Total War - Bloodshed is the Only Path

[blklizard]

It'll be interesting to see what happens once the Austrians and their allies breach the wall, especially since Castile has no access to the gates to the city. And no cannons? How barbaric.

I won't spoil anything but you will find out hopefully soon (I have no idea when we will get to the breach itself). And what do you mean no cannons? The French have a few cannons atop the walls.

War of 1500

Battle of Paris (Part 5)

Waypoint A

The Castillian infantry waited patiently while their skirmishers squared off with the enemy skirmishers. Armed with swords and axes, these infantry had the sole objective of breaking through the enemy defensive line. While the skirmishers were in combat, the Castillian light cavalry has already advanced into the forest where they intend on sneaking past the enemy and strike at the rear of the enemy formation. Knights would be ineffective in the forest where their maneuverability would be very lacking. The Castillian general, Amado, knew about the forests surrounding Paris and knew the effectiveness of light cavalry in such a setting. Soon, the Castillian infantry was ordered to advanced forward towards the enemy pikes and spears while the skirmishers continued to trade fire. The enemy skirmishers would soon be forced to retreat behind their infantry line when the Castillian infantry was too close and the two sides finally engaged in close quarter fights following a brief charge from both sides. Following the initial clash, Castillian light cavalry has swung around the rear of the enemy formation and proceeded to strike the rear. The Bohemian detachment anticipated such a move and the flank immediately collapsed into the rear to engage with the incoming cavalry.

The infantry fight was becoming a gruesome fight with neither sides backing down as the battle became a war of attrition. Corpses soon littered the battlefield but no one noticed in the heat of battle. The enemy skirmishers continued to put fire into the enemy ranks due to the lack of enemy cavalry. Meanwhile, the Castillian light cavalry, instead of halting and finding other opportunities to strike, proceeded to charge at the Bohemian soldiers that faced them in the rear. The Bohemians were braced and the initial charge had only a limited effect. In addition, the cavalry unit was soon bogged down unable to break free while the enemy pikes and spears were put to work. The light cavalry soon routed with heavy casualties but the Bohemians weren't out of the woods yet. Their main infantry line was slowly breaking under pressure with the enemy outnumbering them. The constant skirmish fire from the enemy also helped severely weaken the Bohemians who fought valiantly against overwhelming odds. The Bohemian infantry that was engaging the enemy cavalry had to quickly reinforce the main line despite it being a losing cause. A messenger was quickly dispatched to the Bohemian general reporting the losing battle but the officer of the detachment knew that, by the time news reached his general, the Bohemian flank would be exposed to the enemy.

Waypoint B

The Austrians and Bohemian forces divided their workload on the northern wall. The Bohemians were supposed to take the gatehouse while the Austrians assaulted the walls. The Bohemian skirmishers were the first to arrive before the gates and traded fire against the enemy with little success. The French skirmishers had cover and fired down mercilessly. Meanwhile, the French cannons were fired and, despite lacking accuracy, still managed to deal casualties to the enemy. Bohemian infantry advanced steadily with a battering ram leading the way. The French skirmishers soon caught sight of the siege weapon and immediately targeted the ram. However, their arrows had little effect as the housing of the battering ram protected the crew working within. Seeing the futility of ordinary arrows, the French skirmishers changed to flaming shot hoping to light the ram on fire eliminating it from the fight. However, the Bohemians put fire resistant canopy which prevented from the ram from catching fire. The battering soon reached the gates and the crew inside began to pound the gates while the French soldiers on the other side desperately tried to hold the gate with their hands. The repeated blows were slowly weakening the gate hinges and the defenders were losing the battle to hold back the enemy.

