Children of the Fatherland: MP conversion game

Signed by Bjørn Knautschling, Chancellor of Denmark

Signed by yet another Russian.

Signed by Foulgues of Dôn

Signed by Jaroslaw Tilius, king of Poland.

Signed by Konrad von Goldstrand, king of Greater Saxony.

Signed by me.

Well, no session this week. Here's the update for last week, which I missed:




-Toulouse 'wins' the race for Central Europe, plotting is assumed to be afoot.

-Baghdad takes southern Russia, place 'yer bets for steppe hoedown v. wuss diplomatic compromise.

-The AI screws up the Fatimid dynasty, it remains to be seen if it will be edited back or somebody else will have to do the mupdates

-Flandern (deep blue) gets stuff in diplomatic deal, perhaps they will soon be big enough to fit their name on the map? Will her neighbours regret creating a new power on their borders?

-Denmark, having been cut out of the continent, makes a bold move for Scotland. Will Gwynned accept their presence?

-Poland is gets its lands back from gracious Denmark, but is locked in by superior powers. They will have to make a move for Hungary quick if they are to remain a power.

-Spain is still open for any new players, get your place while there still is!

-Jerusalem brakes free from Baghdad! The Fatimids declare it, alongside Tunis, to be the rightful property of the Caliphate and sends envoys to secure their claims, but will it have to make concessions to receive sufficient support to scare of any competitors?

Note that "Flandern" is now the Kingdom of Normandie, and owns a good bunch of northern France. ;D

Also, pretty much anything in Russia that isn't actually Russia, belongs to Baghdad...

...

*edit*


Here ye go, Neustia in dark blue with additional lands guaranteed by treaty in light blue.




Note that a lot of the lands guaranteed are in the hands of Naples, has the S.Italian player been around?

Yeah, don't forget me, man I got a kingdom and everything!

carillon said:

Yeah, don't forget me, man I got a kingdom and everything!

Click to expand...

The existence or nonexistence of a northern French 'Kingdom' is inconsequential to the Fatimid plans, their only purpose to employ yet more expensive painters for the Caliphas maps and drain the treasury with requests for yet more expensive blue pigmentations.

The Younger Fatimid dynasty has lasted some 60 years since the civil war was instigated against the corrupt and inbred Calipha Mustandir and his brothers. Led by Calipha Muhammad of Alexandria, First of the Young, the Nile was taken by might and Syria by the hassassin's blade. The sons of Dongola swooped in like carrion upon the beleaguered Caliphate only to be beaten back in a series of bloody wars stretching over 3 continents and hunted like vermin out of every hole they hid in.


Nubia is now the hiding place of the remnants of the Old Fatimid dynasty. Though their bloodline has been rid of its degenerations and proven itself pure there is no reconciliation between the lines. So they await with dread the final blow, desperately seeking one final trick, one final gamble to regain their old lands. But it is for naught, the ten thousand spears of Nubia lay broken on battlefields strewn from al-Andalus to Damascus. Never more will they be able to field such a force again.


Militarily the younger Caliphate is a much different beast from the days of the old dynasty. Forged from the hellfires of battle the Emerald Banners have fought every single nation upon earth and crushed them regardless of numbers, the number of Christian knights buried in their masses in sandy graves defies count. Acting not as mindless masses led by a single king or marching in rigid blocks of spear incapable of deviating from a set plan the competence and freedom of command at every level of the Fatimid army allows it to flow like water around its enemy. Striking at their every weakness until the enemy morale falters and the heavier units is free to strike at the serpents head.


It was Calipha Muhammad al-Awwal himself who saw the need for reform and hired every competent military tactician gold could buy and set up the first scientific Academy of War. It was first and foremost a training ground for noble officers and his elite Sayeedi Guard, men of the prophetic bloodline who's competence and military prowess would bring glory and legitimacy to the pure Fatimid line. But also a place for any man who could prove himself their equal or bring fresh new ideas for tactics and war machines or fortification. Most famous among them the Levithan Siegemaster Herrman von Wittelsbach, founder of the school of engineers, after whom many a trebuchet and siegetower have been named. Most celebrated for beating back the entire Polish Crusade with little more than 200 men and his own wits at the battles and sieges of Baalbek.


