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The Siege of Regensburg
Bavarian Rescue Force (Freiherr Heidolf von Dortmund) – 310 men
5 Knights
15 Sergeants
90 Light Archers (bow)
200 Light Spear-Archers (spear, shield, bow)
Royal Army (King Conrad) – 2,045 men
Other Generals: Rhinegraf Gisfried von Ingelbeim, Landgraf Abelard von Bernfeld
260 knights
690 sergeants
380 Medium Swordsmen (sword, shield, light)
200 Medium Spearmen (light, spear, shield)
325 Angonmen (javelin, shield, spear)
50 Medium Guards (light, polearm)
50 Shield Guards (polearm, shield)
50 Pavise Archers (bow, pavise)
40 Light Skirmishers (javelin, shield)
Bavarian Rebels (Burggraf Otto von Nordgau) – 1,070 men
105 Knights
200 Sergeants
370 Medium Axemen-Archers (Magyar bow, light, shield, axe)
330 Medium Swordsmen-Archers (Magyar bow, light, shield, sword)
65 Light Spearmen (spear, shield)
Bavarian Loyalists (Duke Arnulf) – 615 men
Other Generals: Freiherr Visloff der Kroat, Vizegraf Gunnulf von Villach
75 Knights
130 Sergeants
215 Medium Spearmen (light, shield, spear)
90 Chargebreakers (heavy, polearm, axe)
105 Medium Angonmen (light, spear, shield, javelin)
The Siege of Regensburg continued through the winter, with armies on both sides ravaged by cold, low supplies, and dreadful epidemics of typhoid and dysentery. Though it all, the construction of siege equipment continued; von Leitbach, Bavaria’s siege-master, completed the monstrous “der Strafer” and a handful of other catapults, which were busy through the winter bombarding Regensburg with diseased corpses. As the thaw began, things looked gloomy on both sides; the King had fallen deathly ill with typhoid, and desertions only quickened as the snow melted. Within Regensburg, the ravages of typhoid and dysentery were evident, and bodies lay unburied in the streets. Smoke rose from the city every night, from pyres of the stricken dead.
Realizing that the assault had to be made soon, the Duke of Bavaria ordered the attack to begin immediately, though the siege preparations were far from complete. The siege weapons began to pound the fortifications in earnest; the Saxon commander, Heidolf von Dortmund, had been using his light troops throughout the winter to gather ammunition for the catapults. It was soon discovered that the ground was still too cold and hard for tunneling, but “der Strafer” made up for this by mercilessly smashing a tower identified as a weak point in the walls.
Because of a mixup with logistics, only 80 Magyar bows arrived from Carinthia for the Duke’s force, but these proved invaluable in the assault that was to come. When a breach was finally made in the wall, however, the Loyalists found themselves in a grave difficulty.
The King, Conrad I, had died, his body wracked by typhoid. Additionally, Abelard von Bernfeld – his senior general and best hope to hold the army together in the King’s absence – also fell victim to the plague. Despite Arnulf’s desperate pleas, Gisfried von Ingelbeim and Christianus von Mellrichstadt departed with their knights soon after the King’s death. The two of them had been bickering before the King’s body was even cold, an ominous sign for Franconia. It was only the action of the Bishop Roricus von Worms that kept the whole siege from falling apart. His impassioned appeal to the levy soldiers to see that the King’s death would not be in vain convinced the vast majority to stay, even including some of the chivalry.
The first attack on the breach was led by the Bishop, who rode before the front lines, blessing the soldiers and commanding them to punish the traitors in the name of God. Bavaria’s heavy troops joined the assault under Visloff der Kroat. The Bavarian Turtles kept the advancing troops reasonably safe, while artillery and composite bows kept the defenders from mounting any significant volleys from the walls. At the breach, the heavy troops of both sides clashed viciously, dismounted knights and sergeants, chargebreakers, swordsmen, and axemen fighting atop the rubble of the broken wall. The fighting was ultimately inconclusive, and the first wave retreated in good order, having caused (and received) heavy casualties but unable to piece the defenses.
The ladders advanced next, followed closely by the second wave under Visloff der Kroat. On the ladders were von Dortmund’s lightly armed Saxons; with remarkable bravery and the help of friendly archery, the Saxons secured several sections of the wall, which were only sparsely defended. From the battered walls, the Saxons let their arrows fly down onto the enemy forces at the breach. With arrows raining down on them and the Bavarian heavy infantry still pressing, the rebels were finally dislodged from the breach. Many of the enemy surrendered; most of the rebellious chivalry fled to the city’s citadel, where Otto von Nordgau lay – he was unable to command, bedridden by typhoid.
