The taking of Frankfurt

Yet again, I receive a scroll reminding me of the coming battle. I have a few choices. Lift siege, which I will NEVER do without a good fight. Maintain the siege, which would be a good option if I was a weakling, and just wanted to wait them out. If you do not understand, I will explain. Maintaining the siege has two reasons. One, because you don’t have the guts to fight the enemy, and just want to starve them out. Two, you are building siege towers, ladders, or battering rams from the forests surrounding the besieged city. The second option would be the best for one who can’t afford the state of the art technology. However, I am a rich and powerful king, and can afford almost anything, from golden thrones to golden cities. The third and my favorite choice, is Assault. This choice will send a message to the captain or general of the siege to attack. You will assault the enemy only if you have the following: sufficient supplies and troops, siege equipment (battering rams, siege towers, etc.), siege weapons (catapults, trebuchets, ballistas, etc.). If you have all of these, as I do, then you are ready to attack. Now my final choice is Assault!!!

My reinforcements have shown up after all! The captain Valdemar was due in a day, and has shown up beside a Danish force made specifically for the taking of a main town or city on Holy Roman soil. Valdemar was sent to make sure that the force I sent has more troops if I is lose my main infantry units, or a error is made.

The battle has begun to slip in my army’s favor. The gates are ours, and the enemy forces are thinning and losing heart. They have even had to send there last wave of troops, and put there faction leader at risk! This is a clear sign of the turning of favor in this battle. Frankfurt, a once prosperous and bustling city in the heart of Germany, has lost most of its famed defenders and “experienced” soldiers to the Danes! Though victory is not certain, it is coming closer. The day will most likely be ours!

As I expected! The enemy general has died, and the faction as a whole is now in its weakest position ever! The Germans surrounding their king knew they would suffer the same fate, and ran for their lives, and left more ground for us to take. I am pleased with my army’s progess, no matter what the cost, the enemy general and king is dead and gone forever, and this accomplishment gives me reason to let the captain of the fight of the hook for the deaths my army suffers. I hope now, with the death of this grand king, who was feared by all until we rose to power, that the rest of the Germans will bow down and join us in our crusade against evil.

My men can see the center of Frankfurt! Once we gain this land, the town is ours, and the citizens of Frankfurt will no longer have to bend their necks to a tyrant. Rather, I will give them all the freedom they wish, other than weapons until I am certain they are comfortable in my empire and hold no grudges against any Danes or a ally of the Danes.

The day is ours, and so is Frankfurt! What a nice addition to the Danish empire… a city feared and worshiped for years, a city that I shall soon change into a good Christian town for all who think as we do to come and rejoice. Enough thoughts of glory though. The citizens who have fought us are tainted with evil, and must be taken care of. I will never spare the ones who stand in front of the Danish Crusade and spit on our boots. No, they will not live for their misdeeds.\\

As I have said, Frankfurt is yet another city in my already large empire, another city in front of all the other factions, and other city for good Danes and Denmark’s allies to live and settle in. After Germany is mine, I will move on to the Italian cities the Holy Roman Empire has tainted, and then end there, to let the Danes live in a eternal peace with all others.

To war with the Holy Roman Empire: The Danish Times

Yes! We have attained the title of “Most Advanced” yet again! The king will be pleased, at let loose the party of Scandinavia again. The grown adults and teenagers will no longer have to go to long hours of school, which they had already endured for years in their childhood. This will bring back the joyous singing along the streets, and shopkeepers will not have to close their stores. School will once again be filled with young ones, learning the language and history of hour people.

Our countries now exceeds even the French in land! We own more fertile farmland and land to build and settle on than any other country! The days of sitting back and marveling at Frances or the Romans land is over! We are the owners of this grand award! The Ruling Council has deemed our kings lands greater than any other faction’s! We will keep our names on the reward “Largest Faction” by conquering the countries that would dare search for more land in our empire. This has already been done by the Holy Roman Empire, and we will not tolerate. Believe me, all who reading this newspaper, the king is searching for the right time to strike at the vulnerable Holy Roman Empire. The day will come and Frankfurt, the so called “glorious” capital of the Germans will fall to our armies which are gathering in Nuremburg, Prague, Hamburg, and Stettin, or border cities and castles. The only outpost that may deal us harm are the following. Frankfurt, the most heavily fortified city in all of the Holy Romans land, and a small town by the name of Breslau, which poses a small threat to our allies, the knight of Poland. But, the Polish are strong and already have two great forces ready to strike down the town of Breslau. The invasion plan is in place even now, my brothers, and our king will bring it to action in tenday! For Denmark!

