HRE NES

[Cyclotron]

Duke Burchard II of Swabia to Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
That is acceptable to us.

[Micha]

OOC:
Sorry, haven´t been online for the last week, but I am fully back now and will participate more intensely from now on.

King Heinrich of Germany to all dukes

My brethren,
To have gained your support for my kingship is the greatest honour I have ever experienced. Let me express my sincerest gratitude and rest assured that I will pull out all the stops to defeat the filthy Magyar horde!
Fellow dukes, I am proud to announce a major campaign against the heathen horsemen that is to start a mere two years from now! Muster your men, prepare your weaponry, for soon only one side will prevail - and with the help of our Lord, it will not be them!
To arms, comrades!!!

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to King Heinrich of Germany
My lord, I have recently come into a large supply of leather from Venice that will come in useful in creating light armor for troops. I can offer you 300 sets of light armor this year for the price of 350 d. I will likely be able to repeat this trade next year, though I may be unable to make it truly permanent.

[Cyclotron]

I would like to begin this update on Friday. Your help meeting this goal is greatly appreciated!

[foolish_icarus]

to Arnulf :

Two years from now? May God help you, Arnulf. As you well know, there are 15 thousand Magyar soldiers somewhere in or around Carinthia right now, so I will do my best to juggle my army such that at least some forces remain in a position to defend against the horde.

Any armies that we and our allies have out there should really stick together. We've got a half dozen more or less ragtag contingents that alone may as well not exist, for they can't do anything, in offense or defense, against that horde. Brought together they wouldn't be able to cover as much territory, but at least they could be brought to bear against the enemy. Having one host in one place that's actually able to do something is better than having a myriad of ineffective companies scattered around.

And this is just between you and me cousin*, but I don't know how much you should count on my involvement until I can get things squared away (from this great distance, unfortunately). I've barely actually spent any time in my Duchy since becoming Duke, my soldiers consist of tired and homesick levies on one end and raw recruits who I've no de facto control over on the other.

Several of Conrad's generals are proving themselves to be unfit for their titles, given the present circumstances, and I'm going to have a hell of a time hammering things out with a virtually undefended fief at home and a pack of Magyar animals ready to swing down from the nearest grove of trees and head any which undecipherable way they please at any blasted hour of the day, day of the month! You know all about that.

Anyway, I hope you'll agree with me about consolidating our armies. Can you set that in motion, start talking to the other Lords? It's your land, and you've been at this longer than I have, anyway.

I've got to hop back to Franconia, round up those wily so called generals and so called knights, grab those green levies too and get back as quick as possible, at which time most or all of my old troops here will be relieved, if they haven't all deserted already.


*Yes, I know he's my adopted nephew. But cousin is more dignified, especially when the person in question is your elder and a Duke.

[Micha]

OOC:
When I said I´d like to dismiss the army in the March of Meissen, I also expressed my wish to call up "as many recruits as possible"
Can I please have some fresh recruits?

[appleciders]

Originally posted by Cyclotron
I would like to begin this update on Friday. Your help meeting this goal is greatly appreciated!

Battle orders tonight, then, homework permitting.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by Micha
OOC:
When I said I´d like to dismiss the army in the March of Meissen, I also expressed my wish to call up "as many recruits as possible"
Can I please have some fresh recruits?

I omitted it because I mean to ask you about it. You can, in theory, call up as many troops as you have denarii, but would be unable to pay them next turn, likely prompting mass desertion and disloyalty. I don't know how you want your budget balanced, so I would prefer that you give me a solid number as opposed to "as many as possible." You're gaining 1,600 per year right now, so you could raise 1,600 men and break even, assuming your income remains steady. Is that what you would like?

An emissary of the Horde is sent to each German Duke, bearing letters for all.

Gyula Levente, Master of Arrows, to King Heinrich of Germany
The Horde has come to know that your tribe has a new leader. Know that the safety of your people depends on my mercy, not on the armies of your Khagan that have been easily turned aside. The Fejedelem requests your total subjugation, but I may be convinced to stay the thunderous fist of the Horde for a... suitable... payment.

Gyula Levente, Master of Arrows, to all other German Dukes
As the Horde has shown, even your Khagan Berengar is a mewling infant when compared to the might of the Ten Tribes. Each one of you faces obliteration, yet each one of you may also find your way into the good graces of the Horde should you renounce your patronage. The Fejedelem is the greatest Khagan that lives, and only good things await those who recognize his undeniable will.

[foolish_icarus]

Ahem. Saying that a message is to King Conrad of Germany is rather ambiguous. Do you mean, to the brother of Conrad of Franconia, or to King Heinrich of Saxony?

[Cyclotron]

Fixed.

[appleciders]

Originally posted by Cyclotron
I omitted it because I mean to ask you about it. You can, in theory, call up as many troops as you have denarii, but would be unable to pay them next turn, likely prompting mass desertion and disloyalty. I don't know how you want your budget balanced, so I would prefer that you give me a solid number as opposed to "as many as possible." You're gaining 1,600 per year right now, so you could raise 1,600 men and break even, assuming your income remains steady. Is that what you would like?

Hold on a second- I seem to recall that simply calling up men doesn't cost money, only maintaining them. So even though I'm calling up 800 men, I don't need to worry about paying them until next turn. Am I misunderstanding that?

[Nimitz]

Duke Vratislaus of Bohemia to Gyula Levente
C.C. to the other Dukes

If Berengar is a mewling infant then you are a bratling of a child who must always seek the attention of others. Hear this so called "Master of Arrows" Bohemia will never serve you as your lapdog, we will not look for your favor. We will fight and continue till you are the one asking for forgiveness for your deeds. We will return Greator Moravia back to the hands it belongs to and forever remove you from it. We may not today; we may not soon; but we will we promise you this we will eventually. So hear this and hear it well turn away from these actions before someday you must pay for them.

[Nimitz]

OOC:
Do I PM the orders for my troops or just post them?

[appleciders]

Arnulf of Bavaria to Gyula Levente
Your diplomacy's mere existance suggests a level of uncertainty I have rarely seen from Magyars. If your armies are too badly weakened from battle with the Italians, I would naturally be willing to negotiate a cease-fire. Or, of course, you could move south and raid wealthy Italy, against the Italians who have never been victorious against you, instead of we Germans who have not been defeated by you in several years. I have no particular love for the Italians myself, and I easily might find other tasks than defending Berengar. While I will profess no love for you, I have come to appreciate you as a worthy foe and am willing to negotiate a peace on those terms.

OOC: If they're lengthy or secretive, PM them, but if they're short, just stick them in your orders.

[Cyclotron]

OOC:
Do I PM the orders for my troops or just post them?

I prefer extensive or very detailed tactical orders (this unit flank this way, organize into ranks, so on) in PM form. Strategic orders (the army is marching towards Vienna, under command of Graf X) and other shorter requests can simply be posted along with the rest of your orders. Also, any orders you want kept secret from other dukes should probably be PMed.