This is the first major update of the War of the West (WotW), a mod that is clearly destined for greatness, by St. Polycarpe! In this update, Poly enumerates several changes that he intends to make to several features of the game. Before we get into this, though, let's overview what exactly the mod is.
The War of the West is a mod that focuses entirely on Western Europe, in much the same way that the Britannia Campaign focuses solely on England. This mod is intended to give a better Medieval European experience than did the original campaign. It focuses on the mid 13th to the late 16th centuries, providing a condensed perspective of the turbulent nature of both the politics and the military technology of this period. Players will see the shift from feudal to national armies, changing armor and weapons, and the advent of gunpowder. The War of the West will even change the recruitment, military, character, and administrative systems of the original game.
This is an ES exclusive! Thanks to St. Polycarpe, I have been shown some of the prospective unit rosters! Without further ado, here it is:
| An exclusive first look at some of WotW's unit rosters |
| The English Unit Roster |
England Unit Roster (From 1245-1385)
Strength: Strong professional armies and formidable archers.
Weakness: Poor relations with her neighbours and is late in the development of new weapon technology.
King's Yeomen
Category: Sergeants-at-Arms
Unit Description (Small): The King's Yeomen protect the important figures of England. They are fine warriors whose task is to defend and follow their lord wherever he goes.
Unit Description (Large): The King's Yeomen are the bodyguards of important royal and noble English figures. Loyal until death, these men proudly wear the royal coat of arms and are heavily equipped. These men are also mounted on heavy war horses, enabling them to protect their lord from any threats and repel any attackers.
Household Knights
Category: Household Nobles
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): Household knights are members of the warrior class in the European Middle Ages who have come from the aristocracy of England. Heavily armoured, these knights lead their men and their cavalry against the enemy.
Unit description (Large): Household knights are members of the warrior class in the European Middle Ages who have come from the aristocracy of England. Each knight has made a vow of servitude to their lord or to their sovereign and has become a vassal of this lord. These knights formed the core of heavy cavalry in most European kingdoms until military reforms that created national standing armies were made in the late Middle Ages. They have access to the best and latest equipment for their era. Their main role is to charge through enemy ranks.
Household Knights (Foot)
Category: Household Nobles
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): Household knights are members of the warrior class in the European Middle Ages who come from the aristocracy of England. When commanded, they will dismount and fight on foot.
Unit description (Large): Household knights are members of the warrior class in the European Middle Ages who have come from the aristocracy of England. Each knight has made a vow of servitude to their lord or to their sovereign and has become a vassal of this lord. These knights formed the core of heavy cavalry in most European kingdoms until military reforms that created national standing armies were made in the late Middle Ages. They have access to the best and latest equipment for their era. Their main role is to charge through enemy ranks. When commanded or if the situation arises, the knight will dismount and fight on foot.
Yeomen of the Chamber
Category: Sergeants (Guards. Hybrid)
Unit Quality: Outstanding.
Unit Description (Small): The Yeomen of the Chamber are the best archers in the Kingdom of England. They are excellent hybrid longbowmen and infantry whose professionalism is incomparable.
Unit Description (Large): The Yeomen of the Chamber is a small professional guard retinue formed by King Edward III in 1327 at the beginning of his reign. The king selected and regrouped the best archers in his kingdom. Several of them came from south western Wales which was under England's reign. Constantly trained in archery and also in melee combat, these guards wore the liveries of their king and were equipped with a halberd and a longbow. This unit was preserved by the Tudor dynasty, which expanded the retinue in number and renamed the unit “Yeomen of the Guard” in 1485.
Yeomen Archers
Category: Sergeants (Archers)
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): The Yeoman Archers are professional longbowmen whose skills with the bow are feared across all Europe.
Unit Description (Large): Drawn from English freeholders and required by the king to be trained in warfare with the application of the Archery Law in 1272, Yeoman Archers are highly skilled ranged troops. Lightly armoured and equipped with a longbow for ranged combat. Yeomen Archers are able to lay defensive wooden stakes to help keep enemies at bay.
Yeomen of the Crown
Category: Sergeants (infantry)
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Yeomen of the Crown are professional low noble sergeants who act as heavy infantry.
Unit Description (Large): Drawn from English freeholders and required by the king to be trained in warfare, Yeomen of the Crown are disciplined sergeants with great fighting skills. The term "Crown" comes to the fact that these yeomen were allowed to sit at the king's table and be able to enter in the royal court.
Yeomen Billmen
Category: Sergeants (infantry)
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Yeomen Billmen are professional low noble sergeants who are excellent users of the bill hook.
Unit Description (Large): Drawn from English freeholders and required by the king to be trained in warfare, Yeomen Billmen are disciplined sergeants with great fighting skills. Considering the English love for the bill hook, these yeomen wouldn't lose the opportunity to train with such a versatile and effective weapon.
Men-at-Arms
Category: Sergeants (heavy cavalry)
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Men-at-Arms are heavy cavalry, suited as knights but slightly less armoured. Their main tactic is to charge in the enemy's formation after the English archers have shot several volleys.
