The scouts do whatbthey can, but are constrained by the large quantity of enemy light horse.
Regardless, you make good time and are obviously causing the enemy serious problems, they are not ready to fight and you are pushing them back to the point where they will have no choice. The city was once walld but the gates are gone and so are portions of he walls. The Sheiks castle is off behind it a short ways and it does not look the least modern. A lot of money has been spent making it look resplendant, but the experienced officers can see the weaknesses.
You stop about a league from the city for the night.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 951):

Is there any way to keep the recruiting team away from the general population?

No, not at all, but in a way, it's an assist to you, as they have to use reliable soldiers to impress he unwilling and hold them from deserting.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 953):

Yes, but to be clearly seen to be defending the common folk is more difficult. Do  have a map of the city? If not, making one will be a priority...

"Well then, general, how would you assess the city? Population? Size of forces against us? Numbers willing? And numbers conscripted? How would you asdvise we progress? Siege? House to house? March up the main street with infantry securing houses each in advance?" Kenyan asks, as yet having little grip on strategy or tactics. But he learns, just rather too slowly.

I advise our staying out of the city and going around it to the Castle.
I think we put outposts on the roads and have the cavalry screen between them.
We let farmers and citizen , obviously not carrying weapons, go out to their fields, while arrestng any armed men.
The Armed men in the city are lost to them and vulnerable, as without support, they are just a nuisance and food will get scarce.
We would need double or triple our numbers to fight in the city and the damage and death of innocents would anger the city no end.  This way, only the enemy angers the populace.
We surround the castle, such as it is, and use one unit of good soldiers to take it ...  all the other units remain around the outside of the city.
We will have to adjust if they sortie a larger force, but we will have time and room to maneuver which they will not. We do not pursue into the city. That is critical, because I am sure they wish to lure us into that fight, which is on their terms.
Truthfully when we move around the city, I expect to see the Sheik flee with a lot of light horsemen, he should know he would be trapped like a rat in a cage in that castle. In fact it might be worthwhile to march before dawn to confine him there.

In reply to Baron Kenyan Worley (msg # 955):

The castle is outside the city? Good to know...

"I agree. Stay out of the city if we can. I would suggest splitting our forces, and going around the city from both sides. He is likely to deploy forces to slow us down, but if we can draw them out by going around the city then we can fight them on our terms, and despite smaller forces, conscripts not defending their homes will be more likely to flee.

Splitting our forces also means we have a better chance to cut off the sheiks escape."

"We let the general sort the logistics. He's been doing that for longer than I've been an adult. Mustafa, I'll need you with me tomorrow for possible contact with the Shiek," decides Kenyan. He turns to the general, "Sounds good. Make it so starting at least an hour before dawn. Get what rest you can, gentlemen, today could be long and busy."

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OOC: it just said "Tell the GM that we'll need a new thread soon".

The general has everyone up well before first light and moving as soon as there is enough to move by ... well before Sunrise.
This catahes the enemy off balance a bit and the unit picked tosecure the castle does so with alacrity.
Cavalry moves around the outside of the city while the few Mounted scouts stand by the castle to pursue any attempt to escape b the sheik.

The Sheik, caught short does indeed ty to flee, and makes some success by exiting where there was no preceived exit. The sheik loses several of his retainers to bows and cross bows and the scouts do pursue quickly, it takes a while, but ultimately an arrow takes the sheik down by injuring his Horse, in the ensuing confusion, more arrows take down more men & Horses, the Sheik grabs one of his men and pulls him from his horse, then mounts and gets perhaps 20 yards before a scout is able to grab his reins and throw the shiek to the ground. Moments later they have him over the saddle of his horse and lead him away a while the infantry send men to collect the injured men and dispatch injured horses.
Three of the Sheiks guards or accompanying ministers get away. The Sheik and fourteen of his guards and or ministers are captured.

The Sheiks Army begins to hear of this and by noon you can no longer contain the flood of soldiers, almost all conscripts to be sure, that are pouring out of the city.


Oh And Yes, I am watching the  thread carefully so we don't run out of messages.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 959):

Mustafa is more concerned with rounding up weapons and armour, with the experienced soldiers, letting the conscripts go. And looking after the injured on both sides, biut his own get priority.

"Good work, gentelmen. Anything used agasint us is forfeit and to be confiscated. That includes horses of non-conscripted men."

