Stranded - A Nuova Italia AAR

[blklizard]

Chapter 88

Gian and his men were quite nervous as none of them knew what awaited them on Borneo. For many of them, setting foot on an island other than Sumatra was a terrifying experience by itself, not to mention that many of them were unaccustomed to the seas. Gian was used to sailing which saw him less worried than the others. He found it a bit amusing that some of his toughest soldiers were getting seasick in such calm seas. He couldn't help but wonder how these men would have fared in the storm that ultimately crashed the Lobo into the Sumatra. The general was also well aware that he needed his men to be ready for war and those getting sick might not recover for at least a few days making them useless for that period of time.

It didn't take long before Gian heard that Borneo was in sight. He ordered his men to prepare to disembark as they returned to land. This was welcoming news for those seasick the entire journey as they could finally find some firm ground to stand upon. Gian stared at the beach for signs of soldiers, either allies or the enemies. He wasn't familiar with Borneo and some guides would go long ways. Gian was happy that the First Navy was there to escort them to the island as the waters could be dangerous, especially when the transports lacked the equipment to protect themselves against the enemy. Once they reached land, the First Navy would be heading home leaving them to defend the foreign nation.

Minutes away from the beach, Gian caught sight of Kutai forces that were marching in an orderly fashion. The way their men were marching seemed to indicate that they might have just won a victory. The general was truly awestruck that no one in the Kutai army even noticed the Nuova Italian ships. They most likely didn't expect to see Brunei reinforcements so quickly, let alone them coming by sea and arriving near their location. Gian found this a perfect opportunity to strike. He was certain his men were outnumbered but experience told him that the element of surprise could do wonders. If things went poorly, they could always withdraw back onto the ships and try a different approach.

Gian met with the captain and told him about the general plan of attack. The captain was slightly surprised but he didn't object to the general's suggestion. It might seem crazy but the Nuova italian First Army wasn't built with cowards and incompetent men. He had faith that Gian knew what he was doing and only had to do his part should the battle not go as intended. The First Navy was signaled to stop escorting as they might alert the enemy of their presence. The four transports moved ever so sneakily towards the unwary Kutai soldiers who were too busy focusing at the front and not bothering to look out to sea where Nuova Italian soldiers were preparing to cut them down.

 

[blklizard]

Chapter 89

The ill-prepared Kutai soldiers reacted too late when the Nuova Italian soldiers descended on them with weapons raised to cut down the enemy. Most of the Kutai soldiers were in the state of shock so they were cut down before they could even bring out their weapons to resist. This sudden attack caught the Kutai army completely by surprise seeing enormous casualties in the first few minutes. However, the Kutai general proved his mettle when he got his men under control and fought back. The battle became a grueling one with the First Army eventually coming out on top. However, they did lose almost half of their soldiers in the engagement.

The Kutai forces were repelled but the war with Kutai was far from over. Gian led his men to the nearest town where they were given accommodations. The local officials were only too happy to see Nuova Italian soldiers in the vicinity. They were even more joyful upon learning a critical victory that repelled the enemy. The local officials learned about a potential attack from Kutai so they were preparing for the worst to happen. Gian was shocked to learn the Brunei army was destroyed in two separate battles that basically put the Muslim nation at the mercy of Kutai. If he and his men didn't arrive, the war with Kutai might end far sooner than expected.

The Brunei army consisted of six thousand men but they were facing a number of obstacles. Their morale was very low as the previous loss was remembered by many. They believed that the Kutai army was unstoppable so they lost half the battle before it even began. The Brunei army also faced horse deficits so they hardly had a cavalry force which proved to be a big mistake. The Kutai cavalry completely crushed the Brunei soldiers with the Kutai army suffering very little casualties. The Brunei army, on the other hand, lost more than half their soldiers resulting in their total annihilation in the next battle. The battles on Borneo could have been decided there and then.