Unit Description (Large): Coming from minor landowners and nobility, Men-at-Arms are trained cavalrymen. Equipped as a knight but in lesser quality, this retinue of cavalry is often used in conjunction with longbowmen. King Edward II used his archers to soften the enemy from afar and his Men-at-Arms to finish the disjointed formation. This proved to be a remarkably effective tactic.
Billmen
Category: Urban Militia (Medium Infantry)
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): The Billmen are trained militia who use the bill hook, a polearm weapon that became England's national weapon.
Unit Description (Large): The Billmen are trained infantry who use the bill hook. This weapon, derived from a farm tool, is very versatile in that it can hook, pierce and slash. Englishmen preferred using the bill to counter heavy cavalry as it could penetrate heavy armor, skewer a horse, and pull a man off his horse.
Longbowmen
Category: Urban Militia (Archers)
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): English Longbowmen are excellent users of the longbow and provide excellent defense against invaders.
Unit Description (Large): Longbowmen are militia archers who are proficient with the longbow. The English Archery Law of the 13th century ensured that English men would become experts in the use of the bow. In 1252 the “Assize of Arms” ensured that all Englishmen between the ages of 15 to 60 years old were ordered, by law, to equip themselves with a bow. The Plantagenet King Edward III took this further and decreed the Archery Law in 1363 which commanded the obligatory practice of archery on Sundays and holidays.
Hobilars
Category: Urban Militia (Light Cavalry)
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Hobilars are light cavalry used for skirmish charges and chasing down light infantry.
Unit Description (Large): It is thought the term 'Hobilars' comes from the Norman name 'hobby' for the small horses that Gaelic troops rode in Scotland and Ireland. In medieval warfare Hobilars were the lighter cavalry who supported the knights. They shouldn't be relied on to engage in a prolonged melee, but can be valuable for chasing down fleeing enemies.
Levy Spearmen
Category: Feudal Levies (Spearmen)
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Enlisted during a "Call-to-Arms", Levy Spearmen are used in emergencies to defend settlements.
Unit Description (Large): Feudal levies are units conscripted to take up arms for a military campaign or for defending settlements. Often summoned in an emergency, levies aren’t reliable; they aren't trained for warfare and see little combat experience as they are disbanded during the harvest season.
Levy Longbowmen
Category: Feudal Levies
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Enlisted during a "Call-to-Arms", Levy Archers are used in emergencies to defend settlements.
Unit Description (Large): Feudal levies are units conscripted to take up arms for a military campaign or for defending settlements. Often summoned in an emergency, levies aren’t reliable; they aren't trained for warfare and see little combat experience as they are disbanded during the harvest season. Still, they can provide decent ranged power due to several imposed English archery laws.
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| The Scottish Unit Roster |
Scotland Unit Roster (1245-1385)
Strength: Excellent infantry and many counters against heavy cavalry.
Weakness: Heavily regional unit recruitment and poor cavalry.
King's Manrent
Category: Sergeants-at-Arms
Unit Description (Small): The King's Manrent protect the important figures of Scotland. They are fine warriors whose task is to defend and follow their lord wherever he goes.
Unit Description (Large): The King's Manrent are the bodyguards of important royal and noble Scottish figures. Loyal until death, these men proudly wear the royal coat of arms and are heavily equipped. These men are also mounted on heavy war horses, enabling them to protect their lord from any threats and repel any attackers.
Lowland Knights
Category: Household Nobles
Unit Quality: Inferior.
Unit Description (Small): Lowland knights are members of the warrior class in the European Middle Ages who have come from the aristocracy of Lowland Scotland. Heavily armoured, these knights lead their men and their cavalry against the enemy.
Unit description (Large): Lowland knights are members of the warrior class in the European Middle Ages who have come from the aristocracy of Scotland. Each knight has made a vow of servitude to their lord or to their sovereign and has become a vassal of this lord. These knights formed the core of heavy cavalry in most European kingdoms until military reforms that created national standing armies were made in the late Middle Ages. They have access to the best and latest equipment for their era. Their main role is to charge through enemy ranks. Feudalism is relatively new to Scotland, being recently influenced by the Normans and by France. While Lowland Scotland adopted feudalism, King David’s attempts to bring feudalism to the Highlands ultimately proved fruitless. However, as time wore on, feudalism grew in strength in Scotland, and her knights would eventually be comparable to those of England.
Lowland Knights (Foot)
Category: Household Nobles
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Lowland knights are members of the warrior class in the European Middle Ages who have come from the aristocracy of Lowland Scotland. When commanded, they will dismount and fight on foot.
Unit description (Large): Lowland knights are members of the warrior class in the European Middle Ages who have come from the aristocracy of Scotland. Each knight has made a vow of servitude to their lord or to their sovereign and has become a vassal of this lord. These knights formed the core of heavy cavalry in most European kingdoms until military reforms that created national standing armies were made in the late Middle Ages. They have access to the best and latest equipment for their era. Their main role is to charge through enemy ranks. Feudalism is relatively new to Scotland, being recently influenced by the Normans and by France. While Lowland Scotland adopted feudalism, King David’s attempts to bring feudalism to the Highlands ultimately proved fruitless. However, as time wore on, feudalism grew in strength in Scotland, and her knights would eventually be comparable to those of England. When commanded or if the situation arises, the knight will dismount and fight on foot.
