HRE NES

[Cyclotron]

Orders received. I will update as soon as I receive Foolish's orders.

[Micha]

FOOLISH!!!











... or else ...

[foolish_icarus]

sorry for holding things up. I feel as if I've neglected something in my orders, but I can't quite pin down what.


King Conrad I to Archbishop Pilgrim I of Salzburg :

Good Archbishop,
I pray that you will not act hastily when young Arnulf’s soul is at stake here. He has been a troubled young man, and I think only recently has the Grace God shines down upon him been getting through. The transformation I have witnessed in him since the last time we met is remarkable. He has expressed to me that he is regretful of his rash land seizures, and wishes to return them as promptly as he is able. We now embark upon a military campaign to help secure the safety of Christendom, and we ask for your blessing for ourselves and for the heathens that they may soon see the light of Christ.

-Conrad


King Conrad I to Duke Tomislav of Dalmatia :

Greetings,
The Magyar horde has been known to prey upon the good Christian folk of your lands as well as mine, and others besides. We are preparing to launch a blow against the Magyar, and I felt guided to inform you of this, so that you would be able, if you wish (as I hope you will) to strike against the barbarians at the same time. If you wish to coordinate further, we will send word when we are ready for the attack.


King Conrad I to Duke Burchard of Swabia :

Indeed, our campaign will benefit greatly from having your stalwart troops as part of our forces.

-Conrad


Send out the Frankfurt and Mainz levies to campaign with my son. I will accompany the cohort, but leave the tactical planning to the generals and my son.
Also call up 200 knights and 600 sergeants.
Begin raising 500 levy men

Standing orders every update period until I say otherwise are to vigorously attempt to produce a child with my wife, assuming I’m at home.

Spendings of Monies

1000 denarii to mine silver and if possible begin minting our own currency.

1000 denarii for 500 suits of light armor

500 denarii for 500 short swords

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by foolish_icarus
sorry for holding things up. I feel as if I've neglected something in my orders, but I can't quite pin down what.

They look fine to me. You also have the option of adding up to 2 generals this turn, because I started you out with only 3 while everyone else had 4.

I will now commence with the update as soon as it is written. The deadline for getting new orders in is noon on Thursday, PST; I will post the update at some point tomorrow. Thanks for playing!

Oh, some Diplomacy:

Archbishop Pilgrim I of Salzburg to King Conrad I
My Lord,
Our patience with your son is wearing quite thin. We expect you to do your duty with regards to God's Holy Church, and to do that duty forthwith. If this situation is not rectified soon, I shall place under interdict any man who serves under the Duke of Bavaria, as is my power as leader of the diocese governing Bavaria; if you value his contribution to your campaign, it would be wise for you to avoid this.

Duke Tomislav of Dalmatia to King Conrad I
Greetings to His Christian Majesty,
My recent campaigns against the Magyars within Dalmatia and all lands of the Croats have met with success, and they now avoid my lands under penalty of death. While I have no love for these murderous heathens, I do not think it appropriate to violate the tenuous truce I have secured with them for an uncertain gain. When it is proven to me that the armies of Germany are capable of seriously challenging the Magyars, I will reconsider your request.

[foolish_icarus]

If I don't call up the two generals this turn, can I do so later?

Is the Archbishop expecting a reply before this update, or was I able to get out of the castle before his courier found me?

[appleciders]

Father- I have ordered the attack to commence this turn! If you order this attack to cease before the deadline, I will honor that request; I sought only to regain land from the heathens that I might return land to the Church.

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to Duke Spytihnìv I of Bohemia
The attack against the Magyars is to begin immediately. We appreciate any support you can give.

OOC: Foolish, if you want to halt that attack, you don't need to wait for my confirmation- order it!

[foolish_icarus]

I don't want to halt the attack. Did I say something somewhere that indicated I did?

[Cyclotron]

I would like to note at this point that you can't make much of an attack this turn anyway - no vassals will be mobilized until next turn. You could immediately attack with your existing forces, but an infantry force unsupported by your feudal cavalry is unlikely to perform well against the Magyars.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by foolish_icarus
If I don't call up the two generals this turn, can I do so later?

Yes. I have stated that people can call up one general per turn; in your case, you may call up 2 instead during any one turn that you wish to. It is not necessary to do that now.

