Zaporozhian Host AAR

[nalivayko]

Amric, I think I'll finish the installment later today

Gjerg Kastrioti, the game can't - but I can If I make it my policy to raid rather than conquer (not all the time, naturally, but fighting Turkey almost requires it).

My thoughts on raiding: the purpose of it in the game is to deny your enemy the looted province's income and ability to build new troops. The priority, however, should be the destruction of enemy reserves (new recruits), thus denying him reinforcements and winning victory points.

The raiding army should not be large, to avoid supply problems. It should be mobile, consisiting entirely of cavalry (also makes it easier to completely destroy enemy recruits). It should avoid large battles and try to keep to the plains.

Tell me if I missed anything.

[Amric]

Sounds about right to me. Just be careful not to get penned in anywhere. Wouldn't hurt to have Military Access to a nation next to the Ottomans to duck into from time to time. Should frustrated the Turks something awful.

[Commandante]

Tales get so much more interesting when the gods (be they of any kind) decide to meddle about a bit.

Cheers!

[Storey]

Originally posted by nalivayko
Thank God we gain points for victories in battle - if I played by EU
I'd be meat right now. Of course, by EU rules I'd be able to get out of the war with Ottomans when I captured Kaffa. But no, as I took it, Poles and Molvovians and Lithuanians managed to lose quite a number of battles to Turks and my vp was actually negative.

Yea I found out the hard way in a war against Aragon. The Papal States were kicking Aragon around in Italy so I looked at the victory score and it was -24. My ally Spain must have been losing big time. Great story nalivayko. Good luck in the next war.

Joe

[nalivayko]

Sword of Yur Victorious


We'll be aided by St. Yuri and the Mother Holy
To defeat the evil wholly.
Two ways only: win or die,
Twice you cannot die.
Get ready, comrades, for battle!


When Predslav Lantskoronosky died, there were many good words said about him by his comrades-at-arms. He was a warrior first and a diplomat... never. However, his achievements on the diplomatic battlefield won him as much praise as his victories over Turks in Asia Minor, Greece and the Balkans. To make the story short, Predslav was the first and the last hetman to see his Zaporozhian Lowlands Army a subject to a foreign power.

Right after the victory over Tatars, the hetman informed the Lithuanian Duke that Cossacks do not get paid enough to do all the diry work for Lithuanians and, while remaining good friend and allies of the Lithuania Duke, Cossacks will keep their gold to themselves.

Since Cossack treasury was far from being the richest in the world, the Lithuanians acted as if nothing happened, but the later events showed they were good students, even if not good rulers. Following Cossack declaration of independence, King of Poland and Duke of Lithuania, Zygimantas the Old went mad and declared denounced himself as his own vassal (while traditional history attributes this fact to the King's illness, a more recent study tends to consider the possibility of nobles' against King's authority in Lithuania).

Back in the Borderlands, Yevstakhiy Dashkovych is elected a hetman. He is a good leader and a good diplomat. He is not a bad Cossack either. But he will have a hard time filling in Lantskoronsky's shoes.

He starts off with trying to get his little country back on the trail. The war with Turkey forced Cossacks to take a loan from the Jews in Kiev. Many argued that the loan should never be returned - since Jews probably got a lot of interest since the death of Christ for their thirty silver pieces. Dashkovych, however, believes Jews might still be useful - and quite annoying and dangerous, if denied their money. He manages to pay the loan back in 1517 and proceeds to finish building of Donetsk - the town in Donetsk province, which by the end of the decade reaches the population of three thousand.

New hetman intends to keep Cossacks on a short leash. He senses the danger and but does not know where it is supposed to come from. With relief he watches White Sheep Turks and the Ottomans attack Dulkadir and Crimean Tatars. Two worst Cossack enemies fight each other to the death - and it is pleasing to Dashkovych that the death is not his own.

In 1519 Georgia takes advantage of recent developments and wraps up its own private war with Crimea, getting Azov. Khan is desperate to end the war with Turkey, but Suleyman the Magnificent is only willing to do it on his own terms. Tatars have to cede Kalmyk to the Ottomans, Kouban' to the White Sheep Turks and the Khan has to become a vassal of the Turkish Sultan.



While numerous enemy armies pass across the steppe (as hetman grants military access to anybody who bothers to ask, in hope to keep his country at peace), Cossack garrison in Zaporozhye remains at twelve hundreed men.

