Beyond Tannenberg III: The Last Crusade

[blsteen]

The war secured its objective(s) and must be counted as a success but I fear more war looms!

 

[CatKnight]

Morrell8: Remember these 'holy' knights were still very human. Power, or the promise of it, does things to people. Even warrior monks.

Qorten: Let's see what happens.

Vandervecken: Hm. In my experience that tactic always fails (though it worked pretty good in EU 2). Then again, sometimes I don't pay as much attention to the strategic situation as I should and my little units get ambushed.

AllmyJames: Infamy was 12.5 entering this update, out of I think 20. Not ideal, but not too bad either.

c0d5579: I think if Boh/Lit wasn't around we would have taken more off of Muscovy, but it was important to get back on the front line before truce ran out. It turns out I was right.

aldriq: It was actually pretty back and forth when I bowed out, though Lithuania held all the cards. Not too long however.

gabor: Let's say getting Austria back in the Teuton camp came to v Keyserling in a dream..

merrick: Keeping Lith. from gaining off of Muscovy would be ideal, but as I mentioned to c0d I felt getting back on the Bohemian border took priority.

stuyvesant: Hm...100 generations would be about 20-2500 years, so yep...miscounted. So.what, about 25 generations for 500 years?

blsteen: Yep!

 

[CatKnight]

XXII: Beginning of the End (1470-1472)​

Provocations

History regards Isidor von Keyserling as a bit of a villain. His 'realpolitik' view of the world jars the ideals of those who want to see the Teutonic Knights through the rosy glasses of chivalry or holy righteousness. Having lost the 1462 Conclave he manipulated the final voting to secure the deputy-ship for himself. He often acted without consulting his superior, such as negotiating the end to the Muscovy war.

Yet, so long as people treated him fairly and respected his abilities, Keyserling worked hard and could be helpful. The unbiased truth seems to be that he complemented Hochmeister von Holstein well, his pragmatism combining with the grandmaster's spiritual certainty and focus. It's interesting to debate what might have been in another time or world.

As it stood, less than two weeks after the Treaty of Prague expired, a Bohemian contingent once more entered Marienburg. He did not find Holstein, who was making the circuit of nearby monasteries and churches. He did find the deputy.

...And so (the envoy), having been shown every courtesy, held discourse on the quality of food and drink available. Lord von Keyserling humbly apologized for his discomfiture, but noted that as it was mid-winter our larder was not what could be desired or wished. Further, in compliment to him, the envoy effectively drank and ate at the same table as the Hochmeister.

In response the Bohemian railed insultingly about the Order's hospitality and the quality of the men who served her. (Keyserling) replied that all here served God, whereupon the Bohemian spat.....

Naturally Bohemian records tell the opposite tale. The envoy, having gently encouraged the Order to not take aggressive actions at this time and so prevent the further effusion of human blood, was remonstrated and denounced 'in a most aggressive and shocking manner.' (Warned by Bohemia)

Regardless, everyone agrees on what happened next.

And so the profaner was bound and stripped to his undergarments, though allowed to keep his shoes. The deputy ordered that his head be covered by a dark hood to increase his discomfiture while allowing for some defense against the cold. (Soldiers) disarmed his retainers and instead offered them hoes, saying that farming was the only occupation open to Bohemians .... then placed a halter around (the envoy's) neck and led him first through Marienberg then to Konigsberg, all the while bearing a sign around his neck that read 'Fool.'

(Diplomatic Insult. What can I say? I don't like being warned.)

Ladislav II seems to have expected the Teuton response, for rather than answering the envoy he allegedly turned to his Marshal, Mikolas Pardubice and said 'And so it begins.'


A Matter of Honor

On February 5, Bohemia declared war on the Teutonic Order over the 'shocking' treatment of their representative. The usual suspects; Aquileia, Lithuania and Cologne vs. Brandenberg, Pskov and Ingria, joined in.

Once more Ladislav caught the Lithuanians off guard. Their young king, Vytautas I, (he chose not to count the grand duke from sixty years before in his reckoning) supported neutrality. His former regents advised him that Lithuania's current strength partly came from their ongoing friendship with the Bohemians, and anyway if von Holstein followed his 'Bohemia first' strategy again they would take few if any losses.

