Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate This Thread
Hop To
#3219403 - 02/26/11 11:46 PM Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi  
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,961
arthur666 Offline
Pitbull Tickler
arthur666  Offline
Pitbull Tickler
Member

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,961
NC, USA
Background:
After spending a good while as a wandering bandit-hunter and mercenary, I found myself in the service of the Sarranid Sultanate (think the 13th century Arab armies). Working my way into the Sultan's good graces and the esteem of many of the land's Emirs, I was eventually given Reindi Castle and the village it overlooked, as my fief. It was the farthest northern outpost of our Kingdom, and it must have drawn the ire of the Nords, who declared war on the Sultanate and took the fortress from me while I was away on campaign with the Marshall and the main army of the realm. Thankfully it was retaken later, and the Sultan decided to give me a second chance and once again made me the Lord of Reindi. Peace was declared with the Nords, and I focused on trading and bandit hunting, while keeping a modest garrison at my castle.

Me

The Seige:
Soon the Swadians (sort of like the French -heavy knights and good crossbowmen) declared war on us. I raced back to Reindi only to find it surrounded by more than 800 men, many of them heavy knights. With my garrison of 100, plus the entourage of 30 horsemen I had with me, victory was going to be an impossibility. I had to make a desicion: Sneak into the castle and join the defense hoping for a miracle, or ride off and find help. Just then I saw a Sarranid army off to the northeast, moving north. I raced over and caught up quickly, as small horse-only groups like mine travel very fast on the map. I then saw it was part of the main army. I found the Marshall and asked him to ride to Reindi to help me break the Swadian's seige. Since I had done well for him in the past, he reluctantly agreed, and now I had 400 additional men behind me.



The Battle:
We approached my castle, and the enemy was taken by surprise. They first scattered, and then came at us. In the chaos, I rode by my castle and gathered as many men as I could. I now had about 110 men in my group, most of them cavalry of various sorts. About 20 of them were heavy Mamlukes, almost as strong as a Swadian knight. 8 others were powerful named NPC characters, mostly that I modded into the game. More powerful than any non-named soldiers, but very expensive to hire and pay weekly, so it doesn't unbalance the game too much. Anyway, the armies met, and I committed myself to the coming battle. It wasn't going to be easy. 530 Sarranids vs 850 Swadians.


The battlefield was perfect cavalry country. Open fields, rolling hills and few trees. This was going to be to my advantage. Unfortunately, the Marshall was in control of the armies overall. Instead of setting up his infantry and archers in a good defensive position, he ordered a mad charge. The Swadians were a little more level headed. They kept their infantry in a battle line, and sent their heavy knights to the flank. I only had control of my men, and since most were cavalry, I led them off to counter their knights, while sending my few footmen along with the suicide charge. Why not?


At a full gallop we crested the last hill between us and the enemy knights, I lowered my lance. Missing one of the more dangerous Swadian knights, my spear did find a weaker Man-at-Arms, and knocked him from his mount. I could hear the clash of steel and wood, man and horse behind me as I led my charge on thru. Some of mine stayed to engage the knights, but many followed me on towards the rear of the Swadian battle lines.


When we rode into the Swadian crossbowmen, they were focused on the bulk of the Sarranid onslaught to their front, only a few had noticed and turned to see about 20 heavy horses bearing down on them. Easily dispatched with one swing from my sabre, I must have killed 5 poorly armored crossbowmen in 10 seconds. After that, the lines were all broken. The battle had turned into one huge melee. Horsemen were dueling, infantry were running everywhere and archers and crossbowmen were in sloppy formations taking shots of opportunity.


While me and a few allies were running down another group of footmen, I had neglected to notice that about 5 enemy horsemen were pursuing me. A spear to my back changed my attentions quickly. Lucky that I have good armor, I was not killed. But now at about 50% health. Not good when one heavy blow from a charging knight or an unlucky crossbow bolt can take away more than that. I turned to face my attackers, and became immediately bogged down in a swarm of enemy footsoldiers and horsemen. A mamluke and horseman were with me, plus a hammer-wielding brawler of an NPC called Lothar. First my mamluke fell, then the horseman, and Lothar's mount was killed beneath him. I could not pay attention to my cohorts as about 10 footmen were attacking my warhorse. The last thing I saw before my horse was killed was Lothar swinging his greathammer as 5 soldiers closed in on him. I was thrown to the ground amidst a flurry of spears, swords and clubs. Madly striking out from behind my small shield, I fought as long as I could, but they were all around me, and I fell. I did however catch a glimpse of Lothar standing on a pile of Swadians while finishing off another one with a crushing blow to the head. The first part of the battle was over.

