• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

blklizard

Field Marshal
28 Badges
Mar 7, 2012
5.458
91
  • Crusader Kings II
  • Victoria 2: Heart of Darkness
  • Victoria 2: A House Divided
  • Semper Fi
  • Heir to the Throne
  • Hearts of Iron III Collection
  • Hearts of Iron III: Their Finest Hour
  • Hearts of Iron III
  • For the Motherland
  • Europa Universalis IV: Art of War
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Divine Wind
  • Europa Universalis III Complete
  • Europa Universalis III: Chronicles
  • Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations
  • Europa Universalis III
  • Cities in Motion
  • BATTLETECH: Heavy Metal
  • BATTLETECH: Season pass
  • BATTLETECH: Flashpoint
  • BATTLETECH
  • Hearts of Iron IV Sign-up
  • Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense
  • Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado
  • Crusader Kings II: Sons of Abraham
  • Victoria 2
  • Europa Universalis III Complete
  • Europa Universalis III Complete
Hello all and welcome. This will be my second EU4 AAR with my first one on hold. I've been wanting to try this idea for awhile and has finally convinced myself to do it. Let's begin with what this AAR is all about.

General Idea:

We will be focusing solely on wars through battles. I will have a map of a region (say, Europe) that I will use as the setting. The goal is to construct a war involving x number of nations and write to the conclusion of the war. The parameters (how many nations, how many soldiers assembled on each side, length of conflict, outcome of battles, etc) will be decided by a random number generator. The formula of how these things will be decided won't be revealed but I will set up each war with background information so readers aren't be in the dark. Do note that the screenshots are from actual gameplay and I may or may not use some of the ingame situations like alliances and vassals. I know I'm being quite vague so I will provide this as an example what you can expect for each major battle. The smaller battles might be mentioned in short summaries. The overall structure of each war will be: Introduction -> Battles -> Peace Terms. I believe I wasted enough time here so I shall begin.
 
Last edited:
War of 1500

Prologue

The War of 1500, otherwise known as the Austrian War of Independence, was a violent conflict seeing Austrians overthrowing French control over their nation.

A decade ago, a bloody internal conflict took place within the Austrian court. The Austrian royal family was split in half as two sides fought for control over the throne. Initially, the conflicts only took place within Vienna and human casualties were at a minimum. However, the conflict soon spread across the nation with both sides trying to rally support to their cause. As a result, a civil war would break out that would greatly fracture Austria. The civil war raged on for many years seeing little accomplished other than much bloodshed. The bloodshed would bring about an epidemic that targeted both the rich and the poor. The royal family wasn't spared either and, combined with the civil war, the royal family was eventually wiped out. The Austrian king has, apparently, called aid from the French hoping to end the civil war decisively. However, the long distance needed to travel from France to Austria made the arrival of French forces in Vienna was too little too late. The epidemic took the life of the last member of the royal family throwing Austria into an anarchy with all the survivors of the epidemic fighting for control over the nation. The French army, led by the French king himself, saw this a perfect opportunity to take control of one of the most powerful nations in the HRE. There was no factions within Austria that could stand against the mighty army and those that resisted were executed without mercy. Thus, the French king restored order to Austria and implemented a personal union seeing him and his descendants as the king of France and Austria.

The French king would return home only to die from the epidemic that originated in Austria. His son, King Louis XII, proved to be an ambitious man seeking great expansion by conquering his neighbors. Louis's dream of expansion required funds and men which the nation seemed capable of providing. The French forces were conquering its many neighbors and Louis was a happy man. As the wars raged on, the French treasury was emptying and her manpower was dropping steadily. The French king then ordered Austria to provide both funds and men to continue his ambitions. Austria was still recovering from the epidemic and most Austrians at the time accepted French rule since it provided peace and stability to their nation. Hearing the request, the administration of Austria politely refused on the grounds that their nation still needed time to fully recover before they can aid France. Louis was furious in what he saw as a betrayal. In his rage, he sent an ultimatum to Austria demand enormous amounts of ducats along with immediate participation in wars. Failure to meet the demands would, in Louis' words, see Austria declaring war on France. The ultimatum was, of course, absurd to all those who know it but no one within the French court could convince the king to change his mind. The Austrian people, faced with an impossible demand, chose to instead rise up and fight.