======
OOC: Do we know where we need to go to deliver the shiek and his senior staff to the council of shieks?

No, not at all... you have a prisoner who is now a liability.

In reply to Baron Kenyan Worley (msg # 961):

Once everything is cleared up and secured, Mustafa will enter the castle in force. There will be a lot of precautions taken, but the goal is to check the prisons for those who opposed him. Then check the local population. Look through records, confiscate all missile weapons and ammunition, and find out what he has been up to.

Well, for some reason he has a whle lot of money, much in small coins...
He has quite a few political prisoners, some terribly tortured. Among those are mebers of the previous ruling family.
The Old ruler is dead, his wives vary between badly tortured and disfigured and new to the new Harem.
That harem also has deflowered young ladies from the city who are now "unfit to marry".

The old rulers second son, and second Prince, is harmed, but still able to sit the throne. His older brother is all but dead from the brutality.
The second Prince, Abriham, is seeminly of sound mind and his proposed actions are much wiser than you might have expected.
He is surprisingly tolerant of the Hard Line Soldiers, although they will never be trusted with arms again.
His Father would have had them all lose their primary hand, while this Prince is no in favor of this.

Placing him on the throne solves the "infidels as rulers" issue.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 964):

That is for Kenyan to decide. Mustafa will look for evidence of war crimes, and if he finds enough, he will charge him, and sentence him to be executed, if appropriate.

Roughly how much of the money would be used for something like this:
All of our troops gain a bonus of pay for 2 weeks
All of our troops wounded in action (vouched for by their superior) gains an additional bonus of pay for 2 weeks
All of our permanenetly wounded, losss of eye oe limb gains an additional bonus of pay for 6 months
The family of any deceased to receive compensation of pay for 1 year.

You could do that, but of coursethis is money rifeled from the locals who could also use it, more than a few arein desperate shape as well.

War Crimes are afar off dream.
You do not have the authority to execute the would be sheik or any of his senior henchmen.

Is Prince 2 established as the leader of this city and it's surrounding lands?


OH, and Good Morning Chris 1234, posting at 02:14? Eeek!

Hence the reason for asking - so about how many months worth of army pay is there here?
Order of magnitude is fine. (10 or 100 or 1000 months etc)

Well first you have to count it, but if the sheiks records are accurate, about enough to pay your small army for almost 6 months.
That assumes no other expenditures, IF you put this Prince on the throne, he is going to need money and as I say the city is in tough shape, it's economy virtually destroyed by the sheiks greed.

Kenyan does his best to establish a firm relationship, aliies would be ideal, between the prince and Kenyan's senior, the Duke. He offers The baron offers to leave a small force here to support the prince if necessary and if he wishes it. he makes it clear that this is not any form of occupasion or anysuch, merely an offer of aid. Kenyan, on behalf of the Duke, concedes the captured money to the prince and declines any claim to conquest of the lands but does request something in writing from the Prnice to the Duke (and it's fine if it is sealed) to formally recognise their relationship. He suggests that if the prince were to require some additional financing to assist rebuilding then that could be possible but would need to be directed to the Duke. Of course, such favours would liekely be reciprocated by long term favourable trade agreements. All of this, of course, could only be a framework agreement and the details could be trashed out by those more skilled in such things.. Captured missile weapons and horses are not explicitly discussed and are assumed to be spoils of war 9and moderate at that) but to Mustafa's benefit (again unspoken).

Finally the Baron offers to extradite the Shiek and any or all of his senior staff to the Duke's court if that is somethign that the Prince would allow. Such a thing may avoid political issues should the Shiek have a followers still at large. Alternatively if the Concil of Shieks could be convened to recognise the Prince and pass jaudgement on the disgraced Shiek then thta would be acceptable. kenyan drops a minor faux pas, apologised for of course, in urging the Prince to use the older judgement of his people in the removal of the right hands of the senior henchmen..

======
OOC: These might be relevant:
00:41, Today: Baron Kenyan Worley rolled 5 using 3d6.  Diplomacy 10.
00:46, Today: Baron Kenyan Worley rolled 10 using 3d6.  Savoire-Faire -Nobility 12

The Prince is quite leased with the Baron's offers and suggest the Council of the Sheiks would be best ,as then it is islamic justcie for these men of Islam.  He will draft a letter to the Duke  this evening, and hopes to reestablish trade with Catheran.
As for the Senior henchmen, he again suggest the  Council of heiks, as again, it is not infidels doing the punishing.
For the short term, he gratefully accepts one of your units to keep peace as the city regains control.
He grants each of your men a months wages for their discipline and courage in restoring his place.
He provides you with somewhat more, as you of course, do not draw wages. Money would be crass, but a very well made Scimitar, with a jeweld hilt and scabbard are given to you along with eight bolts of fine silks and two Arab Mares and a Stallion to breed them.

