State of the Union:
Our navy consists of 200 galleys. Half of them are stationed at Venice, the other half at Iraklion.
The Pope likes most of the nations, feeling no ill will against them. However, he feels neither ill will or good toward us, and has found the faith of the Holy Roman Empire wanting. If this continues, they might be excommunicated, giving us a blank check for some conquering.
Turn 1: Spring of 1080
A spy is killed attempting to infiltrate the rebel town of Zagreb. Shortly thereafter Councillor Bartolomeo's army arrives and prepares to invade.
Alessandro Selvo sends a unit of Spear Militia to aid the Councillor, but it won't arrive until the winter at earliest. The assault is postponed until it arrives.
Alessandro begins training another unit of spear militia, as well as mailed knights and mounted sergeants.
A merchant sets out to begin trading gold in rebel territory near Ragusa. We should probably take that province and construct gold mines in the near future.
Venice begins paving the road network to improve travel and trade. Iraklion lowers taxes and clears land for farming, in the hopes of spurring quick growth.
Turn 2: Winter 1080
Militarily, we are the strongest faction in the world.
The council insists we capture Durazzo, south of Ragusa.
The spear militia will not arrive until spring of 1081. The assault is further postponed
Alessandro Selvo gains 1 chivalry, for being fair in rule.
The rebels sally forth before reinforcements can arrive. BATTLE BEGINS!!!
No more images after that except really crazy stuff, it takes too long.
The rebels make their attack before Bartolomeo's army can properly deploy. Spearmen are quickly lined up to form a defensive barrier for the archers, and the general's bodyguard move to the right flank. Several volleys of arrows are traded and Croat axemen move for the main line. Bartolomeo's bodyguard charge the rearmost axemen unit and it withdraws. They then charge the already engaged unit from behind, destroying it utterly. The bodyguard continue to pound at the archers while the rest of the army marches forward.
The rebels fell back to the city center and the General's bodyguard moved out of the arrow fire. The main army reached the entrance just as the rebels were heading out for a second go at it. With archer and later bodyguard support the spearmen finished of the Croat axemen and then the archers.
Final tally:
Bartolomeo deployed 373 men and lost 26
The rebels deployed 233 and all were killed or captured.
Turn 3, Spring 1021:
Bartolomeo gains both fair in rule and winning first, causing a net dread/chivalry change of zero. Good for him.
The Holy Roman Empire overtakes us militarily.
Trade is established with Sicily, and maps are exchanged.
A large force of brigands appears near Venice, and Bartolomeo mobilizes to stop them before they interfere with trade.
The cavalry recruited in Iraklion move to reinforce.
Oliverio Giusti, Venice's Cardinal, denounces and executes a heretic, increasing his piety and earning him the rank of Bishop Preferati.
Turn 4, Winter 1021:
The papal states are given a gift of 400 gold. The Pope feels no ill will against us.
Turn 5, Spring 1022
The cavalry reach Councillor Bartolomeo
The brigands leave Venetian territory, moving into the mountains to the north.
The recorder of events notes that things are really boring right now.
That's all for the moment, we'll probably do things in bigger steps in the future. Not much is going on in the early game, and armies aren't cool enough for really crazy stuff to go down.
Jackrabbit was a little late on his stuff, so things didn't go how he wanted. We just occupied Zagreb, we didn't sack it.