Von Holstein planned differently this time. Since Lithuania still fought with Muscovy, he entrusted the east (Novgorod) command to von Richtenberg with orders to support missionaries in Beloozero and attack targets of opportunity. V

Von Altenburg's west (Bohemia) command was already armed and ready. Rather than risk a direct confrontation now he'd strike into Masovia, possibly disrupt recruiting efforts, and return to attack Pardubice in Warmia once attrition had taken its toll.

The east (Lithuania) belonged to von Buexhoeven. He didn't have much of an army in place, however, so received the first batch of hired mercenaries. His orders were simply to force Lithuania out of the war so Bohemia had to fight alone.

It wasn't a bad plan. Some strategists wonder if a 'Bohemia first' policy might have worked again, but it overlooks the potential for another draw as more Lithuanian troops came off the Muscovite border. The plan overlooked two things however: Cologne and Aquileia.

Cologne didn't have the military or access necessary to challenge the Order. What they did have was a highly trained spy network used to the Machiavellian-like intrigues of Imperial courts. It took them three weeks to send an agent, Ernst Kamm, down the Rhine to Rotterdam and then to Danzig. Several bribes later he met with Simon Johannson.

Johannson was a former knight 'purged' by von Holstein's effort to purify and strengthen the order. In the intervening years his resentment grew to encompass the entire Church and their 'worldly' ways. Though he never heard of the much larger Italian sects, for all intents and purposes he was 'Fraticelli' and believed St. Francis of Assisi's rule regarding poverty was absolute. This made the secular Knights his enemy and the very secular Danzig a tempting target. He raised a formidable army of believers and started 'purifying' outlying towns.

One week after that Kamm appeared in Riga and convinced nationalists to unite under Henning Blumberg's promise of a merchant republic. Von Buexhoeven secured the city and captured both Kamm and Blumberg. He ordered them put to death, publicly and painfully, and the rebellion died.

Pardubice sieged Warmia in February while a single Lithuanian banner worked their way through Wenden towards the bishophric seat of Dorpat. Meanwhile the Bohemians and Brandenbergers traded sieges along their border. In the east Lithuanian commander Arturo Gostautas won yet another victory over Muscovite Marshal Gregor Kamewski devastating his army but annihilating the Russians. (Completed mission: Protect vs. Muscowy. New Mission: Protect vs. Bohemia)

In March the war heated up as Fyodor of Pskov seized Polotsk. This encouraged von Richtenberg to sneak across the Muscovite border with his three thousand men and ambush nine hundred Lithuanians on garrison duty in Rzhev. Surprise was complete and in three battles over two days he killed or captured the entire force before retiring across the border.

This convinced Vytautas that the Teutons were serious about fighting. He ordered diplomats to make the best deal they could with Muscowy. They came away with only Rzhev. As this allowed Moscow to immediately declare war on Tver and try to regain their lost lands, historians consider it a strategic draw.

Between the Muscovite peace and continued Cologne interference (this time inciting an Estonian revolt), von Holstein ordered his deputy to arrange loans with the Danzig merchants to cover another five thousand mercenaries.

This 'War of Honor' involved more Teuton mercenaries than in any previous war and so it's worth examining their reasoning. While most nations used mercs when engaged in serious warfare, by 1470 the more enlightened ones saw the many advantages of having a standing army of internally grown professionals. It gave them more control over the unit's leadership, development and use while improved methods of acquiring, moving and storing supplies made the costs associated with a permanent officer corps acceptable.

The Teutons also approved of having a standing army, but their own officers were mostly churchmen who learned their new roles 'on the job.' These were the true 'Knights' of the Order, while they filled the lower ranks with lay brothers and those foreigners who wanted to serve but didn't quality for the knighthood. This tended to limit their numbers in an emergency. On the other hand, the Order had contacts throughout Europe and many companies were willing to fight for an employer that almost always paid their bills and added absolution as a side benefit.

Therefore, just two months into the war the Teutons raised thirteen thousand mercenaries. Some of these helped von Buexhoeven relieve Dorpat then surge south. Spies told him that Gostautas approached Polotsk with a large but still badly mauled army. A sharp victory here could drive Lithuania from the war in fact if not in name. In the west some mercs reinforced von Altenburg, who left a small cover force sieging Warsaw and returned to deal with the Bohemians at Allenstein. (Plus, Completed Mission: Protect vs. Bohemia, New Mission: Improve Relations with Poland)


Meatgrinder

Sun Tzu wrote 'he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory,' and in May 1471 the Order fought not one, but two climactic battles at near even odds.

