Mettenheim

“Never before has so much blood been shed over such a barren piece of rock as Mettenheim, populated solely by pirates and ruffians.” – Conquistador Diego of Barclay

Their origin stated to be from a volcano far from Pendorian lands, the Mettenheim are the best blacksmiths. Their ships, termed the "Ironclad" by the people of Pendor are a sight to be marvelled. Even the Noldor are in awe of the Mettenheim's understanding of metallurgy. Their foot units don the heavy and almost impregnable plate armor they produce. Their zweihanders can tear through even the heaviest plate armors like butter. The Mettenheim do not ride horses, and rumors claim that the horses' faces remind the Mettenheim men's too much of their wives although in reality, it is due to the fact that the terrain in Mettenheim is unsuitable to raise and maintain a cavalry force.

They too have a knighthood order, the Forlorn Hope. Joined by older men who have less to live for, they wield Greatswords and Zweihanders to great effect, despite their declining strength. They don the heavy and powerful Forlorn Hope Plate armor to protect them from ranged fire until they can get up close to their foes. Upon reaching their enemies, they can easily cleave through infantry and horses alike with their mighty swords. Frederick is a prominent member, who was the lone survivor of his regiment after they were shipwrecked and the remaining forces slaughtered by the Snake Cult. 

Those units (save the forlorn hope, as they are knight level units) are all hireable in some fashion, either from prisoner stacks or heartbeat quests dealing in hiring mercenaries, but aside from Frederick, absolutely none else can otherwise be hired most of the time. You may encounter multiple Mettenheim Expeditionary Forces, The Freybrueder (usually under the employ of one monarch or another if they're on the map,) or in general Mettenheim troops who were rescued from prisoner stacks by various lords.

• As of 3.7, the Mettenheim Avonteurer, a downgraded Mettenheim Regular Infantry, is available in taverns and is able to upgrade to Regular Infantry and Regular Crossbow.

Helping the expeditionary forces in battle will improve relations with Mettenheim, as they are initially hostile to the player (-10 relation.) If one intends to do this, take caution as they may easily be mistaken as part of the Adventure Companies minor faction due to their color on the world map and defeating them will result in damaging relations with them if you initiated the encounter (as opposed to them starting the fight, where of course the game will not penalize your relations with them for beating their heads in in self-defence). They may be encountered anywhere and appear to spawn randomly around the map.

If the Mettenheim expeditions have sufficient numbers, they will attempt to sack a city, but if it is staffed by enough higher-end archers such as Pendor or Sarleon Armored Bowmen, they can easily be repulsed as most of them will lack a shield or won't be using it due to using a crossbow instead.

History of Mettenheim

History of Aysenburg

No-one knows when exactly the volcanic island of Aysenburg was settled. The first recorded encounters had Aysenburg already host to a small trade post. Ships belonging to the Baccus Empire would frequently use the island to resupply on their trips to Barclay and Pendor.

196 - The true potential of the island was not realised until the Fierdsvain Lords of Pendor discovered large iron deposits in the mountains of Aysenburg. This prompted the Baccus Empire to create a permanent colony there, funded through imperial funds. This would grow to become the capital known as IJzerstat.

198 - When Pendor fell just two years later, the known world fell into chaos. Barclay and the Baccus Empire went to war with each other in an attempt to fill the power vacuum left by Pendor. Aysenburg was an obvious target of strategic importance to both great powers. The large quantities of iron were vital to the Baccus military effort, and Barclay badly wanted to deprave Baccus of this asset. A number of battles were fought on Aysenburg soil to this end.

203 - Barclay finally beat Baccus to a stalemate and an uneasy truce was signed between them. Baccus then cast their eye at the war-torn Pendor, determined to keep their veteran armies in good use. A year later the invasion of Pendor was launched under the command of General Oasar.

204 - Several months later the colonists of Aysenburg discovered that the Emperor of the Baccus Empire had been assassinated. A week after this the garrison was recalled back home in order to quell a mounting uprising in the Baccus homeland.

205-214 - For several years Aysenburg became its own autonomous state, having lost contact with their imperial administration. During this time Aysenburg opened their borders to allow free immigration, and enjoyed an economic boom as refugees from Baccus and Pendor fled to the safety of the island, and found work in the many mines. Artisans from Barclay also emigrated in order to utilise the plentiful raw materials being mined. This all contributed to the burgeoning metallurgy industry the island played host to.

215- Unfortunately Vanskerry raiders had stepped up their raiding following their dismissal as mercenaries for the Baccus Empire. In time they discovered the lucrative trade being done in Aysenburg, and in need for more weapons and armour for their forays to Pendor began a series of systematic raids. Without a standing army Aysenburg was powerless to prevent these incursions, the people running to hide in the mines at the first sight of any Vanskerry ships.