Gian wasn't thrilled to learn that only his First Army stood between Brunei and complete annexation. His army was quite depleted from the engagement which greatly weakened their ability to fight any future battles. Some Brunei people offered to join to fill the ranks but their lack of experience and training would make them a lot less effective than trained men. The Nuova Italian general was beginning to be certain that he might not live to return to Sumatra. Still, he must continue fighting as these were the orders given to him by the Doge himself. If Kutai was this powerful now, then they could be a serious threat in the future if Nuova Italia didn't do anything about it.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Curse Kutai and curse Pasai! They shall feel my divine wrath as god of Nuova Italia... eventually.

I knew when I played this part that it'd make an excellent addition to the plot. I was right.

 

[blklizard]

Curse Kutai and curse Pasai! They shall feel my divine wrath as god of Nuova Italia... eventually.

I knew when I played this part that it'd make an excellent addition to the plot. I was right.

Well, they can both feel your wrath if you play a bit more. This section should be fun but I'm looking forward to a bit into the future.

Chapter 90

Sesto walked into the office that once belonged to Chiano. He couldn't believe his mentor and former Doge was actually gone. It seemed almost yesterday when the two of them were discussing matters regarding the war with Kutai. So much has happened since his death, especially the new war with Pasai. Elected as the new Doge, Sesto had the burden of getting Nuova Italia out of the mess she was in. This was quite the tall order when so many things weren't going her way. The First Army was across the sea in Bornea leaving the Catholic nation basically defenseless against the Muslim threat in the form of Pasai.

Because the urgent matters took precedent, Chiano's funeral was shortened so the officials and people could prepare for the new war. Sesto promised his mentor that, once Nuova Italia got through the many hurdles she was facing, he would find time to make up for the shortened funeral. First, he needed to get the nation through hurdles that threatened her very existence. The First Army was unlikely to return home in the near future so the Republic needed another way of protecting herself against the Pasai threat. With the ducats Chiano saved up in the treasury, this was the best opportunity to put the funds to use.

The funds were used to hire mercenaries which the Republic didn't particularly favor. The officials didn't trust men who could be hired to fight wars. After all, what was stopping them from betraying the Republic to a higher bidder? With no forces to speak of in Nuova Italian soil, mercenaries were used as a last resort. It was better to somewhat trust these men than allow the Pasai forces ravage the land and harm the innocent civilians. There was quite a distance to be covered by the Pasai soldiers before they could reach the capital unless the Pasai general chose to move by sea. Such a decision could be catastrophic for Nuova Italia.

The First Navy was ordered to escort the First Army to Borneo so it was in no position to intercept the Pasai navy if the enemy attempted such an approach. The mercenaries hired, roughly four thousand men in total, were stationed in the capital with the garrison while Nuova Italian scouts were sent to locate the enemy forces. Leaving the capital vulnerable was a terrible idea and sending soldiers forward without intelligence could be a costly mistake. Sesto, like so many other officials, wasn't able to sleep while the two wars raged on. They had much work to do before things could look brighter for the Catholic nation.

 

[Cityracer]

Poor Borneo! Don't worry, Nuova Italia will save you.

 

[blklizard]

Poor Borneo! Don't worry, Nuova Italia will save you.

There has been plans to save those on the island but, sadly, that won't be happening anytime soon. Let's hope it will happen before the game ends.

Chapter 91

As Sesto soon learned, the Pasai army wasted no time in making progress. Their soldiers marched quickly and many of the lesser defended towns and cities were falling quickly. The province of Pariaman was soon occupied by the Pasai forces which worried the officials. If given enough momentum, the Pasai soldiers might reach the Nuova Italian capital in no time. The four thousand mercenaries weren't really doing much when stationed at the capital while they were still being paid. Therefore, Sesto made the gamble of sending the mercenaries out to fight the enemy. At the very least, they would be stationed in a city or town closer to the Pasai border allowing them to actually work for their pay.

This was the first time the Republic was threatened by a foreign power and was on the defensive. The situation looked dire as, even with the four thousand mercenaries at their disposal, the officials lacked the soldiers to fight against the enemy which boasted more than double their numbers. Additionally, the mercenary army was led by a mercenary general who had yet to prove himself on the battlefield. The officials could only assume the worst as this was the general direction they were headed. Brunei agreed to join the war but they could barely defend themselves against the Kutai threat. There was always Sunda but the officials knew that they were unsure if they could trust their Hindu ally.

