L'Addio a Napoli

[Cloud Strife]

I’ve been a lurker for close to a year on this forum and now I’d like to give a little back in the form of this AAR. Forgive the unoriginal handle… It’ll be my first attempt at trying to create a proper story using CK. With that being said… on to the house rules!

- This will be a story driven AAR. Graphics are of secondary importance but I will see if I can’t upload anything interesting. Cheating is not allowed but since i’m always a fan of an early leg up… oh well you’ll see later.

- I’ll be using CK v. 1.05 with a few graphics modifications.

- And insert anything else I’m forgetting about…

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"Ever since our rough crusading forefathers first saw Constantinople and met, to their contemptuous disgust, a society where everyone read and wrote, ate food with forks and preferred diplomacy to war, it has been fashionable to pass the Byzantines by with scorn and to use their name as synonymous with decadence.”
- Sir Steven Runciman

The word Byzantine has become associated with decadence. In the year 1066 the Heirs of Rome were impossibly cultured, guardians of a legacy that stretched into the mists of time, back to the early Republic. In contrast Western Christendom was backwards in every sense of the word. Roman law and reason was abandoned in favor of a Germanic system based on oath taking and tribalism. Slowly these practices would evolve into the Feudal system. In addition the West populated by descendents of the Germanic migrants who had torn down the Western Roman Empire. They lived in a state of mass illiteracy, ill hygiene, and above all never ending warfare. The Kingdoms which had risen up in the aftermath of the old Empire’s fall no longer recognized the authority of the Equal of the Apostles and instead looked towards the Pope in Rome and their own local figures for guidance and legitimacy.

The Westerners had challenged the legitimacy of the true Rome by forging the so-called Holy Roman Empire. This new Augustus was in theory paramount Lord over Western Christendom. In practice the new Empire proved unwieldy and the heirs of Charles the Great would be caught up in intermittent warfare with their vassals and even the Pope! And yet all this mattered little to Constantine Ducas, Emperor of the Romans.

The view from Constantinople was peachy. The fact that the Romans had been dislodged from Greater Greece by a bunch of ragtag Norman mercenaries, that the Turcoman hordes were poised to overrun the Empire’s Anatolian heartland, and that the Empire was bankrupt mattered little. The Emperor, courtiers, citizenry, churchmen, one and all were locked into a gilded cage. Not one culture in the world could surpass the achievements or technological legacy the Empire possessed. Not even the Muslims of the South came close. Was it not from the Empire that the Caliphs and later the petty Sultans learned how to mint and market golden coinage? Was it not from the Empire that the amenities of civilization were dispensed? The heathens to their credit had picked up faster than the Germans, Franks, and other barbarians of the West.

And so the cycle would continue. The Hellenic heirs of the Latin world would find it impossible to come to terms with the reality of their plight. Rich and cultured as they were, the inhabitants of the New Rome were unable to adapt. The winds of change were blowing but those winds of change were to come from outside the stagnated confines of the Queen of Cities.

Prologue I: All the glitters…

Long ago the Greeks came to the lands of boot of Italy. This ‘Greater Greece’ was a center of civilization long before the rise of the Roman Republic. As of late the greater part of this land has fallen into the hands of a Norman adventurer by the name of Robert de Hauteville. The lands of the de Hauteville Duchy of Apulia encompass the greater part of southern Italy. Other Normans hold land in the ancient city of Capua and in Salerno petty Lombard lords have taken advantage of the collapse of Byzantine authority to secure some measure of independence. Only in the lands around the city of Naples was the honor of the true Empire upheld.

Naples sat at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. The land around the volcano was rich and drew people from far and wide. The fact that Vesuvius was an active volcano that was known to destroy the towns of northern Campania from time to time mattered little. Death was a steady companion in the medieval world. If your time came early there was nothing special about it.

The region was in theory bound to the Empire but had been for the most part independent since 840. The current ‘Magister Militum’ of Naples in the year 1066 was Sergios Spartenos. He was a humble man who concerned himself with only day-to-day affairs. His son, also named Sergios, had bigger dreams.