Ruireach
Category: Household Nobles
Unit Quality: Outstanding.
Unit Description (Small): Ruireach are the clan chieftains of the Scottish Highlands. Fearless warriors, these men are the knightly equivalent in Gaelic Scotland.
Unit description (Large): The Ruireach, which means "champions", are the clan chieftains of the Scottish Highlands. These men are equivalent in rank to lowland knights, and are the vassals to clan chieftains and to the sovereign of Scotland. With Celtic, Gaelic and Norse blood flowing through their veins, they are natural warriors with impressive combat skills. Using their legendary claymores, the Ruireach will lead their fellow Highlanders into battle and hack through their enemies’ formations.
Manrent Bondsmen
Category: Sergeants
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): Manrent Bondsmen are men who form a vow of loyalty to a clan chieftain or to the sovereign. Heavily armoured and equipped with the lochaber axe, these men formed the professional retinues of Scotland.
Unit Description (Large): The Bond of Manrent was a common accord in which a weaker man or clan pledged an oath of servitude (often made in the form of a covenant) to a stronger clan – in effect becoming vassals. Manrents were promises by one person to serve another, such that he shall be friend to all his friends, and foe to all his foes. Some Bonds of Manrent, described as Bonds of Friendship, took place between men or clans of equal power, worded in the form of treaties of offensive and defensive allegiance. These contracting parties bound themselves to assist each other. Manrents always acknowledged and prioritized the signatory's duty of allegiance to the King, in terms such as: "always accepting duty to our lord the king.” In the same manner, when men who were not chiefs of clans, but of subordinate tribes thus bound themselves, their fidelity to their chiefs was always expected, in terms such as “always accepting duty to our kindred and friends”. Smaller clans, unable to defend themselves, and clans or families who had lost their chiefs, frequently entered into Manrent. Under such treaties, smaller clans identified themselves with the greater clans. They engaged in the quarrels, followed the fortunes, and fought under the greater chiefs of these clans. However, their ranks were separately marshalled, and were led by their own subordinate chiefs, chieftains, lairds,or captains, who owed submission only when necessary, for the success of combined operations. Although Manrents often used terms such as, "our successors", "perpetually" and "in all time coming", their object was usually defense, aggression, or revenge, and rarely extended further than the occasion for which they were formed.
Men-at-Arm
Category: Sergeants
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Men-at-Arms are heavy cavalry, suited as knights but slightly less armoured. Their main tactic is to outflank and charge into the enemy's formation. Men-at-Arms came later in Scotland, but were comparable to their English counterparts.
Unit Description (Large): Coming from minor landowners and nobility, Men-at-Arms are trained cavalrymen. Minor nobles, squires and bondsmen formed the Scottish Men-at-Arms. Equipped as a low quality knight, these men can still provide an excellent offense against the enemy. Scotland took a long time to adapt to feudalism, but, thanks to it’s proximity to England and it’s diplomatic relations with France, Scotland was finally able to produce comparable Men-at-Arms, thought the quality of their armour was lesser than that of England, due to Scotland’s relative poverty.
Manrent Longbowmen
Category: Sergeants
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Manrent Longbowmen are professional Scottish archers who are proficient in the usage of the longbow.
Unit Description (Large): Formed in the 14th century, Manrent Longbowmen are men trained in the usage of the longbow. Realising the devastating power of English archers, Scotland emulated their neighbour and created professional retinues of longbowmen. Not as experienced or as numerous as their neighbour, they are still very well trained and are some of the best archers in Europe. The very best of these men formed the Scots Guards, an archery-based bodyguard that protected the King of France.
Border Rievers
Category: Regulars
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): Border Rievers are raiders that are among the best light cavalry in Europe and are often used as mercenaries fighting on the side of both the English and the Scottish.
Unit Description (Large):Border Rievers were raiders along the Anglo–Scottish border from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century. Their ranks consisted of both Scottish and English families, and they raided the entire border country without regard for their victims' nationality. Their heyday was in the last hundred years of their existence, during the time of the Stuart Kings in Scotland and the Tudor Dynasty in England.
Scots Spearmen
Category: Urban Militia.
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): Scots Spearmen are disciplined soldiers who are experts with the use of the longer schiltron spear. The Scots Spearmen can form a phalanx like formation to hold the line.
Unit Description (Large): At the end of the 13th century, Robert the Bruce created a highly trained unit of pikemen. These men were well trained, better equipped than their lesser counterparts, and were able to wield 15 foot pikes. While the schiltron formation proved to be a very effective in the countering of enemy cavalry, these militiamen fought in a phalanx like formation instead.
Archer Militia
Category: Urban Militia.
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Archer Militia are peasants trained in archery who were called up to defend settlements.