Meanwhile, the news of the war between Nuova Italia and Pasai reached Borneo where Gian and his soldiers learned of the development. They were shocked to learn that their beloved nation was being attacked while they were in a foreign nation fighting a losing war. It wasn't a difficult choice when Gian was faced with two options: he could either remain in Borneo to continue fighting the Kutai armies with his depleted forces or he could gather his remainder forces and head back home to defend what truly mattered to them. The general was aware that they faced the problem of lacking transportation across the sea but they soon learned that their worries weren't warranted for.

The First Navy was on the way home when they encountered a ship heading to Borneo. Coming in contact with the crew aboard the lonesome ship, the sailors in the First Navy learned that their nation was under attack by a Muslim threat. Knowing that the only Nuova Italian army was in Borneo, they knew the war might be lost if they didn't take action. The First Navy would head back to the coastal town where Gian and his men were at so they could be picked up and returned home. The fate of Nuova Italia mattered far more than the foreign nation of Brunei which was doomed the moment it lost the first war against Kutai.

 

[Cityracer]

Don't abandon Brunei! We must defend our ally!

 

[DKM]

Abandon Brunei! We must defend our interests!

Much more agreeable now.

 

[Cityracer]

Much more agreeable now.

We can rebuild if we're defeated, Brunei can't. Don't you like Brunei?

 

[blklizard]

Don't abandon Brunei! We must defend our ally!

Much more agreeable now.

We can rebuild if we're defeated, Brunei can't. Don't you like Brunei?

Well, I don't make the decisions here. I am just writing a story from the screenshots I'm getting so, if you aren't happy about where the story is going, it's Michaelangelo's fault.

Chapter 92

Gian watched as his men started boarding the transports to head home where they were needed to face the Pasai threat. The people of the local town gathered on the walls watching the departure of their last hope. The general didn't want to do this but his nation's future was at risk. He and his men couldn't possibly stay on Borneo while their nation faced destruction from the Muslim soldiers. His soldiers were only two thousand or so but every men mattered if they could join with their brothers back on Sumatra. All he could do was wish the locals some luck against the Kutai army that was no doubt preparing for an attack.

The local officials said farewell to Gian thanking him for buying them some time by fighting off the main Kutai army. They understood that more enemies might arrive but the extra time enabled them to strengthen their defenses and ideally hold out against the invasion. The officials told Gian that they, while saddened by the departure of Nuova Italian soldiers, didn't hate them for their action. They knew the feeling of being invaded and would make the same decision in the shoes of Gian. They expressed their gratitude for the Catholic nation, despite sharing such a different faith from Brunei, sending forces to fight. They were certain that Allah would smile upon this rare cooperation.

Gian was the last to board the transport with him torn by the decision. He never felt so helpless given that so many people's lives were at risk. The people of Brunei were honorable people that he wished he could befriend a lot sooner. He also wished Brunei wasn't experiencing such difficult times and, instead, the two nations could enjoy peace and prosperity together. His people back home were also facing the same prospect of pain and suffering at the hands of the Pasai. No matter what his decision, there would be the death of innocent people and, regardless of what other said, he couldn't help but see himself having a hand in all these deaths.

When the transports left the dock, Gian stood facing the town where he saw the Brunei people waving. He waved back until he could no longer see them. When he stopped waving, he realized that he was crying the whole time. He anticipated the future of the people he abandoned and was grieving for them. The general then knelt down and started praying to his God. He prayed for not only his people but also the Brunei people. As a general, he had seen far too much death and suffering caused by war. He vowed to only fight to defend those precious to him but, in doing so, he was also inadvertently taking the lives of others. Gian felt confused about his duties given by God but he knew one thing was certain. He had to save his nation and his people from destruction to be brought by the Pasai soldiers.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Hey, don't sick them on me. I didn't plan for Pasai to attack me when I was most vulnerable.

Pasai deserves the worst fate of all Nuova Italia's enemies. Brunei will be avenged!

 

[blklizard]

Hey, don't sick them on me. I didn't plan for Pasai to attack me when I was most vulnerable.

Pasai deserves the worst fate of all Nuova Italia's enemies. Brunei will be avenged!

