Update 6 - Year 1285 CE
Global Events:
Iroquois have besieged Finntown!
The Svenian forces in Ojibva are taking large casualties and beginning to lose ground, as the Messipian forces somehow get hold of firearms. It is believed that this had something to do with European ships sighted by Scotians near the Aztec Peninsula...
(-6 Svenian battalions, -9 Messipian battalions)
Mayans and Severoslavians smashed the Svenians in Guatemala, but the Svenian massed counteroffensive has taken Copan. The Mayan moral is getting lower and lower (-1 Culture)...
(-9 Svenian battalions, -3 Severoslavian battalions, -16 Mayan battalions)
Incan expedition finally establishes contact with Sinhala, after losing two ships to the storm.
(-2 Incan ships)
Britannians continue to seize Scotian colonies, but fail to advance in Eskimia due to the fearsome militia and bad weather. Visgoths destroyed the Svenian colony in Martiniola/Olafsland, slaughtering the entire population. Svenians then sacked the Burgundian colony on Cuba (1 econ. transfer from Burgundia to Svenia).
(-3 Britannian battalions, -1 Visgoth UU, -2 Svenian battalions, -1 Burgundian battalion)
In the British Isles, bitter fighting goes on. Despite fearsome militia resistance, Eire is being overran by Visgoth (Order of St. Martin built the Castle of Martinsberg, its new base of operations in Ireland) and Britannian forces, as the Scotian army is away. Neither is it in Caledonia, where the Baltians and the local militia are making a desperate last stand. Neither was it landing in the east, alongside the disastrous Fennian expedition (the Britannians noticed the fleet and spilled tar into the sea, and used fire arrows to ignite it, destroying many the Fennian ships and forcing the rest to flee). No. The Scotians landed in Wales, acting under orders to destroy Britannia. And destroy they did, plundering and pillaging and slaughtering as they went, encountering only nominal resistance from the clans and the militia (-1 Britannian economy). Camelotium itself has been besieged!
(-3 Visgoth UU, -11 Britannian battalions, -3 Baltian battalions, -11 Fennian ships, -8 Fennian battalions, -3 Fennian UU, -1 Scotian battalion)
Svenia mobilizes as well (+30 battalions). The Svenian raids on Severoslavian territory failed, as the Severoslavian army was at home and ready. However, the Svenians landed on the still-barren (ever since the Third Great Tarunist Crusade) peninsula of Jutland, overrunning and defeating its garrison. The raids after that were committed en masse, and were somewhat more successful (1 economy transferred). The Svenian attacks on the Coast of Rus (OTL Pommerania) secured parts of it as well.
(-11 Severoslavian battalions, -13 Svenian battalions)
The bitter news of the defeat reach Fennia, however, there still is hope as progress on the Portable Cannon is quite good.
Cretan Republic begins to crumble, as most of the army and the fleet desert to join the Byzantines after the final loss of central authority. Byzantines occupied much of Greece soon after, while Alexandrines took over Sicily and parts of Crete itself. Meanwhile, a massive naval battle between the Alexandrine admiral Andronicus and the Byzantine admiral Heraclius ended in the latters complete and utter defeat. The tide is turning, it would seem, since the humiliating defeat on Crete as the Alexandrine Empire emerges triumphant on all fronts, though the Croatians are strangely quiet...
(-most Cretan military, -32 Byzantine ships, -3 Alexandrine battalions, -19 Alexandrine ships)
The Black Army Appears.
(spotlight)
(-2 Baltian economy, -all of Odessa Harbor progress)
The Khazars retake their capital and utterly crush the Baltians, using the far superior Khazar numbers, bolstered by Judeans and Persians. Baltians were forced back to the border, and the Polian expeditionary force was badly crippled as well. However, the Baltians invasion of Eastern, predominantly Tarunist, Khazaria is a success not only was that territory left unguarded, but a massive Tarunist uprising helped the Baltians advance far. Khazars are also the first European nation to adopt the Juang Cannon Siege Towers, lumbering yet devastating siege weapons, that could break any fortress walls, provided it gets there.
(-23 Baltian battalions, -3 Polian battalions, -17 Khazar battalions, -5 Khazar UUs, -3 Judean battalions, -4 Persian battalions)
The entire Berber fleet went into the hiding somewhere... Meanwhile, land attacks continue to be repulsed, but the crusaders have heavy casualties.
(-7 Berber battalions, -4 Lombardian battalions, -4 Visgothian battalions, -3 Croatian battalions)
The Zulu westward expansion led them into conflict with local tribes, but most of them were defeated. The rest, though, formed the Khoisan League.