The new government of Austria sent an envoy to Bohemia seeking aid. Bohemia and Austria has not only enjoyed close relation but the monarchs of the two nations were also from the same dynasty. When the Bohemian king learned of France taking control over Austria, he was furious by the obvious land grabbing tactic. He was, however, helpless unless he wanted to go to war with France which wasn't a nation one fought against unless forced. When the envoy reached Bohemia, the Bohemian king agreed without hesitation and sent one of his diplomats to request an audience with the Danish king who happily joined the war. Bohemia joined the conflict because, until the death of the old French king, France has enjoyed a long prospering peace seeing its military and economy the best in Europe. Louis' many conflicts has weakened her power and the Bohemian king sought an opportunity to dismantle France to restore balance of power in Western Europe. As for Denmark, their many conflicts in the past saw little land changed hands but the rivalry between the two nations ran high. The Danish army may not stand on equal grounds with the French army but their navy was one of the best in Europe. King Louis, in response, called upon the aid of Castillian Queen Isabella I who honored the call. In 1496, France and Castille were at war with Austria, Bohemia and Denmark. Many great battles took place over the course of the war but neither side has won a decisive victory. In 1500, a new chapter and that where our story began.


Below is a map provided by Michaelangelo from his AAR. This will be the setting of our first war:
7tCMEvD.png
 
Last edited:
I was wondering how you were going to use that screenshot. I'm certainly interested in how this conflict will develop. So will every outcome in the war be decided by a random number generator? I have a feeling you wanted that specific image for your first war just so you could see Austria break free from France. :p
 
I was wondering how you were going to use that screenshot. I'm certainly interested in how this conflict will develop. So will every outcome in the war be decided by a random number generator? I have a feeling you wanted that specific image for your first war just so you could see Austria break free from France. :p

I will be using the random number generator to calculate losses and other numbers that I need in my battles. In a way, the number generator replaces the dice the EU4 combat but with a lot less computation :p. The best part about using the random number generator is that even I don't know the outcome until I roll it. Since I don't play the games personally, I don't have any bias. I picked this image partly due to me wanting to see Austria free but also because this was the first image to come to mind. Do note that Austria could still lose if luck isn't by her side.

Ideally, I'll be able to get screenshots from other people as well in the near future which would made for interesting wars. Yours will help me get started so you have my thanks. Do you want your cookie back?
photo.jpg
 
I will be using the random number generator to calculate losses and other numbers that I need in my battles. In a way, the number generator replaces the dice the EU4 combat but with a lot less computation :p. The best part about using the random number generator is that even I don't know the outcome until I roll it. Since I don't play the games personally, I don't have any bias. I picked this image partly due to me wanting to see Austria free but also because this was the first image to come to mind. Do note that Austria could still lose if luck isn't by her side.

Ideally, I'll be able to get screenshots from other people as well in the near future which would made for interesting wars. Yours will help me get started so you have my thanks. Do you want your cookie back?
photo.jpg

Admittedly I've never heard of someone making an AAR without playing the game. I suppose it's like a EUIV version of D&D. I'm hoping for a lot of craziness caused by the RNG. I always love seeing that. :p

No, you can keep the cookie. It can be a prize for the winning side. I've always had a soft spot for Austria, so I'm rooting for them. Them and Naples, but they're not in the war.
 
Admittedly I've never heard of someone making an AAR without playing the game. I suppose it's like a EUIV version of D&D. I'm hoping for a lot of craziness caused by the RNG. I always love seeing that. :p

No, you can keep the cookie. It can be a prize for the winning side. I've always had a soft spot for Austria, so I'm rooting for them. Them and Naples, but they're not in the war.

There has been AARs where the writer didn't play but, rather, speculate while the AI played so my idea isn't that crazy (and it doesn't break the rules).

There will be craziness for sure. You will see after the first battle. Funny that you mentioned Naples since I included them in the nomination for nations. They missed out unfortunately.

War of 1500

Battle of Dieppe (Part 1)

Location: Dieppe, France
Date: 24 February 1500 - 19 May 1500 (2 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)

Belligerents:
-France (FRA) // -Bohemia (BOH)
-Castille (CAS) // -Denmark (DAN)

Commanders and leaders:

-King Louis XII (FRA)
-General Montel Amado (CAS)

//

-General Ntori Faix (BOH)
-General Marcus Svane (DAN)

Units involved:
-French Royal Army (FRA)
-Castillian Second Army (CAS)

//

-Bohemian Third Army (BOH)
-Danish Second Army (DAN)