The Port, Mid-Afternoon –

A ship had just arrived. It was a dromon. These were the direct ancestors of the ancient Trireme and usually functioned as warships. This dromon however was not one. From the way the ship limped into port it was manned by a skeleton crew and from their mode of dress they had come quite a long ways. As it would later turn out the passengers onboard and the crew as well were refugees traveling from coastal Syria. It was not an unusual occurrence. The southern island of Sicily had been Muslim for the greater part of a century. What made this shipload of Mohammedans different was their cargo…

When dockhands opened up the hold to offload cargo they found precious gems, gold dinars, ivory, ebony, a treasure beyond imagine. The passengers offered all this to the local lord in exchange for a new ship, a full complement of crew, and provisions.

Later at the Castle, Dusk –

It was an average Christmas; Lord Spartenos was seated at the High Table surrounded by his retainers. His son and heir, Sergios the Younger, were seated at the Lord’s right while the local prelate, Issac of Napoli, munched on a whole leg of lamb. News of the offer by the infidel had spread throughout the city but the Lord did not seem concerned in the least.

“You have not touched your food. It grows cold and aged with the hour. What is on your mind, boy? What are you brooding over on this day of all days? Hahaha. Eat, drink and be merry! Let us celebrate our Savior’s birth with merriment!”

“Jewels of wisdom indeed!” the prelate’s great girth jiggled with glee as he gnawed off another block of ham. “Why be concerned about the wealth of the heathen? I say let them go on and find another taker for their judas silver! That money is cursed! How many innocent servants of the Lord were slain in the accumulation of that wealth? Besides? Do you not find it odd that they would land on our shores? And offer us wealth beyond measure? It sounds like a ploy by that rat dog de Hauteville! Yes, we take the gold and he’ll have more than enough reason to smash us! Dealing with the heathen would not endear us in the eyes of our subjects or of the world.”

“It’s still wealth. Think of what we could do with all that bullion? Outfit an army? Expand our domains? Extract the ratdogs from our lands? Bring our people peace? Such wealth opens up possibilities that are too enticing to ignore. This is a sign from Heaven good Prelate. God has chosen us to become his instrument to bring order! Gold is gold, infidel gold or Christian gold. It matters not to our troops the origin of their pay. All that matters is the pay and now we can pay more than any fop in the land!”

“The prelate has a point, my son. For every action there is a reaction. Who knows what we may set in motion down the line? What could our actions tonight at this high table set into motion? You are too ambitious; Naples is not big enough for you. No, Italia is not big enough for you. You must set your sights on the world, my son. Go now, make the necessary arraignments and take the gold from the heathen. Outfit an army. And win glory. But above all you must remain true to your vision. I believe that is the best advice I can give you speaking as your father.”

“Ah… my Lord you cannot be serious… What of the de Hautevilles?” the prelate mumbled.

“The lords of Capua and Salerno are undecided. Sergios, I advice you to ‘convince’ them first before moving onto bigger game. I will hold down the fort here… I am far too old to campaign. You on the other hand are young and have all of life ahead of you. Though I’d advise you to keep that pretty head of yours in its place… it is far too easy to get carried away on the battlefield. Bloodlust has killed many men; it killed your grandfather, it killed your uncle, and it will kill you if you don’t learn to control it.”

The room stood silent for a time, and then the younger Spartenos rose up and nodded his head in agreement.

“Yes, yes… my path is clear now. I will carve a path into the future! I will…” and at that moment his old man cut him off.

“Yes, yes we all know. Before you start prattling off… news of what has been decided tonight will spread quickly. By the morrow all of Naples will be full of gossip. And in a week all the boot of Italy will be in the know. Move swiftly my son.”

“Agreed. I will take the army to Capua? Now?”

“It’s a start. Make sure your men are paid and properly supplied… though I suppose you needn’t march off in the middle of the night. You should avoid the dark as much as possible…. but come let us leave talk of conquest for the morning and tonight celebrate the works of the Prince of Peace! For tomorrow you will become a disciple of the God of War.”