It seems as if we own all the rewards, and have no resistance. The king relayed this information over to me by the means of a copy of the letter he received from the Ruling Council. The 100% at the side means we fully own this reward, and no faction has even come close to beating us to first place. The “Overall” reward is given to the faction who owns the most grand, as the king likes to call then, awards. We are at the strongest level we have ever been! The Germans own no rewards, and in low favor of the pope and the Ruling Council. The Germans are at their falling point, and we are the ones chosen to take out this rotting world power. TO WAR!

My dreams are true! The king was planning this all along! The war against the Holy Roman Empire has started, and is off to a good start! We have won the first battle! Our casualties were not even noticeable, while the Germans watched their flanks being shattered and in consequence their cavalry routing and broken. The battle plan, to charge with cavalry into the center, and to break the flanks with infantry worked, and then the infantry circled around the enemy survivors, and finished the bloody deed. This secures our hold in Germany, with all the armies outside of Frankfurt and Breslau demolished, routing, or turning rebel against the Germans. The only Germans that are safe for now grow fat and plump for us to butcher when the day to siege Frankfurt comes.

The Danish Times: A newspaper ruled and written by the king’s subjects

As the king has promised, Scandinavia has been unified. Oslo, Stockholm and Arhus are all under his control. No longer will Scandinavia be tainted by such a foul faction as the rebels. This is a great victory for all Danes. This means we can have peace in the north. As we have had so long in Arhus. No more will Scandinavia be shipping off troops to Germany to fight, but those men shall drink and be merry in the cities the king has so “generously” conquered and given to the people of Sweden and Norway. The North will be a haven for all who believe in god. After a pause, he said “also, the North shall host all who want to get drunk have a fabulous time. This is a invitation to all those who wish to see this haven to join the Danes!” So, I sit here and wonder. Should I help expand this empire to southern Germany, or should I stay and have a nice time in Scandinavia, were the food is good and the homes are heated. I must choose. Adventure, courage, and honor for my family. Or friends, a good time, a long life, and wife. The answer, as all who read the Danish Times, is I shall stay and have a good time! Let us toast, and forget the war ever happened.

No! The reward the king has congratulated us about is now in the hands of another faction! I do not even want to tell you about the wraith of the king when he first received this letter:
Dear King of Denmark, we are sad to announce that the Byzantine Empire, rulers of a strong and smart nation have snatched the “Most Advanced” title from you. We sorry that we could not give you this award, but the judge made his decision and chose the Byzantine Empire.
Best regards, Ruling Council.

This was a bad omen for the Scandinavian every going party, for men were forced to spend a period of 3 months learning history, algebra, and the latest scientific discoveries. The king said when we are proven smarter and more creative then the wretched Byzantines I shall release you from my temporary school and let the party continue. But, as they hold that title, I shall study along side you, and make this country smarter than the Byzantines could ever imagine. Yes, this is one of the last entries from the Danish Times for a few days, maybe weeks. Yet, we shall try to find time to stick another entry in tomorrow.

Seems as if the citizens of the city Prague have given up without any real resistance. Look… the battle ended just after the bulk of our forces entered the gates. Results of a Clear Victory, and seems like we didn’t lose too many men. Woah! the siege tower worked to perfection in this siege. What a success. Only 35 Norse Swordsmen lost, but a whole unit of Rebel Armoured Sergeants sent routing and fleeing for their lives. The crossbow militia seems to have been slaughtered, as the corpses behind the wall are rebels, and do not seem like they were expecting us to manage to break in. The spear militia units also failed on their flanking maneuver, as they didn’t realize my cavalry was right there to smash the unit they set aside to flank me. Of course, just by sheer numbers, our spearmen have massacred their spearmen who foolishly met us head on. There is nothing else to say, other than Huzzah for the kings armies, and we know own to cities in to squash the Germans with.

Turn 12: The powers of Denmark… not the weaknesses

Well now, it looks as if the Holy Roman Empire has deemed themselves worthy enough to surround my settlement, to stop me from attacking any of their major settlements. Good plan, but those puny armies will do nothing to stop my main invasion force. Ha! These armies are not even armies. They are merely scouting parties set aside to check on my power. All these scouts will see is their own wealth draining from them, flowing into my settlement. They would not be able to do anything about this, for my settlement already houses more troops then they have present. Then, to their dismay, Prague will fall in one seige, when it took the Romans three tries, and they still haven’t put a dent in Prague. With Nuremburg and Prague I will rule central Europe to some extent. This will give me a tactical advantage over all the settlements between Hamburg and Prague. But, these are just dreams… and dreams do not come true the moment you dream them. Let us look at what the day has unraveled into.

