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Deus Vult! - Atabeg Civil War

Turn 020

Sultan Hadi of Mosul knows how precarious his position in the capital is, and so orders a mass conscription and over taxation of the realm. Thirty-two new companies of Siege Engineers are raised to bolster his defenses in case of a siege, six-hundred of his personal cavalry disbanded and retrained in the effort. Despite the over taxation, Hadi orders the troop payrolls withheld. He is able calm the immediate stirrings of mutiny among the soldiers. In As-Sur, Crusader assassins strike at both the Mosul Prince Fihr and the Mosul Lord Tepir. Tepir is wounded in the attempt.

Sultan Pothmir of Lyssa faces a similar situation with his troops, but rather than risk a mutiny, the Sultan squeezes the economy with a large tax increase, almost twice that of Mosul. Pothmir's attempts are not so lucky, and the economy spirals into an immediate depression. The leaders of the region of Mosul affect a quick rebellion, two-thousand native troops attacking Pothmir's fourteen-thousand. Pothmir defeats the rebels while only losing one-hundred men.

Sultan Pothmir and Ibrahim encircle Mosul City, initiating a passive siege of the Mosul capital. Pothmir soon finds that with the mass conscription on Mosul's part, Pothmir does not have the required forces to maintain a siege. Hadi avoids being starved out. Prince Qasim of Lyssa squirrels to the north, entering the region of Arbiliq and claiming it for Lyssa. He collects the twenty-five hundred troops in the region and city garrisons before returning to Mosul and the siege. He adds his forces to the siege attempt, but Lyssa still lacks the numbers to force the siege. To add insult to injury, Mosul assassins strike and kill Qasim in the dead of night.

In As-Sur, the Mosul leaders Fihr and Tepir begin to move. Prince Fihr slips into the Gulf of Cyprus and then Cilicia, collecting the two-thousand garrison troops. Tepir, wounded and moving slowly, begins the trek north through the Lebanese wilderness. Fihr sets up a defense of Cilicia, then times his entry into Aleppo to coordinate with Tepir. Aleppo switches sides. At the same time, Mahakmed of Lyssa his swept into Edessa, clearing the region of its similar two-thousand troops. Mahakmed hands over the men to Pothmir in Mosul. Fihr and Tepir set up a new defense in the Aleppo fortress.

After the delivery of his troops, Mahakmed of Lyssa travels west, hoping to collect Cilicia and Tarsus for his liege. His five-hundred cavalry run smack into Fihr and Tepir and their four-thousand troops. Mahakmed's forces are quickly cut down with no losses to Mosul. Mahakmed manages to escape capture, and returns to Carhae, setting up a defense of the region. The Mosul leaders wait, knowing that their best defensive position is here.

In Mosul, Pothmir grows tired of the ineffective siege and quits the region. Unwilling to let Mosul retain Aleppo, Pothmir and Ibrahim of Circis march to meet Fihr and Tepir. Pothmir has a 6-1 advantage in troop numbers, but it is too much of a good thing, and he has problems within his communication lines for such a large force. Tepir and Fihr have chosen a directed defense of the border, giving them a large advantage, plus they receive support from the city and fortress in the region.

In the battle, Mosul takes more damage, losing sixteen-hundred men to the Lyssan eight-hundred. But both Tepir of Mosul and Sultan Pothmir of Lyssa are slain in the fighting. The Lyssan troops retreat into Carhae. Lord Mahakmed is the only remaining national leader in Lyssa, and immediately declares himself the new Sultan. Ibrahim of Circis proclaims his allegiance to a distant cousin of Pothmir. Both leaders struggle for control of the army. Ibrahim is wounded during the skirmishes, but ultimately forces Mahakmed to renounce his claim and support the new Sultan Basir. Ibrahim and Mahakmed, unwilling to return to the meat grinder in Aleppo, set up in reaction and defense of the homeland.

