The Chronicles of Castile

[Havard]

As a scribe at the court of our good king Juan II, I will here tell the tales of our noble kings and his deeds. It will be a story of fighting and glory, and the blood of heathens will fill it's pages.


It is the year of our lord 1419 and the 14th year in the reign of king Juan.

Castile is an aristocratic country, our nobles have much power in government and over the peasants. Our soldiers are many, but lack a certain quality. The state is mercantilistic and quite resistant to new ideas. [Domestic sliders: high on aristocracy, mercantilism and serfdom, low on centralisation, Inovativeness and quality] The king order a closer focus on military quality. [Dom.pol. shift to quality] It will be needed...

January: The king have struck an alliance with our good neighbours of Aragon. He have also allowed the marrieage of a sister to an Aragonese count to tighten the bounds allready exixting. Ferdinand of Aragon, King Juans uncle, plead his support for the battles that is to come. We have also taken a firm grip on the trade in Andalusia.

February: Supported be the King, settlers have established a colony on some islands outside the western coast of Africa. They are called the Canary Islands

The spring is spent with positioning of our main troops (40k) and bringing our fleet down to Andalusia.

July: WAR! The king declared war on the heathen dogs of Grenada. Aragon confirmed our alliance, while Granada gained support from Fez, Algiers, Karaman and Teke. Our troops marched agains Granada. While we advanced on Granada we received news that the moors were attacking Andalusia and laying siege there.

August: Armada Real arrived in Granada and initiated a siege.

September: A small force from Algier land in Murcia. Our siege forces in Granada are attacked, but defeat the attackers.

October: The King raised armies in Castile, and marched them south to Toledo. While our Aragonese friends are holding the siege in Granada our main army march to break the siege in Andalusia.

November: We beat the Algirians in Toledo, and chase them to Murcia. Meanwhile our effort to break the siege of Andalusia are fruitless. Our forces loose.

December: The moors of Granada have given up on Andalusia, and march to the north. Our northern army follow them to Castillia and chase them furter to the north.

 

[Spruce]

oh boy, really cool AAR. Wonder how the unification of Spain will be concluded, fist go after Granada!

Nice AAR Havard

 

[Jack]

Yes keep it going

 

[Havard]

The year of our lord 1420 and the 15th year in the reign of king Juan.

Spring:
During the first months several battles are fought. We beat Granada in Andalusia and Valencia and win two battles with Algiers in Murcia before Granada manage to win the last battle in Murcia. Our siege force in Granada are attacked in march, but the attackers are struck back. In april our fleet engage the Algirians in Gulf of Almeria, and win a glorious victory. The sultan in Al-Djazaïr so fear the wrath of our armies that he offer Orania in exchange for peace. The king accepted, happy to secure a foothold on the African coast.

Summer:
Apart from minor battles the focus is on the walls of Granada - will they fall? In early july Granada fell, but to the Aragonese. Since they had held the siege while our armies were busy fighting in the nearby lands they kept the command of the siege after our return. The king was furious when Aragon accepted 46d and tha grant of military access in exchange for peace! He swore not to end this war before Granada was taken, and the reconquista completed!

The armies were at this point divided: Scattered into four smaller units across the country they were fighting off moorish raids from the ramaining troops. The king decided to not only take on the siege of Granada, but also follow the moors across the sea, and engage in battle on the shores of Africa.

Fall: Our army (9k) landed in Tangiers, and were met by troops from Fez. Our troops were victorious, and lay siege of Tangier. Meanwhile our remaining troops (Andalusia Regiment, Granada Regiment and Castilla Army) arrived in Toledo to unite and march on Grenada.


The year of our lord 1421 and the 16th year in the reign of king Juan II

Spring:
While Aragon and Castile have been fighting Granada our other neighbour, Portugal, have also fought the heathens. They were present in Tangier when our troops landed, and insisted on leading the continued siege. With the hostile climate the commander of the unit (Armada Real) found that it was too little food and water for all of us, and instead decided to march agains Fez itself. Fez too proved hostile in climate, and Armada Real pushed forth to Orania in a desperat effort to survive. Of the more than 9000 soldiers landing in Tangier less than half reached Orania.

In Iberia we fought several battles with the moors, and won most of them. The new siege of Granada was finally initiated in april. before the summer our soldier were victorious in two more battles in Granada and Toledo.

Summer:
In July Fez capitulated to Portugal. Portugal recieved the province of Tangiers, and the sultan of Fez swore obediance and tributes to king Joao. (i.e. Fez became vasalls)

Fall:
From the late summer and the rest of the year the remains of the army of Grenada was chased and beaten through half of Castile. During seven months they lost seven battles before the remains of the army were annihilated in Cantabria.


The year of our lord 1422 and the 17th year in the reign of king Juan II

Spring:
Reinforced with troops from Toledo Armada Real marched from Orania towards Fez.They were now led by a brilliant young general by the name of Álvaro de Luna [4/3/4]. In february ha initiated a new siege in Fez. Meanwhile the walls of Granada trembled. In March the city fell, and king Juan II could ride into Granada in triumph, knowing the reconquista was complete!

Summer:
After the capture of Granada, and with the war in Africa in the safe hands of General de Luna, the king looked into more domestic matters. He encouraged trade, and managed to expand our trade in Tago, Liguria, Andalusia and Holstein.

Fall:
In august Fez fell. The sultan was beheaded, and all the lands of Fez came under the crown of Castile. At the same time we sent an envoy to Karaman, the leader of the remaining alliance of Karaman and Teke with a generous offer of a white peace. He returned some time after with a blank refusal!

