The Baltic Release: 1st Preview
Welcome to the first preview of what will be the first release of The Wrath of the Norsemen.
We decided some time ago that the units in Wrath of the Norsemen were not as good as we wanted them to be and that we would have to reskin them.
While starting to reskin our units we were lucky enough to get a opportunity from the Lithuania mod to use what we wanted from their beautiful units to create a far more attractive set of Vikings. Using these and making a lot more skins Ulfhednin has created all of the units shown in this preview.
AD 785 - AD 1050
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Armament: High class swordsArmor: Mail shirts
Unit size: Small
Moral: Very High
When the king Olaf Haraldsson summoned 3 prospective heirs, young nephews, and asked them what their ambitions were as king. The first said he wanted great estates, and the second wanted thousands upon thousands of cattle, but the third said he wanted warriors, enough to ravage the great estates, and slaughter all the cattle of his brothers. The king noted with approval that the third heir, a young Harald Hardrada would one day be king.
Such is the gamble of kings to be ruthless, or to cast to the winds. While in theory a king should come from royal blood, the truth is that a king is only one who has the fortitude, cunning, charisma, and strength of sword arm to seize what power he can get. Thus a capable Jarl will have a following of loyal and skillful brothers in arms, who fight as Hírðmenn. They are equipped with the best weapons money can buy, or be ripped from the arms of foes.
Hírðmenn are completely reliable, perfectly suited to peril and adventure, but ultimately it is the person whom they serve who will decide their fate, behind the mast or on the field of slaughter. A wise king should never forget where he came from.
"So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by
and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness.
We have heard of those princes' heroic campaigns.
There was Scyld Scefing, scourge of many tribes
a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes
This terror of the hall-troops had come far.
A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on
as his powers waxed and his worth was proved.
In the end each clan on the outlying coasts
beyond the whale-road had to yield to him
and begin to pay tribute. That was one good king" - Beowulf
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Armament: SpearsArmor: Tunicas
Unit size: Large
Moral: Normal
Freemen are the second children of Heimdall, competent and reliable craftsmen, traders, bards, sailors, farmers and herdsmen. They are the largest part of our people, and much relies on them. They are more wealthy then peasants, and often train in a local militia, and thus are better armed and are proficient at working together, even if they are still not true warriors.
Freemen fight with the ancient spear and shield, and if they hold the line, they can pin down enemies until more capable killers deliver the eye darkening blow. Karlar are a descent, cheap option to form the main line of an army, and are well suited to provide a stopgap, but in less organized forms of combat, namely attack, they are prone to slaughter.
Karlar are invested in the fate of their nobles, and can be relied upon to defend them, but neither have the facility, nor the motivation to go on great campaigns and face strange and terrible adversaries.
On thousand shields loud hammer’d deaf’ning plaudits;
Up heav’nward flew the weapon-clang, and heav’n
Drank, glad, free men’s assent to right, to justice, - Canto VIII, Fridthjof's Saga
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Armament: Longbows and swords
Armor: Leather and skin
Unit size: Normal
Morale: High
As armies become larger and more organized, and armor more advanced and prolific, the usefulness of an irregular force of relatively untrained archers diminishes. Greater range and power is needed to keep the archers out of trouble, which translates into longer bows with greater pulls. Bowmen's effectiveness can also be improved by more specialized arrowheads, from needle like bodkin arrows used to slip between the rings in chainmail, to massive pronged arrowheads capable of cutting into flesh like a hatchet, dropping a rider's steed right from underneath him.
Longbows are dangerous weapons, able to create a hailstorm of Tyr's teeth from 200 paces (300 meters) away. But because longbows take much more strength to pull, more training is necessary to produce effective archers. This gives the bowmen an extra degree of cohesion, which manifests itself in greater valor and higher morale. These are competent warriors, and give any army a razor edge.
"For the skilled archers of the Gotlanders strung their bows so hard that the shafts pierced through even the shields; nothing proved more murderous; for the arrow-points made their way through hauberk and helmet as if they were men's defenseless bodies."
- Saxo's The History of the Danes
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Armament: 2-handed Axes
Armor: Leather
Unit size: Large
Moral: High
Because good farmland in Scandinavia is limited, there are always disinherited sons, looking for wealth and adventure, and these the vikings can provide. Vikings are mariners, traders, pirates, bandits, explorers, soldiers and depending on who you ask, demons, who cross the whale-road, fighting and scheming their way to fear and glory.
