Defense of Auldenland

The Kingdom of Auldenland has been threatened by northern pagans countries, especially the tribes of Rus who wish to raid. Auldenland has 7,500 of it's 8,000 troops in forts and other positions on the coast.

The King of Auvergne, even though he rudely called the Aulden tribal people in a way that even said as if the Auldens were not one people, has agreed to send aid against invaders as shown in this message he sent to Auldenland.

"To the Tribes of Auldenland,
We, Berenger, King of France, hear your call. The normands are ennemies of all and, indeed, a threat to civilization itself.
Our Kingdom can and will protect your people in exchange for a mutualy beneficial agreement. First, the payement of a tribute of 2000 livres of silvers (OOC : 760 kilograms) or of equal values of other materials, at your discretion, plus the daily needs of our troops once in your realm for as long as the threat of the normands isn't stoped. If you have a children old enough, we would like him to come in our Kingdom, to be educated by the monks of Aurillac. He will be under our care and protection and none shall be able to harm him while he receive the best education one can find in the West.
For this, I shall lead myself a force of 11.000 men to your land and fight the pagans raiders at your side.
There is also many other things We'd like to discuss with you, but it shall wait our meeting.
May God be with you,
Berenger Longcrin, Rex Francorum, Dux Arvenii"

Though Auldenland does not share the Christian faith with Auvergne, Auldenland brought up a good point to persuade them to help, stating that if Auldenland were to fall to the pagans, they could then invade Christendom as a whole throughout Europe via this new hub they would gain.

Far away on an island shared by the Frostborn a great discussion takes place between the Nordic nations. Preparation of the fleets has long begun in the tribes of Rus. Eighty ships, each carrying roughly one hundred men are being stocked with equipment on the coasts of Rus.

Eleven thousands men gathered around the walls of Neuvers. The knights and the lords of Burgundy and Auvergne answered the call of their king, with their troops and men at arms. Thoses of Francia, Gothia and Aquitaine weren't called, to keep an eye onf the limes of the Realm. Spears, swords, chainmails, bows and arrows had been gathered. With theses troops, a second army followed them, an army of farmers, of pigs and other diary animals, of easy women and so on. Berenger, with the advisors and lieutenants he choosed for this campaign, looked at this human mass ready to go to war. Almost each year, this spectacle took place, when the season of war came by. Sometime, it was for the conquest of new lands, to defend the realm against invaders, to stop a revolt... this time, it was to help foreigners, outside of the Gauls. People that believed in nothing, or at least claimed so.

This act had, at first, not be fully understood by his vassals and friends. But when the news came of that the prince of the Auldens would go to Aurillac to be educated, the more religious finaly saw a good reason to go. The others just followed, because they couldn't find a good reason to not respect their oath and also because maybe there was a possibility for a reward, like a part of all this silvers the Aulden promised to pay.

When the morning light was clear enough, the trumpets started to sing. It was the signal. Everyone took their packages and followed the flags of their lords and masters, to the north, to the Rhine, to the land of the "Auldes".

Auldenland's army men are located on the northern shore, located in various forts, we humbly welcome you to our ethnic land, you may accept any gifts given to you except you may not procreate with our women...or at least not get caught doing such .
Also we are concentrate don the shore as this is where a viking would most likely arrive from.

Berenger entered Hronddal at the head of his personal guard of multicolored knights. He defiled in the city's road to the king's castle, looking at the buildings and houses around him. It seemed to him like any big conglomeration of Europe, with its share of beauty as well as dirt, but he couldn't stop to think that the peoples looked off. Something in their eyes, on their faces, disturbed the king, even if he couldn't really tell what. He saw many mothers with identical sons at both arms. In fact, there was a lot of children, everywhere. With the exact same faces. Even the adult, faces seemed to come by pairs.

"Twins." Berenger thoughts. "Too many twins."

The King thought of this detail for a moment. It explained why the countryside he saw was so populated. Many settlements of farmers, bigger than most, with in the end very little savage lands between them. A well kept land, but a small one. Too small.

