Oooh! This looks interesting. Don't expect me to comment for a while though. I still have to read all the chapters leading up to this one. Also, what is the Steppe Wolf mod?
-
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.
Welcome aboard! You have a lot of chapters to cover and the writing style was very different when I first started this AAR. I hope you won't get bored after the first few chapters. The Steppe Wolf mod extends the timeline and adds more provinces. It is pretty buggy which was why there weren't too many AARs using this mod.
Just dropping in to say still reading - not around all that often but I catch up wen I am 
Just dropping in to say still reading - not around all that often but I catch up wen I am
Glad my AAR still interests you. I might be changing the pace up a bit as I want to progress forward more.
Chapter 148 (Iberian Expeditionary Force [part 8])
Following the victory in Seville, the Romans continued their push westwards hoping to catch Vasco's forces off guard. There were reports regarding Vasco still in a deadlock with Alonso's forces which meant it was the perfect time to strike. Servius was targeting Evora and, upon the victory, would have his path northwards open up. Along the way, he encountered many men bitter about Vasco's rule and wanted to do something about it. Vasco was mostly focused in the north and the people living in the south didn't have their lives improved by much. Seeing Servius as a leader capable of bringing about a brighter future, many Iberian picked up arms to join Servius in his conquests. While the recruits only numbered a few hundred at first, Servius' army nearly tripled in size a week later. Taking advice from his officers, Servius assigned the new recruits under a few of his trusted officers and they would mount an attack on Badajoz. Badajoz was built like a fortress and a proper siege was needed to defeat the defenders. The recruits, while inexperienced in battle, could perform their duties well in a siege. Servius would reinforce them should his scouts report reinforcements from the north. In addition, securing Badajoz would cut off a direct route for Vasco's men which meant that they would struggle in reinforcing their forces in the south. Servius' Roman army proceeded to Evora where the remnants of the Vasco's forces, those who fought in Seville, were hiding within. It took a month or so before Evora was captured and, with no news regarding Vasco's reinforcements, Servius pressed on.
Leaving Evora, a small detachment was sent to Faro to secure the port there while the main army marched to Lisbon. Lisbon was growing into a metropolis despite the conflicts that ravaged Iberia. With its vast ports intact and neighboring farms well protected, the metropolis was growing steadily. The city officials have secured a non-aggression pact with Vasco which has benefited both sides. Lisbon would avoid bloodshed and Vasco would receive a generous tribute monthly to fund his expansions. With Servius' army bearing down on them, the officials in Lisbon, with no loyalty towards Vasco, chose to avert the conflict through diplomatic means. Servius, having seen too much bloodshed himself, was willing to negotiate a treaty between the two sides. Under the treaty, the people of Lisbon would aid other Iberian cities and towns by opening up oversea trading routes. The trading routes would bring wealth to the city while valuable supplies could reach areas that needed it desperately. A messenger was sent to Almería to request the navy built there to set sail for Lisbon. The ships would provide protection against pirates and escort a few ships to North Africa to open trades there. The people of Lisbon felt the treaty was fair and agreed to it without any hassle. With another city dealt with, Servius looked to march towards Porto. Around this time, Badajoz was captured and the large fraction of the attackers were making their way to join Servius.
Porto was fairly isolated and, had it not been a coastal city, it would have no strategic importance in Iberia for Servius. Taking Porto would mean that the Romans have complete control of much of Rome's eastern Iberian possessions. Vasco, with his focus on his war with Alonso, has failed to realize the progress made by the Romans. The defenders of Porto sent messengers to Vasco requesting reinforcements but Vasco, being doubtful of the news, didn't even bother responding. Facing against a massive army, the defenders chose to surrender to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed. With the capture of Porto, there was nothing standing in Servius' way of attacking Vasco's capital city directly. Before he could take the final fight to his enemy, Servius had to deal with the many bandits and mercenary armies that terrorized the countryside. With the aid of local guides, the Romans quickly returned order to the region which further boosted the support of the locals. During this time, many trade routes were established throughout Iberia and North Africa. Many cities were interconnected and the territories under Servius were coordinating better. In addition to supplies being sent to the front lines, new armies were being built and sent to Iberia. The presence of the new armies would quickly have an impact on the diplomacy situation throughout Iberia. A few ships were being built in Porto to help expand the trade routes in Iberia. Servius felt that his men needed some rest and they stayed in Porto for three days before they continued their march forward.
By the time Servius restored order in the region surrounding Porto, Vasco realized the dire situation he was in. He requested aid from Vascones but, due to politic instability in the nation following the death of its previous ruler, he learned that he was without any help. Due to Alonso's illness, Vasco was able to secure a temporary ceasefire with his rival to deal with the threat at hand. Alonso knew the seriousness of his illness and, since leaving his home, has grown attached to those that followed him. Few years ago, he may have transferred his power to the ruling class of Barcelona. However, he has learned over the years the corruption within the Barcelona government and refused to have any associations with them. With his death, Alonso knew that his territory would fall into disorder as his subjects would fight amongst themselves. He saw too much suffering for the people of Iberia and wanted to put an end to any further suffering if possible. During his earlier stages of the illness, Alonso sent spies to Servius' territory to gather information about the situation regarding an average civilian. Over the years, there has been reports of the people improving and prospering under their new ruler. Believing that Servius was the saint to bring back order to Iberia, Alonso personally wrote a letter to Servius requesting him to take over for him in power. Under Servius, Alonso knew Iberia would see a golden age and he would die content that his territory would be left in capable hands.
On the June of 838, Servius began his march towards León, the capital city of the faction under Vasco. The many months of fighting in southwest Iberia has resulted in expansion for Servius and his men. Vasco was down to his lone capital city and even that would fall once Servius' army reaches there. With a massive army behind him, Servius has found little opposition against him. There were many people that welcomed his rule and that resulted in many swift conquests across Iberia. Vasco has a large army himself but he wasn't confident in his abilities to fend off this attacker. A few weeks later, Servius' army arrived out the city walls and Servius requested the defenders to surrender. Vasco was bitter that the gods have abandoned him at his time of need. Knowing that his life would end soon, he wanted the people within León to suffer as well. Despite many pleas from his subjects, Vasco chose to continue the fight. Unknown to Vasco, many of his subjects were already doubting his abilities to command and the order to resist was an example of that. Secretly, those subject plotted under Vasco and, on the day Servius arrived, they arrested Vasco and brought him before the Roman army. Servius entered the city unopposed and Vasco's territory was annexed by Servius. Just as Servius was going to celebrate this occasion, he received a message from the east.
Because Alonso was unsure about Servius' location, his letter was sent to Granada. With Servius moving around so much in Iberia, the letter took a long time and, finally at León, it reached Servius. Thrilled with the news, Servius wanted to immediately march to meet with Alonso. The surrendered officers and city officials were given their previous ranks and order was quickly restored to the region. However, another letter reached Servius moments after and the content within disturbed him greatly. It would appear that Alonso was under attack by a faction in the north and their numbers were very numerous. Despite the first wave of the enemy was fended off, Alonso feared that his men couldn't handle another wave. Servius quickly gathered his men and marched as soon as they were ready. In addition, two messengers were sent out to Salamanca and Madrid where newly recruited armies were situated while a couple of messengers were to travel to Porto where they would sail by sea to request reinforcements from North Africa. Servius has won many key battles with his army but, facing against this new enemy, he needed much more men at his disposal. He needed to hold back the enemy within Alonso's territory and time was working against him. If the enemy managed to break through Alonso's defenses, the newly unified Iberia would be facing complete collapse once again. Servius saw too many men losing their lives and he was unwilling to allow their sacrifice to go to waste. With his determination, his men were rallied to take on the enemy head on with the goal of victory.
Finally caught up! Also, I wonder if any country will take advantage of this division in the Empire?
Wow! I'm impressed with your reading speed considering the number of chapters you had to cover. As for this "division," it's all made up. I've merely used the fact that Rome changed government to revolutionary republic as inspiration in creating this subplot. I just thought it would be an interesting challenge turn our attention to Rome before we return to the Langobards. In the actual game, Rome is quite stable and the only neighbor that can do anything to them is me.
Due to reaching character limits, this post had been configured to be an addition to table of contents.
Table of Contents (Part 3):
History of Kutai
-Chapter 320 -Chapter 321 -Chapter 322
Lithuanian Rebellion of 1132
-Chapter 323 -Chapter 324 -Chapter 325 -Chapter 326 -Chapter 327
History of the Pirata Raids
-Chapter 328 -Chapter 329 -Chapter 330 -Chapter 331 -Chapter 332
Rise of Qoshila
-Chapter 333 -Chapter 334 -Chapter 335 -Chapter 336 -Chapter 337
The Japanese Coup
-Chapter 338 -Chapter 339 -Chapter 340 -Chapter 341 -Chapter 342
Mongolian Rebellion of 1230
-Chapter 343 -Chapter 344 -Chapter 345 -Chapter 346 -Chapter 347
Japanese Rebellion of 1266
-Chapter 348 -Chapter 349 -Chapter 350 -Chapter 351 -Chapter 352
Little Ice Age
-Chapter 353 -Chapter 354 -Chapter 355 -Chapter 356 -Chapter 357
-Chapter 358 -Chapter 359 -Chapter 360 -Chapter 361 -Chapter 362
New World Discovery
-Chapter 363 -Chapter 364 -Chapter 365 -Chapter 366 -Chapter 367
-Chapter 368 -Chapter 369 -Chapter 370 -Chapter 371 -Chapter 372
Coast Salish People
-Chapter 373 -Chapter 374 -Chapter 375 -Chapter 376 -Chapter 377
Colonization of Alaska
-Chapter 378 -Chapter 379 -Chapter 380 -Chapter 381 -Chapter 382
North American West Coast
-Chapter 383 -Chapter 384 -Chapter 385 -Chapter 386 -Chapter 387
The Vancouver Raid
-Chapter 388 -Chapter 389 -Chapter 390 -Chapter 391 -Chapter 392
The Second Vancouver Raid
-Chapter 393 -Chapter 394 -Chapter 395 -Chapter 396 -Chapter 397
-Chapter 398 -Chapter 399 -Chapter 400 -Chapter 401 -Chapter 402
History of Caddo
-Chapter 403 -Chapter 404 -Chapter 405 -Chapter 406 -Chapter 407
-Chapter 408 -Chapter 409 -Chapter 410 -Chapter 411 -Chapter 412
-Chapter 413 -Chapter 414 -Chapter 415 -Chapter 416 -Chapter 417
-Chapter 418 -Chapter 419 -Chapter 420 -Chapter 421 -Chapter 422
-Chapter 423 -Chapter 424 -Chapter 425 -Chapter 426 -Chapter 427
-Chapter 428 -Chapter 429 -Chapter 430 -Chapter 431 -Chapter 432
-Chapter 433 -Chapter 434 -Chapter 435 -Chapter 436 -Chapter 437
Anti-Caddo Coalition
-Chapter 438 -Chapter 439 -Chapter 440 -Chapter 441 -Chapter 442
-Chapter 443 -Chapter 444 -Chapter 445 -Chapter 446 -Chapter 447
Battle of Vancouver
-Chapter 448 -Chapter 449 -Chapter 450 -Chapter 451 -Chapter 452
-Chapter 453 -Chapter 454 -Chapter 455 -Chapter 456 -Chapter 457
Destruction of Yakuts
-Chapter 458 -Chapter 459 -Chapter 460 -Chapter 461 -Chapter 462
Battle of Fort Ulagchi
-Chapter 463 -Chapter 464 -Chapter 465 -Chapter 466 -Chapter 467
Battle of the Prairies
-Chapter 468 -Chapter 469 -Chapter 470 -Chapter 471 -Chapter 472
-Chapter 473 -Chapter 474 -Chapter 475 -Chapter 476 -Chapter 477
-Chapter 478 -Chapter 479 -Chapter 480 -Chapter 481 -Chapter 482
-Chapter 483 -Chapter 484 -Chapter 485 -Chapter 486 -Chapter 487
-Chapter 488 -Chapter 489 -Chapter 490 -Chapter 491 -Chapter 492
Unification of North America
-Chapter 493 -Chapter 494 -Chapter 495 -Chapter 496 -Chapter 497
-Chapter 498 -Chapter 499
Table of Contents (Continued)
Last edited:
Does the Steppe Wolf mod require more than Napolean's Ambitions and In Nomine because those are the only EUIII expansions I own.
