Update 5 - Year 1280 CE
Global Events:
Colonialists... Bah... Oh, and the Iroquois attacks were repulsed.
Svenians acquire full command of the offensive against the Messipians, after Fennians withdraw. Perhaps unfortunately for them, the old Messipian chieftain dies, and a mystirious man becomes the White Chief, new leader of Messipa. He is believed to be Robert Wallace, an Aryanist Christian Caledonian who defected from the Scotian expedition early on, and assisted the Messipians. White Chief acts wisely, sending ambassadors to Severoslavia, the main Aryanist power, while continuing a masterful guerrila campaign. Svenian commander, though, manages to stop his advance and to set up some sorts of defenses at Ojibva. Meanwhile, Scotians fall back to the very tip of the Aztec peninsula, for no obvious reason...
(-8 Messipian battalions, -4 Svenian battalions)
Svenians in Yucatan were expecting Mayan resistance. They were also expecting a clash with Alexander Meztukskiy. But... not with both at the time. The Mayan forces reorganized themselves, and, bolstered by the Severoslavians, stopped the Svenian advance and retook a corridor to the southeastern provinces (in anarchy). Having reclaimed that province as well, they prepared to turn the tables perhaps.
(-4 Severoslavian battalions, -11 Mayan battalions, -9 Svenian battalions)
Vakuchi collapses quickly, submitting to the Incans.
Britannians overrun Iceland, Greenland, Scotian North Africa and Hadrana (New Brunswick area), facing hard yet futile militia resistance. In Nova Scottia (OTL Newfoundland), the local Aryan and Catholic majority rises up.
(-4 Britannian battalions)
In the support of the Ten-Year Rebellion, the Pope has officially declared the Great Crusade against the Tarunists. This is only the fourth Great Crusade against the Tarunists, but this one seems to have chances of suceeding Christian Europe is now binded by several alliances, and though not all of the allied nations are able to participate, the very fact of Britannias participation is meaningful. Though officially, the Ten-Year Rebellion has been crushed soon into this new war, a large part of the rebel army successfully joined the Britannians (+20 battalions).
The Scotians were informed that an attack was coming, but chose to divert a large part of their forces to crushing the rebellion, while the rest prepared the defenses. After the rebels were crushed, the Scotians begun to fortify the center as well as east and west... but it was too late. The Britannians struck and cut off the garrison at Glasgow. After that, Aedin (OOC: Edinburgh) was besieged, and large parts of Caledonia were occupied. The island of Eire, too, came under a Britannian attack in Ulster, but it was repelled. In the south, though, the Visgothian Knights of Martin landed in the southwest, threatening Tara...
(-17 Britannian battalions, -19 Scotian battalion, -1 Visgoth Martin battalion)
Severoslavians decided to adopt an eye-for-an-eye doctrine. The Svenians prepared to fight back an ordinary Crusader attack, a one that will seek a decisive battle... instead, they got a huge amount of raiding parties. Though some were repulsed, a large parts of them landed, looted the countryside (and even burned down the small city of Stockholm) and left. Svenian commanders were taken by surprise, yet to their credit they outmaneuvered the Severoslavian ships and sunk many of them, though taking large casualties themselves due to enemy cannon fire. To the Severoslavians, this is sound revenge, though many knights are complaining that this is a dishonorable action, worthy only of our foes.
(-17 Severoslavian battalions, -11 Severoslavian ships, -3 Svenian battalions, -13 Svenian ships) (-3 Svenian economy, +2 Severoslavian economy)
Lappia has utterly collapsed, and Svenian and Fennian forces divided the nation, integrating small parts of its military.
Receiving no specific orders, Baltian commanders chose to press on with the attack, but had to confront the reinforced Khazarian army and the newly-arrived Judeans. In the Second Battle at Sarkel, the Baltian Sleipnir cavalry and berserkers turned some of the Khazarian and Judean regular forces into flight, but had no real effect against veterans and the formidable Judean elaphim. The battle resulted in large casualties for the Baltians, though the Khazarians failed to initiate a counteroffensive. Khazar fleet destroyed much of the inexperienced Polian fleet.
(-14 Baltian battalions, -2 Baltian sleipnir battalions, -4 Polian ships, -9 Khazarian battalions, -2 Khazarian elaphim rider battalion, -1 Khazarian ship, - 5 Judean battalions)
Tarunists in East Khazaria those of them who are still alive have raised yet another rebellion behind Khazarian lines.
Byzantine Empire was proclaimed, and Polius Mitrokratus of Trebzond was crowned its new Emperor. Ephesus surrendered soon after.
Alexandrine forces landed in Sicily, both in the west and in the east, crushing the garrisons at Palermo and Syracuse. Meanwhile, though, the Byzantine fleet suddenly engaged the Alexandrines near the coast of Greece. The Alexandrine fleet, sent to bombard Sparta, was taken by surprise and suffered large casualties, though admiral Andronicus salvaged over a half of it and dealt many casualties on the pursuing Byzantine fleet as well, somehow restoring the moral.