Economically the Caliphate is doing surprisingly well, despite the looting of much of the Alexandrian countryside by ravaging Scotsmen and the need to sell of several holdings to pay of the war debts. Most importantly the Fatimids posses one of the largest trade fleets in the world, equal to that of the Toulousian Emperor (currently under reconstruction after their wars of unification). Having overextended itself and come into conflict with the Greeks, and wishing to strengthen their Fatimid trade partners, the Emperor wisely sold the capitally important trading hub of Crete to the Calipha for a pittance. This allowed for tariffs to be raised on any Greek shipping in the Eastern Mediterranean, filling Egyptian coffers and weakening Byzantion. But was the Toulouse Emperor simply extracting himself from an overextended position, balancing the eastern powers to his benefit, or was it a first step in a much more elaborate plan?


Regardless the influx of gold and plunder from defeated crusades to numerous to count was soon put to good use in equipping the many new banners raised by the Calipha, Sayeedis first, then the Arab city guards and Bedouin. Lastly Mamluk slave warriors and mercenaries. A new horse breeding program was established to provide the best chargers possible for the Caliphas visions of a new banner of lancers capable of turning back the charge of the Antiochean cataphracts, who had proven themselves uncomfortably capable during the initial phases of the disastrous Syrian War.





The scourge of the Damascid army. It was only when the Prince of Antioch, arrogant with victory, was ambushed by the Armies of the Nile during his foolish crossing of the Sinai that the Fatimids where finally able to drive the exhausted heavy cavalry into rout and cut them down.



But despite the bellicose mindset that comes from constant assault from every nation the Calipha non the less begrudgingly recognized the need not only for economic but also civil investment. Due to the earlier Grand Vizier having pawned the University buildings, half the docks and training grounds, the mosque and most of the judiciary there was quite some clamoring among the learned classes for the Calipha to pay back the lenders, donate to every manner of institute and support all kinds of arts. Something the Calipha found a waste of money that could go to fortifying Syria or something, but his position necessitated these frivolous expenses in the eyes of his people.





The renowned Mullah Rasheed al-Undstedt, a perpetual thorn in the Caliphas side, discovering a previously overlooked Frankish Kingdom in the outskirts of Europe. The cost of repainting all the Caliphas maps would delay the completion of the mammoth Manupuran Citadels by several months!



But incorrect maps and war debts where not the only problems that faced Calipha Seyfullah, no the regency rule of the Grand Vizier Mustaffa al-AI had suffered two disasters far more damaging. The loss of the fortified garrison cities of Damascus and Palermo, Bastions of East and West, was a devastating blow to Fatimid morale and strategic position.


Damascus was the first and last line of defense in Syria, having withstood every siege in living memory it was expected that any invading army would have to detach half of its force to contain the Damascid banners. It was not so, the Grand Vizier had neglected the proper management and manning of garrisons and forts, ignored the regular payments of the mercenaries and refused the Emirs their positions in the Majlis ul-Ummah. When the Greeks and Persians invaded in concert the mercenaries in Syria swiftly disbanded and joined the invaders. Lacking coordination the Greeks soon took the entire coast, and even Baalbek. The loss of the spiritual home of the school of siege engineers stung the members of the Academy especially. With the victorious Antiocheans landing in Sicily and marching on Egypt itself the newly come of age Calipha, desperately trying to gather and organize the Nile Banners, saw no other option than surrendering Damascus to Persia.


Palermo had always been in a tenuous position, so far away from any reinforcements, and was guarded only by a token force of Mamluks and Greek converts. Led by Ioannes Spartenos, rightful prince of Napoli, the moslem Greeks consisted of the remnants of Greek Italy. Invaded by ravaging Normans Napoli, last remnant of those faithful to Byzantion, had thrown itself at those paragons of loyalty the Komnenids. Promised protection and safety by Antioch they thought themselves safe, only to be sold for a few coins when the Komnenids thought it inopportune to defend them. So it was when the forces of Antioch landed in Palermo they were met by Mamluk and Cataphract, kontos and spear leveled, songs of the furious charge are sung in Palermo to this day.


That could have been it, but the Spartenids were cursed to tragedy like the Greek plays of old. No later had they had their revenge on their former masters than the Normans invaded. Against an entire kingdom Palermo could not hold, what little was left of the garrison was evacuated to Alexandria. Where many of the Spatrenids now hold positions as advisers on cavalry tactics.




