Medieval 2 Round Robin Campaign

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2006-11-24 12:27pm

C:\Games\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign

File is descr_strat

Get rid of read-only, edit the 2.00 to 0.50, save the file, change it back to read-only.

By the way, that's how you unlock factions the lazy way as well. Well, same file, anyway, you'll see what I mean.

InnocentBystander · Post by **InnocentBystander** » 2006-11-24 02:50pm

Ace Pace wrote:I'll bow out currently, game has yet to arrive and I'm about to start shouting at the store.

You can stay in, you'll just be down the list a bit. The last person on the list may very well have to wait a month or more before they get a chance to play...

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-11-26 08:55pm

So who is up first?

If nobody else volunteers, I'll start it rolling tonight after work.

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-11-27 05:43am

Venice, 1080 AD.

Domenico Selvo is elected Doge of the Venetian Republic. Venice is in a strong, yet precarious position, situated on the fringes of Catholic territory with avaricious neighbours to the west and untrustworthy Orthodox Christians to the east.

Domenico wasted no time in taking steps to secure Venice's future. An audience was struck with Emperor Heinrich of Germany, and trade rights were granted. With the powerful Holy Roman Empire as an ally and trading partner, Venice's westerm border - protected by both Pope and treaty - was as protected as a peaceful border could be.

To the east lay the prosperous Zagreb. In the mountains between the city of Zagreb and the Venetian settlement of Ragusa lay lucrative gold deposits. Negotiations between the two provincial rulers had failed.

Councillor Bartolomeo Selvo had had his fill of Croatian threats. Mustering his personal retinue, he marched east towards Zagreb. The town's defenders soon capitulated when they saw they could not defeat his force, either with missile weapons or on foot.

This victory provided Venice de-facto ownership of the gold mines it had sought for so long. Bartolomeo then turned his organisational talents to strengthening the defences of the town, for these soon to be riches did not come without a cost of their own - Venice now shared a land border with the kingdom of Hungary.

However, not everything was going according to plan for the Doge. Cristiano Selvo, governor of the Isle of Crete, had grown eager for glory. Without orders, he gathered up all the Venetian troops he could muster in Crete and set sail for the Greek mainland. Once there, he spent much of the Doge's coin gathering a ragtag band of local mercenaries, doubling the size of his force.

When the Doge heard of this, he was furious. Doge Domenico was a conservative man by nature and had no desire to see Venice fighting for her life against a nation as strong as the Eastern Roman Empire. Yet his middle son had raised an army under his own initiative and was even now laying siege to the Byzantine castle of Corinth!

Still, he thanked God that he had just concluded an alliance negotiation with Milan - before word had reached Italy of Cristiano's foolhardy assault. The Milanese had proven far too eager to accept for the Doge to trust, but he was sure that with Germany and Milan both allied with Venice, neither would be quick to pick a fight with the fledgling city state.

Venetian Cardinal Oliverio Gusti boarded a ship at Venice and set sail for Greece. Cristiano was eager yet pious - it was hoped the senior cleric would be able to reign in the young noble where secular appeals had failed.

For his part, Cristiano could not have been happier. Corinth was an imposing castle but his army, spurred on by the promise of Imperial wealth, smashed down the gates while enduring arrow fire from the tower. Once they were through the gate, the Skythikon missile cavalry attempted to evade and harass the Venetians in the winding streets, but the Venetians and mercenaries remained a disciplined mass and flaming arrows from the Venetian Peasant Archers and mercenary Balkan Archers, in true Venetian style, returned the favor with interest.

A bitter melee erupted inside the castle but the invaders were victorious, and by day's end the Venetian standard flew from the walls of Corinth.

Cristiano offered up praise to the Lord for the victory and ordered the construction of a Catholic chapel, setting the first stone himself.