In the east, Gostautas' tired army reached Polotsk and approached a covering siege that made up of the bulk of Pskov's army. He received a nasty surprise when von Buexhoeven appeared on his flank two days later and redeployed to meet both armies. On May 22nd his army formed a loose semicircle between two ridges to minimize the Teuton cavalry advantage and prevent him from having to move about too many exhausted soldiers.

This proved to be a mistake, as the Lithuanian army's advantage lay in their mobility. Crossbowmen fired indiscriminately into the Lithuanian line. The halberdiers tired of being used for shooting practice and, despite Gostautas' warnings, broke ranks. This gave the Teuton heavy cavalry the opening they needed to shatter the line. By the time sunset ended the pursuit Gostautas left 7,400 men on the field. Von Buexhoeven pursued him to Vilnius and destroyed the army collecting a large number of banners. (Try 32 regiments worth.)

To the west von Altenburg's seventeen thousand men, over one third mercenaries, fought Pardubice's eleven thousand. The Bohemian used his reserve to maintain the siege while deploying along the Lyna River with spearmen on the bridges (to deflect cavalry charges) and swordsmen at the known fords.

The Teuton felt a 3:2 advantage sufficent and simply stormed the bridges with his own swordsmen. They overwhelmed the Bohemian spears and so formed a bridgehead, but with men rushing in from the fords it turned into a mass melee. Soon the waters of the Lyna ran red while men on both sides lost their footing (and usually their lives) on the slick cobblestones.

Pardubice didn't want to cripple his army. He'd fought against the Teutons six years before and rose to prominence in the following painful rebuild. He requested a week's armistice and care for his wounded in exchange for abandoning Allenstein. Von Altenburg agreed.

Then killed the prisoners. Then harried the Bohemians into Masovia. Altenburg learned the art of war at the knee of 'Butcher' von Campenhausen and believed the quickest way to cripple his enemies was to kill their soldiers. In two more battles he annihilated the Bohemian army, then in September raced west and broke Johannson's followers outside of Danzig.

Polotsk surrendered to Pskov in September, while Beloozero surrendered to the Church one month later. The Brandenbergers were in serious trouble however: Aquileia surprised even her allies by moving an eleven thousand man army across the continent, crushing the ducal army at Niederlausitz and moving to Potsdam then Magdeburg.

In October 1471, with Brandenberger resistance all but broken, the main (and last) Bohemian army left Brandenberg to avenge their fallen comrades. They were led by none other than Mikolas Pardubice, who survived his army's destruction at Warsaw by taking sanctuary in a church and wanted revenge. On the 27th his eleven thousand engaged von Altenburg's twelve within sight of Danzig's walls west of the city.

He lost.


From the Jaws

On New Years Day, 1472 Grosskomtur von Keyserling met with King Vytautas of Lithuania. There they exchanged mutual regrets about the state of affairs and quickly hammered out what amounted to a status quo peace with only a token concession by the Order to sooth the young king's pride.

(This is a bit gamey, though a 25 ducat 'donation' would have done the trick as well. As far as I was concerned at the time, however, this mod's been pretty gamey with me though, so.... If you wonder why this might be gamey, remember Ingria is still my vassal. This changes absolutely nothing.)

A similar token (25 ducats) went to Aquileia to urge them to leave Brandenberg alone. This, von Holstein hoped, would give his allies time to rebuild while allowing the Order to focus its undivided attention on the Emperor. Despite their many provocations he still didn't consider Cologne in his planning, and it was still a mistake.

In the east, von Richtenberg abandoned his harassment campaign and rushed to Estonia to deal with the rebellion there.

In the west, von Altenburg chased Pardubice's broken army into Pommerania with hopes of destroying it. Bohemian reinforcements rushed to save their general, while Holstein ordered the navy to ship von Buexhoeven's veterans into the thick of the melee.

