My First Barons War.

[Didz]

After exhausting all my other options and trying to ignore the Barons claim on the agricultural region of Waldbrand (which doesn't work because he just ninja's it if you don't fight) I decided that if I was going to be forced to fight then I was going to make the bloodshed worth the sacrifice.

So, having declared war on the Baron to defend Waldbrand I immediately up the anti by claiming two of his regions in retaliation. I figured if I was going to have to fight then better to gain something from it rather than just keep what was already mine.

I wasn't sure what would happen. I wondered if I had just made things worse and the AI would field three whole armies one for each contested region and just swarm me.

But actually it seems that it upset the Baron's plans as he wasn't expecting to have anything to lose. So, I got a message from him offering me 350 Silver if i agreed to abandon my claims on Nusslohe and Goldhof.

Now I might have been tempted if he had also offered to abandon his claim on Waldbrand. But I saw no reason to just abandon my claims for silver if i was still going to have to fight. So I told him where he could stick his silver and rallied my army in Waldbrand ready to fight.

Surprise Move By The Baron

My first surprise was when I was suddenly informed that the Barons Army had been sighted in Eichenhau. Which is my main Region and basically at the back of the map..
So, my army had to do a rapid about face and rush back the way it had come to defend Eichenhau.

An Even better offer from the Baron

As the Barons Army was wandering through the forest of Eichenhau I received yet another diplomatic message from the Baron. This time offering me over 3,500 silver if I would agree to abandon my claims om Nusslohe and Goldhof.. He was clearly worried about these claims but he was still not offering to abandon his claim on Waldbrand. So I told him to stuff it.

The Battle of Weavers Street
The first battle with the Barons army took place around my Weaver's Workshop in Eichenhau. It was a messy affair with both my army and the Barons strung out on the march and emerging from thick forest onto the field of battle.

My archers were lagging behind badly and the battle opened with his unit of mercenary archers having a free opportunity to target my militia, However, eventually his main force appeared and it wasn't as large as I expected. Just 2 x Light Mercenary Infantry and 1 x Retinue. I was expecting him to have every other mercenary company in the game.

His main force advanced through my sheep pasture scattering sheep everywhere and then crossed Foundry Lane and headed for my Weavers Workshop. I formed my militia up at the far end off Weaver Lane 2 x Pole-arm Militia, 1 x Spear Militia and 2 x Retinue.

The battle didn't last long. My militia held their line and my two retinues outflanked their left and rolled up their retinue and their entire army collapsed.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3257022353

Brigands and Archers

Meanwhile a unit of brigands had managed to ambush my Wayward Sons as they emerged from the forest to join the fight and there was nasty little skirmish on the edge the tree's . But I sent my two pole-armed units over to chase the Brigands off and then the Wayward Sons made short work of their archers.

Victory in the Battle of Waldbrand

Despite not being fought in Waldbrand this apparently gave me victory in the battle for Waldbrand. Bit according to screen I was losing in Nusslohe and Goldhof..

Victory in Nusslohe and Goldhof

So, I now had to rally my tired army and make them march all the way back firstly to Goldhof where as soon as they entered the battlefield area they were awarded Victory.

And then marching them all the way to Nusslohe, where again they were given victory as soon as they entered the yellow battle zone. The Baron seemed to have nothing defending either region.

i then noticed that I was losing in Goldhof again because I had moved my troops away. So, I took a chance and split my army into two forces and sent one back to camp the Goldhof battlefield, whilst the other camped Nusslohe.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3257001788

Will this actually work

I am waiting now to see if this works. There is still a long while to go before final victory is confirmed. So, I'm half expected the Baron to turn up with another army or two. In which case I might have a problem with my army split between two battlefields.

But fingers-crossed. Maybe the AI will consider the Battle of Weavers Street as the deciding battle and leave it at that,

[Didz]

Total Victory
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3257180259
Well the good news is that my plan worked.

The Baron lost his claim to Waldbrand at the Battle of Weaver Street (see above))

I was therefore able to claim victory unopposed in Nusslohe and Goldhof

He kept begging me to abandon my claims to Nusslohe and Goldhof at one point offering me over 4,300 silver to do so. But I kept refusing.

He made a second attempt to turn the tables sending a fresh mercenary army with the same composition as the first into Eichenhau and in another rather messy battle I managed to defeat it again.

The AI also sent a Bandit Raid into Nusslohe at one point but apart from forcing me to move units out of the battlefield area briefly it was not a serious threat.

In the end the timer ran out and I not only retained Waldbrand but also captured both Nusslohe and Goldhof.

[Nugcrusher]

Thanks for posting. You write well, and I gained some insight from your thorough explanation.

[CircuitOverlord]

great battle report, keep up the good reports hehe

[silent mike]

God wills it!