Is the Archbishop expecting a reply before this update, or was I able to get out of the castle before his courier found me?

He is making threats, and not expecting any reply short of your intervention on his behalf. Unless you want to tackle the issue this turn, no, it is not neccessary to do anything. He has made his point.

[foolish_icarus]

Then we're postponing the attack.

And I'm calling up all my knights and sergeants instead of just some of them

Landgraf Hildebert von Weinzberg (the incompetent one not going on campaign) is going to be assigned to some task in his local area. Something challenging, but able to be done with some dedication, and nothing that's so crucial that it will be a disaster if he screws it up. Something to do with farming, or the building of a church, maybe. Everyone else will be away so he'll have to rely on himself or at least find some good officials to run things for him. This man is going to grow some balls and accomplish something.

[Cyclotron]

The update is almost complete.

Appleciders - do you want the results of your reconnaisance made public, or given to you only by PM? I'll assume PM unless you tell me otherwise.

[Cyclotron]

Anno Domini CMXII

This year’s Pope: Anastasius III
This year’s Emperor: None

Successions

Duke Burchard of Swabia has died of an illness. His brother, Erchanger, has succeeded without contest to the Ducal seat.

Family Business

No family events of note have taken place this year.

Land und Leute

This year has been a banner year for wheat, and the peasants have prospered accordingly. Good church stocks have contributed to the boom, and this winter was a relatively easy one for the peasantry. As a result, profitability for all duchies gained a 10% bonus last year.

Krieg und Frieden
aber meistens Krieg...

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria has refused tribute to the Magyars, and even now the hordes have begun to raid Carinthia and Bavaria in earnest! It is said that the Arpads are gathering a great host within the lands of the Magyars, to crush the upstart Germans once and for all.

Duke Spytihnìv I of Bohemia has retreated in the face of a determined Magyar invasion to his capital at Prague. He has sent urgent pleas for assistance to potentates all over Christendom. For his part, King Berengar of Friuli seems wholly uninterested in the fate of Bohemia, as Magyar raiding continues in provinces under his control.

The Kievan Rus, under Prince Oleg of Novgorod and Kiev, have assaulted Constantinople itself. Though unable to breach the city’s formidable defenses, they have forced the Emperor of the Greeks, Leo VI, to sign a favorable trade agreement with them. Meanwhile, the armies of the Emperor have made some modest progress against the empire of Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria, who currently extracts tribute from the Greek Emperor. Simeon is likely not pleased.

The new Muslim leader of Tunis – claiming to be the rightful “Caliph” of the Muslims – continues to make war against his fellow heathens of North Africa. The rapid conquests of these so-called “Fatimids,” who are seizing more and more land from established Muslim emirates, are no doubt worrisome to His Holiness and the Christian princes of Italy.

Other News of Christendom

An assassin has made an attempt on the life of King Berengar of Friuli, and has paid for it with his own! Supposedly, the foul assassin attempted to poison the food of the King of Italy, and was discovered by the King’s bodyguards. The would-be poisoner soon found himself on the menu – spitted, roasted, and thrown to the dogs. If the King or his men know who paid the scoundrel, they are not telling.

The rumor that the current Pope is in fact the illegitimate son of his predecessor has been used by certain factions in Rome to rouse the Roman mob. Riots against Theophylact, the Count of Tusculum, perhaps the most powerful man in the city – whose whore of a wife, Theodora, is rumored to be the mother of the current Pope – lasted for several days before the Count was able to crush them with his retainers and Lombard mercenaries. The central squares of Rome have been booked solid with executions for weeks on end of those charged with threatening the Pope or questioning his legitimacy.

Saxony

The forges of Saxony ring with the sound of hammers on metal – the Duchy is preparing for war. The Duke’s son, Heinrich, is supervising the training of a new army to strike at the pagan Slavs to the east. They will be ready to move next year.

The defenses of Magdeburg have been augmented by barracks facilities and prodigious grain storehouses. The new training grounds, coupled with Heinrich’s personal assistance in training, have raised Saxony’s max callup by 50 for the next year.

Swabia and Saxony have begun a trade of metals, as the Saxons desperately need iron for their war preparations. The roads are bad and thick with bandits, but without any organized raiding along the trade routes the Dukes at least are able to turn a bonus profit of 20% (140 denarii to each Duke).