This should have been the Order's crowning achievement, a triumphant victory over the alliance that harassed them for decades. Once they'd destroyed Pardubice they'd unite with Brandenberger forces, free (if not just take) Masovia and Pommerania, take back Kalisch and Thorn and break Bohemia's back.

Instead, Pardubice lured von Altenburg into a trap. He continued feigning disorganized rout as the impulsive Teuton followed him far from supplies and help. A fresh Bohemian banner captured his supply depot. The German turned his entire army to try retake it, and Pardubice slammed into his flank. Eight thousand Teutons and mercenaries, including Altenburg, died as Pardubice avenged his losses.

On January 17, the navy shipped half of von Buexhoeven's army into Stargard. As the city flew Teuton colors and his supplies were adequate, the admiral left immediately. That night Pardubice's men, stationed at various staging points throughout the still loyal city, slaughtered the Teutons as they slept. By morning they reduced four thousand knights, laymen and retainers to about 150 scattered in various resistance pockets that fell (or deserted into obscurity) within the week.

On January 30 the rest of von Buexhoeven's men arrived and walked into exactly the same trap. This time a few hundred escaped to join those who'd survived von Altenburg's last stand in Brandenberg. It didn't help as the Bohemian chased them to the gates of Berlin and exterminated the Teuton army.

Now Cologne returned to the fray by sending an unnamed agent into the Ordenstaadt, but not to incite rebellion. On March 2, 1472 he entered Marienburg castle intent on killing Hochmeister von Holstein. Instead in the narrow, dimly lit confines of the upper halls he blundered into Grand Marschal Karl von Bremen. Bremen cried for help and paid with a dagger to the chest. Guards captured the intruder and put him to death. (Assassinate advisor.)

Through April the situation continued to deteriorate: Pardubice resumed subduing Brandenberg while smaller banners moved on Danzig. Another banner destroyed the covering force sieging Warsaw. Von Richtenberg made his first serious effort to relieve Narva from Estonian nationalists and was handily beaten.

On May 1, von Holstein ordered Grosskomtur von Keyserling to arrange another two loans with Danziger merchants 'before we lose contact entirely.' These he used to raise thirteen fresh mercenary regiments and have them gather outside of the merchant city. He also made the desperate decision to abandon Estonia for now and have von Richtenberg join him.

Pardubice awoke to the danger of a fresh Teuton army and marched to destroy the gathering mercenaries. Hochmeister von Holstein traveled to Danzig to lead the defense: With Buexhoeven missing, Altenburg dead and Richtenberg en route, he was all that remained.

We make our stand here! None of Ladislav's ilk shall spoil our land. The Ordenstaadt lives or dies here!

On June 21, Pardubice's thirteen thousand men met von Holstein's six thousand infantry. In grasslands rendered into marsh by heavy rain the Bohemian cavalry advantage (Holstein had none didn't signify, but neither did tactics. Over the next several days more Teuton forces entered the fray and Bohemia defeated each one in detail.

By July it was over, with a handful of Teuton survivors reeling under Holstein and Richtenberg towards Marienburg where von Buexhoeven gathered the other Teuton survivors. Narva fell to the 'Estonians' later that month. Several times von Keyserling offered increasingly generous terms to Ladislav, terms limited to what Holstein would yield: Surprisingly little.

 

[Enewald]

You ought to have gained a province at least from the Lithuanians, since they are weaker than Bohemians I believe?
Although the Bohemian provinces may sustain larger armies...
Bah.

Now take a province or two from the evil Bohemians!
Please?

 

[unmerged(86600)]

Scorch the lands and do not surrender unless Pomerania is gained for the trouble the Emperor has caused the Order in the last decades.

A link between the Order and Brandenburg is necessary at this stage, since they are clearly incompetent as regular allies so they might work better as annexed allies.

 

[unmerged(58610)]

This does not look good. It started so well. Recriminations will not help the Knights. Richtenberg would not have split the forces, but Holstein did and that has imperilled the Knights. Peace out with Cologne for the 25 ducats. The Archbishop Elector will come to discover the enormity of his error in attacking God's Own Knights, in time. For now, it must be one on one with Bohemia.

I don't count out Brandenberg. They'll be raising troops and moving to free their territory. Then they'll move into Bohemia.

