Yemen – The Happy Arabia

[Range]

Part 21

A Military Buildup – Range told the councilors that the nation needed to be ready for war. They thought he meant the defense of Yemen. Still, they had no idea what he could accomplish in building a major force.

Range still had hopes of Yemen becoming a great military force. In a move toward that end Range pulled some strings to get Yemen to move toward a National Idea of a Grand Army.

"Building Armies is one thing, but replacing our loses quickly is quite another." declared Range. "We should build military camps in our biggest provinces...and, we should start with Mecca."

Establishing a recruiting center in Mecca was another step toward building a great military power. Yemen now had 27,000 troops...and the number of available reserves were growing. Range's plan was taking shape.

 

[Enewald]

Your Empire is quite small considering how huge it could be.

 

[Range]

I guess I better expand my nation's border...and, I have to act swiftly.

 

[Range]

Part 22

Yemen the Warrior Nation (29,000 troops). More than half were from the House of Range.

Range was all too eager to start a war with the Mamluks. At first, all he wanted was Muscat…to free its people from the Mamluk’s cruel rule over them.

Then, when it was learned that the Mamluks were at war with Austria, Poland, the Ottoman Empire that was a green light to start a Yemeni land grab. But, at the start Range had been relegated to a bit part. This was due to Colonel Umar Kalief.

Kalief did not like Range…and openly called Range a fool.

As for Range…he considered Kalief a coward and told him so in no uncertain terms.

“Be careful my young friend…as my sword is swift and can easily lop your head from your shoulders.”

“You might try Kalief…but, let me warn you…better men than you have tried and died in their folly.”

The matter of how long the war could continue depended on how long the Mamluks' enemies continued to fight against them. The longer Mamluks enemies continued fighting all the better it would be for Yemen.

Except for the Mamluks troops that took refuge in the fort, Muscat was virtually undefended.

As for Range, his emotions were torn between the people of Dhofar and the taking of Muscat. His thoughts were also on the twelve he sent out to delay an army of Mamluks that were advancing on Dhofar.

The Yemeni armies were divided into three major strike forces – The smaller group set out from Dhofar to take Muscat. They would be reinforced by newly formed regiments (Sana'S, Hadramut and Najran). Two larger armies were positioned in Naid and Awsa. A force would be built in Zeila to march to the south.

The Mamluks never knew what hit them in the early days of the war…provinces after province fell almost unopposed to Yemen.

Then came the battle of Qater…where the Mamluks had gathered their best.

Range arrived with his force from the East to reinforce the smaller Yemeni army that was opposing a larger Mamluks force. Range found the Yemenis' flank in disarray as he rode up to his old nemesis…Colonel Umar Kalief .

“Why are you not advancing?” Range yelled at the colonel.

“I see no reason to risk my army against such odds.”

“Your orders are to advance with your cavalry!”

“I command my men…”

“Most of your command are from my house…my family...they’ll follow me.” Range then turned to address all the colonel’s men, “Men of the House of Range…”

The Colonel a coward…true to his soul, drew his sword to strike Range down. But, Uma who was upon a horse to Range’s right was all too aware of the colonel’s moves. She gasped, as she warned, “Range…look out!”

Range was all too prepared…his blade was already out as he turned back…lowering his head the colonel’s blade barely missed hitting him. But, Range did not miss. He stuck his battle blade deep into the Colonel’s stomach.

The Colonel leaned forward before falling dead into the sand.

“The battle has started!” Oma yelled.

“Their cannons have the high ground,” said Range. “We’ll have to take them out frist and then their infantry.

“Look…our infantry are forming squares…as you have taught."

"The enemy cannons will cut down our infantry," explained Range, "forward to the cannons!”

As Range's house took on the cannons...the Yemeni infantry within their squares cut down the Mamluks cavalry. Range and his cavalry took half the cannons out (the rest packed up and ran) before his family took on the Mamluks infantry. It was a rout.

Although outnumbered the Yemeni army took the day.

 

[Range]

Part 23

In the House of Range there are many rooms. By the early Eighteen-hundreds it was estimated that there were well over a million descendants of Range and Oma in Yeman alone. Even more spread out across the globe…

It was about a month after the victory at Qater that the Yemeni army faced off against a larger Mamluk force for the battle of Al Hasa.

