Note: This is a game i played and will be loosely based on it, territorial conquets will remain the same and apart from that all the battles and decisions depicted are fictional.
The year is 1399 and Byzantium is ruled from the Imperial court at Constantinople, however after many hard fought battles against the Ottoman Turks the Empire is now but a shell of its former self. Its Asian territories gone, it’s Balkan Territories gone, it’s Greek provinces reduced to a single port, times have never looked so grim for the Empire.
A constant war against the Ottomans has existed, their armies tightening their vice-like from around the capital. That is of course until 1399, in the east a horde has arrived, the last bastion of the lingering Mongol Invasion arrives on the Ottoman doorstep, and their armies so large and so feared the Ottomans must divert their entire force to face them. It is the perfect opportunity to strike.
The Emperor calls his men to arms, he raises a meagre and of 4000 infantry men and 1000 cavalry and marches into the Balkan lands, he sends messages out to his allies, Wallachia in the north and Montenegro in the East to prepare their armies for war against the infidels. They were however reluctant allies, sending only 2000cavalry and 2 infantry regiments between them to meet up with the Byzantine Force.
Upon hearing of the coming battle in the West the Ottoman Sultan went into a crazed panic, knowing he could not leave his Eastern front, he was forced to leave the Balkan defense to his vassals, Serbia and Bosnia. His vassals commanded a combined force of no less than 8000 men and 3000 cavalry, a weakened force since their defeat at the hands of the Ottomans years earlier, they would still prove an obstacle for the Byzantines.
The Byzantines, made quick progress, striking through Macedonia in a swift, lightening campaign, pillaging as they went along meeting little resistance, as they moved further west they soon approached southern Bulgaria, stopping just short of Serbian Territory to resupply at the city of Plovdiv. They would stay there would 3 nights, until the trap was sprung, out of the darkness the combined Serbian-Bosnian pounced on the unprepared Byzantine force.
As the rally for battle was signaled, the Byzantine force, which had swelled to 8000 strong from Christian recruits in the Balkans, was caught completely by surprise, a fierce battle erupted in the streets as 1-on-1 battles raged on, though the Byzantines fought bravely they were slowly being overwhelmed by the encroaching armies. The Emperor Manuel II, himself in pitched battle, rallied his men on the city outskirts, and beginning a mass retreat Manuel II stayed in the city, ensuring as many men as possible got out alive. Covering their retreat was the remnants 3rd Infantry regiment, numbering just 450 men they managed to hold off the attacking army for hours while the retreat took place, fighting to the last man they finally broke as the sun rose. Though their sacrifice had not been in vain, escaping with 6400 of his men, Manuel II had reorganized his forces 30 miles from the city of Plovdiv and was preparing for a counter attack.
As the Serbian-Bosnian Force push further on they met Manuel’s army on a flat plain, the two sides surged towards each other, the Byzantine force still heavily outnumbered, where relying on their much smaller cavalry force to hold the flanks while they tried to barge their way through the Center. After hours of pitched battle, Manuel’s force was inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, but was also seeing his force being slowly depleted; he would not have been able to hold out for much longer, had it not been for the Wallachian-Montenegren relief force arriving onto the battle field, the force slammed into the enemies’ backline , smashing moral and causing the center to crumble, as the mainly Bosnian center attempted to flee they were trapped on either side and it soon became a slaughter with bodies littering the battlefield. Demoralized from seeing their comrades cut down the remaining Serbian-Bosnian force began to flee from the battle field, their commander’s efforts for an orderly retreat were futile and men trampled their own soldiers as they attempted to escape. From the battle over 5000 men were killed, 3/4 of which came from the “Ottoman” army.
As the enemy attempted to retreat back into Serbian lands they were cut off at every turn by Manuel, they were forced to head south, until they reached Greece and took refuge in the Ottoman held city of Kastoria, there their army was resupplied by the Ottoman Garrison, with their army partially recovering the forces they had lost. Manuel soon led his army to the city walls and was met by the enemy who had sallied forth, Manuel, now with a depleted army; losing the Wallachian-Montenegren Relief force, which he’d sent to harass Serbian possessions in Kosovo, now faced an uphill battle he had to win.
But he had leant much from his last battle and came towards the city so he was on his own terms, he picked a narrow pass through the forest to fight the battle, his flanks were protected from cavalry assaults and in such a narrow pass size counted for nothing. The enemy, taking the bait and ready for revenge attacked in an unorganised fashion, their lines smashing head on into the skilled Byzantine lines, which easily repelled the attacking forces. The balance of power was now firmly in the hands of Manuel, his forces began pushing the enemy back across the open plain, the Serbian-Bosnian force soon began to retreat, they were however harassed by lightening fast Byzantine cavalry, which had bolted forward from the back lines as soon as the retreat was signalled. The retreating army, attempting to seek refuge in the walls of Kastoria were cut off by Manuel’s force, all in all almost the entire force had been decimated or captured, Manuel walked into the city of Kastoria unopposed, ready for any coming battles.