Vikings generally raid by sea, striking swiftly from the sea mists, pillaging, and returning just as quickly; but they a are willy race, predatory and cunning, and are perhaps most useful for their adaptability. They can be counted on in most any situation, whether laying siege to a city, working behind enemy lines, constructing fortifications, or even using one of many of the tongues spoken among their diverse ranks.
Vikings have the advantage fighting with whom they chose, and as such, their morale is strong, and because incompetent vikings are dead vikings, they are capable to a man. Any warlord should be honored to have such men under his command.
"Oh Lord, from the wrath of the Norsemen, deliver us." - Christian prayer
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Armament: Swords
Armor: Mail shirts
Unit size: Normal
Moral: High
The third and final children of Heimdall are the Jarls and Hauldr, the nobles. They are a strapping people, skilled in peace and war. They are rich merchants, influential holy men, successful mercenaries, and those of lesser royal blood. These people and their trusted staff and bodyguards fight as Landsmenn, vicious and dependable soldiers.
Because the Landsmenn are wealthy they are among the best armed and armored in the north. They wear quality chainmail, and wield swords, and as such can fight any infantry, and most of anything else, with a good chance of winning.
The Landsmenn may be nobility, but in these warlike times the cunning and ruthless become the sovereigns, and thus should not be mistaken for soft and opulent princes. They are adaptable, skillful, courageous, and dependable, provided, of course, they have not cast a lustful eye on the throne itself.
"On the tapestry wove we warrior’s deeds,
And the hero’s thanes on our handiwork;
Flashing shields and fighters armed,
Sword-throng, helm-throng, the host of the king." - Guthrunarkvitha
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Armament: Spears and 1 JavelinArmor: Leather
Unit size: Large
Moral: High
The Liðsmenn are expert in the shieldwall-ability. Whilst clamming their shields behind each other's, they stick out their spears to form a nearly impenetrable wall of wood and iron, held together by bones and flesh but above all a very sturdy heart. Not only effective against enemy infantry, they stand a good chance to cavalry as well.
Liðsmenn are armed with heavy stabbing spears, long enough to present a threat to the calvary of the continentals and to fight multiple ranks deep, behind their shields. The spearmen are also armed with a javelin, to be thrown with insults before the blood spilling begins.
Liðsmenn are difficult to assault from the front but can be quickly routed if attacked form the side or back. The spear is the weapon of Odin himself, and these men know how to put it to good use. They are well suited to providing the backbone of a defensive force and can be trusted to hold the line even if battered by vigorous charges, but are at a loss when broken.
"Hlökk's Tent-Raisers held their noses
Together, and the heroes
Of the Rain-Storm of Hildr's Shield-Wall
Hewed at each others beards." - Anonymous
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:Armament: Axes and 1 javelin
Armor: Leather lamellar
Unit size: Normal
Moral: Very High
Unit description: Somewhere in the sea mists of the icy froth is a fortress of immense proportions, 300 ships of the war kind in its mighty harbor, and black walls upon black cliffs. It is the home of the Jomsvikings, a place of warriors and mercenaries. The Jomsvikings are a fellowship of fighters, sworn to loyalty and mutual protection.
Staunchly pagan, skilled and well equipped, they are superb Warriors, among the best, if not the best in the world. They fight face to face, with axe and shield, never with fear, always with control, always together. Each is hand picked, regardless of his his standing, race, or kingdom, to be a Jomsviking, because all true speak the same language: the sorrowful song of the axe.
The motivation of the Jomsvikings is, perhaps, at times, difficult to comprehend. Although they usually go to war for those who meet their great fee, sometimes they fight for their own purposes, which can only be revealed by the ancient saga of the sea spray and blood in the snow.
"Then the fleets came together, and one of the sharpest of
conflicts began. Many fell on both sides, but the most by far on
Hakon's side; for the Jomsborg vikings fought desperately,
sharply, and murderously, and shot right through the shields. So
many spears were thrown against Earl Hakon that his armour was
altogether split asunder, and he threw it off." - Heimskringla
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Originally Posted by y2day
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