Range was ordered to attack the Mamluk’s artillery head on with three regiments of cavalry. Oma was at his side as the all out charge began. Their horses hooves pounded on the sands as drew ever closer. Then, they began to fall. A tenth of his forces fell before they reached the cannons and its supporting forces.

A moment after reaching the Mamluk’s position, Range was hit and fell from his mount. Oma pulled her horse to a hasty halt. “Range…get up!” She yelled with tears in her eyes.

Range lay still upon the sand. Then, the action slowed.



Tale – Number 9

Love has no boundary.

The young soldier lay still upon the sand. His love called out to him, “Get up!”. But, her young man did not move.

The young man’s eyes were open wide…but, he was blind to this world. As he stared upward he saw the vision of a mist rising up from where he lay. He could hear his love’s voice, a hollow cry for him to get up. But, he could not move.

As Oma ran to his side she saw the mist rising up from his body…a mist that appeared like two arms that was reaching for heaven. Seeing the mist she became frightened and stopped in her tracks. She screamed, “NO! Range please don’t leave me,” she cried, dropping to her knees.

The young’s eyes then blinked. The sounds of battle were clearly all about him. Suddenly he jumped to his feet and began to fight with a sword in his right hand and a dirk in his left.

When the battle was over, she told him that she thought he was dead.

He smiled. “I thought I was,” he said, before pausing. “Then, I heard your voice.”

Had her love brought him back… if so Love truly has no boundary.

knew it was not my time…I have too much living ahead of me.”

This was the last major battle against Mamluks and Yemen. As the Mughal and Austrian forces began to swarm over the Mamluks provinces, they moved their main force north to defend their land.

The major battles that followed for Yemen was to put out the many fire fights against marauding Mamluk forces and rebellions. Toward the end of the war Yemen had 43 regiments in the field…

(Please excuse the small number of battles written up about the war against the Mamluks…as if I had listed them all this post would have been six times longer than what it is now.) - Twenty provinces were taken.

To make up for this allow me to tell another tale.

To Be Continued:

The Tale of the Patrol of Valor

 

[kfijatass]

It's slowly coming to an end. O well
Say, got msn? I got an offer you might consider ^^

 

[Enewald]

The war could have went better.
Have you not read Sun Tzu or Clausewitz?

 

[Range]

Twenty Provinces...time was running out.

 

[Range]

Part 24

To make up for the lack of battle screens, I will now tell of the “Tale of the Patrol of Valor”.

Tale – Number 10

Tale of the Patrol of Valor

For decades before the war the Omani army had been granted free military access to roam throughout Yemen. One particular army group was made up of three Omani regiments.

Their route was always a same and it took them about a year to make a complete round. When the war broke out they were turning and heading for Dhofar (southeast most part of Yemen).

Despite the fact that everyone knew an Omani army was moving up from the rear, Range’s commander Colonel Umar Kalief refused to postpone his advance with the southern army from Dhofar to take Muscat.

There were no Yemen forces between them and the Omani regiments. Range feared for the civilian populace in Shalalah. (He remembered how the people there cheered their arrival when they freed them from the oppression of the Omanis.) Their only hope of survival was the newly formed four regiments of Yemeni troops moving down from the north. But, they needed a few days to overtake the Omani regiments.

Range knowing where the Omani troops should be, understood that action had to be taken quickly. So, he sought twelve very exceptional men for a mission they would most likely not return from.

The twelve…fathers, brothers, cousins and uncles assembled before Range to listen to his plan. To a man they understood the risk, but did not shay away from the call to duty. They had been well trained by Range himself and were masters of the sword as well as the dirk and as brave as can be.

Where they lived, the town of Oma was only a few feet from Range and Oma’s tent. Range and Oma always like to keep in touch with relatives and these twelve were their descendants as was the inhabitants of the entire town…if not the entire province of Asir.

The gallant twelve were given the task of delaying the Omani army long enough to allow the newly formed Yemeni regiments to overtake them.

The Omani commander knew that they were at war with Yemen as a messenger had reached them. His orders were to advance to Muscat and relieve the fort there. But, upon seeing the twelve off in the distance, and thinking they were an advance guard he gave chase with his entire command. The direction they took was toward the north away from Muscat and city of Shalalah.

The Omani commander was allowed to catch up to the twelve as they waited for the Omani army them. The twelve sat upon their camels right in the open and in front of a small oasis.

The Omani commander sent a messenger to speak to the twelve. The two fathers sitting on their camels were positioned one on the far right and the other on the far left of the line of the twelve.

