Suicidal Seljuqs a short campaign

[Surt]

You should build more Military in the near future and maximize Character related decisions. Its hard to rotate them via combats since Luck mechanics and reduced chances of death effectively nullify that possibility.

Try to pay attention to Garrison Power and stack that sits on top of this region. If stack Combat Power is higher fight will happen on the underlying terrain where Garrisons join the army. You can see that Abbasids had 89 POW army on top of 82 Garrison.

So you say that when the army is larger we fight outside ... that gives interesting options in that I might not need to siege if I can just overpower the combined force in a none-defensive terrain.

[SuitedQueens]

So you say that when the army is larger we fight outside ... that gives interesting options in that I might not need to siege if I can just overpower the combined force in a none-defensive terrain.

Yes, doesn't matter if they garrisoned, Allies or Vassals roaming through their region. Bigger stack always triggers fight on the underlying terrain where Garrisons join.

Check my AAR as Estonia when you have free time.

https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=117928

[Surt]

So you say that when the army is larger we fight outside ... that gives interesting options in that I might not need to siege if I can just overpower the combined force in a none-defensive terrain.

Yes, doesn't matter if they garrisoned, Allies or Vassals roaming through their region. Bigger stack always triggers fight on the underlying terrain where Garrisons join.

Check my AAR as Estonia when you have free time.

https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=117928

Nice I'll add your distinctive playing style to my own, at least when I understand what your doing

[Surt]

Turn 17
2 tokens (+1)

Lies.JPG (160.1 KiB) Viewed 2990 times

Some bad people are whispering lies in the ears of a vassal, we need to bribe them ... next turn.

Our gift to Uqaylids was well received (48).

1st Ordu finishes it rest and move to the Siege of Kufa, the crossing of the river to Karbala could not be coordinated with 2nd and 3rd as it cost 2+2, where theirs cost 2 only, so they move there alone.

Konjikala: Discreet village(+25 food) -> sheep
Gorgon: +1 remove civilized -> Used on Arrajan, which is sucked dry by a minor fiefdom. -50g
Merv: Discreet village(+25 food) -> zero slot.
Anbar, Iraq: Occultist is captured, clay pit done -> Brick as clay gives +4 infra bonus.
Navahand: Minor fiefdom is removed.
Amol: Landlord -> zero slot, all nobles and freemen to gold as we are going negative.

RGD:
+ Spy on nobles -> used on capital to get 2 informations. -50g
Sell: Absorb minor, absorb vassal, non-standard, sneak attack. we need gold. +97 g

Further measures to reduce deficit, all nobles and freemen in Jibal on gold. Deficit reduced to -143, RGD goes t0 around zero. Treasury is 216.

Turn 17 plan
https://we.tl/t-4buCt9HVNh
Saves are available as long as I got them on my disk.

[Surt]

Turn 17 result and 18 plan.

We successfully storm the Mazyadid capital, they decided to die in front of the walls hoping their 1-2 defence general would outmanoeuvre our 1-2, but it was a massacre.
2nd and 3rd again storm Karbela (we will check if they got a space program) and then move on to Heet, the last region.
1st army move to check that no one is alive in Karbela.


We now know Yavuz and Daghan's whereabouts

Whereabouts.JPG (78.55 KiB) Viewed 2981 times

Daghans is 73, Yavuz is unknown ...

loyal.JPG (289.69 KiB) Viewed 2981 times

Remember to check if we really know it next turn.

We hear they have a great company in Catalan, we should also be great!

GreatCompany.JPG (64.72 KiB) Viewed 2981 times

Herat: noble builds Sunken open
Arrajan: subsistance, removed fiefdom -> Tenent house we got lots of bricks and we need gold, loyalty, food bonus.
Sharaban, Iraq: Discreet village, +25 food -> Timber keep
Konjikala: Sheep -> zero slot, all man on gold.
Termes: Iqta -> Timber keep is all the rage now.
Sarahs: Herbalist, not enough to go out of orange health. -> Landlord (would have taken Lead mine if customers were there) we need to get some +auth going soon.
Bushehr: Traders -> Pilgrim, we need to start converting those Pagans, fire worshipper.
Hamadan: Acrobats -> Weaver, need 5 ...
Sus: Bricks -> Road
Ahwas: Musalla -> Road
Samarra: Musalla -> cemetery, in unrest for unknown reasons.
Kirkuk: chicken -> Musalla

RGD: Spy on nobles -50g ...

