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[Zrk2]

Renaissance Men
A Let's Play About Ramming the Renaissance into the 11th Century

By zrk2 at 2011-09-13

Basically, I take Milan (on H/H 'cause I'm a wimp) and conquer as much of Europe as matters, using only cities and the units I can recruit from them. And mercenaries, because there is nothing that fits better into renaissance italy than masses of sellswords.

Spoiler: The Beginning (click to show/hide)

The Duke sat in study, with his two sons. "I am sick of watching what was once the most glorious land in the world rot under barbarians who think with the wrong head. These scum have torn Rome to shreds, and are still pooping upon what little remains, especially our neighbours, the dear Venetians.'

His sons looked on, unsure where he was going with this, but excited, for all young me crave adventure, and this certainly sounded like one.To the elder; 'The Geonese ostensibly are under our patrimony, I want you to take command of the city. You are to bring in and consolidate the fleet, ensure the loyalty of the merchants, improve the public works, and raise some troops for your brother. I will send you with enough florins to kick start the improvements that the barracks will need.'

He turned to his younger son. He smiled, to you I entrust the same task, only you will be dealing with the Florentines. The Republic of Florence claims to be an independent nation. One of our best spies will travel with you, to facilitate an easier infiltration. It is unlikely that they will take kindly to our offer of security. To that end you will travel with a large portion of our garrison here and the troops that are on patrol. Your brother will reinforce you from Genoa. Strike quickly.'

To them both he said 'I have also been contacting any men tied to Rome, no matter how tenuously. I have concluded alliances with the Pope, and a rather more fragile one with the Holy Roman Emperor, may he reign long enough to be useful to us.

Spoiler: The Pacification of Florence (click to show/hide)

'Send the men forward, concentrate the infantry behind the one ram. Send the other at the palisade beside the gate. Knights, with me!' The men marched forward expertly, just as they did on the parade square. That ends soon enough. The gate and the palisade fell quickly. His men poured through and surrounded the troops at the gate.


He rode around the palisade, heading to the town square. He saw some crossbowmen and ordered the charge. 'Miiiiiiiiiillaaaaaaaaaaaaa-'


Fortunately his men did not notice, and soon cut down the Prince of Florence.


In the end the victory was complete and the Florentines were subjected to the necessary purge, funding the final improvements for the final phase of improvements to the Geonese barracks.

Smells like reformation.

[USEC_OFFICER]

If my computer didn't overheat all the time I would make my own Total War LP. Meh. I guess I'll just have to follow yours instead.

Spoiler: My views on Milan (click to show/hide)

Whenever I play Medieval Total War 2, I always picture the people from Milan as twisting their moustaches and crackling evilly. Don't ask me why.

[Azkul]

A Let's Play About Ramming the Renaissance into the 11th Century

oh the innuendo

[Zrk2]

The End of the Beginning

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15

Spoiler: The Swiss Campaign (click to show/hide)

'Son, good work with the Florentines, it's a shame about your damn fool brother, though. However, true revolutionaries look to the future. Our future lies in the mountains of Switzerland. We must capture their fortresses, and then ruin the lords, for nothing is more endemic of the misery of the past age than the feudalists. We march!'

Through the gate...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15

...To the scoreboard!

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15

'I want all the nobility rounded up and brought to the main square.' the Duke ordered his body guards. 'And have the men fall out.' After the troops were rallied and the nobility hounded out (thouroughly cowed by their rough treatment) and pushed into a clump in the centre.

'Men, level spears.' They did.

'Close ranks.' They did.

'Advance towards the nobles.' They did.

'Kill them all.' They did.

Spoiler: Further Expansion (click to show/hide)

Next we marched into Burgundy, complete with mercs.

...They didn't fare very well.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15
(Sorry Stworca)

Spoiler: To Venice! (click to show/hide)

We need to solidify oour italian holdings, and as the HRE is (for the moment) our friend, that brings us to our most obvious rival; Venice!

Shortly following the opening image of the update I was confronted with a much sadder image.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15

Not bloody likely. I made myself content with these shots. Up over the walls...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15

...Through the gate...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15

...Past the scoreboard...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15

...And into the coffers.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-15

Next steps?

[mainiac]

You trounced feudalism in Switzerland so thoroughly that it has been written out of history. 

[Zrk2]

Unfortunately I misplaced the shot of me converting it to a town, I think that would have added dramatic effect.

[NRDL]

Wait in medieval 2 total war, you can only produce the better military units in castles right?  Not cities?  This is cool, it really feels like you're in the age of Machiavelli, due to your army of mercenaries led by condottieres.   

[Zrk2]

Yes, this is where the Fun comes from.

[Zrk2]

VENICE!!!


By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Spoiler: The Adriatic Campaign (click to show/hide)

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Following the capture of Venice I continued to apply pressure, thye launched a single pathetic counter attack, but all it did was hand out free experience bars.

