Rebuilding the Great Empire - Timurids AAR (Death and Taxes MOD)

dragonizer said:

it is not an easy situation good luck
subed

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Thanks! I admit that this is the hardest campaign I had to play with.

Seelmeister said:

Looking forward to this, you'll have learned something in those 5 attempts, and the experience will be helpful. If the game seems to be hanging in the balance, it will only make it all the more dramatic when you tell us about it, so don't be put off!

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I've learned a lot from the five attempts. Unfortunately, I just don't have the skills to succeed much in normal difficulty. The game wasn't in the balance, I was virtually wiped out and/or just destined for bankruptcy. The biggest challenge I've encountered is money problems. After Timur died, let's just say I lose money with no troop maintenance and full stability with the next pitiful ruler. The game actually rates the Kartids and Muzaffarids as easier in overall difficulty .

videonfan said:

I suggest invading Persia when in dissaray and then India.Although Delhi must be tough.

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That is the only plan. I can't take on the Golden Horde and definitely not Delhi. Delhi and her personal unions can easily maintain 75k men in total. That's excluding her allies.

Well, I managed to play through a very solid session and decided to continue with it. In this session, I've survived 24 years with a decent size nation and things are looking even better. Let's just say I can't say the same for Delhi:laugh:.

Prologue

We are the Mongols. We may have never seen Mongolia but we will never forget about our origin. A century ago, the great Genghis Khan unified Mongolia and began the conquest of the world. When he died, he left behind a powerful Mongol Empire. Yet, the empire reached its height under the grandson of Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan. That was a golden era for our people. Our lands connected the east and west. Our military was unstoppable. We were part of an empire that cannot ever be surpassed. The death of Kublai Khan meant the death of our empire. With the succession crisis, our empire split into four parts: the Chagatai Khanate, Ilkhanate, Golden Horde and Yuan Dynasty.

While the Golden Horde and Yuan Dynasty still stand today, the Chagatai Khanate and Ilkhanate have already fractured. We, the people of Chagatai Khanate, had always hoped to restore the great Mongol Empire. After the death of Chagatai, many leaders that have became the Khan proved unworthy of such an achievement. Along the way, the Khanate fractured further more until now. Two nations, Timurids and Moghulistan, now hold the land of the former Khanate.

As mentioned earlier, many khans have been proven unworthy of restoring the Mongol Empire. Our people began losing hope that anyone will ever be capable of such a feat. Then, our people discovered Timur. This young man, while crippled physically, have proven to be a worthy leader. His rise to power soon saw him controlling the western half of the Chagatai Khanate. This is where our story begins. Timur, almost 20 years of age, has proven himself worthy of being our khan. His ambitions are not satisfied yet. He looks to restore or even surpass the Mongol Empire.

We are not without enemies. To our north, the powerful Golden Horde still command great lands and a powerful army. To our east, an Indian coalition has formed to contest our power in the region. To our south and west, foolish Khans and Maliks formed their own nations believing they can form an empire. It is during this dangerous era that our great leader, Timur, will lead us to victory.

Chapter 1 - Rise of the Khan

Timur was born in a village near Samarkand. His family, like many other families in the village, were Muslims. Samarkand and the region surrounding it, at the time, were under Mongol control. The tolerance of the Mongols allowed the people in Timur's village to continue practicing their own faith. Few years after the birth of Timur, the Mongol began losing control of the region. A warlord, known as an emir, took over the region. It was during this time that the young Timur began the career of soldiering. He proved to be a very skilled at riding and fighting. Before long, the emir took notice of him and promoting him to a high military rank. Young Timur would soon be tested when the Mongols attempted to retake the region. Through brilliant tactics and unwavering leadership in the face of a powerful enemy, Timur repeatedly drove back the invaders. Unfortunately, the other commanding officers under the emir were incompetent and Timur was forced to retreat to Sistan. In his retreat, Timur was wounded by the pursuing Mongol. While he survived with his life, he was crippled for life. Thus, people began to know him as Timur the Lame.