(-11 Alexandrine battalions, -28 Alexandrine ships, -7 Cretan battalions, -25 Byzantine ships)
Croatian assault at Orania fails. Meanwhile, the Berber fleet defeated Lombards at Tingis, blockading the Lombard-held capital. Visgoth advance eastwards is long and painful under the burning sun, as supplies are just not getting through, and Berber hit-and-run attacks raise casualties. Nevertheless... Tingis... is... very... close... now...
(-6 Croatian battalions, -6 Croatian ships, -2 Lombard battalions, -9 Lombard ships, -6 Visgoth battalions, -9 Berber battalions -11 Berber ships, -3 Berber skullwalls)
The cavalry-and-artillery Khazarian doctrine isnt really working out in the Caucasus. But, finally, with sheer manpower, the Khazars crush the Georgian resistance, slaughtering huge amounts of innocent Georgians in process. Luckily, the new Byzantine Empire is not trying to retake Georgia, having diverted all of its land forces to the Judean front. There, the Judean regular battalions are routed, and Antioch itself, the Southern Constantinople and the second Byzantine capital was retaken. For how long, though?
(-31 Byzantine battalions, -2 Byzantine ships, -22 Judean battalions, -4 Judean ships)
Realizing that direct control over their new gains is impossible, the Sinhalese created five new vassal states: Baluchan, Turkan, Tibet, Nepal, Greater Manchuria. Many view this as a wise move, and many of the rebels decided to live with it. As a sidenote, the now-famous inventor of the first primitive microscope, Warappa, has died. Just to give Capulet something to write about if he runs out of ideas.
Attempts to instate parliamentary monarchy in the Juang Empire had mixed effects. In the capital, and amongst some of the courtiers, the idea was popular especially amongst the nobles after they realized just how easy it is for them to manipulate the parliament. However, the peasants in Northern China saw it as just more merchant tricks and rebelled as well (-1 Culture). Not all soldiers welcomed this, neither (-5 battalions).
Hamamatsu forces collapse and break up in chaos... only to rise anew soon after.
(see spotlight)
(-7 Edo battalions, -9 Edo Gunpowder Samurai battalions, - 11 Hamamatsu battalions, -4 Hamamatsu Gunpowder Samurai battalions)
Sabahan exports are increasing due to the trade missions (+1 Economy).
Random Events:
Sabahese explorers begun to travel across Asia (+1 Education).
Large parts of Lappia join Fennia.
Zululand gets a smooth transition into Despotism (no damage to Confidence or Culture as often would happen).
Emboldened by the haiku, the Hamamatsu forces gather behind their new leader...
The Verenko heresy is spreading in Polia. It is not very popular right now, but it is growing in importance. Though the Aryan clergy is tolerant of them, the nobles do not like this as the preacher, Verenko, calls the nobles parasites.
Spotlight:
Fall and Rise of the Hamamatsu.
"Fate was most unstable in Medieval Japan."
- Mitowato, Japanese historian. Year 1925 CE.
With the death of the Hamamatsu Emperor, and with his final order of burning down all of Japan, many begun to view the Hamamatsu forces as no longer a serious threat. They were disoraganized, though they still tried to follow the Emperors last orders. Fortunately, they were mostly raiding Edo territory, rather then their own, but even there, their forces were easily pushed back. Moral was low.
Until, that is, Sheguwata Henoken took over the Hamamatsu forces. The Edo armies, oddly enough, were not attacking, and this alone saved the Hamamatsu forces. Sheguwata inspired the Hamamatsu troops, meeting with generals and uniting them all under his leadership. By the time the Edo commanders realized what an opportunity they had lost, it was too late.
The Hamamatsu forces begun a bold counterattack. Despite their high morale, the attack on Hamamatsu city itself has been repulsed (as did the attempted attack on Edo, something not very feasible), but just as the fortunes seemed to be about to be reversed, Sheguwatas charismatic speeches and haiku as a form of propaganda restored moral, and an ensuing counteroffensive cut the Edo garrison in Hamamatsu off from the capital itself. Edo Emperor Takaguwa now had to fight on only one front, ofcourse, but that did not really help.
NPC Diplo:
From: Robert Wallace (Messipia)
To: Svenia
Surrender now, and you shall be allowed to leave. In the name of God Christ, I expel your warmongering heathen masses from the innocent land of Messipia! Begone!
From: Robert Wallace (Messipia)
To: Severoslavia
My brothers in the Aryanist faith! I have heard that you are in a war with the hated Tarunist heathens! Can you send aid to our land? They are north of the Mayan territory I have heard of, beyond a sea and around a mighty river.
From: Kazakan
To: Khazaria
Are those diplomats yours (OOC: just whom did you mean under eastern turks?)? If so, we will consider it...
OOC:
BananaLee, your expedition is succesful, PM me if you want the results PMed or posted.
Messipa, Maya, Juang and Zulu got some age advance.
Nonconformist still playing?
This is it. If I forget to add any colonies, then the colonists got killed by an angry pack of white whales.
Scapegoat for this turn: Capulet, for making me create FIVE new nations.