Deficit:
Budget -229 gold, treasury 160, maybe the soldiers takes treasury notes?
We send an order to Khorasan that the whole province has to gather gold, with exception of 2 low loyalty regions where the noble keeps order instead.
This bring the deficit down to -76
A few more nobles are send to collect taxes and we get down to -17
Which should be enough in that we have played RDG for -50g

[Surt]

Turn 18 result plan 19

No new loyalty was discovered ...

loyal19.JPG (83.82 KiB) Viewed 2976 times

Their loyalty is still in progress.
We will therefore take a pause in playing Spy and save the new one.

Rawadids are not willing to send more of their army, didn't know they had any.

Karbala is overrun and we now siege Heet, the last region of the despicable Mazyadid.
We suggest they unconditionally surrender, and we try to move our armies out so we don't accidentally conquer them.

2nd and 3rd army moves toward Kapan to defeat the last active enemy.
4th Ordu will wait for them near the border.

Amol: noble build Abattis
Balkh: Iqta -> well for health.
Hazar: Bricks -> Landlord (Khorasan is now building 4)
Herat: fortification
Navahand: Craftsmen -> Cemetery, noble is moved back to Stewardship so we can build Landlord later.
Hilah: road -> Traders(9T, but still just conquered).
Samarra: Cemetery -> zero slots.
Kirkuk: Musalla -> zero slots.
Baghdad: unrest, 1st Ordo moves in to restore order.

We are now only building in 2/3 of our regions, if you haven't noted I seldom build anything that takes more than 5 turns, with all peasants and freemen in infra.

We gift Marwanids 100g to make them like us again.

We will have to make a decision soon where to send the armies.
Byzant looks tempting, They have made peace with Fatimids but are still at war with Pechenegs, Deoclea and a Fatimid vassals that has broken faith.
Fatimids At war with half their former vassals and the BS tribes.
Our ally Ghazavids are at war with half of India,

[Surt]

Turn 20

Marwanids likes us again, after we give them 100 talents of gold.

Our vassals tries to conquer Mazyavids before they get a chance to surrender.

Another has taken one of the independents regions, the sick cow region.

SickCow.JPG (191.23 KiB) Viewed 2968 times

Sharaban: Timber keep, +25 stewardship -> Legumes, a little surplus for now.
Amol: Abattis -> Sunken opening ordered by nobles, the 3rd in a row? the Governorr Ayaz (??) is only 0-1-3 so why here?
Al Qadisiyyah: Prof. Mourner -> zero slow, was started under the previous owner.
Maymana: Landlord -> Craftsmen, too slow building.
Darabgerd: Craftsmen -> Pilgrim, full of Shiites that needs to be converted.
Bushehr: Pilgrims -> Hamlet, our Legumes in Sharaban shall not be in wain.
Hamedan: Weaver -> Edict Iqta, the province need more food.
Anbar: Bricks -> Discreet village, we need forts here.
Wasit: volunteer Imam -> Potter, Al Qadisiyyah needs it. look for clay next?


RGD:
remove hostile -> Navahand bandit lair.
we play Spy on nobles again as the last one gave us zero info.

Also our setting:

SettingsSuiSel.JPG (204.28 KiB) Viewed 2967 times

Apparently I give the AI extra time ... how could that possibly go wrong?

[Surt]

Turn 21

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No room for edicts ...

We annex the Mazyadids, just before the vassals can attack again.

The Shads take the last nation we are at war with.

We finally get information about some peers

SuiSelT21.JPG (53.82 KiB) Viewed 2958 times

And we are not impressed by the two first peer loyalty, around 40.
Yagis, our heir, is much better.

Also on our advisors advice we DoW Byzant, at no cost, and becuase of our Sultan we can move in directly, Holy warrior, the only one we get with this ability ...


