War with Venice - Crete and Durazzo

A General who takes nothing for granted is secure in war

Strategikon

Emperor Maurice

After leaving Rhodes with an adequate garrison, and beginning its planned transformation into a trading outpost of the Empire, the island of Crete is our general's next target. But upon nearing its shores, we realise that Venice has already conquered it. A moments pause, but quickly a decision is reached. War!

The garrison comprises two nobles from Venice and their escorts, and the city falls after the minimum of siege-works.

Meanwhile, our general Kaisar in Thessaly crosses over to Durazzo to find it still a small village, unwalled and with only a minimal garrison.

Knowing that Venice is a major power, surely there is an army nearby. Some scouting is done to the nearby Venetian fleets, but no army of note is spotted. A decision to besiege and await relief is made: force them into battle, and avoid being caught inside a just-taken settlement.

Lo! A relieving army has marched quickly southwards from the Venetian fortress of Ragusa, together they are almost a match for our army, and although Kaisar's talents are much stronger in the offensive he accepts battle. Come nightfall we may have taken Durazzo and destroyed the enemy's army in the region.

Out of the mists the Venetians advance, our cavalry circle and shoot their arrows at them, fighting as we know the Scythians do.

As the enemy still advances, our cavalry retreats to the flanks, and the battle-lines clash. After absorbing the initial charge, the cavalry draws sabres and hits the enemy in the rear.

As the garrison from Durazzo advances towards us blindly in the mist, their comrades flee, and our Slavic Mercenaries are sent to engage them and to prevent them from falling back to the city, while our cavalry chases the routers.



The victory is complete, not a single Venetian has left the field, and the ransom is suitably large, over four thousand florins entered our coffers. We enter Durazzo in triumph!


Meanwhile, our emissary Maleses has reached northern Italy and speaks to our brother Emperor Heinrich, who readily reaches accord with us.



With things going well, we undertake the construction of an Ikoner's Studio at Byzantium, trusting that this will aid out new citizens in converting to the true faith, and ignoring the machinations of the Bishop of Rome.

Meanwhile, troops newly raised at Corinth begin marching northwards to participate in the campaign to take Ragusa. This fortress so close to our borders must be in our hands before Venice will accept peace.