The Gamble of Manuel II: A Byzantine/Roman AAR

January 1st, 1403

Manuel II pondered the state of the Empire. The long history of Rome was known well enough to him that he realized how precarious their position was, and how far they had fallen from the noble days of antiquity. Only two years prior, if that, the fortuitous flight of Bayezid I to respond to the Timurids had saved Constantinople from certain death at the hands of the Turks, and now he was very afraid for the future of the Empire. That unbreakable siege that only almighty God has delivered them from in His infinite mercy had taught Manuel II a lesson, much needed, in just how weak and near death his empire truly was. He was cautiously backing Mehmed, Bayezid's son, for the Ottoman throne in the hopes that the Ottomans would show mercy and he would have time to try and salvage his dying empire. He sighed, and stood.

It is no easy job, being Caesar. Caesar; now that title made him smile. The first Caesar, how boldly he had campaigned, and seized unthinkable victories from enemies and powers far beyond what normal men would have considered within his ability to defeat. Manuel considered himself something of a daring leader; he was only Emperor because he fled his captivity, however honorary it was, from the late Bayezid I. Now, the Ottomans teetered on the brink of collapse from infighting, and he wondered if there were some way to profit from this decision. Caesar would strike, he thought. Caesar would see his enemies divided, and would manuever swiftly to ensure victory. But how? He turned to the table, and repeated the question aloud.

"But how? If I declare war, forsake my support of Mehmed, I shall stand alone against any victor of this crisis. Should one brother triumph too soon, I shall be doomed to fight the might of the Turks on their terms, not mine. How can this be done?" The silence in the room gave him no answers, and he was forced to contemplate. It is no easy job, being Caesar; the fate of the Roman Empire was now in his hands, and he was not certain he could handle the task before him.

God willing, he would.


So, how to rescue Rome from certain doom? I'm in a bind; historically, in 22 years from now Manuel II will be dead, and in 50 years from now Constantinople will fall, leaving the Roman Empire completely crushed and removed from the face of the earth, even in name. I have very, VERY little time to change history, and I must act fast. This is most likely the only chance I'll have; the next three Emperors between now and doomsday will face a united and increasingly hostile muslim neighbor to the East, and an increasingly greedy Venice (and indifferent Europe) to the West. Manuel II has three warring brothers distracted from Byzantine affairs; this may be our only shot!


So, not the best of starting positions...some pathetic armies about, but perhaps enough to get something started. If I can let the pretenders knock each other silly for a while, maybe I can pounce when they're both winded. My navy can also prevent the Turks from crossing the Bosporus, stalling destruction. If I'm lucky, I can seize everything on the European side, and make the Ottomans grudgingly accept.



No stellar leaders in the works just yet; it's going to be interesting trying to rebuild Rome with such lukewarm leadership, but it'll have to do until fortune smiles and I get a strong Emperor. Perhaps some western blood to revitalize the dynasty will do the trick...



Poor, that's what we are. My plan to finance this daring prospect so early on is to join a trade league (Maybe Venice, just to have some friends close by?), start making money as a trading power, and take out a loan. Loans are killer, I know, but I'm going to war SOON, and between war taxes and taxes from conquered provinces I should be capable of covering the interest when it comes due. If I fail in the war, a loan is the least of my worries. Hey, this AAR is called a gamble for a reason!

Westernization is the only hope for surviving as Europe grows more wary of my predations. My slider moves will be completely focused on that task, so until then nothing else but focus on Westernization.

So, there's the start: take out a loan, start trade, move towards Westernization, raise an army, and then declare war on the Ottomans before the succession crisis weakens and dies.

Alright, back with some more first night news. Surprise, surprise, I'm already in the Venetian Trade League. I guess they forgave us for teaching them how to make a Venetian blind all those centuries ago <rimshot>. Anyway, my two remaining merchants were sent to Venice, but not only did THEY fail to establish themselves, my starting merchant was bought out. I've lost my only source of trade income, and that's bad news considering my only hope this early on is mercantile power. I have to stay the course on Westernization; no turning up the mercantile sliders until I'm done. I just have to hope this war goes well and the tax income props us up until the merchants take root. I've had a number of alliance offers, but all from neighbors who, although they might help with the Ottomans, would potentially steal my old cores. I can't have that; I'm going to be getting enough BB just retaking them anyway, I don't need broken alliances making it worse. Athens proposed a royal marriage offer I took; I figure they're small enough, maybe I can diplo-annex them down the line. We'll build them up, and ally AFTER the war (I'll need them when Venice comes a-calling).


Some skilled advisors come in at least; I had a random 4-star Sheriff to boost tax income! Useless for the moment, but he'll be a boon when the provinces roll in, and that's my strategy: plan for a grand empire, gamble everything to get it. The other two slots were spent on keeping inflation down; I'll be minting for a while.