The General stays with the last unit, the remainder of your little Army marches back the way they came, but are well supplied with food to the point you object and want the people to have some of this food.

Regardless i is an easy walk back, the farmers are delighted to wave and cheer you on, water is no issue and they provide such foods as they can . It takes about 8 days to make it back to Catheran South and cross the river.
The various units are released under their commanders. You lead your two units back to your lands, see that they are paid and given the Prince's reward.

Then you get to give Lady Amelia some silk, if she'd like it, and show her the horses you were given.

However after a day or so at home, you pach up and go to report to the Duke.

I will assume that Mustafa makes his way there as well, separately.

"Amelia, my dear, these silks are for you, a more token, and so forth, but after I've had a good hot bath, perhaps we can retire to.. discuss how the the silks might be.. engaged?" says Kenyan greeting the love of his life.

"The day after tomorrow duty calls again and I shall need to go report in to the Duke. Would you want to be accompanying me?" the baron asks on his way to bathing away the dust of the road. "And, my dear, perhaps you would advise me, would it be inappropriate to give any of the presents to the Duke? My thoughts are that His Grace has just been presented with a reafirmed ally and long term favourable trading partner, so more than that might be gauche."

Much later he adds, "I intend to keep the horses. Creatures that wonderful will need special attention. Perhaps you would help retain the services of an expert? And take care of the beasts for me when duty calls me away? Longer term, these could become exceedingly valuable for our barony."

Apart from checking (several times) that the horses are settled in and very well cared for, Kenyan spends the entire time with Amelia before he needs  to head off to see the Duke.

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OOC: To visit the Duke is it about 4 days by ship with a couple of days by horse at each end?
This message was last edited by the player at 09:54, Thu 22 Sept 2022.

The silks are worth a LOT, so maybe less valuable cloth will do for bedroom games. Amelia does not wish to be held back in anyway.

Giving the Duke’s wife, Duchess Ryllaazade Qaadna,  a bolt or two of silk would be thoughtful. She is also an Arab Princess. Amelia can likely point out some that are appropriate, or perhaps send a half bolt of three or four different silks.

The Scimitar is something you should keep. It is a quality weapon [Fine Quality] and while not something you’d want to carry day to day, it was a personal gift and would cause upset if seen in someone else’s hands.

The General’s personal life was not discussed, but the new Prince will likely reward him when he leaves.

It takes anywhere from 7 to 12 days to get to the Duke depending on wind, weather and a host of variables. This time you mange it in nine days.
Mustafa requires 10 days, but starts sooner than you do, so is arrives the day before you.

Three CP to each of you for this little foray.

3 half bolts to the Duke's wife (via the Duke), two half bolts for Mustaf's wife (via Mustafa) and 3 half bolts for Amelia. She'd best choose colours as Kenyan is pretty clueless about such things.

The scimitar can hand on one of their walls. Again, Amelia can choose the wall but Kenyan gently suggests, "Perhaps in the banqueting hall, just behind where I sit. And you know what that means too? I'll be needing to hire a professional combat instructor that's skilled with the scimitar."

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OOC: Was the journey that needed a boat from the Barony to the Dukedom? Or just to the Barony from Kenyan's previous holding as a squire?

TY for the CPs.

OK, depending on how things were distributed, You have 8 half bolts of cloth left. Amelia is delighted, so don't worry about them any more ;-)

I'll assume that you did NOT give anyone the other half of the Bolts you gave the Duchess, would never do to have anyone else wearing the same dress or anything close.  But other ladies who will never likely go to court will be delighted, like some of your knights wives.
Silk is also a good under garment for armor and is resistent to cutting and impaling just a little. [The Chinese made muti-layer cloth armor out of it which was supposedly rather good.]

Amelia thinks behind his seat in the dining hall is a geat idea, but thinks she would like to learn to use it, as it is lighter than a Broadsword.


I am going to close this thread.