I believe the mod does require Divine Wind which means you might be out of luck.
Chapter 149 (Iberian Expeditionary Force [part 9])
Servius stopped on a hill overlooking Pamplona. He looked behind him and saw his exhausted men stopping behind him. He knew the men would never admit they are tired but they have been marching a long distance. They knew what was at stake and would gladly give their lives for him. All of his officers were beside him looking at the city. Smoke filled the air and corpses covered every inch of the ground surrounding the city. The stench was horrid but Servius and his men were used to it. They haven't gotten this far by using their tongues. Too often, they had to rely on their swords to do the talking. As a result, they lost close friends and some even lost their entire families.
Servius turned his attention back towards the city. The city walls were battered and a few breaches could be seen where he was standing. It didn't take too long for the defenders to notice their arrival and they were wary of the strangers that arrived from the west. Servius didn't blame them because he has seen the carnage that surrounded the city. It was a wonder how the defenders managed to hold out for so long. Seeing the few men that gathered along the wall facing him, Servius realized that these brave men couldn't hope to hold off another wave of enemies. They were soaked in blood and there was no doubt they were at their physical limits.
Servius didn't want to give the defenders the wrong idea and thus he took things slowly. He only brought with him five officers and arrived before the gates. The heaps of corpses everywhere made navigation to the gate rather difficult. The heat has began decomposing the corpses at a steady rate but Servius and his officers were unaffected by the smell or the sight. They continued proceeding forward on their horses and the defenders were still wary of them. When they stopped before the gates, one of the defenders called out.
"Who are you that dare to challenge us?" asked a man who was clearly in charge.
"We are not enemies. I am Servius and I arrived from the west following my victory against Vasco. Who might you be?" said Servius.
"Oh, I see our enemy know the art of lying. What proof do you have that may state who you are?" replied the man.
Servius brought out the first letter that he received from Alonso. He held the letter up with the seal shown.
"That's a nice trick there. I'm afraid my eye sight hasn't been good. Why don't you read the content to me?" requested the man.
Servius read the letter and, when he finished, he saw the man crying.
"So, you are the savior of these lands then. I am Alonso and I have awaited your arrival for a long time now," the man shouted before giving his guards orders to open the gate.
The gates opened and Servius signaled to his men to march towards the city. He and his officers entered the city first and Alonso was waiting for him there. Servius got off his horse and, to his surprise, Alonso came and embraced him.
"We needed a man like you for a long time. Now that you are here, my people are safe," Alonso said while his tears came down his cheeks.
"It must have been a nasty surprise finding a new enemy attacking you," said Servius.
"It was. I thought writing the letter to you would end all conflicts in Iberia. I was wrong and my people paid for it."
"You would have never known."
"Indeed, they came without warning and our first battle was a bloody one. I lost tens of thousand of brave men while the other sides suffered similar casualties."
"They must be a formidable foe."
"Their armaments are not much different from some of your soldiers."
"You mean they are wearing heavy armor?"
"I fear so. What amazes me is the number they have. It seems like they have an endless supply of men to send out in waves."
"Are you afraid?"
"I've never been scared of death. However, my people will suffer if those invaders enter the city. They will no doubt pillage and slaughter innocent people."
"I'm going to put a stop to that."
"How many men do you have with you?"
"I have roughly twenty thousand."
"That ain't bad but they won't be enough. The enemy is quite numerous and you will need at least triple that number."
"So you and your few dozen men are all that is left?"
"I'm afraid so. I hope you weren't expecting more help from us."
"You've done your part. Now, it's our turn."
"I told you that you need more men."
"More men are arriving. They should be here in a minute."
"You're kidding!"
"No, I'm serious when I said we have reinforcements. If we climb the gatehouse, I bet we can see them."
"Race you to the top!"
The two men raced up the stairs and stopped atop it. Staring out, they noticed dust being disturbed not far from the city. A short while later, they recognized the banner of the approaching armies resembled the Roman banner.
"You are right, Servius. We do have reinforcements. How many of them are there?"
"If I got my numbers right, I think that they numbered at least sixty thousand men."
"I'd say we have a chance after all."
"You were losing hope?"
"With only a few dozen men at your disposal, you try to defend a city this large."
"You got a point. How's your illness?"
"I haven't bothered with it since the invaders came. I guess I was distracted to bother with it."
"You should rest now. I promise that we will stop the enemy in their tracks."
"I know you will. I will leave my people's fate in your hands."
"You speak as if your time is up."
"My time is almost over. You will be the one to guide my people. I must count on you."
"You know you can."
"Promise me one thing."
"I'll try my best keeping the promise."
"Unify all of Rome. Too many people have suffered from the chaos. They need a unified government if they hope to return to a peaceful life."
"That's what I intend on doing."
"Good, Rome is in good hands," Alonso said when one of his officers arrived with bad news.
Alonso and Servius followed the officer until they arrived at the other side of the city. They saw armies marching towards them ready for battle. Servius didn't waste any time and returned to his officers where he began to give orders to prepare the defenses. Servius men, as exhausted as they were, moved with efficiency and, few minutes later, they were ready for battle too. The first clash between the two major factions have begun and the fate of Rome would first be determined by this one single battle.
Chapter 150 (Iberian Expeditionary Force [part 10])
Siege - Initial Phases
Servius arranged his men into four armies with each army sent to a single location (as seen on the map). For the armies heading to locations A and B, new temporary obstacles were set up at the breaches. The obstacles would not hold the enemy out for long but they will slow down the enemy. The plan was to slow down the enemy advances while using missiles to thin their ranks. While the ranged soldiers were positioned on the walls, the remainder of the soldiers would be behind the obstacles and hold the enemy back the moment the obstacles break. The armies sent to locations C and D were to dig two trenches parallel to each other. Servius received reports of a massive cavalry heading their way and the trenches would serve to remove their effectiveness on the battlefield. In addition, enemy infantry would be slowed down in their charge which would greatly lower the initial casualties taken from incoming enemy charge. Enough supplies were set up in each locations so that all men can focus on the battle instead of worrying about their supplies.
The enemy arrived from the northeast direction and, as expected, their numbers seemed to near infinite. The leader of the army was marching at the head and the army was already divided into four distinct units. The leader quickly overlooked the battlefield before directing each unit into position. The enemy planned to direct two units at the breaches found in location A and B while directing a unit to each trenchline. Following the initial estimates, it was believed that the enemy outnumber Servius' armies by twenty thousand men. Knowing that he outnumbered his enemy, the leader allowed his generals to take charge in an assault to take the city of Pamplona.
Siege - First Assault
The enemy sent an envoy to offer surrender from the defenders. When the offer was refused, the enemy launched their attack. The enemy, confident that the breaches were enough, didn't bring anymore siege weapons to open up further breaches. The cavalry were sent in first but they soon realized that obstacles were erected to prevent their entry through the breaches. The cavalry turned back but the few that got too close were picked off by archers on the wall. The main infantry then proceeded forward and Servius' skirmishers began raining missiles down on them. Despite being heavily armored, the infantry charging towards the wall were slowly getting picked apart due to their slow movement across the open field. The generals commanding the battles at location A and B ordered their own skirmishers to get in range of the enemy skirmishers and fire back. The skirmishers on both sides traded fire but the enemy skirmishers got the worse of it with little to no cover. However, their sacrifices made it possible for the infantry core to arrive at the breaches. The infantry began hacking down the obstacles and Servius' infantry on the other side waited patiently. When the obstacles were nearly cleared away, the skirmishing duel has ended and Servius' surviving skirmishers poured missiles on the enemy below. The enemy took heavy casualties before they finally broke through the breaches to engage the enemy waiting inside.
Unlike the enemy infantry that began pouring in, Servius' infantry were fresh and had the support of the skirmishers. They closed in on the breaches so the enemy couldn't form up ranks. The combination of skirmish fire and infantry pressure quickly thinned the enemy ranks who could only get a few men through the breaches at a time. With their men dwindling, the enemy generals were forced to order their cavalry to charge in. The enemy infantry were well trained and, upon signal, moved aside for their cavalry to charge through the opening. Servius' men, being unbraced for the impact, were disrupted by the charge. The enemy infantry used the opening to pour through the breach so they can form up ranks. However, Servius' men were quick to recover and the skirmishers made quick work of the cavalrymen that managed break through the first ranks. The battles at the breaches would last another hour before the enemy generals ordered a retreat. They viewed the stalemate of aiding the enemy and hoped to cut their losses with a quick retreat.
Siege - Flanking
For both location C and D, Servius' skirmishers were behind the second trench while his infantry core was positioned slightly behind the skirmishers. In addition, small detachments of spearmen were positioned at the flanks of these armies to fight off any cavalry that swung around the trenches. The enemy approached Servius' men in similar fashion in both locations and, when they got in range, Servius' skirmishers let loose volley after volley of missiles. The enemy responded with their own skirmish units and they traded fires with both sides suffering relatively heavy losses. Meanwhile, the enemy infantry picked up their speed to close the gap between themselves and the first trench. When the first enemy infantry reached the first trench, Servius' skirmishers began to pull back behind their infantry core. They then waited until the enemy crest the first trench before continuing firing into the midst of the enemy. The narrow strip of land between the trenches made the enemy infantry sitting ducks while the incline and decline due to the trenches severely slowed them down. By the time the enemy infantry engaged Servius' men, they were battered, exhausted and close to routing. Like location A and B, the battle only lasted an hour before the enemy routed due to high casualties and the demoralizing effects of constant enemy missiles.
