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HRE NES II: Der Aufstieg

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  • Originally posted by appleciders
    I've noticed commanding one of his generals to head up construction projects- this helps significantly, yes?
    It doesn't save costs, but it might help accomplishing more complex projects with less time. Most generals with engineering experience, however, are more acquainted with tearing walls down than building them up.
    Lime roots and treachery!
    "Eventually you're left with a bunch of unmemorable posters like Cyclotron, pretending that they actually know anything about who they're debating pointless crap with." - Drake Tungsten

    Comment


    • Right; I'm looking at von Brixen, with the extensive background in law, mathematics, and engineering. I hoped he might be well suited to organize building endeavours.

      Also, I'm not sending in strategic or tactical PMs, the Duke of Franconia will command my men and already knows my opinions on the matter. So my orders are ready.
      "Bother," said Pooh, "Eeyore, ready two photon torpedoes and lock
      phasers on the Heffalump. Piglet, meet me in transporter room
      three. Christopher Robin, you have the bridge."

      Comment


      • Originally posted by appleciders
        Right; I'm looking at von Brixen, with the extensive background in law, mathematics, and engineering. I hoped he might be well suited to organize building endeavours.
        Possibly. Of course, any noble is likely to pay more attention to leading projects that they feel are in their own personal best interest.

        Also, I'm not sending in strategic or tactical PMs, the Duke of Franconia will command my men and already knows my opinions on the matter. So my orders are ready.
        Check. Foolish said in the Gnomes thread that he'll get orders in, so we're waiting on him and Micha, wherever he is.
        Lime roots and treachery!
        "Eventually you're left with a bunch of unmemorable posters like Cyclotron, pretending that they actually know anything about who they're debating pointless crap with." - Drake Tungsten

        Comment


        • Yo! How are we doing here in Poly NES land?
          Lime roots and treachery!
          "Eventually you're left with a bunch of unmemorable posters like Cyclotron, pretending that they actually know anything about who they're debating pointless crap with." - Drake Tungsten

          Comment


          • Well, I'm here, but that's not much help.
            "Bother," said Pooh, "Eeyore, ready two photon torpedoes and lock
            phasers on the Heffalump. Piglet, meet me in transporter room
            three. Christopher Robin, you have the bridge."

            Comment


            • Originally posted by Cyclotron
              Check. Foolish said in the Gnomes thread that he'll get orders in, so we're waiting on him and Micha, wherever he is.


              I *will* send orders soon!

              /me writes that a hundred times.
              Heinrich, King of Germany, Duke of Saxony in Cyclotron's amazing Holy Roman Empire NES
              Let me eat your yummy brain!
              "be like Micha!" - Cyclotron

              Comment


              • I have decided to set a deadline in the hopes that this will motivate our few laggards

                That deadline is this coming Friday, the 20th. Orders not in by then will be left out!
                Lime roots and treachery!
                "Eventually you're left with a bunch of unmemorable posters like Cyclotron, pretending that they actually know anything about who they're debating pointless crap with." - Drake Tungsten

                Comment


                • Duchy of Saxony - Orders

                  Reinforced with parts of the Viking Slayers, the Saxon Main Army under Landgraf Theudobald von Osnabrück is marching south to merge with the German Troops in Northern Italy. A young new general named Freiherr Gebhard von Stade will accompany the army to gather experience and act as a replacement for Theudobald.
                  • Transfer 400 Medium Woodsmen (light, shield, axe, bow) from the Viking Slayers to the Saxon Army
                  • Assign Freiherr Gebhard von Stade to the Saxon Army
                  • Send Saxon Army to the other German troops in Italy
                  • Roll up new generals