Strength:
-4875 // -5250

Background

The war has raged on for several years with victories and defeats for both sides. The Czechs and Danish forces decided to launch a daring attack on French territory. The Danish navy would transport roughly five thousand soldiers onto the beach of a small town called Dieppe. The objective was to transport a large force that would then launch a surprise attack on the French Capital, Paris. Capturing the capital could effectively end the War of 1500. However, the Danish navy wasn't sneaky enough to get past French scouts undetected and the French king, Louis, was alerted of their arrival. Some of Louis' subjects argued that they should request the Castillian navy, which happened to be nearby, to intercept the enemy to prevent any enemy soldiers from landing. Louis, however, wanted the enemy to land so he could crush them. Louis has been cooped up in the Capital for a long time and wanted to see some action. Ignoring the pleading of his subjects, he got dressed for battle and personally led the French Royal Army towards Dieppe where the enemy was expected to land their troops. In addition to the French force, the Castillian Second Army was in the vicinity and they were called to aid in the fight. The Danish navy, unaware that its movements were being watched, continued forward to its destination as a great battle would take place at the small, quiet town of Dieppe.
 
Last edited:
I know I always think about possible scenarios when planning out strategies for whatever country I'm playing. Thinking about fictional world conquests is just as fun. :D

I'd laugh if the French king dies in this battle. :p
 
I know I always think about possible scenarios when planning out strategies for whatever country I'm playing. Thinking about fictional world conquests is just as fun. :D

I'd laugh if the French king dies in this battle. :p

Yup, I really enjoy looking at a map and try to imagine different scenarios. For one of my AARs, my nation became a huge blob and I had to think of events happening within its borders to keep things interesting. On the fate of the French king, .... Just read the update :p.

War of 1500

Battle of Dieppe (Part 2)

The Landing

The Danish navy sailed to the beach outside Dieppe and the sailors discovered, as expected, no welcoming party from the French or Castillians. The five thousand or so soldiers were unloaded onto the beach with the initial goal of taking the town. Neither the Bohemians nor the Danish army brought horses with them along the journey due to the limited space aboard the transport ships. Thus, their army was built entirely of infantry consisting of mostly light armored infantry with a few skirmishers in the mix. Light infantry was chosen for this task because they had the required mobility to catch the defenders within Paris off guard, not to mention that they could scale the walls easier than their heavily armored counterparts. While the infantry was being unloaded, their presence was discovered by the local inhabitants who immediately began evacuating from their town. The local population had no intention of staying around getting caught in the crossfire. By the time the Bohemian and Danish armies arrived at the small town, they found the town abandoned and chose to rest a night before advancing forward. The trip on the ships made many of their infantry sick and a good rest would help them recover.

The Encirclement

Louis led his Royal Army to the outskirts of Dieppe around midnight. He has already learned about the arrival of the enemy from the fleeing inhabitants of Dieppe and was eager for battle. He was about to order an attack when his officers stopped him. The officers explained that they were unsure about the exact number of the enemy which could work against them in the dark. Louis wasn't too thrilled to hear the opposition but he knew that he had a war to win. Throwing lives of his soldiers away for little gain was never on his agenda. Thus, he agreed to hold off his attack while taking the suggestion of one officer to encircle the town. The encirclement would prevent the enemy from escaping Dieppe before proper intelligence can be gathered about the enemy strength. Louis let his officers take care of the encirclement as he sent a few scouts to learn the whereabouts of the Castillian reinforcements. The French king might be hesitant to throw about the lives of his men but he felt no remorse doing the same to his allies. A powerful Castille might be a powerful ally when relations were high but, once their ties were cut, Castille would also be a dangerous enemy. Louis never trusted the Castillians, especially their queen who seemed to see herself an equal of Louis. Louis made a mental note to deal with Castille once the conflict ended.

On the next morning, the Bohemian and Danish soldiers were shocked to see themselves surrounded by the enemy. They believed that the French had no knowledge of their landing but it would appear they were wrong. The two generals immediately called for a meeting and began to set up defensive measures in the town. Dieppe had very primitive walls that could act as a temporary barrier against the enemy. Other than the walls, the buildings themselves were the only other structures the defenders could use against the enemy. Due to good planning, the defenders had sufficient food and supplies to last them for at least a couple of months. Being unsure of the exact number of enemy soldiers, the two generals chose to remain inside the town which provided some cover and defenses. The main problem for the defenders was the limited number of skirmishers. The skirmishers they brought along were meant to distract enemy skirmishers on the wall while the light infantry scaled the walls. Had they known about this predicament, they would have brought along many more skirmishers. To make matters worse, there has been report that several enemy knights were spotted in the enemy ranks. Against the knights, the light infantry, most of whom were armed with weapons other than polearms, lacked the necessary tools to hold the line without sufficient skirmisher support.