In Sistan, Timur gathered more followers and his armies grew. He didn't make a move as he knew that he alone cannot defeat the Mongols. An opportunity soon presented itself when the emir sent word that they were going for an counter-attack. Receiving the news, Timur eagerly prepared his men and waiting for the call to arms. Yet, the call to arms never arrived. The emir was assassinated by his closest advisers and his commanding officers were fighting amongst themselves. Timur, with saving his home as his only goal, decided to use the opportunity to control the provinces surrounding the territory retaken by the Mongols. He waited patiently for an chance to drive the Mongol out and save his family. A few months passed and Timur seemed destined to retake Samarkand and its surrounding regions. The Mongols, now dealing with a succession crisis, were fighting amongst themselves. Timur used this opportunity and, within a year, drove all the Mongols out of the region. When he reached his village, all he saw was destruction. The Mongols massacred all the men and elderly in the village and took the women and children as slaves. Timur hated himself for not saving the people of his village sooner. As he returned to Samarkand, he and his men all wept tears.

Upon arriving at the gates of Samarkand, Timur found a Shaikh, a wise man, waiting for him. When he asked the Shaikh why he was looking for him, the Shaikh answered:

"Young Timur. Allah has spoken to me. You are destined for great things and you will bring prosperity to your people. You may not know this but you are indeed a direct descendant of Genghis Khan. Therefore, you are entitled to the title of Khan. The Mongols have lost their way with their new leaders. They need a true leader to lead them to greatness again. To bring them out of savagery and make them great. I hope you understand that all of your people have Mongol blood in them. While you may have been born in different lands, you and your people are still Mongols. This is your destiny and you cannot escape it. I'm here to tell you to restore the Mongol Empire. You, and only you alone, can accomplish this task. I am done here."

Just like that, the Shaikh left and Timur never saw him again. However, the message was clear. Timur was destined to conquer. First, he needed to deal with a few traitors. Timur received news that some of his governors have betrayed him and swore loyalty elsewhere. Now, three other states control lands that were rightfully his: Kartids, Muzaffarids and Shabankara. Before he can restore the great empire, he needed to reclaim his land.

Chapter 2 - The Khanate



Succession

The government under the Khan is known as the Khanate. The Khanate dictates that the Khan rules until his death. However, the new Khan must first prove his worth. When the previous Khan dies, a new successor can be named. The successor will not get throne automatically as many other candidates feel they are more worthy of the throne. Thus,the nation goes through a succession crisis to determine who is worthy of taking the throne. The succession crisis merely emphasized the fact that,to be a Khan, one must rule by the sword and defeat all opposition. Succession crisis are often very bloody and that is the time when a Khanate is very vulnerable to foreign invaders. Once a victor emerges, he is crowned the Khan of the land.

Military

Following the ways of the Mongol Empire, a Khanate heavily values the army. The Mongol Empire survived and thrived purely on their army alone. Nothing was more terrifying than the Mongol cavalry that dominated every battlefield. For this very reason, the Khan's army is expected to be composed of most, if not all, cavalry. To support such a large cavalry heavy army, the Khanate promotes many policies that would drive the cost of Cavalries down a bit. The Mongol bow, a powerful weapon that was as terrifying as the name Mongol, was the reason why the Mongol cavalry met no equal. Having been born in the steppe where conditions are often harsh and, at times, inhospitable, the Mongols were expected to be tough in order to survive. Very young boys were taught to ride and fight while they were expected to carry their own weight. Even for Khanates that have migrated to more hospitable areas, the boys are still expected to match those in the steppes. The purpose of the harsh training is for the young boys to be easily conscripted in times of war. Not only will the boys be ready for war sooner, they will also be tougher to wear down, even in harsh conditions.

Economy

The downside of a powerful army is the cost. Cavalry, despite the policies, are still very expensive to recruit and maintain. The training of boys at an early stage also requires a lot of resources. These costs are often covered by a portion of the taxes. In a Khanate where the warrior occupation is regarded highly, the Khan saw little need for merchants or craftmen. Thus, trade and production also suffers. With the high costs and low taxes, the Khan needed another way to gain wealth. He can do so by sacking cities which brings prestige and legitimacy. The people actually welcomes war because a war could bring them more wealth and more pride due to having a worthy Khan.

Chapter 3 - A Simple Chess Game

"Afshin, I'm in a mood of a chess game. Care to join me?"

