Outremer: A Levant TL

Then put the TL on hiatus until you are. Weapons Fighting Techniques of the Medieval Warrior is a handy intro volume. In fact, it's one of the few books that sits on the "quick reference" shelf when I'm writing RoS updates. If you've got a local B&N that has, you can get it for $14. Another one is Battles of the Medieval World 1000-1500. Since it's an intro book you can essentially concentrate on why the strategy for the particular battle was chosen and see how the various pieces of medieval warfare work together.

Now do you need to write this out exhaustively? No, lots of people don't go into in-depth battles in medieval TLs like I do, but if you get an idea of what's actually possible you know how the story can go. For instance, Alfonso's campaign to capture Toledo and what actually happened in the Palestine Wa
r between Richard and Saladin after Arsuf, the second Siege of Acre, Phillip's siege of Chateau Gaillard (Cost to build the castle? Insane.) All these things will give you an idea of what is possible with appropriate preparation. As it happens I disagree in the particulars with Gustavus, Alexius for example, was actually fairly poor all things considered--he fixed the economy but they didn't have much money to spare until John. But yeah, not going to fall like that.

Oh cmon MNP why, I agree Alexius was not that great but his reforms were quiet useful, I agree he was not a good military leader cause he lost much of Anatolia but in the first crusade you can see the genius behind his plan making crusaders swear an oath, or how he succesfully reppelled the Norman invasion reformed gov and army, maybe he wasn't super great but his accomplishments are quiete incredible given the state of the empire at the time don't you agree, Byzantium was in a decline but he started a proccesa that temporarily brought it back.... So give him some credit.
 
Given how little Byzantium could recover of Anatolia after the Turks thorough defeats at Nicaea and Dorylaeum, I don't think they should be overestimated, either. It's greatest strength was prestige, not in arms. It had a good number of forces but they're dispersed and mostly mercenary.

The right circumstances just need to be put forth... Maybe the Emperor is caught outside the city. Maybe there's a PoD with his death or incapacitation by sickness or something... the circumstances of 1204 aren't TOO difficult to contrive. Most logical way to get through the Theodosian walls is by treachery or to replicate the political chaos of 1204. Both are VERY conceivable for early 13th century Constatinople. Alexios has the Empire at its lowest point to his reign and it hasn't yet recovered slightly to the levels of John or Manuel.
 
Given how little Byzantium could recover of Anatolia after the Turks thorough defeats at Nicaea and Dorylaeum, I don't think they should be overestimated, either. It's greatest strength was prestige, not in arms. It had a good number of forces but they're dispersed and mostly mercenary.

The right circumstances just need to be put forth... Maybe the Emperor is caught outside the city. Maybe there's a PoD with his death or incapacitation by sickness or something... the circumstances of 1204 aren't TOO difficult to contrive. Most logical way to get through the Theodosian walls is by treachery or to replicate the political chaos of 1204. Both are VERY conceivable for early 13th century Constatinople. Alexios has the Empire at its lowest point to his reign and it hasn't yet recovered slightly to the levels of John or Manuel.

true, I agree but for this Tl to succeed a major civil war must happen, oh and about 1204, seriously..... Those events are slightly ASB Andronicos being kille Angelos failing at least four emperors fought bitterly for power, also Alexius force was not made up of just mercinaries he had Kataphratacoi, Vardataroi, the Byzantine ay was pretty reformed. Also in 1204 if you look at the statistics The last leader couldve reppelled the enemy at the beachhead. Best option start a pod earlier in which whe Alexius is still general he gets kled in battle, so that idiot bryiennes stays in power, but only one problem to take Constantinople was madness think in 1451 if the Turks could not take it after attacking god knows how many times what makes you think thisll succeed. However I'm perfectly fine with the rest of the empire just falling but Constantinople is there to stay so just create a harsh treaty cutting byzantine power so it can never recover but keep it around because until cannons the city could not fall, also the crusaders had a massive advantage, With seige weaponry far more advanced. Think of constantinoples walls as 900 strong fortresses seperated into blocks so for the walls to fall you must lay seige to 900 disregarding oil booby traps etc, not possible.....
 
Oh cmon MNP why, I agree Alexius was not that great but his reforms were quiet useful, I agree he was not a good military leader cause he lost much of Anatolia but in the first crusade you can see the genius behind his plan making crusaders swear an oath, or how he succesfully reppelled the Norman invasion reformed gov and army, maybe he wasn't super great but his accomplishments are quiete incredible given the state of the empire at the time don't you agree, Byzantium was in a decline but he started a proccesa that temporarily brought it back.... So give him some credit.
Ah, I see now that it came across as if I thought Alexius was a bad emperor. When I said poor, I just meant economically he didn't have a lot of money to work with. I didn't mean to comment on his qualities as a general or political skills etc. just how much money he had. Sorry to give the wrong impression.
 
Ah, I see now that it came across as if I thought Alexius was a bad emperor. When I said poor, I just meant economically he didn't have a lot of money to work with. I didn't mean to comment on his qualities as a general or political skills etc. just how much money he had. Sorry to give the wrong impression.
It's A ok,:):) but tell me when's your next update on raptor of Spain.
 
It's A ok,:):) but tell me when's your next update on raptor of Spain.
From the AH Wiki: ....on Sept. 25, 2009 it switched to a Tuesday/Friday update schedule until the conclusion of Volume 1 on Dec. 27, 2009 at which time it went on a temporary hiatus. Returning on Jan. 19, 2010 and updating Mondays, posts are longer and more detailed to compensate for the slower update schedule.

Anyhow to the TC, the best overall books on the Crusades I think have to still be Runciman and Tyerman. Another handy one is an annotated book of contemporary Muslim accounts whose title completely escapes me.
 
From the AH Wiki: ....on Sept. 25, 2009 it switched to a Tuesday/Friday update schedule until the conclusion of Volume 1 on Dec. 27, 2009 at which time it went on a temporary hiatus. Returning on Jan. 19, 2010 and updating Mondays, posts are longer and more detailed to compensate for the slower update schedule.

Anyhow to the TC, the best overall books on the Crusades I think have to still be Runciman and Tyerman. Another handy one is an annotated book of contemporary Muslim accounts whose title completely escapes me.



Don't forget the Alexiad!!! True it's kindoff bias so take it with a pinch of salt but it gives a good view of how the first crusade played out.
 
I also recommend Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades, 1000-1300 for an in-depth overview of the period, and Smail's Crusading Warfare, 1097-1193 for more info about the crusader states in particular.
 
Looks like I'm going to have to hit up the local Barnes and Nobles :D. I've taken all of your advice, from all of you, and I'm going to stop the TL for now, and restart it with the information I already, and reinforce it with new information once I get some more reference material.

Thanks for all of your support everyone, and be on the look out for the TL's comeback.
 
Looks like I'm going to have to hit up the local Barnes and Nobles :D. I've taken all of your advice, from all of you, and I'm going to stop the TL for now, and restart it with the information I already, and reinforce it with new information once I get some more reference material.

Thanks for all of your support everyone, and be on the look out for the TL's comeback.

Sure.

*sigh* Why does this happen to all the new TLs nowadays?
 
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