Four years pass. The chronicles don't record much during these years, and yet, for Cossacks it was full four years. The warriors went back to farming, hunting, visiting their wives in the north and causing little mischield across the borders. Alliance with Poland, Lithuania and Muscowy expires and the Poles and Muscowites fight for the honor of being the leader. Lithuanian nobles decide to ally themselves with Hungary - a Devil's work, if Cossacks ever see one. Finally, Zygimantas proposes to the Czar that Zaporozhian Host, being the smallest in the alliance, should be the leader - to avoid the hostility between two larger part of alliance.

Dashkovych is certain that he secured peace for generations. But, as people say, in the quite pond the devils lurk. In 1523 Georgia, Ukraine's southern Orthodox neighbor, again finds itself in unequal fight against the Ottomans, Crimeans and White Sheep Turks. Georgians fight like mountain lions, like true Christians that they are, they embrace death in combat, while still praying for victory. A year later, when all of their provinces are overan by the enemy, they manage to defeat Crimean Khan and annex the Khanate.

Impressed with a such heroic defense, Cossacks beg their hetman to aid their Orthodox brothers. Dashkovych offers Georgians to enter the alliance, promising that if they survive this war, they won't have to fight another alone.

Georgians fight for another seven years. Finally, overan by tens of thousands of Turks and Crimeans rebels, they succumb to the infidel demands. Turkey receives Crimea and Sochi, while the Tatars found a new Khanate in Azov.

The defeat of the fellow Christian nation could not have passed unnoticed in Zaporozh'e. On a gathering in one of the siches, hetman was forced to mobilize a 6,000-strong Cossack force and, after arranging the right to pass through Lithuanian territory, Cossacks invaded Tatar lands. Khan's insults did not slow their advance, but gave Cossack army a sense of legitimacy of their mission.

The opposing armies were more or less equal - Tatars had a slight advantage in cavalry, while a larger number of Cossacks fought on foot. They clashed at the walls of Azov and in a fierce fighting Khan's army was anihilated.
Sâhîb I locked himself in Azov, but even the stone walls of this fortress could not save him from Cossacks.

They burned the countryside around the city and forced the defendants to starve. Khan build a warship to bring food from Turkey, but Cossack navy was already blockading the city, by the time it was finished.

Finally, Azov fell to victories Zaporozhians. Khan offered 139,000 ducats in tribute, by remembering two previous occasions, on which Cossack leaders were fooled by the treacherous Tatars, Dashkovych decides to play smart and declines. Azov becomes Cossack province. Tatars, who are willing to join Cossack army are left alive. The rest is either killed or expelled. A few still wonder around the steppe, causing trouble to both hetman in Azov and Sultan in Crimea.

A year later, Dashkovych, who still remains a hero of Azov to his people, is replaced with Samiylo Kishka, a more aggressive otaman (captain, leader). He braggs to Cossacks that he found a magic saber, or rather a sword, in the kurgan of the ancient Scythian warlord. He claims this is the sword of St. Yuri and it's owner will never know the taste of defeat. Samiylo promises his comrades a short life, yet full of glory and victory. And the events around the Borderlands seem to echo his words with the roar of cannons.

Turkish Sultan Suleyman Kanuni, known among the followers of Christ as Magnificent, declares war on János I Zápolya, ruler of Hungary. Lithuania joins on the side of Zapolya. Thousands of troops pass the Wild Fields south to north and north to south. The crows gather from all the corners of the steppe to feed on the dead bodies of Turks and Lithuanians.

In 1536, thanks to the unselfish sacrifices of the Lithuanian people, Suleyman's attack on Hungary is stopped and then turned back. Samiylo asks the elder Cossacks whether they think the time is right to avenge the blood of the Christians and re-take Constantinople from Turks. The elders being drunk, recalled the days of the first hetman, true lytzar' and lucky Cossack Predslav, and told Samiylo that they see nothing impossible in his plans. Hetman immediately gathered Zaporozhian Host and invaded Crimea, marching on the former Tatar capital of Bakchi-Sarai. Whatever reserves he had left, he sent east of Don River.