"Of course, Khan. Please show a bit more mercy this time. You're too brilliant of an strategist."

"If I didn't know you, I would've beheaded you. I hate people that suck up to others. Alright, I'll take the white pieces."

"Khan, you forgot to put 8 of your pieces on the board."



"I thought you wanted me to show you some mercy."

"Yes, but I didn't mean that big of an advantage."

"It's fine. My 8 missing pieces represent the 8 provinces I lost to the traitors. You, my friend, are my enemies."

"Khan, we aren't in that big of an advantage. The other 3 nations are likely to fight amongst themselves."

"This is why you're doing the administrative duties while I take care of military and diplomacy. You see, I pretend they will ally together against me. That is possible and the worst case scenario for us. I need to figure out how to take them all out. If I can do that, then I can surely take them out one by one."

"That's brilliant, Khan! I guess I won't hold back. It's your first move."

"Let me think. You see, there's our neighbor up north."

"The Golden Hordes? They are a threat we cannot overlook."

"Indeed, imagine them attacking us after I make my first move. How well do you think we will fare?"

"I hate to admit it but even you cannot take on that many enemies."

"You are partly right, Afshin. I doubt I could take on the Golden Hordes alone, let alone all of them. What do you think it's my best option?"

"I believe allying ourselves with the Golden Hordes is the best option. If we get on their good side, they may leave us alone a little longer."

"Maybe I should make you our diplomat. You would do a fine job."

"Khan, I'm fine with my administrative duties. I still think there are better candidates for diplomats."

"Fine, I won't force you. Once our alliance is formed, I'd say it's time for us to begin our reconquest. I don't think we should get too ambitious. The Shabankara seems like a perfect target."

"Now that you have finished your preparation, I believe you have the first move."

"Yes, I will begin by moving the King."

Personguyfellow said:

Chess with giraffes and cannons and... bards? What is that?!

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It's called Tamerlane Chess. A more complex version of chess that was create in Persia during the reign of Timur.

dragonizer said:

love the chess analogy of the problems you face.
if they go for the alliance it will be a big plus to making it.

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I will be using the chess analogy for a couple of chapters. As for that alliance, I'm glad it didn't take place, lol.

Chapter 4 - The Known World (part 1)

"Khan, weren't you going to make your first move by moving your king?"

"Bring me the maps. I need to check on something."

"Yes, Khan."

Afshin went to retrieve the maps of the known world.

"Which map do you wish to see first?"

"Show me the China one."



"Khan, may I ask why you wish to see this map? They are so distant from us."

"Do you see Yuan? They disgust me."

"I admit the light green is rather ugly."

"I wasn't talking about their colour code. I was speaking about their nation as a whole."

"How so? Aren't they a nation that descended from the Mongol Empire like ours?"

"Don't put us into one group!"

"I'm sorry, Khan. Please forgive me."

"Sorry, I did lose my temper there."

"Khan, why do they disgust you so much?"

"They have lost their way. They call themselves the Celestial Khanate and they call their Khan an Emperor."

"That's nonsense! How can they turn their back on their ancestors?"

"Indeed, that's why they disgust me. However, they won't be around very soon."

"Khan, are you going to take them out yourself?"

"No, I'm afraid they will fall apart before I get there. Do you see the minor nations southeast of Yuan?"

"Do you mean the nations like Song and Ming?"

"Yes, they are the sign of Yuan's decline. A great nation that cannot put down rebellions show the signs of weakness. Yuan cannot put down those minor Chinese nations and they will be her undoing."

"Should we aid Yuan then?"

"I told you it's already too late. However, we will need to keep a close eye there. Out of those 9 Chinese nations, one will rise above all and unite China. That will be one of our true enemies. Mark my word. The wars with that nation will be written down in the history books."

"You will get the title: 'Conqueror of China'."

"I'm afraid I won't live to see that day, Afshin. I know my limits. After all, even Genghis Khan wasn't able to conquer all of China. Surely you don't think I can surpass him."

"Khan, I think that you can still rival Genghis Khan."

"Time will tell, my friend. Time will tell."

Chapter 5 - The Known World (part 2)

"Khan, which map do you wish to look at next?"