                  Meanwhile, King Heinrich gathers his advisors and some of the influental lords to hold counsil in Bremen. Hopefully a strategy can be worked out concerning the Viking raids and how to deal with them. The King also tries to mobilize more troops for the war against the emperor - and the Friesland Vikings.
                  • Gather information about the Viking raids and possible counter measures
                  • 50 denarii for a new propaganda campaign in Saxony in order to attract volunteers for the war against Berengar (and against the Vikings)
                  • Continue supporting Frieslander refugees and training them (100d)


                  Domestically, King Heinrich has put a rather large sum into the cultivation of woad. Hopefully, this will net Saxony harvests large enough to engage in dye trades.
                  • 250 denarii to the cultivation of woad in suitable areas of Saxony
                  Last edited by Micha; July 19, 2007, 14:39.
                  Heinrich, King of Germany, Duke of Saxony in Cyclotron's amazing Holy Roman Empire NES
                  Let me eat your yummy brain!
                  "be like Micha!" - Cyclotron

                  Comment


                  • Duke Vratislaus of Bohemia to Archbishop Pilgrim of Salzburg
                    My son is to be wed soon and wish to know if you could find some one suitable to conduct the wedding?
                    Join the Civ4 SPDG and save the world one library at a time.
                    Term 1 Minister of Finances in the Civ4 Democracy Game and current Justice in the Civ4 Democracy Game
                    President of the Moderate Progressives of Apolyton in the Civ4 Democracy Game Aedificium edificium est Vires

                    Comment


                    • An update is in the works now, though I do have a predicament. Foolish is our only regular to not have submitted orders, and he's the one with the troops in the field in Italy. Hmm...
                      Lime roots and treachery!
                      "Eventually you're left with a bunch of unmemorable posters like Cyclotron, pretending that they actually know anything about who they're debating pointless crap with." - Drake Tungsten

                      Comment


                      • orders...I think it might still be Friday in some timezone

                        The objective for this turn is to defeat d'Rezzato's army, gaining unopposed control of the mountains and threatening Verona and the surrounding plains, thus limiting the options available to Berengar and his army.

                        Firstly, we will respond in the affirmative to offers of cooperation from local towns. Those that swear alliance to us (or whatever the acceptable equivalent is) will be treated well, but we will brook no treachery.

                        We are assuming d'Rezzato's army, at least initially, is somewhere in the vicinity of Rovereto. Spies scouts, bribes, and intimidation (in appropriate proportions) will be used to get a more accurate reading of where he actually is and is moving to. Berengar's deployments will be much more difficult to ascertain, but accurate information regarding his disposition will be well rewarded.

                        Bohemia's forces will be based in Trento, sending out contingents to patrol into the passes east, west, and south that lead to Trento. They will be called upon as reinforcements in necessary.

                        Bavaria's forces will move via the Viale Daino to occupy the excellent (natural and man made) fortifications of Arco.

                        At the same time, Franconia and Saxony's armies will support the Bavarians by moving directly south from Trento so they can strike in the back any army that attempts to move out and attack the Bavarians before they are fortified.

                        Assuming the Bavarians successfully get into position, the combined Saxon-Franconian army will temporarily stop in Calliano to assess any new movements of Berengar or d'Rezzato (or any newcomers') armies.

                        Hopefully d'Rezzato will see that his position is untenable and will either try to attack or retreat.

                        Of significant importance is the fact that once the Germans occupy Calliano we will have a good route via Folgaria to Lastebasse to San Pietro Valdastico to Camilgara etc. all the way to the plains.

                        From this position, if we Germans are attacked we can counter-attack with the Bavarian, Franconian/Saxon (and possibly also Bohemian) armies from the two or three different directions.

                        If the enemy feels like sitting tight, either the Saxons or the Franconians can send contingents via the outlined path to play in Berengar's pretty little orchards.

                        Should our position for some reason become untenable we can retreat to Trento or Borgo or, if something goes terribly awry, Bolzano.