"One day it will not be enough for all of them. Some will have to go somewhere else if they want to have something to eat."

Berenger saw a disaster in the making. A repetition of the migration of old. If there was so many twins, it would explain how such a strange people, with its faith in itself so big they thought they could do away with gods altogether, little enough to not be in any record of the ancients, could build theses sprawling cities today.

But now was not the time to think about such things. Berenger put theses thoughts away somewhere in his mind, for later, and focused on the mansion before him. He, of course, had announced his presence long before he arrived, and followed his guide to the throne room, where he saluted King Markas I as an equal.

"The cohorts of Auvergne answered the call of the Auldens." Announced Berenger, still wearing his green travel cape, cavalery boots and millitary broigne, his sword by his side. "Now, your excellency, let us discuss the matters of the day : where are the normands ? Have your men saw any boats ? Any new movements since your last letter ? What plan you and your generals have deviced for now ?"

The King Markas I calmly greeted and informed
"The tribes of Rus, they will be here to raid our civilization soon, most of our troops are at the cost where such northerners would always attack, but there are some messengers keeping an eye to the east, just in case."
"Are basic strategy is to decimate the invaders with ranged weapons then bring out infantry and Calvary onto the beach they landed on once they are weakend, what we really want to do but don't know how to is break their ships, of which many will come, the only way we can think of it ramming them, but some engineers be,wife that they can place barriers in the water at certain harbors...so,e sort of netting system."
"What do you think Berenger?"

Berenger stared silently at the Aulden king, visibly confused.

"This...is not a strategy you propose, but a tactic." said the Auvergnat.

"Do not expect to get the northerners in such situation. They are not fools, they will evade every posts and heavily armed location to focus on positions harder to defend, such as savage coasts and undefended villages.

If you do not have chains in your harbors, then it would indeed be a good thing to install some urgently. Also, do so on the Rhine too. Rivers are highways for the normands, especially this one. If you have no chains to the point your engineers just now start to think about it, then it might be too late already to forges them in time for the coming of the raiders.

Evacuate the coastal settlements if you haven't already done so. Take them inlands, with everything they can take. If it come to it, burn theses villages if the normands appears. We will have to deny them the spoils of war. They do not come to settle or conquer, but to get rich.

Since your troops already protect the coast, my men and I will lay back further inland, ready to reinforce the front if needed. Is there any location from which you can easily access any point of your limes ?

Oh, and one last thing. What kind of information do you have about theses Rus' ? Have they come to threaten you with an ultimatum, have you already saw some of their ships longing your coast ? Have they already sent raiders ? Any and all informations you have about the advance of their campaign is to be shared."

Grand Auvergne wrote:Berenger stared silently at the Aulden king, visibly confused.

"This...is not a strategy you propose, but a tactic." said the Auvergnat.

"Do not expect to get the northerners in such situation. They are not fools, they will evade every posts and heavily armed location to focus on positions harder to defend, such as savage coasts and undefended villages.

If you do not have chains in your harbors, then it would indeed be a good thing to install some urgently. Also, do so on the Rhine too. Rivers are highways for the normands, especially this one. If you have no chains to the point your engineers just now start to think about it, then it might be too late already to forges them in time for the coming of the raiders.

Evacuate the coastal settlements if you haven't already done so. Take them inlands, with everything they can take. If it come to it, burn theses villages if the normands appears. We will have to deny them the spoils of war. They do not come to settle or conquer, but to get rich.

Since your troops already protect the coast, my men and I will lay back further inland, ready to reinforce the front if needed. Is there any location from which you can easily access any point of your limes ?

Oh, and one last thing. What kind of information do you have about theses Rus' ? Have they come to threaten you with an ultimatum, have you already saw some of their ships longing your coast ? Have they already sent raiders ? Any and all informations you have about the advance of their campaign is to be shared."

All I know about the Rus is that they are not actual Russians, they hail from Finnland, they are coming by sea, and they are pagan.

We actually do have chains ready, and since you inisist we will see if we can get them into position in time, especially on the Rhein (Rem in Aulden).
We will also remove non-soldiers from the coast and scorched earth will be used on northern Aulden farms and buildings that produce useful items.