"Bring the India map."



"India looks like a mess, Khan. However, I do think the victor is already decided."

"Really, Afshin? Enlighten me with your knowledge of India."

"Of course, Khan. India was heavily divided in religion. You have the Sunnis, the Shiites and the Hindus. There are many nations of all shapes and sizes but we are only interested in 5 nations. At the very south, we have the medium power following Hindu, Vijayanagar. Their control over southern India is very much guaranteed. Just north of them, we have the Shiite religion nation, Deccan. This nation, only Indian nation of the Shiite faith, has potential to grow and become a major power. Next, we have the Bengal nation of Sunni religion controlling the northeast of India. Their position provides them many opportunities of conquest, whether south into Hindu territory or eastern into Theravadin Buddhism territory. In the northwest, we have a Sunni religion nation called Sind. They appear tiny but they have plenty of options for expansion. Between Sind and Bengal, we have the mighty Delhi. This Sunni nation, through excellent diplomacy, managed to lead the personal unions of six Indian nations. How was that, Khan?"

"Everything was perfect except for one minor detail. Surely you don't believe that diplomacy alone got Delhi all their personal unions."

"Khan, I don't understand."

"Intrigue and diplomacy go hand in hand. Imagine this scenario: Delhi ruler sends his daughter to another nation's young king. Then, that king encounters an unfortunate accident. Who will lead that nation?"

"Of course! The Delhi ruler would rule over both nations."

"Exactly. If you can do that six times, then you would get six personal unions. It's quite simple."

"Khan, surely we will be using this as well."

"Nonsense! We are the mongols. We become victors by winning on the battlefield with swords and bows in our hands. We don't do disgraceful tactics such as assassinations."

"Yes, Khan. Still, we need to protect ourselves against these tactics."

"Do not fear for me, old friend. I may be crippled but I still can take down an enemy regiment if I have to."

"I never doubted your fighting abilities, Khan. Soon, all who heard your name won't either."

"I hope to make myself heard in India soon. I wish to create an empire in India. I've even have a name for it."

"Really, Khan? May I hear the name of our future empire?"

"We shall be known as the Mughal Empire."

"Mughal. A Persian word for Mongols. Encompassing both our ancient heritage with the Mongol Empire and our origin here in Persia. A perfect name for a brand new empire."

"I'm glad you like it, my friend. I know I look forward to constructing such an empire. Though,.... Nevermind."

"Will we be attacking India first?"

"No, we will deal with the traitors first and secure both our north and west flank. Then, we will show the Indians the true might of the Mongols."

"We will show them. I still can't understand why anyone would dare to betray you. They must be very foolish and wished to die."

"They thought they defected to the strong. I will soon show them that they merely walked up to the gates of Hell. I will give them a friendly nudge to send them on their way."

AcoG000 said:

This is getting good. Especially since you're playing as the Timurids

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Welcome aboard! I will probably get through all the introductions and start on the actual campaign today. As for the Timurids, they are tough nation to play but they have so much potential.

Chapter 6 - The Known World (part 3)

"Khan, shall we move to our final map? The one with our glorious nation?"

"Yes, Ahshin. Our opening moves will take place on this map. There will be plenty of blood spilled."



"Look at the Golden Horde, the land they own is truly amazing."

"They have not lost their way like the Yuan. That's why they will continue to expand and thrive."

"The Golden Horde was feared by all, aren't they?"

"They are indeed feared. Their armies are great in number and their cavalry has yet to lose a war. Even I do not wish to meet them in battle. At least, I am not ready at the moment."

"Khan, how about the Moghulistan to the east of us? Aren't they the descendants of Genghis Khan as well?"

"They may have the blood but they lack the true spirit of the Mongols."

"How so, Khan?"

"They use mountains and deserts to keep away their enemies. True mongols don't use the geography but their swords to ward off enemies. The people of Moghulistan have grown weak believing that they are safe from invasion. They will soon find out the hard way."

"Are there any plans to conquer them?"

"Not right now. Most of their provinces aren't too profitable and I have more pressing matters here in Persia."

"Khan, I know that you have decided on your first move. What about your second move? Will you be heading east or west?"