They met the Omani messenger in front of their position and told him, “You must tell you commander that he and his men can not cross the line behind us that stretches just in front of our family to the tree to the far north and to the tree to far south.”

The poor confused messenger stared to the north and to the south and inquired, “Where are these trees you speak about? As far as I can see to the north nor to the south there are no trees.”

“But, yet,” they told him, “there are trees in direct line to a spot that’s only a few feet behind us.”

“When the messenger returned to the commander and told him of what the fathers had expressed, the Omani commander fumed. Yet, he did not want to make the twelve Yemeni soldiers martyrs. So, he ordered a company of his best cavalry to move directly at the twelve…and not in a skirmish line…but, in a column of three.

The thirty six Omani cavalry led by their captain rode hard toward the twelve. The Yemenis did not flinch as the enemy closed the gap between them ever so quickly.

Just in front of the twelve’s Yemenis position there was a small dune. The Omani cavalry had no trouble racing up the dune, but they also could avoid falling into a twenty-five sink hole that sat right in front of the twelve.

The Omani commander was beside himself. One moment the cavalry was in view on top of the dune and then they disappeared. The yelling of the men as they fell to their death ended quickly. But, the commander confused what had happened to his men.

He sent the messenger to speak to the twelve. When the messenger returned he told the commander about the sink hole and shared what the fathers told him once more. They said, “You must tell you commander that he and his men can not cross the line in front of the sink hole that stretches to the tree to the far north and to the tree to far south.”

The Omani commander watched as the twelve moved in front of the sinkhole to set up a new line of defense. That’s when the Omani commander still wishing not to make the twelve martyrs sent his next best twelve cavalrymen against the twelve…when those twelve Omani cavalrymen fell to the twelve’s swords…the commander sent the next best twelve…when they fell the commander sent another twelve.

The Omani commander then grew tired of this game. He then sent his messenger again to speak to the twelve. “My commander commends your loyalty to duty and fierce display of valor. He now, offers the twelve of you your lives. All he asks is that you allow us to pass without incident.”

The two fathers of the other ten sighed and replied, “You must tell you commander that he and his men can not cross the line in front of the sink hole that stretches to the tree to the far north and to the tree to far south.”

When the messenger returned to his line he told the commander what the twelve had said. The old commander had never confronted men such as these twelve Yemenis. “Either they are crazy, or the bravest men I have come against…we’ll go around them.”

With that the three Omani regiments began to march toward the south. Their escorts, the twelve rode in single file staying no more than a hundred yards to their flank.

Exasperated, a day later, the Omani commander turned his command about and began to march his men to the north. Two days later the Omani army came upon the tree that the fathers of the ten had said existed.

The commander sent his messenger to speak to the twelve once more. “My commander grows tired of this game…he has asked to tell you that is you do not stand down his men will crush you beneath the hoofs our cavalry and our sandals.”

The twelve laughed. The two fathers then explained, “That is the tree to the north we spoke of…true to our word you shall not pass the line that stretches from this tree to the rim of the sink hole to the tree to the far south…you see our salvation is neigh…directly behind your commander’s position is our army from the north and behind us is our father Range who arrives from the east to join us in battle.

 

[Range]

Part 25

In all Yemen had taken twenty provinces from the Mamluks…all but nine were handed back to them.

And, then it was over.


***************************************************************

The Second Homecoming:

When Range and Oma returned to their time, they did not arrive at their homes. That sort of figured. But, the true reason why they were returned to the facility didn’t make sense to them.

They were met by Mr. Walcott. He seemed quite forceful in trying to persuade Range and Oma to start off on another journey immediately.

Hearing Mr. Walcott’s offer, Oma exploded. “Are you nuts?” She asked. “I can’t count the number of times he almost died…and to top it off he gets himself trapped in a sand storm for sixteen years with an older him and a sadistic-vengeful spirit.”

“Oma,” said Range, trying to calm Oma. He then turned his attention to Mr. Walcott and said, “No”. He paused for a moment before expressing his displeasure. “First off…I wasn’t scheduled to go to Yemen.”

“What?” Oma asked, confused.

“WE know,” replied Walcott, “It was a regrettable malfunction…one that was beyond our control. We only meant to take the older Range to a location where he would be safe.”

“What did you mean you weren’t supposed to go to Yemen?” Oma asked Range, almost in tears.

“I was supposed to be going to Scotland…I had no intention of ever going to Yemen.”