Imperial Conquests - A Shattered Empire
The year is 1399 and Byzantium is ruled from the Imperial court at Constantinople, however after many hard fought battles against the Ottoman Turks the Empire is now but a shell of its former self. Its Asian territories gone, it’s Balkan Territories gone, it’s Greek provinces reduced to a single port, times have never looked so grim for the Empire.
A constant war against the Ottomans has existed, their armies tightening their vice-like from around the capital. That is of course until 1399, in the east a horde has arrived, the last bastion of the lingering Mongol Invasion arrives on the Ottoman doorstep, and their armies so large and so feared the Ottomans must divert their entire force to face them. It is the perfect opportunity to strike.
Balance of Power in 1399
The Emperor calls his men to arms, he raises a meagre and of 4000 infantry men and 1000 cavalry and marches into the Balkan lands, he sends messages out to his allies, Wallachia in the north and Montenegro in the East to prepare their armies for war against the infidels. They were however reluctant allies, sending only 2000cavalry and 2 infantry regiments between them to meet up with the Byzantine Force.
Upon hearing of the coming battle in the West the Ottoman Sultan went into a crazed panic, knowing he could not leave his Eastern front, he was forced to leave the Balkan defense to his vassals, Serbia and Bosnia. His vassals commanded a combined force of no less than 8000 men and 3000 cavalry, a weakened force since their defeat at the hands of the Ottomans years earlier, they would still prove an obstacle for the Byzantines.
The Byzantines, made quick progress, striking through Macedonia in a swift, lightening campaign, pillaging as they went along meeting little resistance, as they moved further west they soon approached southern Bulgaria, stopping just short of Serbian Territory to resupply at the city of Plovdiv. They would stay there would 3 nights, until the trap was sprung, out of the darkness the combined Serbian-Bosnian pounced on the unprepared Byzantine force.
As the rally for battle was signaled, the Byzantine force, which had swelled to 8000 strong from Christian recruits in the Balkans, was caught completely by surprise, a fierce battle erupted in the streets as 1-on-1 battles raged on, though the Byzantines fought bravely they were slowly being overwhelmed by the encroaching armies. The Emperor Manuel II, himself in pitched battle, rallied his men on the city outskirts, and beginning a mass retreat Manuel II stayed in the city, ensuring as many men as possible got out alive. Covering their retreat was the remnants 3rd Infantry regiment, numbering just 450 men they managed to hold off the attacking army for hours while the retreat took place, fighting to the last man they finally broke as the sun rose. Though their sacrifice had not been in vain, escaping with 6400 of his men, Manuel II had reorganized his forces 30 miles from the city of Plovdiv and was preparing for a counter attack.
Byzantine and Bosnian Forces in Pitched Battle at Plovdiv
As the Serbian-Bosnian Force push further on they met Manuel’s army on a flat plain, the two sides surged towards each other, the Byzantine force still heavily outnumbered, where relying on their much smaller cavalry force to hold the flanks while they tried to barge their way through the Center. After hours of pitched battle, Manuel’s force was inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, but was also seeing his force being slowly depleted; he would not have been able to hold out for much longer, had it not been for the Wallachian-Montenegren relief force arriving onto the battle field, the force slammed into the enemies’ backline , smashing moral and causing the center to crumble, as the mainly Bosnian center attempted to flee they were trapped on either side and it soon became a slaughter with bodies littering the battlefield. Demoralized from seeing their comrades cut down the remaining Serbian-Bosnian force began to flee from the battle field, their commander’s efforts for an orderly retreat were futile and men trampled their own soldiers as they attempted to escape. From the battle over 5000 men were killed, 3/4 of which came from the “Ottoman” army.
As the enemy attempted to retreat back into Serbian lands they were cut off at every turn by Manuel, they were forced to head south, until they reached Greece and took refuge in the Ottoman held city of Kastoria, there their army was resupplied by the Ottoman Garrison, with their army partially recovering the forces they had lost. Manuel soon led his army to the city walls and was met by the enemy who had sallied forth, Manuel, now with a depleted army; losing the Wallachian-Montenegren Relief force, which he’d sent to harass Serbian possessions in Kosovo, now faced an uphill battle he had to win.
Manuel's Campaign in the West
But he had leant much from his last battle and came towards the city so he was on his own terms, he picked a narrow pass through the forest to fight the battle, his flanks were protected from cavalry assaults and in such a narrow pass size counted for nothing. The enemy, taking the bait and ready for revenge attacked in an unorganised fashion, their lines smashing head on into the skilled Byzantine lines, which easily repelled the attacking forces. The balance of power was now firmly in the hands of Manuel, his forces began pushing the enemy back across the open plain, the Serbian-Bosnian force soon began to retreat, they were however harassed by lightening fast Byzantine cavalry, which had bolted forward from the back lines as soon as the retreat was signalled. The retreating army, attempting to seek refuge in the walls of Kastoria were cut off by Manuel’s force, all in all almost the entire force had been decimated or captured, Manuel walked into the city of Kastoria unopposed, ready for any coming battles.
Fierce Battle in the Woodland around Kastoria
Next – Scourge in the East
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