"You're getting too impatient, my friend. Just like chess, you need to see your enemies' move before you make another move. Unlike chess, there are a lot more unpredictable situations in real life. I can assure you that my current goal is to control all of Persia."

"Does this mean that we will be fighting the Injuids and Chobanids sooner or later?"

"Yes, they would be a threat if left alone. I intend on ridding them before I conquer eastwards. I may go more westwards to reach The Mamluks before I stop my western campaign."

"Is that wise, Khan? The Mamluks have a sizable army and could be a problem."

"They can be a problem but I'm not that worried about them. They may have numbers but we will show them that numbers alone won't be enough to defeat us. Are you suggesting that I keep moving westward?"

"Yes, I believe severely weakening The Mamluks would be our best option. Weakening them would secure our western flank. All our troops can then focus on the east front."

"We'll see, Afshin. We will see how everything will develop"

"Would Delhi be a threat to us then? What if they attack us while we are busy with The Mamluks?"

"This is one risk I'm willing to take. I also doubt they will bother with me when they have easier nations to conquer. Though, we must act quick before they become too powerful in India"

Chapter 7 - The Opening Move

The Khan of Timurids, Timur, had long awaited the day he can began his conquest. Hardly a year has passed since he became the Khan of the Timurids and he was eager for battle. Like playing chess, Timur never rushed his moves. He carefully planned out his next moves and he knew that opening move was crucial. He spent a few days inspecting his soldiers and looked over the documents regarding the situation of his nation. Two things came to his mind and he addressed it immediately.

First, he needed the complete loyalty of the nobility. While he has been Khan for a year, he knew that some of the nobles still weren't willing to fully acknowledge him as a leader. After all, he was crippled and, to most people, that is the sign of weakness. In addition, not all the nobles believe the story that he was a descendant of Genghis Khan. They see him as another pretender hoping to gain some glory. When Timur successfully drove out the previous Mongols, these nobles swore allegiance to him. Each of these nobles held reasonable sized regiments and could have easily declared themselves warlords. Instead, they chose him as their leader in hopes of protection. Timur had the option of removing these nobles and promoting those who he trusted. The problem with these nobles was that they have a lot of influence in his newly conquered territories. With few people that have heard his name, Timur needed people that can rally support for him. Killing them would simply make his subjects doubt the Khan. His enemies could easily spread rumours of tyranny. Timur cannot afford fighting within his nation before he began expanding outwards. Still, he needed to ensure that these nobles were completely loyal to him. Therefore, he decided to give the nobles more privileges. Though, the privileges didn't come for free. In return for greater privileges, the nobles were expected to contribute more the Khan's army, whether through men or ducats.



After dealing with the nobles, Timur turned his attention to his northern provinces. The two provinces he gained only a few months ago, Turkestan and Kyzyl Kum, could easily become a problem. The people there still haven't accepted his rule and he has received many reports that rebels eagerly await a chance to declare their independence. Suppressing these rebels require soldiers and Timur doubt he can always spare that many. Luckily, Timur had another option. Despite his short reign over the area, there were some Kazakh nobles that have proven their loyalty. These nobles have a fair bit of influence over the people in that region. Timur decided to take a gamble. He was willing to send those nobles to rule over three provinces in the region as his vassal. The nobles can continue the ways of the Kazakhs while offer men and ducats to Timurids. If his vassals ever decided to betray him, Timur knew he can massacre the Kazakhs without any of his subjects objecting. In times of war, the Kazakh will prove useful by sending raiding parties to confuse the enemies. There were definitely more benefits and Timur decided to go through with his decision.



With two internal problems resolved, Timur can began dealing with external politics. He knew he would deal with the traitors in time but there was something he must do prior to war. He needed to get on the good side of the Golden Horde. If possible, he wished for an alliance.

Chapter 8 - Creating a Bond

A young man got off his horse to be met with a guard.

"Hello! I'm Farjad. I am sent by the Khan of Timurids."

"Please wait. I will inform the Great Khan of your arrival."

The guard went into the camp. Shortly after, another warrior came to meet Farjad.

"Welcome! I'm Pulad and I will take you to our Great Khan. Before you meet him, I suggest you remember one thing if you wish to live."

