Hey, Ridire. Good to see you on.

>>21723467
Find out what they want. I'm still collecting my thoughts about what the fuck it was we needed to do here. Keep forgetting all the schemes.

>>21723467

Real quick, see if we can find Sergio, Robert, or someone else we can trust. Send them to the Library and get a running list of works that stand out as beneficial to us. Medical textbooks, histories, blueprints for siege engines, etc.

We're not going to be able to just walk out with the books, but if we have a list of what we need we can get some random monks to start make copies for us.

THEN we go see the ladies.

>>21723510
I remember now.

We will need to eventually speak to the Emperor about cutting off the Sultanate of Rum in anatolia. With a few carefully planned moves we may be able to choke the Turk quite badly.

>>21723525
While we're going to want copies of Tacticus and other fun generals and useful sages and etc, bear the size of this fucking place in mind.

The library has a hundred thousand texts in Roman latin and on papyrus that are rotting away and are barely fit to read. They have twenty thousand in greek that are translated from the older shit.

Getting real benefit out of the library is going to be a project of decades with a crusader house stationed here and devoted entirely to translating and copying shit.

>>21723567

Welp, good thing we got the Emperor's blessing for such an establishment then.

>>21723589
Yep. But yeah, we can comission some useful translations, maps, economic treatises, notes on manufacturing, and most importantly TEXTS ON SHIPBUILDING AND NAVAL WARFARE. That shit will be gold to us.

File: 1353735076686.jpg-(133 KB, 615x673, SecondCrusade_En.jpg)

So some notes on grand strategy. Pic related is the holy land during the second crusade. See all that yellow that says 'Seljuk Turks?' that shit is a lie. There was a fuckhuge Seljuk empire there, sure, but most of it is warring vassal states and balkanized shit. In fact, the Seljuks are toppling as we speak. Another pic is illustrative here.

File: 1353735209305.png-(86 KB, 642x430, Anatolia1200.png)

>>21723667
Have a look at pic related. That's the same area fifty years later. All the yellow is Saladin kicking the shit out of the Crusaders because they were fucking stupid, but look at the mess in near asia to the east of Anatolia. See all the differently colored groups? Some of that is Christian Armenia and Georgia, but most of it is different, competing groups of Turks and Persians and Arabs that don't get along at fucking all. They also existed in 1148, though we have a different name for them.

>>21723467

While you'd dearly love to get your hands on the entire library of Constantinople, you realize that'll take the work of a fully established chapter house, working for decades. That said...

You find Sergio, knowing he can read, if not speak, Latin, and set him to work with another Hospitaller brother that reads Greek finding texts on maps, manufacturing, shipbuilding, and naval warfare, to be copied by the scholars working in the library. Once you leave them there, you return to your borrowed office next to your room, and request a pageboy bring the Ladies Asherah and Aine to you.

>How do you greet them?

>>21723689
Fuckyouyesfuckignamazing.

File: 1353735394503.png-(35 KB, 821x439, Zengid_dynasty,_1127_-_1183.png)

>>21723689
Now, you may remember that we captured a general that was leading an army near Damascus. That was one of three brothers from the Zengid dynasty, who together with the rest of their dynastic breteren are most of the yellow in the pic in >>21723667

The Zengid dynasty is basically explained in pic related, but the thing to understand about them is that the infighting is constant and neverending. The guy we captured has fought both of his brothers, and would have killed them for their inheritance if circumstances demanded it. So with the rest of the Zengids, and so with his brother-in-law that we killed at Edessa. He probably is grateful to us for it - it increases his claim on the area and is one less competitor inside the dynasty.

The next part concerns Rum.

>>21723706
Politely. This is Constantinople, they could poison or murder us eight different ways if they wanted to right now.

File: 1353735629576.jpg-(292 KB, 1078x1164, Asia_minor_1140.jpg)

>>21723722
The last point is about the Sultanate of Rum. The Turks couldn't pronounce Rome right, so when they conquered some 'Roman' territory (Byzantine by then, but who's counting), they called the region 'Rum.' And some other things, but fuck that. Important news is that these guys are nabbing Byzantine trade-ports and fucking over the Emperor's attempts to regain his territory in Anatolia, but they have also split from the toppling Great Seljuk Empire. And notice the relatively short distance between the Emperor's territory and the County of Edessa in pic related. It's been ten years of losses since then, but we could still capitalize on the geography.