Lothar

I was revived enough to fight in the next round, but with about 25% of my health, so I was wounded. This time, it was going to be 400 Sarranids and 500 Swadians. Not bad. Apparently, cavalry notwithstanding, we had higher quality troops overall. The next battle went alot better for me, and the marshall was a little more defensive. Once again, I used my mobility as a horseman to my advantage. The third or fourth battle was something like 200 to 150. This was a slaughter, as we still had some high-end soldiers and they were down to mostly militia and farmers/recruits. Victory was ours.

Not only did we defeat the Swadians, but I captured 5 of their Lords, who will command a handsome ransom down the road. Not to mention the equipment looted from the battlefield.

The SPoils of War


With the remaining Swadian attackers scattering, I made my way into my castle and began to look at my remaining troops. Time to ride off and find some new recruits in nearby villages. I took a small group of about 15 off to the east. Just then I recieved word that the Khergit Khanate (Mongols) had also declared war on the Sarranids. I'm now about to be crushed between two powerful armies. Ahead of me, I could see a huge army of Khergits riding southeast. Not towards Reindi, but it is only a matter of time. Turning back towards home, I open the inventory screen and change out my lance for my heavy crossbow. In the next few days, I expect to be defeated on the walls of my castle, defending against an army of 1000 with only 70.


Last edited by arthur666; 02/26/11 11:59 PM.
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#3219422 - 02/27/11 12:13 AM Re: Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi [Re: arthur666]  
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,085
fatty Offline
Senior Member
fatty  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,085
Brussels, Belgium
Nice AAR! I've got a campaign right now where I am with the Sarranids, and Reindi was one of my first castles as well. Unfortunately it's positioned in probably the worst possible place. You've got the Swadians on the north, the Rhodoks on the west, and the Khergits on the east. Plus it seems like Sultan Hakim loves to be at war with as many factions as possible. So you're constantly having to ride back because a raiding party is burning the village or something.

Last edited by fatty; 02/28/11 05:14 AM.

"...for who are so free as the sons of the waves?"
#3220215 - 02/28/11 05:05 AM Re: Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi [Re: arthur666]  
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 18,786
Razorback Offline
No one of consequence
Razorback  Offline
No one of consequence
Veteran

Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 18,786
NJ
This made me want to play.

#3220627 - 02/28/11 07:46 PM Re: Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi [Re: Razorback]  
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 328
Cherkasov54 Offline
Member
Cherkasov54  Offline
Member

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 328
Dundee, Scotland
http://www.taleworlds.com/main.aspx?dir=download.aspx?type=2

I downloaded the trial yesterday and spent the day playing - great fun!

S!

#3220903 - 03/01/11 01:35 AM Re: Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi [Re: arthur666]  
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,961
arthur666 Offline
Pitbull Tickler
arthur666  Offline
Pitbull Tickler
Member

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,961
NC, USA
That's how they got me, with that trial version of the original Mount&Blade. By the time I got to the level 7 cut-off, I was hooked. Just like a savvy drug pusher. Just give 'em a taste...

I used the Battle Sizer mod so I can have more soldiers on the field at a time per battle. The normal limit is 200 I think, but my computer handles twice that pretty well, just remember to limit the amount of bodies that hang around, or it will crash on you.

This game is pretty mod friendly, I have very limited experience in modding and still created a good many NPCs to suit my taste. Takes about an hour to do the first one and then about 30minutes once you know how. It's kinda cool to export your avatar once they're pretty powerful, make them into a NPC, and then find them in a tavern ready to join you when you start a new game as a different character. I also made some of the playable characters from the quick battle builder into hirable mercenary NPCs.

I really like this game. The combat mechanics are what really shine. Making your own conquests in a living world with 5 constantly squabbling kingdoms where wars begin and end at their own accord is compelling. Just don't do any more secondary quests than you have to. You might die of boredom.

