My Second English Campaign

[Xtiaan72]

Set-up : I'm playing DLV 3.2 with Bug-Fixer 3. Also Art Fixer 3.2.3

Campaign and Battles are set VH/VH with 'no battle time limit'.

Unit Size: Normal ( Do to my computer's limitations )

Rules: No aggressive tactics against allies. Keep crown in Plantagenet hands. Concentrate on building trade and alliances until I am attacked. Role-play to the best of my ability with the traits given to my family members and generals. Provide screen shots of the action in as much detail as possible....Wish me luck, I'm going to need it!

[Bluegreen]

Sounds very nice; i looked forward to hearing about how your campaign goes and the screenshots of the actions .

I was also going to do something similar myself; Im currently playing vh/vh and im 43 years into my campaign with huge units.

[Anelysium]

I look forward to it, your first campaign was awesome, and I was disappointed when you stopped writing it!

[Xtiaan72]

It's hard to keep up with these guys they are so awesome!. How could I not start over with all these awesome new factions in play?!?!

[Xtiaan72]

1180-1183 : King Henry was many things but foremost he was a man of keen intellect. He had to be. His decisions in the late 1100's were resisted even by the Norman Nobles that he counted on to retain his crown. But like a good chess player he tried to stay two steps ahead of his rivals. Apposing his will was a dangerous game of chance.... that he was likely to win. The dread he instilled by his mere presence often led to his enemies fleeing the field of battle before they even tested their mettle. It was an image he cultivated to great effect. He was idolized by his army and feared above all others by his enemies.


The English diplomat to France orchestrates two controversial
agreements that put Norman Nobles at odds with King Henry.

1180: By order of the king an alliance was orchestrated with France. But it is the terms of agreement that strained King Henry's relationship with his nobles. The alliance was sealed by ceding Caen to France and marrying off Robert, the crown prince, to a French princess.


King Henry: At age 50, still an imposing figure and a terror on the battlefield.


The alliance with France is sealed with Crown Prince Robert's Marriage to a French Princess setting off a series of events known as "The Wedding War".

King Henry's other diplomatic decisions were less controversial. Trade agreements with Ireland, Scotland and Flanders. A road building program to connect London to Nottingham. A fur trader was dispatched to Scotland to keep an eye on them. Scotland did the same with an attempt to corner the timber trade in the regions surrounding London. This prompted Henry to remark that he trusted the Scots about as "far as he could throw them".


The Council of Nobles led by Duke Wat requests that King Henry
take Southampton to "Rid England once and for all from "Rebellious"
Anglo-Saxons and Welsh brigands of ill-repute"


The Wedding War begins

1181: King Henry was keen on Duke Wat's idea but as he was gathering his forces for the invasion, Duke Wat and several other nobles did not respond to the muster. The King's second son Geoffrey crossed the channel to join the invasion force but in doing so made a crucial mistake. He did not bring two regiments of experienced Norman Knights that were willing and able to fight for Henry for a price. Crown Prince Robert responded to the muster, bringing with him a slew of peasant archers and deadly Welsh mercenaries. The stage was set for the first battle of the Wedding War between King Henry and Duke Wat.


A bloody affair

[Wolfman25]

This should be interesting. Great first post on this AAR!

[Bluegreen]

Ahh very nice story; and all very well laid out. I look forward to hearing about the battle.

[LordsofDefence]

First class stuff - more drama and history than one of my entire campaigns.

How do you do it? Turn to the word processor between turns?

[Dooz]

Nice going X. Been interested in another AAR from you since your EB Getai one. Now we shall see what comes of your rule of England in Medieval times. Bring it on!

[Xtiaan72]

The Battle of Rochester: King Henry had seldom been seen in such an ill-tempered mood. He reserved his most heated diatribes for his son Geoffrey who had left two regiments of experienced Norman Knights behind in the chaos during the evacuation of Caen.

" Those forces may prove to be the difference Geoffrey...!"

He screamed in Geoffrey's face until the young prince was covered in spittle. He pushed his son so hard that he fell to the ground.

" You will lead the first charge..... for your preposterous mistake"

The village of Rochester provided a good defensive position for the loyalists as they took to the field.