"Do not do so before their fleet is in sight. We wouldn't want you or your vassals to lose ressources for nothing. But prepare the chains. Now. There is no reason to have chains if they aren't ready to be deployed."

"But you're telling me... you have no proof of an invasion yet ? No scouting ship, no ambassador coming with demands for tributes ? I hope you had more reasons to disturb me than just a sudden feeling of doom."

"Anyway, I expect to see the payment made. If you don't mind, I will have clercs stay here, to make sure the silver delivery is prepared. You will also be happy to know the monks of Aurillac have agreed with supervizing your son's education. When he will return to you, in his twenty, he will be filled with the wisdom of the ancient, like only a dozen or so are in the West today."

Well they did formally declare war and info red me that they would invade, a little organized for them but it happened.
I will wait to set down the chains as well

A large fleet of eighty Nordic ships landed on the pebbled shore of the Jutland Peninsula. The crew of the ships stayed back and prepared themselves for the next possible months of waiting. They immediately started gathering wood for a fortification and many went to go hunting in the woods. The Rus fleet sailed the Baltic Sea that past week, weather was surprisingly well. Eight thousand men and women disembarked the ships and traveled inland to the small settlement of Hansberg. The travel inland took the better part of the next few days. The residents of Hansberg were surprised, many were frightened. For the most part they welcomed the Nordics, most likely because the Rus could destroy them. The frigid waters of the Elbe river were crossed with some help from the locals. Konge Ingvald didn’t know exactly where Auldenland was, but he did know the general direction. So off the army of Rus went, somewhere southwest of the crossing from Hansberg. In four days they made it to the fringes of Auldenland. The Rus army had plundered most of the villages and farmlands that they came upon on in the wildlands. They wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference from the wildland inhabitants and the Auldenland people that lived on the edges of their nation. If a foreign army did not meet them soon they could possibly create a path of destruction through the west of Auldenland. In short time the Nordics would know they are indeed in their enemy’s territory.

Army
Konge Ingvald Svensson the Uniter
15 units of Axemen of Mornbjorn
15 units of Veralin Spearmen
Gorlad Regina Nikolaisdottir the Spine Splitter
15 units of Swordsmen of Mornbjorn
15 units of Kagak
Gorlad Rangvalder Torsteinsson the Wicked
10 units of Berserkers
10 units of Nordskiig Maidens

Note: One unit equals one hundred soldiers.

Map of the Travel
https://imgur.com/Xnu1QVE

Note:
-Technically my men have attacked, even though they don't know it.
-My men are on the very edges of Auldenland.
-My next post will actually be about fighting an army or just sacking villages and farms.
-Your characters wouldn't know this, unless they figured it out, but the Rus army's target is the Auldenland city of Kanser.
-Your ships or men can attack my fleet of ships back at the Jutland Peninsula. In fact, I think that would make a very awesome RP if you destroyed my boats and my men would have to eventually retreat back to Rus to only find the ships all wrecked. Then my army would have to travel by land to get back home, or if you win the overall war then my men could be chased through Northern Germany and so on.
-I have pictures on my factbook showing each soldier, I also have pictures of the Konge and Gorlads if you are interested.
-Please tell me if the imgur link does not work.

Please tell me who and what soldiers are in your armies. If you don't have individual soldiers then can you at least tell me an overview of your army?

Berenger was inspecting his men in one of the many little camps the Auvergnats built to lodge their troops in the lands surrounding Kanser. The locals Auldens, as per the deal between the kings, had to support the army in grain and food and such necessity. While there was no immediate danger, Berenger took time to make sure his men didn't start to act careless and forced them to harsh training and permanent inspection to make sure everything was in order.

The Auvergnat King was satisfied of his men. They were brave soldiers and most of them were veterans of Berenger's many wars. They had good equipment, everyone having at least a padded armor and the broigne being common. The weaponry, shields and spears mainly, with bows by the hundreds, was well kept, and no one was behind the rest of his unit in term of equipment.