Meanwhile, the Austrians core was waiting at a safe distance while their catapults propelled projectiles at the enemy wall. The Austrian king waited until the Bohemian battering ram reached enemy gates before giving orders for his men to advance. Austrian skirmishers would trade fire with their counterparts on the walls while Austrian infantry carried ladders that would be used to scale the walls. The defenders on the walls, while wanting to reinforce the gatehouse, were forced to deal with the Austrian threat. Thus, the French infantry stayed on the walls waiting for the enemy to scale the walls. The ladders were soon placed and Austrian infantry slowly scaled the walls while skirmish fire and, occasionally, a catapult projectile flew near or at them. The Austrian infantry that did scale the walls were quickly repelled as they were simply outnumbered by the French soldiers on the walls. The Austrian king soon realized the problem but he couldn't call back his men without leaving the Bohemian soldiers isolated. He continued to watch his men scale the wall only to be repelled repeatedly. Soon, he learned that the city gate has been broken through and the Bohemian force was prepared to attempt an assault to capture the gatehouse.

 

[Michaelangelo]

I meant the Austrians not having cannons. But I suppose catapults work. Still barbaric though.

For some reason the part when the Austrians used ladders on the wall made me think of the siege of Helm's Deep in Lord of the Rings. Just kick the ladders down and watch the orcs... I mean Austrians scatter.

I've noticed that the Austrians are letting the Bohemians do most of the work, other than attempting to climb the wall. Sounds like something I would do in-game. Let your allies do the work and take the glory for yourself.

 

[blklizard]

I meant the Austrians not having cannons. But I suppose catapults work. Still barbaric though.

I'm afraid that cannons aren't that viable on the offensive during this time period (which I wrote about, not real life) when they were huge and cumbersome. If we had a scenario dating later in history, we might have less barbarity .

I've noticed that the Austrians are letting the Bohemians do most of the work, other than attempting to climb the wall. Sounds like something I would do in-game. Let your allies do the work and take the glory for yourself.

Let me reassure you that the Bohemian general agreed to this. The Bohemian army had a larger army and seemed better suited for these valiant sacrifices. Should Austria become victorious, they will indeed get the glory for defeating one of the strongest nations in Europe, with help of course.

War of 1500

Battle of Paris (Part 6)

Waypoint C and D

Paris' eastern wall was never the focus of the enemy and only a few soldiers were positioned there to alert the reserve of an enemy attack. Meanwhile, the Danish and Castillian forces faced off in an incredible staring match. Both sides have suffered considerable casualties following many blinks but there were still some fighting valiantly against the instinct to blink. Who will win? Time will time.

Waypoint B

When General Faix was notified of the situation in the west, he took a quick look and was shocked to see his detachment crumbling. Knowing that the detachment won't be able to hold out any longer, Faix immediately ordered his two main lines to rotate to the right so that they would face the incoming Castillian forces. Meanwhile, his main line was ordered to advanced several steps so that they covered a wider area protecting the Bohemian and Austrian flank. The Bohemian cavalry force would wait behind the infantry line for further orders. A messenger was also sent to the Bohemian officers directing the attack on the gate to alert them of an attack from the Castillian soldiers. The messenger traveled swiftly across the battlefield and narrowly avoided two cannonballs. He arrived just in time to see the north gate broken through by the battering ram. The officers commanding the attack were told of the enemy force at their flank with only a few minutes to spare. The Castillian soldiers were charging and the officers just had enough time to give orders so their men formed a horseshoe like shape to engage the enemy. The Bohemian soldiers at the gate formed a straight line as wide as the gate opening to hold off any French soldiers that charged at them while the remaining soldiers fought desperately to fend off the Castillian men. With the Castillian force outnumbering the attacking Bohemian soldiers, it was only a matter of time before they break under pressure.