I'm just saying I have no control where the story is going. You knew the risks when you agreed to playing the game.

Chapter 93

The transports, escorted by the First Navy, headed straight for Nuova Italia where the people needed them. Gian and his soldiers were anxious to return home knowing that a grueling war awaited them. When the ships were half a day away from reaching the shores of Sumatra, the First Navy was suddenly under attacked by a Pasai navy that was patrolling the local waters. The two navies were soon engaged in a fierce naval battle to see who would dominate the sea in the war. During the naval engagement, Gian had the transports waiting behind the warships since they wouldn't be contributing much to the battle given their design.

The battle got fiercer and the Nuova Italian heavy ship was soon sinking when a large flame engulfed much of its decks. Both sides were losing ships fast but the Pasai navy seemed to be getting the upper hand. Gian could see the situation developing poorly for his side so he took a gamble and ordered the transports to head to shore without the protection of their escorts. The transports just needed to reach the shore where the soldiers could disembark. Any soldier that could survive this naval engagement would be a valuable asset to the Langobards in future battles. Sadly, the Pasai admiral was competent and, upon noticing the transports, immediately ordered a few ships to give chase.

The transports all suffered some damage from the naval engagement so they weren't moving as quickly through the waters. The Pasai admiral sent some fast ships that easily closed the gap between them and the transports. Gian could only watch as the transports were sunk one after another. The shore was still some distance away but he knew that there was no way for his transport to make it. He didn't find it surprising one bit that his hunch was right after all. He recalled his gut telling him that this was a war he wouldn't be surviving. With the Pasai ships closing in on his transport, Gian knew that his fate was sealed.

The soldiers under Gian stood on deck with him. They seemed to have read what the general had in mind and accepted their fate. The transport was simply too poorly equipped to handle any sort of engagement. The ship didn't turn well and lacked the tools for the crew to even board the enemy ships. They saw how the enemy ships easily dispatched the other three transports killing more than a thousand soldiers not including the crews manning the ships. They could try to use their skirmishers to kill a few more Pasai sailors but that was about it. Pasai was in a position to kill the integral portion of the Nuova Italian military to deliver a heavy blow to the Catholic nation.

 

[Cityracer]

No, not Gian! This is all Michaelangelo's fault!

 

[blklizard]

No, not Gian! This is all Michaelangelo's fault!

Michaelangelo got some explaining to do.

Chapter 94

Gian watched the Pasai ship closing in for the kill. He grabbed a bow and notched an arrow hoping to kill a few Pasai sailors before his ship sunk. He, unlike many other sailors, could actually swim so the ship sinking wouldn't bring his end. However, he didn't like the prospect of being a Pasai prisoner. If a quarter of the rumors he heard regarding Muslim torture methods were true, then Gian would rather die than be captured. The general was so focused that he was surprised when he saw Pasai sailors scrambling on deck. He then noticed fires spreading on the ship and, searching for the source, he saw a number of other ships that were bearing on the Pasai ships.

The Nuova Italian general was unfamiliar with the flags on the incoming ships but one of his officers claimed that the flags belonged to the Hindu nation of Sunda. Gian did know that the two nations formed an alliance but he didn't know the Hindu nation would actually answer the call to arms. A quick glance told the general that the Sunda navy was quite large which could turn the tide of the battle. The pursuers of his transports were intercepted and systematically sunk. Gian felt joy and sorrow at the same time. He and his men would live to fight another day but so many others of their nation were killed that battle and their bodies were on the sea floor.

The transport reached the shores with Gian and the remainder of the First Army disembarking. The general took a moment to look at the one thousand men who were under his command. He left with four thousand men under his command when he headed to Borneo to aid Brunei. A few months passed and he was left with only a quarter of that. Turning around to look out at sea, Gian took a glance at the naval battle that was entering its final stages. The First Navy was gone as well as only his transport survived the naval engagement. Such terrible losses had befallen the Catholic nation while she was still threatened by a terrible threat in the northwest.

