***Update Mk2***
I'm trying to write a better update this time, I think the last one was rather lacklustre.
I have been mucking about these dreary towns for quite some time now. Once one leaves Italy the world becomes so much more bleak. Heretics stride the land, fool Orthodoxians insist on worshiping wrong, and most of all there are almost no young noblewomen to corrupt!
However, my efforts over here have greatly improved my reputation amongst the college, I am now the preferred preferati (Score, this should be useful). I shall truly enjoy the Papacy, if Venice's many enemies don't thwart me.
Antonio sat there upon his horse, word had come that the fool Byzantines were going to launch another assault today.
An archer in the watch tower yelled 'There's movement! They're coming! They have three rams this time.'
Cristiano, his father, gave the orders for the foot to move up to the gate. As the spear militia arrayed themselves Antonio readied himself for the bloody brawl that he knew was coming. 'So it begins again. Wait, three rams?' he called up.
'Yes three, but only one advances. Damn fool Byzantines.'
The militia had reached their positions, and braced for the impact they knew was coming.
The archer called out update, 'They appear to have changed strategy, there's much more infantry this time!' '500 feet!' a few seconds passed. '100 feet!'
One could feel the tension in the air. Jokingly Antonio yelled to his father 'Once more into the breach, dear friend?'
'Once more!' The gate shattered asunder and the Byzanines screamed in, only to spit themselves on the waiting Venetian spears.
'Fucking barbarian scum!' and other obscenities were among the more polite phrases, not to mention the screams of the dying and the pleas of the wounded.
A commander of some sort hurled slightly more learned insults, such as 'Come on you bastards! You're all just another fucking succession state leaching of the remnants of the mighty Roman Empire! Give up! Let us bring back the glory that was Rome!' Some glory, sacked by a bunch of barbarians, now they've adopted the same tactics the barbarians used; charge a gate screaming and hope for the best.
'Now! Push men!' his father yelled. With that the cavalry pushed in and stopped the bulge of Byzantines from growing and started to push them out. Antonio hacked and slashed at the foot soldiers about him. Near the centre he spotted a better armed man, who seemed to be what amounted to a commander. He pushed towards him and hacked wildly. The noise was overwhelming. He got close to the man and smashed him in the head. The man dropped and the Byzantines started screaming. Screaming more, that is.
As he pushed his way back to his troops he noticed that the Byzantines were markedly less excited to fight suddenly. Soon he could see some streaming out the gate, then a torrent. Soon the rout was complete. 'Hold,' his father commanded. The Byzantines streamed away, likely to return, but the Venetians needed the rest.
Later that day the 100 or so prisoners were gathered in the square. They looked sullen and scared. Scared quite shitless, Antonio thought. His father rode out in front of the prisoners. They muttered amongst themselves and glanced about. 'It has been decided,' he declared, 'That you must die.' The archers fired a volley and the militia started stabbing wildly. Vengeance makes butchers of us all.
Antonio rode off to find some companionship and a good barrel of wine to last him the night.
The siege of Milan dragged on for quite some time. The besiegers ate poorly and suffered disease. The Milanese ate even worse, and suffered much more, with their rats and their pestilence.
A relieving force arrived just as the city was about to collapse. They gave battle, but the sortie from the city came too early.
They were met in battle and destroyed. Some prisoners were taken, but most were allowed to flee, as a larger force approached. The army wheeled and met the re-enforcements.
The battle was bloody and cost dearly both sides. The Venetian cavalry charged the left flank of the Milanese, but the spearmen managed to break them. This evened the battle greatly, but in the end the Milanese were routed and Milan was sacked viciously.
5000 florins were 'liberated' and over 1000 people died from fire or bloodlust.
The siege of Budapest was a much different story.
As the besiegers settled in they were far from home and poorly equipped. Peasants and militia made up the vast majority. However there were some mailed knights, but when battle came they would be dealt with.
As the city was ground down a force arrived to break the siege. It was much smaller, but far better equipped and trained.
Hungarian nobles and Pavise Crossbowmen made up the great majority, with some dismounted knights for spice.
When battle was joined heavy casualties were inflicted. Many of the crossbowmen were routed, but when the nobles were a different matter. They hurled javelins and then withdrew back. When the Venetians were forced to turn and engage the other force the nobles came back and crushed the remaining Venetians.
Some survivors were rallied by a knight, but they fled north. When they tried to skirt the city they were engaged. They withdrew rather than face certain death. They were then butchered and no one escaped.
So, success on two fronts, failure on the third. However, I now have access to some higher quality spearmen, and can recruit pavise crossbowmen from Venice. These will likely be used to strengthen the force that will attack Genoa and whatever other Milanese settlements are left. Fortunately the Pope like me more then he likes Milan, but I'm about to fail his demand that I go on a crusade to Antioch-right through the entire Byzantine Empire, which is currently trying to kill me.
I also have a priest who is secretly a woman. If anyone wants to claim a family member or agent give me an idea of your interests and I'll see if there's anyone that sounds like it.
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Topic: Medieval II: Total War LP (Read 34171 times)