RGD:
Send councillor -> at heir. (increase odds -50g)
Spy on nobles -> capital, we will try again as we got all 2 informations last.

Qazvin: Reinforced palisaders.
Navahand Cemetery -> Peasants, Bandit lair destroyed, Imam steps up.
Sheberghan: Landlord -> Cemetery, could have chosen Flax but our 2 neighbour regions to he east have it, so one more to the west should build one. Spreading he bonus.
Gorgan: pop +1 -> Chicken food and gold
Rayy: Iqta -> Nuts presser, we actually needed something to make good shoes to remove hot weather :/
Amol: Sunken finishes.
Sus: village road -> Iqta, we will though prioritize the road in another region first to get some infra.
Karbala: road (not space program) -> Traders.
Heet: conquered -> Flax, hope for people to get bonus later.

We have under build Jibal a lot compared to a Balanced game

Jibal21.JPG (345.85 KiB) Viewed 2958 times

Need more food structures and more freemen to infra or food, but to do that we need more gold ...
And cost will increase as we march into Byzant, and we might want to control a vassal army more.
And our exotic merchant hasn't fired yet ... is that also depended on difficulty?

1st Army moves north, 3rd is close but can't cross over yet, 2nd will try to take the 2 eastern Byzantine regions, lets see if they get any revolts, right now it would have been nice to have 7 revolt cards.

[Surt]

Turn 22 War with Byzant ...
OK what have we actually attacked?

LandPowerT22.JPG (169.65 KiB) Viewed 2954 times

151 vs 37 regions --- we got a lot of vassals to help
Military is somewhat equal, but we suspect most are in Europe.
They got better acumen in general, so we might have sold a lot of goods to them, also generally gold seems to be their strength.

WarReport.JPG (139.93 KiB) Viewed 2954 times

Yagis is more loyal (100) after a visit of a high ranking noble
We get some more instil revolt!

RGD:

RegionalDecisions.JPG (20.25 KiB) Viewed 2954 times

Anbar: Discreet village, +25 food -> Craftsmen
Hamadan: Nobles build Discreet hamlet
Termez: Timber keep, +25 steward -> Local market, to upgrade to fair.
Balkh: Well -> Timber keep
Tus: Landlord -> zero slot.
Darabgerd: Pilgrim -> Musalla, there are a lot of Shiite here ...
Navahand: Peasant -> Fine horse breeder
Qazvin: Reinforced Palisades, +1 pop -> Trou de loup, we want a level 2 castle somewhere soon.
Basra: Fish.

Byzantine regions:
Aghtamar: Musalla
Van: Musalla
Too many Miaphysites ...

to be continued.

[Surt]

Turn 22 continue

Recruiting what I shouldn't

recruit.JPG (314.27 KiB) Viewed 2947 times

Fillers for 1st Army
1st Army moves west
2nd Army moves north east
3rd Army moves north
We need to find some regions to unload our instill revolt in.

RGD:
Instill revolt in Ani. can only be played from controlled regions not from vassal regions.
War goal -> Melitene

Looking at the map, Fatimids did better than anticipated, got at least 2 regions, while they mismanaged their vassals.

[Surt]

Turn 23

Al Aqdisiyyah: Iman step forward -> Discreet hamlet.
Wasit: Noble created, it was a fine lad, he did well against the Buyids.
Hamadan: Discreet hamlet, +25 food
Sarahs: Bandit lair, move noble back in stewardship to stop the madness.
Heet: Flax.
Maymana: Craftmens -> Rat catcher for the £$€¥
Gorgan: Chicken -> freemen to gold.
Navahan: Fine horse breeder.
Qazvin: Trou de loup -> Nutspresser
Ahwaz: Road -> Well
Sharaban: Legumes -> Traders.

Melitene taken by 3rd army war goal done +38 legit
Edessa taken by 1st army
2nd Army moves up to Van as it taken by a 2 unit army that was moving to join it last turn ... it is on the way to a place called Manzikert, the gypsies say something will happen there.