                        If we are successful in forcing a favorable battle with d'Rezzato, we should seek, if possible, to first neutralize his archers (this probably consists of drawing them out and then getting them to leave their pavises behind somewhere, either by advancing forward quickly or carefully withdrawing so they have
                        to leave the pavises behind). If that is done, we can proceed to soften up their less well armored troops (compared to most of ours) with our own ranged power. Or if that isn't working out we can simply attack in a more conventional manner.

                        As always, should opportunity or necessity present itself, we may need to improvise (e.g. If Berengar's army moves towards us or towards Venice we may need to take a different stance [more defensive or more offensive, respectively], depending upon what our allies do.

                        Franconia's treasury is making available 900 d. for operations on this campaign: 400 d. is intended to bolster supplies and gear, 500 d. is for sneaking, spying, bribing, that sort of thing. If there ends up being an excess of funds for one and a shortage for the other, funds can be shifted as necessary. And of course the Duke would not object at all if it turned out all our needs were met without exhausting his entire treasury.

                        As requested, the following forces will receive the following equipment from the spoils:

                        Hrabě Jasny z Litoměřice gets

                        500 Light Armor
                        100 Shields
                        400 Swords

                        Duke Arnulf's forces get

                        30 heavy armor, 500 light armor, 330 shields, 100 bows, 200 spears, and 300 swords.

                        The Franconian army claims

                        290 light
                        100 sword
                        200 shield
                        100 bow
                        350 pavise

                        Leaving in the campaign armories for any who need them:
                        200 Light
                        250 Spear
                        370 Sword
                        200 Shield
                        450 Bow
                        400 Crossbow
                        50 Pavise

                        The new recruits will be sent south to the Italian campaign (and take part if they get there in time, otherwise they will just prepare to take part next season).
                        They will be equipped from our own armories and from the claimed spoils.

                        100 will join Conrad's Fist, outfitted thusly
                        100 light, crossbow, swords

                        100 will join the Eastern Veteran's Battalion, outfitted thusly
                        100 light, shields, spears, sword

                        100 will join the Weinsburg Battalion, outfitted thusly
                        100 light, shields, spears, bow, pavise

                        Furthermore, the following existing soldiers will be equipped with these pieces of equipment to use as they see fit (that is, within the bounds of their orders. Leaving behind encumbersome equipment to rush into battle is great, selling it for some drinking money is frowned upon).

                        The 250 Light Archers (bow) in the Frankfurt levy get pavises.
                        The 50 Spearmen (light, spear) in the Weinsberg Battalion get shields.
                        The 50 Heavy Warriors (heavy, axe, spear) in Conrad's fist get shields.

                        Last edited by foolish_icarus; July 21, 2007, 07:48.
                        Those walls are absent of glory as they always have been. The people of tents will inherit this land.

                        Comment


                        • My goodness! Thanks Foolish - sorry, I didn't mean to rush you or anything. I'll try to complete the update at some point this weekend.
                          Lime roots and treachery!
                          "Eventually you're left with a bunch of unmemorable posters like Cyclotron, pretending that they actually know anything about who they're debating pointless crap with." - Drake Tungsten

                          Comment


                          • no, no, take your time. I apologize for the tardiness my procrastination created.
                            By the way, If there are any of you who may still not use google earth--you should. With the pictures and the wikipedia articles linked directly from points on the map, it's hard to tear yourself away. Looking at the castles (mostly anachronistic for this time period, I know) and towns that provide the places for us to march and fight over is particularly cool.
                            Now if only in their next update they release some way to edit the map itself...mmm custom globes...
                            Those walls are absent of glory as they always have been. The people of tents will inherit this land.

                            Comment


                            • Anno Domini CMXXIV

                              This year’s Pope: John X
                              This year’s Emperor: None
                              This year’s King: Heinrich I

                              Successions

                              Emperor Romanos I of the Byzantine Empire has crowned his three sons as co-Emperors, in addition to himself and the legitimate Emperor, Constantine VII. This means that, somewhat confusingly, there are now five co-Emperors of the Greeks.

