Dark clouds from the east.

[Singleton Mosby]

A sweet little girl walks across the lovely-green spring hills, a large red flower in her hear, more white flowers around her neck and some beautiful pink ones in her small hands. She can not be older than seven, maybe eight years old. Her little pink dress a bit dirty by her little adventure. Her muddied unshod little feet seem to fly across the grass while she happy frolics trough it, avoiding little beast within and underneath it while she smiles to a bee hovering above a large blossomed bush. To her right is a little idyllic pond with daffodils floating around on its surface and a white swan paddling through the duckweed.
Then a lovely butterfly, purple, red and blue , crosses her eyes sitting along the reed.
The girl laughs and claps her hands as she approaches the beautiful little animal who flies up and away. Over a field of red and yellow flowers, trough a little grove of apple-trees flies the butterfly and the girl follows. Then it flies up a hill, a small lovely hill straight taken from a fairy-tale. Some wind mill stands on its summit next to a little idyllic orchard. The girl still follows the butterfly and when she approaches the hill’s summit she descend into the next valley which is maybe even more fairy-tale like then the valley before. The flapping animal leads her trough another field of flowers, this one filled with blue and white once. Next the girl splatters trough a little stream, underneath a waterfall and soaks her dress an then she enters a forest. The forest is deep, endless and ancient but he girl doesn’t hesitate only focussed on the butterfly which she still follows. After a time the sun slowly ascends at the horizon and the sky turns red and then purple, the girl still follows. Then she comes to this big open spot in the forest. At her left there is a great green dragon, at her right and front are two other animals of the same kind seated and talking to each other. The girl does not see them. She is only focused on the butterfly that is now sitting on her hand.

Then see looks up

Before her floats an orb, a large orb telling tales of faith, destiny. A large orb telling history.

[Singleton Mosby]

This will be my first AAR. Having been a regular and devoted Eu and EU2 player and writing on another forum soem fantasy roleplaying I thought it was time to put down some histrical writing.

Hoping you all will enjoy it and participate a bit. Here will start my first AAR.

[Stroph1]

Nice intro. Waiting to see how this begins....

Goodl uck!

[Phalanx]

Good luck, and welcome to the forum

[Singleton Mosby]

((Thank you for the welcome, I had some great plesure yesterday evening playing Eu2 while writing down my first AAR.

Do not hesitate to comment and point me in the right direction.

O yes, one little warning, English is not my first language and so it can be very bad at some times, I do not hope it will cause any trouble. But for all have fun reading and I welcome your comments.))

[Singleton Mosby]

((And just when you want to post the stuff you have writen (and it is a lot) you are not able to do so because the floppy disk on which I have put the text does not work. So have a little patience and all will come today. ))

[Singleton Mosby]

.

The year is 1241 and the second Mogul incursion sweeps the lands of the European middle ages. This time it is not Attila the Hun who's name is spoken with fear but that of Genghis. His armies sweep over large pieces of Asia and he conquers a vast, vast empire. With the fear of Attila still in their minds Europe prepares for a second wave, a second wave of death, destruction, rape and murder. But despite all the preparations and the early warning no one was able to oppose Ogedai's army. Ogedai, Genghis Khan's son swept the planes of Russia and Eastern-Europe with his horseman and lied waste to numerous villages towns and cities. Entire kingdoms collapsed under his pressure and a new wave of refugees follows the path of their predecessors.

This year, 1241, the year in which Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Hungary face the mogul horde, Pest and Krakow are plundered, sees the founding of the Khanate of the golden horde.
A vast empire controlling much of the Russian steppes from the Crimea in the south it stretched almost to the outskirts of Moscow in the north. Their western border only being the natural one of the Ural mountain range where a neighbouring Khanate took over from their reign. Their capital was based in the large city of Samara on the river Volga and from here they tried to remain to their boundaries as Russian and Polish-Lithuanian pressure grew larger and larger.

In this same year the Duke Heinrich of Silesia put an army together to oppose the Golden hordes excursions and beat them on the field of battle near Leignitz, a battle which would prove to be a severe setback. From now on the Golden horde had to remain on the defensive. And so the held out until the summer of 1418, the summer in which saw Ulugh Muhammad rise to the throne. He wasn't a very able tactician, a very able warlord or a very able ruler of his country but he had a goal, a spirit and hope. And these things he would bring over to his predecessors, those to follow him in the defence of the empire of the golden horde.