While the Castillian infantry was engaged in battle, the Castillian cavalry prepared an attack on the enemy's main line. Seeing the enemy crumbling, Amado ordered his second group to engage in battle with the enemy's main force. The infantry were sent to the north gate while the cavalry, with a large knight presence, was sent to disrupt enemy command. Most of the light cavalry were sent through a trail in the forest to strike the enemy's right flank while the main cavalry force, consisting of mostly knights, would perform a charge straight through the middle to shatter the enemy. The incoming Castillian knight charge was impressive to watch but Faix had no intentions letting his enemy have their way. Bohemian knights were deployed into the open field where they would intercept the enemy knights while Bohemian light cavalry would engage their counterparts with spear support. Both of Castillian cavalry forces were intercepted before they can disrupt the enemy. Bohemia's main infantry core was ordered to back up several steps so that their skirmishers could trade places achieving better line of sight on the enemy. The Castillian knights managed to break from the engagement with minimal losses soon after but their light cavalry was completely surrounded. Meanwhile, the Bohemian infantry at the gates was losing men steadily with the attacking losing the advantage they gained earlier.

Charles realized the urgency of the situation and ordered a sizable infantry force to reinforce those fighting at the gates. The Austrians were still scaling the walls but, since the Castillian soldiers entered the scene, the main focus became fending off the enemy reinforcements. Austrian infantry moved quickly across the battlefield trying to avoid cannonballs that continued to fly from enemy walls. The infantry force was split up into two groups. One group would swing behind their allies to hold the enemy in place while the other group struck at the enemy's flank. The Austrians arrived just in time as the Bohemian infantry was only two ranks deep when they arrived. One group immediately ran behind the Bohemian soldiers and filled in any gaps resulting from killed Bohemian soldiers. The other group charged into the Castillian infantry's flank where many were killed on the charge. The two sides were roughly even in number and the victor would have been difficult to determine had Bohemian knights not perform a devastating charge into the rear. The knights were freed up from their engagement following the enemy knights' withdraw which was a huge mistake for the Castillian forces. The charge itself not only killed many Castillian infantry but shattered the men. Finding themselves suddenly sandwiched in the middle, the Castillian soldiers fled from the battlefield thinking the battle was lost. The battle at the forest was wrapping up as well seeing both sides suffering heavy casualties. For the attackers, they have control of the gate which was a small victory in itself.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Ah, I guess that's true about the cannons. I suppose the original models would be a pain to drag around.

That had me on the edge of my seat. I thought Castile had victory in the bag until their cavalry broke. The Bohemians are doing extremely well during this siege.

 

[blklizard]

Ah, I guess that's true about the cannons. I suppose the original models would be a pain to drag around.

That had me on the edge of my seat. I thought Castile had victory in the bag until their cavalry broke. The Bohemians are doing extremely well during this siege.

Sure glad it seems exciting to my readers. You must remember that Castille has her forces divided up which weakened their effectiveness to deal a heavy blow to the enemy. The Bohemians may have been doing well but they are suffering many casualties in the process. As for Austria, .... Anyways, this will be the second last update for Battle of Paris. So, we will be talking about a different war soon !

War of 1500

Battle of Paris (Part 7)

Waypoint B

Fending off the Castillian soldiers was a major victory for Austria and Bohemia but it wasn't exactly a decisive blow earning them victory. In addition, the Castillian army still had lots of reserves which still made them a threat. Anticipating more attacks from the Castillian force, the Bohemian general ordered a sizable force guarding the open flank of the men at the gates to prevent a similar situation earlier. Meanwhile, Bohemian and Austrian soldiers had no time to rest after the previous engagement. They have may broken through the gate but the French garrison still had control over the gatehouse and the walls. Their skirmishers continued pouring fire into the enemy hoping to discourage the attackers and, in a best case scenario, send them packing. For the attackers, they could either back out of enemy range giving up control of the gate or they could advance with the objective of taking both the gatehouse and the northern wall. After a hard fought battle suffering many losses, the attackers decided to press forward while they had the momentum. Bohemian and Austrian soldiers separated into two columns marching side by side into the gate and engage the French soldiers on the other side. The French infantry was waiting with three lines facing the enemy. They positioned themselves so that the attackers couldn't use their number advantage. As the engagement took place between the infantry, French skirmishers continued firing at the attackers who couldn't get cover within the gatehouse.