                              The King of England, Edward, has died in his bed. He is succeeded as King by his son Athelstan.

                              The Khagan of the Khazars, Benjamin ben Menahem, has died and been succeeded by his son Aaron ben Benjamin.

                              Duke Rudolph of Burgundy has abdicated from his Duchy and accepted the Crown of France at Rheims.

                              Emperor Berengar has been humiliated in battle and captured by the Duke of Franconia. If any took his Imperial claims seriously before, certainly none do now. As far as most Christians are concerned, there is no Emperor this year. There is now no serious rival to King Rudolph II of Burgundy for the Iron Crown of Lombardy, and he is the acknowledged King of Italy.

                              Family Business

                              Though it’s an odd announcement, seeing as she is already married, the Markgrafin of Carinthia, the Magyar princess Yamna, has reached majority at 12. Her husband is likely less than enthused at their 21 year age difference.

                              Thankmar, eldest son of King Heinrich of Germany, has reached majority at 15. Praise be to God, and long live the House of Luidolfing!

                              Wenceslaus, eldest son of Duke Vratislaus of Bohemia, has been married to Chesna, daughter of the mighty warlord Siemowit of the Polans, in a celebration of impressive scale. The associated feasts continued for days as the Polans and Bohemians were joined in merrymaking. Chesna, formerly a pagan like most of the Polans, has been accordingly baptized into the true faith.

                              Boleslaus, second son of Duke Vratislaus of Bohemia, has reached majority at age 15. The boy is a credit to his illustrious parents.

                              Dirk, eldest son of Count Dirk of Friesland, has reached majority at age 15. Perhaps the Count will derive some consolation from this happy event during this dark time for his country.

                              Land und Leute

                              Winter has come earlier than expected this year, and as usual the peasants suffer the most for it. All demesnes suffer a 10% drop in income this year.

                              Krieg und Frieden

                              The Magyars, having concluded a truce with King Heinrich of Germany, have turned west and ravaged northern Italy as far as Pavia. The damage has been most extensive in Friuli, where the Emperor has been unable to provide enough men to stop their voracious raids.

                              The Imperial Army has met a disastrous fate at Piacenza. King Rudolph II of Burgundy and Italy, together with his Swabian allies, have routed the forces of Emperor Berengar and set his loyalist Italian allies to flight. The war for the Iron Crown would seem to be over; Berengar fled to Verona after the battle, only to be captured by the advancing Germans entering the city.

                              Duke Rudolph of Burgundy has met his opponent, the Duke Gilbert of Lotharingia at the bargaining table to solve their dispute through diplomacy. Duke Gilbert has agreed to renounce his claims on the French throne in exchange for being granted sovereignty over Friesland, currently occupied by the Vikings and claimed by the German King. Rudolph, with no further opposition of consequence, has been crowned King of France.

                              The Vikings have ravaged the Loire valley in France, causing thousands of denarii in damage and pillaging a host of towns and villages.

                              Duke Boniface of Spoleto, an ally of the Emperor, has marched northwards to his liege’s aid, ravaging the Papal state along his march. He has camped his forces opposite to the Venetian Lagoon, and has begun to construct watercraft and siege equipment. With the Emperor defeated and deposed, however, his siege of Venice looks rather precarious.

                              Emperor Simeon of Bulgaria and Romanos of Constantinople have met and agreed on a truce, whereby several Black Sea ports will be returned to the Byzantines in exchange for a sizeable tribute.

                              The beleaguered city of Rome, under siege by forces of Margrave Guy of Tuscany and his wife Marozia of Tuluscum, seems ready to fall to his forces. The Pope’s calls for assistance have been unsuccessful so far, and it is said that plague is circulating in the starving city.