The County of Naples has gained +5000 ducats! The Count of Naples has received claims on Capua and Salerno!

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Alrighty, I’ll be playing as Naples. The amount of gold maybe excessive but that’s just so I don’t have to worry about the economics of the game. I’ll be devoting the bulk of my posts to story and keeping myself from warring needlessly.

[Bonafacio]

love Napoli, great place do you plan to liberate the greeks of Southern italy and Sicily?? and reestablish Magna Grecia?

[cthulhu]

Very nice writing Cloud Strife. I'll be following this one.

[Shuma]

Good to see yet another lurker join the writAAR crowd!

This introduction was very well written, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest.

[Okawoa]

takes the hint*

Good luck, be more active then me!

[Cloud Strife]

Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully my save won't get corrupted so I can see this one to the end!

Bonafacio

I first plan to liberate Capua and Salerno. Declare myself Duke of Campania, rest a bit. Then i'll pick off the Sicilian Emirs one by one. I'll eventually have to fight off the Normans but my goal is not to decare the Kingdom of Naples. Italy isn't big enough for Sergios, remember? :P

[Veldmaarschalk]

Good luck with your first AAR

[stnylan]

Nice introduction. I hope you enjoy AAR-writing.

[Cloud Strife]

Chapter 1: Taking the Lord’s coin

Sergios would waste no time in forming his army. Orders were given to construct a new training camp to give the green recruits some experience before engaging in battle with the Norman aggressors.

Standing armies were unknown during this time of history. Armies were raised for a campaigning season only and then usually dispersed upon completion of said campaign. There was no infrastructure to speak of in place to support the maintenance of a standing force of any size. Lucky for the would-be conquerors of this area the average inhabitant of this age was somewhat familiar with the profession of arms and small bodies of professional mercenaries were always to be found in your local taverns. The caveat would be the costs in equipping a peasant and hiring bands of mercenaries. This would in effect limit the size of an army on campaign to around 2000 to 10000 men.

It was a good thing that numbers did not matter as much as the skill of the fighting men in your service. Numbers merely compounded the large problem of securing supplies and lodging for a military force on the move. But Sergios wouldn’t have to worry as much this time around. He had acquired ample means to supply and hire his forces. The gold in his coffers would enable him to undertake operations unheard of in recent memory. All Sergios had to do was open his mind and seize the day…

The Town Square, Mid-Day –

In the shadow of the local Church which was itself in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius a large wooden table was set up. On it was placed wax tablets, stencils, and sacks of gold diners. The town guard was out in full force to prevent the theft of the Lord’s monies. Sergios and several family retainers took their seats on one side of the table and waited for men to step forward and volunteer. There would be no short supply of willing combatants. Soldiers would get half of their pay now and the other half upon the successful completion of the campaign. If a solider fell in battle his remaining pay would be given out to his family. It was a win, win situation as far as everyone involved was concerned.

The recruits who flocked to the banner were from all walks of life. Most were farm boys seeking to win fame and fortune. Others were professional mercenaries who slew other men for a living. And others joined the army in an attempt to dodge the law or their mundane life. The greater part of the lot was illiterate. A scribe would stencil their name onto the wax plate and the new recruit would affirm his contract by placing an ‘x’ into the wax, next to his name. Then the recruit would trot on over to Sergios and swear and oath to render faithful service unto the young Master’s cause. Oaths at this time were considered binding and good enough for the purposes of a contract. Sergios required that the names of all the men in his army be committed to the record in an attempt to gage the cost of his army. That decision in itself was considered revolutionary.

In the Campanian countryside, Afternoon –

A decision was made to quarter the troops outside the city. It would easier this way to maintain discipline and also it would give Sergios the room needed to conduct proper training in maneuver warfare. Warfare in the west consisted of several minutes of taunting by both sides then a short skirmish followed by the withdrawal of one side. The tactics of the Romans had been replaced by battles barbarian style. This new army would be trained to fight in the Roman method.