The allied forces laid siege to the citadel, which did not hold out long. Von Nordgau refused all offers to surrender, but the rebellious nobles could resist no longer. One of the rebellious barons murdered von Nordgau in his bed, and the defenders surrendered the fortress to the rightful Duke. The city was finally restored to its owner.
Amazingly, virtually the only people unaffected by the rampant plagues within the citadel were Arnulf’s own family, isolated as they were from the defenders in the citadel’s dungeon. Regensburg, however, is a devastated city – the walls will take much time and money to repair, and most of the population has been either displaced or slain by plague. Arnulf’s army, demoralized, sick, underpaid, and finally home, has virtually disintegrated, the levies melting away as soon as the Duke’s flag was raised over the citadel. Bavaria is totally exhausted by war, and the knightly class is severely depleted – many betrayed their lord, and others have perished from the plagues.
Considering the situation in Carinthia, the Bishop von Worms has declared his intent to stay in Bavaria with the Franconian levies until the election of a new King or orders from the new Duke of Franconia. Von Dortmund, giving his respects to Arnulf, has begun his trek home.
Losses:
The Saxons have lost 110 men:
20 Light Archers
90 Light Spear-Archers
The Franconians have lost 410 men:
30 Knights
50 Sergeants
180 Medium Swordsmen (sword, shield, light)
50 Medium Spearmen (light, spear, shield)
80 Angonmen (javelin, shield, spear)
20 Medium Guards (light, polearm)
The Rebel army has been wiped out. The following prisoners have been taken by the Bavarians:
110 Nobles
200 Commoners
The Bavarian army has dissolved. Its nobles are still called up.
70 Knights
120 Sergeants
Leaders:
King Conrad has died of disease.
Abelard von Bernfeld has died of disease.
Otto von Nordgau has been assassinated.
The Bavarians were able to loot the battlefield:
230 Bows
170 Swords
260 Spears
80 Shields
120 Light Armor
90 Heavy Armor
70 Javelins
60 Polearms
950 Denarii have been looted from the enemy and liberated from von Nordgau’s stolen treasury.
The rebellion has been crushed, and Bavaria has returned to the control of Duke Arnulf.
Bavarian Rescue Force (Freiherr Heidolf von Dortmund) – 310 men
5 Knights
15 Sergeants
90 Light Archers (bow)
200 Light Spear-Archers (spear, shield, bow)
Royal Army (King Conrad) – 2,045 men
Other Generals: Rhinegraf Gisfried von Ingelbeim, Landgraf Abelard von Bernfeld
260 knights
690 sergeants
380 Medium Swordsmen (sword, shield, light)
200 Medium Spearmen (light, spear, shield)
325 Angonmen (javelin, shield, spear)
50 Medium Guards (light, polearm)
50 Shield Guards (polearm, shield)
50 Pavise Archers (bow, pavise)
40 Light Skirmishers (javelin, shield)
Bavarian Rebels (Burggraf Otto von Nordgau) – 1,070 men
105 Knights
200 Sergeants
370 Medium Axemen-Archers (Magyar bow, light, shield, axe)
330 Medium Swordsmen-Archers (Magyar bow, light, shield, sword)
65 Light Spearmen (spear, shield)
Bavarian Loyalists (Duke Arnulf) – 615 men
Other Generals: Freiherr Visloff der Kroat, Vizegraf Gunnulf von Villach
75 Knights
130 Sergeants
215 Medium Spearmen (light, shield, spear)
90 Chargebreakers (heavy, polearm, axe)
105 Medium Angonmen (light, spear, shield, javelin)
The Siege of Regensburg continued through the winter, with armies on both sides ravaged by cold, low supplies, and dreadful epidemics of typhoid and dysentery. Though it all, the construction of siege equipment continued; von Leitbach, Bavaria’s siege-master, completed the monstrous “der Strafer” and a handful of other catapults, which were busy through the winter bombarding Regensburg with diseased corpses. As the thaw began, things looked gloomy on both sides; the King had fallen deathly ill with typhoid, and desertions only quickened as the snow melted. Within Regensburg, the ravages of typhoid and dysentery were evident, and bodies lay unburied in the streets. Smoke rose from the city every night, from pyres of the stricken dead.