Those fraticelli heretics ought to go somewhere. Hopefully into a province with Bohemian troops. I'm hoping those "Estonian patriots" will march right into Ingria. That would allow Richtenberg's native army to siege Narva, whhilst rebuilding its strength and have his strength built up by native levies until they are strong enough to take on Pardubice.

I hope you've got a decent advisor replacing Bremen. A good shock general would be just what the Order needs in a new general.

If you hire another 13,000 mercenaries, send most of them into Bohemia and have them cover Bohmeia's provinces. 5000 of them into Pomerannia transported by the fleet. Every time Bohemia moves Pard towards them, you can move to evacuate them. Rinse and repeat. Should keep the Marienburg safe. Then Richtenberg can come south with his new Teuton army and crush the Imperial troops.

Bux and the mercs can slip across the frontier. It's important to keep mercs at full strength, so don't over stop the manpower limit in Bohemian provinces. We can see that no troops are being built in 3 of Bohemia's 8 provinces. The 7 provinces outside Pommerania ought to have a full strength merc infantry regiments covering them in siege. Bux ought to have 4000, preferably, cavalry to move around to provinces which may have revolts and to help in sieges -there's a lot of micromanagement needed here. WE ought not be a problem for Bohemia. In the peace deal, if there's a choice between lad for Brandenburg or draining every Imperial ducat, go for draining the treasury.

I was convinced Holstein would split forces this war and that his policy would be a disaster. Not waiting until all the forces were massed on the southern frontier until you attacked into Bohemia merely compounded the intial error. I;m sure Altenburg was shock 2 and Fire 6 -he's definitely not reckless. His reputation is being traduced by Holstein for following Holstein's orders. Neither Holstein nor Keyserling should be allowed to command troops in the field again. Sure is a marbelous manual on things not to do -Don't attack before forces concentrated; Don't attack piecemeal. By the time the Order has finished hiring mercenaries, there won't be any available in Europe for years to come. I'm not sure, if the Order has gone through 27 or 40,000 mercenaries, already?

God clearly has not abandoned the Order as the conversion of Beloozero (or is that 'below zero'?) shows. The Order will yet triumph.

 

[blsteen]

Crush them whatever the cost!

 

[Faerun]

No Mercy to the Holy Roman Emperor, destroy the evil Bohemians!

 

[Stuyvesant]

That must've been frustrating to play: such a promising start, and then it takes such a radical turn for the worse. The usual applies, though: it makes for a good story.

I hope the Order can extract itself from this war with minimal pain, but the current situation is not promising.

Since my post is light on substance, I'll add that I really liked the tale you created around the warning/diplomatic insult cycle. Fleshes those events out very nicely.

 

[unmerged(90806)]

this only proves you need to get Austria as an ally asap, Brandenburg simply won't do, they prove to be more trouble than their worth

i hope TO will come up with some masterful plan to end this unfortunate adventure considerabely unscathed

one more thing, i presume the Order will have to deal with economic collapse anyway, what with so many loans and pbly inflation going up; land lost or not - this war can turn out ruinous

luckily, things go better on the eastern front

 

[dublish]

I can't believe things went so badly after you made peace with Lithuania. If you can, you should go back to von Campenhausen's tactics for a while to get rid of as much of Bohemia's army as possible. Those last two screens have their numbers increasing by some 6000 men in some 6 months, and I bet they still have plenty more under construction.

In the long run, I'm not sure how the Order should react to this continuous threat from the west. Bohemia's certainly done a great job of drawing your attention away from Muscovy.

 

[merrick]

I can't believe things went so badly after you made peace with Lithuania.

Seconded. From holding the advantage against Bohemia to the edge of disaster in two easy steps. I don't know if you were RP-ing the Knights' command as overconfident bunglers, but throwing away two complete armies has left them worse off than in the last war. If Bohemia follows up properly now the Order is toast. Even if it doesn't, the Order has probably blown its best chance of weakening its enemies.

Is Holstein still alive? Or is it all now up to von Keyserling? And why do I think he earns his "villain" tag by surrendering the Order against Holstein's command?

 

[Qorten]

Now THAT is a very bad situation! It's really sad that you had to run into this very bad turn of events.

 

[CatKnight]

Enewald: The Lithuanians were weaker at the time since they lost men fighting Muscowy. I might have prevailed (though Gostautas found a fresh 11,000 men to fight with), but I'd hoped that by peacing out with Lith. I could devastate Bohemia.