Siege - Conclusion
Unknown to the enemy, Servius sent a fairly large detachment of men around to the rear of the enemy. This detachment would hunt down the routing enemy and they almost succeeded in the capture of the enemy leader. While they were striking from the rear, Servius' men charged after their enemy which sandwiched their enemy in the middle. After going over the battlefield, it was estimated that the enemy lost close to sixty thousand men with ten thousand men surrendering. The superb victory for Servius would devastate his enemy and the effects of the loss would soon affect all the territory he controlled. Unfortunately, Servius' side suffered a considerable number of men. With a total of eighty or so thousand men in battle, the Romans lost thirty thousand men in total. The bloody battle would produce so many corpses that the Romans had no choice but to create large piles and cremate them. In remembrance of the men that gave up their lives in the battle, a shrine would be built within the city of Pamplona with their names engraved inside.
Siege - Initial Phases
Servius arranged his men into four armies with each army sent to a single location (as seen on the map). For the armies heading to locations A and B, new temporary obstacles were set up at the breaches. The obstacles would not hold the enemy out for long but they will slow down the enemy. The plan was to slow down the enemy advances while using missiles to thin their ranks. While the ranged soldiers were positioned on the walls, the remainder of the soldiers would be behind the obstacles and hold the enemy back the moment the obstacles break. The armies sent to locations C and D were to dig two trenches parallel to each other. Servius received reports of a massive cavalry heading their way and the trenches would serve to remove their effectiveness on the battlefield. In addition, enemy infantry would be slowed down in their charge which would greatly lower the initial casualties taken from incoming enemy charge. Enough supplies were set up in each locations so that all men can focus on the battle instead of worrying about their supplies.
The enemy arrived from the northeast direction and, as expected, their numbers seemed to near infinite. The leader of the army was marching at the head and the army was already divided into four distinct units. The leader quickly overlooked the battlefield before directing each unit into position. The enemy planned to direct two units at the breaches found in location A and B while directing a unit to each trenchline. Following the initial estimates, it was believed that the enemy outnumber Servius' armies by twenty thousand men. Knowing that he outnumbered his enemy, the leader allowed his generals to take charge in an assault to take the city of Pamplona.
Siege - First Assault
The enemy sent an envoy to offer surrender from the defenders. When the offer was refused, the enemy launched their attack. The enemy, confident that the breaches were enough, didn't bring anymore siege weapons to open up further breaches. The cavalry were sent in first but they soon realized that obstacles were erected to prevent their entry through the breaches. The cavalry turned back but the few that got too close were picked off by archers on the wall. The main infantry then proceeded forward and Servius' skirmishers began raining missiles down on them. Despite being heavily armored, the infantry charging towards the wall were slowly getting picked apart due to their slow movement across the open field. The generals commanding the battles at location A and B ordered their own skirmishers to get in range of the enemy skirmishers and fire back. The skirmishers on both sides traded fire but the enemy skirmishers got the worse of it with little to no cover. However, their sacrifices made it possible for the infantry core to arrive at the breaches. The infantry began hacking down the obstacles and Servius' infantry on the other side waited patiently. When the obstacles were nearly cleared away, the skirmishing duel has ended and Servius' surviving skirmishers poured missiles on the enemy below. The enemy took heavy casualties before they finally broke through the breaches to engage the enemy waiting inside.
Unlike the enemy infantry that began pouring in, Servius' infantry were fresh and had the support of the skirmishers. They closed in on the breaches so the enemy couldn't form up ranks. The combination of skirmish fire and infantry pressure quickly thinned the enemy ranks who could only get a few men through the breaches at a time. With their men dwindling, the enemy generals were forced to order their cavalry to charge in. The enemy infantry were well trained and, upon signal, moved aside for their cavalry to charge through the opening. Servius' men, being unbraced for the impact, were disrupted by the charge. The enemy infantry used the opening to pour through the breach so they can form up ranks. However, Servius' men were quick to recover and the skirmishers made quick work of the cavalrymen that managed break through the first ranks. The battles at the breaches would last another hour before the enemy generals ordered a retreat. They viewed the stalemate of aiding the enemy and hoped to cut their losses with a quick retreat.
Siege - Flanking
For both location C and D, Servius' skirmishers were behind the second trench while his infantry core was positioned slightly behind the skirmishers. In addition, small detachments of spearmen were positioned at the flanks of these armies to fight off any cavalry that swung around the trenches. The enemy approached Servius' men in similar fashion in both locations and, when they got in range, Servius' skirmishers let loose volley after volley of missiles. The enemy responded with their own skirmish units and they traded fires with both sides suffering relatively heavy losses. Meanwhile, the enemy infantry picked up their speed to close the gap between themselves and the first trench. When the first enemy infantry reached the first trench, Servius' skirmishers began to pull back behind their infantry core. They then waited until the enemy crest the first trench before continuing firing into the midst of the enemy. The narrow strip of land between the trenches made the enemy infantry sitting ducks while the incline and decline due to the trenches severely slowed them down. By the time the enemy infantry engaged Servius' men, they were battered, exhausted and close to routing. Like location A and B, the battle only lasted an hour before the enemy routed due to high casualties and the demoralizing effects of constant enemy missiles.
Siege - Conclusion
Unknown to the enemy, Servius sent a fairly large detachment of men around to the rear of the enemy. This detachment would hunt down the routing enemy and they almost succeeded in the capture of the enemy leader. While they were striking from the rear, Servius' men charged after their enemy which sandwiched their enemy in the middle. After going over the battlefield, it was estimated that the enemy lost close to sixty thousand men with ten thousand men surrendering. The superb victory for Servius would devastate his enemy and the effects of the loss would soon affect all the territory he controlled. Unfortunately, Servius' side suffered a considerable number of men. With a total of eighty or so thousand men in battle, the Romans lost thirty thousand men in total. The bloody battle would produce so many corpses that the Romans had no choice but to create large piles and cremate them. In remembrance of the men that gave up their lives in the battle, a shrine would be built within the city of Pamplona with their names engraved inside.
Chapter 151 (Crimson Revolution [part 5])
Following the massive victory in Pamplona, Servius waited two months before launching his attack on territory owned by Tertius Plinius the Conqueror on the July of 840. Servius sent scouts out and, from the intelligence they gathered, learned that Tertius had a massive empire himself. Tertius' empire stretched from the Balkans all the way to Western France. The Italian peninsula was his starting location and provided most of the wealth and manpower he needed to build his empire. It was also discovered that Tertius only captured all of the France region on the new years of 840. Apparently, the warlords in the area formed a massive coalition and they dramatically slowed down the progress of Tertius' troops. While Servius did control more land, there was reason to believe that Tertius had more manpower and wealth at his disposal. Despite his defeat at Pamplona, there was no doubt that Tertius could assemble another army with the same size at a moment's notice. Servius knew he must strike soon after the victory while his men's morale were still high. He needed to strike before Tertius could prepare his defenses but he also needed reinforcements to have a force large enough to make a push into enemy territory. The two month wait did saw fifty thousand men joining Servius' rank and, with a hundred thousand men at his disposal, Servius launched an attack on Tertius.
Servius wanted to first secure Western France before he moved further east. With a powerful navy also at his disposal, the ships could provide support against enemy attacks for the newly conquered land. When Servius' troops entered Western France, they found little resistance as the locals welcomed them. The conflicts have made the locals hate Tertius and they, after hearing rumors about Servius, felt that the new general would make their lives better. Many of the locals were eager to be guides and Servius' men captured Western France virtually unopposed. In addition, Servius' men also acquired the Balearic Islands, Malta and Crete. Following the rebellion, the locals of those islands lived in peace while the rest of Rome was in chaos. When soldiers arrived, they were eager to submit to the new rulers if they could maintain their peace. The islands came under Servius' control despite the fact that the islands still had their own autonomy when it came to decisions. Meanwhile, unknown to Servius, Tertius had his own problems in the Italian peninsula. For much of his reign, Tertius wasn't well like by many of his subjects or his people. There were a few subjects that would rise up if given the chance but they weren't given the opportunity. That was, until Tertius lost against Servius. Tertius' enemies used the defeat as an excuse to rise up against him. The propaganda and the cruelty of Tertius all served to create an enormous rebel army, led by Lars Pomptinus dedicated on overthrowing his rule. The rebel army acted quick and they would eventually control all of Southern Italy, Corsica and Sardinia before Tertius could react. Tertius, knowing that the Italian peninsula was his bread and butter, chose to rally whatever men he could to retake it.
Things would not turn out well for Tertius in the months leading up from the rebellion. At the Battle of Parma, Tertius suffered a defeat at the hands of Lars which saw him losing support of nearly all his officers and men. Lars used the momentum to push north and captured Northern Italy along with a bit of the Balkans. Servius, on the other hand, was pushing steadily east and the France region, the region that had cost Tertius many men and much resources, would change hands only a year after Tertius captured it. With his remaining territories split into two parts, Tertius saw that his end was near and committed suicide. Tertius' son would take over but, like his father, he knew that his reign would be a short one. With the death of Tertius, Lars felt that his victory was assured against the remaining Tertius forces. Unknown to him, Servius' allies in the newly conquered Crete were plotting a major campaign to the northwest. The few Roman possessions in Greece were still without strong leadership and Servius' allies hoped to take those lands without problems. In addition, they were plotting to take the Balkans following a call for help by the local powers in the region. The ruling class in the Balkans feared Lars and sought the protection from Servius in return for completely loyalty. Servius and his allies knew they would eventually meet Lars in battle and taking Balkans would put them in a very favorable position.
Servius and his allies would move quickly in the next few months. Tertius' son, hoping to be spared a death, agreed with his remaining officers and surrendered to Servius. A massive naval campaign from eastern Iberia saw a major force under Servius' officers attacking Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Their campaign was so quick and overwhelming that the defenders didn't have time to react. With naval support, Servius' men captured the three islands without too many resistance. Lars ordered reinforcements to aid them but Servius' navy cut them off from reaching the islands. While Servius' forces were mobilizing quickly in the west, his forces on Crete would launch their campaign at roughly the same time. As expected, those living in Athens agreed to serve Servius and the main force proceeded to the Balkans. At the Balkans, the ruling class there welcomed the newcomers and immediately set to work with their new allies in setting up the defenses. Lars, too preoccupied with the situation revolving around the three islands, sent his right hand to capture the Balkans. Because they lacked the intelligence regarding the new arrivals, Lars' right hand would walk into an ambush where he and nearly his entire army met their demise. The losses would have a devastating effect on Lars who was already starting to lose support among his subjects. Surrounded on all sides, Lars looked destined to be defeated by Servius.
Servius didn't want to give Lars time to recover from his defeats. A three front battle would take place with Servius leading men into Northern Italy from the west, a senior officer leading men from Sicily northwards and another officer pushing from the Balkans westwards. Lars chose to lead his entire force in engaging Servius who he saw as the man that held his empire together. If Servius died in battle, then his officers would fight amongst themselves and Lars would be victorious. Lars, however, underestimated Servius and he would pay for it with one defeat after another. Despite being faced with the largest resistance, Servius would be the first to reach Roma among the three forces. Lars, trapped within Roma, sent an envoy asking for a chance to negotiate. Servius would have agreed had he not heard about Lars' atrocities in Northern Italy where he massacred Tertius' officers and soldiers that defected to his side. Knowing that such a man cannot be trusted, Servius wanted the man's head as part of the negotiations. Lars' officers, seeing end was near, chose to betray Lars and offered his head to Servius. Rome would be unified once again and, this time, by a man called Servius. Servius was once a mayor in the distant east and, with his many achievements, seemed only a step away from claiming the title of Emperor.