The French infantry was fighting back the enemy but their numbers have been dropping steadily after hours of fighting. The skirmishers on the wall also caused heavy casualties but many of them were running out of ammunition. What troubled the French garrison the most was the lack of Castillian soldiers in the vicinity. They understood that the Castille force was forced back but they also knew only a few detachments were lost. The French forces, while having superior positioning, couldn't hold their position for long with the casualties they were sustaining. The attackers kept sending men to the gates hoping to break through and their tactic was working despite their losses. Shortly after the fight inside the gatehouse took place, the Austrians have given up their ladder approach and committed all their soldiers to the gate. With the French skirmishers out of ammunition, their soldiers outside the city didn't have to worry about taking cover from enemy fire. Instead, they could focus at the battle up ahead which was getting into its later stages. The French infantry was pushed back as the attacker got more room to perform. The skirmishers on the wall descended down the stairs to join their fellow soldiers in a hopeless battle against the enemy pouring in. The French garrison was eventually forced to abandon their position at the gate and retreat to the inner wall. The attackers didn't give chase and, instead, sent their soldiers to capture rest of the outer wall to complete the encirclement.

Castillian Camp

The French garrison may have hoped their allies would aid them in fending off the attackers but Amado had more pressing matters to deal with. Shortly after his forces routed from the engagement in the north, a messenger arrived with an urgent message for the Castillian general. Amado listened intently and slammed his table with his fist. He immediately called for his officers and ordered them to prepare for a full retreat back to Castille. Apparently, a pretender to the Castillian throne has risen up to challenge Queen Isabella for the crown. To make matters worse, Portugal has joined the pretender's side to overthrown Isabella. Both the pretender and Portugal monarch knew that the main Castillian force was off in Paris and required time before it could return. Thus, they found this to be an opportune moment to strike while Isabella lacked the soldiers to protect herself. Amado knew that Castille was in a perilous situation and needed to return home. While they did answer the call for France, Amado felt that defending his homeland was still the priority. By the time the attackers took the gatehouse and northern walls, the Castillian army has already pulled their camp and marched southwards to deal with a threat closer to home. The Castillian forces facing off in a staring match with the Danish soldiers pulled out so quickly that the Danish general feared a sneak attack elsewhere and told his men to be vigilant. An hour later, his scouts reported the departure of the Castillian army. Thus, the French would be alone in their struggles against the attackers with their only ally abandoning the battlefield.

Preparations on Assaulting Inner Wall

With the main garrison force retreating to the inner wall, the outer wall was left practically undefended. Bohemian soldiers traveled down the west wall while the Austrian soldiers traveled down the east wall before meeting at the south wall. The soldiers were surprised to see the Castillian camp gone and, after the Austrians opened the eastern gatehouse allowing the Danish army into the city, they were informed the Castillian army has pulled out from the battle. The officers were doubtful such was a case and assigned lookouts for incoming Castillian soldiers. Once the lookouts were assigned, the attackers surrounded the inner wall while remaining out of range of enemy skirmishers. The defenders looked smug thinking that their inner wall was impenetrable since the moat definitely made a direct assault much tougher for the attackers. The attackers surrounded the city as though they were going to starve out the defenders. Pesenti scoffed at the idea since he has stocked up enough food to last a few years with the garrison he had at his disposal. However, the attackers weren't actually sieging but, rather, waiting patiently for the opportunity to present itself. Once the moat was removed, both sides would agree that Paris would fall and the war would be concluded on a happy note for the attackers. With the moat still intact, the defenders felt that there was no way they could lose and the attackers, with their limited supplies, would be forced to retreat sooner of later. The attackers actually learned of the moat before they even arrived at Paris and have already set a plan in motion that would determine the outcome of the war.

 

[Michaelangelo]

The French are so screwed now.

I had expected the Castilians to retreat at some point since Isabella had ordered them to not waste too many men on the cause, but I hadn't expected the reason being a pretender to the Castilian throne. I suppose queens always had trouble ruling during this era.