It seems as if the rebels have sent a fleet out to attack me… how clever. But, as always, their plans are foiled and my fleet has found them. Momentarily the crew and ship of the rebels will cease to exist, and my fleet will sail the ocean without threat from any opposing faction. The sea is mine already, as it seems no one else has claimed it.

Right now it looks as if the women of Denmark are birthing smarter and better educated kids and bringing them to adulthood better than any other country, or I would have never received this reward. What a honor to be called “Most Advanced” by the the Council! THE COUNCIL! Do all of you know how important this is! This is the council which gives me and you orders and rewards for attacking the opposing faction! The council is our praiser, or only true ally, who will not and cannot strike at us. This is like a letter from a friend, praising you for your good work. Ah, this shows it! I was right! We are being noticed by the large countries of France, the strong state of the Papal States. and the aristocratic states of Milan, Venice, and Sicily! This will be great and loyal allies to us. Our road is on the incline! The power we will wield in a day will be tenfold the power we wielded the other day. Ah, yes, I have forget to tell of the glorious battle of Stettin! Let us see the results.

This is the scroll detailing the odds of victory, any reinforcements, and if there is seige equipment, what kind. The scroll also shows how long a enemy will last in the case of a long, dragged out seige. In this case, the castle will survive for 3 turns. Oh, yes, and the scroll shows the defenses the enemy has also. Again, as usual, the enemy defenses sport a castle and nothing else. Currently, I have built no siege equipment, and I do not need any. With this invasion army, I put a unit of catapults and 1 of trebuchets. With these siege weapons, I do not need the regular battering ram or armored ladder.

Since the enemies captain is dead and no longer is his unit a threat, while it is broken and fleeing, we can tell that because the battle has progress into the city, the trebuchets and catapults have done their job, and the walls and castle are now mine. The cavalry seemed to have smashed through the first line of defense, for the captain of rebels are always cowering behind in the 2nd or even 3rd line, watching their troops die foolishly for the coward of a captain. No matter, for their death are in vain now, because the captain they died to protect is now dead. Ah… the irony. I give him a chance to live and he says he would rather die… now he is screaming for his life, after he turned down BOTH of my loyal diplomats sent to bribe and bring the captain and his forces into my country’s wealth and power, to make the wealth and power more so. The battle shall end soon, so let us wait for the letter of victory to arrive.

The letter has arrived! The victory is a “Clear Victory” with only 17 of the previously dangerous forces of 421 living, we have done well. The letter says we lost 123 of our previous force of 541. This is a big loss, but nowhere near the casualties suffered by our enemies. We have 418 men remaining, a sizable force still. Our infantry and archers have taken the largest toll, yet our Chivalric Knights have suffered loses of up to 50 knights total. My men died for a righteous and winning cause, while the rebels fought for a long dead cause, lost in the eons, and died for a coward who would much rather abandon his men then fight along side them. No matter, we have won! My children of Denmark, eat and drink and celebrate this victory and our fortune to be so favored by god, for their is no other way to win such a glorious victory! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! For Denmark!

Turn 8: Enlarging the Empire

Yes, this was not gained by the tip of a sword or lance, yet it shows my wealth, and tells the world that any countryman would rather boast that he was a Dane, rather than cower in fear because he was not. These townsfolk have made the right choice. The city of Nuremburg gives me a tactical advantage over the Romans, when I can attack from the front and back if I so much as wish to attack the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. There are mountains to the south of me, giving me defense for a few turns from incoming Roman armies, and a forests almost surrounding my city, making it very hard to surprise me, when I have a warning when their armies enter the forest, and then rest till the next turn. I know hold the Holy Roman Empire in check, with now only 2 of their outposts within a moves range from Hamburg, a city won by a sword’s tip.

As revenge, I have planned a attack on Stockholm, and weakened rebel town in protected by the sea and thick forests. Yet, I have managed to send a massive force of cavalry accompanied with 3 units of infantry and 1 unit of crossbowmen. The rebels, strengthened with a fresh unit that turned traitor to me, has fortified Stockholm. Good… let me traitor sob before me, say he was sorry even though he mercilessly slaughtered my men… he shall pay, no matter he dies in the battle as a soldier, or flees to me for forgiveness. Their forces are weak, and I have came back with a strong force of over 500 men. Our fellows will be avenged, or we will all die in battle! For Denmark!

The attack is going as planned! We have set 2 units of infantry to charge into the enemy, and set 3 units of cavalry to smash the weakened enemy. On the other entrance, we are fighting the crossbowmen, who thought they could flank my infantry. I have 1 unit of crossbowmen firing at the enemies missile unit. 3 more units of cavalry smashing through the missile unit, already weakened by my spear militia. The battle is in my favor, and the enemy’s infantry has not noticed my right flank preparing to smash into them from behind! This battle will end quickly!