Thus, the encirclement lasted until May 18th when the Castillian reinforcements finally arrive. The Castillian general, Montel Amado, somehow managed to get himself lost in French territory and, after much difficulty, arrived at Dieppe to meet a very unhappy French king. Louis has been very impatient and would have ordered attacks on the defenders head on had his officers not stop him. The officers believed that the defenders must be low on supplies and a long encirclement would eventually starve them out. That proved to not be the case and the two sides were trapped in a stalemate. When the Castille Second Army finally arrive, Louis' patience has reached its limits and he allowed his reinforcements a night of rest before a direct assault on the enemy. The French king refused to heed the warnings of his officers and stated that his decision was final. Therefore, some sort of engagement would finally take place on May 19th seeing the end of the stalemate that has lasted for almost three whole months. The French soldiers, restless from their boring lookout duties, were excited hearing the orders to prepare for an attack. It was said that many of them couldn't sleep as they looked forward to the very next day.

Direct Engagement

Early in the morning, Louis was already dressed in armor as he prepared to take charge of his knights. The French heavy infantry were already in position with Castillian heavy infantry by their side. Castillian knights held the left flank while Louis' knights held the right flank. The horn sounded and the knights were the first to charge forward. The horn woke many of the defenders but they were still drowsy while they tried to figure out what was happening. By the time the lookouts reported incoming enemies, the knights were already upon them. The light infantry, unbraced and unprepared, suffered heavy losses with many trampled under the hooves of the horses. The knights didn't stop and kept their charge through the ranks of Bohemian and Danish infantry that foolish tried to halt the cavalry advance. The defenders stood little chance against the onslaught and those that survived the knights would soon be fighting for their lives against the enemy heavy infantry. What seemed initially as a close fight suddenly became a massacre of the defenders. The defending soldiers were dropping like flies and victory seemed very much secured for the attacker. The defenders were running low on men and the two generals, along with a small number of soldiers, were holding the city center waiting for the inevitable.

However, Louis, overconfident from his easy victory, charged into the city center without his bodyguards by him. Normally, archers had very little impact on a heavily target like a knight. The Danish general actually hired a few mercenaries that excelled at arquebus and they all had a single target before them. Waiting for Louis to get close enough, the arquebus fired at the same instant with several shots piercing the armor finding flesh and organs. Louis was mercifully knocked out of his horse and lost consciousness before he felt anything. The French knights, hearing the volley, charged forward in a futile attempt to rescue their king. The two generals, with their remaining men, used the distraction to flee from the small town leaving behind a carnage that saw them losing nearly all their men. The French knights quickly got Louis on horseback and escorted him with urgency back to the camp. Along the way, they trampled many unfortunate friendly soldiers that were too slow to get out of the way. The Battle of Dieppe concluded with a decisive victory for the French and Castillian at the cost of the French king's life.

Casualties and losses:
390 // 4620
 
I do find it hard to find content to write about without wars going on.

Haha, I knew it. He better have an heir or France will be the one in a PU, not Austria. :D
 
I do find it hard to find content to write about without wars going on.

Haha, I knew it. He better have an heir or France will be the one in a PU, not Austria. :D

Yup, that's why stories always have conflicts with lots of action.

As for the future of France, it's still too early to tell. I have no idea what the number generator will give me. I didn't want Louis to die so quickly but it's tough when his side suffer so few casualties and my "dice" declared the Austrian side as the winner. Way too unpredictable!
 
Yup, that's why stories always have conflicts with lots of action.

As for the future of France, it's still too early to tell. I have no idea what the number generator will give me. I didn't want Louis to die so quickly but it's tough when his side suffer so few casualties and my "dice" declared the Austrian side as the winner. Way too unpredictable!

You must have some pretty complex formulas for using a RNG for everything. I remember how much work it took to make just one for picking nations until someone told me there was a random nation button. I suppose it can be challenging yet fun interpreting the results. :)
 
You must have some pretty complex formulas for using a RNG for everything. I remember how much work it took to make just one for picking nations until someone told me there was a random nation button. I suppose it can be challenging yet fun interpreting the results. :)

Interpreting the results is indeed the best part. Gets my thinking cap on while imagining the most unpredictable events.