RGD:

InstillRevolt.JPG (184.63 KiB) Viewed 2939 times

The _ marks regions with Instil revolt.
Mercs - we save this for now
Councillors -> on heir.
The 3 armies are show with red arrows, 2nd Army has reinforcements tailing it, 5 units more and 2 peasants ... to guard the bagage train.

[Surt]

Turn 23

OopsWrongArmy.JPG (450.78 KiB) Viewed 2887 times

Oops, seems Rome had an army here also, but no SAU lost.
Also at Lykandos our general escaped death.

All vassals gets a + relation which push the fraction over 1 so now 2 more vassals can join if we had the gold.
We only got 4 mercs left in the army for 127 gold, they could be replaced with vassal troop soon. Also got 3 vassal mercs but they are much cheaper for us and can't really be dismissed as they will be returned.

Sharaban: fallow field gives +75 food.
Termez: minor fiefdom crushed.
Merv: another bandit, move noble to order.
Sheberghan: Cemetery -> (nobles closed settlement cancelled) Road
Isfahan : Noble Reinforced palisade. Very good.
Heet: Occultist found.
Edessa: unrest, no RGD to play on it.
Darabgerd, Fars: Musalla, 4% convert now. -> Discreet Hamlet
Bushehr: Hamlet.


RGD:
Forfeit clam

Budget

budget24.JPG (119.87 KiB) Viewed 2887 times

Strangely enough our military expence is the same as last turn despite an Elite Merc infantry died.
We need a few more peasants on gold ... 35 peasants later +147 ... I really need a slider for freemen and gold ...
No more nobles were put on gold, noted one that shouldn't be, we will excuse him next turn.


1. & 3. Ordu holds position for a defensive battle with the Byzantines.
2. Ordu will storm Arzes to free up some of our back before moving to Manzikert.

DefensiveBattle.JPG (62.67 KiB) Viewed 2887 times

2x2 reinforcements for 1. Ordu, and 2 peasants for 2. Ordu.

[Surt]

Turn 25
We glide out of the top 1/3 auth.

2. Ordu is wiped out in a 2 round battle bar 2 regiments, they merge with 1. Ordu.



Anbar: Minor fiefdom swear fealty to the Sultan, Shiite convert.
Erbil(Uqaylids): Christian convert, somehow our Imans manage to convert a pop in a neighbour.
Darabgerd: Discreet Hamlet, +25 food -> Traders
Al Qadisiyyah: life if pleassant, +8 infra.
Wasit: Pots -> nobles Discreet Hamlet.
Alamut(Baduspannid): Help appreciated.
Melitene: lost to Byzant!!!
Van: Musalla -> sheep for food
Maymana: Rat catcher -> Prof mourner, as we are full Sunni.
Sarahs: Landlord -> Beekeeper, getting worried about health.
Isfahan: Reinforced palisade done.
Qazvin: Nuts done.
Hamadan: +1 pop -> Timber keep, everyone wants one!
Basra: +1 pop -> Pilgrim, lots of Shiites.
Karbala: Traders -> Bakery for food and money (there is no possibility of getting Barley for bonus)

RGD:
Attract migrants

1. Ordu tries to take out the II. Stratia of Byzant. Its 11(last 2 reinforcement won't make it due to move cost) vs. 11, 2-1 vs 1-2, We have two (one severely) wounded they have 5 wounded, our troops are generally better, they have more missile troops, which could weaken us. Terrain is hill, they get some defence, we will reach them first even if they try to take on us, if they move to my vassals capital there will be a battle there first.

FirstOrduT25.JPG (150.26 KiB) Viewed 2857 times

SecondStratiaT25.JPG (149.4 KiB) Viewed 2857 times

2. Ordu the mountain pass to Manzikert is blocked and we wait for Ani to revolt, we we take a pause here.

[Surt]

Turn 25
2ne battle of Melitene

MeliteT25Draw.JPG (378.52 KiB) Viewed 2757 times

Our troops are somewhat better quality, though the garrison joining the defending army was not in the plan, at least the generals are evenly matched and we can cover the entire front, inlike previous, the 2 extra infantry did not make it.
The battle continues the next day.

