1st Contact with the Mongols, not quite the way I would have hoped which meant that I came of worst however considering the experience they are running around with I was quite chuffed I managed a close Defeat.
Subsequent waves of Mongols meant that my entire force that was involved in this conflict was subsequently annihilated but that serves me right for not setting the encounter up on my terms.
My Ideal encounter is still a Fort half-filled with Catapult and Archers with Cavalry (and possibly Heavy Infantry) coming in as re-inforcements. This way I should pound the enemy Cavalry element before my Cavalry appear on the Scene. I shouldn't require the infantry really as the Artillery should be safe within the Stockade however I have a few bombards on the Scene and they will need to deploy from the safety of the wall so some Infantry to provide protection from Cavalry Charges would be useful.
So begins the opening Gambit and it remains to be seen if I can mange to set up the next encounters on my own Terms (and win them). Though the Mongols now have more money than me (yes, I'm second in financial terms now) I am aware that they are a horde with no Territory and so can't recruit/retrain more of their own. It was also satisfying to see their Military Rating taking a dive while mine continues to rise. Two of the Stacks of Mongols will prove very hard nuts to crack as they contain both a couple of Trebuchets and Rocket Launchers- both artillery with long range and area effect characteristics. This is all proving to be a very challenging part of this campaign
Capturing 45 Territories was always going to be easily possible on the default setting, though the appearance of the Mongols in Turkey and the Poles subsequently declaring an Alliance with the Turks did slow down this goal quite considerably.
However the Pope has listened to my request to Crusade against the Den of Heathens residing in Paris (otherwise known as French). With Armies besieging both Marseilles and Rheims, ready to assault the walls/gates I will take them and then declare both Armies for the crusade after leaving Garrisons in each city.
I may even declare one of my armies in the east for the Crusade (one the cost of upkeep is free while on crusade, two the movement is doubled so can move the army very quickly from Jeddah up to Caesarea, three the Pope tends to give each unit one point of Experience) but I will have to make sure I take Paris by the time the other army reaches Caesarea otherwise desertions may occur.
Two units of Handgunners will be present at the Storming of Marseille and Bologna is halfway to upgrading its Barracks ready to produce Arquebusiers. Have a couple of Mortars and Ribaults making their ways East and West, some to Paris and some to either Turkey or assist in an assault on Hungary (if the Popes mission to leave the Hungarians alone runs is completed before the artillery reaches the Hungarian Border)
The Poles have allied with the Danes, who then decided to attack me so I have lost my Alliance with the Poles which is a shame. Having said that if I can wipe out the French I should have a better opportunity to make an Alliance with the Scots and it also gives me the opportunity to see if I can woo the Poles back diplomatically before I annihilate the Danes.
Watching a Heretic appear on the border between France and Denmark I resisted the urge to send an Assassin after him as I realised the strategic importance of letting a heretic loose among my enemies. More ammunition for me to help keep the Pope on my side.
Have taken Jeddah with a true Assault the Walls siege, no Spies to help open any gates, and so the last of the Egyptian forces have now turned Rebels. The rebel castle to the south of Cairo is ready to be taken and I'm looking at the possibility of taking either Baghdad and or ... on my way north from both ... and Jeddah, though Baghdad is quite westerly and both towns have a fair no. of Troops. It would however boost my economy infrastructure to have these settlements and wouldn't cause any more friction than already exists with the Rebels (it's a thought and I may even gain some experience for my Troops heading North to fight the Mongols)
Money is a bit tight so one of my Generals with an Architect is currently doing a circuit of Europe to build the Huge walls that are needed for a couple of Cities that require them (10% of 9,600 florins can support quite a few troops or provide extra building work elsewhere)
Noticing and starting to assimilate information about Merchants and how the income for each varies with each commodity and the commodity location. Some of my Top Merchants are earning 90+ Florins and can easily 'acquire' newbie merchants trying to start up trade for other nations. Having said that I was impressed when one of my up and coming Merchants resisted an Acquisition from a Foreign Merchant and actually turned the Tables on them, earning himself the Secure Asset trait in the process.
Having Gunpowder means more of my Assassins are earning the Explosives Ancillary after completing Sabotage missions which now means that what ever they attempt to blow up takes more damage if they are successful.