Following the massive victory in Pamplona, Servius waited two months before launching his attack on territory owned by Tertius Plinius the Conqueror on the July of 840. Servius sent scouts out and, from the intelligence they gathered, learned that Tertius had a massive empire himself. Tertius' empire stretched from the Balkans all the way to Western France. The Italian peninsula was his starting location and provided most of the wealth and manpower he needed to build his empire. It was also discovered that Tertius only captured all of the France region on the new years of 840. Apparently, the warlords in the area formed a massive coalition and they dramatically slowed down the progress of Tertius' troops. While Servius did control more land, there was reason to believe that Tertius had more manpower and wealth at his disposal. Despite his defeat at Pamplona, there was no doubt that Tertius could assemble another army with the same size at a moment's notice. Servius knew he must strike soon after the victory while his men's morale were still high. He needed to strike before Tertius could prepare his defenses but he also needed reinforcements to have a force large enough to make a push into enemy territory. The two month wait did saw fifty thousand men joining Servius' rank and, with a hundred thousand men at his disposal, Servius launched an attack on Tertius.
Servius wanted to first secure Western France before he moved further east. With a powerful navy also at his disposal, the ships could provide support against enemy attacks for the newly conquered land. When Servius' troops entered Western France, they found little resistance as the locals welcomed them. The conflicts have made the locals hate Tertius and they, after hearing rumors about Servius, felt that the new general would make their lives better. Many of the locals were eager to be guides and Servius' men captured Western France virtually unopposed. In addition, Servius' men also acquired the Balearic Islands, Malta and Crete. Following the rebellion, the locals of those islands lived in peace while the rest of Rome was in chaos. When soldiers arrived, they were eager to submit to the new rulers if they could maintain their peace. The islands came under Servius' control despite the fact that the islands still had their own autonomy when it came to decisions. Meanwhile, unknown to Servius, Tertius had his own problems in the Italian peninsula. For much of his reign, Tertius wasn't well like by many of his subjects or his people. There were a few subjects that would rise up if given the chance but they weren't given the opportunity. That was, until Tertius lost against Servius. Tertius' enemies used the defeat as an excuse to rise up against him. The propaganda and the cruelty of Tertius all served to create an enormous rebel army, led by Lars Pomptinus dedicated on overthrowing his rule. The rebel army acted quick and they would eventually control all of Southern Italy, Corsica and Sardinia before Tertius could react. Tertius, knowing that the Italian peninsula was his bread and butter, chose to rally whatever men he could to retake it.
Things would not turn out well for Tertius in the months leading up from the rebellion. At the Battle of Parma, Tertius suffered a defeat at the hands of Lars which saw him losing support of nearly all his officers and men. Lars used the momentum to push north and captured Northern Italy along with a bit of the Balkans. Servius, on the other hand, was pushing steadily east and the France region, the region that had cost Tertius many men and much resources, would change hands only a year after Tertius captured it. With his remaining territories split into two parts, Tertius saw that his end was near and committed suicide. Tertius' son would take over but, like his father, he knew that his reign would be a short one. With the death of Tertius, Lars felt that his victory was assured against the remaining Tertius forces. Unknown to him, Servius' allies in the newly conquered Crete were plotting a major campaign to the northwest. The few Roman possessions in Greece were still without strong leadership and Servius' allies hoped to take those lands without problems. In addition, they were plotting to take the Balkans following a call for help by the local powers in the region. The ruling class in the Balkans feared Lars and sought the protection from Servius in return for completely loyalty. Servius and his allies knew they would eventually meet Lars in battle and taking Balkans would put them in a very favorable position.
Servius and his allies would move quickly in the next few months. Tertius' son, hoping to be spared a death, agreed with his remaining officers and surrendered to Servius. A massive naval campaign from eastern Iberia saw a major force under Servius' officers attacking Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Their campaign was so quick and overwhelming that the defenders didn't have time to react. With naval support, Servius' men captured the three islands without too many resistance. Lars ordered reinforcements to aid them but Servius' navy cut them off from reaching the islands. While Servius' forces were mobilizing quickly in the west, his forces on Crete would launch their campaign at roughly the same time. As expected, those living in Athens agreed to serve Servius and the main force proceeded to the Balkans. At the Balkans, the ruling class there welcomed the newcomers and immediately set to work with their new allies in setting up the defenses. Lars, too preoccupied with the situation revolving around the three islands, sent his right hand to capture the Balkans. Because they lacked the intelligence regarding the new arrivals, Lars' right hand would walk into an ambush where he and nearly his entire army met their demise. The losses would have a devastating effect on Lars who was already starting to lose support among his subjects. Surrounded on all sides, Lars looked destined to be defeated by Servius.
Servius didn't want to give Lars time to recover from his defeats. A three front battle would take place with Servius leading men into Northern Italy from the west, a senior officer leading men from Sicily northwards and another officer pushing from the Balkans westwards. Lars chose to lead his entire force in engaging Servius who he saw as the man that held his empire together. If Servius died in battle, then his officers would fight amongst themselves and Lars would be victorious. Lars, however, underestimated Servius and he would pay for it with one defeat after another. Despite being faced with the largest resistance, Servius would be the first to reach Roma among the three forces. Lars, trapped within Roma, sent an envoy asking for a chance to negotiate. Servius would have agreed had he not heard about Lars' atrocities in Northern Italy where he massacred Tertius' officers and soldiers that defected to his side. Knowing that such a man cannot be trusted, Servius wanted the man's head as part of the negotiations. Lars' officers, seeing end was near, chose to betray Lars and offered his head to Servius. Rome would be unified once again and, this time, by a man called Servius. Servius was once a mayor in the distant east and, with his many achievements, seemed only a step away from claiming the title of Emperor.
Chapter 152 (Crimson Revolution [part 6])
(Age of Rebirth)
Seven years since the rebellions broke out and the collapse of Rome, the nation known as Rome was reunited once again. The person deserving most of the credit for reuniting the nation was a man called Servius Avitus, a man who was once the mayor of Hormuz. Roman territory in Asia were virtually unaffected by the revolution and Servius had a comfortable post. However, this man chose to head the expedition to re-establish communication with the Italian Peninsula. What began as a small expedition soon grew into a mission to reunite Rome. Following many challenges along the way, Servius and those that followed him came out on top victorious. Many great men lost their lives in the conflict but their sacrifices weren't in vain. Servius and his forces entered Roma on August of 841 which spelled the end of the last faction within Rome. Servius, a man with no previous experience in war or diplomacy, managed to unite the second largest nation in the world at its time. His contributions were well known among everyone and he seemed like the perfect candidate as the new Roman Emperor. To no one's surprise, Servius declined the offer and, instead, allowed the people determine their new ruler. The new ruler would be known to the world as Consul Severus Alexander Publius.
The new Consul had much to do. As the first Consul of the Revolutionary Republic, he had the responsibility of rebuilding Rome to its former glory. He, along with his subjects, would start the Age of Rebirth. Their first order of business was the reconstruction of infrastructure. The many conflicts and lack of maintenance saw many roads out of commission. Roads were built across the Italian Peninsula, the Balkans, France region and Iberia. In North Africa, the bishop, Appius Tettienus Profuterius, had already began many projects that were bearing fruits when Rome was fully unified. His leadership led to many people dedicating their strength, wealth or both in improving North Africa. Many overland trade routes were reestablished and trade was flourishing in the region. In addition, new ports were built in North Africa and trading fleets, along with escorts, were built. With Rome unified, many Roman ports in Europe were opened up to trade and news traveled across the Mediterranean very quickly. In the first stages of the Age of Rebirth, ships traveling from North Africa to Europe were carrying overseas aid to help the Romans in Europe. These oversea aid helped speed up the rebuilding efforts and many more trades routes were established. In 843, it was believed that there were more trade routes throughout Rome than the number of trade routes in the Rome before the revolution.
Following the victory over Lars Pomptinus, the military was reformed as well. First, Rome was separated into seven regions: Southern Italian Peninsula, Northern Italian Peninsula along with the Balkans, France region, Iberian Peninsula, Western North Africa, Eastern North Africa and Persia region. Each regions would maintain its own military force with its own taxes. Major cities were allowed to create militias to bolster the garrison. To control the power of the regional powers, there was a limit upon how many active soldiers were allowed in each region. In addition, only the Southern Italian Peninsula region was allowed to keep several reserves that would react in response to a rebellion or a war. Unlike their previous armaments, there were many changes made following Servius' expedition across nearly all of Rome. Instead of a complete reliance on heavily armored infantry, an army would be balanced with an accepted proportions of light armored infantry, skirmishers, cavalry and heavily armored infantry. The new generals of Rome knew that they must continuously adapt their fighting style in an ever changing battlefield. A conflict could happen between Rome and Langobards and they hoped to be ready by having a more versatile army at their disposal.
With Rome unified once again, the Consul must reestablish diplomatic channels with other nations, especially the Langobards. Since the collapse, there were few interactions between the two nations as the people of Langobards saw little need establishing connection with a ruined nation. Several major trade routes were severed and few, if any, ideas made it across the borders. The revolution was bloody and the Roman population was devastated. The loss of many men also meant that scientific advances were slowed down dramatically. Reestablishing connections with Langobards could bring Rome up to speed by allowing new ideas to flow across the border. To help with the advances in the long run, many policies were introduced to encourage families so that the population would bounce back from its new low. Increase in population demanded new production lines to be established to not only provide work but meet the demands elsewhere following new foreign trade routes. In addition, tariffs were also established to protect domestic producers so that Romans can compete on the international level. There were a series of small nations that were given loans by Rome in the past. The Consul wanted the loans situation to be dealt with to further speed up the recovery of his nation.
In 846 AD, the Age of Rebirth was at an end. Rome has rebounded from its revolution and became even greater to the Pre-revolutionary Rome. More trade routes and higher production saw the Roman treasury filled up. All of Rome's previous loans were paid off and a series of major projects were started across the nation. Newly established military forces in every region restored the order of the regions while new naval fleets were built to deal with pirates while patrolling the trade routes. The new Roman government was able to establish excellent diplomatic relations with Langobards and much of the tensions along the borders were removed. With their domestic situations dealt with, Rome would begin to look abroad for new conquests. An interesting rumor was that Servius, in 846, disappeared from the Roman government. No one knew what happened to him and some conspiracies were formed about a successful assassination attempt on his life. Servius, a hero of Rome, would disappear from the political stage at the end of the Age of Rebirth. Whatever happened to him, his contributions would forever be remembered by the Roman people. In the centuries to come, he would be the model that many Romans attempt to follow.
(Bonus Snippet)
An old man got off the ship that just docked off Hormuz. He took a deep breath and let it out. He was approached by a Roman officer.