Sergios’ reasoning behind this move was the fact that the Normans made extensive use of the mounted horsemen. Norman ‘Knights’ could mow down at will undisciplined bodies of infantry. He could have used archers but it would take several years before he could amass a trained body of bowmen. The people of Naples were familiar with the sword. The descendants of the Samnites could be as ferocious as their ancestors. A little training would go a long way to brining out the other side of the Campanian.

All new recruits would be lodged in tents, provided with regular rations, and required to wear standardized equipment. The whole thing smacked of a Legionary camp of the Late Republic and there was much grumbling heard. Military discipline did not come naturally to the Campanian but nobody could in their right mind complain. Everyone was paid. Everyone was properly fed. Most lived better in camp than in their civilian station. If one did want to leave military service there were many more waiting for their chance to earn the chance at regular pay back in the city.

Six-Weeks Later in Camp, The General’s Tent, Afternoon -

“Gentlemen, it seems the Capuans are in a spot of trouble. Less than 300 men have answered their call to arms? They’ve had more than a month’s warning about our preparations and still they did not stir. As for our ‘friends’ the De Hauteville’s I’ve heard nothing of them. No military movements. No requisitions for supplies. Nothing at all…”

“Young Master, they don’t call him the ‘Crafty’ for shits and giggles. A more likely reason for his lack of activity is he’s waiting to see who will triumph in the coming conflict between yourself and the Capuans. The Pope and the Pretender [i.e. the Holy Roman Emperor] are already wary of him. They would not tolerate him grabbing more power and upsetting the balance in the South.” The words of Honorius Theodosius, the Neapolitan strategist and descendent of that failed dynasty, were always held in high regard. “Now is as good a time as any to move against Capua. The Pope and the Pretender wouldn’t stop us. I think they would welcome an emerging power to check the might of the Duchy of Apulia.”

“Then let us make haste.”

The soldiers made ready for departure. After a night’s rest the army would set out but not before a rousing speech by their fearless leader. The troops were assembled on the parade ground and a special platform was set up upon which Sergios would address his men assembled.

“Citizens! This notion that we’re not cut out to fight was is a lie. Campanians love to fight, traditionally. All real Campanians love the sting and clash of battle! You are here today for three reasons. First, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones. Second, you are here for your own self respect, because you would not want to be anywhere else. Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight. When you, here, everyone of you, were children, you all admired the champion dice roller, the fastest runner, the toughest boxer, the big winners. We love a winner. Campanians will not tolerate a loser. Campanians despise cowards. Campanians play to win all of the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Campanians have never lost nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to a Campanian.”

A few of the more learned men in the crowd let out a slight cough. The rest were enthralled by the way the words rolled of Sergios’ tongue.

"You are not all going to die," he said slowly. "Only two percent of you right here today would die in a major battle. Death must not be feared. Death, in time, comes to all men. Yes, every man is scared in his first battle. If he says he's not, he's a liar. Some men are cowards but they fight the same as the brave men or they get the hell slammed out of them watching men fight who are just as scared as they are. The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared. Some men get over their fright in a minute. For some, it takes an hour. For some, it takes days. But a real man will never let his fear of death overpower his honor, his sense of duty to his country, and his innate manhood. Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best and it removes all that is base. Campanians pride themselves on being He Men and they ARE He Men. Remember that the enemy is just as frightened as you are, and probably more so. They are not supermen."

“Now, an army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap. The bilious bastards who wrote that stuff about individuality for the troubadour songs don't know anything more about real battle than they do about fornicating. Now, we have the finest food, equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. You know, by God I, I actually pity those poor bastards we're going up against, by God, I do. We're not just going to hack apart the bastards; we're going to cut out their living guts and use them to polish our swords. We're going to murder those lousy Norman bastards by the bushel. Now, some of you boys, I know, are wondering whether or not you'll chicken out in the heat of battle. Don't worry about it. I can assure you that you will all do your duty. The Normans are the enemy. Wade into them. Spill their blood. Hack’em in them in the belly. When you put your hand into a bunch of goo that a moment before was your best friend's midsection, you'll know what to do.”