Subsequent waves of Mongols meant that my entire force that was involved in this conflict was subsequently annihilated but that serves me right for not setting the encounter up on my terms.
My Ideal encounter is still a Fort half-filled with Catapult and Archers with Cavalry (and possibly Heavy Infantry) coming in as re-inforcements. This way I should pound the enemy Cavalry element before my Cavalry appear on the Scene. I shouldn't require the infantry really as the Artillery should be safe within the Stockade however I have a few bombards on the Scene and they will need to deploy from the safety of the wall so some Infantry to provide protection from Cavalry Charges would be useful.
So begins the opening Gambit and it remains to be seen if I can mange to set up the next encounters on my own Terms (and win them). Though the Mongols now have more money than me (yes, I'm second in financial terms now) I am aware that they are a horde with no Territory and so can't recruit/retrain more of their own. It was also satisfying to see their Military Rating taking a dive while mine continues to rise. Two of the Stacks of Mongols will prove very hard nuts to crack as they contain both a couple of Trebuchets and Rocket Launchers- both artillery with long range and area effect characteristics. This is all proving to be a very challenging part of this campaign
Capturing 45 Territories was always going to be easily possible on the default setting, though the appearance of the Mongols in Turkey and the Poles subsequently declaring an Alliance with the Turks did slow down this goal quite considerably.
However the Pope has listened to my request to Crusade against the Den of Heathens residing in Paris (otherwise known as French). With Armies besieging both Marseilles and Rheims, ready to assault the walls/gates I will take them and then declare both Armies for the crusade after leaving Garrisons in each city.
I may even declare one of my armies in the east for the Crusade (one the cost of upkeep is free while on crusade, two the movement is doubled so can move the army very quickly from Jeddah up to Caesarea, three the Pope tends to give each unit one point of Experience) but I will have to make sure I take Paris by the time the other army reaches Caesarea otherwise desertions may occur.
Two units of Handgunners will be present at the Storming of Marseille and Bologna is halfway to upgrading its Barracks ready to produce Arquebusiers. Have a couple of Mortars and Ribaults making their ways East and West, some to Paris and some to either Turkey or assist in an assault on Hungary (if the Popes mission to leave the Hungarians alone runs is completed before the artillery reaches the Hungarian Border)
The Poles have allied with the Danes, who then decided to attack me so I have lost my Alliance with the Poles which is a shame. Having said that if I can wipe out the French I should have a better opportunity to make an Alliance with the Scots and it also gives me the opportunity to see if I can woo the Poles back diplomatically before I annihilate the Danes.
Watching a Heretic appear on the border between France and Denmark I resisted the urge to send an Assassin after him as I realised the strategic importance of letting a heretic loose among my enemies. More ammunition for me to help keep the Pope on my side.
Have taken Jeddah with a true Assault the Walls siege, no Spies to help open any gates, and so the last of the Egyptian forces have now turned Rebels. The rebel castle to the south of Cairo is ready to be taken and I'm looking at the possibility of taking either Baghdad and or ... on my way north from both ... and Jeddah, though Baghdad is quite westerly and both towns have a fair no. of Troops. It would however boost my economy infrastructure to have these settlements and wouldn't cause any more friction than already exists with the Rebels (it's a thought and I may even gain some experience for my Troops heading North to fight the Mongols)
Money is a bit tight so one of my Generals with an Architect is currently doing a circuit of Europe to build the Huge walls that are needed for a couple of Cities that require them (10% of 9,600 florins can support quite a few troops or provide extra building work elsewhere)
Noticing and starting to assimilate information about Merchants and how the income for each varies with each commodity and the commodity location. Some of my Top Merchants are earning 90+ Florins and can easily 'acquire' newbie merchants trying to start up trade for other nations. Having said that I was impressed when one of my up and coming Merchants resisted an Acquisition from a Foreign Merchant and actually turned the Tables on them, earning himself the Secure Asset trait in the process.
Having Gunpowder means more of my Assassins are earning the Explosives Ancillary after completing Sabotage missions which now means that what ever they attempt to blow up takes more damage if they are successful.
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