"How are you? Is this your first time here?" asked the officer.
"Me? I was born here. I've just came back to retire," replied the old man.
"I see, you are returning to your roots. Were you a soldier?"
"Yes, I was. I've done my duties and I'm rewarded with my trip here."
"You wouldn't happen to fight for Servius, have you?"
"That old man? Yes, I had to honor of meeting him."
"I wish I had the honor. They say he is like an angel sent form heaven."
"No."
"What does he look like then?"
"He looks like an old man you wouldn't notice on the streets. Take care, young man."
The old man made his way down the dock towards Hormuz city center.
This is the conclusion of the Crimson Revolution. We will be returning back to Langobards in the next update. I hope you all enjoyed this bonus content in this AAR.
(Age of Rebirth)
Seven years since the rebellions broke out and the collapse of Rome, the nation known as Rome was reunited once again. The person deserving most of the credit for reuniting the nation was a man called Servius Avitus, a man who was once the mayor of Hormuz. Roman territory in Asia were virtually unaffected by the revolution and Servius had a comfortable post. However, this man chose to head the expedition to re-establish communication with the Italian Peninsula. What began as a small expedition soon grew into a mission to reunite Rome. Following many challenges along the way, Servius and those that followed him came out on top victorious. Many great men lost their lives in the conflict but their sacrifices weren't in vain. Servius and his forces entered Roma on August of 841 which spelled the end of the last faction within Rome. Servius, a man with no previous experience in war or diplomacy, managed to unite the second largest nation in the world at its time. His contributions were well known among everyone and he seemed like the perfect candidate as the new Roman Emperor. To no one's surprise, Servius declined the offer and, instead, allowed the people determine their new ruler. The new ruler would be known to the world as Consul Severus Alexander Publius.
The new Consul had much to do. As the first Consul of the Revolutionary Republic, he had the responsibility of rebuilding Rome to its former glory. He, along with his subjects, would start the Age of Rebirth. Their first order of business was the reconstruction of infrastructure. The many conflicts and lack of maintenance saw many roads out of commission. Roads were built across the Italian Peninsula, the Balkans, France region and Iberia. In North Africa, the bishop, Appius Tettienus Profuterius, had already began many projects that were bearing fruits when Rome was fully unified. His leadership led to many people dedicating their strength, wealth or both in improving North Africa. Many overland trade routes were reestablished and trade was flourishing in the region. In addition, new ports were built in North Africa and trading fleets, along with escorts, were built. With Rome unified, many Roman ports in Europe were opened up to trade and news traveled across the Mediterranean very quickly. In the first stages of the Age of Rebirth, ships traveling from North Africa to Europe were carrying overseas aid to help the Romans in Europe. These oversea aid helped speed up the rebuilding efforts and many more trades routes were established. In 843, it was believed that there were more trade routes throughout Rome than the number of trade routes in the Rome before the revolution.
Following the victory over Lars Pomptinus, the military was reformed as well. First, Rome was separated into seven regions: Southern Italian Peninsula, Northern Italian Peninsula along with the Balkans, France region, Iberian Peninsula, Western North Africa, Eastern North Africa and Persia region. Each regions would maintain its own military force with its own taxes. Major cities were allowed to create militias to bolster the garrison. To control the power of the regional powers, there was a limit upon how many active soldiers were allowed in each region. In addition, only the Southern Italian Peninsula region was allowed to keep several reserves that would react in response to a rebellion or a war. Unlike their previous armaments, there were many changes made following Servius' expedition across nearly all of Rome. Instead of a complete reliance on heavily armored infantry, an army would be balanced with an accepted proportions of light armored infantry, skirmishers, cavalry and heavily armored infantry. The new generals of Rome knew that they must continuously adapt their fighting style in an ever changing battlefield. A conflict could happen between Rome and Langobards and they hoped to be ready by having a more versatile army at their disposal.
With Rome unified once again, the Consul must reestablish diplomatic channels with other nations, especially the Langobards. Since the collapse, there were few interactions between the two nations as the people of Langobards saw little need establishing connection with a ruined nation. Several major trade routes were severed and few, if any, ideas made it across the borders. The revolution was bloody and the Roman population was devastated. The loss of many men also meant that scientific advances were slowed down dramatically. Reestablishing connections with Langobards could bring Rome up to speed by allowing new ideas to flow across the border. To help with the advances in the long run, many policies were introduced to encourage families so that the population would bounce back from its new low. Increase in population demanded new production lines to be established to not only provide work but meet the demands elsewhere following new foreign trade routes. In addition, tariffs were also established to protect domestic producers so that Romans can compete on the international level. There were a series of small nations that were given loans by Rome in the past. The Consul wanted the loans situation to be dealt with to further speed up the recovery of his nation.
In 846 AD, the Age of Rebirth was at an end. Rome has rebounded from its revolution and became even greater to the Pre-revolutionary Rome. More trade routes and higher production saw the Roman treasury filled up. All of Rome's previous loans were paid off and a series of major projects were started across the nation. Newly established military forces in every region restored the order of the regions while new naval fleets were built to deal with pirates while patrolling the trade routes. The new Roman government was able to establish excellent diplomatic relations with Langobards and much of the tensions along the borders were removed. With their domestic situations dealt with, Rome would begin to look abroad for new conquests. An interesting rumor was that Servius, in 846, disappeared from the Roman government. No one knew what happened to him and some conspiracies were formed about a successful assassination attempt on his life. Servius, a hero of Rome, would disappear from the political stage at the end of the Age of Rebirth. Whatever happened to him, his contributions would forever be remembered by the Roman people. In the centuries to come, he would be the model that many Romans attempt to follow.
(Bonus Snippet)
An old man got off the ship that just docked off Hormuz. He took a deep breath and let it out. He was approached by a Roman officer.
"How are you? Is this your first time here?" asked the officer.
"Me? I was born here. I've just came back to retire," replied the old man.
"I see, you are returning to your roots. Were you a soldier?"
"Yes, I was. I've done my duties and I'm rewarded with my trip here."
"You wouldn't happen to fight for Servius, have you?"
"That old man? Yes, I had to honor of meeting him."
"I wish I had the honor. They say he is like an angel sent form heaven."
"No."
"What does he look like then?"
"He looks like an old man you wouldn't notice on the streets. Take care, young man."
The old man made his way down the dock towards Hormuz city center.
This is the conclusion of the Crimson Revolution. We will be returning back to Langobards in the next update. I hope you all enjoyed this bonus content in this AAR.
Thanks! I hope to include more stories in the future but I want to move forward in the timeline. Still have lots of ground to cover
. Chapter 153
In 846 AD, a major change would sweep through Langobards politics. For several centuries, the ruler of the Langobards was known the the king or monarch. Since defeating their neighbors one after another, the Langobards ruler was the only king remaining in the known world. That, in itself, was supposed to be a mighty accomplishment. However, the Langobards king wasn't too happy with his title. The title of king was suitable for a medium sized nation but, with a vast empire under his control, the king wanted a title that reflected upon his power. Not only would the title change but many aspects of the nation would change as well. After many discussions, the king of Langobards decided on his new title. The government of the Langobards would be changed to Tzardom and the ruler of Langobards would be known as the Tzar. Tzar was seen as an equivalent to a Roman Emperor before the Crimson Revolution. Adopting the title Emperor would place the Langobards below the Romans which wasn't an acceptable act. Thus, the Tzar of the Langobards would begin a series of changes that would move his nation forward.
The first decision of the Tzar was increase the number of subjects in his court. For a vast empire like the Langobards, there were too many tasks to be done and not enough magistrates. Developing the vast territories took a long time and progress was very slow. Slow progress would hurt the Langobards in the long run in the form of less income and lagging technological advances. With more subjects, a great many projects can take place across the empire which would reap many benefits for the Tzar. The construction of more infrastructure like roads would encourage more trade and ensure better communication between major cities. To protect the citizens of Langobards, the Tzar ordered the establishment of many companies of men to patrol the newly built road. Despite much prosperity across the empire, thieves, bandits and other criminals still roam the countryside seeking to get rich from a couple of heists. Having patrols along the road would not only protect travelers and merchants but also station some soldiers to areas that are still relatively unstable.
The new title also brought the best out of the Langobards soldiers. Serving a king seemed like an honorable job until the Langobards defeated Rome in a war. Since then, the soldiers, like much of the populace within the Langobards, felt that they wanted to serve someone with a grander title. The Romans had the title Emperor which seemed to suit their empire just fine. With the title of Tzar, the soldiers felt great pride in serving their own equivalent of an emperor. With pride, the morale of an average soldier was improved as well. These soldiers were more determined to fight for their ruler and they felt their sacrifices wouldn't be in vain. In addition to soldiers feeling more pride, an average citizen of the Langobards felt the same thing. As a result, the number of people wanting to join the army rose dramatically. Prior to the change, there were a total of 1.05 million men ready to reinforce the front lines. Following the change, fifty thousand more men volunteered for the army and the total manpower would increase to 1.1 million. A boost of morale and manpower would significantly boost the Langobards military in the centuries to come.
Being recognized as a Tzar also have benefits in the international stage. As a Tzar, the ruler of Langobards was expected to make new conquests. The increase in the infamy limit (+15) meant that the Tzar could take a lot more territory with his reputation deteriorating at a much slower pace. Even if the Tzar's reputation was reaching a limit, his subjects had more resources available to them in improving that reputation over time (infamy -0.55/year). The combination of the two benefits would soon be utilized as the Tzars began a series of major campaigns in the east. With each war, the Tzar could take more territory without hurting his reputation too much. In preparation of the future campaigns, the Tzar also ordered a series of changes that would see more support to researchers of technological advances. With advances, the Langobards could suffer less casualties against the enemy while dramatically speeding up the wars to limit the war exhaustion amongst the people. Better reputation management and many technological advances would see a series of rapid Langobards expansion in the upcoming centuries.
To conquer new lands didn't mean the people would submit to their new ruler. The Tzar knew that winning wars was only half the battle. If he doesn't find ways, rebellions would eventually overwhelm his soldiers in newly conquered lands. Thus, the Tzar found a solution in the form of tolerance. The people in the east followed different religions and little to no tolerance to their religion could result in many rebellions. History has proven the lack of tolerance being very bloody when the Langobards was going through a series of religious conversions into Catholicism. As a conqueror, the Tzar wanted to not only conquer the land but also the people themselves. To do so, he was willing to be more tolerant to both heretics and heathens. While he wasn't going great lengths to accept other religions completely, the Tzar was taking a step forward in allowing the people themselves to choose their own religion. With fair taxes and a chance to pursue one's religion freely, the newly conquered populations would submit to the Tzar much easily and the Langobards treasury could be used to fund more campaigns instead of putting down one rebellion after another.