 

[blklizard]

The French are so screwed now.

I had expected the Castilians to retreat at some point since Isabella had ordered them to not waste too many men on the cause, but I hadn't expected the reason being a pretender to the Castilian throne. I suppose queens always had trouble ruling during this era.

Ya, the dice rolls didn't agree with the French. As for Isabella, this was the reason why she gave the order to Amado.

War of 1500

Battle of Paris (Part 8)

Inner Wall

The attackers had complete control of the outer wall and only the inner wall stood between them and victory. The French soldiers believed that, with their moat, the enemy had no chance of breaking through their defenses. However, the Austrians have already set a plan in motion to see the moat removed. Starting the night before, a large number of men have already began digging tunnels towards Paris. Their objective wasn't to undermine the outer mine but, instead, focus on the inner wall. Through some rough guesswork, the tunnelers actually managed to get past the outer wall undetected and they were soon awarded for their efforts with water seeping into their tunnels. The tunnelers immediately pulled away knowing that their tunnel would soon be filled up. Initially, the moat seemed unaffected by the tunnels while the attackers waited. Slowly, the moat was dropping in level and the garrison soon realized what was taking place. The defenders were, however, helpless in the situation as they watched their best defense undermined by the enemy. The attackers waited for the moat to be nearly dry before they prepared for their assault. To make matters worse for the defenders, a team of tunnelers dug their tunnel deeper than the other ones and managed to avoid the moat altogether. Instead, they arrived at the base of the northern section of the inner wall and undermined a section of the wall creating a wide breach. The stage was set for the final assault.

For the final assault, Austrian, Bohemian and Danish troops would all participate in the action. The Bohemians would target the gatehouse with the battering ram that performed superbly on the outer gate, the Austrians tackled the breach while the Danish attacked the eastern wall. The section of northern wall that was undermined created more problems for the defenders as a set of stairs were exposed to the enemy allowing Austrian infantry to scale the eastern wall to aid their Danish allies. Thus, the assault began with the attackers charging forward knowing victory was almost theirs. The Bohemian infantry followed the battering ram that made its slow but steady progress towards the gate. The Austrians stormed the breach where their main core fought the French infantry defending the breach while small detachments climbed the stairs to fight French infantry on the wall. The Danish charged with their ladders and soon began their ascent to the top where the enemy awaited. Meanwhile, skirmishers on both sides were firing at the enemy hoping to dwindle the enemy and shift the odds in their favor. The Austrians were encountering the most problems at the breaches where the French soldiers held strong. It also didn't help that French skirmishers on the gatehouse were firing at their flank killing many men. However, the focus on the Austrian infantry allowed the Bohemian infantry to arrive before the gate with less casualties.

The Bohemian soldiers immediately set to work in filling in a section of the moat before the gate. They worked furiously as they tried to get the battering ram to the gate itself. The French skirmishers tried to halt the progress but the enemy was many while they were few. The moat was slowly filled up and the battering ram crept closer to the gatehouse. The Danish infantry has captured sections of the eastern wall but the battle there was still furious with the French still fighting valiantly to repel the enemy. The defenders at the breach was still holding but their numbers dropped steadily seeing their first line nearly wiped out and their second line rushing to fill in the gap. The gate was finally broken through by the attackers and Bohemian soldiers stormed into the inner sanctum of Paris where they complete the encirclement of the French infantry. The surround French soldiers continued fighting in desperation but the encirclement grew smaller and smaller. The French skirmishers on the gatehouse were wiped out by then and the few guards at the palace entrance stood their line waiting for the inevitable slaughter. Once the last French infantry was killed at the breach, the French armies that gathered at Paris were all wiped out with only the French monarch's royal guard remaining. They continued fighting against overwhelming odds but their efforts were in vain. The palace was captured and the young monarch became a prisoner. As for his regent, no one knew about his whereabouts as he seemed to have vanished during the battle.