[Singleton Mosby]

So I started my game.

Ulugh Muhammad was my Khan, not a very able one (as was none of the golden horde's I found out later) but I had to do with it.

My country was a vast piece of the plains of Russia but province tax-incomes where very low, the same as my population.
Then there was another mayor problem, the stability, a solid -3 and difficult to improve because my country already possed a lot of other kinded provinces. Half where of Russian nationality and a roughly this same half also Russian Orthodox. Stability would cause me trouble for the first ten years at least, revolts where very commonplace.

The province Samara boosted a large army of 20.000 cavalry but this was all I had to do with.

Furthermore there where no alliances whatsoever and no exeptional good relations, so everything had to be created and this Kanate had to be dragged out of the dirt. And so I was determend to do.

[Singleton Mosby]

Two pair of heavy, leather boots resounded trough the beautiful decorated hallway. A messenger had arrived from the north. His eyebrows frozen over with ice and snow, and his gloves cracking from the frost. "The winter is harsh this year." He spoke to the chamberlain walking besides him. "It is sire, it certainly is, and so says the Khan. But nothing shall stop him he also says, reform, reign and conquer. And so now the country is facing a tough period but when all settles down we shall move north south and west at the same time. Our waves of shear endless cavalry will rule the plains again. That is what he says." The messenger stopped in his track and looked at the splendid clothed chamberlain as the sound of his footsteps flowed away on the cool air. "So he really thinks we are able to push west again?" His harsh voice sounded. "Yes he thinks so, he has put his mind on int. And I hope you have some good news for him because he is longing for it." And then the chamberlain opened the door to the Khan's hall of audience and waves the wet messenger in with a graceful stroke of his arm.
The smile on the messenger face disappeared after the chamberlain's words but he still walked in and faced the mighty and great Khan.

"What is it you have to say to me, what messeng do you bring me." The Khan bellowed in an irritated voice.
"I bring you news from the north sire, news from Suzdal great Khan. They have ended the vassalization they had with us and do not longer wish to be our empires subjects."
"So they think they can play with me? Toy with me as if I am nobody. They shall suffer from this I tell you. And you shall bring them the bad news messenger."
"Urlag." He spoke towards the chamberlain with a face red of hatred and rage. "Prepare for war."
"But sir we are...." Urlag the chamberlain tried to interrupt his Khan but he was soon interrupted by his masters booming voice. Prepare for war!.

[Singleton Mosby]

An unstable country prepared for a war against their former vassals, a war to bring them back tot the ground, their place. They prepared from war under a less then able leader, a leader without any great virtues but Ulugh was determent and even a rebellion in his capital province did not bring him off course. The war would go on. And so the military prepared for it.

Ulugh joined a military alliance with his southern neighbor Ak Khonyulu, an alliance to give him some strength in difficult times. But within months the Golden horde was at war with their allies enemy Quara Khonyulu. "No troops could be spared." Orders from the Khan, but still no movement against Suzdal had taken place.

But at last, in the heath of summer, the year of 1420, a declaration of war was being brought to the city of Wjatka. Suzdal and the golden horde where at war again and no foreign help of any allies was needed or even tolerated. Ulugh did not want to split the spoils of war.

[Singleton Mosby]

On august the fourth, both armies met at the gates of Wjatka and a severe battle raged for hours, but in the end Husein, the Hordes commander had to draw back to Kazan, leaving behind 3.500 death and wounded cavalry men but his opponents army had been decimated. Being driven back even further in the coming month Husein crossed the river Volga to its southern bank, leaving the city of Josjkar Ola in Sudal's hands. A siege began which carried on in to the winter when Husein had prepared 19.000 men for a new attack. Soon Suzdals forces where chased out of the Golden horde's province Kazan and into Suzdal only to meet a large army of reinforcements. Again a large battle raged and again Husein was not able to master his opponent, he drew without severe losses but withdrew nonetheless.