Unsurprising first mission; considering I'm about to poach the ever-loving hell out of the Turks as it is, a thought occurs: with the Sultan's troops spread thin, maybe I'll trap HIM on Europe, and let my troops in Constantinople run amok in the Turkish countryside to kick-start this mission. I'm really hoping for this war to be the ultimate knife-in-the-back to the Ottomans. I can't risk their surviving to nurse a grudge if I can help it.

I've spent a fair amount of cash to drum up 10,000 troops: 3,000 in Thrace (1/2/0) and 7,000 in Zani (2/5/0). The lack of cavalry is worrisome, but my Emperor is going to make a poor general in comparison to the others, so I'm relying on strength of numbers and superior morale to wear them down.


Joy of Joys! Mehmet I has only 4,000 men just to the north of my Army! I can declare war, and pounce on his troops and annihilate them! Or, even better, sit back and let HIM come to ME and be destroyed with home field advantage! I must declare war now, the timing couldn't be better. The rebels are still sitting MASSIVELY strong at 16k armies with more cavalry than you can shake a stick at, but my plan for them is to run and hide, and let them fight each other to death, then recruit mercenaries to beat down the victor. It's going to get tricky.

Manuel II is off to ride to victory or death, and only time will tell which. News of the war later tonight, or tomorrow evening, depending on how sticky it gets...

The Byzantine War of Reconquest of Albania was declared on May 19, 1403.

14 September, 1403

The troops roared around him, and Manuel looked over at the gathered forces. It hadn't been easy amassing this many able-bodied soldiers under such short notice; he'd pleaded for help from his Christian neighbors, and had ultimately been forced to borrow from those accursed Venetians, but he had his gold and now his army. Success had been his reward. Mehmet had fallen back from them twice already, and here his army crumbled as they were caught licking their wounds. The sultun himself was gone, though. No matter; the internal dissent from all claimants fighting was what he needed. He rode through the ranks, the men cheering their emperor. Only a few years ago the Ottomans had seemed like an unstoppable wave of heathen fury. Now, there was a real chance that they could win. The Patriarch himself had blessed Manuel's campaign and prayed for him. With God on their side, they had won the first, most crucial victory. "Praise be to almighty God, who has given us this victory!" His men cheered in agreement, and Manuel rode off to confer with his aides-de-camp. He had a war to plan.


The naval situation was...misjudged. The Ottomans had 6 carracks to my 5 little galleys! Needless to say, after losing half my fleet attempting to force the Ottomans to stay divided, they ruled the seas! Luckily my army in Thrace had already slipped into Asia Minor, and was besieging. My instincts proved correct, and my army pushed into Macedonia, overpowering the astonished Mehmet I. Then on to Nis...


...where things went as planned, and back to Macedonia. The demoralized Ottomans crumbled before raw Roman might! Unfortunately, there are now complications...


Blood in the water draws sharks, and Serbia is invading with three other nations! So much for wanting all the land to myself. Oh well, I have no real enemies now that Mehmet is gone, and two of the warring brothers are moving side-by-side, so I split up my army to besiege as many cities as I can. They're barely scratched, but hopefully the Serbs will bloody their noses for me.

Mehmet reared his ugly head in Asia Minor, though...where my tiny army had trapped an inferior, 2,000 man force on an island. I had no spare generals, nor was this army in friendly territory for me to reassign my Emperor (or replace losses), and retreating to Thrace was NOT an option.


Here, Mehmet I began his counterattack by invading, being driven back, and then returning at the start of each month with fresh replacements. Attrition would win this fight while my men took land bit by bit in Europe, so I had to think fast to keep my two-front advantage. I spent more money I didn't really have to hire three mercenaries (1/2/0) and sent them south. The Ottoman fleet couldn't get into the straights fast enough to stop them, and Mehmet was driven back again! My fresh troops guarded the spot while the others went to besiege more territory. Unfortunately, things were turning south in a hurry back in Europe. My first gain, Macedonia, has fallen to Turkish pretenders. The Serbs were devastatingly outnumbered and fled back to Serbia, signing a hasty peace treaty that handed Bulgaria over to those turnip-farming Wallachians who came poaching in, claiming the land was being liberated in God's name! With no one to distract the pretenders and Mehmet's army trapped on an island by mercenaries, this reconquest is going to have to be a smash-and-grab job. I'll settle for what I can now, but we've got quite a bit to play with...



Roma Victor! We've reunited Constantinople with the rest of the Empire! I had to cede all my Asia Minor takings to make it happen, but I really don't like having a broken border, begging anyone with a fence for right of passage to defend my far-flung holdings. I wanted much more, but I don't have a prayer of beating the pretenders at this time. I need more time...and I know I may not have it.