Vandervecken: Indeed. The Brandenburgers are a good distraction, but that's about it.

Chief Ragusa: Very strong tactical advice and I am going to study your comment long and hard before I hit 'unpause.'

blsteen: That is the plan.

Faerun: As is that

Stuyvesant: Thanks! I had fun writing out the details of the insult. It was a little cathartic after the beating I took in game

gabor: Speaking of the Eastern front, that's what worries me. I might...if I'm really lucky...find a way to simply outlast Bohemia. If I'm still crippled when the Muscovy truce ends though, and they DoW, then I'm in a death spiral.

dublish: I'm sure Boh is building men as quickly as they can. Boh's problem isn't manpower (obviously, being HRE) it's resources.

merrick: I'm sure there's a more professional term for it, but I'll call it 'gambling fever.' Altenburg's army failed to beat Pardubice....but hurt his morale. So I sent in half of Buexhoeven's. Hurt his morale a little more. So I sent in the second half. In short, I kept throwing more 'money' into the pot hoping to make good my 'losses.' More fool me, and a massive blunder. I could see the Teuton generals being a) young, and b) overconfident and so making the same error though.

Qorten: Ouch. Thanks.


COMMENT: The next post is almost pure narrative to give you an idea of the 'plan.'

Post 24 (hopefully the end of the Bohemian war) may conclude this AAR. It's not because I'm 'losing,' but I am rather ... nonplussed? with this mod. First, as someone noted early on, Ireland has far too many provinces and that's made England too powerful. They're doing a pretty good number on Western Europe.

Second, no advisor has died due to 'old age.' None. The two 'papal legates' were actually replaced for RP purposes, and von Bremen had a better fortification bonus. There are still a large number of advisors in game that have now served their lieges for 60 years. That's why the hiring pool remains dry and I haven't been able to find any diplomats to help with infamy. Something somewhere has gone wrong.

As far as 'losing,' these near misses make for great fiction. Still, we're nearing the point where a serious setback would make me unable to maneuver and therefore make for a boring game. Plus, I miss writing in the narrative form, which is why I used it for the next post.

We'll see. I haven't decided yet. Just alerting you to my problems with the mod and what I'm thinking about now.

 

[CatKnight]

XXIII: Blaze of Glory (August 6, 1472)​

The Marienburg Chronicle, like most attempts to record history during the Middle Ages, has to be taken with a grain of salt.

Written by monks to glorify God and the Order, the Chronicle is best thought of as a propaganda piece. It very rarely lies, but the authors had no qualms about filling in missing details with their beliefs or assumptions. For example, while Lord von Richtenberg probably didn't receive supernatural help to cross the Velikaya River - he did cross. While Bohemian Grand Marshal Pardubice probably didn't drink the blood of his captives, he did massacre three armies. Because of this it remains an invaluable source, albeit one in need of independent verification where possible.

Only rarely does the Chronicle break this self-satisfied tone and present historians with the unvarnished truth. One of these instants came in August 1472 at a meeting of the Grossgebetiger. Two clerks worked to produce transcripts in a room full of sullen, worried and angry officers: No time for gloss, barely any for coherence....
*******

The great meeting hall at Marienberg Castle: Sunlight streamed in from the arched windows high over everyone's head to glow upon a triad of wooden tables running the length of the room. The wood, sturdy pine from the nearby forests, shone off-orange in the hot summer light with once sharp edges worn smooth by decades of use. The room could and often did house a hundred monks at once as they sat on short, stout benches with heads lowered in prayer or reflection. Today it only held five seated at the head of the middle table while two clerks, monks renowned for nimbleness of wrist and pen, filled paper after paper with the proceedings.

The head of the table sat empty. To the right sat Isidor von Keyserling, a hawkish, tall man with balding hair dressed in the full regalia of the Grosskomtur. His outfit wouldn't be far out of place among the merchants of Danzig or Lubeck, nor would the rings that adorned several fingers and flickered red and blue prisms on the nearby wood. Next to him sat the trapier (quartermaster), Alexander von Bayern, face flushed and obviously nursing a headache. Last came Joseph von Richtenberg, who'd led the retreat from Danzig through Warmia as Holstein rushed home to prepare the defenses. Two Bohemian wars stole his youth and enthusiasm: He stroked his mustache, eyes darting back and forth as people debated and raised points of order.