The traitors unit is surrounded, and he is trapped! We will close in and slowly hack our way to their captain and then there dispose of him!

The city is ours, and the battle is won! Ha, I knew this would happen from the start. We had and still have every advantage over the Norse Rebels, still holding out at Oslo. We have surrounded their cities with our own cities, and our own troops. They are weakened from previous battles, and they are nowhere are well trained and will run after the first 10 of them fall in battle. The rebels are disoriented and weak! They are spread out, all over the continent. They are like a age-old empire poverty stricken and about to fall from illness. We are the new comers. It is our job, while we are strong and young to take out this old kingdom, and replace it’s inhabitants with Danes. Thank you for listening, and have a good day! The traitor is dead!

Turn 5: Unifying Scandinavia

As all can see, this is a scroll showing the odds of victory. The odds seem to be in my enemies hands, but we have the same amount of men! This makes no sense. If they have as many men as me… and they have a higher chance of victory… they must have better infantry than me. This will be harder than I thought, my warriors, but fear not. You are well trained and well fed, and have the legions of Denmark backing your every step. These are rebels, wearing tatters of cloth and are very under fed. The only thing they have is courage. We will snatch away their courage and send them on their tails when they catch sight of our army. We will win yet, though my advisor says otherwise. “I have faith my men will not disappoint me.” I had said to the scribe who collected these details. If they do fail, they will have proper punishment by dieing honorably on the battlefield. Then, we shall send yet a stronger army of Danes against the Swedish rebels who dare defy my power! Let us crush these foes like the Germans we killed at Hamburg!

This is our army, only stopped by a red line, which will fade away soon, signaling our charge on the town. Our strategy is simple. There are two entrances to the town plaza, were their soldiers are crowded in. Our archers will stand back and rain arrows, some aflame, and some not, on the enemies crossbowmen. The spearmen will come through both entrances, one unit through one entrance, the other unit through the other. This will trap the enemies, forcing them to split their forces to attack each of my units of spearmen. With the enemy clustered like so, we will then let loose our arrows, like a large chunk of hail hitting a colony of ants. It will send them all flying in all directions, then leaving them to die on the spot they land on. From there, we will proceed to take over the town square, and finish off the crossbowmen. The plans only flaw is that if somehow the arrows do not have their devastating toll on the enemy army, the spearmen will falter and flee, and the battle will be lost. This cannot be allowed, no matter what.

What?!? Our forces have been beaten back and killed! Ha, at least they have done as I said. For their king, they all died with honor on the battlefield, as I expected, rather than run back and plead before me for forgiveness. No, they were brave, and died where they stood, against all odds, they showed they would not be as weak as the Swedish infantry they had sent on its heels. Our men, in greater numbers, will crush the now severely weakened Swed’s, then attack the trapped Oslo, occupied by head-strong Norsemen, and reunite the whole of Scandinava. Even now, a larger army comes to take down Stockholm, and reunite the Swed’s and Danes alike. The whole of Scandinavia while be called Denmark for years to come! We shall be powerful, famous, and feared by our enemies, and just from the holiness of our aurora mercenaries will flow in, not asking for money, but asking to join our country against that is unholy, and for all that is holy! That day will come, when I or my grandsons reign as the peaceful king of Denmark, never again to start a war, but always to end a war. Thank you, my loyal subjects, for gathering here at my palace today! Now you may stroll back on the streets of Arhus to your homes, or help yourself to one of our many exquisite stores. Have a merry time!

2nd Turn:To war, my fellow Danes!

The time has come men! We shall raid this city, then move on the coasts and rule the Baltic Sea! From their we shall conquer the Holy Roman Empire! This city shall add to our strength, supplying troops, add to our wealth, with yet another port under Danish control! It shall make our enemies near it fear us! Our lives are on the climb, and our empire is on a road of glory! Hamburg will be ours, very soon!

We shall attack Hamburg now, my warriors, you shall not be dissapointed by the outcome. We will have plunder and more land! Knights, this is your time! Think of your estates…. they will grow! Think of your servants… their numbers will multiply! Soon we conquer 4 cities of rebels! We will have land and money aplenty! Our armies will the stretched, but we will recruit more! No one can deny the fact the pope backs our cause! All Christians who still believe in the pope will follow us. Danes, this is the beginning of your fame in Europe, you will no longer be ridiculed by the powerful nobles of France or and such strong country. If they err and strike at us while our armies are marched ‘cross the cold lands of Sweden, and possibly Norway, their armies will turn against them and join our cause, both for our honor and money, they fall to our command! You have nothing to fear! No more pesky French diplomats and merchants stealing your hard earned money and food! We shall obliterate any force they send near us! Now, with courage and valor, charge on Hamburg!!!!