Unit Description (Large): Archer Militia are bow-equipped peasants called upon to provide ranged support for a settlement in need of a garrison of missile troops. Better trained than levies, these troops are still inexperienced, and as such, are expected to shoot at an enemy from the safety of their own walls.
Cinneadh
Category: Warrior Levies
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): Cinneadh are fierce Highland warriors.
Unit Description (Large): Cinneadh (or Highlanders) are levied warriors from the Scottish Highlands. These men haven't been influenced by the Normans to the degree that the man of the Lowlands have, and still follow the Gaelic and Celtic traditions of fighting as fast, lightly armoured infantry. Ill disciplined and fighting in a near berserker trance, the Cinneadh are fierce warriors against whom only the bravest of soldiers are able to stand their ground.
Cinneadh Boghadair
Category: Warrior Levies
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): Cinneadh Boghadairs are archers of Highlands. These men are very skilled in skirmish tactics and close ranged attacks.
Unit Description (Large): Cinneadh (or Highlanders) are levied warriors from the Scottish Highlands. These men haven't been influenced by the Normans to the degree that the man of the Lowlands have, and still follow the Gaelic and Celtic traditions of fighting as fast, lightly armoured infantry. "Boghadair" means "archer" in Scottish Gaelic. These warriors favour ambushes and are very skilled in the usage of their hunting bows.
Schiltron Spearmen
Category: Feudal Levies (Spearmen)
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Enlisted during a "Call-to-Arms", Schiltron Spearmen are used in emergencies to defend settlements.
Unit Description (Large): Scottish armies of the Late Medieval Era depended on a combination of familial, communal and feudalforms of service. "Scottish service" (servitum Scoticanum), also known as "common service" (communis exertcitus), demanded the levy of all able-bodied freemen between the ages of 16 and 60. These men provided the bulk of the Scottish armed forces, with (according to decrees) 8-days warning. Feudal obligations, by which knights held castles and estates in exchange for service, provided troops on a 40 day basis. These levies were equipped with the schiltron spear, a 12 foot long weapon that was used to counter England's cavalrymen.
Levy Archers
Category: Feudal Levies
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Enlisted during a "Call-to-Arms", Levy Archers are used in emergencies to defend settlements.
Unit Description (Large): Feudal levies are units conscripted to take up arms for a military campaign or for defending settlements. Often summoned in an emergency, levies aren’t reliable; they aren't trained for warfare and see little combat experience as they are disbanded during the harvest season.
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| The Irish Unit Roster |
Ireland Unit Roster (From 1245-1385)
Strength: Good skirmishers and sturdy horsemen. Excellent use of javelins.
Weakness: Poor armour and archers.
The Irish are, at heart, a truly unconquerable people. And though King Henry of England landed an army over half a century ago promising to conquer the isle, his “invasion” proved to be nothing more than a tour of the landscape. While he settled Norman nobles where he could and obtained fealty from the Irish kingdoms, he only managed to secure the loyalty of a handful of cities. The Norman nobility and the Irish people were played off each other, further diluting the true power of the English crown on the Emerald Isle. And now, with the Earl of Ulster Hugh de Lacy dead, the ever rebellious north has both an excuse and a perfect opportunity to reclaim the entirety of Ireland from the Norman invaders.
The Normans are most certainly not the first foreigners to attempt to rule Ireland. The Vikings, who began to raid as far back as the early 9th century, finally began to establish permanent trading posts such as Dublin and Limerick around 914. Without military mobility or the unity of a distinctively Viking force, the territories established around these trading posts could do little to penetrate beyond the coastlines of Ireland to subjugate the Irish people, though raids, counter-raids, and petty squabbles did manage to divide the isle into scores of individual enclaves. Not until the turn of the century, around the year 1000, did Ireland finally see one man rise above all the rest, the legendary High King Brian Boru. After deposing the Ua Neill dynasty which had previously held the title, he fought the northern Ua Neill, Leinster, and the town of Dublin for control of Northern Ireland. In 1014 at the plains of Clontarf, Boru engaged his enemies, including additional Viking allies from the Isle of Man. In the famously bloody battle, he managed to beat back the Vikings, though he himself was killed during the fighting. Following his death, though the Viking incursions were broken, no man could once again emerge as a true High King. Ireland once again fell into nearly two centuries of chaos and turmoil leading up to the Norman Invasion.
Following in the footsteps of greatness, Brian O’Neill, King of Tyrone, is just the sort of man who could once again unite Ireland. In addition to his personal domain, his clan also controls the Kingdom of Thomond to the south, and is in an excellent position to overrun Norman Ulster and from there drive the rest of Normans back across the sea from whence they came. His army strengthened by new styles of warfare that was brought to it by both the English and the Vikings before them, the King of Tyrone might actually have a force that can stand up to the might of the English army and their feared Welsh Longbowmen. In particular, the addition of light cavalry to Irish armies will prove to be invaluable in skirmishing against the much more heavily armoured English forces. Such is the style of Irish warfare; harassment and mobility are without question the tactics of the day, in addition to the widespread use of mercenaries such as the famed Gallóglaigh.