Tech:
Government: 12
Production: 31
Trade: 16
Naval: 20
Land: 66
Chapter 154
In 867 AD, the Tzar declared a punitive war on the Kangju. The Langobards have enjoyed a long peace since the Scottish rebellion was put down. The transition into Tzardom saw many aspects of the nation changed and the Tzar wished for the people to experience the transition during times of peace. Despite no major conflicts between Langobards and her neighbors, the Kangju nomads continued to threaten the borders with their occasional raids. While Langobards soldiers along the border did fend off the raids, the citizens living by the borders demanded the problem to be dealt with. When the transition into Tzardom was completed in 865, the Tzar gathered his subjects to discuss a war against the Kangju. The Langobards military was reformed slightly and the soldiers were eager for battle. Kangju has remained a scourge of the east as no single nation in the far east could deal with them. Rome, having fully recovered from their bloody revolution, was preparing for new conquests as well. Because neither nation wanted a war against each other, both the rulers of Langobards and Rome sought targets in India.
With a massive army numbering sixty thousand men, the Langobards began their push eastwards into Kangju territory. Against the well disciplined and better armed Langobards soldiers, Kangju soldiers were simply outmatched. What slowed the Langobards advances wasn't Kangju resistance but the local climate and terrain. With very little information and a crude map prior to the war, the Langobards soldiers were marching into the unknown. Crossing through Kangju territory was slow and difficult. Attrition and illnesses took more losses than Kangju soldiers could inflict in all the previous conflicts. However, the Langobards soldiers were resilient and they continued their push. Every location they occupy would be liberated from the nomad nation's control. As liberators, the reputation of the Tzar was only slightly tarnished and his subjects never had to work to improve his reputation. As the war progressed, it became obvious that Kangju was more of a pest than anything. They perform raids along the borders but they were cowards when it came to engaging the Langobards armies.
In 878 AD, the Langobards have finally reached India. India has been a myth to the Langobards since they learned of the great conquests made by Alexander the Great. The place that was rumored to have halted Alexander in his conquest of the known world. The Tzar felt proud that his soldiers have made it to the Indian Peninsula because he realized that his empire would be the greatest if they conquered India. Much of Northern India was under Kangju control at the time and continuously liberating their lands would bring the Langobards soldiers to the heart of India. The dream would have come true had the Tzar lived a longer life. In 884 AD, the first Tzar of the Langobards passed away from illness. The Langobards officials, unsure what effects his death would have on his nation, agreed to a white peace with Kangju. Massive territory was obtained by the Langobards in the war and the conquest into India would have to wait until the succession of the first Tzar's son.
The new Tzar was as ambitious as his father. With a truce between the Langobards and Kangju, the Tzar knew that he must wait before he could declare another war. The other target in India, Funan, was allied with Rome which made declaration of war a tricky situation. There was a chance that Rome might not enter the war for an Indian nation but the Tzar knew that the new Roman government wished to improve their image since their revolution. Not aiding an ally would greatly diminish their image before all their neighbors and that would hurt them in the long run. Thus, the Tzar chose to not act as he feared another war between the two nations would devastate the Langobards. The Tzar's wise decision would soon bear fruit as he learned the dissolution of the alliance between Rome and Funan. Rome, for whatever reasons, decided to declare war on the Xiongnu in the far northeast corner of the continent. Xiongnu was nothing more than a name heard by those in the Langobards because none of the maps have the exact location of Xiongnu territory. Funan, ally of Xiongnu, chose to answer their call against Rome. Without hesitation, the Tzar declared war months after his ascension to the throne.
By the time Langobards entered the war, Rome already occupied one of Funan's provinces. Luckily, the conquest against Kangju improved the Langobard's knowledge of the region better which meant that they could arrive at the remaining Funan provinces in the region before the Romans. The provinces were occupied one by one and they were liberated. With the Funan capital still unknown, the Langobards had to settle with what they had in the northwest corner of India and successfully cut off Rome overland from rest of India. The Tzar felt proud of his small war and eagerly awaited the truce with Kangju to end. During the wait, the Tzar checked to see the progress of colonization in Africa. Progress was slowing down as discovery of new lands was made difficult by the aggressive savages and extremely climates, not to mention the dangerous animals like lions and rhinos. The colonial expansion was steady but the Tzar knew that he would pass away before the remaining Africa territory comes under Langobards control.
Tech:
Government: 13
Production: 34
Trade: 18
Naval: 20
Land: 68
Map of Langobards in year 890:
In 867 AD, the Tzar declared a punitive war on the Kangju. The Langobards have enjoyed a long peace since the Scottish rebellion was put down. The transition into Tzardom saw many aspects of the nation changed and the Tzar wished for the people to experience the transition during times of peace. Despite no major conflicts between Langobards and her neighbors, the Kangju nomads continued to threaten the borders with their occasional raids. While Langobards soldiers along the border did fend off the raids, the citizens living by the borders demanded the problem to be dealt with. When the transition into Tzardom was completed in 865, the Tzar gathered his subjects to discuss a war against the Kangju. The Langobards military was reformed slightly and the soldiers were eager for battle. Kangju has remained a scourge of the east as no single nation in the far east could deal with them. Rome, having fully recovered from their bloody revolution, was preparing for new conquests as well. Because neither nation wanted a war against each other, both the rulers of Langobards and Rome sought targets in India.
With a massive army numbering sixty thousand men, the Langobards began their push eastwards into Kangju territory. Against the well disciplined and better armed Langobards soldiers, Kangju soldiers were simply outmatched. What slowed the Langobards advances wasn't Kangju resistance but the local climate and terrain. With very little information and a crude map prior to the war, the Langobards soldiers were marching into the unknown. Crossing through Kangju territory was slow and difficult. Attrition and illnesses took more losses than Kangju soldiers could inflict in all the previous conflicts. However, the Langobards soldiers were resilient and they continued their push. Every location they occupy would be liberated from the nomad nation's control. As liberators, the reputation of the Tzar was only slightly tarnished and his subjects never had to work to improve his reputation. As the war progressed, it became obvious that Kangju was more of a pest than anything. They perform raids along the borders but they were cowards when it came to engaging the Langobards armies.
In 878 AD, the Langobards have finally reached India. India has been a myth to the Langobards since they learned of the great conquests made by Alexander the Great. The place that was rumored to have halted Alexander in his conquest of the known world. The Tzar felt proud that his soldiers have made it to the Indian Peninsula because he realized that his empire would be the greatest if they conquered India. Much of Northern India was under Kangju control at the time and continuously liberating their lands would bring the Langobards soldiers to the heart of India. The dream would have come true had the Tzar lived a longer life. In 884 AD, the first Tzar of the Langobards passed away from illness. The Langobards officials, unsure what effects his death would have on his nation, agreed to a white peace with Kangju. Massive territory was obtained by the Langobards in the war and the conquest into India would have to wait until the succession of the first Tzar's son.
The new Tzar was as ambitious as his father. With a truce between the Langobards and Kangju, the Tzar knew that he must wait before he could declare another war. The other target in India, Funan, was allied with Rome which made declaration of war a tricky situation. There was a chance that Rome might not enter the war for an Indian nation but the Tzar knew that the new Roman government wished to improve their image since their revolution. Not aiding an ally would greatly diminish their image before all their neighbors and that would hurt them in the long run. Thus, the Tzar chose to not act as he feared another war between the two nations would devastate the Langobards. The Tzar's wise decision would soon bear fruit as he learned the dissolution of the alliance between Rome and Funan. Rome, for whatever reasons, decided to declare war on the Xiongnu in the far northeast corner of the continent. Xiongnu was nothing more than a name heard by those in the Langobards because none of the maps have the exact location of Xiongnu territory. Funan, ally of Xiongnu, chose to answer their call against Rome. Without hesitation, the Tzar declared war months after his ascension to the throne.
By the time Langobards entered the war, Rome already occupied one of Funan's provinces. Luckily, the conquest against Kangju improved the Langobard's knowledge of the region better which meant that they could arrive at the remaining Funan provinces in the region before the Romans. The provinces were occupied one by one and they were liberated. With the Funan capital still unknown, the Langobards had to settle with what they had in the northwest corner of India and successfully cut off Rome overland from rest of India. The Tzar felt proud of his small war and eagerly awaited the truce with Kangju to end. During the wait, the Tzar checked to see the progress of colonization in Africa. Progress was slowing down as discovery of new lands was made difficult by the aggressive savages and extremely climates, not to mention the dangerous animals like lions and rhinos. The colonial expansion was steady but the Tzar knew that he would pass away before the remaining Africa territory comes under Langobards control.
Tech:
Government: 13
Production: 34
Trade: 18
Naval: 20
Land: 68
Map of Langobards in year 890:
Chapter 155 [History of India (11 AD)]
Map of India in the year 11 AD:
In 11 AD, India was merely a myth to the Europeans. Few believed it existed given that they hardly had anyone to confirm its existence. The only accounts about the land were from Alexander's conquests but, given how much time has passed since his death, few could confirm if India was fact or fiction. It wasn't until the eighth century that Europeans began to learn about this distant land through newly established trade routes. Much of written records were lost over the centuries but we were fortunate to have discovered primary sources and a crudely drawn map regarding India in 11 AD. For this segment, we will be looking at the 11 AD India before we venture onto the India in later dates.
Like the Europeans, the people living in India thought Europe was a mere myth. Alexander was long forgotten in these lands and his battles with local powers became a bedtime story for infants and nothing more. For the people of this period, they didn't consider themselves as Indians. Instead, they saw themselves as citizens of the many nations that sprout up from India. Over time, six nations would be left standing in 11 AD. Sakas was found in the northwest while Dasarna was found in the northeast. Satavahana controlled two thirds of central India while Kalinga controlled the remaining one third. Chera and Pandyas split the south between themselves.
At first glance, the six nations seemed to get along well. Each controlled reasonable amount of territory with no wars were reported from the primary sources. However, some sifting through the material revealed a different matter. Hindu was, arguably, the dominant religion in the region. Most of the people living within India followed this religion and everything went well between Hindus. However, Buddhism has taken over Satavahana like a storm. Almost overnight, the ruling family and top officials began to preach this religion. The population within Satavahana was still preaching Hinduism which meant that nationwide conversion was still needed. Introducing a heathen religion to India didn't bode well with the loyal Hindus in neighboring nations.
Satavahana may have a lot of work to do in converting its citizens but their change in religion didn't go unnoticed by their neighbors. Chera, Pandyas, Kalinga and Dasarna all followed Hinduism as a state religion. To make matters worse, those nations didn't tolerate a religion like Buddhism very well. In some nations, open persecution of Buddhist followers were encouraged by the government in hopes to prevent the religion from spreading. Surrounded by Hindu nations, Satavahana had its work cut out for it. While our documents didn't suggest any wars, there were signs of open hostilities between the Hindu nations and Satavahana. All the documents pointed to an inevitable war between Hindus and Buddhists for the control of the entire Indian peninsula.
We mustn't forget about Sakas which sat in the northwest bordering two other nations outside India. To their northwest, they bordered the Zoroastrianism following Pahlavas nation. To their northeast, they bordered the Buddhist following Tibet. Let's not forget that they also bordered Satavahana and Dasarna. Considering that the people of Sakas followed Tengrism, it was quite likely that their neighbors don't take much of a liking to them. Isolated in a region where many people followed a very different faith, Sakas appeared to have a tougher time than Satavahana in surviving. The open hostilities between nations due to religion would soon break out into wars. Once the wars end, we won't be sure how many nations will remain in India.
