Leader: King Sheb McBrent
The convoy reached Gasket completely untouched, and your ships in a supreme display of naval might. The Greenblood trade goods reach Gasket and plans for a long-term trade route are quickly drawn up. It was an easy trip. Too easy, in fact.
Your suspicions prove correct; the raid on the Arcadian merchanter was a feint to draw your attentions out to the narrowest point of the Brentish Channel. Too late do you realise that the body of Roberts' fleet was lying in wait eastward off the Alestrom coast for you to gather your fleet just out of reach.
Both attacks occur on the same day, a pair of raids on Lower Brent and South Alestrom. The raid on Lower Brent is barely contested, as the longbowmen due to defend the capital are still in training. Raiders sack the ports, razing buildings and stealing much of the wealth, roughly equivalent to everything you would have taken in taxes from the region.
Pirate and Brentish forces engage.
Pirate Forces
Trireme: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Mariners: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
Brentish Forces
Light Axemen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Spearmen: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
A Pirate Mariners has utterly destroyed a Brentish Light Axemen! [75 vs 60]
A Pirate Mariners has defeated a Brentish Spearman, but sustained heavy damage. [43 vs 39]
Pirate Forces
Trireme: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Mariners: 1 Intact, 1 Damaged
Brentish Forces
Spearmen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
The attackers have crushed all resistance.
The pirates sack Mitre almost as soon as your forces depart the city on their tour of conquest. The trireme attacks at dawn, catching the defenders by surprise. As they rush to gather their weapons, it becomes clear that they have been betrayed from within; the pirates have already stolen into the armoury and looted it clean. The defence of the town quickly turns into a massacre and they make away with plenty of booty. Both triremes and their occupants are presumed to be fleeing to a new port by now.
Captain Simo arrives by ship at the port of Gasket, just in time to hear the news. He informs you that last he heard the Dread Pirate was sailing a fully-crewed galleon, the Queen Mary. Worse still, some of the crew were supposedly trained in capturing defeated vessels.
Unfortunately, the only thing worse than your difficulties with defense are your fortunes in war.
Brentish and Central Lester forces engage.
Brentish Forces
Spearmen: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Light Axemen: 2 Intact, 0 Damaged
War Bears: 1 Intact, 0 Damaged
Central Lester Forces
Archers: 3 Intact, 0 Damaged
Fortifications
A Brentish War Bears has defeated a Central Lester Archers, but sustained heavy damage. [83 vs 74]
A Central Lester Archers has utterly destroyed a Brentish Light Axemen! [78 vs 38]
A Brentish Light Axemen has defeated a Central Lester Archers, but sustained heavy damage. [88 vs 79]
A Central Lester Archers has utterly destroyed a Brentish Spearmen! [86 vs 62]
A Central Lester Archers has utterly destroyed a Brentish Spearmen! [94 vs 76]
A Central Lester Archers has utterly destroyed a Brentish Spearmen! [85 vs 71]
Brentish Forces
Light Axemen: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
War Bears: 0 Intact, 1 Damaged
Central Lester Forces
Archers: 1 Intact, 2 Damaged
The defenders have won out!
It appears that in this case Bearskin's leadership may well have made the difference. The defenders met your armies at a well-built series of fortifications and though only equipped with shortbows were able to turn your usual conquest into an utter rout. The humiliating massacre of your militias in particular may well live on in infamy.
In other news your master of research, Edwin Stubble, suffered a critical stroke and died on the eve of his greatest accomplisments in the twin fields of metallurgy and diplomacy. Your schedule has been set back by months.
[You were less than 10 out from each of the techs on your research roll.]
All in all, a poor end to your first year as king.
TerritoriesBrent L (£500/turn): 1 longbowmen. Palace, Fishery. Fish.
(+£25/turn from fish)
(+£100: Fishery)
(upk: -£85)
Brent S (£234/turn): 1 caravan. Cpt Simo the Cavalier. Market.
(+£164/turn from Market)
(upk: -£155)
Brent U (£287/turn): Walls, Deep Mine, Forge. Coal.
(+£14/turn from coal)
(+£400: Deep Mine)
(+£92/turn from Forge)
(upk: -£10)
Brent N (£137/turn):
Sutter E (£252/turn): 0+1 light axemen.
(upk: -£60)
Alestrom S (£275/turn): 0+1 spearmen. Market.
(+£193/turn from Market)
(upk: -£70)
Lester S (£256/turn): 1 light axemen, 0+1 war bears. Bearskin the Druid. Mine, Forge, Fortifications. Marble.
(+£13/turn from marble)
(+£200: Mine)
(+£82/turn from Forge)
(upk: -£295)
Finances:Cash Reserves: £234
Revenue: +£3224
Trade Pact(Farland): +£108 [Access grain, sheep]
Trade Pact(Arcadia): +£191 [Access lumber, game, iron]
Trade Pact(Grouting): +£157 [Access gold]
Trade Pact(Vremya): +£85
Trade Pact(Taikeni): +£248 [Access copper, wine]
Trade Pact(Free Tempest): +£125
Trade Pact(Greenblood): +£90 [Access silver, spices, ivory]
Raids: -£1049
Upkeep: -£865 [1 longbowmen, 1 caravan, 2 light axemen, 1 spearmen, 1 war bears, 2 trireme, 1 archers. Cpt Simo the Cavalier, Bearskin the Druid. 2 market, 1 walls, 1 fortifications.]
Total: £2548
TechsNature Magic [Foundation]
Summon War Bears
Weaponsmithy I
Marketplaces
Organised Religion
Armies1 Trireme (Gulf of Troud) (upk: -£70)