Okay, so next plan of attack: disband the mercs, rebuild, and aggressively pursue some money-making. I'll have to scale back minting before inflation gets out of control (it's already .03), and find some way to get my trade off the ground! I can't keep more than one merchant in Venice, and that's hampering me badly. Come on Sheriff, I doubled my territories; time for you to earn your keep...

March 21, 1405

Mehmet I was furious as he read the terms brought before him. His erstwhile ally, Manuel II (the heathen dog) had betrayed him at the worst possible moment. His brothers plotted his death, and when he saw the Roman legions marching towards his camp, he was delighted to see this show of support. The sting of this treachery hurt all the more now that this emperor had sent a peace treaty demanding a substantial portion of land, lands that weren't even officially his yet to relinquish! Here he was, stuck in Mythlini while his brothers ran across the empire, taking bastions for themselves and leaving him crippled. He knew he had no choice, though. He'd bought the infidels that came soon after the Romans with a small portion of land, but Manuel wanted much more, and damn him, he would get it. Mehmet signed the treaty, and mustered his troops. He would have to march quickly to undo the damage these treacherous Romans had done.

Wow! Monday was my day off, and a lot happened since I spent it on this game. Large multi-post update coming...just need to sort through the numerous screencaps and remember everything!

There's almost 50 years to cover, so settle in for some serious reading

After cutting the Ottoman Empire in two, there were indeed numerous defections...


Most of the islands defected, as did a couple provinces. I had managed to spark a war with Serbia while subjugating Epirus and Achea, so I snatched up as much as I could. A little infamy, but not too bad. Bulgaria came soon after.

By the way, in an odd twist a completely DIFFERENT ruler than the historical three brothers emerged victorious from this whole affair. Mehmet I was executed, and his two brothers served as generals under some random, yahoo noble that didn't even have an army! Strange, this alternate history succession crisis.



Abdullah I Bayram, soon may his despicable reign be ended! Oh well, I think I know how to spin this...

November 24, 1407

"Hail, Caesar!" Manuel turned to face the voice entering, and smiled.

"My son, come here!" The emperor hugged his son, and together they turned their attentions to the map laid across the table. "Soon, John, you shall be a man. On that day, I have a most splendid birthday present to offer you: a true Roman Empire for you to receive as your inheritance." He swept his arm over the map, revealing the numerous territories.

"But...how is this possible? We didn't receive nearly this much land in your treaty, did we?"

"Oh, no we did not. That is part of why I brought you here today; as Caesar, you must learn cunning, and how to use your allies and your enemies. I betrayed Mehmet to his brothers, but I also betrayed them. While they both thought I was preparing to support one of them, I funded another noble who seized the throne and forced them both to submit to his authority. In return, he ceded the swaths of land you see before you. But, he was weak and struggling to control the war-torn empire, and it took only a little whispering and a few nudges to 'encourage' many of our brethren to defect to our Empire. Abdullah was helpless to prevent it, and even now struggles to maintain his throne as Turkish peasants rise up against his new taxes to handle the war debts."

"Brilliant strategy, father!"

"It is that, my son." Manuel nodded approvingly as his son listened; he was getting older and the time would come when, as he did for his father before him, John would have to serve as co-emperor and then be named Caesar. He had little time to forge the boy into a man that could rule, but his son was bright and learned quickly his father's lessons. Manuel had no doubt his son would make a grand Caesar that might yet outshine his father's conquests. "Now, let us discuss this situation in Bosnia..."

At first I was gravely concerned about the Ottomans; after the crisis ended, both brothers wound up serving the new Emperor with their 16,000 man armies. I could be in for trouble, but the Ottomans soon had Bulgarian nationalists and peasants running amok, and those huge armies were whittled away and gradually disbanded to handle the growing debt of the Turkish throne. Soon, all that remained were...



...shall we say, quite manageable forces? <evil grin>



Very manageable; but now how to invade Turkey? As you'll recall, my pitiful navy was no match for the Ottomans, and it still isn't (I couldn't afford a fleet building program while staring down such a huge, hostile army). They control the way into Asia, and are quite good at not letting my thousands of troops over! I have everything in Europe, but I am NOT letting the Ottomans survive this; this war marks the END of their rule in Asia Minor. But how? Well, I -do- have some cogs in that fleet. If allowed into the Aegean, they could transport, slowly but surely, my entire army. I decide to use them as bait, hoping the Ottomans will try to destroy them.


It works! The Ottoman fleet races to destroy my own, which soon cowers in Morea; no matter, they bought enough time to let all my armies into Asia Minor, and without the loss of a single ship!


Remember this day: December 12, 1411. The day the Ottoman Empire collapsed. Happy birthday, John VIII.