Book 4: Chapter 8: God's Fury
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
-[X]The Alpine offensive: The Soft underbelly of the Swiss leads into the Rhine, and Southern Germany, right in the rear of the French Army and their supply lines. They will suffer from their failures to prevent such a thing. (Begin an offensive through the Alps, and into Southern Germany. Rolled:
D100 + 30 => 107
D100 + 30 => 128
D100 + 30 => 93
D100 + 30 => 73
The Army of Northern Italy:
The Arditi
Commander in Chief: Davide Sorbo
Infantry: All Infantry are Pike and Shot, with many divisions being armed with the latest arms of the Italian Kingdom.
Veterans of Unification (4000): Led by seasoned officers, these elite infantrymen are highly skilled and experienced in various combat scenarios.
Mountaineers (8000): Well-trained infantrymen forming the backbone of the army, disciplined and proficient in conventional warfare tactics, but are true masters of mountain warfare.
Cavalry:
Lancers (Veterans of Unification) (3000): A distinguished unit known for their mastery in lance combat, they provide formidable shock tactics on the battlefield.
Dragoons (Veterans) (3000): Versatile mounted soldiers capable of both mounted and dismounted combat, providing reconnaissance and swift strikes against enemy formations.
Artillery:
Artillerymen (Veterans) (1000):Highly skilled crews responsible for operating and maintaining the artillery pieces.
Artillery (30 guns): A powerful array of cannons and artillery pieces, providing crucial fire support and siege capabilities on the battlefield.
The Swiss Reaction:
D100 => 12
Do they Attack?:
D100 => 7 (They do not… But they send demands, that the First Minister Accepts)
Crossing the Alps was easy, The Arditi were masters of traveling the mountain passes of the Alps, and they were good men, and true, well-disciplined and not wanting to cause any troubles.
But the diplomats of the Swiss confederation did not accept that your army was not going to cause them trouble. They had been paid by the French for the privilege for them to die in the Alps.
This… was met by quite some anger from the Senate, who had hoped that they would be let in without cause.
But it seems that a diplomat, one you did not know, spoke to the First minister behind closed doors, and after paying over 100 tons of silver. A remarkably small sum all things considering the money you make per year… for the Army to pass unmolested.
Octavian was a master diplomat… so that was something you would remember.
Reward: The Arditi, the army of Northern Italy, are past the Alps, and they will be striking across the French supply Lines, and countryside.
Whether it caused the French Army to Collapse remains to be seen.
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-[X]Destroy the French Fleet: You have Orders… destroy them all. DC: 40/80 Reward: You destroy the French Fleet that is trying to flee. Rolled:
D100 + 30 => 102
D100 + 30 => 106
D100 + 30 => 90
D100 + 30 => 120
D100 + 30 => 95
D100 + 30 => 43
From the Fleet of Genoa, the Home Fleet, to King Luciano and the First Minister.
Your orders were carried out. Their fleet is nothing but timber floating in the sea.
We Rule the Waves.
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From the Army of Sicily, under the Command of Cosmo Di Medici, King in Sicily,
I must say that I expected the French to put up more a fight, to be honest. The Men here are absolutely restless, and they want to march on Paris and give it the Frankfurt treatment.
We haven't much resistance, but to say that we are… worried is an understatement.
We haven't seen any resistance, and everyone we have seen has just… drank and accepted that something terrible is happening, and all they care about is debauchery and insanity.
But what we saw is also something of great strangeness. They are sending tens of thousands of people against their will to the New World. Forcing them against their will in many cases, to build 'The King's Newest Kingdom'
It's like they have no hope… and are just waiting for everything to end.
But I have more troubling reports of a more military matter. Every stockpile, village, and town from here to… God knows where, is destroyed. If we are to make a march north, it would require supplies from Italy. We would not survive. It is like they knew we were coming, and they wanted nothing more than to bleed us at every turn.
But I do not know if it is that, or a campaign of terror and conversions across France by the Pope King.
Cosmo.
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Reward: You have made Landfall in Southern France, and the Entire French Navy is out of commission and destroyed.
What you discover in France is shocking and disturbing…
Mass Relocations scorched earth tactics on the French countryside to deny your armies supplies… and the people that they find all decide that debauchery and insanity would be their only escape.
You only wonder what hellish events await you during the march north.
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-[X]The Spanish Situation: Charles has come by ship to speak to you personally. And what he is saying is… quite something. DC: ??? Reward: What Charles you cannot be serious. Rolled:
D100 + 30 => 90
D100 + 30 => 119
D100 + 30 => 102
D100 + 30 => 116
D100 + 30 => 63
Charles sat, smiling as he drank some fine Spanish wine. "You know when I heard you destroyed the French Fleet, I wondered if my own could do the same. But then I realized that it would be impossible with Italy ruling the waves."
You were humoring him at this point, but you almost didn't have any patience anymore. "So what is it that you want, besides complimenting the many men of my fleet?"
"Quite simple. The empire is dead, and there is no point in risking our lives and the lives of our people for it?"
That made you almost recoil in horror. "You are asking to abandon the people who-"
"Are not my subjects, not any subjects save for that of the holy Christendom that we are a part of." Charles was speaking plainly, without any diplomacy or decorum, knowing it would get through your head. "If the electors ha-"
"This is about power, isn't it? And you lack it?"
"The Empire was a goal of mine, yes, to funnel more resources into the new world, and the great jewel it was going to become." He smiled. "But its destruction is going to make me focus elsewhere."
"Even as a madman tries to claim Central Europe? And reshape the world order?"
Charles clicked his teeth and moved his jaw around slightly. "And why should it be a problem when I can't gain anything?"