War of 1500

Battle of Paris (Part 1)

Location: Paris, France
Date: 14 November 1500 - 1 January 1501 (1 months, 2 weeks and 4 days)

Belligerents:
-France (FRA)
-Castille (CAS)

//

-Austria (AUS)
-Bohemia (BOH)
-Denmark (DAN)

Commanders and leaders:

-Regent Robert Pesenti (FRA)
-General Montel Amado (CAS)

//

-King Charles I Habsburg (AUS)
-General Ntori Faix (BOH)
-General Marcus Svane (DAN)

Units involved:
-French Royal Army (FRA)
-Castillian Royal Army (CAS)

//

-Imperial Liberation Army (AUS)
-Bohemian Imperial Army (BOH)
-Danish Royal Army (DAN)

Strength:
-96,963 // -120,963


I apologize for this short update. Let's say the numbers I'm getting are interesting and I want a long background. Thus, you will have to wait for the next update to learn more :).

EDIT: Silly me. I forgot to change that. Thanks for noticing! Michaelangelo.
 
Last edited:
Those are some large armies and they're already marching on Paris. If the late King Louis XII is indeed leading the French troops though, it'll be hard for them to lose. Undead are much sturdier than the living. :p
 
Those are some large armies and they're already marching on Paris. If the late King Louis XII is indeed leading the French troops though, it'll be hard for them to lose. Undead are much sturdier than the living. :p

I actually liked the numbers I were given. This would make a very interesting battle and I will need to bring in images. Be prepared to behold my below average drawings on paint :p.

Indeed, I blame the record keepers who were misleading me. Louis has already been laid to rest (it's already past Halloween, unfortunately). I'm not sure how willing his soldiers would be in following orders of an undead. Chances are Louis could only grunt and make noises.

War of 1500

Battle of Paris (Part 2)

Background (Part 1)

The mighty forces of the five nations have gathered at or around Paris. The battle to decide the war has finally arrived with all sides dedicating nearly all their men to the conflict. The death of Louis was a major blow to the French nation. Many people grieved for the loss of the young king and a regency council was established to continue rule as Louis' two year old son was too young. The regent, known as Robert Pesenti, soon found himself leading the French forces in defense of the capital. Since Louis' death, Pesenti chose a passive approach that gave his enemy more breathing room. For the next few months, the enemy forces merged together to form a massive army estimated to a hundred fifty thousand men strong. They then began their march towards Paris eliminating all those that stood in their way. The news of such a massive force was alarming and Pesenti immediately called for Castille for aid. Meanwhile, Pesenti called back all French forces to Paris to defend the capital because he knew that losing Paris would likely spell defeat for them. Thus, French troops in both foreign soil and domestic soil rushed to reinforce Paris as the enemy made steady progress towards the French capital.

The Castillian Queen, Isabella I, was as surprised as Pesenti when she heard the massive enemy force marching towards Paris. She didn't think the enemy could muster such a force and was debating whether or not to aid the French. Many of her subjects pointed out that lack of aid would hurt the Castillian reputation greatly in the world stage. Castille was, at the time, still recovering from the early conflict with Portugal over the Castillian throne. While order has been restored, there was still a risk that Castille would face massive debts and disorder if one wasn't careful. Isabella wanted her nation to rise to the top and overcommitting to the French cause would put Castille in a perilous situation. Thus, Isabella ordered a massive Castillian army, estimated roughly sixty thousand men, to march onto Paris. However, Isabella also informed General Montel Amado that his main objective was to minimize the losses of his army. In addition, Isabella gave a few more other instructions that she wanted Amado to follow. The sixty thousand Castillian soldiers marched towards Paris which were expected to reach Paris in the first week of November.

Leading the Austrian army was King Charles I Habsburg. Charles was a distant relative of the late Austrian king and became the best candidate for the throne. Charles was not only charismatic but he was also an ambitious man. Since Austria declared independence, Charles won a few small victories in skirmishes along the Austrian border. The victories were not enough as Charles wanted to see the French government to accept defeat. The Austrian civil war has devastated the nation but the common enemy has brought its people together. When he rallied his countrymen, many Austrian men, young and old, joined Charles' cause and, incredibly, a forty five thousand force was under his command. The Austrian soldiers were fighting on a single front and they were holding out. When Pesenti called back French forces, he unintentionally gave Charles the room he needed to gather all his men and join forces with his allies. Charles had a sharp tongue which he used to convince his allies to make one decisive push to Paris. Thus, their armies merged and the supposed a hundred fifty thousand army marched onto Paris.

