Once more into the Breach

[Trot]

The Combined Anglo Norman Force

The Bageard force Mar 25 Norman Knights 75 Sergents Richard 25 Norman Knights 75 Sergents 59 Norman Knnights 88 Sergents 118 Fyrdmen 97 English Foot 97 English Archers 88 Hobelars Total 747 Seririol ap Nwython Seririol ap Nwython 25 Teulu 75 Serjeants 24 Knights 35 Serjeants 35 Hobelars 48 Fyrdmen 48 English Archers 48 English Footmen Total 338 Men Roger Perceval's contingent Roger Perceval (+3 Personal Combat, +2 Battles, +1 Charisma, +5% Movement Speed, -1 Detection) 43 Norman Knights 101 Norman Serjeants 36 Fyrdmen 36 English Footmen 36 English Archers 26 Hobelars Total 273 Total 1358 men

Occupation of Llanfair

37 Norman Knights 55 Sergents 74 Fyrdmen 92 English Foot 92 English Archers 55 Hobelars Total 405

Giffard

Giffard's Contingent Led by William Giffard, Earl of Hereford +1 Battles, +1 Survival, +1 to rout rolls against this character Retinue 25 Norman Knights 75 Serjeants Levies 40 knights 60 serjeants 100 fyrdmen 100 english footmen 100 english archers 50 hobelars Total: 550 men de Ewyas de Ewyas 25 Norman Knights 75 Norman Sergent total 100 Talbot Talbot 25 Norman Knights 75 Norman Sergents total 100 750 men

Enter into Llanfair. 50 fyrdmen and 50 English Foot are dispatched to raid and occupy the province. While the rest of the army continues up to Caerleon.
Scouts are dispatched to Usk, Monmouth, Ebbwvale, and Abergavenny.

[Gandalfus]

The Combined Anglo Norman Force

The Bageard force Gerold 25 Norman Knights 75 Sergents 59 Norman Knnights 88 Sergents 118 Fyrdmen 147 English Foot 147 English Archers 88 Hobelars Total 747 Mar under the command of Gerold 37 Norman Knights 55 Sergents 74 Fyrdmen 92 English Foot 92 English Archers 55 Hobelars Total 405 Grand Total 1152 men Seririol ap Nwython Seririol ap Nwython 25 Teulu 75 Serjeants 24 Knights 35 Serjeants 35 Hobelars 48 Fyrdmen 48 English Archers 48 English Footmen Total 338 Men Waltheof Siwardson Contingent Waltheof Retinue: 25 Huscarls 75 Thegns Levey: 65 Huscarls 86 Thegns 129 Fyrdmen 108 English Footmen 108 English Archers 65 Hobelars Total - 661 Giffard's Contingent Led by William Giffard, Earl of Hereford +1 Battles, +1 Survival, +1 to rout rolls against this character Retinue 25 Norman Knights 75 Serjeants Levies 40 knights 60 serjeants 100 fyrdmen 100 english footmen 100 english archers 50 hobelars Total: 550 men Roger Perceval's contingent Roger Perceval (+3 Personal Combat, +2 Battles, +1 Charisma, +5% Movement Speed, -1 Detection) 43 Norman Knights 101 Norman Serjeants 36 Fyrdmen 36 English Footmen 36 English Archers 26 Hobelars Total 273 de Ewyas de Ewyas 25 Norman Knights 75 Norman Sergent total 100 Talbot Talbot 25 Norman Knights 75 Norman Sergents total 100 Total 3174 men

Enter into Llanfair. 50 fyrdmen and 50 English Foot are dispatched to raid and occupy the province. While the rest of the army continues up to Caerleon.
Scouts are dispatched to Usk, Monmouth, Ebbwvale, and Abergavenny.

By the time they arrive, the local welsh have fled with their belongings into the hills, and so the English get little of value. Word is dispatched to the King of Caerwent that the revenge of the Normans has come.

The scouts detect very little. It seems that the Welsh are remaining hidden, either in the mountains or in the vale of Glamorgan.

[Trot]

Oaths are extracted from the local lords. Hostages taken from those that are there. The Fyrdmen and Foot catch up with the main force and scouts are dispatched to the mountains and the Vale. The army is dispatched to whichever one reports Welsh army. Outriders are deployed in the front and rear of the army to watch for ambushes.