Outcome

The capture of the young French monarch signaled the end of the War of 1500. The monarch was forced to sign documents that saw independence returned to Austria along with the release of many nations that were annexed in its previous wars. This was seen as a great victory for Austria as she defeated one of the most powerful nations in the world. Charles would enjoy the prestige of success on the battlefield along with the honor of continuing a dynasty that nearly ended in Austria. France, following the major defeat, would be quite crippled seeing it no longer a major power in Europe. A new regent would rise up and took on the tough task of rebuilding a nation devastated by war. As for Castille, Isabella rallied the garrison of the capital and they held long enough for Amado to arrive with reinforcements. The pretender was killed in battle along with the Portuguese monarch. In the process, Isabella grew even stronger by acquiring the Portuguese crown following the king's unfortunate death. Her husband, as the king of Aragon, would help set the stage for their son to unite all of Iberia under one flag. When one looked at the War of 1500, historians argued that Castille was the winner despite joining the losing side in the conflict. Bohemia and Denmark achieved the removal of a major threat but their borders remained the same. France and Austria were both in the process of rebuilding as war has ravaged both nations greatly. A new chapter awaited Europe in the 16th century with the War of 1500 kicking it off in a very unpredictable direction.

Casualties and losses:
40,707 // 77,416

 

[Michaelangelo]

Yay, Austria wins! The von Habsburgs strike back.

Poor Portugal though. They didn't even fight in the war and they ended up the worse off.

 

[blklizard]

Yay, Austria wins! The von Habsburgs strike back.

Poor Portugal though. They didn't even fight in the war and they ended up the worse off.

Yes, the dice rolls agree with us. As for Portugal, their king brought it upon himself underestimating Isabella. At least the Iberia in this world will remain stable for generations to come. See, a happy ending .

Mongolian-Chagatai War of 1296

Prologue

The year 1300 would see the start of a new era. The great Mongolian empire has fractured following the death of Kublai Khan in 1294. The mighty empire was close to a succession crisis where the sons of Kublai Khan fought for complete control of an empire that stretched across vast territory and conquered numerous nations. The four sons of Kublai Khan eventually divided the Mongol Empire amongst themselves because none of them were willing to give up the title of Great Khan to one of their siblings. The Golden Horde controlled the northwest corner while the Ilkhanate controlled the southwest. Chagatai found herself holding the central parts while Mongolia controlled the eastern portions. The sons were initially content with their holding pursuing their own objectives and interests but the peace would not last. Soon, there were debates over borders that created much friction between the Khans but these weren't enough to spark an all out war. Along the border between Mongolia and Chagatai, occasional raids took place that saw the peace in the region disturbed. The raids would eventually cause the death of a Mongolian officer who was a close friend to the Mongolian Khan. The Mongolian Khan used the death of his friend to denounce the Chagatai Khan and claimed that the Chagatai throne belonged to him by birth. Out of the four nations, Mongolia possessed the most powerful army which explained why he was so bold. However, the Chagatai Khan secured a temporary alliance with the Khan of Golden Horde prior to the war which saw Mongolia at war with two nations.

Thus, Mongolia found herself fighting two powerful nations and the grueling war began with victories on both sides. Neither sides could gain a decisive victory seeing a stalemate. The war would have likely ended as status quo had a new development didn't take place in the west. The news of a war weakening the Golden Horde has reached the ears of Europeans who lived in terror next to horde territory. Knowing the Golden Horde was severely weakened in the war, the Europeans banded together in hopes to driving back the Mongols. The sudden attack would force the Khan of Golden Horde to exit the war against Mongolia to deal with the threats in the west. The Mongolian Khan suddenly found himself at an advantage against Chagatai and hoped to capitalize on it. However, the Chagatai Khan proved to be a skilled diplomat with the new alliance with the Ilkhanate. The alliance, however, came at the price that Chagatai would become a part of Ilkhanate. Chagatai was weakening from the war and prolonged war would only guarantee her complete collapse. In a desperation act to stop his enemy from winning, the Chagatai Khan chose to deny them of what they wanted so that he would accomplish a victory of some sort. Ilkhanate has remained at peace for a long time with her armies still at its full strength that boasted double the number of the Mongolian army. The odds seemed stacked up against the aggressor and all hope for Mongolia may have been lost.