We were fortunate to know this much about India in 11 AD. We don't know about the lifestyles of the people or their governments. In addition, we didn't know about the India before this time. Unfortunately, we would have a large gap in our knowledge of Indian history for the next couple of centuries as well. The constant wars within India and invasions from outside powers would see many written documents destroyed. It wasn't until 700 AD that trade routes between Europe and India were established. With the trade routes, some European scholars wrote records of a India they heard from merchants. By combining the records, we were able to make a rough picture of the India at a certain time period. The next time period would be the India of 700 AD.
Map of India in the year 11 AD:
In 11 AD, India was merely a myth to the Europeans. Few believed it existed given that they hardly had anyone to confirm its existence. The only accounts about the land were from Alexander's conquests but, given how much time has passed since his death, few could confirm if India was fact or fiction. It wasn't until the eighth century that Europeans began to learn about this distant land through newly established trade routes. Much of written records were lost over the centuries but we were fortunate to have discovered primary sources and a crudely drawn map regarding India in 11 AD. For this segment, we will be looking at the 11 AD India before we venture onto the India in later dates.
Like the Europeans, the people living in India thought Europe was a mere myth. Alexander was long forgotten in these lands and his battles with local powers became a bedtime story for infants and nothing more. For the people of this period, they didn't consider themselves as Indians. Instead, they saw themselves as citizens of the many nations that sprout up from India. Over time, six nations would be left standing in 11 AD. Sakas was found in the northwest while Dasarna was found in the northeast. Satavahana controlled two thirds of central India while Kalinga controlled the remaining one third. Chera and Pandyas split the south between themselves.
At first glance, the six nations seemed to get along well. Each controlled reasonable amount of territory with no wars were reported from the primary sources. However, some sifting through the material revealed a different matter. Hindu was, arguably, the dominant religion in the region. Most of the people living within India followed this religion and everything went well between Hindus. However, Buddhism has taken over Satavahana like a storm. Almost overnight, the ruling family and top officials began to preach this religion. The population within Satavahana was still preaching Hinduism which meant that nationwide conversion was still needed. Introducing a heathen religion to India didn't bode well with the loyal Hindus in neighboring nations.
Satavahana may have a lot of work to do in converting its citizens but their change in religion didn't go unnoticed by their neighbors. Chera, Pandyas, Kalinga and Dasarna all followed Hinduism as a state religion. To make matters worse, those nations didn't tolerate a religion like Buddhism very well. In some nations, open persecution of Buddhist followers were encouraged by the government in hopes to prevent the religion from spreading. Surrounded by Hindu nations, Satavahana had its work cut out for it. While our documents didn't suggest any wars, there were signs of open hostilities between the Hindu nations and Satavahana. All the documents pointed to an inevitable war between Hindus and Buddhists for the control of the entire Indian peninsula.
We mustn't forget about Sakas which sat in the northwest bordering two other nations outside India. To their northwest, they bordered the Zoroastrianism following Pahlavas nation. To their northeast, they bordered the Buddhist following Tibet. Let's not forget that they also bordered Satavahana and Dasarna. Considering that the people of Sakas followed Tengrism, it was quite likely that their neighbors don't take much of a liking to them. Isolated in a region where many people followed a very different faith, Sakas appeared to have a tougher time than Satavahana in surviving. The open hostilities between nations due to religion would soon break out into wars. Once the wars end, we won't be sure how many nations will remain in India.
We were fortunate to know this much about India in 11 AD. We don't know about the lifestyles of the people or their governments. In addition, we didn't know about the India before this time. Unfortunately, we would have a large gap in our knowledge of Indian history for the next couple of centuries as well. The constant wars within India and invasions from outside powers would see many written documents destroyed. It wasn't until 700 AD that trade routes between Europe and India were established. With the trade routes, some European scholars wrote records of a India they heard from merchants. By combining the records, we were able to make a rough picture of the India at a certain time period. The next time period would be the India of 700 AD.
Chapter 156 [History of India (700 AD)]
Map of India in the year 700 AD:
The Satavahana once unified all of India. The rulers of the nation used the conflict between their neighbors to make small gains. As time progressed, their neighbors realized that Satavahana was growing too powerful. However, the Buddhist nation was, by then, grew so long that she no longer feared a coalition of her neighbors. Facing little opposition, Satavahana would defeat the last of her neighbors and unify all of India under her flag. The unification appeared to be a good omen of things to come and the people, mainly of the Buddhist religion, celebrated the incredible achievement of their rulers. The celebrations would come to an end when a new threat arrived from the west. The Satavahanans, like the Romans, thought that no one could hope to challenge their might. With an empire in his grasp, the ruler dared any enemy foolish enough to declare war on him. Pride and overconfidence would bring about one of the greatest disasters in Satavahanan history. The unified Indian empire would meet the people of Kangju.
It was a day like any other day. The sun rose at roughly the same time and people went about their business in Satavahana. The border patrols patrolled as they have any other day and found nothing to report. At noon, one of the border patrols was about to return to the outpost for lunch when the men caught sight of a dust cloud in the distance. A dust storm at that time was an odd phenomenon and the men were mesmerized by the scene. Few minutes passed and the men realized that the dust cloud wasn't the result of large gusts of wind. Instead, they saw before them a massive army approaching them. Unlike the armies they have faced before, the approaching men were mostly on horseback. Realizing the significance, the border patrol quickly rushed back to the outpost to warn about the invasion. Out of the two dozen men that were part of the border patrol, only one man made it back to the outpost. He would deliver his message before he, too, succumbed to his wounds. A messenger was dispatched to the Satavahana capital and, minutes later, the outpost was overwhelmed and all its soldiers massacred.
When the news of the invasion reached the capital, the Kangju have made significant progress into Northern India. On horseback, they moved quickly and caught many towns and cities ill-prepared. The Kangju generals weren't as bloodthirsty as many documents portrayed them as. They followed the strategy of "surrender or die" as they found capitulation more desirable than endless bloodshed. A few towns did surrender and its people were spared from any bloodshed. However, many town and city officials chose to fight and they would regret their decision. The Kangju were experienced and disciplined warriors that have mastered the art of war. They learned that mobility was the key to victory and literally grew up on a horse. In addition, they learned from their neighbors over the decades and trained specialized soldiers that would scale walls and open the gates. Against such a well oiled war machine, those within Satavahana that opposed the Kangju stood little chance. Many cities and towns were razed to the ground and majority of the population was massacred. For those that were spared, they would be sold into slavery and be shipped into the heart of the Kangju empire.
The ruler of Satavahana, learning of the invasion, ordered his subjects to raise the largest army ever seen in Satavahanan history. With an army of three hundred thousand, the Satavahanan generals predicted a victory. They would march north to engage the Kangju army which was making steady progress south. The two sides would meet at Indore where the Kangju generals tried diplomacy first. They announced that, if the Satavahanan soldiers lowered their weapons and surrendered, they will be merciful and allow them to return home. The Satavahanan generals scoffed at the announcement and ordered their armies to advance. While the Satavahanan generals thought that they outnumber their enemy by a huge margin, they would soon learn that numbers alone cannot save them. As they advanced, they saw the Kangju horsemen forming three ranks in an orderly fashion. Few seconds passed before the Kangju generals gave the order to fire. With precision, the Kangju's three ranks fired systematically and their arrows would drop Satavahanan soldiers rank after ranks. The death toll was rising so quickly that the discipline installed into the Satavahanan soldiers disappeared. The defenders were routing and the Kangju horsemen gave chase.
A survivor of the battle wrote this account:
It was horror. These horsemen were raining arrows down on us with no end. Our numbers were dropping so quickly that we thought for sure that we have lost. We no longer cared about the battle. It was self preservation that came to our minds. Still, they wouldn't let us survive. On their horses, they easily kept pace with us while firing arrows at us. It was no longer a battle. We were like game and they were the hunters. We ran everywhere hoping to escape the nightmare. Most of us never made it out alive. For the majority of the survivors, they would become slaves and we never hear about them ever again. As for me, I was fortunate to have gotten on a horse. By the time I returned home, the horse was near collapse. I reported the bad news to the city officials and they were shocked that we were defeated so quickly. I was just glad I came out alive.
The defeat at Indore made the ruler of Satavahana rethink his diplomacy with the Kangju rulers. Hoping to preserve whatever land he could, the ruler sent an envoy that would speak with the Kangju generals. The Satavahanans would hand over much of their empire along with a large sum of ducats in return for peace. The Kangju generals, learning of threats elsewhere, agreed to the peace deal. Thus, one battle would decide the fate of India as nine tenth of the territory would be ceded to the Kangju. The defeat also meant the decline of the Satavahana Empire. The huge loss of human lives meant that many farms would go unattended and food production dropped dramatically. The sum of ducats would put the empire in debt where it could never hope to repay back in its current state. To make matters worse, many of the conquered people would use the opportunity to rebel against the ruler. Collapsing from within, it seemed that Satavahana would fall to the Kangju sooner or later.
Map of India in the year 700 AD:
The Satavahana once unified all of India. The rulers of the nation used the conflict between their neighbors to make small gains. As time progressed, their neighbors realized that Satavahana was growing too powerful. However, the Buddhist nation was, by then, grew so long that she no longer feared a coalition of her neighbors. Facing little opposition, Satavahana would defeat the last of her neighbors and unify all of India under her flag. The unification appeared to be a good omen of things to come and the people, mainly of the Buddhist religion, celebrated the incredible achievement of their rulers. The celebrations would come to an end when a new threat arrived from the west. The Satavahanans, like the Romans, thought that no one could hope to challenge their might. With an empire in his grasp, the ruler dared any enemy foolish enough to declare war on him. Pride and overconfidence would bring about one of the greatest disasters in Satavahanan history. The unified Indian empire would meet the people of Kangju.
It was a day like any other day. The sun rose at roughly the same time and people went about their business in Satavahana. The border patrols patrolled as they have any other day and found nothing to report. At noon, one of the border patrols was about to return to the outpost for lunch when the men caught sight of a dust cloud in the distance. A dust storm at that time was an odd phenomenon and the men were mesmerized by the scene. Few minutes passed and the men realized that the dust cloud wasn't the result of large gusts of wind. Instead, they saw before them a massive army approaching them. Unlike the armies they have faced before, the approaching men were mostly on horseback. Realizing the significance, the border patrol quickly rushed back to the outpost to warn about the invasion. Out of the two dozen men that were part of the border patrol, only one man made it back to the outpost. He would deliver his message before he, too, succumbed to his wounds. A messenger was dispatched to the Satavahana capital and, minutes later, the outpost was overwhelmed and all its soldiers massacred.