Across from Keyserling sat Leopold von Buexhoeven, Grand Marschal since von Bremen's assassination and now in charge of Marienburg's defense. A dark, lean man still in his early thirties, he tended to watch the table with folded arms as he spoke, and not lift his head - just his eyes - when someone else saw fit. Last came Konrad von Urenbach, the newest papal legate walking a delicate line between trying to advise his 'charges' without becoming party to their 'squabble' with the Emperor.

The doors, eight feet high and four wide, slowly pushed inward with audible groans. Two Teuton soldiers in chain hauberks and white tabards with black crosses held the door open as Hochmeister von Holstein entered bearing a large wooden box.

Holstein was a short man, somewhat fat with a ruddy face. The last ten years hadn't been kind to the Hochmeister, whose black hair bypassed silver entirely and went straight to white. Sharp grey eyes drifted from face to face as he walked towards them, silently taking in their features and guessing at the squabbles that preceded his entrance.

"Brothers. I apologize for being late." He deposited the box next to von Urenbach and straightened. Today he wore a simple tabard like the knight brethren who served him, plain except for the cross, over darker clothing. Like everyone in Marienberg Castle during the last few weeks he remained armed at all hours with a heavy dagger thrust through his belt. "Looking at the record of this meeting," he glanced at the clerks, "you started without me. Have you reached any conclusions?"

His officers glanced uneasily at each other as Holstein took his place at the head of the table. He didn't sit however. When no one spoke up he rested both hands on the table and glanced at his deputy. "Well, Lord von Keyserling?"

Keyserling coughed. "Lord von Richtenberg summarized the position for us. Eleven thousand Bohemians march on Danzig, another six thousand either siege Allenstein or are on the way here. Despite our best efforts our army now numbers...." He glanced at Buexhoeven.

"Four thousand. All mercenaries."

"They have resisted all efforts at truce, despite generous terms. We have...debated what to do next...." Keyserling let the sentence die.

Holstein bowed his head, apparently finding the table as interesting as his marschal. "Our allies?"

Richtenberg hissed. "Fyodor of Pskov is trying, I'll give him that. Brandenberg can't last much longer. The Ingrians are swine." Ingria hadn't lifted a finger in the past several wars.

"And Austria?"

Keyserling shook his head. "We needed the money for our armies, Hochmeister. We've made no further effort. Neither they nor the Hungarians, or Lithuania for that matter, seem inclined to step in. It's too soon to expect the Danes to break truce."

"So we're alone, and outnumbered over four to one." Holstein sighed.

"It's your fault," Buexhoeven spat at Keyserling. "You and what you did to that envoy."

"He insulted God!

"So you say. I have heard differently."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"Oh, don't pretend your honor is hurt," Buexhoeven sneered. "I know..."

"Enough."

"What I know," Richtenberg shouted, "is that you managed to lose an entire army!"

"What...? Pommern? I'll have you know the city flew Teuton colors. I had every reason to believe the landing safe!"

"Enough!"

"Safe? What kind of fool loses contact with the army on land, then launches a sea attack with half his army, loses contact with that and so sends the rest in? This is all your faul..."

"I SAID ENOUGH!" Holstein shouted, slamming both fists into the table. "This bickering is pointless!" He turned his back to them and reached into his purse, rubbing forefinger and thumb along a strand of rosary beads. Since his youngest days keeping his hands busy helped him think. "Buexhoeven: If they come now, can we win?"

"We will put our faith in God," the Marschal replied instantly.

"Is that a 'no?'" No reply. "Very well." Holstein bowed his head, inhaled and slowly turned.

"Lord von Keyserling: You may make one more reasonable attempt to end this fighting. Tell them we will release Ingria. They are worthless to us anyway." His voice hardened and he glared at the deputy. "If they refuse, then your new job is to break them. I don't care what you have to do. Take more loans..."

"That would break us," Keyserling retorted.

"We're already broken! You have one duty left to me. Win. Lord Richtenberg!"

The younger man stiffened. "Hochmeister."

"Work with Bayern here. Whatever Lord Keyserling doesn't use to destroy the Bohemians, you will use to rebuild our army."