The Mongolian Khan, seeing himself on the verge of defeat, also committed a desperation act seeing an alliance formed with Song. Song has been an enemy of the Mongols since Genghis Khan invaded China. The fact that the two nations could form an alliance was unthinkable which made many doubtful of the news initially. Unknown to many, the emperor of Song sought this alliance as much as the Mongolian Khan. Sharing a border with such a large nation was terrifying to say the least and the emperor could never get any sleep fearing an invasion to take place the very next day. When the envoy from Mongolia arrived at the Song court, the emperor was only too happy to hear the offer knowing such an alliance would bring two benefits for Song. First, the alliance would solidify the relations between the two nations securing a long term peace. Secondly, a collapsed Mongolia brought uncertainty and Song was no longer the mighty Chinese nation feared by her neighbors. Facing uncertainty, Song may face annihilation against a new enemy that may arise from the ashed of Mongolia. Preferring to deal with the existing powers, the emperor chose to aid Mongolia to ensure a stable and predictable neighbor. The war has developed into Mongolia and Song fighting against Chagatai and Ilkhanate. The victor would take control of Chagatai while the loser may face collapse. Whatever the case, the political map of Asia would be changing very soon.


Below is a map provided by Challenger2008.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Those are some giant Asian powers about to duel it out. I'm assuming this latest screenshot is from a mod or CKII conversion, since I don't remember ever seeing most of those nations in EUIV.

 

[blklizard]

Those are some giant Asian powers about to duel it out. I'm assuming this latest screenshot is from a mod or CKII conversion, since I don't remember ever seeing most of those nations in EUIV.

The battles will get interesting for sure. The map came from the extended timeline mod. I apologize for the lack of updates but, hopefully, I'll get a new update up on the weekends. Just trying to reach a new milestone for one of my AARs .

 

[Michaelangelo]

The battles will get interesting for sure. The map came from the extended timeline mod. I apologize for the lack of updates but, hopefully, I'll get a new update up on the weekends. Just trying to reach a new milestone for one of my AARs .

No problem. I imagine it's much more time consuming to write up an original update, as compared to just reporting events from the game. If the Mongolian hordes can wait, so can I.

 

[RepublicanIV]

I really enjoyed reading about the Battle for Paris.

Is it possible if (when applicable) we could have maps showing the aftermath of the war?

 

[blklizard]

No problem. I imagine it's much more time consuming to write up an original update, as compared to just reporting events from the game. If the Mongolian hordes can wait, so can I.

None of my AARs are gameplay style anymore. A few are storytelling while other two are history/storytelling.

I really enjoyed reading about the Battle for Paris.

Is it possible if (when applicable) we could have maps showing the aftermath of the war?

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. As for maps, you are stuck with a screenshot with paint scribbles on it. Here's the aftermath of the last war. I will put in a map of the aftermath for future updates as long as you can tolerate my petty drawing skills .

The map should be obvious. Castille got a lot stronger (with their personal unions) while France is severely weakened. I won't be posting maps where no border changes took place. For those curious, I've decided to make Normandy a republic for no good reason .

 

[Michaelangelo]

Ouch, I didn't realize just how hard hit France was. And I give you an A for effort for your Paint drawing skills.

 

[DKM]

Always up for a blklizard AAR!

subbed

 

[blklizard]

Ouch, I didn't realize just how hard hit France was. And I give you an A for effort for your Paint drawing skills.

Well, they were decisively defeated with Denmark and Bohemia wanting to severely weaken France. I also thank you for the A because it means a lot .

Always up for a blklizard AAR!

subbed

Welcome! Always nice to see a bit more activity in my AARs from a loyal fan of mine .