We are at their walls! Charge now, I shall overview your success! The battering ram will undoubtedly succeed in bringing down the enemies gates, and our infantry will unleash their power and numbers on the rebels, while the archers and crossbow men do the same to rebel missile units! Then, when they are not expecting, the whole of my bodyguard, and I, will break their lines and send them fleeing to the safety of their town plaza. But, we will not falter and feign victory, we shall pursue these unholy fighters and break their will, and make them serve as our servants for the rest of their unworthy lives.

Ahh, the carnage they have wreaked on our archers… though no doubt their deaths will be repaid, this is a blow to my heart… while I sit and wait for the perfect moment, I have to watch my faithful men fall under enemy arrows, and set alight by the fire the arrows held and their tip. Even now, I am attacking with all my might and fury for the deaths we have experienced this day. Yet, I hope their spirits are watching this battle from their balconies in the skies granting us luck against their enemy. We have passed the gate, and kill all the archers who had slaughtered our missile units so mercilessly.

We are at their plaza! The battle is near it’s end! The victors will be us! Their forces are thinning, and we are gaining yards of land, instead of feets. As always, we have been on the gain, and never lost a inch of land that we gain. This castle is stained with the blood of rebels, our weak, filthy foes. We are winning, I, with renewed strength and courage, and chopping down spear men and archers alike who stand in my way! I can sense victory right out our grasp, and every step I take brings me closer to victory!!

We have captured this land, and will use it wisely! The following is up to you, my loyal knights! Have a good drink and good rest! Later, fellows!

Denmark:The beginning

This is my empire, small yet strong. I, the King of Danes, plan to take over Sweden and some part of France and Germany. My empire, originating on the Danish Penisula, will grow strong! We will crush all the rebels that stand in our way! We shall slaughter those who oppose god’s glory, and reward those who help us. Our armies grow, and we MUST strike now. This is a time of great deeds, for both me and my subjects. This a time of war… Total War!!! You may follow me on my conquests, reaching out to the city of Paris, France, to the city of Prague, near the filthy barbarians of the “Holy” Roman Empire! Do not worry my fellow country men, my campaign will never fail! The story books with praise me and my armies for our glorious deeds against the Holy Roman Empire, who call themselves Catholics. Ha! I laugh at them! Do you hear me, you bloodthirsty idiots! Do you!? I will crush you! BEWARE!

Now, surely, all of you commoners have seen the true extent of my power! My ships sail the seas, free from any opposing ships! Ha, but we won that right at a bitter cost, we lost one fleet of ships to a mighty rebel fleet. Ohhh, but we didn’t let them get away with that. Our now-sunken fleet had weakened the rebels greatly! We merely sent a even greater ship after the blasphemous fleet, and destroyed them! Yes, my fellow Danes, we are very powerful at this time in history! Just wait till I show you my vast chambers of riches, gained by sword and teeth, and cunning merchants!

With such a combo…. who could defeat me?!?!? I have the most money of all the countries! Some of those countries may have larger armies, but skilled? My warriors are delighted when facing a army from the capital of Holy Roman Empire. Heavy Infantry they say they have… I have cavalry, Norse Axemen, my most skilled warriors, and all the money of the world to pay them! They will fight with all their courage, since they are not drunk and they KNOW what is at stake! Even now, my forces march to Sweden to secure a stronghold there. Stockholm…. we will destroy it! Hamburg… will be left behind by the Holy Roman Empire! Forgotten, just so their weak king doesn’t have to face the wraith of a Dane defending his home. Pesky Romans… they will fall with this behavior. I can only rely on courage and money though… but do not fear! Our merchants will steal their money, or armies will steal their strength, and our ships will steal their supplies! We will win!

Those rebels again…. aye, I will take care of them. First we have to show the Swedish Rebels, who could not see the light of Christendom, and stubbornly stood out against my superior forces. Hamburg will not be different. Ah, wait, yes it will! Hamburg is filled with people of Roman ancestory! This is a good omen my people! The enemies are Romans tommorow! We have no doubt we crush these infidels! The pope? He will not care! I own a Huge Cathedral showing my faith and power to build such a grand structure, while the Romans only have a small chapel, showing the absence of faith in their empty hearts! I will see you tommorow, my loyal subjects, farewell, and good fighting!