The road to glory is certainly not an easy one, as the English resistance will undoubtedly prove resolute; however, if the English can indeed be pushed aside and O’Neill once again unite the Irish kingdoms, his forces could prove to be formidable invaders of English soil.
Lught Tighe
Category: Sergeants-at-Arms
Unit Description (Small): The Lught Tighe are the followers of important figures of Ireland. They are the finest, hand-picked soldiers, whose task is to protect and follow their lord wherever he goes.
Unit Description (Large): The bodyguard of Irish lords, the Lught Tighe are chosen for their skills and loyalty to serve and protect their lord. Due to the terrain of Ireland, cavalry charges were generally impractical, a fact that the Norman Invaders quickly became aware of. The Lught Tighe ride small sturdy Irish horses, don’t use bards nor addles, and ride in the traditional Gaelic fashion.
Ritire
Category: Household Nobles.
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Ritire are the equivalent of knights in Ireland. Equipped with a couple of javelins and wearing mail or scale armour, the Ritire are excellent hybrid skirmisher and melee cavalry.
Unit Description (Large): "Ritire" or "Ridire" is a title in Ireland that is equivalent to the word "knight". The origin of the name is obscure, but it may have come from the Norman invasion during the Dark Ages. Riding unbarded mounts, the Ritire carry several javelins, a round shield and a one-handed weapon. Their main tactic is to skirmish around heavy units, throwing them javelins and then charging into the disjointed formation.
Ritire (Foot)
Category: Household Nobles.
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Ritire are the equivalent of knights in Ireland. When dismounted, the Ritire fight alongside the Kerns and act as heavy infantry.
Unit Description (Large): ""Ritire" or "Ridire" is a title in Ireland that is equivalent to the word "knight". The origin of the name is obscure, but it may have come from the Norman invasion during the Dark Ages. When the situation arises, the Ritire will dismount and fight alongside the Kern, acting as heavy infantry. When they engage, the Ritire will throw their javelins prior to entering the fray.
Gallóglaigh
Category: Sergeants
Unit Quality: Outstanding.
Unit Description (Small): Gallóglaigh are foreign Hebridean mercenaries warriors who settled in Ireland, eventually forming the heavy infantry backbone of the Irish army.
Unit Description (Large): Gallóglaigh were foreign mercenary warriors who descended from the Western Highlands and Hebridean Isles. Several accounts say that the Gallóglaigh first appeared in Ireland in 1253, when the Lord of the Isles gave a "Sparr" retinue of Gallóglaigh to the Ulster Lord as a gift. At first they were few, but eventually, the Gallóglaigh became part of Ireland itself, receiving titles and even holding land. Although the Gallóglaigh were originally foreigners, several native Irishmen became Gallóglaigh. They were famous for their skills with the "Sparr" (a 6 foot two-handed axe), the bow, and later, the Claymore sword. The Gallóglaigh are without a doubt the strongest Gaelic warriors of Ireland.
Horseboys
Category: Sergeants
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Horseboys are Irish squires who act as skirmisher cavalry.
Unit Description (Large): Horseboys are Irish warriors equivalent in rank to squires, who follow either the Ritire or the Gallóglaigh into battle. Riding in the typical Irish fashion, the Horseboys are lightly armoured cavalrymen who specialize in wielding the javelin. They are experts at softening the enemy formation.
Hobigùir
Category: Regulars.
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Hobigùir are light Irish cavalrymen. Good at chasing runners and flanking enemy formations, these warriors are disloyal as they are often are hired as mercenaries.
Unit description (Large): Hobigùir (Hobilars) are light cavalry of Ireland. In several accounts, it was from Ireland that the hobilars originated from. When the Normans invaded Ireland, England realized their effectiveness, exported Irish horses, and formed their own hobilars. Sturdy horsemen, the Hobigùir use their mounts to flank and pursue enemies in difficult terrain.
Cliarthairi
Category: Regulars.
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Cliarthairi are professional Irish retinue serving a “Bòhaire” or household nobles. Armed with a spear and large shield, these men are good at holding the line.
Unit description (Large): Cliarthairi, meaning "guard" or "trooper", are the professional retinue formed in Ireland. Often employed by a "Bòaire" (an Irish noble), the Cliarthairi are very disciplined compared to their Fellow Kerns and are experts in the use of the spear. As is typical of most Irish warriors, the Cliarthairi are lightly armoured, but may still have protection in the form of a leather jerkin or similar armour. In later periods, some of them used a mail haubergon for sturdier protection.
Ceithernn Tighe
Category: Warrior Levies.
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): The strongest Kerns in the "Rising Sun" Gaelic army. Slightly better equipped than their counterparts and quite impetuous, the Ceithernn Tighe are excellent light infantry.
Unit description (Large): The Ceithernn Tighe translates to "Retinue Warband" in Gaelic. Having a criminal reputation, the Kerns frequently pillage and steal livestock from their neighbors. These men frequently serve household Boaìre (meaning "Cow Lord") or act as mercenaries, and as such the Ceithernn have a very wild attitude and little loyalty. Slightly better equipped than their counterparts but still lightly armed in order to be agile, the Tighe make excellent infantry.