                              Other News of Christendom

                              The Venetians have constructed their first mint, in an effort to convert their stocks of German silver into increased economic leverage. Venetian denarii even now find their way into the hands of Italian, Croatian, Arab, and Byzantine merchants, and some even make their way back to Germany where they were first mined.
                              Lime roots and treachery!
                              "Eventually you're left with a bunch of unmemorable posters like Cyclotron, pretending that they actually know anything about who they're debating pointless crap with." - Drake Tungsten

                              Comment


                              • The Siege of Arco and the "Second" Battle of Lake Benacus

                                Alpine Army (Conte Waimar d’Rezzato – 5,870 men)
                                60 Knights
                                120 Sergeants
                                1,580 Medium Spearmen (light, spear, shield)
                                1,180 Medium Swordsmen (light, sword, shield)
                                730 Axemen (axe, shield)
                                1,000 Pavise Archers (bow, pavise)
                                1,200 Peasant Crossbowmen (crossbow)

                                Franconian Army (Duke Eberhard III – 3,400 men)

                                Weinsburg Battalion (Landgraf Hraban von Koblenze; 600 men)
                                100 Heavy Guards (heavy, polearm)
                                100 Medium Pavise Archer/Spearmen (light, shield, spear, bow, pavise)
                                50 Heavy Spearmen (heavy, shield, spear)
                                25 Medium Archers (light, bow)
                                75 Medium Pavise Archers (light, bow, pavise)
                                75 Medium Swordsmen (light, sword, shield)
                                75 Medium Axemen (light, axe, shield)
                                50 Medium Spearmen (light, shield, spear)
                                50 Medium Javelineers (light, javelin)

                                Frankfurt Levy (Landgraf Cristianus von Mellrichstadt, Rhinegraf Gisfried von Ingelbeim – 900 men)
                                250 Medium Spearmen (spear, shield, light)
                                250 Pavise Archers (bow, pavise)
                                400 Medium Swordsmen (sword, shield, light)

                                Eastern Veterans Battalion (Wildgraf Merobaud von der Thüringerwald – 1,600 men)
                                260 Knights
                                750 Sergeants
                                320 Medium Swordsmen (sword, shield, light)
                                100 Medium Infantry (light, shield, spear, sword)
                                50 Medium Spearmen (light, spear, shield)
                                30 Medium Guards (light, polearm)
                                20 Medium Shield Guards (light, polearm, shield)
                                50 Medium Pavise Archers (light, bow, pavise)
                                20 Medium Skirmishers (light, javelin, shield)

                                Conrad's Fist (Bishop Roricus von Worms – 300 men)
                                100 Medium Axemen (light, shield, axe)
                                50 Medium Woodsmen (light, axe, bow)
                                50 Heavy Warriors (heavy, shield, axe, spear)
                                100 Medium Crossbowmen (light, crossbow, sword)

                                Leitmeritz Garrison (Hrabě Jasny z Litoměřice – 800 men)
                                40 Knights
                                60 Sergeants
                                400 Medium Infantry (light, shield, sword, spear)
                                200 Medium Skirmishers (light, shield, axe, javelin)
                                100 Woodsmen (shield, axe, bow)

                                Army of Bavaria (von Villach, von Brenner, von Tegernsee, der Kroat – 2,440 men)
                                70 Knights
                                110 Sergeants
                                250 Long Axemen (light, axe, polearm, shield)
                                150 Danish Vikings (light, sword, polearm, shield)
                                460 Medium Infantry (light, spear, shield, sword)
                                400 Heavy Infantry (heavy, spear, shield, sword)
                                400 Siege Archers (light, bow, Magyar bow, pavise)
                                100 Magyar Raiders
                                100 Peasant Crossbowmen (crossbow, pavise)
                                400 Thuringian Woodsmen

                                Valsuganese Auxiliaries – 1,500 men
                                200 Italian Urban Guards (heavy, shield, spear)
                                500 Light Spearmen (spear, shield)
                                800 Peasant Crossbowmen (crossbow)