Prince Fihr of Mosul strikes out north, slipping into Edessa. Ibrahim catches news of Fihr's movement away from his defensive position and hurries to intercept. Fihr's forces are destroyed, but Mahakmed is killed in the skirmishing. Fihr retreats to Aleppo. At the very end of the cycle, Prince Farooq of Mosul takes one-hundred light cavalry and speeds into the region of Mosul. Ibrahim of Lyssa is unable to react, and the region switches allegiance.

Turn 021

Sultan Hadi of Mosul sees a lack of manpower with the mass conscription of last turn, but still manages to raise five hundred new cavalry. He rules from Mosul City with over thirty siege companies augmenting the city defenses. Princes Lutfi and Farooq defend the restored homeland with twelve-hundred mobile troops and a dozen field fortifications. Facing a crisis of cash due to the depression, Sultan Basir of Lyssa orders the disbandment of thirty eight siege companies. Many of the engineers are diverted to investment sectors and to public works in Carhae. Three hundred new infantry are the only forces raised.

Sultan Basir marches west, organizing the army of Fifteen-hundred infantry, eleven-thousand and five engineering companies. He is supported by three leaders: Lords Arsham and Rostam, and the feudal lord of Circis. They blast through the field fort garrisons of Aleppo and Cilicia, losing only a few hundred of their forces. The fortresses and cities of Antioch and Tarsus are left alone, preventing the Lyssan occupation from collecting taxes, but neither does the revenue reach Mosul.

Sultan Basir has ben busy on the diplomatic front, gaining the support of the Abbasid Caliphate. Not only do the Lyssan's receive a sizable transfer of gold and agro, but fourteen-thousand troops march into Mosul under the command of the Abbasid Crown Prince, Nazih. While Nizah is a superb general, the lack of Casus Belli undercuts most of his command structure entirely. Despite an almost three-to-one advantage in troop strength and better scouting, the Mosul forces are defending their homeland. The three supporting Abbasid leaders do little to augment the invading forces.

Prince Lutfi of Mosul is merciless in his thrust against the invading Abbasids. First Lord Jibril, then Lord al Fattah are cut down. When Crown Prince Nizah is captured, the Abbasid army breaks in a complete route. Only the subsequent capture of the Mosul commander prevents the Abbasids from being completely slaughtered. Still, nine-thousand Abbasid men lay down their lives. The defenders lose a mere six-hundred.

Turn 022

Sultan Hadi of Mosul isn't keen on his ability to withstand another combines assault in Mosul. He recruits thirteen more engineering companies, stationing then in strategic points about the capital city. Prince Noor and Lord Isma'il set up a defense of the dozen regional field forts in the Mosul homeland. Noor directs his efforts toward Carhar, while Isma'il guard the roadways from Mesopotamia.

Sultan Basir of Lyssa disbands six companies of cavalry before they realize they aren't being paid for the cycle. He orders his ally, Sahifd, to station in Edessa on reaction. Basir garrisons five hundred cavalry in Cilicia, then six-hundred infantry in Aleppo. He takes his remaining eleven-thousand men and marches to Arbiliq. Awaiting him in the region is the Abbasid Caliph Bakkar. The Caliph has brought his daughters Huma and Noor, and two political marriages are quickly arranged. The marriages work directly toward the elimination of the Mosulites: Joint Conflict and a Military Alliance.

The Caliph has also brought troops, five-thousand cavalry under Lord Umar; four-thousand infantry and twenty engineering companies under Lord Wadi. The two generals join with the Lyssan force, and the group marches into Mosul. The Mosul generals scramble to redirect their forces, caught off guard by the attack from Arbiliq. The allies are quick to cut off and isolate many of the field forts. Lord Isma'il panics and flees back to the capital, leaving Prince Noor to defend the homeland. Noor is overwhelmed, his fortifications destroyed he barely escapes to Mosul City. The allies lose only one company of engineers.

The allies quickly march to the walls of Mosul City and set up a passive siege. Sultan Hadi lasts two years before he surrenders. The Lyssans do not hesitate to claim aspects of the Mosul Government and University. Afterwards, they give up the rich region and city to Abbisid control.