All the while the country was enraged in instability Vorones and Saratow revolted and the entire Lithuanian border provinces where rebellious. The Mogul tide was being pushed back. But Ulugh Khan put much time and money from the treasury into stabilizing his country while his country was still at war on two fronts. Then, in November 1421, after a year of minor skirmishes and incursions on the southern border Ulugh signed a peace treaty with the Quara Khonyulu so he could bring his full attention to bear on Suzdal. Having beaten the Suzdal army back from Kazan again Husein was finally prepared to move into his enemies country again as the province of Ufa revolted. Peasants broke into the kings treasury of the provinces capital and wide spread plunder was taking place. Two weeks later Husein arrived backed by his 19,000 man cavalry army and brought down the rebellion swiftly and with a lot of bloodshed.

Ulugh promised all would become better and so he would, he did not want to waste valuable resources on internal struggle. His brothers and friends, his subjects, they where not his enemies. For enemies he looked north towards Russia and to the east and the Christian world. But that where things to come, first there was Suzdal.

[Singleton Mosby]

Husein invaded his enemies country thoroughly, evading combat until he had laid waste to large swats of land. Then he finally turned on his enemy and a battle was fought ten miles west of the fortified village of Glazov. The struggle did not last long. Husein directed his horsemen to both of the enemy flanks and then he charged them trough and trough driving his enemy back to the village. When night fell his enemy drew back into the village with the purpose of defending it to the last man. And so they did when Husein ordered the place to be torched, no one escaped and the road to Suzdal's capital was open. A siege was conducted.

[Singleton Mosby]

Meanwhile Ak Khonyulu's war against its neighbor raged on. Both countries tore each other to pieces and destruction was brought all over the place. Not wanting to have to look south to much Ulugh send his young daughter Arlala south to mary Ak Khonyulu's king. Both Khonyulu's continued their war while Ak Khonyulu found the strength to wage war on the ortodox state of Trebizond and annex it. A niece of the golden horde's Khan was send to his other allie, Dulkadir. Both mariages and the postive news from the war brought more stability in the relation and stablity for the land of the golden horde in this dark time. Ulugh's work paid of and the peaple lost much of their restlesness. The army did not have to ride out to put down a rebellion for some six months and even the siege, which lasted already trough the winter was proving to be succesfull soon.

Warlord Meznel took over the siege of Suzdal's capital in the middle of June 1422 and soon signs of weakness could be seen in the enemies defense. On the last day of July his men streamed trough two breaches in the southern wall and defeated the garrison. The subsequent cold blooded murder of Suzdal's government was not conducted as ordered but was conducted anyway. Now there was no one left to rule the rebellion northern subject of the Golden horde and so no one could sign a piece agreement. Suzdal, seized to exist and was taken into the Khan's empire as the province of Vladimir. Harsh measures where undertaken by Meznel to suppress its population. The streets of Wjatka, Perm and Brezniki colored red from the blood spilled by the conquerors but, so it was hoped, no suppression would have to be conducted ever again. Alas Meznel stayed to rule Vladimir as a prince and governor with seven thousand men of infantry at his disposal.

[Singleton Mosby]

Meanwhile Husein conducted another excursion against the latest rebellion in the Crimea. His armies approach was looked upon with very much fear by the peasants and noblery alike and because of this, or despite it the rebellion was crushed swift and almost bloodless.
Ulugh hoped there would be a time of peace, a time of glory and a time of prosperity for his Khanate now there the Suzdal war had ended. A peace which would bring their former fury back into the saddle. And to this purpose he planned a period of ten years of peace. Ten years in which he would strengthen his military and his economy. But first the Khan congratulated Meznel on his victory appointing him officially governor and offering him a ten of the most beautiful horses of his own stables. Meanwhile Husein, in the south grew with jealousy. He felt betrayed by his Khan. He had done all the work and received none of the spoils and prizes of war. But for now he would take his 22.000 Mongol horseman, the greatest power in all of the Russian steps wherever his Khan told him to. But for how long?

