Wessex Campaign -- How Do You Not Perish Horribly in a Mangled Heap of Saxon Flesh?

[cherryfunk]

I've been trying to get a Wessex campaign going, because I want to see Alfred crowned as King of All England (who doesn't?) but ack! I must have started over ten times and I get my clock cleaned every time by the Danish hordes.

Has anyone had success? Any tips?

[MasterOfNone]

I've managed to survive so it's possible. I find building trade buildings and seizing Bilmiga in the first couple of turns is crucial.

I am glad we have found another Alfred fan! He's got some good traits

Good thread title

[cherryfunk]

Hmmm, I was specifically not taking any settlements, for fear of high casualties reducing my army just as the Danes attack...

[MasterOfNone]

Uintancaestir should be buffered from any attacks for a while by virtue of its position. So reinforce Saelaseu and the - more strongly - Dorcic from it. Then take nearly all of Dorcic's and the fort's units and take Bilmiga.

If you build all trade-producing bldgs then you should be able to pick up some mercs on your way too Bilmiga too.

Lundenwic sometimes rebels back into your hands too.

[cherryfunk]

Taking Bilmiga does seem to be a good idea -- if you fight the battle carefully you can keep your losses light, and it makes a ton of money (at least, what passes for a ton in VI2 )

So the initial crisis is over, now I'm in a 'long war' of sorts with the Danes, trying to guard my cities with my one decent army, not yet strong enough to invade Danish territory, and sending low amounts of tribute to Mercia to (hopefully) prevent them from backstabbing me... it's going to be a tough fight to be sure, but at least we're alive (and Alfred is growing up nice and healthy!)

[Aradan]

Glad you're enjoying the campaign now!

As for Alfred, something tells me he's gonna get better... :

[cherryfunk]

The cool thing is the way the campaign mirrors history -- at the start of each turn you read the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles talking about the marauding Danish armies wandering around England, and then you actually SEE the marauding Danes barreling through your little kingdom!

And of course the worst thing is the in-fighting among the Saxons; if they'd all just stick together, they could handle these invaders, but the intra-Saxon wars are crippling... the moment Mercia attacks (and I know they will...) I'm going to be in deep trouble...

[MasterOfNone]

And all done without scripts

[Ranger24]

Alfred drove the danes out by setting up superior defensive poistions to build up his own armies to counterattack.

[cherryfunk]

What a surprisingly interesting campaign this one out to be -- rather than backstabbing me, Mercia remained a solid ally and even agreed to pay me tribute! Then they came under attack by both the Northumbrians and Welsh, so I responded by sending armies into Mercia to help them beat back the invaders, and have fought several battles in conjunction with Mercian allies -- this is the first time I've seen such a thing in RTW!

I believe that playing on Medium campaign difficulty is a major factor here -- your allies actually remain your allies!

I've got some screenshots I'll upload when I have more time, but I must say it's most amazing. Mercia and Wessex, surrounded by enemy forces, are fighting a fierce war for survival...

(Also, in my Norweigan campaign I discovered that when all those wimpy Brits come beg for ceasefires, if you demand tribute they will often give it -- you can easily double your income this way. Again, I think the Medium campaign difficulty is responsible. Most mods you can't play M/H because it's too easy, but that is certainly not the case here!)

[Aradan]

This does sound like a hell of a campaign, indeed! Pics are mandatory!!

[Keyser Soze]

yes, medium difficultly is very good balanced. on hard or very hard you havenīt money, itīs very hard to make ceasefire or aliance, there is often betrayed and factions are very agressive.

[Dionisy]

First I must say many thanks to creators of great VI2, because it is really interesting. I have played Wessex campain (h/m) and my solution to survive - all abbeys must be destroyed - so we have inishial cash and can build wall in London and recruit some armys and mercenaries and with all strench assault Danes and take they town. After Wessex must face with Welsh, Mercia and Danes hosts. Surprisingly - most agressive fraction in my campain was Welsh - it send mounted armyes here and there and arise war even players fraction have not common borders with them. I poot the picture of Wessex cingdom.

[MasterOfNone]

Destroying abbeys? That's a new strategy! - but plenty of gold from those indeed!

Now, that is a campaign I like: Wessex rules!

[cherryfunk]

Dude you can't destroy your abbeys! What would your people think?

I will have to be retiring this campaign so I can install the update, but it was truly one of the most fun I've ever played. There were three active theaters:

- In the east, King Alfred had a strong field army and was building a series of forts to hold back the Danes. Every 2 or 3 years they would launch another invasion and he would massacre them in a pitched battle. London was still in Danish hands, but preparations were being made to retake it.

- Mercia was down to one region and under constant attack by the cruel Northumbrians. A small Wessex field army was helping defend our ally Mercia, and fought many joint battles with Mercian troops against those northern bastards. Wessex was also donating to the Mercian treasury to try and keep them alive. Interestingly, Northumbria would ask for a ceasefire every few turns -- even promising tribute -- trying to isolate Mercia, but King Alfred, being a man of his word, would not abandon his allies!

- Slowly, Wales was being conquered by a strong Wessex army, although recently a horrible defeat was suffered when an expeditionary force was ambushed in the Welsh woods and a Prince of Wessex killed.

Truly a magnificent campaign. But, the new update must be installed! So a new campaign will have to be started... and King Alfred will ride again!

[MasterOfNone]

Yes, good old King Alfred!

Those pesky Welsh!

[cherryfunk]

MoN, did the Welsh historically use cavalry as much as they do in the game? It certainly provides a nice change of pace from the Saxon factions...

[Aradan]

They were the most cavalry-oriented faction of them all, yes. Do you think they use it excessively?

Welsh rule. Period.

[cherryfunk]

No, I wouldn't say they use them excessively -- 2 or 3 units per army, which is fine; in fact army balance is really quite excellent in this mod. I just would have thought they'd be the least cavalry-oriented, given Welsh terrain, but I gather the Saxon bias against cavalry was due to their culture and heritage; so the Welsh 'cavalry-focus' is really just a perception created by the infantry-heavy Saxon armies.

It's actually quite a challenge leading a Saxon army against the Welsh*, and challenge is what VI2 is all about!

*My solution: archers. And I have no idea if that's historically accurate or not. Which raises an interesting point -- maybe you could put up a thread giving historically accurate army compositions? I know little about the period so I doubt I'm playing very historically...

[Keyser Soze]

about saxons cavalry. or heavy cavalry. in this era Saxons used horses to arrived on battle field and than they fight dismounted. in year 1066, when Normans defeated Saxons, Saxons had not cavalry unit. so i think question about Saxon cavalry is, for now, solved.