TLR 1.9 B-3 AAR (and comments)

[Lopus]

Playing as England (H/H - but using toggle_fow to view AI progress)

The first few turns were basically consolidation of the English provinces and building a road network, meanwhile my princess (I really hate this one, should be replaced by the next daughter since Cecilia became a nun) boarded a ship to begin negotiations with the Danish, and my diplomat settled a trading agreement and map exchange with the French. My other fleet began exploring around the British Isles.

My army in Normandy gathered its whole strength (less Robert who stayed behind in Caen first) and launched a siege of Rennes, building a battering ram.

My army in England gathered in Nottingham on its way to York, which my spy told me wasn't greatly defended.

By 1083 Robert led a couple of peasant reinforcements to the army besieging Rennes, the assault was fairly standard with the newly recruited peasants dying to open the way for the spear militia to subdue the rebellious Bretons.

Meanwhile William Rufus led forth the great army to York and laid siege to it, not surprisingly, the spy was unable to open the gates for the Norman army, but by winter of 1084, York was also part of the English domain.

Robert fitzWilliam spends the bulk of his time from 1083 - 1086 travelling from Caen to Rennes and back, supervising the buildings of both towns.

King William fitzRobert, called from Normandy and Brittany, his battered forces, as well as the armies that had assaulted York. Reforming them into a usable army, he laid siege to Southampton, while the spy headed north to see what the despicable Scots were up to. At this point (1086), my trade agreements with the French, Danish, and the Roman Empire were beginning to bear fruit, my three traders were spread out looking for nice resources that my burgeoning kingdom required.

My princess was able to inveigle one of the HRE's generals into joining our family, meanwhile an alliance with Spain was established (as was a trade route) when the Spanish princess married William Rufus. King William and his youngest son, Henry took Southampton with a great sack, afterwards, the tattered remains of the army, boosted by mercenaries headed off to Caernarvon (while William stayed in Southampton) and Henry set off for Nottingham.

By 1090, England was about to knock on Wales' doorway at Caernarvon, King William led his mobile forces on an assault that was disintegrated by the fierce arrow-storm of the Welsh, retreating hastily to Southampton, King William has to rebuild his entire army before his next assault on Caernarvon.

[Lopus]

England (1099) - Le Roi est morte, vive le Roi.

In his latest attempt to take Caernarvon castle, King William I (le Conquerant) was killed by multiple arrows from the Welsh longbowmen. The army, 1300 strong broke and ran after his death. Enraged by the news, the new King, William II (Rufus) marched his forces (from York) to Caernarvon, where he was ambushed by a large band of Welshmen. Like his father, death was caused by being used as a pincushion by the Welsh. The new King, Robert I (Curthose), has sent his youngest brother, Henry (Beauclerc) to gather the remains of the two broken armies and to retrain them in Nottingham. Meanwhile Duke Arthur de Vesc of Brittany, the husband of Princess Cecilia, has successfully conducted his assault into Tara, the Irish army broke in half when Duke Arthur's 3 separate columns all broke into their walls simultaneously. For this, the royal council has rewarded King Robert with 4 squadrons of mailed knights, which he promptly sent to his beloved youngest brother's side.