“Now there's another thing I want you to remember: I don't want to get any messages saying that we are holding our position. We're not holding anything. Let the Norman do that. We are advancing constantly and we're not interested in holding onto anything except the enemy. We're going to hold onto him by the nose and we're going to kick him in the ass. We're going to kick the hell out of him all the time and we're going to go through him like crap through a goose. Now, there's one thing that you men will be able to say when you get back home. And you may thank God for it. Thirty years from now when you’re sitting around your fireside with your grandson on your knee, and he asks you: "What did you do in the great War against the Norman aggressors?" You won't have to say, "Well, I shoveled shit in a Vesuvian farm." Alright, now you sons-of-bitches, you know how I feel. Oh... I will be proud to lead you wonderful guys into battle anytime, anywhere.”

“That is all.”

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Sergios’ speech is all liberally edited from Patton’s speech to the Third Army and from Patton the Movie. It’s an awesome speech, truly inspiring stuff and so appropriate for someone as clichéd as Sergios is. The post is generally a glorified version of how I started construction on one building and deployed my army to attack Capua.

[Shuma]

Originally Posted by Cloud Strife

The post is generally a glorified version of how I started construction on one building and deployed my army to attack Capua.

Indeed it is. But nicely done! Some of the words from the speech don't really fit the time frame at all... so I was very confused until I read your little note at the end.

[cthulhu]

More!

[ComradeOm]

Very enjoyable so far. Hopefully I'll find time to follow this on a regular basis

[stnylan]

Originally Posted by Cloud Strife

The post is generally a glorified version of how I started construction on one building and deployed my army to attack Capua.

These kinds of posts can be the best kind. Good work!

[Cloud Strife]

Thanks for the kind words once more. I’m not shy about laying down the anachronisms if I feel like it. I’m having a bit of trouble uploading pictures to imageshack with my current internet connection so no pictures for now. I really should talk about the situation in the rest of the world but right now not much is going on. :P And now follows the battle…

Oh, before I forget. Does anyone know why I can’t seem to post stuff in the OT area?

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Chapter 2: Is this the way to Salerno?

"Morale is the capacity of a group of people to pull together persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose."

The army had struck camp. It would be a two weeks march to the Norman stronghold of Capua; a pleasant week of touring the Campanian countryside. The Norman rulers of Capua had decided to pool their limited resources and engage the larger Neapolitan army. The Normans had the advantage of heavy cavalry but the Neapolitans could count on the capable leadership of Sergios. The Young Master was but a lad but proved to be a tactician of some acumen. Discipline and aggressiveness would carry the foot solider against the mounted Knight.

Seven days march from Naples, Mid-Day –

The night before Sergios had received reports from his advance column that the Normans were galloping down from the North [Capua geographically is north of Naples… not to the west like on the CK map]. Their apparent goal was to cut down the advanced columns of the Neapolitan army before they could link up with the slower moving supply columns lagging, as usual, in the rear. The Neapolitan center had picked up the pace and had by mid-day caught up with van.

The terrain was pleasant enough. It was an unusually sunny day and Sergios made sure to maneuver his troops so that the sun would hit the eyes of his attackers. The ground was relatively level. Against the foot soldiers of any other power the battle would have been clinched by the Norman cavalry. The mounted knight was the cruise missile of the age. On horseback he was deadly, accurate, and well protected by chain mail. The Knight could pick off scatted soldiers easily but when confronted by a steady mass of infantry the knight was not so effective. The other disadvantage inherent in the use of Knights was their upkeep. Land, horses, or at least a steady income was required to keep a Knight adequately supplied. In contrast the army fielded by Sergios made heavy use of infantry. Infantrymen would prove easier to support in the field, simpler to train, and could be fielded in greater numbers than mounted cavalry. Above all the esprit de corps fostered by their training to fight as one body would minimize the haughty and disobedient attitude prevalent among specialized forces, such as the mounted cavalryman.

