The Welsh

Time to reclaim the “Lost Lands.”

The Welsh remember a time when their language was spoken across the breadth of Britain. And although the invading Angles and Saxons eventually pushed the Celts into their western coastal enclaves and gave them the name “Welsh,” meaning “foreigners,” the memory of Celtic freedom was preserved for centuries.

With the arrival of a huge Norman army to distract the English, the time is ripe for a Welsh resurgence.

The Welsh begin play in possession of the northern regions of Wales, mostly the area of Gwynedd. Strong rebels hold the rest, and the English hold the borderlands of the east. In some ways, the Welsh have the most favorable starting position of the three “minor” factions of Norman Invasion (the Welsh, Scots, and Norse); the lack of an aggressive neighbor means a Welsh king has free rein to assert his authority over his countrymen, then turn his eye eastwards.

The Welsh are also blessed with an excellent and diverse unit roster, with strong infantry, cavalry, and archers. Of course, it will be some time before a Welsh ruler can exploit all these advantages, but when the resources are available the Welsh war machine can be a fearsome thing indeed.

Aberffraw, the Welsh Royal Residence, is your Historic Capital. As an island region, it is relatively safe from attack; one drawback is that stables are not a possible build here, as you can’t transport horsemen by boat (the exception to this rule is your Teulu, who can always hitch a ride on a ship). Like the Norse, the Welsh don’t have a coronation place - meaning you don’t have to worry about rushing your king back to your capital in the middle of a war to be crowned. (Crowns?! We don’t need no steenking crowns!) Aberffraw also is the only place you can train Arwyr, an excellent unit similar to the Scottish Nobles. Perhaps even more importantly, Aberffraw is a fairly fast grower.

South, on the mainland, are Caer yn Arfon and Towyn, both fairly small to start but with good potential for growth and trade. Deganwy is the stockaded town east of Caer yn Arfon; situated on a natural fortress, it is positioned well to defend against any incursions into your northern territories.

Your last settlement is Mathrafal, an unwalled town which may seem rather exposed to any English attack. Don’t worry; as long as you don’t waste much time in your conquest of Wales, you shouldn’t see trouble on the eastern front for some years. Mathrafal is also notable for another reason: as the chief town of a Principality, it is one of the places where you can eventually train Nobles, a great cavalry unit, similar to your Teulu.

With that in mind, you may want to make a note of the other locations where Nobles are available - by checking the Building Browser or descriptive regional text - and plan accordingly. Nobles are a long way off, and your Teulu and other units are quite capable of seeing you through the game, but it’s always nice to have options.

Principalities in Wales operate like Earldoms in England: every region in Wales belongs to a Principality. This basically allows you another title to give your family members; not only can they become lord of a specific region, but they can also become prince of an entire Principality, with an extra boost to Influence.

The financial prospects for the Welsh may look bleak at first, but after asserting your dominance in your homeland, tax, trade, and farm income will start replenishing your coffers. Don’t raise taxes too much, as you don’t want to significantly slow down population growth or you’ll never see your high-tech units. Instead, focus on expansion until you have money to do some building; then, invest in trade and farm upgrades - making military building a secondary priority - until you feel comfortable.

Diplomacy may help here also. Although you start at war with the Norse and Normans, it is likely that the Normans will approach you and ask for a ceasefire within the first few turns. Counter-offer by asking for trade rights and tribute - something reasonable, like 300 shillings for 5 turns or so. The Normans will likely accept.

You don’t begin play with any agents, but eventually you’ll want to train an Emissary and send him north, to get trade with the Scots and see about a ceasefire and trade with the Norse. There’s no reason to antagonize the northern factions; your business is with the English, and then the Normans.

Getting Started

But your first concern is the rebels who inexplicably question your right to supreme lordship. Taking over Wales before fighting the English is a good move because Wales is quite amenable to your rule, so you can relatively quickly and easily conquer these regions without worrying about unrest at the outset.

So, gather up all the forces you can spare - from all your towns - and put them under the leadership of your king. This includes all the family members you start with. Teulu, your bodyguard, are superb fighters, and you want to bring all of them to bear in your first battles. Don’t worry about the fact that you’re leaving weak units like Peasants as garrisons; you should have several turns before any other faction gets ideas about attacking you.

The first obvious target is Llandabarn Gaerog, just south of Towyn. It is a walled settlement with a large rebel garrison, so it’s best to wait out the siege rather than assault. Sure, you’ll be losing money the whole time, but it makes more sense to be conservative with your starting troops - they’re all you’ve got for awhile. Most likely the rebels will sally out, making it a straightforward defensive battle. Leave a unit of Spearmen in the town as a garrison and move on.

Occupying rather than enslaving or exterminating is the way to go in Wales. None of the rebel settlements hate you (at first), so use a lighter touch and save yourself the trouble of having to build up your population all over again. In English lands, you may want to enslave or exterminate - either to boost population in your homelands, or just to drive home the point that you’re in charge now.

There are more strong rebel armies to the south and east. How you plot out your conquest of Wales is largely a matter of taste, but it might make sense to move to the east sooner rather than later, on the off chance that the English will start moving into your territory first.