Venetian territory now extended uninterrupted from Italy at the north to the southern Greek isles, but Venice had made an enemy in Constantinople. What would the response from the Eastern Roman Empire be? Thus began the year 1081.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-11-27 05:58am

Don't forget to post some pics of the map or interesting battles

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-11-27 06:08am

Don't worry, I've taken plenty. I'm just going to have to reinstall my image editing software first.

D.Turtle · Post by **D.Turtle** » 2006-11-27 07:39pm

Sorry, my Internet was down for a few days, so I didn't reply earlier.

Only one question:

What unit size did you choose now?

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-11-27 08:50pm

Unit size is an option?

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2006-11-27 11:15pm

I guess we take that to mean the default unit size then

You did mod the game as I described above, of course, correct?

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-11-27 11:38pm

Yep, it reports the date to me etc.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2006-11-27 11:43pm

Awesome

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-11-28 06:51am

http://members.optusnet.com.au/bcarletti/VeniceSDN.sav

Allright!

Doge Domenico died at a really dramatic moment. I will chronicle the history so far (when I can find my CD with my fucking image editor), but the short version is thus:

Cristiano and his brother toppled the Byzantines, with Constantinople falling to a prolonged siege. Rather than being welcomed as heroes, the brothers found that their siege had caused the town to become thick with plague.

This left themselves and their full stack army with little to do but pacifying a rioting city, as they had little desire to spread the disease.

The fall of Constantinople and death of Emperor Alexius left Venice in a period of peace, which it used to strengthen its economy.

A few years ago, the Pope had called a crusade. When they were feeling better, Cristiano and Alessandro took the cross, leaving their sons and a third of their army behind to defend Constantinople. They crossed the Hellespont and entered Anatolia with a sizable army of hardened troops.

It was at this time that Milan chose to declare war by blockading Venice's port. The Venetian fleets were engaged in the east and unable to respond immediately. This was followed up by a Milanese attack on Venice herself. Doge Domenico died of shock.

The year is 1095. Newly appointed Doge Bartolomeo leads a relieving force that must fight its way through a Milanese army before it even reaches the walls of Venice. Will Venice's superb militia troops enable it to hold out? Will Domenico's careful cultivation of close ties with the papacy cause Milan to be excommunicated for her rash deeds? Will the ever aggressive Cristiano find fame and glory on Crusade or will he only find redemption in death?

We will find out...

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2006-11-28 07:40am

Sounds good. A nice, 30 year run with some very momentous events. I look forward to seeing the screenshots.

I've scrambled the original list for succession. As two players have told me that they are currently incapable of playing, I've put them towards the bottom of the list (with Ace being last as he doesn't yet own the game

wautd is next in line for the throne. All hail wautd! Make sure you send him the latest savegame file from the time the Doge died.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-11-28 07:44am

Will get on it in a few hours.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-11-28 01:54pm

Here's the first 3 or 4 turns so far:

With Venice under siege, the new Doge Bartolomeo had a huge responsibility on his shoulders. With a small force heavy on cavalry he already destroyed a comparable army blocking the road to Venice, and now went head on with the 2 Milanese armies. The Milanese held more spearmen, equal cavalry and far more crosswbowmen. Luckely for Bartolomeo, the crossbowmen were cut off from the rest of the army so Bartolomeo steamrolled his cavalry while his infantry was hiding in the forest on the main Milanese force

Cavalry about to whipe out 4 stacks if crossbowmen

The trap is set. The Milanese force heading towards my army in the left. My cavalry is ready to screw them in the rear.

The Milanese family member captured

Heroic victory. Venice is saved

Bartolomeo decided to make an army out of the Venetian garrison and send it to the Milanese capital to send them a subtle message. Rather then doing a costly siege, he attacked a small force right outside Milan's gates, knowing the Milanese garrison would sally out to give aid.

The main Milanese army, already stripped from their own crossbowmen by my cavalry and getting peppered by hails of arrows.

Milan attacking but already cowering. 5 seconds later their general dies and discipline is down the drain.