We can close that gap, guys. We can choke the Turks and give the Byzantines a chance at Anatolia. We should do it.

>>21723706

Calmly, but as Equals.

Give them courtisies, but we're not sucking up to them like they're a king or emperor.

We're simply in a mutual beneficial business relationship. They grant their "blessings" when we ask, we grant them the stability in the land they're asking for by establishing more Cursaider States.

>>21723710
Did I unintentionally irritate you, OP? My apologies. I'm not sure why, though, care to share?

>>21723805
No. You were/are fucking amazing. I'd say have my babies, but I'm not ready for commitment yet.

Well, in any case, the last thing is that by the 1170s the Assassins in the Levant tried to convert to christianity because their numbers had grown and their political situation forced them to have a portion of their membership and people be peasants. As there was little farmland on their soil, they had to rent land from Christians and pay an extra tax to farm on Christian lands because they were of a different faith.

Of course, then some fucking retard hatched a plot to kill their emissaries and officers so they didn't go through with it.

As such, we may be able to impact this a bit early. We can send refugees from our campaigns to them and the process will just take place faster; the taxes are undoubtedly already in place due to the mixed nature of the people in terms of faith.

>>21723823
who says you need commitment to have someone's babies? just throw 'em out when you're done wit 'em!

File: 1353736602123.gif-(54 KB, 361x365, Soviet Bear is sad.gif)

>>21723923
Sorry, guys, post is delayed a bit. My older brother called. He's probably being deployed after the New Year to the Middle East. =/

>>21723975
No worries, take your time.

>>21723975

As much as I hate to say this...

Your brother shall be going on his own Crusader Quest...

May he find some hot witches to keep him company over there.

File: 1353737933951.jpg-(127 KB, 799x589, TACTICAL GENIUS.jpg)

>>21723706

"Ladies. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" You keep your voice calm and equitable, not wanting to die of poison right now.

"You were summoned to US, MacMahon, in order to discuss... A certain event that took place before you charged the Turks." It had been Aine speaking, but now Asherah has taken over.

"You kissed me, MacMahon. YOU KISSED ME! We thought you were interested in Marie! She thought you were interested in her! What kind of game are you playing, MacMahon!?" Oh God. Angry women. Angry at you. Time to run. You stand, as though to have them sit, and then you slide under the desk on the hardwood floor, tripping them both, before scrambling back to your feet and heading to the corridor.

>You've momentarily escaped.
>Oh God, now where do you hide?

>>21724250
Oh god here we go again.

>>21724250

Uh, some place public where they can't use their magical powers without revealing themselves.

That means they'd have to use mundane means, which means we need mundane protection.

Let's go check out those Mercs. Surround ourselves with men who I'm pretty sure want to be hired by us... Once they're off the Emperor's payroll.

>>21724250
Get the fuck back in there.

"You what? You thought I was interested in Marie? You seem less than all-knowing, I must say. You asked me at the time, ME, whom you'd pronounced to have as my primaryconcern, my guiding star, the breaking of the armies of the crescent of Mecca, what you'd get for assisting me in a fight! When you would obviously get seventy thousand slaughtered Turks. You asked me to sweeten pure honey, and for what? What sort of ambrosia do you seek exactly? So I did what any sensible man would do - I assumed you might not follow through and took succor, whilst confusing you thoroughly."

"You keep the company of the Irish, woman, so you'll understand. I did it for the craic. What becomes of it is out of my hands - I'm just a damn morningstar in the skulls of heathens to you right now, so figure it out. Was there anything else?"

btw, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craic

File: 1353738510039.png-(13 KB, 512x160, deal-with-it.png)

>>21724340
do it, it's time we grew up a bit anyway

>>21724340
You know what, yeah, let's do that and if they're still pissed then we run to the mercs.

>>21724340
yeah this.

File: 1353739382517.jpg-(37 KB, 543x546, Mercs Getting Hired.jpg)

>>21724250
Actually, you decide... Fuck no. You're sick of shit from emperors and kings and that fuck useless Count of Edessa, and you walk the Hell back into your office, where they're still trying to process what just happened.

"You what? You thought I was interested in Marie? You seem less than all-knowing, I must say. You asked me at the time, ME, whom you'd pronounced to have as my primary concern, my guiding star, the breaking of the armies of the crescent of Mecca, what you'd get for assisting me in a fight! When you would obviously get seventy thousand slaughtered Turks. You asked me to sweeten pure honey, and for what? What sort of ambrosia do you seek exactly? So I did what any sensible man would do - I assumed you might not follow through and took succor, whilst confusing you thoroughly."