Sergios would deploy his men in advance of the enemy. The Normans seemed content to allow the Neapolitans to get into position. To them it was just another day’s work. The enemy would mass then they would run them down without mercy. In hindsight this would prove to be a fatal mistake. This was his first real battle. In dry runs back at camp he came to realization that the only way to speed up the deployment of his army on the battlefield was first hand experience. He hoped his men would learn to hustle after this ‘skirmish.’

Sergios would command his army from the center. He fought mounted in the manner of a General of the Early Principate. His armor was forged in the style of the 1st century AD and consisted of a solid steel breastplate, pauldrons, greaves, and finally a rather distinctive helmet that looked as if it belonged in a museum. His men were armed with a sword stabbing sword, short spear, and a light shield. For body armor the regular solider of the Neapolitan army wore a cuirass of boiled cowhide or if he fought in the first line of battle a breastplate made of bronze.

The formation adopted by the Neapolitans was the venerable ‘triplex acies.’ Infantrymen would sandwich archers and light troops in something resembling a checkerboard. To the Normans the enemy facing them came out of a storybook. The Legions of Rome had once again risen to fight against the tactics of their Germanic rivals.

The Battlefield, Sometime after Noon –

“Gentlemen! We now put our training to the test. If we hold our formation against the push of the Norman charge we’ll break the back of their war machine. If we can overcome the cavalry of the barbarian we can overcome any obstacle posed against us. Victory is what the people demand, let’s give them victory!”

After the standard pre-battle speech the Neapolitans advanced. The Normans replied by rushing the advancing line of infantry. “Repellere equites!” When the cavalry were within a few yards of the advancing line the command was given for the frontline infantry to close ranks, raise shields and short spear to present the advancing Normans with a wall of pointed objects to impale themselves on. The sound of cracking wood and the smell of blood wafted through the air as the Norman Knights slammed in the shield wall. “Ciringite frontem!” The army was now directed to halt. The Normans would be given a chance to disengage or tire themselves out again. As luck would have the Normans decided to have another go at the Neapolitans. “Repellere equites!” The second attempt had the same result and further bloodied the Normans. At this point the enemy decided to advance their heavy infantry and archers. Sergios had expected this. “Cuneum formate!” several brigades would assume a wedge shape and charge at the large, unorganized mass of the enemy’s frontline. It was at this moment, as the Neapolitans collided headlong into the Normans, in which the enemy infantrymen cut and run. They were not trained as the Neapolitans were to absorb the advance of a dedicated enemy.

The battle was over. The greater part of the Norman Army was in flight. It was high time to burn into the common memory the martial prowess of the Campanian fighting man. “Contendite vestra sponte!” The Neapolitans were now cleared to engage the enemy at will. At this point some Norman knights decided to pick off isolated bodies of men advancing. Casualties were occurred as a result but those knights foolish enough to turn and face the Neapolitans would scum to the bloodlust of the warriors from Campania.

The rest of the campaign would prove uneventful. The morale of their Norman adversaries was decisively broken. The siege of Capua was short. A breech in the fortress-town’s walls allowed the superior numbers of the Neapolitans to surge forward into the city. The citadel surrendered shortly thereafter. Sergios would raise a small garrison to keep watch on the city then dispersed the rest of the army. The campaign was a resounding success. But the war in the South was not over yet.

Back in Naples, Late Spring -

Two months would pass and those men who had first signed up and survived the Capuan campaign were asked to return to service. They were given the same terms of service offered to them previously. The turn out rate was over 80%. Army life had begun to show its advantages and as long as Sergios had the gold he had the ability to hold together this semi-standing army. Additional territory gained by the conquest of Capua would be given members of this new class of citizen-solider. With the loyalty of his ‘legionnaires’ secure, Sergios could now concentrate on the seizure of Salerno.

The territory of the Lombard holdouts of Salerno comprised the southern half of Campania. The ‘long beards’ had invaded Italy towards the end of period of the ‘Dominate’ otherwise known as the Late Roman Empire. They eventually wound up on top after first overcoming the rule of the Goths. Their kingdom would last until Charles the Great came and snatched the Iron Crown away from their lords. Now Sergios could finish the job and bring down the last independent Lombard state in all the land.