Ceithernn Congbhala
Category: Warrior Levies.
Unit Quality: Superior.
Unit Description (Small): Ceithernn Congbhala are the excellent skirmishers.They use their javelins with deadly precision.
Unit description (Large): "Congbhala", meaning "retained", are Irish warbands trained in the use of the javelin. Every Irishmen was trained in the use of throwing weapons, but the Congbhala have honed their skills to the point where they can pierce heavy armour with deadly precision. Using skirmish and ambush tactics, these men can prove a serious threat to an unprepared enemy.
Ceithernn Coille
Category: Warrior Levies.
Unit Quality: Standard.
Unit Description (Small): Ceithernn Coille are Irish archers. While they are poorly trained, they can still provide decent support to the Kerns.
Unit description (Large): Ceithernn Coille, or Woodmen, are Irishmen who often act as highwaymen, robbing travellers and stealing livestock. Ireland wasn't famed for their archers with good reason; Gaelic traditions and the lack on foreign invaders prevented the establishment of well trained archers in Ireland. Still, the Irish did not underestimate the effectiveness of the bow, as some Kerns even equipped themselves with a hunting bow. As skirmishers, the Coille are most effective when ambushing their enemies in as close of range as possible.
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| The Welsh Unit Roster |
Wales Unit Roster (1245-1385)
Strength: Strong archers and spearmen, high morale
Weakness: Very poor territory, low discipline, and limited technology
The Welsh rightly claim to be the original inhabitants of Britain, having lived there before the Normans, the Norse, the Saxons, the Scots, and the Romans ever invaded their soil. Long ago they were forced into the west by the Saxon invaders who called them Waelisc, Welsh, their word for foreigners. Settling into the mountains and vales of this land now called Wales, they became a notoriously fierce people. They were divided into many kingdoms cut off from England by the River Severn and by Offa's Dyke, which was built to ward off Welsh raiders. From this position the English were content to play the various Welsh princes against each other, but this is no longer the case.
The strongest of the Welsh kingdoms has always been Gwynedd, situated in the mountainous north. In 1200, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, also known as Llywelyn the Great, gained control over the entire kingdom. Seeking to end the English dominion over his land, he sought to reform the laws of Wales that pitted its people against each other. He also became a major player in English politics, marrying the illegitimate daughter of King John, Joan. By playing the English lords against one another, shrewd political manoeuvring, and great exploits in battle, Llywelyn ultimately succeeded in making the House of Aberffraw the rulers of most of Wales. Breaking with Welsh tradition, which was to divide the inheritance equally between all sons, Llywelyn followed the English tradition and left his kingdom to his heir, Dafydd.
After Llywelyn’s death in 1240, Dafydd became the Prince of Gwynedd, but this position was fiercely contested by Llywelyn's oldest son, Gruffydd. Although supported by his father's advisor's and magnates, and despite being a capable man himself, Dafydd was quickly beset by internal dissent and English invasion in 1241 by King Henry III. Dafydd was beaten, and lost many cantrefs, provinces, and his vassals had to pledge their allegiance to Henry III. Gruffydd was to be installed as a ruler, but he and his son Owain remained in captivity in the Tower of London. Gruffydd planned to escape in 1244 using a rope made of bed sheets, but having gained weight in his confinement, the sheets snapped and Gruffydd fell to his death. This left Dafydd as the uncontested ruler of Gwynedd. Although Gruffydd's oldest son Owain was released from captivity and continued to oppose his uncle, Owain's brother Llywelyn became a major supporter of Dafydd and the clear heir to the throne, as Dafydd was sickly and had no legitimate heirs. Together in 1245, they rebelled against England once more and reclaimed much of their lost land, and are now in a position to fight for Llywelyn the Great’s Principality of Wales, and possibly beyond.
The Welsh are neither professional nor disciplined troops. What they are, however, are feudal warriors trained for war on a regular basis. They are inured to hardship by the training each boy of the warrior class must endure: running up mountains, lifting heavy rocks, and of course practicing with their favourite weapons, the spear and the bow. The men of the north are famed for their skilled use of the spear, especially in Meirionnydd, while the men of the south, Gwent in particular, are famed for their skill in archery. Together, the Welsh of both north and south are spearmen and bowmen without equal. Despite being from a land poor in metal and producing sub par equipment, the Welsh are considered to be very fierce. At the sound of their war horn, the herdsmen of Wales drop their plows, pick up their spears, and fight like bears. They leave the fields as quickly as a courier from court, swarming from the hills like angry bees protecting their hive. Such is the style of warfare practiced by the men of Wales: quick, hard ambushes that vanish as quickly as they appeared. It is with men and tactics such as these that the heirs of Owain, Gwynedd, and Llywelyn the Great are to reclaim what was once theirs.
Teulu
Category: Sergeants-at-Arms
Unit Description (short): The retainers of Welsh lords, these noble men are ready to defend their lord at all costs.