[General Brewster]

Talbot sat atop a horse, marching in the column, enjoying the weather, which was dreadful. It was Wales after all.

[Gandalfus]

Oaths are extracted from the local lords. Hostages taken from those that are there. The Fyrdmen and Foot catch up with the main force and scouts are dispatched to the mountains and the Vale. The army is dispatched to whichever one reports Welsh army. Outriders are deployed in the front and rear of the army to watch for ambushes.

Those sent to the mountains north of Caerwent are the only ones to return, with reports of a Welsh force that numbers anywhere between eight hundred to two thousand. As Bageard’s army marches north, they find the land largely empty - evidently the populace had been warned of their arrival and fled to avoid the Norman’s path.

After a day or so of marching, outriders at the rear find themselves being shadowed by parties of welsh light horse. They bring their fears to Li Bageard himself that their supply lines could be cut off, and with so little to forage in the hills the army may starve/

[Gandalfus]

Oaths are extracted from the local lords. Hostages taken from those that are there. The Fyrdmen and Foot catch up with the main force and scouts are dispatched to the mountains and the Vale. The army is dispatched to whichever one reports Welsh army. Outriders are deployed in the front and rear of the army to watch for ambushes.

Those sent to the mountains north of Caerwent are the only ones to return, with reports of a Welsh force that numbers anywhere between eight hundred to two thousand. As Bageard’s army marches north, they find the land largely empty - evidently the populace had been warned of their arrival and fled to avoid the Norman’s path.

After a day or so of marching, outriders at the rear find themselves being shadowed by parties of welsh light horse. They bring their fears to Li Bageard himself that their supply lines could be cut off, and with so little to forage in the hills the army may starve/

[Trot]

With news of Welsh harrasing the rear Gerold calls a halt, and dispatches more riders to find this rear force. Next he summons the various Lords to his to discuss thes developments.

"We have a force of Welsh both ahead and behind us and our supply lines are in danger. We need to deal with both threats if we leave the force behind us then we risk being cut off from our supplies." He pauses nodding once, "if we turn to confront that the larger force will come down on us from behind." He pauses again letting it all sink in. "I propose Earl Giffard take his vassals and remain protecting our supply line and protecting the rear from attack. The rest of our force will advance and drive the Welsh host out if possible. If confrotation with the host is not optimal we will bottle them in these mountians and deny them their own supply lines. I don't intend to be caught by them unawares."

[General Brewster]

Talbot who had been riding atop his horse for quiet some time now was happy to dismount. The weather was still lovely and he had even spotted some sheep occupied with intercourse. This Wales Expedition was most fruitful he thought so far.

His armor was wet and heavy as he pulled the cloth from the command tent aside, he seemed to be the first so he found a seat and parked his ass on it. By god Talbot was in need of a vacation.
"Lord Badger" Talbot noted, having not forgotten Badger supported this King instead of a true, Norman born heir.

"You had called for us" He asked rather uninterested.

[Xion]

"I would venture to say there may be small bands to the left and right as well, my lords." ap Nwython pauses for a moment. "To either ambush our host in either situation. I would advise sending a small force of horsemen to engage the lesser host or at least secure the supply line from potential raids while the rest of the host moves on to engage the larger host." "Or be ambushed by it." ap Nwython thinks to himself.

[Pericles of Athens]

“To deny, pester, and ambush. This has been the way of the Welsh since before my father came to these lands.” Waltheof snorted. “Their army will not engage us when we hold the advantage.”

[Trot]

"We need to pull them out force them into a confrontation." Gerold says slamming a fist down. "Walking into their ambush is not an option."

[Pericles of Athens]

“And how will you do that?” Waltheof questioned, eyebrow raised quizzically. “Burn the empty villages? Cut down the trees?” Waltheof did not enjoy the company of these wild people, savage goat herders the lot of them.

[Lucius Malfoy]

The Welsh are known for their hit and run tactics. They are not bold field fighters like the Saxons and Normans... they will certainly not fall into a lure of drawing them out.

Giffard states plainly, unsure of how he felt about him and his men acting as rearguards.

What you can do, though, is draw them into a trap. Send a force to make it look like we are following into their trap and then utilize additional troops to get behind them. Turn the trappers into the trapped.