Mongolian-Chagatai War of 1296

Battle of Urumqi (Part 1)

Location: Urumqi, Mongolia
Date: 21 April 1300 - 16 July 1300 (2 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)

Belligerents:
-Ilkhanate (ILK)
-Chagatai (CHA)

//

-Mongolia (MGL)
-Song (SON)

Commanders and leaders:
-Badai Khan (ILK)
-Urgamal Khan (CHA)

//

-Ogodei Khan (MGL)
-General Zhou Yi (SON)

Units involved:
-Supreme Ilkhanate Army (ILK)
-Supreme Chagatai Army (CHA)

//

-Mongolian Imperial Army (MGL)
-Song Imperial Army (SON)

Strength:
-14,219 // -9,713


Will get the first update of the background out by tomorrow. For now, you get to see roughly what forces we have.

 

[blklizard]

Mongolian-Chagatai War of 1296

Battle of Urumqi (Part 2)

Background

The town of Urumqi merged with the Mongol Empire in 1220. Since the Tang Dynasty set up the town, Urumqi has served as a trading hub for the Silk Road seeing much wealth entering the local officials as all caravans were required to pay taxes. As such, this town played a role in supplying funds for Mongolia in their ongoing war. For Ilkhanate and Chagatai forces, cutting off this source of income would greatly weaken Mongolia's ability to continue wage war. Thus, a Chagatai force, under the command of Urgamal Khan, was assigned the mission of taking Urumqi. According to intelligence gathered of the region, there was only a small garrison in the small town because most of the able-bodied men were recruited into the Mongolian army. Urgamal anticipated an easy victory seeing his forces taking the main road which just happened to alert a few Mongolian lookouts. Urgamal has given his position away to the Mongolian Imperial Army that was not far from Urumqi. Thus, the two forces were destined to clash near the small town.

The lookouts immediately relayed their findings to Ogodei Khan who was getting frustrated with the war. There seemed to be a major stalemate as neither side got the major edge. The fact that Ilkhanate has participated in the war against him only worsened the odds. Luckily, Song has agreed to aid him. Ogodei was pacing in his tent when the lookouts entered to relay their findings. Ogodei immediately smiled since he viewed such an opportunity was given by Tengri which was a good omen. He ordered his officers to prepare the men as he would personally see the defeat of the Chagatai force. Once he was armored up and his horse was fed, Ogodei rode out with his army behind him. With five thousand horseman under his command, the Mongolian Khan had just the location to set up an ambush for his unsuspecting enemy. If the odds swing in his favor, he would destroy the Chagatai army.

Ogodei set up his ambush on the two sides of the main road leading to Urumqi. The two hills on either sides would conceal his men until he ordered them to attack. The slope of the hills were gentle enough that his horsemen would ride on them. Urumqi was close enough that, should they be forced to withdraw, Ogodei would have the option. Normally, the idea of withdraw wouldn't even cross the Khan's mind. However, there has been rumors that the Ilkhanate Khan, Badai Khan, has also brought his forces into the region. Unsure their exact location, Ogodei didn't want to be caught with his pants down. As for his Song allies, the Khan hasn't received word of them either. The region wasn't too kind to the Chinese soldiers that were spoiled in more temperate climates. In addition, the Chinese armies favored infantry more which Ogodei couldn't understand. He saw horsemen superior in every way but the Chinese emperors still like to field infantry heavy armies. The Khan sometime wondered if the Song reinforcements could actually help him instead of just hindering him by simply making his forces look larger. As of the moment, he knew not the location of his reinforcements or even if they could arrive in time to help him. Still, he couldn't back down from this opportunity that may see him winning a decisive battle.

 

[Michaelangelo]

It's a trap! Lol, I couldn't result. Should be an interesting ambush. I'm hoping the Song reinforcements pop out of nowhere since not even their allies know where they are.

 

[DKM]

I have a bad feeling about this.