The Calipha meanwhile paces back and forth in the halls of his palace contemplating how to restore his Caliphate to the days before the rebellion, the head of Grand Vizier Mustaffa al-AI impaled on a pole outside his window.

Nice AAR FrozenWall, though of course the Roman Empire has to object to this "Toulousian Empire" nonsense.

fasquardon

Analysis of the Toul-er-ROMAN situation:

This week, I inherited Germany due to being one of the few dukes left on the map, and being first duke to spot the heir-less German Emperor changing the Empire's law to elective. So I pledged Toulouse to Germany and inherited within the year.

Overnight Toulouse has been transformed from a mid-weight power to (for now) the largest of the big boys. Suddenly I have to fit a whole new Central European set of problems into my Mediterranean-orientated strategy. As my fellow players bombard me with encouragements to pursue aggressive policies in their enemies' backyards, I have cause to curse or bless the humble diplomatic policies I adopted when the most I dared hope for was to be greatest of the second rank powers... But I remind myself that these glories are also transient. A run of bad luck could hollow my new empire at stunning speed and in such crowded quarters, I may not be able to rebuild before another makes themselves greatest power in the region. So I maintain the humble policy. Unlike KoM, I do not define an area of "core" interest, even Toulouse itself I'd negotiate over, were the price offered good enough. The theory being that flexibility will profit me more than rigidity at this early stage of the game - not only flexibility to embrace opportunities (like the German throne) but to reject liabilities (like Narragansett from AROW).

This flexibility is starting to ossify however - I have now gained my first roleplaying imperative - ROME! Understand, the German empire I have inherited is the evolved form of the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne. An Empire that had received the mantle Roman Empire from Christ's representative on Earth, the Pope. In our history, even to its death at the hands of Napoleon in the 19th Century, the Holy Roman Empire (though note that in the game the Germanic Roman Empire is not yet called Holy, as that word was added to the name by Barbarossa - r. 1155-1190) would remain a project to renovate Roman civilisation to the West. In 1122, the memory of ancient Rome looms even larger, for modern nations such as the "Germans" or "French" are yet unborn, the ancestors of these peoples still divided into tribes - Saxons, Franks, Goths, Bavarians, Alemanians, Bretons. All of these tribes are a very, very long way below the Roman standard of civilisation, which in some measures Western Europe didn't exceed until the closing years of the 19th Century. In 1122, the memory of Rome is a palpable thing. The need for Rome is also a matter of faith - according to the prevailing interpretations of the Prophecy of Daniel at this time, the end of the Roman Empire means the end of time itself. With the Roman Empire of the East freshly sundered from Catholic Europe by the Great Schism of 1054, and given over to barbarians and heathens, the idea that the bulwark against the end of time must clearly be the Germanic Roman Empire has better currency in Catholic circles than at any time since the foundation of the Germanic Roman Empire, when the Eastern Empire was wracked by the Iconoclasm.

Thus, while the sensible thing as a player might be to keep a humble policy and avoid any pretensions to be Rome, it is simply too unrealistic to say that Raimond VI, having been elected Emperor of the Roman Empire would not bend his every resource toward the bolstering of the Empire for God and for Glory. I cannot merely be King of Germany, or Toulousian Emperor. I cannot aim as low as King of the Romans, nor even Caesar of the Romans. I must aim to be Augustus of Rome.

Maps of West-Central Europe:

Really the thing to notice here is how everyone's lands are mixed in with each others'. Clearly, this creates significant risks of wars in the region. While mutual amicability of the various players involved has kept a lid on things so far, that may reach its limits soon, as AI victims targets are snapped up, and player-to-player borders start groaning under the pressures of our ambitions... I will be very interested how the cookie crumbles, if indeed it does crumble.

Rome:



Saxony:



Neustria:



Sicily:



Estimate of relative power:

Powers of the first rank: Having c. 200,000 troops to mobilize

Germany
Baghdad
Russia

Powers of the second rank: Having c. 100,000 troops to mobilize

Saxony

Powers of the third rank: Having c. 70,000 troops to mobilize

Sicily
Byzantium (40,000 of which Antioch)
France
Scandinavia

Powers of the fourth rank: Having c. 20,000 troops to mobilize

Egypt
Poland

Powers of the fifth rank: Having c. 10,000 troops to mobilize

Gwynedd

Something that struck me is how strong France and Scandinavia are.