The Bohemian army was led by Ntori Faix who suffered the major defeat in Dieppe. However, he was given another chance as the Bohemian king blamed lack of intelligence for his failure. Providing Faix with nearly sixty thousand men, the king ordered him to join with Charles for the march towards Paris. Unlike the battle at Dieppe, Faix now had knights and heavy infantry at his disposal. Faix wanted to make up for his defeat by performing well in the upcoming battle. However, Faix also knew that he had a massive task ahead of him. Sixty thousand men wasn't a small force and it was the largest army fielded by Bohemia since its birth. Faix felt enormous burden on his shoulders when he left the Bohemian capital. Faix and his men were expected to meet with Charles at Metz which was in a neutral territory. With all the preparations made, Faix set out and was expected to arrive in Metz late October. For extra measures, Faix brought a large contingent of pikemen to deal with enemy knights. Feeling somewhat confident, Faix looked to the day where he can make a mark in history in what would be the greatest battle in European history.

Denmark, unlike her two allies, could only muster a small force of twenty thousand men or so with a sizable number being mercenaries. Still, the Danish king didn't want to be left out of the battle and he assigned General Marcus Svane. Svane was recognized as the man responsible for Louis' death which was seen as a great accomplishment. Despite only having twenty thousand men at his disposal, Svane spared no expense in arming his men with the best weapons possible. The Danish army, while considerably smaller than their counterparts, had the largest number of men armed with arquebus. A large portion of these men were mercenaries that belonged to the same mercenary company as those that have taken part in killing Louis. Unlike his allies, Svane ordered the Danish navy to transport his forces to the Netherlands region before they march south to Metz. That way, his men would be less fatigued from long travels and better rested for the upcoming battle. When the Danish fleet was leaving the ports of Copenhagen, civilians gathered around to see the magnificent navy making possibly its last journey in the War of 1500.
 
Last edited:
The records keeper should be drawn and quartered for that mistake. I can only imagine the morale hit the French soldiers took when they found out their king hadn't actually risen from the dead like Christ to lead them.

I use Paint for all my image editing. So simplistic, but it does everything I need. :D

Now if King Charles I dies, I'll laugh even harder. At least the Habsburgs breed like rabbits, so there's always more to take his place. :p
 
The records keeper should be drawn and quartered for that mistake. I can only imagine the morale hit the French soldiers took when they found out their king hadn't actually risen from the dead like Christ to lead them.

I use Paint for all my image editing. So simplistic, but it does everything I need. :D

Now if King Charles I dies, I'll laugh even harder. At least the Habsburgs breed like rabbits, so there's always more to take his place. :p

Considering that I'm sort of cheering for Austria, I'm fine with the morale blow (be rest assured that I didn't give Austria unfair advantages :) ). As for paint, I meant I'm drawing something from scratch. It ain't pretty but it should get the point across :p. As for the case of Charles' death, I would think that Austria would be under a personal union under Bohemia then.

War of 1500

Battle of Paris (Part 3)

dNvE1Nc.png


Background (Part 2)

The French forces under Pesenti all gathered inside the capital city because the city itself was large enough to accommodate all the soldiers which numbered around forty thousand. The city had an outer wall and an inner wall serving as its main defenses. The inner wall encircled the palace with a moat for extra protection. There was only a single gatehouse for the inner wall that was equipped by a drawbridge. Meanwhile, the outer wall encircled the remainder of the city seeing most of the French soldiers manning it. Two gatehouses, one in the east and one in the north, were the only entrance for the attackers unless they managed to create a breach elsewhere. There were speculations to the absence of a moat for the outer wall. Some argued that the French lacked funds but such an argument wasn't possible considering the number of campaigns they could fund. Others argued that the construction of the moat was never planned since the French kings thought no other nation could lay siege to their capital. French monarchs were viewed arrogant thinking that no nation can truly challenge their might. The more popular, and accepted, belief was that the French kings were thrifty and were satisfied with a moat at the inner wall which cost considerably less to construct. Whatever the reason, the outer wall, compared to the inner wall, was a lot more prone to breaches and the attackers would eventually capitalize on it.