Gian knew this wasn't the time for him to grieve for the dead soldiers and sailors. They would be remembered for their great sacrifices when Nuova Italia were to be enjoying peace and prosperity once again. For now, the Pasai threat had to be addressed. The war was a good indication that the Muslim nations bordering Nuova Italia cannot be trusted. Muslim nations in general, with the exception of Brunei, weren't to be trusted. Malacca was an excellent example of a traitorous nation that would hinder the progress of the Catholic nation. The general must lead his one thousand soldiers to the capital where he would regroup and mount a counterattack against Pasai.

 

[05060403]

Pasai got what they deserved! I'm sure Nuova Italia will recover with time.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Damn Pasai and launching a sneak attack. I blame them and Kutai for anything that happens to Brunei. They doom themselves to feeling my divine wrath before this AAR is done.

 

[Cityracer]

@Michaelangelo why did you sink almost the whole navy? You monster!

 

[Michaelangelo]

@Michaelangelo why did you sink almost the whole navy? You monster!

Ships can be rebuilt. It's better than losing land to the Pasai menace. Blame Sunda for showing up late.

 

[Cityracer]

Ships can be rebuilt. It's better than losing land to the Pasai menace. Blame Sunda for showing up late.

All you have to do is threaten to burn their leader to a crisp if they take too long next time.

 

[blklizard]

Pasai got what they deserved! I'm sure Nuova Italia will recover with time.

Pasai won't miss those ships. Their soldiers are too busy invading by land. Yes, let's hope the nation will recover from all of this.

Damn Pasai and launching a sneak attack. I blame them and Kutai for anything that happens to Brunei. They doom themselves to feeling my divine wrath before this AAR is done.

Pasai definitely got Michael worked up. I hope he'll calm down before he actually hurts anyone.

@Michaelangelo why did you sink almost the whole navy? You monster!

He sees them as disposable just like the two Doges so far. He kills them far too easily. The general is probably next.

Ships can be rebuilt. It's better than losing land to the Pasai menace. Blame Sunda for showing up late.

Always blame others! It's not his fault he was playing so badly.

All you have to do is threaten to burn their leader to a crisp if they take too long next time.

He might just do that but the outcome isn't that great. For who? You'll have to wait to find out.

Chapter 95

The garrison at Siak was barely holding out against the Pasai invaders. The Muslim forces were making quick progress and their assaults were fierce. The Muslim general, Inayat, believed that speed was the key to success. He understood that Nuova Italia was low in soldiers and even those soldiers were fighting in Borneo which convinced the Pasai sultan to declare war. This was the most vulnerable moment for the Catholic nation and a total victory here could finally contain the heathen threat. He could see the rise of Pasai on Sumatra as the true masters of the island. There would come a day when Pasai would unite all of Sumatra.

Inavat had been encountering many swift victories but there was some delay in the attempt of taking Siak. He didn't understand why the garrison was resisting so much when they, like the Pasai soldiers, were Muslims. The garrison should just accept the rule of a Muslim which made sense. The fact that they were fighting for a heathen ruler just puzzled him. He wondered what benefits they acquired from showing such misguided loyalty. Inavat wished to punish the garrison officers to teach the soldiers that they were on the wrong path. He anticipated the city to be his in a few days at most. He then needed to progress further into Nuova Italian territory.

Inavat was observing the siege when he was informed that enemy forces were in the rear. He didn't expect to see a large force as, with the time Nuova Italia had to prepare, they could only gather so many soldiers for war. One of his officers offered to lead a cavalry force to send in the incoming force packing. Inavat, thinking the request was acceptable, gave the officer a thousand cavalrymen to deal with the small annoyance before returning to direct the siege. The sooner Siak fell, the sooner he could focus elsewhere to maintain the momentum he had. His soldiers were eager for new battles and he would give them a chance to please Allah.

Shortly after, Inavat was informed that the officer and the one thousand cavalrymen were all killed. Hearing the news told him that he might have underestimated his enemies so he called off the siege to deal with the enemy reinforcements. Mounted on a horse, he stared out from a hill getting a clear view of the enemy. He hadn't expected the Nuova Italian officials to gather so many soldiers in such a short time. Hating himself for throwing away the lives of so many of his brothers, Inavat decided to take matters seriously and into his hands. A defeat here could greatly complicate their situation which might turn the tide for the enemy.