As you conquer, a little micromanaging of your titles can be helpful. Wales is quite pleased with you initially, but population growth brings squalor and unrest, and good local governors can be helpful with loyalty and finances. Make sure you have 2 or 3 family members to accompany your main army, but try to set up any others as lords of different Principalities, so they’ll get the title not only for the settlement they govern, but also for the Principality as a whole.

Eventually, you’ll climb out of debt and find yourself in possession of all of Wales, snug against the English borderlands. In addition to those money-making buildings, invest in some taverns - not only for the happiness boost, but also for the ability to recruit mercenaries and train Spies. Send a few Spies into the Midlands and near London to observe the Normans. Your goal should be to avoid war with them at this early stage unless the Normans are growing into a threat that might become unmanageable, in which case you should attack them immediately.

But early on, it’s almost certain that your first enemy will be the English. You’ll probably have to start this fight, as they will be distracted by the Normans. So get your armies in order, decide on a likely border town to attack, and declare war.

On the Battlefield

The rebels you’ll face in Wales are tougher on paper than they are on the field. Still, some basic understanding of your troops can help keep more men alive for another day - very important in the early years when you can’t afford to train any new ones.

Like most factions, the Welsh depend on Spearmen as their basic unit. Their trick is tactical ambush and throwing spears; not a bad combination in the right conditions. Like many of your soldiers, your Spearmen can hide in long grass and toss javelins (make sure they’re turned to fire at will). They’re not especially sturdy, but they have good numbers and can hold their own long enough for you to bring your tougher units - i.e., your cav - around to the flanks of the enemy and cause a rout.

Along with Spearmen, you can also train Skirmishers at Muster Fields. These units are only trainable in Wales itself, and offer yet another means of getting javelins in the air. They are a respectable unit, but as short-range foot soldiers who don’t fight well in melee, they can easily get in over their heads. The best place for them is just in front of your line of Spears with skirmish turned on, or just behind them with skirmish turned off. It’s possible that you can get away without training too many of these guys, as the Marchfolk Mercenaries you can recruit in the wilderness fill much the same role. In the early years, though, and in siege defences, they can be useful.

Your next-level barracks provides Longspearmen and Swordsmen, the former good vs. cav, the latter good vs. infantry. Since you’ll probably be fighting the English for awhile, Swordsmen will be more effective in your armies, but Longspearmen come into their own if the Normans are alive and strong: 2 to 4 units behind your main line can make a big difference, if you rush them to where the horsemen are gathering. Swordsmen work best in the front line, alongside your Spearmen; their high defensive stats and numbers make them reliable backstops for enemy cavalry or tough infantry while your own horsemen move into position.

At your highest-level barracks, you can train Armoured Spearmen and Armoured Swordsmen (everywhere) and Arwyr (in Aberffraw only). The Armoured Spears are very solid units, but expensive; a couple in your army is probably enough. They aren’t shield-wall capable, but that’s just as well: you may need them to do some flanking and maneuvering to work in tandem with your cav. Armoured Swords are essentially upgraded Swordsmen; use them in the front line to hold up tough infantry units like Housecarls.

Arwyr are rare but excellent troops, armed with javelins and axes and bearing a war-flag to keep your other soldiers motivated. Like the Scottish Nobles, Arwyr can form shield-wall, but it’s probably best to keep them out of it so they can quickly move to where they’re needed. Their javelins make them good candidates for the front line, probably on the flanks.

At your tavern line of buildings, you may find Mercenary Fyrdmen, Gall-Gaedhill, and Housecarls to train in Wales. The Fyrdmen and Gall-Gaedhill are good if you need troops fast; the Fyrdmen can be useful in a siege situation, given their shield-wall ability. The Mercenary Housecarls are quite expensive, but they’re a solid, armour-cleaving frontline infantry unit and a great addition to your lineup.

Your infantry line should be backed by archers of various types. The Welsh are blessed in this area as well: not only can they train Bowmen, but the wilderness of Wales has a steady supply of Welsh Mercenary Bowmen available for hire. And of course, the Welsh signature unit, Longbowmen have excellent range and armour-piercing arrows: the perfect solution for enemy bodyguards, knights, or housecarls.

Note that your Bowmen get an experience bonus in southeastern Wales; this may give you an incentive to train a few, rather than relying entirely upon the mercenaries. However, mercenaries are an excellent, cost-effective way for you to raise troops without depleting the population of your small settlements. Just don’t rely on them too heavily.

Speaking of mercenaries, the Mercenary Marcher Horsemen are a good supplement to your own skirmishing cavalry, the Light Horsemen. Light Horsemen work quite like their Scottish counterparts: let them toss their spears, and then charge an already-engaged enemy, withdrawing and repeating as necessary.

Cavalry of all types also offers you an extra option as the Welsh: leading the enemy infantry on chases while your archers shoot them down. Since your Longbowmen have a nice, long range with their arrows, you can entice infantry into chasing after your cav, then lead them toward your line.