Realizing that the assault had to be made soon, the Duke of Bavaria ordered the attack to begin immediately, though the siege preparations were far from complete. The siege weapons began to pound the fortifications in earnest; the Saxon commander, Heidolf von Dortmund, had been using his light troops throughout the winter to gather ammunition for the catapults. It was soon discovered that the ground was still too cold and hard for tunneling, but “der Strafer” made up for this by mercilessly smashing a tower identified as a weak point in the walls.
Because of a mixup with logistics, only 80 Magyar bows arrived from Carinthia for the Duke’s force, but these proved invaluable in the assault that was to come. When a breach was finally made in the wall, however, the Loyalists found themselves in a grave difficulty.
The King, Conrad I, had died, his body wracked by typhoid. Additionally, Abelard von Bernfeld – his senior general and best hope to hold the army together in the King’s absence – also fell victim to the plague. Despite Arnulf’s desperate pleas, Gisfried von Ingelbeim and Christianus von Mellrichstadt departed with their knights soon after the King’s death. The two of them had been bickering before the King’s body was even cold, an ominous sign for Franconia. It was only the action of the Bishop Roricus von Worms that kept the whole siege from falling apart. His impassioned appeal to the levy soldiers to see that the King’s death would not be in vain convinced the vast majority to stay, even including some of the chivalry.
The first attack on the breach was led by the Bishop, who rode before the front lines, blessing the soldiers and commanding them to punish the traitors in the name of God. Bavaria’s heavy troops joined the assault under Visloff der Kroat. The Bavarian Turtles kept the advancing troops reasonably safe, while artillery and composite bows kept the defenders from mounting any significant volleys from the walls. At the breach, the heavy troops of both sides clashed viciously, dismounted knights and sergeants, chargebreakers, swordsmen, and axemen fighting atop the rubble of the broken wall. The fighting was ultimately inconclusive, and the first wave retreated in good order, having caused (and received) heavy casualties but unable to piece the defenses.
The ladders advanced next, followed closely by the second wave under Visloff der Kroat. On the ladders were von Dortmund’s lightly armed Saxons; with remarkable bravery and the help of friendly archery, the Saxons secured several sections of the wall, which were only sparsely defended. From the battered walls, the Saxons let their arrows fly down onto the enemy forces at the breach. With arrows raining down on them and the Bavarian heavy infantry still pressing, the rebels were finally dislodged from the breach. Many of the enemy surrendered; most of the rebellious chivalry fled to the city’s citadel, where Otto von Nordgau lay – he was unable to command, bedridden by typhoid.
The allied forces laid siege to the citadel, which did not hold out long. Von Nordgau refused all offers to surrender, but the rebellious nobles could resist no longer. One of the rebellious barons murdered von Nordgau in his bed, and the defenders surrendered the fortress to the rightful Duke. The city was finally restored to its owner.
Amazingly, virtually the only people unaffected by the rampant plagues within the citadel were Arnulf’s own family, isolated as they were from the defenders in the citadel’s dungeon. Regensburg, however, is a devastated city – the walls will take much time and money to repair, and most of the population has been either displaced or slain by plague. Arnulf’s army, demoralized, sick, underpaid, and finally home, has virtually disintegrated, the levies melting away as soon as the Duke’s flag was raised over the citadel. Bavaria is totally exhausted by war, and the knightly class is severely depleted – many betrayed their lord, and others have perished from the plagues.
Considering the situation in Carinthia, the Bishop von Worms has declared his intent to stay in Bavaria with the Franconian levies until the election of a new King or orders from the new Duke of Franconia. Von Dortmund, giving his respects to Arnulf, has begun his trek home.
Losses:
The Saxons have lost 110 men:
20 Light Archers
90 Light Spear-Archers
The Franconians have lost 410 men:
30 Knights
50 Sergeants
180 Medium Swordsmen (sword, shield, light)
50 Medium Spearmen (light, spear, shield)
80 Angonmen (javelin, shield, spear)
20 Medium Guards (light, polearm)
The Rebel army has been wiped out. The following prisoners have been taken by the Bavarians:
110 Nobles
200 Commoners
The Bavarian army has dissolved. Its nobles are still called up.
70 Knights
120 Sergeants
Leaders:
King Conrad has died of disease.
Abelard von Bernfeld has died of disease.
Otto von Nordgau has been assassinated.
The Bavarians were able to loot the battlefield:
230 Bows
170 Swords
260 Spears
80 Shields
120 Light Armor
90 Heavy Armor
70 Javelins
60 Polearms
950 Denarii have been looted from the enemy and liberated from von Nordgau’s stolen treasury.
The rebellion has been crushed, and Bavaria has returned to the control of Duke Arnulf.
tsk tsk
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