[Xion]

“To deny, pester, and ambush. This has been the way of the Welsh since before my father came to these lands.” Waltheof snorted. “Their army will not engage us when we hold the advantage.”

"They also won't abandon the favorable terrain of the mountains willingly, which favors the lighter troops of the Cymraeg over the knights and heavier footmen of the Lloegyrwys."

The Welsh are known for their hit and run tactics. They are not bold field fighters like the Saxons and Normans... they will certainly not fall into a lure of drawing them out.

Giffard states plainly, unsure of how he felt about him and his men acting as rearguards.

What you can do, though, is draw them into a trap. Send a force to make it look like we are following into their trap and then utilize additional troops to get behind them. Turn the trappers into the trapped.

"If they have forces on our flanks as I said, they would detect this movement and likely move to ambush these detachments before striking the main force with the two hosts we know of. If you want to attempt to lure them into a trap, we should move on the lesser host and prepare an ambush of our own for the main host, perhaps even leaving a small force to engage them, then feign a flight to lure them into the trap, with the flanking forces striking from the wings while the main force, which has hopefully chased off the smaller host, would engage alongside the smaller force." ap Nwython suggests.

[Gandalfus]

During the night, the alarm in the camp is raised - it seems a small force of Welsh tried to hit Bageard’s camp from the south, but they were swiftly spotted by the sentries and fled once they knew the alarm had been raised, chased away by the outriders.

[Trot]

Gerold considers the words. "We need three forces it seems. A rear guard protecting the supply lines a forward host to fall on the Welsh and lure them out and a secondary staged force to engage when the trap is sprung." He looks at the list of forces, "Giffard you and your vassals go defend the supply lines and try and engage the smaller host. Waltheof and Ap Nwython I want you to take the lead force that will try and lore the main Welsh host into an engagement. Your Saxon Huscarls in a sheild wall will largely negate the Welsh arrows, and my cavalry will be faster catching up then the foot. My host with that of Perceval's will act as though it is to remain here for now. We will follow Waltheof's force after some short time. When the Welsh fall on you this host shall come up behind and use the mobility to sweep around the flanks and crush the Welsh in a pincer. Any objections?"

Gerold also doubles the senteries to deter raids.

[Pericles of Athens]

“So we are to use my men, and myself, as bait? A risky move to make.” ’With another man’s men’ he thought with a sour look upon his face, it seemed to him he took the greatest risk of the three forces. In a worst case scenario they would be completely cut off. “Though I suppose there are few options in light of our situation. How will you know when the enemy falls upon my host?” He did not like the idea of isolating his forces, especially being isolated with this turncoat Welshmen.

[Trot]

"My outriders will shadow your host. We will not march far behind you." He wanted his cavalry at least to be able to catch up before the Welsh could fall hard on the Norman host.

[Xion]

“So we are to use my men, and myself, as bait? A risky move to make.” ’With another man’s men’ he thought, it seemed to him he took the greatest risk of the three forces. In a worst case scenario they would be completely cut off and destroyed. “Though, I suppose there are few options to draw the enemy out. How will you know when the enemy falls upon my host?” He did not like the idea of isolating his forces, especially being isolated with this turncoat Welshmen, but if the plan were successful the lion’s share of the honor would be his.

"I suppose we would have to send a rider to the second host to inform them the enemy has been engaged, if they decide to advance on the......bait." ap Nwython says the last word in a cynical tone.

"My outriders will shadow your host. We will not march far behind you." He wanted his cavalry at least to be able to catch up before the Welsh could fall hard on the Norman host.

"The terrain is quite forested, my lord. I would imagine horse would have a more difficult time keeping up with the lead host than a footman would."

[General Brewster]

Talbot shrugged.

"We could just burn everything of use to the Welsh" Talbot noted, a proven tactic after all.

"It will perhaps force their numbers to swell but an army marches on it's stomach. When you remove their food supply we force an engagement with an army that has nothing in their belly's. Where's we still have the joy of food. Perhaps we shall need larger baggage trains from England but it would force a fight." He added drily. The rain had began to annoy him a little.

"After we have fought them we should start building fortified positions and offer the populance our protection. That is how you break the enemies spirit gentlemen." He said as a final note.