Aysenmontana : a province of Barclay

216-219 - The citizens sent a diplomatic overture to Barclay, offering trade deals in exchange for military protection. A contingent of Knights of the Dawn soon arrived and the Vanskerry attacks were stopped and Aysenburg once again became a hub for trade. Next a wave of governors and officials arrived from Barclay and the island was adopted into their empire as a province. Barclay soon found itself in the enviable position of being the sole regional power due to the internal troubles in Baccus and Pendor.

220 - Barclay themselves were not immune to internal struggles as the Orders of Dawn and Eventide openly waged war against each other, and the purges led by the Order of Dawn had rapidly increased in scope and ruthlessness. Although the people of Aysenburg played lip service to their garrison of Knights of Dawn, they were non the less targeted for breaches of any law. One of the most respected merchants was executed for the sale of “inflammatory artefacts”. In retaliation the citizens of Aysenburg declared an embargo on the Order of Dawn. As the Order was preparing to do Astrea's will in return for this insult, they were called back to Barclay in force to combat the rising Order of Eventide threat.

221-224 - Once again left without a defensive army the people of Aysenburg requested permission from the Barclay crown to raise their own army. The King inundated by the situation at home, and casting a wary eye towards the growing strength of the Snake Cult in Baccus, agreed.

Mauritz Van Mettenheim

225-229 - The citizens of Aysenburg raised a defence tariff on exports which financed the creation of their own armed forces. A brilliant young merchant known as Mauritz van Mettenheim was elected to oversee the creation of the army. He was a well educated and prudent man who decided to raise an army based on the theories of the old Baccus Empire on heavy infantry tactics, combined with the doctrine of Barclay on the use of crossbowmen. The island was hilly and well defensible, but not able to support horses, so Mauritz abandoned any notion of maintaining a cavalry force. Instead he equipped the core of his army with two handed swords capable of dismounting a fast moving horseman. Knowing that he had the administrative ability but not trusting his battlefield experience he recruited an old mercenary captain by the name of Wolfgang as his field commander.

230 - After nearly five years of preparation and training, Azi Dahaka finally sent her minions at Aysenburg. Once the ships were spotted, urgent messages where sent to Barclay but they came at the height of the troubles between the warring Orders and were ignored. There was to be no relief from Barclay. Mauritz and his new army found themselves forging their destiny alone against the Snake Cult host. The island had no navy due to the lack of wood, and the Barclay fleet was preparing to ship the Order of Dawn across to Pendor.

The first few weeks were spent in a game of cat and mouse, the snake cult army trying to force a landing and being denied. Eventually however they managed to disembark and first major set piece battle saw the inexperienced soldiers of Aysenburg, led by Wolfgang face the massed ranks of the Snake Cult. The battle was a disaster, and the Aysenburg soldiers were soon in full retreat. Mauritz desperately tried to keep his army together and to hamper the advance of the Snake Cult. In due time however the Snake Cult army was at the walls to the capital; IJzerstat. A fleet of fishing boats were assembled and an evacuation of the island prepared, however a number of soldiers would have to remain behind to hold the line while the rest escaped. Mauritz gave one of his most impassioned speeches where he called on volunteers to become “the shining light, a last beacon of fortune, and to become, the forlorn hope of Aysenburg”. The entire army answered his rallying call and Mauritz chose to take the field himself and prepared a number of experimental tactics, which would later be called revolutionary. The battle was joined and the forces under Mauritz employed a creeping barrage, through firing rank by rank, keeping up a continuous barrage of bolts into the enemy until the great swordsmen had gained enough distance to do their damage. It was the first victory for the people of Aysenburg, from here they were able to hold for an entire year until relief finally arrived from Barclay, and they together routed the Snake Cultists.

232 - The people of Aysenburg were furious with the late intervention of Barclay and clamours for independence reached a new high. The people turned to their new hero, Mauritz but he wouldn’t commit against Barclay, and managed to keep some semblance of order. Barclay then imposed a War Tax to raise more troops to fight against the Snake Cult, however the people of Aysenburg found themselves burdening the majority of the cost. Tempers once again flared, and Barclay worried that the army in Aysenburg would launch a coup ordered their move to Barclay. The people of Aysenburg however saw it as a panicked attempt by the nobility to protect their precious castles and fiefs. Mauritz went to meet with the new governor imposed by Barclay to try to broker a deal to keep the military in place, however he was instead arrested for treason. He was locked up, and ready to be shipped to Barclay when Wolfgang and a cadre of veterans calling themselves the Forlorn Hope released him. Mauritz immediately called for the removal of all Barclay personnel from Aysenburg and seized control of the government. A week later the King of Barclay received the official declaration of independence from the new nation of Mettenheim.

Mettenheim Regular Crossbowmen

The Forlorn Hope