MeliteT25Won.JPG (259.54 KiB) Viewed 2757 times

The enemy field army II.Stratia moves off and leaves the garrison to its faith.
It also helped that our vassal showed up.

After news of this victory is spread

oghuscoop.JPG (155.87 KiB) Viewed 2757 times

People wants to cosy up to the victor.

[Surt]

Turn 25 continue and 26 plan.
The Khwarezm takes the last independent on our border.

Shiraz: +25 infra from Palace.
Al Aqdis: Discreet hamlet, +25 food -> Edict Mosalla, too many Shiites.
Termez: Local market -> Landlord (7 turns, too long actually)
Balkh: Timber keep, +25 steward -> Small Mosque, milestone structure. See if we can get Sufi house, more dancing is needed.
Sheberghan: Road -> Subsistence
Maymana: Mourner -> Dung cart, a smelly business
Khrosan Province, we move some freemen to infra to finish earlier.
Hamadan: Timber keep, +25 steward -> Qasaba
Ahwaz: Well -> Subsistence
Wasit: Discreet hamlet, +25 food -> Weaver, 2 mssing.
Sharaban: Traders -> Musalla
Anbar: Craftsmen -> Landlord

RGD:
+Spy on capital
+Prospect on capital
Recruit on Melitene to reinforce 1. Ordu
Revolt on Anazabos

1. Ordu waits for reinforcement
2. Ordu the Sultan takes command and moves on Manzikert, he is old now so we will risk losing him.


Some news

NewsT26.JPG (76.72 KiB) Viewed 2753 times

We edict a bit as we are not in the green zone and need some buildings to get back there soon.

[Surt]

News from the Muslem world:

Our allies

Ghaz26.JPG (88.61 KiB) Viewed 2749 times

Has not made much progress, not even defeated their old vassals.

Our new friends

OghuzT25.JPG (150.13 KiB) Viewed 2749 times

Has limited progress against the Kipchaks, and understand how to make friends in the Caucasus.

Our Shiite competition

FatimidsT26.JPG (245.78 KiB) Viewed 2749 times

Is still fighting his vassals, the BS Tribes and Nubia, maybe it will be succesful in this?

[Surt]

News from the Infidels
Castile is having some success with the Reconquista.

CastileT26.JPG (68.06 KiB) Viewed 2747 times

They are also at war with Normandy ... still.

Who are having no luck in England.

NormasT26.JPG (233.3 KiB) Viewed 2747 times

At least they are not currently fighting France.

The unholy none-roman none-empire does things differently

HRET26.JPG (202.09 KiB) Viewed 2747 times

Fighting France, Hungary and some minors, maybe their allies are more useful than ours?


Other news from the infidels
Denmark and Sweden are both fighting former vassals, seems like a sport people do?
Rus is fighting the Cumans with some luck and having taken over some independent Slavs in the north are doing good.

Only good for one day.
https://we.tl/t-ke6wPuUSo6

[Surt]

Turn 26 events

Rebels in Van are defeated.
Our vassal attacks the II. in Tephrike, not a good idea.
Our 2nd vassal has a bit mor luck and is not wiped out but loses a general
The Sultan effortlessly defeats the 2 defenders of Manzikert, will there be more?
Khawz takes another independent regions, they are on a roll.

We have 52 auth, 60 for green and 41 for red zone.

Hamadan: Qasaba, +50 steward. The exotic merchant finally shows his warez, a dancing bear, the Sultan is somewhat disappointed.
Wasit: life is pleasant, +16 infra, very needed.
Navahand: nobles closed Settlements, can attract bandits.
Sarah: Beekeeper -> Rudimentary Earthworks
Gorgan: +1 pop -> Musalla
Qazvin: +1 pop -> Pilgrim, too many Shiites.
Amol: +1 pop -> Iqta, also Pilgrim was available but Iqta is more valuable.
Holah: Traders -> Mourner
Sharaban: Musalla -> all to farming.
Karbala: Bakery -> Landlord (Baghdad is contributing a lot of infra to the province to beef it up.)


Isfahan:

IsfahanT27.JPG (92.2 KiB) Viewed 2737 times

A very strong Byzantine army is sighted.