(-2 Zulu battalions)
The situation in Anatolia is the direct opposite of that in Khazaria Proper. The Khazars find themselves outnumbered, and though their artillery inflicted much damage on the Byzantines, the Khazar positions were, eventually, overran. The Khazar forces are retreating into Georgia, hoping to hold the mountain passages against the Byzantine assault.
(-31 Khazar battalions, -42 Byzantine battalions, -3 Byzantine UU)
Tzin Shu and Shai Pai Ming, hopping to strengthen the discipline of their forces, distributed two lists The Three Imperatives and The Eight Points of Attention.
The Three Imperatives
1) Obey orders in all your actions.
2) Don't take a needle or a piece of bread from the people.
3) Turn in everything you capture.
The Eight Points of Attention
1) Speak politely.
2) Pay fairly for what you buy.
3) Return everything you borrow.
4) Pay for any damage.
5) Don't strike the people.
6) Don't damage the crops.
7) Don't take liberties with women.
8) Don't mistreat captives.
The Heavenly Warriors discipline is raised greatly, its popularity is growing and it integrated parts of the peasant armies (+20 battalions) roaming elsewhere. New, long-barreled cannons have been designed but they are less reliable then the old ones, as they still are being developed. The hastily-assembled Chinese fleet is not well-trained, but it managed to bombard Juankorum several times, a blow to Juang moral and a rude awakening for the local nobility (-1 Juang confidence). Numerous areas in the countryside are taken, though Nabunai inflicted large casualties on the Heavenly Warriors and allied rebels. But, most importantly, the siege of Wuhan has been broken by a clever attack on the lax Juang forces.
(-11 Heavenly Warrior battalions, -2 Heavenly Warrior UUs, -9 Juang battalions)
All quiet in the Japan... save for the Hamamatsu liberation of their faction capital after two weeks of hard street fighting. The Edo situation begins to look desperate, especially as their leader falls into a coma.
(-3 Edo battalions, -10 Edo UUs, -11 Hamamatsu battalions)
Massive Sinhalese expansion continues in Kangappura, the Javanese expansion there, meanwhile, loses steam.
Random Events:
Baltian fleet gets a boost as several raiders join it (+10 ships).
High moral in the Fennian ranks, while more volunteers join the Fennian army (+5 battalions).
Volunteers rally to the Severoslavian banners as well (+5 battalions).
As Vijaya becomes the new Sinhalese king, the Sinhalese people become even more united (+1 Culture).
Sabahese unity greatens (+1 Culture).
Confidence in Sheguwata continues to grow (+1 Confidence)!
Rebellions in Northern China begin losing momentum...
Spotlight:
The Black Army.
"And an army of demons shalt fight the Tarunist heathen."
- Valeus Prophecy. Year 1111 CE.
1283. Baltian armies were away fighting Khazaria. Work on the Odessa Harbor was in progress, but there was nobody left to guard it. Further south, the Byzantine and Alexandrine fleet were facing in a momentous clash. The Straits were left unguarded.
It is unknown who they were. Yet they were named the Black Army by Tarunist chroniclers, and the name stuck. THEIR fleet sailed through the Straits the Byzantines were powerless to protest, as their fleet was away. THEIR fleet landed in Odessa.
It was, as the Pope of Rome would say upon hearing of it, a divine vengeance. There was nobody left to guard the cities, and though the heroic efforts of militia surprised the Black Army, the stalwart warriors defeated them, and burned Odessa to the ground. DECADES of hard labor were undone.
As the Black Army spread out throughout the countryside, they showed no mercy, burning down everything they saw. Only the militant Tarunist culture of Baltia slowed down its advance villagers rallied to try and fight back the foe, and the hunters waged a desperate resistance campaign. But the moral factor was still present the seemingly-fearless Baltians were genuinely scared by the Black Army.
It was during that time that belief has spread that Ragnarok is coming...
NPC Diplo:
From: Messipa
To: Severoslavia
Will you help us against the Tarunists?
From: Byzantine Empire
To: Alexandrine Empire
Continued combat seems to be not getting anywhere... We suggest that we are allowed to keep Greece, while you take the rest of former Cretan possessions. You might have bested us on sea, but on the land, you will stand no chance. That peace would be mutually profitable.
*secret*
From: NDran
To: Heavenly Warriors
We believe that the Juang Empire is as good as dead. Do you want any help? If so, try to tie down as much of their army as possible.
*secret*
OOC:
The Black Army has returned from the alternative future, to kill the last remaining heir to Josef von Dunkelheit! Muwhahahaha!
You can post death threats due to me not noticing your orders starting from... now!