The loyalists prepare for battle


Henry places his cavalry on his right flank


Prince Geoffrey lead the way mercilessly laying into the rebel archers and luring the infantry that tried to protect them into archery range


Shaken rebel infantry are no match for loyalist heavy horse after the merciless barrage of Prince Richard's archers.


When the battle is finally joined the rebels find they have no courage to face King Henry's wrath


"Take that you rebel scum"

[Dooz]

Boy, that Henry's a hard ass. Tough love I suppose will bring up the Prince ready to rule. I liked that defensive positioning by the way, nice Medieval street fighting... er, farm fighting....? Anyhoo, keep it coming.

[Xtiaan72]

Thank you Wonderland... I love that Timaeus piece you did. You should have kept it going it was really original. I was kinda going
for that King Edward vibe from BraveHeart.. I love that character.

[Dooz]

Thank you Wonderland... I love that Timaeus piece you did. You should have kept it going it was really original. I was kinda going
for that King Edward vibe from BraveHeart.. I love that character.

I wish I did, but comp went down, lost the save. It was an incredible game going on though. I do have screens of the major events that happened after the last entry that would make up at least one or two more writeups.... I'm still considering picking it up and finishing the rest but I'll have to wait until this DLV HRE one comes to an end. I'm glad you liked it.

[Xtiaan72]

BOYS, I JUST LOST TWO HOURS OF WRITING BECAUSE OF A STUPID MISTAKE. I'LL PICK IT UP TOMORROW......GEEZ....SOME OF IT I'LL NEVER GET AS GOOD!!! INFURIATING!!!!

[Dooz]

Oh no.... that must be terribly frustrating, sorry dude. Hey don't get phased, what happened in the game hasn't changed, and it's still you who'll be telling the story so it'll be just fine. I guess King Henry really couldn't relish his victory............



........too soon?

[Xtiaan72]

The Wedding War Continues: King Henry had no time to relish his victory. An army of Welsh dissidents smelling blood in the English waters waded through English Territories to the west and gathered forces as it moved toward London... Scottish Highlanders trickled in from North to join them as they inched ever closer to the English capitol.

They ravaged the countryside as they went along.....causing thousands of terrified English peasants to abandon their villages and pour into London. Rape, carnage and barbarities to disgusting to speak of followed in the wake of this barbarian horde.

King Henry had to put his army between the ravenous beasts and London. This despite the fact that the English army had been bloodied severely at the battle of Rochester and was now half starved because of the predations of two invading armies.

The Battle of Berkshire: This was not the time to show the slightest sign of weakness in the presence of his troops or his sons for that matter, He had to pick his words carefully before the battle.

" Men of England! This is the day that will be remembered above all others when future generations write about the deeds that forged out blessed nation!"

" Today, we fight not, nobles of English blood with ambitions for my crown! But something much more insipid and demonic in nature... Welsh Dogs!!!! Scottish Barbarians that are so cowardly they only dare attack us when they think we are weak!"

" They have feasted on your harvests! They have raped your wives and molested your children....They have slaughtered your sons and left them for the carrion birds that circle the smoldering ruins of the villages where you once lived."

" How can men such as these defeat us? Yes, We are battered but we are their betters. Yes, We are famished but we fight for our families. To die today is of no consequence. Because to live in defeat will be the death of us all!"

"Will you fight for your honour?!!"

THE TROOPS ROARED!!!!!!!! RAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

"Will you fight for your children?!!"

RAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

" Will you fight for everything that is good and decent on god's green earth?"

RAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

"Then let's show these devil's what happens when people desecrate the commandments given to us by the creator of us all!!!"

THE BATTLE OF BERKSHIRE: To have a chance of winning the battle, King Henry had to hold off a force that had superior numbers and weapons until reinforcements arrived from London.


King Henry faces a trial by fire


Archers in front of Henry's depleted infantry. Henry's heavy horse rushes to cut off superb Welsh Bowmen before they can rain 'death from above' from the hill.

The Welsh cunning placed the rest of their force behind the hill and dare Henry to approach knowing full well that if he attacks the bowmen they have more than a decent chance of killing one or more of the Royal Line.


Henry and his sons run down the Welsh Bowmen.

But the seed of a possible defeat are laid as many brave English Knights lose their lives to barrages of deadly Welsh Arrows.


The last of the Welsh Bowmen are run down.