With its garrison utterly destroyed, Doge Bartolomeo entered the city and made sure the Venetian treasurey was filled for the next turns. The Papal states where less amused so he decides to spare Milan... for now.

Meanwhile in the Middle East, a succesfull crusade was completed. With plenty of rebel settlements in the area, Antioch would make a great base for future expansion.

edit: tumbnails fucked up because I'm a noob. I'm too lazy to fix them since they work anyway

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-11-29 05:28am

Foolish Milanese weren't interested in peace and besieged Milan. They got cut to pieces, got excommunicated and I've just took Genoa.

Unfortunatly, Hungary backstabbed me and invaded with 2 full stacks. My borders in the east were poorly defended. Luckely a fleet carrying one of my armies was in the area (originally enroute to Turkisch rebel cities) and a big, bloody battle followed where Hungary lost most of its army. The road to Sofia looks wide open and this would make an excellent base since it'll be the only fortress in the area for me. Sadly, my own forces are depleted in that area, which will make a quick push risky. None the less, I have to try before they can muster another force again.

To end with good news, one of my cardinals has been elected Pope. A shame I can't order a crusade against Hungary but it's a good card to play when I need it against Turkey (no war yet but it's looking funny at my middle eastern settlements)

Pics will follow

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-12-02 06:47am

My noble faction leader has died

Bartolomeo will be known as the dude who crippled arch enemy Milan by pushing them out of Italy, the bringer of the one true religion in the Middle East and the slayer of the barbaric Hungarian hordes from the north.

His last victory was against a huge Hungarian army laying siege to Venice. Venice would have fallen because of its small garrison, but by arriving barely in time and attacking the army from 2 opposite sides, a glorious victory emerged.

Venetian garrison bravely guarding the bridge and waiting for reinforcements

It helped the enemy captain was in a unit of peasant archers. When lost all their missile units, the enemy army went in retreat, exposing their flanks. My armies rushed in from left and right to persue

Moments before a grand scale of butchery

Dead comrades around them and a river infront. Push them in the river!

Crushing victory

The next Doge wont have an easy task. Multiple nations are now banding together to take Venice down, and his rich cities in northern Italy are under constant treath.

Luckely he has good standings with the Papal states/Pope and the recently conquered fortress Sofia will provide a safe border to the north-east, as well as a starting point for future expansians. This fortress will provade superiour quality troops, but will he finish off Hungaria, or use this nation as a buffer against mighty Denmark?

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-12-02 06:50am

So where can I put the savegame available for download?

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-12-02 07:19am

If you don't have any personal webspace, you could email it to me (I'll PM you my address) and I'll put it up on mine, or you could just send it directly to the next ruler.

What was the fate of Cristiano, my favorite son? You've said he successfully crusaded, but I'd like to know what he has been up to since.

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-12-02 08:20am

GuppyShark wrote:If you don't have any personal webspace, you could email it to me (I'll PM you my address) and I'll put it up on mine, or you could just send it directly to the next ruler.

What was the fate of Cristiano, my favorite son? You've said he successfully crusaded, but I'd like to know what he has been up to since.

Getting old and grey. He Antioch was eventually lost to rebels but he took Jerusalem in the second crusade and acre for shits and giggles (wasn't hard with no garisson in it

)

PM me your adress please

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2006-12-05 02:55am

So... is the next guy already playing?

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-12-05 04:06am

I've PMed him the link but haven't gotten a response yet.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2006-12-05 04:38am

Next time it would probably be best to post that on the thread, that way, if the next person on the list can't get to it, you can move it to the next person in line. If D. Turtle isn't responding, I'll move him down the list and I'll take the savegame.

D.Turtle · Post by **D.Turtle** » 2006-12-05 09:19am

Oh, fuck.

Sorry. I didn't see the PM. I don't have time the next ferw days, so please put me further down the list.

Sorry

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2006-12-05 06:30pm

It's okay, I have the file and I'll start working on it tonight.