                                Saxon Army (Landgraf Theudobald von Osnabrück, Freiherr Gebhard von Stade – 2,630 men)
                                255 Knights
                                575 Sergeants
                                330 Saxon Guards (light, spear, shield, bow)
                                270 Spearmen (light, spear, shield, Magyar bow)
                                800 Saxon Raiders (light, sword, Magyar bow)
                                400 Medium Woodsmen (light, shield, axe, bow)

                                The Alpine winter was spent in correspondence. The clerks of the Duke of Franconia produced a truly voluminous amount of paperwork concerning arrangements with local Italian leaders, courting their support and promising good treatment in exchange for support. Though many towns and villages seem lukewarm at best in their support for a German invasion – perhaps reminiscent of the last time when the Germanic Alemanni invaded Roman Italy in the 4th century – other regions readily provided supplies and even troops for the Duke. By Spring, collaborationist Italian leaders had cobbled together a small but eclectic mix of Valsuganese peasants, levies, and mercenaries for the Duke’s use.

                                The moment now seemed particularly advantageous. Though not a large battle, the destruction of d’Rezzato’s counterpart and his entire army nearly halved the strength of the forces opposing the German advance. The allied German-Bohemian forces had been augmented with arms lost by the Italians, and reinforcements were coming – not only from local Italian leaders, but from the German King himself, who dispatched more than 2,500 men in the Spring to assist the Duke of Franconia. With all reinforcements tallied, the Duke had nearly eleven thousand men at his disposal, most of them well-equipped and veterans of combat. D’Rezzato, on the other hand, had only around five thousand men, a sizeable proportion of which had no armor. His chivalry, too, was badly outnumbered by the German knights. For reinforcements, he had little support save a thousand or so peasant crossbowmen he hurriedly assembled during the early Spring.

                                D’Rezzato, however, had a strong defensive advantage in the Alpine passes, as well as short supply lines and a centralized command. The Duke, on the other hand, commanded a fractious and bewildering array of peoples and nationalities, speaking Lombard, Magyar, Bavarian, Bohemian, Sorbian, Danish, Alemannic, Rhaetian, Saxon, Norman, and Frankish. Simply getting such a force to work in concert was a nearly insurmountable feat, and one that took up most of the Duke’s time throughout the year.

                                The process of waiting for reinforcements to arrive gave d’Rezzato at least some time to position his defense. Though the Duke had wanted to take Arco with his Bavarian contingent as early as possible, von Villach refused to move until promised reinforcements from Duke Arnulf had arrived. This gave d’Rezzato enough time to reinforce the castle there, which he correctly believed to be a lynchpin of his defense. The majority of his force took up a defensive position in Rovereto, while the Arco was garrisoned with around 600 of his archers and crossbowmen. Unable to make any meaningful sortie against the superior German forces, d’Rezzato waited to receive an attack.

                                Franconian spies and “sympathetic” (that is, bribed) locals were able to ascertain d’Rezzato’s position in Rovereto, as expected, but failed to uncover the last minute reinforcement of Arco. When the Bavarian forces marched southward in the summer, they found much greater resistance than anticipated.

                                The fortress of Arco, though an ancient structure, commanded an impressive limestone bluff above the city. The Bavarians were immediately met by a continuous downpour of bolts and arrows when they approached the fortification. Gunnulf von Villach, having been assured that resistance was minimal, ordered the bluffs to be stormed. This proved to be a poor plan at best. The steep and treacherous ways up the bluffs were checked by archers and crossbowmen at every turn, and the Bavarians’ mail protected them little against iron-shod crossbow bolts which they had never encountered before. The Bavarian attack was stopped dead and the forward infantry fell back on itself in a rout, with some crazed soldiers jumping off the bluffs to escape the withering volleys from above.

                                Furious at taking such heavy casualties, von Villach ordered the full array of siege equipment brought up against Arco. A messenger was sent to secure the surrender of the garrison; they refused. Under the direction of Maganhard von Eichstatt, siege weapons were constructed and der Strafer reassembled. The siege, however, was beset by problems; for one, the sheer height of the fortifications meant that even der Strafer had to be positioned within crossbow range of the defenders just to hit the fortifications. The Bavarian engineers were compelled to work under pavises and mantlets just to build and operate their equipment.