"What is that?"

"He is the Great Khan. You would be insulting him if you merely called him a Khan."

"I see."

"This way. The Great Khan is waiting."

Pulad led Farjad to to tent where the Khan of the Golden Horde was waiting. This Khan, hearing that the Khan of Timurids sent a diplomat over, was rather amused and decided to give audience. He was interested to see what Timur can offer him. When he received word that the diplomat arrived, he had his personal guards situated within the tent.

"Greetings, Khan. I am Farjad and Khan of Timur has sent me."

"I apologize, Great Khan. Farjad, he is the Great Khan."

"There is only one Great Khan that I know of."

"You ...."

"Pulad, that's enough! Let the diplomat speak. I'm very curious who this Great Khan he is speaking of."

"Khan, the only Great Khan I recognize is Genghis Khan. Unless any Khan has surpassed him, I will see them as merely a Khan."

"Guards!"

The Khan's personal guard readied their weapons. They were ready to cut down the diplomat as soon as the order was given.

"Yes, Great Khan!"

"Leave now and let us talk in peace. Pulad, inform the cook to prepare lunch."

"Yes, Great Khan!"

Everyone left except for the Khan of Golden Horde and Jarhad.

"Well said, young diplomat. You have guts, I'll give you that."

"I wouldn't be here if I feared death, Khan."

"Indeed, you would've given up half way. So, what brings you here?"

"My Khan wishes to form an alliance. He believes that such an alliance would benefit both parties."

"Before I give my answer, I was hoping you can answer a few of my questions."

"Of course, Khan."

"I heard Timur is crippled. Doesn't that make him weak?"

"That only makes him stronger. Khan, you must know that not everyone can become a Khan. Imagine how great a cripple must be to rise to such a position. I assure you that he's not a ordinary warrior."

"He's not the only extraordinary warrior. How about work under me? I will give you a high position within my Khanate."

"I must decline, Khan. I swore my allegiance to the Khan of Timurids and I intend to stay that way. I doubt I'll live if I said yes."

"Not only does the Khan of Timurids show promise but he also knows how to pick his subjects. I am impressed."

"I'm not bragging but my Khan is destined for great things. He, like you, are the only ones capable of restoring the Mongol Empire. Yuan is destined to fall and other Khans are merely pretenders. An alliance between you and my Khan will one day bear fruit."

"Well said! Enough talk for now, time for lunch!"

Pulad entered with servants carrying food.

"Join us, my son. You can learn a lot from this diplomat."

"Yes, Great Khan."

"Farjad, you don't seem hungry. I assure you that my cooks are the best in the region."

"Khan, I ate on my way here."

"On you way here?"

"Yes, Pulad. I pack my rations so I can eat while on horseback. This minimizes the time I waste."

"Learning the old ways of the Mongols. That's very admirable. I can see you are eager to return to your Khan. I kinda regret you are unwilling to serve under me. Tell your Khan this:

Sybreal said:

More! This is already looking good.

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Thanks! I was halfway done when you were commenting so here's more.

Chapter 9 - Timurids Unification War against Shabankara (part 1)

(Night Before the War)



"Afshin, let's continue our chess match."

"Yes, Khan. What a surprise, you have painted the squares in different colors and got all your pieces back."

"Indeed, I thought that some changes need to be made. The idea of the big alliance was rather unrealistic. Now that I got more accurate reports, I can adjust our chess game a little better."

"I understand that red squares represents your territory but why have you lost some some of your original territory? Our war hasn't even begun."

"It's rather simple. Remember that we created vassals out of the Kazakh people. We may rule over them but they are still a separate nation (represented by yellow). They can make their own moves on how to move their armies. They can also pick between aiding us and betraying us."

"I understand the brown, orange and green colors represent our enemies Shabankara, Kartids and Muzaffarids. The eight pieces that were gone last match are now under my control. How about the Golden Horde? Should they be part of our chess match?"

"We have an alliance and we both have little doubt that they would join us. However, we can never be too sure if they will have a direct impact on our war. I choose to leave them out for now. Plus, I don't command their pieces."

"The odds don't look good for you, Khan. It will be worse if the Kartids decide to join separately."