"You keep the company of the Irish, woman, so you'll understand. I did it for the craic. What becomes of it is out of my hands - I'm just a damn morningstar in the skulls of heathens to you right now, so figure it out. Was there anything else?"

Before they can reply, or even process that as well, you whirl and march out of the room and to the barracks, near the Fifth Military Gate, of the mercenaries you fought with, the Normans, Scots, and some of the off-duty Varangians.

Despite their being total bros, you're unsure if they'd take well to your attempts to hire them.

>Try to hire them?
>Sit and chew the bull?
>Test the waters?

>>21724504
>Sit and chew the bull

See how long they have with the emperor left. Share some drinks, food, or stories with who ever feels like sharing with us. In general, just chill with the mercs.

>>21724564
Yeah. Spend an hour or two rubbing elbows and asking what things are like and getting the feel of the situation, then ask how long they've been serving the Emperor and how much longer they're likely to do it.

Eventually work toward any sympathetic captains and ask them that, given that the Emperor has his pick of mercenaries and that they've witnessed the true meaning of Byzantine politics, whether or not they'd be interested in pursuing new contracts.

If the answer is no, no hard feelings. If they have an interest, they needn't reneg on the Emperor but you will buy up their contracts as they become available.

This ensures a steady flow of new troops to our banner, a few hundred to a few thousand at a time. Besides, we may well need them in Rome. After a meeting with the Emperor and his Generals and buying a stock of Greek Fire grenades, we should leave for Sicily...maybe pick up Nur Al-Din on the way.

>>21724504
Whatever we decide to do, getting those Varangians would have to be our highest priorities, Royal Guard four ourselves.

>>21724626
The Varangians ain't all that. They're fucking brutes that mostly whale into the enemy and leave a huge hole behind them that their fellow soldiers can't exploit, usually ending up in the middle of a sea of enemy all around them. And then, the Varangians die.

We need mercs like that, sure, but the real money's on the Normans, Georgians, and Scottish pike and spear infantry.

Varangians would nevertheless be very good for show and status.

>>21724756
You crazy man, the Varangians were the elite guard of the Byzantine hours, and some of the heaviest infantry in the Byzantine military. They have stone faced discipline and loyalty up the ass.

>>21724807
That's precisely what the Byzantines want everyone to think, yes. But then you read the various histories of political shifts within the Empire and find that while the Varangians were heavy infantry, they were only loyal and disciplined under certain circumstances and for certain meanings of 'loyal' or 'disciplined.'

Certainly the unit might be 'disciplined' to heavily penetrate a mass of enemy troops, but the urge to undertake this tactic when it would cut them off from support was noted repeatedly and as disastrous.

As for loyalty, they were ultimately loyal to their paymasters - a tactic exploited repeatedly in both prosecuting and defending oneself from political plots.

>>21724836
I'm quite skeptical, I really can't think of a situation where a band of heavily armored viking men wouldn't come in handy

>>21724852
Oh, they might come in handy in a variety of circumstances - which is why I said we should get them - but the real winners against lightly-armored cavalry forces are going to be Scottish pikemen and disciplined Normans, so greater emphasis should be placed on creating a steady influx of them. Normans have been conquering nations all over Europe for the past three centuries, whereas Varangians have mostly been winning fights. And the Swiss pike mercenaries are just babies at the moment, whereas Scotsmen have been using pikes efficiently for decades to centuries now. Flemish crossbowmen and godendag-wielders might not be bad either, but we can get them from Flanders ourselves later.

you guys realize that the witches probably want to jump slick willie's bones, right?

>>21724918
I forget, is this the period slightly before Landsknecht, or the very beginning of that period? If so, they and any unit like them, are a fantastic choice.

File: 1353742281961.jpg-(5 KB, 201x201, yesand.jpg)

>>21725002

>>21725016
Nothing more than that, just sayin', pretty much.
Sins of the fleshy types, and all that.

>>21725008
Man, this is 1148, the Landsknects are a good three or four centuries before revising Swiss pike squares. Our best bet right now is inventing the pike square as the next logical step up from the phalanx, and using crossbows to simulate pike-and-shot.

>>21724918
What particular type of troops are the Norman mercenaries?

