Sons of Scotland! AAR

**Crivvens** · January 16, 2007, 06:59 AM

Well this is my first AAR, until recently I didn’t even realise that there was an AAR forum and after reading a few I'm now hooked.

Things to note:

I'm using Lands to Conquer v2.0. (Great Mod Lusted, keep up the good work.)

Some changes have been made to export_descr_buildings. Basically with the right building troops can be eventually trained up to gold chevron; so be prepared for armies of elite troops to be marching around the map.

I'm playing on h/vh with no reloads.

Brigands and Rebel spawns have been disabled.

I'm not attempting to conquer the whole world but rather just trying to keep within the whims of the current King. I will try to stay true and play the game as best as I can with that in mind. So if I have a King who has suffered a lot he will probably execute prisoner and exterminate settlements rather than trying to ransom.

Well I can’t think of anything else that needs to be said so hope you like it.

Enjoy.

**Crivvens** · January 16, 2007, 07:01 AM

In the year 1080AD, King Malcolm Canmore of Scotland had a prophetic dream that made him realise his mission in life. In his dream he saw Scotland suffering through years of war and eventually falling to the strength of the new and mighty nation of Norman England. Following thus dream Malcolm could not rest, he had been chosen and new he needed to act to curtail the growing threat of the Norman Kingdom of England he knew that for Scotland to survive in an increasingly hostile world he need to increase the power and size of Scotland to rival his neighbour. To this end he know that war would be the only option.

Leading his men north from Edinburgh, towards Inverness to swiftly crush the highland rebels, King Malcolm invested the castle. These men where Scottish themselves but the Highlanders maintained there clan loyalties and there fractious feuding had plagued Scotland for many years. Now was the time for this to end, for the sake of Scotland the north needed to be subdued.

Meanwhile, Malcolm he dispatched his son and heir, Prince Edward with an army south to patrol the border.

The Council of Nobles had requested that York be taken into the Scottish Kingdom following a delegation of several local Saxon Lords arriving in Edinburgh and requesting the aid of Scotland against possible English aggression. With the importance of the siege at Inverness Malcolm was unable to respond himself, still he could not simply ignore the opportunity that presented itself. So it was that he dispatched his son, Prince Edwards to take the town and secure if from further Norman aggression.

So it was that with his forces bolstered with several units of unruly mercenaries. Prince Edward began the assault on the rebel stronghold of York. Untried in battle but still talented he attempted to rally his men to the attack. “The rebels are revolting!” he cried out. Only to be shouted down by his men yelling back, “They should all take a bath!” He knew what must be done and would either liberate the whole province and win the respect of his men or die in the assault.

1081: The battle of York!

With the enemy concentrating their defences at the centre of the town

Prince Edward split his forces to form a three-pronged attack

Through the many hours of battle the enemy were slowly worn down and the tactics of envelopment proved deceive against the foes of Scotland. Finally with the death of the enemy Captain victory was certain

With the great victory at York, Prince Edward succeeded in securing the whole province under Scottish rule. His men hailed him as a true leader and he knew that these veterans would always support him in the future.

On the same day that York fell to Scottish arms, King Malcolm decided to put an end to the siege of Inverness by taking the Rebel stronghold by storm!

1081: The siege of Inverness.

Under heavy fire form the enemy bowmen the King’s army advanced

Although outnumbers the defenders were in a strong position. But with the ram and ladders against the wall would the shear weight of the Scottish soldiers break the defences of the Highland Rebels.

Disaster struck when the ram was destroyed before the gates could fall! Now King Malcolm could not lead his cavalry into the battle. Was all lost!

Fortunately the brave soldiers on the wall heeded their King’s plight and fought to gain the gates and soon the whole army were inside the walls!

Now inside the walls King Malcolm showed his martial prowess by slaying the enemy commander himself. Thus he finally brought an end to the battle as night was beginning to fall.

With York and Inverness now in Scottish hands it was expected that England’s Norman Lords would respond with war. So King Malcolm dispatched the skilled young and dashing diplomat Patrick MacDougall to gauge how the English viewed the growth of Scottish powers. However Patrick proved to be a far greater diplomat than anyone expected.

Not only did he negotiate trade rights and an alliance with England, through the marriage of the Princess Cecilia and Prince Edward but he also ascertained that England had devoted most of its recourses to taking more lands on the continent.

Even with the joyous news King Malcolm still did not wish to relax. His dreams told him that many challenges would lie ahead. So he continued with his plans to increase the power of Scotland. Perhaps one day England would use the Marriage of Cecilia and Edward to assert a claim to Scotland’s crown. Malcolm would not allow that to happen!

So to advance the Scottish might Prince Edward moved to the siege of Caernavon, the welsh would join the Scottish Kingdom even if it had to be through force. Although outnumbered Edward knew what was at stake, undaunted and with his loyal soldier he refused to withdraw and await further help.

1082: The siege of Caernavon Castle

The battle begins!

With the fall of the walls and the enemy Captain, Prince Edward moves to mop up the remaining enemies.

With victory secured Prince Edward set about the task of securing the loyalty of the Welsh people and of improving and expanding the Castle of Caernavon. In the future this would become a great bastion of Scottish might. Prince Edward would see to it.

With his son’s success in Wales, King Malcolm moved the main army across the Irish Sea to Carrickfergus and then moved south along the coast to take the city of Dublin, the centre of the High King of Irelands power. The people of the Dal Riada had return home and rather than just reclaiming the north-eastern coast and lands around Lough Cuan (named Strangford Lough by the Vikings) this time there power would spread to influence the whole island! This King Malcolm knew would happen.

1083: The siege of Dublin

The soldiers advance to the walls with the battering rams. Missile fire withers the defenders of the walls,

With the walls broken King Malcolm sends his men into the breach against the weakened defenders.

The border horse forces the Kerns to break and in the pursuit they run into enemy heavy infantry.

On the other side of Dublin, Malcolm leads his knights into battle with the enemy and slays the enemy captain, this finally causes the collapse of Irish resistance.

During the British wars Scotland continues to increases its power when the Diplomat Patrick MacDougall concludes negotiation for trade rights with Denmark the Holy Roman Empire and France.

Now with all the minor powers of the British Isles subdued by Scotland a period of peace has come to Scotland. What the future has to hold is yet to be reviled but King Malcolm is determined to seize it.

So now the year is 1085 and Scotland must consolidate its hold over the lands it holds. The wages of the soldiers and mercenaries have had their toll on the economy. Now the Lands of Scotland equal that of England but the cost ahs been high and even so the Scottish lands are underdeveloped. Can the much smaller Scottish army under King Malcolm maintain his hold on power and act as a deterrent to the larger English forces of the south? Only time will tell.