Unit Description (long): The Teulu are the bodyguards of any Welsh lord, fiercely loyal unto death. They are drawn from the most trustworthy, skilled knights and warriors. These men are expected to die in their lord’s stead if need be, which is why they are called his Teulu, or family. Mounted atop fine horses and clad in scarlet, these men are the core of any Welsh army.
Marchogion
Category: Household Nobles
Unit Quality: Standard
Unit Description (short): Marchogion are the equivalent of knights in Wales. Heavily armoured men descending from the Welsh aristocracy, they valiantly charge into the enemy ranks.
Unit Description (long): Marchog is the Welsh word for knight, and, like knights, they are drawn from the warrior aristocracy of Wales. Each marchog makes a vow to their lord, whether it be a prince or an uchelwyr (a landholder). Keeping up with the latest European fashions, the marchogion, along with the Teulu, are the best equipped of Welsh troops. They have the best and latest equipment to have reached Wales, though they still sometimes lag behind the arms and armour of England. Their main role is to smash through the enemy ranks in a headlong charge.
Marchogion (Foot)
Category: Household Nobles
Unit Quality: Standard
Unit Description (short): Marchogion are the equivalent of knights in Wales. When commanded they will dismount and fight on foot.
Unit Description (long): Marchog is the Welsh word for knight, and, like knights, they are drawn from the warrior aristocracy of Wales. Each marchog makes a vow to their lord, whether it be a prince or an uchelwyr (a landholder). Keeping up with the latest European fashions, the marchogion, along with the Teulu, are the best equipped of Welsh troops. They have the best and latest equipment to have reached Wales, though they still sometimes lag behind the arms and armour of England. They do not find it dishonourable to fight on foot, and will do so when commanded.
Daryanogion
Category: Sergeants
Unit Quality: Standard
Unit Description (short): Daryanogion are heavy cavalry who perform a function similar to knights, but are less heavily armoured.
Unit Description (long): Serving as squires or attendants to the marchogion, daryanog means shield bearer. These men follow the marchogion into combat on horseback and fight in a similar manner, despite having less armor and not being quite as experienced. They are used both to supplement the marchogion and in tandem with them.
Ynfydion
Category: Sergeants
Unit Quality: Standard
Unit Description (short): Ynfydion are landless, restless men of the warrior class, and are reckless but fierce shock troopers.
Unit Description (long): Ynfydion means “hotheads”, the name given to them for their futile rebellion against Henry I in 1110. The name stuck as it also described their reckless nature and their societal status. Breaking the old feudal traditions of Wales, they are young men of the aristocratic warrior class who do not own land nor are they bound to a lord. Instead, they are fiercely patriotic to their homes and fight for whoever’s cause is more just, or for whoever’s pockets are deeper. As the army of Wales becomes more nationalistic, these men begin to play a more significant role. They are used as heavy infantry in tandem with the knights, but are less disciplined, as they love to fight and to raid.
Rhingyllaid
Category: Regulars
Unit Quality: Standard
Unit Description (short): The Rhingyllaid are the professional spearmen of Welsh armies, forming the core of any battle line and providing a stalwart barrier against their enemies.
Unit Description (long): Rhingyll means “sergeant” in Welsh, and as such they are their most professional soldiery. Bound in service as officers to a lord, they are well disciplined, serve in campaigning armies, and guard the Welsh palaces and courts. As is required by law, each Rhingyll is supplied with a spear six feet in length, mail and shields. Combined with their training and experience, they make solid opponents.
Saethwyr
Category: Regulars
Unit Quality: Exceptional
Unit Description (short): Saethwyr are the most famous of Welsh archers, whose skill with the longbow is rightly feared.
Unit Description (long): Saethwyr are drawn from the masses of Welsh freemen. They are generally trained from a young age, are used to hardship, and are familiar with the rugged terrain of their land. Their experience at fighting makes them popular soldiers in both native and foreign armies. They have no equal with their skill with the longbow, and are lightly armoured so they can move fast over rough ground and evade their opponents.
Rhyfelwyr
Category: Warrior Levies
Unit Quality: Superior
Unit Description (short): Rhyfelwyr are the main warriors of the Welsh, who can both throw javelins and stand in a spear-wall formation.
Unit Description (long): Rhyfelwyr, meaning ‘warrior’ in Welsh, have been the backbone of any Welsh force since the foundation of Wales. The bog-standard soldier of the mountains, they are armed with a round shield, some light armor, a clutch of javelins, and a thrusting spear. They are quite skilled and versatile warriors, being able to act as skirmishers, raiders, or even fight as part of a shield-wall. Rhywelwyr are drawn from the masses of the Welsh freemen. They are generally trained from a young age, are used to hardship, and are familiar with the rugged terrain of their land. They are the men who started battles, ambushing their enemies with loud cries as they shower them with spears before closing in and pulling back, following Briton tradition.
Oreuguyr
Category: Warrior Levies
Unit Quality: Superior
Unit Description (short): Oreuguyr are fierce Welsh warriors in the service of minor landholders.
Unit Description (long): Oreuguyr means “Foremost Men”, as they are a select levy raised by the landholders (called uchelwyr). Lightly armed and armoured, they serve as both raiders and as retainers to the minor nobles, serving at their call when they have need of them. Oreuguyr were drawn from the masses of the Welsh freemen. They are generally trained from a young age, are used to hardship, and are familiar with the rugged terrain of their land.