                                Meanwhile, in anticipation of a quick Bavarian victory, the Franconian-Saxon-Italian force under the Duke moved south and effortlessly captured the village of Calliano. D’Rezzato, however, showed no signs of retreating from Rovereto. The Duke led several probing attacks with his lighter forces on the Italian-held village, in the hopes that he could draw out the Italian army or at least their own light troops, but d’Rezzato proved to cautious for this. Unable to threaten d’Rezzato further with the Bavarians still checked at Arco, the Duke dispatched his Italian auxiliaries to aid the Bavarian attack.

                                The fortifications at Arco were pummeled by boulders throughout the summer. Eventually, von Villach opted to make another attempt at the fortress, this time just before dawn. As the sun rose, hundreds of Bavarian infantrymen scaled the bluffs, while the peasant crossbowmen of Bavaria and the Italian allied towns covered them. The battle was a bloody and exhausting slog uphill against brutal counter-fire, but by the afternoon the Bavarians reached the ancient and battered fortress. Once they came to blows with their opponent, the battle was over; though tired, the Bavarians were more than a match for the untrained and unarmored peasants and levies. The Bavarians slew every last Italian in the fortress, since none were high status enough to merit capture.

                                The Conte d’Rezzato had been closely monitoring the siege, and upon hearing of the attack quickly withdrew his forces westward to the village of Riva along the coast of Lake Benacus. It was here that the Romans had crushed the Alemanni in 268, and d’Rezzato – a student of history himself – hoped to replicate that feat. He was, unfortunately, too late to save the garrison at Arco, but counterattacked against the Bavarians the following day. The Conte’s attack caught the Bavarians entirely off-guard, with the Italian chivalry breaking through to the Bavarian siege equipment and setting fire to the camp. The Bavarians atop the bluffs, however, proved stubbornly difficult to dislodge, and the Italian attacks against them failed. The Conte retreated, leaving the Bavarians in such disarray that they were unable to pursue. Fearing imminent slaughter, the allied Italian peasant crossbowmen mostly took to the hills during the battle.

                                The Franconians and Saxons, who had been engaged in the leisurely pillage of lowland Italy (the Saxons had announced their entrance into the campaign by sacking Asiago and burning it to the ground), scrambled to support the Bavarians. The Saxons were slower to assemble and did not reach Riva in time for the pitched battle to come. The Conte d’Rezzato marched east again to defend Rovereto, but the Franconians reached it first. The Conte retreated back towards Riva, where he was followed by the Franconians. The Bavarians, by now recovered from their earlier embarrassment, cut off the Italians’ escape route. The Conte was well aware that he outnumbered either of the detachments individually, and so attempted to break through the Bavarians with one powerful charge. The Italian chivalry formed a conroi, and in response, the Bavarians formed their own from their own chivalry. The two lowered lances and charged at each other.

                                The Vizegraf Gunnulf von Villach was determined to not make this a fair fight. He ordered his Magyar cavalry to flank the approaching knights. The knights, in close order and moving at a full clip towards the Bavarian chivalry, had no way to turn and meet this threat. The Magyars filled the conroi’s right flank with deadly arrows, knowing that knights carry their shields on the left side when charging. The Italian formation fell apart just as the Bavarians smashed into them. The Conte d’Rezzato was unhorsed and fell, mortally wounded, by a lance through the chest. The Vizegraf himself was stabbed in the leg and had to be whisked back to the baggage train.

                                The Fraconians, of course, had no way of knowing of any of this, and charged the Italians to prevent what must have seemed like their imminent escape. The Italians fought desperately, but leaderless and exhausted, were eventually overcome. With their backs to the lake, many were pushed or fled into the water and drowned.