The construction of a series of wooden forts on the northern border of Saxony has progressed smoothly, though their impact for now is slight – without a garrison, their skeleton crews have little effect on Viking invaders, who often go by sea anyways (bypassing the border entirely). The Slavs, for their part, are raiding as enthusiastically as ever.

Corruption in Saxony remains constant at 15%.

Franconia

The sudden refusal of the Bavarians to pay tribute to the Magyars has taken much pressure off Franconia; now that Bavaria is no longer friendly territory to the Magyars, fewer raids make it into Franconia – though still no small number. Nevertheless, the Franconians are preparing for war, and smiths are kept busy throughout the Duchy.

The vassals of Franconia, along with the Frankfurt and Mainz levies, are assembling south of Bamberg in preparation for a move into Bavaria in support of Duke Arnulf’s campaign. Though the Bavarian nobles are nervous about the King marching an army into the land of their one-time rebel lord, it seems for now the crossing will be unopposed.

Well funded from the royal treasury, Franconia’s engineers and prospectors have thoroughly examined the previously unexplored silver resources of Franconia, and have come up with promising news – there appears to be a fairly good size silver supply, amounting to a source of moderate availability. Mine shafts have been dug, and silver is already being minted into a few coins that will no doubt bring a measure of economic control to the King. The coin printing will begin in earnest next year.

The hapless Hildebert von Weinzberg has begun work on a chapel in Weinzberg, perhaps acting to appease the priests that have grown angry with his lord – but for now, at least, this is to no avail. The clergy are becoming more and more upset with the King’s inability to answer their grievances against Duke Arnulf, and many fear violence may not be far off.

Corruption in Franconia decreases by 1% this year, due to decreased raiding. Corruption is now 11%.

Swabia

The new Duke of Swabia has concentrated his efforts on economic, rather than military matters, perhaps convinced that the weight of Franconia and Bavaria will be sufficient to keep his realm safe. Nevertheless, he has called up many of his vassals, and a combined force of 2,100 men under the command of Vizegraf Bernard von Thurgau is preparing to cross into Bavaria next year.

The Duke has ordered construction of a palisade around Zurich, as well as a system of wooden forts on his border with Bavaria. While raiding has decreased somewhat since the Bavarians cancelled their tribute to the Magyars, it has not come close to ending yet.

The Duke’s officials have also begun work on grape cultivation in the hills of Swabia. Funded with money from the ducal treasury, freedmen on the Duke’s land have begun experimenting with wine grape growing in the region, building trellises, presses, and wineries. Perhaps soon, Swabia will have a new product ready for export.

Corruption in Swabia decreases by 1% this year, due to decreased raiding. Corruption is now 15%.

Bavaria

Bavaria seems to be entering difficult times. The Magyars, mostly dissuaded from their raids by the Duke’s heavy tribute, have once again turned to pillage and plunder upon his refusal to pay anymore. The porous borders help this situation very little indeed. Fortunately, no Magyar army is in sight, the weight of the heathen forces seemingly concentrated on Bohemia at present.

For their part, the Bohemians seem to be abandoning the country in droves. Fearful of the wholesale slaughter that accompanied the destruction of Great Moravia, thousands of Slavs are fleeing over the border into Bavaria, stripping farmlands bare and settling where they can.

Disorder is high among the native population as well, who have been incited into numerous riots by the clergy, angry with Arnulf and frustrated at the unwillingness of the King to aid them. It is said the Archbishop of Salzburg is considering putting Arnulf’s troops under interdict, which causes nervousness among the Duke’s ranks.

Despite this, Bavaria still functions, and its efforts are focused on the sword and spear. The mobilized vassals of Bavaria, together with forces of freedmen selected by the Duke, have been gathering in the area of Linz in preparation for war. They await the newer recruits, as well as the forces of Franconia and Swabia. The Carinthians are also preparing for action, and their vassals have been mobilized.

In a not totally unforeseen development, the Duke has apparently grown tired of his general Luitpold von Frelsing. He has been removed from office and brought before a court of his fellow barons – the church, however, has been entirely unwilling to participate in his prosecution, no doubt out of spite towards Duke Arnulf. Without any church support, and because no layman peasant’s testimony carries any weight against that of a noble, the barons had insufficient evidence to convict Luitpold of anything. He has retained his titles and land, and has retreated, fuming, to his estates in Carinthia.