"You're right about that. That's why we must make the best use of our time to quickly end the war with a decisive victory."



On January 2, 1356, Timur declared unification war against the Shabankara. As expected, the Golden Horde honored their alliance and joined the Timurids. For the Shabankara, they had the Muzaffarids and Hedjaz joining them.



According to Timur's scouts, his enemies have roughly 20 thousand men and that number is expected to increase. Timur had 19 thousand men ready for battle but, due to the lack of funds, he was unable to recruit anymore. His ally, the Golden Horde, had 50 thousand men but they were all situated north or northwest of Timurids. Knowing that reinforcements aren't likely to arrive in a couple of months, Timur decided to quickly move his troops to the border of Timurids and Shabankara. He patiently waited for the foolish Shabankara army to enter his territory before concentrating all his troops on the attack. The Shabankara army, taken completely by surprise, lose half their men before retreating back to their territory. Timur, unwilling to give his enemies a chance to recover, pursued after them. Before long, the Shabankara army was annihilated. However, the Muzafarrids proved to be a greater challenge as they managed to assemble 18 thousand men and began to head towards Timurids territory. Knowing that taking the Muzafarrids army head on may not be the most effective tactic, Timur decided to let that army enter his territory before he split his army in half to block off retreat of the Muzafarrids army while starting the siege of the two northern Shabankara provinces. Timur was taking a gamble that his ally would arrive in time to lift the siege while he begin taking out the Shabankara. If necessary, he would re-merge his army to fend off the Muzafarrids.

A few months passed and the sieges for both side were still taking place. For Timur, he knew that, the longer this war lasts, the better his chances of winning. Indeed, it would appear that the arrival of the Golden Horde army proved to be enough to shatter his enemies. His ally, in large numbers, had finally arrived on the battlefield and their superior numbers quickly routed the Muzafarrids army. Timur took this chance to split his army up more to siege the remaining Shabankara provinces and Sistan, a Muzaffarids province. The Golden Horde soon sent word that they had a decisive victory and that their troops would be reaching Muzaffarids territory shortly. More good news arrived when Timur received word that the Kazakh nobles he sent to govern as vassals have successfully established their power there. The people of Kazakh were now willing to provide military support whenever it's needed.

Chapter 10 - Timurids Unification War against Shabankara (part 2)

(Siege camp outside of Sistan)

"Khan, you called me?"

"Farjad, I had a disturbing dream last night."

"How disturbing?"

"I saw disaster befalling our people. There were people from the west called Europeans. They carried a powerful weapons that slaughtered our people by the thousands."

"That's horrible! Surely you were able to stop them."

"From what I saw, I have long died. It was unbearable to see our people so helpless."

"Khan, did the dream reveal what you must do?"

"Indeed, what was revealed to me was most disturbing. I learned that the only way our people can survive is by changing our ways of living."

"You mean we must give up the Mongol heritage?"

"Yes, we must learn to settle down and live as our neighbors in India."

"I do not question your dreams, Khan. You are destined for great things and such a dream means that times are changing."

"Khan, I heard everything you just said."

"Afshin, I'm glad you are here. What are your thoughts?"

"I obey the Khan. If your choose a decision to benefit the Khanate, I would support you all the way."

"Thank you, my friends. I will begin the process now. I know that it will be a tough transition for our people. However, it needs to be done."



A warrior asks for permission to enter.

"You may enter."

"Khan, I received word that the Muzaffarids agreed to a white peace with the Golden Horde. The Golden Horde has began their own campaign against Georgia."

"Khan, I can't believe that the Khan of Golden Horde decided to leave us on our own."

"Warrior, you may leave. Jarhad, I expected this. They have their own interests and I have mine. Their Khan saw little can be accomplished from this war and thus decided to leave. I would've done the same."

"From our reports, I heard that the Muzaffarids are desperately trying to recruit more men."

"They will try to fight back. We must speed up the siege here. I'm only interested with Sistan in the Muzaffarids territory."

Another warrior asks for permission to enter.

"Enter!"

"Khan, it would appear that the vultures have gathered onto the Muzaffarids. The Injuids and their allies have decided to seize the opportunity of fighting a weak prey."