The Sultan sends his the largest fleet the waters of the Black Sea has ever seen to the shores of Crimes. Almost eighty Ottoman ships start the blockade of Ochakiv. Cossacks laugh at the Turks from the walls of the fortress and beg the enemy to come ashore "to taste the steel of the Cossack sabers". Georgians invade the Turkish province of Trabizond, while Cossack sotni (hundreeds) occupy Kalmyk and Kouban' steppes... The fortune smiles to true Christians... and then, in an instant, turns its face away. Lucifer's devious plan is set in motion.

In the beginning of 1537, as if following the advice of the Devil himself, János Zápolya makes peace with the Sultan and declares war on the Cossack alliance. The trap was perfect. Ottoman feint against Hungary was nothing more than a trick to provoke Samiylo and his men to attack Turkey. Georgians are badly beaten at Trabizond and retreat north of the Caucasian mountains. Lithuanians raise more armies and attack from the north. Hungarians threaten the Host from the west and Turks advance from the south.

Samiylo looks at the Cossack camp at the walls of Bakchi-Sarai and a sense of helplessness overcomes him. Like any Cossack, this old warrior is a child at his heart. He does not see the world in the same light as adults may. He fears not the mighty power of the Sultan. He scorns the treacherous King of Hungary and dares his Lithunian foes to come forth and do battle. And yet, it is not mortal armies that he sees around, but the hordes of the Lucifer himself, sent to enslave the ancient lands of Rus' and rule over the Christians. He looks at the old, rusty saber in his hand and wonders whether there truly is magic in this piece of metal.

His comrades pray to St. Yuri and Holy Mother of Christ to deliver them from fear and grant the Cossacks of the Lowland Zaporozhian Host the strength to conquer evil. Soon the prayer forms into a song, that from now on will serve as the military hymn of the Zaporozhian Army:

We'll be aided by St. Yuri and the Mother Holy
To defeat the evil wholly.
Two ways only: win or die,
Twice you cannot die.
Get ready, comrades, for battle!

[nalivayko]

Amric, it should be easy in the open steppe, but the raid in the Balkans was really risky. And I wish I've thought about getting a mil. access with some Turkish neighbor. Unfortunately, Hungary hates me so much, that even a royal marriage seems impossible.
I'll blame it on Lucifer's tricks

Commandante, beware of gods - they don't know what they are doing

Storey, luck? Cossacks of the Lowland Zaporozhian Army have no need for luck! They need miracles Ok, a clear rip off, but it sounds appropriate here.

Ok, I am done with the comments and will try to write another installment soon. I just started a second job and between the two have hard time finding time to spend time on aars. Besides, the server being down did not help at all - I don't want to play unless I have a previous session results posted.

[Amric]

Nalivayko, kind of makes you wish my Swedish Romans were around, don't it?

Personally, I think you are in BIG trouble...I'm sure you'll find a way out of it. Great update!

[nalivayko]

Originally posted by Amric
Nalivayko, kind of makes you wish my Swedish Romans were around, don't it?

Nah, not really I know the ending of this one

I am really not a warmonger, but I used to specialize on impossible tasks. Back in the good old days, when one could annex a huge country in one war, I wrote an aar on Muscowy. Called Third Rome AAR, btw Those Romans annexed Poland-Lithuania in one round. I still have them by my side in this aar, along with Poles. If Ukrainians, Russians and Poles, working together for a change, aren't able to defeat Turks, Hungarians and Lithuanians - I will become a Catholic.

... Of course, looking on the map, couple of days ago, I felt the same way you do now. No, worse, I was petrified. But then St.Yuri showed up and told me to forget about reloading (seriously, I haven't even thought about it) and things were ok since then.

[Commandante]

Originally posted by nalivayko
No, worse, I was petrified. But then St.Yuri showed up and told me to forget about reloading (seriously, I haven't even thought about it) and things were ok since then.