This is a tactic that works best on defense. Send your cav out to either side of the approaching enemy army, where they can unleash their javelins (keep them off skirmish, so you can micromanage them more effectively). Eventually, an enemy unit will break off and charge toward your cav, at which point you simply order them back toward your line. If no enemy units take the bait, a feigned (or actual) charge will do the trick: line up your cav and charge the flank of the unit, then pull away when they begin to fight back.

Infantry will usually know when it’s hopeless to catch your horsemen, and they’ll return to their main body. At that point, you can repeat the process until the main battle has joined. But even if you don’t manage to entice an enemy unit within range of your archers, you can simply lead them away, then rush your cav back to the main action. When the enemy unit finally arrives, they’ll be exhausted and vulnerable.

Eventually you’ll be able to train Horsemen, a sturdier version of the Light Horsemen. With Horsemen in your armies, you can afford to use your cavalry not just for skirmishing and quick charges, but for more prolonged melee.

Nobles - available only in the chief towns of Welsh Principalities - and Teulu are your war-winners. Nobles carry an inspirational war-flag into battle and frighten enemy infantry; with fewer numbers per unit than most of your cav, they are similar to the Scottish Mormaers. Due to their recruitment restrictions they are rarer than Teulu, but nice when you can afford them.

Teulu, on the other hand, are absolutely indispensable. Do plenty of fighting with your king and heir to rack up the experience and good traits; as high-influence members of your family, these men are most likely to have the largest number of bodyguards per unit. Teulu are effective against armour and scare infantry - both important considerations when sending them off on a charge. A well-executed charge by Teulu can bowl over Royal Housecarls, put Fyrd to flight, and trample even Norman cavalry in the right conditions. Be sure to have at least a couple units per army.

As for overall army composition, aim for 4 to 6 units of cavalry, 2 to 4 archer types, and the rest infantry - preferably a mix of Spearmen, Swordsmen, and assorted mercs, at least in the early going. This ratio will get you through most of your battles, but may need some tweaking if you come up against Normans or a particularly stubborn stack of English housecarls.

As a cavalry-heavy faction, you’ll want to fight in relatively open terrain. England is perfect for this purpose, and if the English are your main enemy, expect some sound victories against them if you can choose the terrain. Hills won’t be as readily available to you as they are to the Scots, but woods can be just as troublesome, especially when you consider that the trees interfere with your arrows. Like the Scots, for the most part you’ll want to wait out sieges rather than assault, and avoid bridge defenses; unlike the Scots, you do have the heavy infantry specialists to help you succeed in both those scenarios if you are prepared.

Endgame

As the leader of the Welsh faction, you should be attentive to the fortunes of the Norman invasion, for it will affect your plans of conquest more immediately than any other faction. In the early going, you’ll grab what you can get, snapping up all of the English border towns and making inroads into the Mercian heartland before you encounter stiff resistance. Expect to see lots of Fyrdmen and Light Fyrd at this stage.

If you advance too quickly, however, you may stick your neck into a fight that isn’t quite resolved. Keep Spies working in the south and east of the country; if there are several English or Norman stacks circling each other, you may want to wait and let them duke it out before you rush in.

As you advance, loyalty will become a problem, not only in English towns but even in your Welsh heartlands. Don’t neglect building at home - it’s easy to dismiss building a Christian Shrine, for example, because it “only” provides +5 happiness boost, but it can be worth the expense to stay one step ahead of rebellion.

To help make life easier, you should consider moving on the nearest Historic Capital to you: Wintanceaster. Most likely, the English and Normans have already fought over this settlement, so taking it may require involving yourself in a war with the Normans. This is a case, however, where war is worth it - provided you think you can handle what the Normans will throw at you. Wintanceaster is not only a Historic Capital, possession of which will make your entire kingdom adore you; it is a well-built-up town with a stockade, allowing you to hold it against the almost inevitable counterattack - especially with your Longbowmen atop the walls.

Lundenwic is also an important settlement to take, for similar reasons; it’s likely to be fabulously wealthy, and is easy to defend once taken. Even after exterminating the populace, though, expect to experience some unrest: this is why it’s a good idea to take many towns soon after taking Wintanceaster. The loyalty boost from capturing a Historic Capital wears away over time, so use it to best effect.

Most of the resistance to your expansion - from the English or Normans - will likely occur in southeastern England, and this very fact will tend to draw your conquest in that direction. But to achieve victory, you could also take some settlements to the north, such as Jorvik and its surrounding towns. These places are closer to your capital and a little easier to hold as a result, making them tempting targets.

Don’t feel as though you need to expand in a “logical” manner, one town after another. A raid deep into enemy territory can completely surprise your enemy, and force him to send troops away from your borders to deal with the threat - allowing you to send another army to take a town closer to home. Since getting caught in the open isn’t as bad a scenario for the Welsh as it is for more infantry-heavy factions, you can afford to be bold.

The Welsh benefit not only from their uniquely diverse army, but from their proximity to the two strongest factions in the game. Having easy access to the English and Norman lands means you can move quickly to exploit opportunities and capitalize on their weaknesses.

After 600 years of being pushed into a corner, now is the right time for the Welsh to start pushing back.