It is at this moment that one of Berenger's advisor arrived and bowed before his liege. With a sign of his hand, the king ordered him to speak.

"Sire, the Normands have been spotted. Rus' it seems."

"And where have they been seen ?" Asked Berenger.

The advisor seemed nervous. "East, my lord, in German land."

A flat "what" was all the king managed to answer.

"Yes my lord. It seems unbelievable, but the reports coming in are clear : maybe ten thousands, it is hard to say, nordmen arrived in the Jutland and then wandered westward and are now near the Auldenland. They met almost no resistance from the germans and left a trail of destruction behind them."

"Can we trust theses reports."

"Hundreds of refugees of differents nationality, speaking differents languages, from the Auldenland proper and nearby german settlements, don't tell the same lie."

"What an unexpected twist." Commented Berenger, trully surprised.

"Indeed my lord." Politely responded the advisor.

Berenger looked at his columns of men in silence for a moment. He had somewhat thought about such a turn of event when he asked what was the point from which it was the easiest to access the limits of this strange kingdom, but it was just an old general habit more than a real thought out plan. Anyway, the next step to undertake was clear.

"Tell the King of the Aulden to keep watching the coast, as it may be a diversion for the real float even if, if the numbers your say are close to the truth, I doubt it. Send message to my generals, I want every men to be ready to go eastward by tomorrow morning, no exception."

He then turned back to his men and shouted in his powerful voice, trained to wake up the hearts of the men :

"Did you hear, peoples of Auvergne ? Prepare for battle !"

OOC :

It is hard to divide the army of Auvergne in categories, as it is based on conscriptions from differents regions of the kingdom, with varying degrees of experience and quality, with one man able to take many roles if the situation call for it. But it can be resumed as :

-1000 Horsemen. (almost only knights, with heavy armors and an arsenal of quality, if a bit variable)
-7000 Melee Specialists. (Spearmen. Sword or axemen if the situation calls for it. Good armor in general)
-3000 Bowmen. (Bow and arrows. The trully dedicated units have Pavois. Armor all around the place but satisfying)

The Aulden national forces concentrated on the coast soon got word of the Eastern dilemma...

Auldenland will send some troops to the east, however as suggested the 7000 troops on the coast remain on the coast as the land flank may only be a diversion.

King Markas I informs both Aulden and Auvergnean armies that they may conscript people of the country side.

Meanwhile in Kanser local authorities are bunkering down the city and confiscating all the supplies of the nearby countryside for storage.

The Aulden coastal force is comprised of;
4500 archers
2000 swordsman
500 Horsemen

The eastern dispatch consists of
500 horsemen
100 archers
159 swordsman

Local areas convert law enforcement into Millitary polic to protect from crime and invasion

25 warships and their crew patroll the coast as well, but not everywhere as many I lets are chained off,maths Rhine is also chained

It seems as the fronts have gone quiet, it makes me very uncomfortable- is the emeny trying to confuse me?

Troop Movement In Northern Jutland-
An unconfirmed report of troop movement from Northern Jutland, Rorukheim territory. The reports say the army is at least a few thousand strong, and are hugging the western coast with their ships.

The Aulden army  is still bunkered down waiting to be attack, the army is not moving from where it is!
The navy that we have will e patrolling the coast,
I will also soon post a map of what is going on

I'am going to quickly station some people around the Rhine chain to defend Hondall, but I would also expect Auvergne to fall back towards Hondall to defend it if somehitng were to happen

That makes Kanser easier to sack, someone's not thinking of our priorities

No, none of the people stationed there came from Kanser.
Kanser is still how it was
Infact Kanser is in total lockdown and as well as being a large encampment of soldiers we won't hesitate to do conscriptions in Kanser

If Auvergne falls back, then the line protecting Kanser is weaken. You only have 1,000 vs his 8,000

I'm not telling him to fall back, I'm saying that if Hondall were to be attacked then it would take priority.

And due to recent expansion, Auldenland has 11,000 troops because it has 11 provinces now, with 7,000 at the coast it has 4000 to use inland instead of 1000