Interesting things abroad

Both Scandinavia and Gwynedd seem to be gearing up to fight England. Scandinavia, being seven times larger than Gwynedd, seems to have the advantage here. Will Golle eventually be eliminated entirely? Things are certainly not looking good for him...

Russia, having recovered most of its vassals, plus received the allegiance of the powerful Pruthenians, is huge. It is also moving into the Balkans. Baghdad is also huge, and moving into the Balkans. Baghdad also owns large chunks of Russia. It's interesting how much like my Georgia Baghdad looks... Only it's growing faster. If Foels keeps things up, he's going to be very strong indeed...

It will be interesting to see how Russia and Baghdad deal with the thorny Antioch that's stuck between them...

I gain a new neighbour, Oddman is replacing Varyar in Spain. We shall see if this new Spanish player is a friend or an enemy of Rome.

fasquardon

Entering era of Warring States?

the Roman Empire has to object to this "Toulousian Empire" nonsense.

Click to expand...

Simply adding "Empire of" above Toulouse on the Caliphas maps was much more cheap and expedient. A full renaming would mean many costfull painters and pigmentations, the gracious Emperor could of course sponsor this with his own coin?

Powers of the fourth rank:

Egypt

Click to expand...

What? Do our contributions to the arts and culture count for nothing?

Also I remind you that The Fatimid Caliphate has never lost a battle where more than one of our regiments were present! The Caliphate will rise again!

fasquardon said:

Interesting things abroad

Both Scandinavia and Gwynedd seem to be gearing up to fight England. Scandinavia, being seven times larger than Gwynedd, seems to have the advantage here. Will Golle eventually be eliminated entirely? Things are certainly not looking good for him...

Click to expand...

My intent is certainly not to eliminate Golle entirely, however by now it should be clear that I am on the British Isles to stay and not just as a visitor.

P.S.: There are several suggestions going on at Ederon, including a complete restart of the campaign and a restart of last session.
Until it is clear from where we continue the next chapter in the tale of Asbjörn Knautschling* (aka my AAR) will have to wait.

OK you lazy sods, get playing and hurry up about it will you.

I prefer not to have to wait too long to be entertained :-D

Here's some entertaining flashligths of the last session.

1. We tested the latest save about 6 to 7 times. First with full mod, and with Hamachi players oboard. We did this save twice a row and then the same without TS beeing used.

2. Then we tested it without the mod completely, first with our save and then from the 1066 GG starting settings.

3. And then we tested it without the province files that had our kingdom setup written into it.

4. And finaly we tested without Hamachi during which the testing players have been cut by half from the orginal 10 players that took place in the first round of the testings.

CONCLUSIONs (by me atleast):

Average time before first crash was about 10 minutes, with shortest beeing crashess on loading to huge 15 minutes of playing (with vanilla DV and 1066 scenario).

The display bugs we had suffered (in WP, people suddenly show as vassals of those they are WP, wars seeming to go on despite beeing on peace and other assorted weirdeness) didn't occure while playing without the mod and using the 1066 save.

We didn't test properly with large number of players of how stable full hamachi or no-hamchi setting would be without the mod or whit it. But this was due lack of participants. Also, as our tester's numbers dropped as the session went by, it seemed not to effect on the actuall crashing times.


What can be said about this is that in last weekends session (31st July) I raised the question that is there any point of playing a gampaing with so Buggy setup and with crashes every 10 minutes of playing time? We all agreed then that we need to do something and make some serious testing to base our decissions of what can be done. Also, due these reasons and for others KoM stepped down as GM and Fasquardon was voted in his place...

Personally I've said in the Ederon Forums, that I personally won't continue playing if nothing is done to improve the stability/playablity and I retain this stand. Also, if the decissions our GM makes includes banning Hamachi, I naturally need to step down as I'm tied to hamachi-only connections in time to time. (unless some one agrees to "co-ops" with me in some dedicated subbing schedule)

What is "Hamachi" and "Hamachi players" ?