"The Fight Against the Ottomans" (aka "I will survive")
trad. Cossak song

First I was afraid
I was petrified
But then St Yuri appeared
right there by my side
I'd spent so many nights
thinking how they did me wrong
I grew strong
I learned how to carry on
and so you're back
from that Thrace place
I just sat here with EU2
and that sad look upon my face
I should have reloaded my game
I should have used some evil cheats
If I had known for just one second
you'd be back to bother me

March away, like you've done before
just turn around now
'cause you're not welcome anymore
weren't you the one who hurt me with Turkish spears
you think I'd crumble
you think I'd lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
as long as I know how to live
like a Cossak I will stay alive
I've got lots of steppes to take
I've got lots of war to make
and I'll survive
I will survive

[Eochaid]

*Dancing*

LMAO

[nalivayko]

Commandante, you made my day

Eochaid, I hope you're dancing gopak, no other dance would be approriate here

[Eochaid]

Originally posted by nalivayko
Commandante, you made my day

Eochaid, I hope you're dancing gopak, no other dance would be approriate here

I can even dance Kazachok my friend

[Storey]

Originally posted by nalivayko


Georgians fight for another seven years. Finally, overan by tens of thousands of Turks and Crimeans rebels, they succumb to the infidel demands. Turkey receives Crimea and Sochi, while the Tatars found a new Khanate in Azov.

May we have a moment of silence please....I feel their pain.

Joe

[Commandante]

Originally posted by nalivayko
Commandante, you made my day

Why thank you, my friend. As soon as someone mention the word "petrified", I think of that song. Just had to fix it up a bit... And I think the new lyrics work quite well with the song.

[nalivayko]

Eochaid, a shame I can't see it

Storey, I'll make you a deal - liberate Ukraine and I'll keep Georgia floating around (maybe even with couple of extra provinces).

Commandante, the lyrics worked wondeful. You did, however, miss a rhyme for "spears". I was looking for matching "tears" everywhere and couldn't find them

[Commandante]

Originally posted by nalivayko
Commandante, the lyrics worked wondeful. You did, however, miss a rhyme for "spears". I was looking for matching "tears" everywhere and couldn't find them

Arrgh, that is indeed correct! Hadn't noticed that.

Won't hijack your thread anymore.

[Voivode]

Very nice AAR, nalivayko. Actually, I love cossacks. First I got acquainted with these free minded warriors in Henryk Sienkiewicz's masterpieces and since then they are my favourite figures in history. I try to read as much as I can about them and I'll do the same with your AAR. Your playing style is kinda "cossack" , which is the greatest thing in this piece IMHO. Openly defying the Ottoman Sultan, raiding deeply into enemy territory, laughing in Death's face - Cossack characteristics. Keep on writing, don't DARE to abandon this one.

BTW, here is a little gem, I managed to find on the Internet, ages ago. Just to give even more atmosphere to your tale. ( It's copy-pasted )

[Letter of the Zaporozhian Cossacks of Ukraine replying to the Sultan of Turkey]

Thou Turkish Devil!
Brother and companion to the accursed Devil, and Secretary to Lucifer himself,
Greetings!
What the hell kind of noble knight art thou? Satan voids and thy army devours.
Never wilt thou be fit to have the sons of Christ under thee. Thy army we fear
not, and by land and by sea in our chaikas will we do battle against thee.
Thou scullion of Babylon, thou beerbrewer of Jerusalem, thou goat
thief of Alexandria, thou swineherd of Egypt, both the Greater and the Lesser
thou Armenian pig and Tartar goat. Thou hangman of Kamyanets, thou evildoer
of Podolia, thou grandson of the Devil himself, thou great silly oaf of all the
world and of the netherworld and, before our God, a blockhead, a swine's snout,
a mare's ass, and clown of Hades. May the Devil take thee!
That is what the Cossacks have to say to thee, thou basest born of runts!
Unfit art thou to lord it over true Christians!
The date we know not, for no calendar we got. The moon (month) is in the sky,
the year is in a book, and the day is the same with us here as with ye over there -- and thou
canst kiss us thou knowest where!

Koshoviy Otaman Ivan Sirko
and all the
Zaporozhian Cossack
Broterhood

Well, at least they had sense of humour for sure

[Amric]

Oh, now that is funny! I can just see such a letter actually being delivered to the Sultan...

[nalivayko]

Commandante, hijack it all you want - I don't mind

Voivode, and I thought to keep it for a black day When I have no time to write, the readers demand more - then I would post the letter! Anyway, it's a shame most of the people cannot read the original - it is much more... eh... expressive.

And yes, I'll try to be as daring and uncompromising as possible.

Amric, if you can vividly see it, maybe you'd be able to come up with actions for this event I already have it handy, but it'd be nice to see what other people think about it.

[Commandante]

Voivode - I'd say that's a diplomatic insult if there ever was one...