The Castillian reinforcements arrived days before the enemy forces arrived at Paris. However, their soldiers were considerably fatigued compared to the enemy since they were in forced march to make up time. The fact that the Castillian army made it to Paris without getting lost under Amado was a miracle in itself. Since Amado's lackluster performance in his navigation skills during the Battle of Dieppe, even Pesenti, a relatively optimistic man in Paris, was still skeptical Amado would arrive before the battle began. Seeing Amado arrive without any delay, Pesenti saw his ally's timely arrival as a good omen for his side. While the scouts still reported the enemy having a more massive force, the fact that Castillian army was nearby meant that odds were less stacked in favor of the enemy. Pesenti personally exited the city to thank Amado before providing him and his officers a nice feast. With the enemy still days away, Pesenti wanted his allies to be well rested for the gruesome battle ahead. Amado chose to set up his camp south of Paris heeding the instruction of Isabella. Standing between the enemy and one of Paris' gates could result in high casualties which Amado tried to avoid. Thus, he camped in the south with the explanation that his positioning offered him many chances of flanking and aided the defense of the defenders in the east. Pesenti, unable to point out a flaw to the explanation, merely nodded and cursed Amado once he was out of earshot.

The large attacking force finally arrived on the 13th of November. Their large force actually numbered a hundred twenty thousand, not the boasted a hundred fifty thousand. This force was quite a sight as it was unheard of in Europe when a sixty thousand men force was already quite impressive. The attackers set up three separate camps representing each nation. The Austrian camp was set up in the middle with the other two camps protecting its flank. Austria was the war leader in the War of 1500 and should be treated as one. With a battle that could decide the outcome of the entire war, the attackers weren't willing to risk anything that could cost them the victory. By the time this large force arrived, scouts on the attacking side have already notified their leaders of the presence of the Castillian reinforcements. With that knowledge, the attackers picked carefully which army took which flank. In the end, Bohemian army would take Austria's right flank while the Danish army held the left flank. Paris' northern wall was seen as the least protected and the massive Bohemian army could take advantage of the situation. As for the Danish army, they were smaller but better armed. By utilizing their technological advantage, they could hold back a considerable enemy force while their allies proceeded in assaulting the city itself. The camps were set up in Paris' northeast corner where plenty of space was available for the tents to accommodate a hundred twenty thousand men.

The attacking force weren't prepared for an actual assault until the very next day. The presence of the Castillian army made encirclement of the city impracticable since the attackers would be spread thin making themselves more vulnerable to enemy cavalry charges. It didn't quite help that the soldiers on the attacking side was a little winded from their long march to Paris. Exhausted soldiers were less effective on the battlefield which made the attackers delay their assault until the next day, which happened to mark the start of Battle of Paris. The soldiers were fed a good meal, with no alcohol though, and many of them were sent to bed early. Many lookouts were set up along the parameter of the camps fearing a possible sneak attack from the enemy. An unfavorable start to the battle would not only hurt the morale of their men but the losses could cost them their victory. Thus, the attackers, leaving nothing to chance, took every single precaution they can think of, including double checking their supplies to ensure that their men would be fed, through rations, for a couple of months. No reinforcements were expected for the attackers and they were stuck with whatever supplies they brought with them. If, say, the enemy knew about their supply situation and performed some sabotage, then the battle would have concluded a lot sooner.

The defenders were in a much better situation in supplies with Paris stockpiling plenty of food and water. Even the Castillian army was well supplied for their march and the upcoming months. The idea of a sneak attack has come across the minds of the defenders. However, they later decided against it seeing the risk outweigh the benefits. To mount a successful sneak attack, the defenders needed a sizable force. If the enemy was ready and mount their own counterattack, the force sent out would be eliminated severely weakening the defenders. Even if the sneak attack was unsuccessful with minimal losses, the skirmish could result in a minor morale blow for the defenders because they have rallied out and failed to accomplish anything. Thus, the defenders, unless they get a decisive victory in the sneak attack, would be on the losing end that could affect the outcome in the long run. Pesenti was a cautious man and wasn't willing to make such a risky move. Amado, with the objective of minimizing losses, saw little gain in such a move since it would put his men at risk. Therefore, the defenders rested for the night and were prepared for the battle that would no doubt begin the next day at first light. The greatest clash in the War of 1500 was about to begin and only one victor would arise at New Years.
 
Last edited:
I see what you mean about the Paint image. I personally enjoy seeing people use Paint over Photoshop or the like. It takes an acquired skill to pull off anything with Paint. :D

You do a great job of establishing the strategies of both sides. I certainly would have done the same thing as the defenders. Attempting to sneak attack a larger force can be costly if it goes wrong. I imagine this will be a lengthy siege with such large forces involved, although having the Castillian forces outside the walls could lead to some chaos.
 