[Singleton Mosby]

But all was not to be as Ulugh had liked, there would be no ten years of peace and prosperity. In December 1423 Ulugh came down with a cold. He took to his bed for three weeks and died eventually on the 27th of December to be followed into his tracks by Daulat Berdu. The seventeenth Khan of the Golden horde. Daulut was a tough little warlord, made great by his father Aralas Berdu. He had taken part in one of his father incursions into Georgia and was hailed for very able and brave conduct in battle. A real warlord like Genghis Daulut was not able to remain on his processors peaceful path for long. Within four weeks his armies amassed on the borders of the kingdom of Ryzan who recently had conducted a lasting war on the Golden hordes vassal province, Moscow. Husein was there again to lead them to victory by a command of his great rival. The peace would not last for another month when on the twentieth of February word was send to Ryzan, peace was nonexistent anymore. Husein obeyed his rival warlords command but still longed to be a Khan himself. His time would come, and thus he marched into Ryazan with his army of horsemen while Meznel invaded their former vassal province of Moscow still being plundered by a Ryazan army.

The first two invasions where beaten back but when winter again came the Golden horde could count seven victories. Still at their enemies border Husein awaited with two siege armies of 6.000 infantry and his mobile army of able Mogul horsemen. The first of april saw Husein again cross the border on a nearly disastrous ride trough his enemies country while Meznel marched on Moscow at the head of his smaller force. Husein retreated and build up a still larger army which he brought into Ryzan for a third time in mid July. The seventh of August witnessed a tremendous battle in which Mogul cavalry charged Ryzan's infantry over and over again. In the end the remaining quarter of Ryazan's twelve thousand men army surrendered to be put to death swiftly. Their three leaders being robbed of their life by Husein personaly. Moscow's garrison in meanwhile conducted a nearly successful sortie and where driven back into their stronghold with much bloodshed. Meznel held and continued while Husein left enough men to conduct the siege, having other business in Samara. His business was with Daulut Berdu.

[Singleton Mosby]

And so Husein left an almost won war to begin a new one, maybe even plunge his country into the deep gorges of a civil war. He arrived at Samara with 13.000 men and did not even have to force the gate, such was his reputation as a warlord. Crossing the grand square in front of his enemy, Daulut's palace, Daulut spotted him. While Husein climbed the steps, alone, to the Khan's personal chambers five guards came down. The scene that followed can easily be described as confusing. One of the guards stopped the great warlord the Golden hord had known in the last century and ordered him to halt. Husein unsheathed his sword and sliced the guards throat. Seeing this happening before them the other four leveled their weapons at Husein who pushed one aside parried another. Then he killed two more of the guards with two quick steps of his sword. Knowing their enemies swordsmanship far superior to their one of the guard stepped back. The other let himself tumble down the stairs and threw his body on the sword of Husein while he pointed his own at his heart. So great was his loyalty to his Khan he wanted to give his dear life for him. Husein and the guard fell down and both died in a large pool of blood. The attempted assassination of Khan Daulut ended with this, and so did the life of a great warlord. His purpose was proven toughly by the scene and the four dead guards on the stairs. And so ended the Golden hordes hopes of quick and sudden greatness.

[Singleton Mosby]

The war in Ryazan continued and early November Moscow fell. 12.000 men assembled under Meznel to besiege Ryazan's capital and soon Husein's work had been done, but without him witnessing his great victories. Ryazan was soon taken and victory signed, Moscow became another province under the Golden hordes rule. But dark times loomed at the horizon as Suzdal, or the new province of Vladimir, revolted despite all of Meznel's bloody precautions. Husein's former army now commanded by warlord Irfma left Samara and was defeated six weeks later. Now it was all to Meznel to claim his governorship. And so Meznel advanced on Vladimir with his Ryazan army while Irfma was being succeeded by warlord Nadjaf. A new army was build after Irfma's debacle and brought to Samara to rest. Meznel smashed down the rebellion and put the remaining Suzdal nobles to the sword a soon as he could.
Peace was won again but then there was still Daulut's wish of swift conquest instead of Ulugh's patience.

Relations with Ak Khonyulu where better and both 'courts' exchanged gifts quiet often. Feasts where taking place and prosperity was predicted. Then the Ottoman empire entered the alliance and a bright morning sun rose for the Golden horde. Those three powerful countries could turn west again. And so Daulut boomed his voice for war on every banquet or meeting.
At the conference of Izmir the Ottoman Sultan asked his allies to conduct a short war against the small kingdom of Teke, and Karaman and so all backed him up. Allies now would be allies later and soon a new war started. Daulut did not send troops to aid his allies, instead he joined the war in some sort of mutual agreement of hostilities.