When the news of the invasion reached the capital, the Kangju have made significant progress into Northern India. On horseback, they moved quickly and caught many towns and cities ill-prepared. The Kangju generals weren't as bloodthirsty as many documents portrayed them as. They followed the strategy of "surrender or die" as they found capitulation more desirable than endless bloodshed. A few towns did surrender and its people were spared from any bloodshed. However, many town and city officials chose to fight and they would regret their decision. The Kangju were experienced and disciplined warriors that have mastered the art of war. They learned that mobility was the key to victory and literally grew up on a horse. In addition, they learned from their neighbors over the decades and trained specialized soldiers that would scale walls and open the gates. Against such a well oiled war machine, those within Satavahana that opposed the Kangju stood little chance. Many cities and towns were razed to the ground and majority of the population was massacred. For those that were spared, they would be sold into slavery and be shipped into the heart of the Kangju empire.
The ruler of Satavahana, learning of the invasion, ordered his subjects to raise the largest army ever seen in Satavahanan history. With an army of three hundred thousand, the Satavahanan generals predicted a victory. They would march north to engage the Kangju army which was making steady progress south. The two sides would meet at Indore where the Kangju generals tried diplomacy first. They announced that, if the Satavahanan soldiers lowered their weapons and surrendered, they will be merciful and allow them to return home. The Satavahanan generals scoffed at the announcement and ordered their armies to advance. While the Satavahanan generals thought that they outnumber their enemy by a huge margin, they would soon learn that numbers alone cannot save them. As they advanced, they saw the Kangju horsemen forming three ranks in an orderly fashion. Few seconds passed before the Kangju generals gave the order to fire. With precision, the Kangju's three ranks fired systematically and their arrows would drop Satavahanan soldiers rank after ranks. The death toll was rising so quickly that the discipline installed into the Satavahanan soldiers disappeared. The defenders were routing and the Kangju horsemen gave chase.
A survivor of the battle wrote this account:
It was horror. These horsemen were raining arrows down on us with no end. Our numbers were dropping so quickly that we thought for sure that we have lost. We no longer cared about the battle. It was self preservation that came to our minds. Still, they wouldn't let us survive. On their horses, they easily kept pace with us while firing arrows at us. It was no longer a battle. We were like game and they were the hunters. We ran everywhere hoping to escape the nightmare. Most of us never made it out alive. For the majority of the survivors, they would become slaves and we never hear about them ever again. As for me, I was fortunate to have gotten on a horse. By the time I returned home, the horse was near collapse. I reported the bad news to the city officials and they were shocked that we were defeated so quickly. I was just glad I came out alive.
The defeat at Indore made the ruler of Satavahana rethink his diplomacy with the Kangju rulers. Hoping to preserve whatever land he could, the ruler sent an envoy that would speak with the Kangju generals. The Satavahanans would hand over much of their empire along with a large sum of ducats in return for peace. The Kangju generals, learning of threats elsewhere, agreed to the peace deal. Thus, one battle would decide the fate of India as nine tenth of the territory would be ceded to the Kangju. The defeat also meant the decline of the Satavahana Empire. The huge loss of human lives meant that many farms would go unattended and food production dropped dramatically. The sum of ducats would put the empire in debt where it could never hope to repay back in its current state. To make matters worse, many of the conquered people would use the opportunity to rebel against the ruler. Collapsing from within, it seemed that Satavahana would fall to the Kangju sooner or later.
I hope you are just implying the Kangju and not me as well
. Chapter 157 [History of India (800 AD)]
Map of India in the year 800 AD:
Many events can take place over a century. That was clearly the case with India. When we last left off, Kangju was only a step away from ridding Satavahana and controlling all of India. It was an ambitious move by the nomad nation but they definitely had the tools at their disposal. Sadly, their conquest of India would never materialize following many internal turmoils. The conflicts from within would slowly rip this empire apart and it was becoming obvious that Kangju's control of India was weakening by the decades. To greatly worsen their situation, they would be embroiled in a lengthy war against one of the two most powerful nations in the known world. Since the year 770 AD, Kangju, having been dealing with a Roman invasion, would be too preoccupied to deal with rebels and aggressive nations from the distant east. The year 800 AD saw a great change in the political landscape of India. The Kangju has attempted to invade India but they would fail in the end. However, it would appear that a power would emerge in the region hoping to take the territory as its own.
Satavahana, due to excellent luck, would avoid a renewed war by the Kangju. They, however, lacked the resources and men to retake what was rightfully theirs. Thus, they decided to wait patiently and slowly build up their strength until their opportunity arise. Unfortunately for the Indian nation, they weren't given the chance to return to their former glory. A rising power from the east called Japan was just entering its golden age. Japan will be explained at a later date but, during their golden age, they would begin a series of rapid expansion that saw their empire stretched all the way to the Arabian Peninsula. The Kangju had put an end to Japanese expansion which explained the lack of presence of the Japanese in India during the eighth century. However, Japan remained strong and, upon sensing weakness in the Kangju, would first strike at Satavahana where they claimed some coastal provinces. Several wars would be declared over the decades against the nomad nation when they were weakening and some Kangju territory would be ceded to Japan as well.
Interesting enough, another nation began to appear on the political stage in India. A small nation that was always in the shadow of Japan would soon begin its own expansions. Ryukyu would follow Japan's example and use the chaos within Kangju to further their interests. It must be emphasized that Ryukyu and Japan never formed any sort of alliance because the two nations despised each other. Japan never got the chance to annex Ryukyu but they used every opportunity to humiliate or bully the small nation. Ryukyu people vowed to one day to defeat Japan in a major war and have been patiently bidding their time in minor expansions. Until their major gains in India, Ryukyu was never much of a threat to any Eastern Asian nations. With the two Eastern Asian nations grabbing lands in India, it would be a race to see which nation can grab more and become the dominant power in the region. On the topic of Eastern Asian nations, we mustn't forget the single province under the control of Mahan. As a nation that originated in the region called Korea (more will be explained about the region in later chapters), they have traveled a long way to expand.
Returning to the more native nations, we will first cover Sakas. Following their full annexation, the nation of Sakas was basically forgotten by everyone. It was one of those nations that some claim to have existed but never have the proof to support their claims. In 800 AD, Sakas would successfully earn its independence in a brutal fight against Kangju and, mostly, other rebels that fought in the region. Sakas have carved out a small territory and looked to wait for opportunity to further their gains in the region. Now that we have finished with the other nations, let's return back to Satavahana. The Indian nation wasn't too happy with her loss of territory to Japan but it wasn't all bad news. Some of their former territories in Northern India has broken free and the officials announced their loyalty to the Indian nation. In addition, a few provinces bordering what was left of Satavahanan territory also returned to their rightful owner. With the Romans slowly pushing in the Persian region, it was becoming obvious that more rebellions would take place. With so many nations waiting for their opportunities to expand further, no one knew who would come out on top.
The start of the ninth century would see a vastly different political landscape in India. Kangju, the feared nomad nation, was seeing its decline in power. The decline meant its hold over Indian provinces would weaken considerably that rebels and outside invaders could come and take it if they were willing to fight for it. Japan, Ryukyu and Mahan were three nations outside of India that saw the Kangju collapse as a chance to strengthen themselves. Satavahana may see a second chance to rebuild their empire if they could hold off the Eastern Asian nations that arrived only recently. Sakas, a nation thought to have been wiped out forever, saw a rebirth and, like Satavahana, had much work to do before she could return to her former glory. Unknown to these nations, a nation in the far west also has her eyes on the region as well. India would become a major battleground that would see the death of millions. Once the wars conclude, only one nation would control all (or nearly all) of India.
How did Japan and Ryuukyu become so powerful?
Kangju expanded quite a bit and you will see once I get to the history of China and rest of Asia.
Chapter 158 [History of India (850 AD)]
Map of India in the year 850 AD:
In 850 AD, Kangju's control over India has weakened substantially. Despite the fact they still held some territory in the region, it was believed that their remaining territories would change owners in the next few decades. The weakening of Kangju meant other nations are rushing to fill the power vacuum. When we viewed the India in 800 AD, it seemed that Japan and Ryukyu were destined to fill the vacuum and split the region between themselves. For the next five decades, surprising amounts of change would take place and a different India would appear on the map. Much of these changes were the results of meddling by outside powers and the resulting changes were often very significant to the future of India. Nonetheless, the future of India became murky once again and few were confident to predict the political landscape of the region in the upcoming decades. Meanwhile, a powerful empire from the west sought to conquer this land and make it her own.
Rome was the first outside power to play a major role in shaping India the way it was in 850 AD. Following their great victory over Kangju, the Romans demanded a few territories along with the liberation of Funan in the peace treaty. Funan would get a significant portion of land in India while several rebellions across India would expand their territory further. For the Japanese territory in India, a few rebellions has transferred some territory to Funan and it was the most notable in Southern India. The loss of territory would significantly lessen the presence of Japan in the region and was possibly the reason why Japan never really played a dominant role in India for the decades to come. Like Japan, Ryukyu would also suffer at the hands of rebellions. The two nations that had an opportunity to capture rich territory have suddenly found themselves incapable of holding onto what little territory remained. India seemed forever out of reach for the two nations as they looked to expand elsewhere.
For the Satavahanan nation, the rebellions brought much land and influence under their control. The Indian nation has risen from the ashes and, while still a shadow of it glorious past, has come a long way from a nation struggling to survive. Having controlled all of India at one time, the Satavahana nation formed an identity that remained despite the decades of Kangju rule. With many provinces scattered and split by Kangju territory, an agreement was made between Kangju and Satavahana that saw military access between the two nations. With many rebellions rising throughout the region, the two nations looked to work together in putting down the rebels. Of course, the Satavahanan elites had other plans when their troops walk in Kangju territory. Secretly, these armies were supporting the local rebels by providing arms and supplies. The Satavahanan elites knew that the nomad nation would collapse soon and hoped to speed up the process.
Sakas had its own problems to deal with. It would appear that forming a nation and fighting for independence was the easy part for the people of Sakas. Achieving independence has actually fractured the factions within the nation and saw a civil war take place. Many bloody battles were fought and a victor would be decided eventually. However, the internal conflicts emptied the Sakas treasury and put expansion in Kangju on hold. With pure luck, one group of rebels in the far north chose to pledge their allegiance to Sakas. It was a small gain but, for a nation that struggled so much since birth, it was definitely a step forward. Meanwhile, a nation called Tibet would enter the political stage in India as well. Sharing the same religion as Satavahana, there was definitely incentive for people to join Tibet when they saw the Satavahanan elites weak and incompetent. With more rebellions to come, there was a definite possibility that more territory would come under Tibetan control.
Seven nations have a presence in India. The most powerful, Kangju, has been defeated in a few major campaigns that saw their grasp of the region weakening. Rebellions sprout up every other month and constant bloodshed would take place. Soon or later, the nations within India would turn against each other for the control of the region. To complicate matters in the region, a power form the west also sought to control the region. We all know that a victor would emerge in the end. The bigger question was whether or not the victor could hold onto its territory for the centuries to come. Satavahana united India in the past but they were defeated by the nomad nation of Kangju. Kangju nearly controlled all of India but overextension and constant wars would eventually weaken their grasp in the region. India has been a sought after treasure over the millennium but not a single nation can claim it as their own for long. Will history repeat itself? Or will an everlasting nation take the region and bring peace and prosperity to the region?