“Then, we would have never met,” said Oma embracing her love.

“Range,” said Walcott almost fearing having to continue. “…You must take your journey to Scotland (“Scotland, the Brave…the strong and the Free.”) and fulfill your destiny and complete all thirteen of your journeys.”

“So, our love is cursed,” said Oma, as tears began to run down her face.

“I assure you it’ll only take a few moments for you to complete all your journeys,” Walcott told Range. “In regard to your love only time knows whether your love is truly cursed. But, as for your non-compliance it is certain that it would be end of all of us.”

Range and Oma said their goodbyes. Oma pledged to wait for Range for his return…a pledge in her heart she truly believed she would keep. Of course sixteen years is a long time to wait.

Range was off to what was once his second journey, his now third recorded trip back down the line. In all, the young Range went on to take many journeys…but, as for the Journey “Hope” only time can answer that question. Of course the question has to be asked are the occurrences that lay upon the lines to form history constants or can history itself be changed for good or bad without us ever knowing a change has taken affect?

**********************************************************************
The older Range’s return from his final Journey – “Range – Scotland’s Chieftain”.

Range had been returned to his rightful time.

Months later, he met Erin and Richard at the Edinburgh Military Museum (as seen in the “Range the Highland's Head Chieftain”) in Edinburgh, Scotland.

An Elderly Woman continued to admire a very old painting of Range.

When she turned to Erin, the woman said, “You know you look a lot like that Range.” She then looked at Richard and smiled kindly, “And, you sir it’s almost like you’re both descendents of the man.

Range then came up behind Erin and Richard. He poked his head over their shoulders to look at the woman. “What about me?’ He asked

The woman stared at him before quickly looking back at the painting. When she turned back she suddenly cried out in sheer terror. “It’s Range…back from the dead!” She ran from the room shrieking. “Range’s ghost!”

• “What’s wrong with her,” Range said grinning ear to ear. “You’d think she saw a ghost.”

• “Range’s Ghost!” The woman’s words continued down the corridor.

• “Dad,” Erin said, as she turned to look back to Range. “There’s one thing that troubles me…I thought we were Immortal when we were on a Journey.

• “No,” Range sadly replied, “I knew the truth going in…that’s why I kept distant to the both of you when you showed up. I hoped you’d return home before anything happened to either of you.

• Both, Erin and Range noticed the sorrow in their dad’s eyes.

• “But, somewhere along the line,” Range went on to say, “I started to believe I was…that we all were immortal. I can’t sorry enough or make up for being the way I WAS toward the both of you…”

• Erin stilled dad’s words, placing my hand over his lips. “It’s all right dad…we understand.”

• “Dad,” said Richard, before pausing to consider his words. “What were you thinking when the gallows’s trap door dropped open?”

• “Well,” said Range, before pausing to think back. “It’s what happened next that really threw me for a loop…as I heard the door drop…”

The part of what happened to Range’s trip to the gallows will be omitted here (If you wish to find out what happened you could read “Range, Scotland’s Highland Chieftain”)


• The three of them began to leave the room they were in.

• “First off, let me say that my journeys have come to an end,” said Range.

• Richard and Erin both agreed that all our journeys had come to an end. As they deemed the cost could easily prove too costly.

• That’s when Oma met them at the doorway. She was all smiles. As it turns she never had to wait those sixteen years for Range’s return…he never took that tenth journey “Hope”.

*****************************************

In Closing allow me to show and share but a few memories of my/Range’s known journeys.

Ireland Forever:

Leinster’s War with Ulster

• All of Ireland took up the fight and joined the battle at Connaught.

When Munster's troops mustered on the Connaught's battlefield, no one was quite certain which side they would take (after all, they were an ally to both Ulster and us).

Gazing at the Munster's armies, I recognized their king immediately. He was seated on a gallant steed, flanked by his men. Poised like some statue on a slight slope, he appeared unyielding. His stern gaze was fixed as he stared out to Ulster's and our troops
forming battle lines in the near distance from him.

Looking at him, I sort of felt he was trying to figure out who stood the
better chance of winning. But, I couldn't have misjudged the man more
unfairly.

His troops soon swarmed over the defenders of Ulster. Not long afterward, I heard his painful exclaim from atop of that hill that echoed across the battlefield, "WHAT KIND OF NIGHTMARE IS THIS ... HAVE WE ALL GONE MAD!"