Meanwhile Daulut looked east for an opportunity of conquest, the Mogul blood still flowed trough his veins. Novgorod had been in war for three years with Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Before this the country had boomed and so reached from the Golden hordes western borders to Sweden's eastern. Daulut judged Novgorod weak by war an continues battle and so send messengers all around his Khanaat to prepare for war. But then he died, breaking his neck with a fall from his horse on a diplomatic journey to Ak Khonyulu.

[Singleton Mosby]

His predecessor would be Ulugh's sun, Ulugh II. He opposed war with Novgorod and favored the reforms his father liked but now the preparations where made he was persistent to continue. And so it happened hostilities broke out between the Golden horde and yet another Russian nation. The Novgorod war, being troughly prepared by Daulut started easily and before ling Ingermaland and Novgorod where under siege, numerous battles where won and an entire Russian army wiped out. But the winter struk and with it a near disaster. Men starved and froze to death. horses died of the cold and the lack of grass and so one after another the sieges had to be lifted and a retreat was conducted. Then the troops of Ulugh II waited for a new spring. The second wave of invasion brought us a few victories and a quick siege in Ingermarland when one of our young Mogul boys discovered an old pipe trough which to enter the city. He brought our first victory at the Ostzee. Meanwhile things took a big step. The Ottoman empire declared war on the Duchy of Athens and naturally we joined them in this war although there was not a single man to spare. This being of some severe instability in Volgograd and Astrakan. Nadjaf put his army to long marches and much stress but in the end he managed to stop the rebellions and bring peace to the south.

The war dragged on, being the third one in hardly over ten years. Our population was fed up with it as had been shown when Nadjaf needed to ride out. But still the nails of our Khanaat held and our Alliance only gained ground. Athens would be subdued. Numerous Athenian diplomats where send our way to ask for peace but none was granted. If our ally would have it their way they would get it their way. Again a province revolted while our 'home army' that which smashed down rebellions was worn the war was luckyly nearly put to an end. Soon troops could be freed to bring back our own people from the edge of revolt. Ten years since Ulugh I spoke out his reforms and there had been ten years of revolts and war. Time things would chance his son thought.

[Singleton Mosby]

The war in Novgorod was finished as our armies besieged their last garrisoned province, their capital. Further there where no hostilities at all. Nadjaf was not able to surpress the Crimea rebellion and numerous troops where shifted southwards from the war. And then happened the unthinkable Sibir, our western neighbor attacked our westerly province of Orenburg and declared war upon us. We where powerless as there where no troops to spare at all. And so Ulugh screamed towards our allies for help while he gave his daughter as a bride to the Ottoman Sultan to stress his words. But no help came and instead of this the common Russian ally, the winter helped to surprises our enemies might a bit. Meanwhile a new army was assembled near our capital to take the field soon. The Novgorod war still draged on but without any bloodshed or a piece proposal from neither side.

And then there was the southern province of Crimea. trough the time a lot of Genoese traders had settled on its coast and so religious tolerance became a somewhat loose thing to the governor. When Ulugh I brought his reform a hidden organization blossomed to spring up recently and take an army to the field. After seven months of rebellion the army was defeated by Nadjaf but there where still a few rebellious cities in the province. And so the rebellion dragged on whit every possibility of losing the Crimea to nationalists or the Genoese. Ulugh II wanted peace but instead of that he was now fighting on three sides of his unstable Khanate.

[Singleton Mosby]

Hellas in the meantime, had been subdued by our allies, the Ottomans and Ak Khonyulu's soldiers traveled the length of our country to aid us against Novgorod, a war in which they had nothing to lose except the lives of a few soldiers. Crimea fell and Ulugh gave all those who had opposed him clemency. He hoped this would be a sign for al nationalists and rebels to lie down arms. In the west all was not that clear, Orenburg was taken by the Sibir enemies and thoroughly trashed. It's population was murdered raped and abbused and the city had been plundered and torched. But even this war could be contained as the newly raised army was marching towards battle under the command of a young fierce warlord, Derna. Two weeks later Derna forded a little tributary to the Volga and soon was locked into battle with Sibir forces. By way of a brilliant flanking maneuver the young warlord put his enemy to flight and chased them out of the Khanate to return to liberate the city of Orenburg.