"With what?" challenged Bayern. "The mercenaries have learned that working for us is a death sentence. The noble families are stripped bare."

"Then recruit the burgher and the farmer," Holstein snapped. "Promise them redemption and salvation. God knows we will make them earn it. Buexhoeven!"

The Marschal didn't reply, but he did look up to meet the full fury of his master's gaze.

"You will protect what men they give you. Do not commit to battle unless you can win. Retreat before them and burn the land. If you can win, do so. Then pursue and destroy them. You are our sword arm. Do not fail me."

"I...I won't fail."

"Father?" Holstein pointed at von Urenbach. "The box."

The Papal Legate stood and carefully opened it, lifting the lid and pushing it aside. His eyes widened as his gaze fell on the robe, rings and other regalia of the Teuton grandmasters. He looked up. "What is this?"

"Take that to Ravenna," Holstein said. "If we prevail, then the Pope may decide if we may have those back. For now, I will not chance the dignities of this office being despoiled and used by Bohemian criminals. Nor will I hide behind those dignities when the Ordenstaadt is in danger. I will take the same risks and earn the same rewards."

Von Urenbach worked his jaw but couldn't think of anything to say. He sat heavily. The other men, half who stood when they realized what was in the box, looked at Holstein.

"For the same reason I have ordered that, should the Bohemians get within twenty miles of Marienberg, that we relocate to Konigsberg and collapse this castle. That is why I was late."

"For the love of God, why?" demanded Keyserling. The others chimed in.

"Because I will not have our resources used against us, nor will I have the tombs of the masters despoiled. Konigsberg is more defensible, and should it fall the government can retreat by sea and continue the fight."

Urenbach found his voice. "I think....I realize your anger, Lord von Holstein, but I think you misjudge the Bohemians. Surely they would not..."

"I will not risk it," Holstein snapped. He clenched the table with both fists and looked at his stunned officers.

"This is the Order's darkest hour. God commands a trial by ordeal for us to prove our worthiness and fitness to continue in His name.

The Bohemians have declared war on us more than once for little or no reason. They slaughtered our armies without mercy. They incited rebellion and caused more death. They assassinated our last Marschal. I do not wish for half measures. I do not wish to compromise. That is what brought us to this judgement in the first instance."

Holstein straightened and glared at each man in turn. "I hear the foreigners speak. I hear our younger members say the same thing. They say we have lost our way - lost our reason for being here. That is not true. That was never true. 'We' merely forgot and this is our reminder.

We are here on this coast because no one else would come. We are here because we were entrusted to spread the word of God to those who'd never heard of Him, or worshipped Him in strange ways. We are here because God entrusted this land to us, to rule it in His name and for His glory! We may have not always been resolute, we may have made mistakes, but our mandate - and our duty - has never wavered nor changed."

He slammed his fist into the table. "We are here because God sent us. I will use any resource and means, do anything short of make a pact with the Enemy to affirm His faith in us. I would rather see the Order poor and broken then to break that faith. Castles matter not. Trinkets matter not. All that matters is our duty, and right now that duty is to destroy, defeat, delay or otherwise rid ourselves of the Bohemian army by any means necessary. If they want the Ordenstaadt, then they will have to take it from my lifeless body."

 

[Duke of Wellington]

I'm glad to see that at least the rulers do see that the situation is dire. A stirring speech by Holstein, it is sure to raise spirits. Will it actually raise any real solutions though?

 

[dublish]

Sad to see this one going the way of its two predecessors, and after such a brief run as well. Any chance for a fourth when the bugs get cleared up?

 

[Qorten]

Impressive speech! I do hope you succeed at least in defeating the Bohemian army.

 

[unmerged(58610)]

Interesting and strong narrative, there. it does seem more naturally you than a history book.

Conquering Ireland, no matter how many provinces is not, from an English perspective, the problem. The revolts that follow and the lords going native are.

Using as a peace envoy someone other than the man who started this war seems like a good move. Buxhoeven, perhaps. The advisor pool does seem stuck. Pity you can't go in and edit everybody dead and hope you don't have the same problem again.

Hey, have more faith in Brandenberg.
Good luck.

 

[Enewald]

Where is Prussic discipline, ehrgeiz and rationality?