But so many knights lay slain that they are not an effective fighting force for the remainder of the battle.... They retreat behind English lines and the English troops marvel at the courage that they have just witnessed. These are leaders worth fighting for.....Now they will fight!!!! English archers advance up the hill now outnumbering the Welsh bowmen 3 to 1.


The bloodied survivors
of the charge at Berkshire


Welsh Forces are the recipients of a terrible revenge for the deaths of so many brave English Knights.

But with the Welsh Bowmen dead, English archers had the invaders pinned on the hill! And it was at this moment that the battle turned.....


Henry has held the invaders long enough for reinforcements to arrive!

Now the reckless leader of the the invaders turned to keep the reinforcements from London from taking his lines from behind. Captain Mathew calmly reassured his troops and encircled the heavily armored knights with his lowly militia.... but they were militia with spears. So with no hope of retreat the skirmish turned into ruthless butchery. The peasants were all too eager for a chance to cut down the man who had ravaged their villages. And cut them down they did....Pinning him to the ground with an English flag rammed into his gasping jaw.

"RETREAT!!!" Captain Mathew called as swarms of Scottish Highlanders with evil looking axes charged down the hill. The forces from London retired from the battle satisfied that they had turned the tide, They could not leave London defenseless.


After countless barrages of arrows The English King orders the infantry to advance.

......and then with the brutality that is reserved for the victims of a violation of morality....The English Infantry meticulously surrounded the leaderless Welshmen on the hill.


A fitting end for the treacherous foes


Prince Richard and Geoffrey cannot resist hunting the Scot's , who had traveled so far to join the rebels, down to the last man...



The Few, The Proud, The English survivors of the Battle of Berkshire

There are only 49 Welsh and Scot survivors of the Battle of Berkshire. The English still had a bloody time of it, losing nearly half their men. Only 657 men now stand between England and total defeat.

[adambomb]

VERY GOOD BATTLE.

[Dooz]

Great success! That was an awesome battle, well written. Hell, I'm about ready to fight for those English nobles!

[Xtiaan72]

THE DARKEST DAYS (1183-1185): After the destruction of the invading horde at The Battle of Berkshire the rag-tag survivors of two years of campaigning against impossible odds made their way back to London and the safety of it's walls. Along the way were constant reminders of all that had been lost.

Burned out ruins half buried in snow that used to be homes. They periodically stopped to bury the countless dead who were now just skeletons in the snow. There is nothing as pitiful as the skeleton of a baby in the dead of winter. And King Henry swore that he would make the Scottish and Welsh pay for the deeds of their most reckless and wayward citizens.

But there was some hope as the army reached London and families were reunited against all odds when they had abandoned all hope of such things. This hope was short lived as rumors quickly spread that yet another horde had crossed the northwestern border.

There was no way for Henry to rally the courage of his army and his people this time. They had been through too much. Still King Henry ruled the kingdom and he was determined to see his people through the crisis or die trying. There was no possibility of facing the horde in the open field at this point. It was the walls of London that the kingdom had to rely on now.

He gathered his sons around him.

" You have fought bravely, my boys" "Even if the kingdom is extinguished, the memory of your deeds will live on" " And for that reason I cannot bare to see you both die with me behind these walls." "Robert, as the Crown Prince it is your duty to serve by my side and to rally our forces if I should fall" " But Geoffrey this is a burden you do not have to bare." " I have devised a plan so you can race to Nottingham and get safely behind it's walls"" Gather around you any men of arms there that are left of noble Norman blood and knight them....and return to me when I send for you.

" But father!!!! I want to stay...I want to fight...If I die, let it be with you, here in defense of our people"

" Silence!!!!! Any youthful folly you committed you have atoned for. Off with you now...A Plantagenet must survive this crisis regardless of it's outcome."

So King Henry asked for volunteers amongst his veterans to set up pickets around this latest and most dangerous threat to his kingdom to slow it down and Geoffrey the former Duke of Normandy set off for Nottingham at great speed.


The flight of Prince Geoffrey and the pickets around the second barbarian horde....Of the twenty-four retainers and childhood friends that Geoffrey has started "The Wedding War" with only three remained.

[Xtiaan72]

Stalemate (1183-1185): The wedding war dragged on for a fourth and then a fifth year. Neither side willing to risk an battle in the open field. The barbarians were weary of prowess King Henry had shown on the battle field. They knew all to well that an attack on the city walls of London would be futile.