The Neapolitans would not have the numerical advantage this time. The Saleranios could muster 150 more men than the Neapolitans. But Sergios did not have the luxury of time. The heir to the County of Capua was a son of the Duke of Apulia. The health of the current Lombard overlord of the area, Gisuef, was in question and he wouldn’t be around much longer. Sergios had to seize the city before the young De Hauteville could claim his inheritance.

On the road to Salerno, Morning –

The Neapolitans could look forward to another pleasant campaign. The Lombards had quickly mobilized in an attempt to crush the army of Sergios as it crossed the frontier but they were crushed in much the same manner as the Normans before them. The timely assassination of the enemy Marshal brought the battle to a quick close. Without leadership the Lombard army was unable to resist the Neapolitan onslaught.

The rest of the campaign was uneventful. It would smooth sailing till the Neapolitan army hit the Hill Fort overlooking the Salerno proper. Until then something would have to be done to keep the troops entertained on the march. A rousing song to make the work day go by faster was a time honored tradition. Though the most popular tune sung during the march was somewhat… unconventional.

“Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala

When the day is dawning
On a Italian Sunday morning
How I long to be there
With Marie who's waiting for me there
Every lonely city where I hang my hat
Ain't as half as pretty as where my baby's at

Is this the way to Salerno
Every night I've been hugging my pillow
Dreaming dreams of Salerno where Marie who waits for me

Show me the way to Salerno
I've been weeping like a willow
Crying over Salerno
Where Marie who waits for me

Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
And Marie who waits for me

There's a church bell ringing
Hear the song of joy that it's singing
For the Marie
And the guy who's coming to see her

Just beyond the highway, there's an open plain
And it keeps me going through the wind and rain

Is this the way to Salerno
Every night I've been hugging my pillow
Dreaming dreams of Salerno
where Marie who waits for me

Show me the way to Salerno
I've been weeping like a willow
Cryin over Salerno
where sweet Marie who waits for me

Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
And sweet Marie who waits for me

Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
And sweet Marie who waits for me

Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
Sha la la lala lalala
And sweet Marie who waits for me”

Songs aside, the distractions kept the Neapolitans on task. The siege of Salerno would last till November. Now all of Campania belonged to Naples. The elder Sergios proclaimed the new ‘Exarch of Greater Greece’ thereby restoring theoretical Roman control to the region.

---

Another long post which details the capture of Capua and Salerno. I was able to proclaim the Duchy of Campania in less than a year which was cool. The next series of posts will detail more military reforms and the conquest of Sicily. The Byzantine/Seljuk war seems to be a stalemate and the situation in Iberia is stable. So outside of Southern Italy, not much is happening in this game of CK.

[Shuma]

Originally Posted by Cloud Strife

Another long post...

And another fine one. I see you've been doing plenty of research! Where did that song come from?

[stnylan]

The conquest is all proceeding marvellously to plan.

[ComradeOm]

Well done Sergios!

[quote=Cloud Strife]I’m having a bit of trouble uploading pictures to imageshack with my current internet connection so no pictures for now.[quote]I use photobucket and have never had any trouble with them.

Oh, before I forget. Does anyone know why I can’t seem to post stuff in the OT area?

IIRC there's a limit on how soon you can post in OT after joining the forums. Perhaps 6 day or a week or two; I'm not sure on the exact time.

[Cloud Strife]

After a week long break i'm almost ready to post an update. I expect sometime tonight PST i'll have it ready.

Gameplay wise i'm still hard at work trying to figure out how to crack the Duchy of Apulia and since I tend to write up huge posts about the littlest things the AAR might be a bit behind where I am in game play. I'm still waiting for the Turks to dismantle the Eastern Empire but... no luck yet. The Romans seem to be hanging on well.

On another note I still can't seem to post in the OT area. Maybe i've been blacklisted becuase of my 'childish' handle.