ByzantArmyT27.JPG (253.72 KiB) Viewed 2737 times

Taking Edessa from us, one of our main targets.
Our 1. Ordu moves to Germannikeia, we should arrive first if he decide to go that way as they have to cross an river.
They were reinforced by 4 archers, we have a Merc RGD still available if needed.
2. Ordu moves west Hoping for another easy victory in the next mountain.

ManzikertT27.JPG (149.16 KiB) Viewed 2737 times

Plunder 30 gold from some peasants and a sick cow.

[Surt]

Turn 27 events
III. Stratia went for 1. Ordu but arrived too late

IIIStratia.JPG (253.12 KiB) Viewed 2732 times

1. Ordu stays on the mountain hoping for a good defence, also uses the Merc RGD to hire troops in hope they will help.
2. Ordu moves to Kharput hoping to not be kaput.
Should 1. Ordu be defeated they will be destroyed as they can't retreat, we will then have to hire a much larger army and try to defeat them in the planes

Our vassals are huge disappointment, not delivering the needed troops to wage this campaign!

Tus: Nobles build Stakes ... and Trenches
Merv: Bandits are captured by the Local watch.
Darabgerd: Traders, Iman steps forward raising piety to 4 in this Shiite infested mountain. -> all to farming.
Bushehr: demolish a stud as we only have +22 food for the whole province of Fars.
Van: Sheep -> Discreet hamlet
Al Qadis: Musalla.
Sheberghan: Subsistence -> Discreet Hamlet (reroll)
Mayman: +1 pop
Hazar: Landlord.
Arrajan: Tennants -> Discreet hamlet.
Navahand: Closed settlement.
Basra: Pilgrim.
Aghtamar: Musalla -> Wood cutting.


RGD:
Spy on Khorasan we want to know the loyalty of the local peer.
Diminish Spy to high

We hire a Javelinman in Irfahan so a loyal General can take command and give his boni to the Province.

[Surt]

Turn 28 events
The Sultan is dead, long live the Sultan.

NewSultanT28.JPG (108.56 KiB) Viewed 2726 times

Good diplomat and falsifier work against each other, zero military might be a problem right now, lets see the heir

Underaged.JPG (204 KiB) Viewed 2726 times

So the Sultan is bound to the court for 8 years more.
Also no royal marriages are possible right now.

A 3-5-2 peer is apointed in Jibal as the heir wont be ready for some time.


Navahand: +1 pop -> Timber keep.
Gorgan: Musalla, minor fief convinced to give up! -> village, we need more steward here to build a landlord.
Darabgerd: Iman steps forward, minor fief gives up -> Small Mosque, we need food after this to grow.
Sheberghan: Discreet hamlet, +25 food -> Dung cart, there is gold in the stuff.
Isfahan: Nobles build Refuge, they must have heard that III. Stratia is on the way.
Konjikala: +1 pop -> Small Mosque (zero slot upgrade)
Sarah: Rude Earthworks -> Lead mines, there are no current users of its products. But there is no competition close by.
Tus: Stakes.
Qazvin: Pilgrim. 4 piety, 6% conversion, 1 Imam.
Ahwaz: subsistence -> Traders (7 turns ...)
Wasit: Weaver.
Hilah: Mourner (4 slots free) -> Musalla, piety is still low and Shiite are very high.
Anbar: landlord.



RGD:
Embezzelment trial -> no very disloyal peer is a governor, so keep
Incite heresy -> downgrade to very low, most useless RGD? sell

News from the Capital

NewsT28.JPG (364.7 KiB) Viewed 2726 times

1. Ordu moves to Edessa on the way to battle III. Stratia, with its mighty strength 72 cavalry, we will have to flank them to win, and that might not even be enough. That would be 24 vs. 11, 298(4 will improve next turn) vs 342, Steppe is 18/8 frontage, our archer superiority might help.
We have no charge breakers, we can hire some in Iraq, we order 2 and hope they can join (if we had hire locals we would be good)

New 2-1 General of 2. Ordo which moves to Tephrike to try to crush II. Stratia.
Annazids are switch to full call, always, we need to see how they react.