                                The end of the day saw a total victory for the Germans, but at tremendous cost, especially to the Bavarian contingent. Nearly half their forces were lost over only a few days. Their commander was wounded, but seemed to be headed for recovery; the Bishop Roricus von Worms, commanding a Franconian detachment, was not so fortunate. An axe split his left shoulder in the fray. Despite the fervent prayers of his men, the wound became corrupted and the Bishop died shortly thereafter. His final words were thanks to God for victory.

                                With the fall of d’Rezzato and his forces, no force loyal to the Emperor existed in the Alps, and the Duke opted to march southward to threaten Verona. To his astonishment, his scouts reported that Verona had only a skeleton garrison; the Imperial army had moved on. He began to prepare an attack on the city, when word came of King Rudolph’s victory over Berengar. Imperial authority crumbled almost immediately, with local lords pledging their support of the Germans and Burgundinians. The German-Bohemian force entered Verona, Berengar’s capital, with minimal opposition and plundered the city. With the help of the Vikings and Magyars, nearly everything of value has been stripped from the city.

                                The Duke took more than material prizes; it seems the Emperor, fleeing from Viacenza, attempted to return to Verona unaware of the German breakthrough. He was captured by a Magyar contingent outside the city. The Magyars, unaware of his identity, stripped him of his possessions and turned him over to the Germans, who immediately realized who he was. He now languishes in captivity, the keys to his cell kept by the Duke. The Duke and his men winter presently in Verona.

                                Aftermath

                                The Italians under Conte Waimar d’Rezzato have been utterly routed; all were either killed, captured, or driven off into the hills. The Conte was mortally wounded and expired after the battle, despite the attempts of the Duke’s men to save him.

                                The Bavarians have lost 1,050 men:
                                10 Knights
                                25 Sergeants
                                110 Long Axemen
                                80 Danish Vikings
                                265 Medium Infantry
                                160 Heavy Infantry
                                120 Siege Archers
                                20 Magyar Riders
                                260 Thuringian Woodsmen

                                The 100 peasants in the Bavarian army scattered and fled during the Italian attack at Arco, dropping their pavises as they ran.

                                Vizegraf von Villach was wounded, but seems to be recovering.

                                The Franconians have lost 380 men:
                                155 Medium Swordsmen
                                110 Medium Spearmen
                                70 Medium Axemen
                                20 Heavy Guards
                                10 Medium Infantry
                                15 Medium Woodsmen

                                The Bishop Roricus von Worms was mortally wounded in battle, and died two weeks later.

                                The Saxons and Bohemians took no losses during the campaign.

                                The allied Italian contingent took significant losses, and the peasant crossbowmen fled early on. Only the mercenaries remained by the end of the battle, and had disbanded by the end of the campaign.

                                The spoils of war are as follows:
                                20 Heavy
                                820 Light
                                900 Shields
                                600 Spears
                                750 Swords
                                230 Axes
                                200 Bows
                                850 Crossbows
                                410 Pavises
                                80 Polearms

                                The Saxons have “liberated” 2,300 denarii in goods from their sack of Asiago.

                                The Franconians have “liberated” 6,550 denarii in goods from their sack of Verona. As this was the objective of the campaign, the Saxons, Bavarians, and Bohemians may feel entitled to a share.

                                The Duke of Franconia has come into the possession of the entombed body of Pepin, son of Charlemagne and second Frankish King of Italy after his father, entombed in Verona’s basilica.

                                The following chivalry and nobles are prisoners (cumulative with last year):
                                Berengar of Friuli
                                Conte Lamissio d’Valdagno
                                50 Knights
                                110 Sergeants
                                Last edited by Cyclotron; July 22, 2007, 00:58.
                                Lime roots and treachery!
                                "Eventually you're left with a bunch of unmemorable posters like Cyclotron, pretending that they actually know anything about who they're debating pointless crap with." - Drake Tungsten

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