 

[Blade!]

Originally posted by Havard

In april our fleet engage the Algirians in Gulf of Almeria, and win a glorious victory. The sultan in Al-Djazaïr so fear the wrath of our armies that he offer Orania in exchange for peace. The king accepted, happy to secure a foothold on the African coast.

Great AAR.


If that's what it takes to get land... scaring the AI with one naval battle.... maybe the AI needs to be tweaked a little!

 

[Havard]

Originally posted by Blade!


Great AAR.


If that's what it takes to get land... scaring the AI with one naval battle.... maybe the AI needs to be tweaked a little!

I did beat them up quite badly in several land battles too, if you look after...

 

[unmerged(5883)]

Originally posted by Havard
He returned some time after with a blank refusal!

Oh... Those Heathens... Not the slightest ounce of political realism.

 

[unmerged(1815)]

Excellent AAR!!!

Strange how they gave you a province only because you won a naval battle and a few land battles... they must be very weak, or very stupid.

Continue please!

 

[unmerged(3440)]

[q]During seven months they lost seven battles before the remains of the army were annihilated in Cantabria.[/q]

There is a Cantabria province! Viva Paradox!!!

I just hope that doens't mean they have taken Asturias out...

 

[Havard]

Originally posted by Pred
Excellent AAR!!!

Thanks - it's words like that that make us keep going...

Strange how they gave you a province only because you won a naval battle and a few land battles... they must be very weak, or very stupid.

I believe this has been tweaked in the latest (todays) patch.

 

[Deaghaidh]

That's good nes Looking forward to hearing about the culture and missionary systems.

 

[Spruce]

Originally posted by Havard


At the same time we sent an envoy to Karaman, the leader of the remaining alliance of Karaman and Teke with a generous offer of a white peace. He returned some time after with a blank refusal!

Either the AI has a retaliation army ready against ya or the AI should be tweaked! You proved yourself superior towards this alliance...

 

[Havard]

Originally posted by Spruce


Either the AI has a retaliation army ready against ya or the AI should be tweaked! You proved yourself superior towards this alliance...

It's not that strange. They are in the other end of the mediterranean, have not fought one single battle with me (and yes - they have quite a large army...)

 

[Havard]

Originally posted by Gorion
[q]During seven months they lost seven battles before the remains of the army were annihilated in Cantabria.[/q]

There is a Cantabria province! Viva Paradox!!!

I just hope that doens't mean they have taken Asturias out...

IIRC both Asturias and Cantabria are in there

 

[unmerged(3440)]

Great.

 

[Txini]

I want to see an Iberian Screenshot, Johan READ it and put it in the screenshots, the next week letting us to see your Castille in MP Test, please, Asturias and Cantabria?? Asturias is the best but how the map has been changed??

 

[Havard]

Originally posted by Txini
Asturias is the best but how the map has been changed??

The northern Iberic provinces are (left to right): Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria.

 

[Havard]

Originally posted by Txini
I want to see an Iberian Screenshot,

If Johan approves I could make a few screenies for this AAR.

 

[Havard]

The year of our lord 1423 and the 17th year in the reign of king Juan II

Spring:
After the blunt and, somewaht surprising, refusal from Karaman the King decided it was time to learn them a lesson. Or army in Fez under the command of General da Luna entered the Fluta Real in february and set sail eastward.

Summer:
After a long journey Fluta Real arrived in the Dodecanese on august 1st. Having stopped by on Cyprus on the way, da Luna had fallen for a cousin of king Janus, and was engaged to marry her after the fighting were over. (RM with Cyprus)
After a brief collection of intelligence, da Luna decided to strike on Teke, the weakest of the two enemies. They had a standing army of 12k, slightly lesser than the 15k da Luna fielded. While the troops disembarked from the ships the fleet was attacked by the puny fleet of Teke, trying to stop the landing. They were easily brushed off.
The troops, now named Orania Regiment after their glorys in Africa unloaded in Antalya and engaged the army of Teke in battle. The battle was long, lasted a forthnight, and hard, and in the end our brave soldiers had to retreat to the ships, with more than 2000 casualties.

Fall:
This proved to be just a minor setback for da Luna. Spending a couple of months regaining strength, he again put foot ashore in december. This battle was shorter, and turned out better. Within a few days we initiated a siege in Antalya.


The year of our lord 1424 and the 17th year in the reign of king Juan II

Spring:
The remaining army of Teke returned only to be beaten back. This happened three times before summer. While the siege of Antalya continued Fluta Real returned to Murcia to reinforce the now crumbling Orania Regiment. Another wory was that Karaman had a large standing army protecting the border. If they attacked before the reinforcemants came our troops would be in dire trouble, seing they outnumbered us 2 to 1. (19k vs. my 10k)

Fall:
One last attempt was made bu Teke to break the siege in october, but again they were struck back. Meanwhile the reinforcements arrived in november, just in time to witness the fall of Antalya on december 18th. A christmas present indeed. The sultan cowardly fled to Karman, but we later found out he was not welcome there either... Rumors years later were that he was herding goats in the mountains of Dulkadir...

After the fall of Antalya Fluta Real sailed into the harbour in triumph, with fresh reinforcements. There were still the Karamans to face...

 

[unmerged(3970)]

A very interesting AAR to read.
The only thing that bothers me though, is that Castille is so strong in the game that it can annex a few African nations, and one all the way in Asia Minor.
Was Castille this strong in real life.