"Glory." You said. "Just as you had nothing to gain fighting for the Pope against Caesere Borgia?"
"That suited my interests. And gave me adventure." He said confidently, trying not to show that you were clearly getting under his skin. And you knew what you were doing.
"Yet you choose to do it because it was your duty as a Christian." You said. "As is mine. To protect my people."
Charles seemed to laugh. "You always know what to say, don't you, to get me to do what you want?"
"Or what you want to do deep down." You replied. "Don't play coy… savior of Christendom has a nice ring to it no?"
"It does… it truly does." He smiled. "I'll write to my generals. Let's sort this out. Together."
Reward: After some slight convincing to his ego, Charles is Ride or Die, and is sending his Army North into France.
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-[X]The Ottoman's Play: They know your interests are in Europe, so what do they want? DC: ??? Reward: They want… what? Rolled:
D100 + 30 => 119
D100 + 30 => 94
D100 + 30 => 58
Suliman was not in the most happy of moods as you greeted him in Venice, on the ship that he had parked there. But it wasn't because of you. "You know, the French King, bold and brazen as he is… is not exactly the most subtle." He then paraphrased a letter. "Rome is yours provided you march west towards Vienna."
He then threw down the letter. "Quite brazen, in his assurances of victory. But I think I can get a better deal from you?"
"All of Italy is not worth it to you?"
"I could take all of Italy, but I could not hold it. What I desire… is something far greater than anything else." He smiled.
"Egypt?" you asked.
"And far more." He smiled as he looked at you with eyes of glee. "What I require, if such a thing could be… is two things?"
"One, being 10,000 Grazini rifles, and 100 cannon, from any arms master from Italy of your choosing."
"And?" You asked.
"Treaty stipulations that allow us to… not be harassed by Italian naval vessels for cargo, as of yet, unspecified."
"Slaves." You said quietly, as your face twitched… and Suliman's smile dropped. "Quite cheap, I would say."
"You're asking me to allow such an abhorrent cruelty on man to continue to prosper?"
"Again, quite cheap, when all is said and done." He said.
(Choice continued below)
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-[X]The German Delegation: The Ambassadors for a Southern German Alliance has come to speak to you, begging to you most likely, for more assistance in the war that will decide Europe's fate. DC: 30 Reward: You see what they want? Rolled:
D100 + 30 => 56
Desperation… that was what the Germans were feeling when they met you, and they would ask only one thing.
When would the Army of Northern Italy Arrive to assist Gotz and his forces?
You did not make promises of that discretion, telling them that your armies were autonomous besides the orders you and the First Minister gave.
And that would be all for now.
Reward: The Germans are desperate for Italian Reinforcements. Desperate is the kindest word for it.
They will die soon if you do not help them.
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-[X]Niccolo: You look at your son and hold him tight. DC: 0 Reward: Fluff. Rolled:
D100 + 30 => 64
-[X]Aftermath: Isabella was quite happy. "You know despite a war going on, I can't say you've been happier." DC: ??? Reward: Fluff Rolled:
D100 + 30 => 71
You looked at the boy and sighed, as he began waddling away. "He's going to have so much to live up to. I fear he may hate me for all I've done."
"You're scared he will have to live up to your legacy? A legacy that would be almost impossible to manage for?" She laughed. "You are too hard on yourself."
"He's going to learn about it, and try his hardest to try and surpass me, and He won't be able to."
Your wife only slapped you in the back of the head, playfully. "That's not the point. The point is, he will love you in a way that will want to do better."
You shook your head. "Truly?"
"He'll have your love, and mine, and that will be enough."
Reward: Increase legacy points.
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-[X]The Prince: You are going to learn from your master's book, and see what wisdom you can gleam. DC: 55 Reward: you learn how to be a Prince of a nation. Rolled:
D100 + 30 => 36
Better to be loved than feared.
But you learned nothing else.
Failure.
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-[X]To Design a Better Gun (Manufacturing): You have an idea to make the Design better, and now all you need to do is put it to paper and try it out. DC: ??? Reward: You make the gun better. For yourself to make it that is. Rolled:
D100 + 80 => 153
D100 + 80 => 109
D100 + 80 => 156
D100 + 80 => 147
D100 + 80 => 165
D100 + 80 => 139
D100 + 80 => 91
D100 + 80 => 133
D100 + 80 => 127
D100 + 80 => 170
D100 + 80 => 164
D100 + 80 => 109
D100 + 80 => 138
D100 + 80 => 151
D100 + 80 => 91
D100 + 80 => 128
D100 + 80 => 156
D100 + 80 => 129
D100 + 80 => 83
They Say God Made Heaven and the Earth in seven days.
You, Luciano Grazini…
Only needed one.
You looked at the machines, and the lead, and the steel, and the iron… And the Press.
The belt that moved it, and the moving parts… everything was ready.
And the Ball of Lead that would be made here… You could make a thousand an hour…
25 thousand a day…
And according to your assistants. If you developed it further… you could make a million bullets a month.
Reward: Luciano has managed to mass-produce Ammunition for the Italian Army.
They will never have a need for ammunition, though they may lack powder.
Legacy Points increased by a significant margin.
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Suliman's request is quite simple. Allow his ships to pass unmolested, and unharmed, with no searches… and a few thousand rifles and cannons… and he will not seek to honor or make an agreement with the French.
Do you accept?:
[]Yes: You will be remembered for this… terrible choice.
[]No: History is not kind to idealists. (The Ottomans will declare war, but their objectives are small. And they may not even be able to take their objectives)
AN: enjoy.