We beat off some reinforcements in a crater.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Then we marched on, and assaulted Zagreb.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Following this we marched to Ragusa, where a truly large (but not massive) battle occurred. Defending the castle was at least 12 units, many of them professional spear men. We split our forces into two main sections. One took the battering ram and assaulted the gatehouse. The others poured over the walls with as many ladders as they had available.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Following a vicious battle on the walls and in the streets under them we emerged victorious. While the infantry dealt with the last of the defenders on the walls the cavalry rode upon the keep, with the commander of the garrison watching them come.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

So ends the Adriatic Campaign.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Spoiler: The Conclusion of Venice. (click to show/hide)

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Iraklion, their capital was defended only by a generals bodyguard. Not worth the time to upload a shot.

Then we arrived at the last outpost of the 'Venetian Empire.' It was Tripoli. The fate of Venice was settled in the best way possible; a confused swirl of men trying to kill each other, with their commanders vainly screaming orders at them.

By Zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Unfortunately, it was only an average destruction.

By Zrk2 at 2011-09-17

Your move, Venice - Oh wait...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

[Zrk2]

HEINRICH!!!

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

Spoiler: Bologna (click to show/hide)

'Milord! Word from Genoa! Imperial ships have blockaded the harbour!'

The Duke was furious. 'Summon the banners, the Emperor will pay for his impudence. We march on Bologna.'

Levies from Venice met with the Milanese levies, amd then again with the troops up from Florence just outside of Bologna. The city was invested, but before an assault could be launched some imperial scouts returned as reinforcements.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

Agostino called his captains together. 'Men I see a simple plan. We have four different sets of ladders, I want tow of those to assault that walls immediately to either side of the gatehouse, I want the other two a ways off to the side to draw away defenders. The remaining men will take the battering rams directly for the gatehouse. I will stay back with the cavalry and dissuade a flank attack by the reinforcements. The crossbowmen will offer suppressing fire wherever I deem necessary. We march at the crack of noon.' And so the commanders of the army turned in for a night in theirs, or someone else's, if the fancy so struck them.


By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

The initial attack came off without a hitch, but some knights that had been scouting came around and attempted to ambush the men on the rams.

'Bugger! Knights, with me!' He lead his knights to chase down these men, but the imperials were lighter armed and evaded him at first. Eventually they were backed up against the wall and slaughtered.

Following them there arrived some crossbowmen, but they were woefully out numbered, and hopelessly out trained and disciplined.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

Following the defeat of the reinforcements the defenses collapsed and the emperor was cut down trying to rally his men.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

Spoiler: The Austrian Pacification (click to show/hide)

Following the capture of Bologna the levies marched on the Austrian fasthold of Innsbruck. It is woefully undermanned and falls easily.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

Vienna is slightly better defended, but faces no different a threat.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

The same tactics used so successfully on Bologna are again used.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

They are critically effective.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

And so Vienna falls.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

Spoiler: Important Behind the Scenes Stuff (click to show/hide)

Science continues to advance, thanks in no small part to our patronage.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-18

By Zrk2 at 2011-09-17



This confirms to the rest of the world what we already know.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-17

[Zrk2]

Victory

Spoiler: An Uninterrupted Advance (click to show/hide)

Against the civiv pride of the Milanese cohorts the disorganized and demoralized imperials fell back in disarray, losing stronghold after stronghold.

...Metz...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

...Prague...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

...Breslau...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

...Nuremburg...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

Soon the Empire was driven back to its last bolthole, fortunately they had a force the like of which the Milanese had never faced before...

...So they went around it.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

Spoiler: An Actual Field Battle (As Told by Various {Apparently English} Imperial Soldiers) (click to show/hide)

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

Spoiler: Frankfurt (click to show/hide)

The Battle was Shaping up to be a rather onesided affair. But don't they all, in the end?

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

By this point an automaton could run a siege for the Milanese. Why change perfectly effective tactics now?

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

One point must needs be made.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

The general fought as he lived; poorly.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

So ended the battle...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

...And so ended the Empire.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

It never reached the 13th century.

Spoiler: Sicily (click to show/hide)

Sicily has decided that they must protect their Mediterranean hegemony, this bodes ill...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

...For the nobility of the Kingdom of Sicily.

Spoiler: Papal Shenanigans (click to show/hide)

The Pope excommunicated us for our removal of the HRE. His life lasted a little while longer...

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

But not very.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

With our message suitably conveyed the Papacy learned its lesson.

By zrk2 at 2011-09-23

I'm also now spamming out spies and assassins, I want to see if I can break a nation with nothing but a horde of assassins killing everything, and maybe some diplomats for bribing off captains.

The updates will likely slack off a bit as English class is doing a number on my free time.