Helwyr
Category: Warrior Levies
Unit Quality: Superior
Unit Description (short): Helwyr are hunters skilled in the use of the longbow, who are called to serve during emergencies.
Unit Description (long): Helwyr, meaning “hunters”, are men who spend their lives foraging for food to feed their families. Helwyr are drawn from the masses of the Welsh freemen. They are generally trained from a young age, are used to hardship, and are familiar with the rugged terrain of their land. As the Welsh are a pastoral people, there are many men such as these who use their longbows to hunt. They bring these tactics to the battlefield, serving as guerrillas who shoot their enemies at close range, where they can be more accurate and deadly.
Ceffyl Gwerin
Category: Warrior Levies
Unit Quality: Standard
Unit Description (short): Ceffyl Gwerin are Welsh light cavalry, used for skirmishing and running down light infantry.
Unit Description (long): The Ceffyl Gwerin are warriors who are rich enough to own a horse, but are still excluded from the nobility. They ride smaller horses used to rough ground, throw javelins at their foes to harass them, and can skewer runners with their spears. Though tenacious fighters, they cannot be expected to survive a prolonged melee.
Gweri
Category: Feudal Levies
Unit Quality: Standard
Unit Description (short): Gweri are billmen, called to fight during emergencies.
Unit Description (long): For most of Welsh history, its people were highly rural, possessing few castles and cities prior to the reign of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. As such, most Welsh warriors were drawn from a class of freemen, both nobles, farmers, and shepherds alike, who all had experience and training. But as Wales grew, so too did its enemies, forcing the Welsh to draw more soldiers from the lower classes. Gweri are just that: militiamen who that can join the fight. That being said, they are still simple farmers or townsfolk and are not a part of the warrior class. With little to no armor, they go into battle with long bills to fight as impromptu pikemen. They shouldn’t be heavily relied upon, as they are called into battle during emergencies. |
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What mod would be complete without an altered unit models? The WotW team is ensuring that every unit is unique, and that none of the models are similar to the vanilla unit models. Some of the excellent work that the modellers have already done can be seen below:
| A First Look at the Units of the War of the West |
Stormenn
Brabancons
Dismounted English Knights
English Infantry
Scottish Pikemen
Mandrent Bondsman
Dismounted English Baron-Knights
Scottisn Men-At-Arms
Scottish Highlanders
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The Building system has been entirely rebuilt from the ground up.
- Cities and castles have been merged, making for a single settlement type. This will be the case in both the overmap and the battlemap, hopfully making sieges more fun and challenging.
- Settlements can now be built along one of three paths: Rural, Urban, and Military. These paths unlock certain buildings, and prevent a settlement from producing others. You now have to take your settlements position and resources into account, and building spamming is no longer an option.
- There are now unique buildings for specific settlements, based on historical buildings.
- Unique economic buildings have been added that take advantage of every resource on the map.
- Buildings now have upkeep.
- Buildings have an increased time of production and cost.
- There is a new Building UI
- There are over 60 unique building trees (and they will continue to increase).
- Buildings are now dependant on a regions culture. Religion has been replaced with culture.
Recruitment has also been changed fundamentally from the vanilla version of Medieval 2: Total War.
- Recruitment pools and replenishment rates have been significantly lowered, in an attempt to force the player to utilize all of his settlements in the production of armies. This will add further historical accuracy, as medieval armies were conscripted from various parts of their individual kingdoms, regardless of what arms and armor those areas produced. These changes will be based on the Real Recruitment mod by Point Blank.
- Limitation has also been placed on particular units, forcing the game to display historically accurate units at appropriate times.Now you won't have aries in plate prior to the invention of the full plate suit.
- The timeframe has been changed (and building/recruitment times changed in accordance) to a 4 turns per year system.
- The Mercenary system hs been completely redone. Now mercenaries can only be recruited from military and economic setttlements (with economic settlements receiving a wider variety, as was true in history. Alliance Mercenaries (you heard right) can now also be recruited. All factions have a unique unit, and by allying with a faction, you can recruit their unique unit along with other mercenary units. This should force players to pick their friends and enemies with care!
- Factions have additional strengths and weaknesses that are reflected in their unit pools.
- Siege weapons have been made more expensive, and artillery units will contain more men and weapons.
- The General's Bodyguard unit will now have upkeep.
| Pictures of Building and Recruitment Changes |
The Tower of London unique building. Guess which city get's it.
The Mercenary Barracks
A display of recruitment changes.
Single settlement type.
Resource buildings
Unique settlement trees.
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Other changes include an education system, permanent forts, and more deadly plagues.
| Education System | 
Schools! |
As you can see, the changes are extensive. The WotW team have been devoting hundreds of hours to create a brand new mod for the TW community. So check the mod out in all of it's glory and give credit where credit is due here!
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EMPRESS OF ALL THINGS
Eagle Standard Features Exclusive EB II Interviews and much more!
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