Nevertheless, the Duke has continued to try and reshape the nobility to his liking – he has managed to anger the Grafs of his realm by proposing to raise a mere Freiherr, Visloff der Kroat, to the rank of Graf – and a Croatian Freiherr, at that. The nobles have demanded that the Duke explain his actions to the assembled Grafs, arguing that many native sons of Germany deserve the title, land, and position much more than a poor foreigner. The Freiherr Visloff has graciously declined the Duke’s promotion, expressing concern that he would further alienate himself from his fellow nobles by doing so before this matter is resolved to the satisfaction of the nobility.

Carinthia’s engineers have been able to discover a decent quantity of iron under some of the region’s rolling hills, amounting to a source of high availability. They have, however, been unable to complete mines of the deposits, owing to the current chaotic nature of Carinthia and a limited budget. Iron, they say, will be forthcoming next year with additional funding.

The Duke’s contribution to agriculture in Carinthia has not gone unnoticed, though effects are limited in a country that is still largely thick forest. Profitability in Carinthia has increased by 5%. The Duke has also sought to curb corruption in Carinthia, but this is difficult in the trackless wilds, especially with the new influx of raiders from the Magyar lands. Most local freedmen and small-time lords rarely see a ducal representative, much less a reeve with the means to punish them. The impact of their efforts has been slight at best.

Prospectors in Carinthia have found areas in which decent quality stone may be found. It will take more money and time to discover the availability of the resource and build quarries.

A minor trade route has been established with Swabia, exchanging Bavarian tin for Swabian copper. Owing to the corruption in Bavaria, the lack of good transportation, and the near constant Magyar interference, this route yields only a 10% profit (20 denarii for each Duke).

Corruption in Bavaria has risen by 3%, owing to the combination of bitter clergy, Magyar raids, peasant uprisings, and baronial discontent.

Corruption in Carinthia has risen by 2% for much the same reason; only the attempts by the Duke to reign in the rampant corruption there has kept this increase from being much higher.

Note: I still have to update the stat sheets and the map, as well as roll up the new generals requested. Those things may or may not be finished today. You may, however, initiate diplomacy for the new year. First update woot!

Also, should you see any inconsistencies between your orders and this update, post or pm me. I will make corrections. I must say, it's tough to juggle all these orders.

[Micha]

Most Excellent, Lord Cyclotron! Impressive piece of work!

(Though I really have to wait for the stats to be finished before anything can be done...)

Question:
Do troops get experience boni if they are battle-hardened? In other words, will my troops fare better against the Danish if they have gone through the Thuringian campaign (assuming I keep them as a standing army)?

[foolish_icarus]

good update, I like the format

A private conversation between Conrad and Arnulf

You and I both know the Church cannot be stalled or dissuaded further. The land must be returned to them. If money shortages become a problem as a result of this, I am prepared to make loans from my treasury to your duchy until we can put our finances back in order. Now, about these Magyars...


Discourse from King Conrad I to Duke Erchanger of Swabia

I was saddened to hear of the passing of your brother, but heaven is surely gladdened by his presence. As ever, health to your trustworthy family and beautiful lands! When your army under Vizegraf Bernard von Thurgau arrives, we will take the fight to the enemy. I will be relying much upon your efforts to keep our lands safe from other foes while so many of our forces are away on campaign.
Farewell,
Conrad

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by Micha
Question:
Do troops get experience boni if they are battle-hardened? In other words, will my troops fare better against the Danish if they have gone through the Thuringian campaign (assuming I keep them as a standing army)?

Vassals will get better over more campaigns, though you need fairly constant action to keep them that way - over the years, they die and are replaced by their sons, who need their own battle experience.

Freedmen may get better over the course of a campaign, but when the campaign is done they go home, and it is likely that different freedmen are called up the next time around. They do not retain experience from campaign to campaign; their performance depends far more on morale, such as from leaders, victories, good harvests, church backing, and so on.

Mercenaries are considered to already be quite experienced, and they gain no real benefit from battles.

So, to answer your question, if you take the same troops against the Danes that you do against the Slavs, that will make them somewhat better, but you may end up with low morale if you keep freedmen away from their homes for years upon years.