Last edited by arthur666; 03/01/11 01:36 AM.

System Vitals: Intel i5 9600, RTX2060, 16GB DDR3000(OC), Win10 Home 64bit, Saitek X-52, Logitech G27
Current Sims: MSFS2020, Assetto Corsa, StrikeFighters2, IL2:BoS etc, Arma3, American Truck Simulator, SnowRunner
#4041946 - 11/27/14 12:56 AM Re: Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi [Re: arthur666]  
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 457
VMIalpha454 Offline
Member
VMIalpha454  Offline
Member

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 457
Chattanooga, Tn
Nice AAR, Arthur.


"I have only two men out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold."
1stLt. Clifton B. Cates, USMC
in Belleau Wood, 19 July 1918
#4044301 - 12/02/14 06:50 AM Re: Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi [Re: arthur666]  
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,339
Lieste Offline
Senior Member
Lieste  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,339
I played a bit of Native, but am now dabbling in Anno Domini 1257, which is ... different. I prefer it, with the much larger scope of (a scaled down) whole of Europe, from the Holy Lands to Spain and Scotland, taking in the other 40+ factions along the way.

I especially like the more realistic "lance" recruitment, and the more evenly balanced weapon trees (militia weapons are no longer a fraction of the utility of those of regular troops, often only marginally slower, weaker, and sometimes harder hitting), where the local population is represented by a pool of nobles, yeomen and serfs, and you can request the service of one or more lances ~ each of a noble and his retinue. The fewer lances you take, the better their quality, but this comes at the expense of army size... and in a world where a peasant with a set spear can kill a man at arms... and a mob of peasants with spears is hard to deal with with cavalry (and relatively easy with your own mob of bowmen, archers and crossbowmen), it actually makes sense to take most of those available when actively campaigning, but none or only a few when patrolling in peacetime. The lances are made up of the fittest peasants, so productivity falls during campaign season, even before the raiding parties start looting.

The AI is far more adept at keeping infantry in formations, and moving them in their shield walls.


One of the hardest fights I've had so far was with my veteran column of some 120 troops, when we ran into a 400 strong peasant revolt. Lost most of my company in that one, though the haul of prisoners and recruits from their prisoner train were useful. My strength after the battle was around 70 men, though more of them were newly acquired recruits liberated from the peasant's prisoner train than my original force. We also took over 75 prisoners (although of poor quality they paid for the campaign week there and then wink )

#4044481 - 12/02/14 05:42 PM Re: Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi [Re: arthur666]  
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,429
enigma6584 Offline
Senior Member
enigma6584  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 4,429
Wisconsin, USA
Very cool. Looks to be a rather interesting game.

#4044999 - 12/03/14 07:25 PM Re: Mount and Blade: Warband - The Siege of Reindi [Re: Lieste]  
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,961
arthur666 Offline
Pitbull Tickler
arthur666  Offline
Pitbull Tickler
Member

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,961
NC, USA
Originally Posted By: Lieste
I played a bit of Native, but am now dabbling in Anno Domini 1257, which is ... different. I prefer it, with the much larger scope of (a scaled down) whole of Europe, from the Holy Lands to Spain and Scotland, taking in the other 40+ factions along the way.

I need to try that. I feel like Bannerlord is a looong ways away.


Moderated by  RacerGT 

Quick Search
Recent Articles
Support SimHQ

If you shop on Amazon use this Amazon link to support SimHQ
.
Social


Recent Topics
Grown ups joke time
by NoFlyBoy. 03/18/24 10:34 PM
Anyone Heard from Nimits?
by F4UDash4. 03/18/24 10:01 PM
RIP Gemini/Apollo astronaut Tom Stafford
by semmern. 03/18/24 02:14 PM
10 years after 3/8/2014
by NoFlyBoy. 03/17/24 10:25 AM
Hans Zimmer North American concert tour 2024
by NoFlyBoy. 03/16/24 10:54 PM
Steam Spring Sale.
by RedToo. 03/15/24 09:09 PM
Starship Attempt Three
by F4UDash4. 03/14/24 12:06 PM
This is one cool turbofan model
by Zamzow. 03/14/24 02:41 AM
Map Errors
by F4UDash4. 03/13/24 11:25 AM
Copyright 1997-2016, SimHQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.6.0