I sadly watched the good king of Munster drop his head as he turned his horse
from the field and slowly began to return to his camp.


Scotland, the Brave, the strong and the Free

General Angus McDonald, my mentor.

"Could someone kindly lend a man a seat in his own boat!"

Dressed in his finest kilt, Angus placed his swords upon the stone floor in sort of a T. And, with the help of Markus’ accompanying with his bagpipes Angus performed the Scottish Sword Dance fluidly and flawlessly, not missing a beat…or a step.

Also, in this AAR Lillith rises up from the dead to threaten Range.

“Moo!” Mildred said, giving greetings.


Riga - Range's Sabbatical (Yeah sure)

After one colony had been wiped out by Bahamas natives, a second colony was eventually started and Range sent out to speak to native leaders:
.
• When Range and Michael reached the outskirts of the Native camp they were immediately grabbed taken under guard before the chiefs.

• “I’ve come to speak to your leaders.”

• “We know why you’ve come,” said one chief in English. “Come…enter our council lodge and we shall speak.”

• Range smiled at the chief and calmly said, “Oh, you have a council lodge, too…huh?”

• The chief glared at Range.

• Range looked back at Michael, who wasn’t following. “Well, what are you waiting for…come on?”

• Michael looked at the two warrior bookends that wee standing on both sides of him before attempting a first step. His foot never touched the ground until he was back in place between the two warriors. “No, I think I’ll stay right here with my new friends… besides many of the chiefs know English already.”

• Range entered the lodge with the chief.

• Inside the lodge there were many chief, but one in particular was noticeably above them all.

• Range considered the natives on Bahamas as a nation, as truthfully they had almost a many people as Riga had. The strange truth of this meeting was that the many chiefs in attendance that day had wanted to meet Range (the enemy chief) as much as Range wanted to meet them.

• “My name is Range…I come from far away. My intentions now is to settle here on these beautiful islands and make them my and my people’s home.”

• “But, this is our islands!” One chief angrily voice his displeasure. Thankfully, he was quieted by a slight movement of the hand of the Great Chief.

• “Yes…yes, it is your islands, but it will also be our islands.”

• “We are aware what you and your people did to other natives on other islands,” said the Great Wise Chief in a more gentle, but firm voice.

• “Yes, we fought natives on other islands,” Range replied in kind. “But, it was never our intention.” Range paused for a moment to reflect on what was, and what could be. “My people are no different than your people…we want the same as what your people want…to live free and care for our families.”

• “You talk of freedom?” said the Noble Great Chief. “But, you also bring death.”

• “We did not bring the plague knowingly…it followed us…and, we stopped it and even helped your people survive it.”

• “Tell me again what makes you like my people?” Asked the The Great Noble Chief (Okay we get the point-He’s the great, wise, noble chief that all looked to his wisdom).

• Range paused for a moment to formulate a thought that had come into his mind, maybe something that he heard long ago. It came to him quite easily as he watched a native woman begin to pass out small cakes filled with meat to all the chiefs and to Range. Holding the cake in his hand, Range began to explain. “This food that I has been handed me sort of reminds me of the apple pie my mother use to make. My mother was a great cook. My mouth waters in thinking of that apple pie. But, no matter how hard or how long she took to prepare that apple pie it was only as good as the ingredients that went into it. People are like that apple pie…as they are only as good as the ingredients that went into them.”

• “And, chiefs…what are they like?” The head chief asked (Okay that’s better). Range who’s telling this story, me or you?

• “Leaders or chiefs are also like my mother’s apple pie…they are only as good as the ingredients that went into them.”

• The great chief laughed loudly with understanding and asked, “Range…are you a sour apple?”

• “Nah, I come from my mother and father…like your mother and father they only had the best of ingredients in them.”

• “Time will tell Range,” he said reaching out his hand in friendship.

• Range and the great chief shook hands and the other chiefs and all their people soon rejoiced, as did the colony.

22 September 1604 – Bahamas becomes a city of 5844 people.


Erin is introduced in this AAR.




Range – Scotland’s Highland Chieftain

Bahamas Contingent

Yemen - The Happy Arabia

 

[Enewald]

I find the name Oma still quite hilarious. Means 'grandma' in German.

 

[Range]

That's great to hear...brings a laugh...I enjoy doing these AARs. But, that might be it for a while. I just learned that a film director is looking at one of my scripts.

He's not the first, but you never know...who will finally take one my scripts on.