutch cavalry due east and the infantry due west.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geste de Jean - Chapter 43
The battle is awesome and intense,
The Burgundians have struck with courage and vigous;
The Dutch have died in swarms, by the thousand.
They cannot save two from a hundred soldiers.
The archbishop said: ‘Our men are very brave.
No one on earth could have better men.’
Throughout the field they go in search of comradeds.
Weeping with grief and pity.
For their kinsmen, to whom their heart goes out.
Duke Jean rises up against them with his army.
--Illustration No.27
Jean rides through a valley,
With his great host which he had assembled.
The Duke had mustered twenty divisions;
Their helmets, studded with gold and gems, shine bright,
And so do their shields and their saffron byrnies.
Great is the noise for miles around.
…
And so there was a Dutchman, Huygen.
Son of Loures, the count of Vlissingen.
He sits astride his horse called Marmorie;
It is swifter than a bird in flight.
He gives it free rein, urges it on with his spurs,
And goes to strike Duke Jean with all his might.
He breaks his red shield, ripping it from his neck,
Then he split his byrnie.
He plunges the whole of his blue ensing into him,
Flinging him dead on a high rock.
Next he slays his companion Gerer as well,
And Berenger and Guin from Saint-Antoine.
Then he goes to strtike Austorie, a mighty count,
Who held Velencec and fiefs upon Rhône.
He knocks him down dead: The Dutch rejoicec.
The Burgundians lament: ‘Our Duke has fallen.’
-- Illustration No.29
Capitan Pierre gripped his blood-stained sword;
He had heard clearly that the Burgundians are lamenting.
So great is his grief that the almost bursts.
He said to the Dutch: ‘May God inflict woes upon you;
You have slain a man for whom I think you will pay dearlt.’
He spurs on his horse, which runs at top speed.
--Geste de Jean
15th Century (?) Fragment
Old Manuscripts Colletion, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 Early Renaissance - The Battle of Antwerp
5-7th December 1419
With all retreat cut off, Jean desperately ordered all his soldiery to charge upon the Dutch infantry in the hope to crush the unsupported force before the cavalry due east could arrive. However, the wily Dutch commander had ordered his forces to collapse and retreat artificially in a fashion similar to the tactic used by Hannibal at the battle of Cannae in 216 B.C.E. This gave the Dutch cavaly sufficient time to neatly roll up the Burgundian army from the back. Consequently, the desperate Burgundian soldiers routed and many surrendered without giving further battle. During the most intense phase of the battle, a Dutch captain managed to break through to the Burgundian centre and strike down Duke Jean…
--Kriege die die Welt änderten, Band 2
Heinrich Hunzinger
Fischer Verlag, Deutschland
6th December 1419
By now, Pierre was afraid. Truly afraid. He hadn’t been prepared for this, he had no proper orders and he had to act now lest he be killed and his Duke’s army annihilated.
‘Damn Dutch! Damn those perfidious bastards,’ he exclaimed.
None of his men dared to comment, for any word could be construed as mutinous.
Last night, Jacques, one of Pierre’s men, had spotted several fires near the river Waal that they had only crossed yesterday. The Dutch cavalry had managed to collapse the bridges spanning the river and were laboriously setting fire to anything that could float.
‘Monsieur Lieutenant! Monsieur,’ shouted an incoming scout, restraining his horse. ‘The Dutch cavalry are due east, Monsieur!’
‘East!? How the hell did they get east! They were south and west last time I checked! Goddamit!
Those words were almost equivalent to a death sentence, lest Duke Jean could create a miracle of tactics, for all their retreats were now cut off and the Burgundian army was sandwiched neatly between the Dutch cavalry due east and the infantry due west.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geste de Jean - Chapter 43
The battle is awesome and intense,
The Burgundians have struck with courage and vigous;
The Dutch have died in swarms, by the thousand.
They cannot save two from a hundred soldiers.
The archbishop said: ‘Our men are very brave.
No one on earth could have better men.’
Throughout the field they go in search of comradeds.
Weeping with grief and pity.
For their kinsmen, to whom their heart goes out.
Duke Jean rises up against them with his army.
--Illustration No.27
Jean rides through a valley,
With his great host which he had assembled.
The Duke had mustered twenty divisions;
Their helmets, studded with gold and gems, shine bright,
And so do their shields and their saffron byrnies.
Great is the noise for miles around.
…
And so there was a Dutchman, Huygen.
Son of Loures, the count of Vlissingen.
He sits astride his horse called Marmorie;
It is swifter than a bird in flight.
He gives it free rein, urges it on with his spurs,
And goes to strike Duke Jean with all his might.
He breaks his red shield, ripping it from his neck,
Then he split his byrnie.
He plunges the whole of his blue ensing into him,
Flinging him dead on a high rock.
Next he slays his companion Gerer as well,
And Berenger and Guin from Saint-Antoine.
Then he goes to strtike Austorie, a mighty count,
Who held Velencec and fiefs upon Rhône.
He knocks him down dead: The Dutch rejoicec.
The Burgundians lament: ‘Our Duke has fallen.’
-- Illustration No.29
Capitan Pierre gripped his blood-stained sword;
He had heard clearly that the Burgundians are lamenting.
So great is his grief that the almost bursts.
He said to the Dutch: ‘May God inflict woes upon you;
You have slain a man for whom I think you will pay dearlt.’
He spurs on his horse, which runs at top speed.
--Geste de Jean
15th Century (?) Fragment
Old Manuscripts Colletion, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 Early Renaissance - The Battle of Antwerp
5-7th December 1419
With all retreat cut off, Jean desperately ordered all his soldiery to charge upon the Dutch infantry in the hope to crush the unsupported force before the cavalry due east could arrive. However, the wily Dutch commander had ordered his forces to collapse and retreat artificially in a fashion similar to the tactic used by Hannibal at the battle of Cannae in 216 B.C.E. This gave the Dutch cavaly sufficient time to neatly roll up the Burgundian army from the back. Consequently, the desperate Burgundian soldiers routed and many surrendered without giving further battle. During the most intense phase of the battle, a Dutch captain managed to break through to the Burgundian centre and strike down Duke Jean…
--Kriege die die Welt änderten, Band 2
Heinrich Hunzinger
Fischer Verlag, Deutschland
@Sharur
Thanks mate. Do my best to please, but so far I've converted less than a year into writing - not exactly the kind of pace I envisioned when I started. Took me a while to find my copy of the Song of Roland as well...
I'm also itching to start an AAR about the Franks (Pippin, Charlemagne etc!!!) in IFU, but that will have to wait a while until this AAR is growing.
Thanks mate. Do my best to please, but so far I've converted less than a year into writing - not exactly the kind of pace I envisioned when I started. Took me a while to find my copy of the Song of Roland as well...
I'm also itching to start an AAR about the Franks (Pippin, Charlemagne etc!!!) in IFU, but that will have to wait a while until this AAR is growing.