File: 1353742854905.jpg-(105 KB, 512x378, bayeux2.jpg)

>>21725073
Why Anon, you've seen Norman soldiers and mercenaries plastered all over 4chan in a certain meme.

File: 1353743182353.jpg-(39 KB, 350x466, norman-1510-a.jpg)

>>21725119
This guy has it right.

Pic related is a norman infantryman. Add a spear and a horse and you have something very much like McMahon himself, but otherwise that's what we've got. Can fight with axe, mace, sword, whatever suits. Very dangerous to regimes in large numbers, very loyal for mercenaries.

Primarily they'd be fighting with mace, sword, and axe as the situation demanded, though swords and axes is what they were known for. The mace gets short shrift, it was extremely effective in fucking people up when armor got involved.

>>21725170
They'd also probably include plenty of bowmen and crossbowmen. Anything present at the Battle of Hastings you'd probably find in a Norman army circa 1150.

I think OP fell asleep again,

>>21725170
I enjoy this thread immensely. I learn something every time.

>>21725274
As the compulsive plan-fag responsible for much of this shit, you're most welcome.

>>21725292
Thank you so much mister, I wanna be just like you when I finally get into a college and have even more time to dedicate to the study of history

>>21725304
Go get 'em, anon. Just remember that college mostly wants you to be stuck doing busy-work. Most of what I learned, I learned myself.

>>21725347
Well that's disappointing. The last time I was that disappointed was when I found out that a History Major was basically a Degree in Being Uemployed.

>>21725385
That's the difference between a vocation and an avocation.

A humanities major which represents a real accomplishment of scholarship (German romantic philosophy, oh fucking god) is not going to get you unemployed, but a bullshit one (american studies? what the fuck?) definitely is. The humanities get a lot less hit and miss when you're the academic king of the mountain. But in the end, unless you're going to Reed in oregon or the University of Chicago, you're mostly going to a shlub school to get a degree no more competitive than what shlubs get at the university of [insert state] because real education is self-administered.

Memorise the word 'autodidact.' That's what all the big boys are. You can do it too. Start by reading Mortimer Adler.

>>21725410
I have this vague feeling that I'm really to appreciate what you've said to me, but at the moment, I can only vaguely comprehend it. Either way, thanks for taking the time to say all that.

>>21725446
The tl;dr is just that colleges are moneymaking institutions in the western world mostly and that if you want to teach yourself like I do start by reading the work of the greatest self-teacher around in a loooong time. I mentioned his name above.

Best of luck to you, anon.

>>21725469
I never thought of it like that. I mean, especially since I live on the West Coast, and our colleges are all impacted since we're in debt, Ivy League level education is quite overrated.

Goddamit thread, move faster.

This is intriguing and I want to know what happens next.

>>21725515
Well, every Ivy League lecture below the junior level has some equivalent course on youtube. Harvard has a pretty good record of turning a quarter of graduates into PhDs, but that's not enough to guarantee a comfortable life or a good job. In the end, a lot depends on the person and not the degree.

If I were you I'd go to Amherst or Reed, Reed is known for taking high=potential students (even low performance ones) and giving them huge scholarships.

>>21725582
Unless the OP wakes up, nothing happens next until the morning when Ridire decides whether he's going to continue posting.

I kind of want to run a quest like this myself. Or play in one. Honestly, there should be more such quests on /tg/.

>>21725598
Actually a lot of Ivy League courses post even Master's courses online (youtube or similar).

>>21725613
Well, I'm more interested in this from a fiction point of view. The setting is intriguing. The problem with quest threads is that, unless they're posted at decent times or with plentiful information people will just ignore it or forget about it after a few posts.

>>21725641
The setting being the second crusade with the pagan goddesses and shit, or constantinople specifically?

>>21725658
The former half.

>>21725598
That's quite nice to hear. I'm just quite major I would go with if I did get into a major college. I mean, my passion is history and military science, armchair general specifically. I just really don't have any inclination for anything a major college would allow for majors in.

>>21725721
Godfuckingdamn it. I was doing an online application after working on the post a little bit. I passed out with my laptop on the edge of my. Anyway, I won't have it back until tomorrow. I'm trying to get a good friend of mine to pinch hit the rest of this Chapter for me.

>>21728682
Yeah, gonna have to end it. I'm going to archive it anyway, to be able to read what all you guys posted. When I get my laptop back from Purgatory tomorrow morning, I'll resume posting then if this is still around. Either way, I'm really sorry guys. I should be up around 9AM Central Standard Time.