I see what you mean about the Paint image. I personally enjoy seeing people use Paint over Photoshop or the like. It takes an acquired skill to pull off anything with Paint. :D

You do a great job of establishing the strategies of both sides. I certainly would have done the same thing as the defenders. Attempting to sneak attack a larger force can be costly if it goes wrong. I imagine this will be a lengthy siege with such large forces involved, although having the Castillian forces outside the walls could lead to some chaos.

Well, my skills on the paint is limited. If I could get my point somewhat across, I feel I have accomplished my goal. I will admit that, with the numbers I'm given, I'm not quite sure how many updates I need. I don't want to rush it so it may take awhile, especially since I'm not giving this AAR the special treatment it received in its first week or so with daily updates. Castillian army will spice things up greatly.

War of 1500

Battle of Paris (Part 4)

S9hWbAn.png


Preparations

On November 14, the forces from both sides, with the exception of the French soldiers that camped inside their walls, began moving out to take the most ideal position. Bohemian forces headed to the west where they set up a defensive line (at A). A detachment was ordered to set up the defensive line to protect the main Bohemian army's right flank. While the French were cooped up inside their city, the Castillian force outside the city was becoming a great concern. Fearing a flank attack from the enemy, the Bohemian general took no risks and took precautions to protecting his only exposed flank while his main force aided the Austrians in taking control of the outer walls. Meanwhile, the Danish army proceeded to the southeast corner of Paris (at D) where they remained out of range of enemy skirmishers on the walls. The Danish army set up a v-shaped defensive line while their Bohemian counterparts formed a J-shape. The differing shapes were due to difference in stances between the two armies. The Bohemian detachment aimed to hold against the enemy and attempted to protect as much of the main forces flank as possible. As for the Danish army, their line facing the forest was meant to deter any enemy from flanking through the forest while the line facing the city would commit to a direct assault on the city upon given the order. The Austrian army had the sole objective of taking the city and would be committing all their soldiers in the assault of Paris itself.

The Castillian general split up two groups with each group facing one of the enemy defensive lines. Against the Bohemian defensive line, a Castillian detachment was spread out in a line hoping to cut off the enemy from access to the western walls. Unlike the Bohemian detachment, the Castillian detachment was geared up for the offensive with every intention of breaking through the enemy lines. Amado knew that, once the defensive line crumbled, the Bohemian army would be more hesitant in attacking fearing flanking attacks from his men. Against the Danes, the Castillian soldiers formed a v-shaped defensive line anticipating the enemy to be on the defensive. It was well known that Denmark lacked men and, even with their wealth, could hire only a limited number of mercenaries. Knowing that Danish soldiers won't be participating in the assault anytime soon, the southeastern corner of Paris was, in the initial stages, safe. Of course, the Castillian general also knew that the Danish army wasn't an enemy to underestimate as they chose quality over quantity. Thus, Amado placed his best men up against the Danish in hopes for an equal match. The Castillian lines, when the Danish were to attack, would converge on the enemy and hold them in place giving the Castillian general time to plan his next steps. With the preparations done, Amado waited patiently for his enemy to make the first move even though he hated when he had to react in battles.

Pesenti has given all his soldiers, with the exception of a few lookouts, a good night rest expecting a grueling battle ahead. With the battle in initial stages, Pesenti saw no need to commit any troops to the inner walls. Instead, he ordered the majority to man the outer walls while a few detachments act as reserve. Pesenti was quite confident that the city would hold with its thick walls and many soldiers both within and outside it. Atop the walls, several cannons were lined up with their crews standing in position. The cannons were the pride and joy of Pesenti who saw them as the key factor of his victory. Pesenti has seen the devastation the cannons were capable of and was relieved to know the enemy didn't bring any cannons with them. Instead, he learned the enemy would be relying on ladders, battering ram and catapults. Pesenti actually scoffed at the idea his enemies believed they could take Paris with such crude siege weapons. Seeing no potential threat from the enemy, the French regent actually returned to the palace seeing no need to command the defense which were in capable hands already. Unknown to Pesenti, his enemies have already begun their plans to break through the walls to claim victory. The two sides were prepared for the upcoming battle as the soldiers waited for the enemy to make the first move.
 
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. :p

Judging by the number of AARs in your signature, I imagine you have plenty of writing to do even without this AAR.