Heimskringla- A tale of Norway's rise (SS6.3 BGR/VH-VH)

[Ichon]

SS 6.3 Norway short campaign with BGR and Limited Activities submods on VH-VH. Small bit of story with many descriptions of battles.

Short campaign goals are eradication of Denmark, and defeat of England.

Personal goals in addition are subjugate entire British isles and northern Baltic. Try to keep it around 100 turns and no early blitz on Denmark to take them out before turn 5.

House rules-

1. Field battles rather than sieges are preferred and will try and attack rather than wait for enemy to siege in all circumstances. A few sieges will occur when AI attacks on their turn.

2. No stakes in gate in sieges though occasionally might deploy them in field battles. No retreating to central square in sieges either. Fight at the walls and gate.

3. FoW on with checks of world affairs every 25 turns or on Crusade or Jihad conclusions.

4. Reload rules- spies get 2 lives but if die after 2nd chance no reloads. No reloads for battles unless CTD (happened twice so far in the campaign but neither time before end of battle so no idea how much it might have changed outcome). No reloads for other agents.

Received several questions on why do spies get 2 lives and there are alot of justifications I've built up however it comes down to just that I allow myself this as it allows me to restrain any impulses to reloads as the odds for agents never seem to work correctly but keep in mind this is per agent 2nd life- not per attempt. So usually I still have spies die quite frequently and have to be careful to only move them around and not into cities or armies if I want to preserve them thus my intel is not always 100% which is realistic.

Usually I also play with Slow Assimilation as I think that is more fun and much more difficult to blitz with but I noticed it does really seem to make for slow turns on my computer so this time I'm trying without it as it makes the biggest difference in playing faction that has to capture many different religion regions.


Norway in 1220 is still a decently strong kingdom though relatively with less influence than in previous years the Kingdom retains a mighty legacy and farflung territories though more thinly populated than other regions in Europe. Norway's rival Denmark controls more population and riches as the 13th century begins but a shared heritage and Denmark looking south while Norway has traditionally looked west has prevented total war thus far. That may change...





CHAPTER 1- the conquest of Scandinavia




Starting position-

Game Info

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The strategy for initial expansion is to avoid blitzing Denmark immediately though if Denmark attacks there will be retaliation. Unclaimed regions to the east will tempt both Denmark and Norway while the relative isolation of Norway is both a benefit and a negative. Protection from most attacks in the early part of the campaign is offset by longer period required to expand and lower income with less trade contacts.

King Haakon was wise far ahead of the time he was rewarded with that sobriquet. In 1220 he issues orders to consolidate the Norwegian warriors currently serving the King to prepare for an outward expansion. By 1221 this is mostly accomplished though some contingents of warriors from Bergen have yet to reach Oslo due to distance. With the currently available forces King Haakonsson instructs his brother Knut and his son Magnus to lead armies east into the lands of the Swedes.

First a small settlement of Swedes called Uppsala is subdued in a short sharp battle where only Knut Haakonsson's bodyguard and an accompanying company of Huscarl cavalry engage the Swedes when they sally out to fight.

Prince Magnus had boarded Norway's small Dragon boat fleet accompanied by a small army and a distant royal cousin named Knud Berelson the season after his uncle Knut had departed traveling along the old King's Road heading east from Oslo. Prince Magnus sailed south into the Kattegat and then around into the Baltic Sea. His mission was to reinforce and resupply Knut or raid as targets of opportunity rose. The first opportunity is the trading center on the isle of Visby which is presently controlled by a Swedish noble loyal only to himself. The Swedes here are as eager as their cousins to the north for battle but without decent heavy cavalry or professional infantry suffer a rapid defeat when they attack Prince Magnus landing party.

Denmark controls the famous fortress of Kalmar and has recently sent two armies further north- the 1st laying siege to Skara but failing to capture the region from the defending Swedes while a 2nd larger army departed the siege camp before the assault had begun and moved east toward Nykoeping.

Prince Magnus Haakonsson lands near Nykoeping and assists his uncle Knut in capturing the city as the main Swede army had earlier moved north to confront Knut's army moving south from Uppsala and been defeated in detail due to its complete lack of cavalry.

The following year Denmark's own invading army attacks Nyekoping while a Novgorod fleet cuts off trade and supplies to Nykoeping's port at the same time by pure happenstance. Open war between Norway and the two largest powers on the Baltic has now begun...



Game Info-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Most important battles will be included though a few minor sieges vs 1-3 unit garrisons and quite frequent naval battles with a few exceptions won't be covered.

[Ichon]

The battle opens with Prince Magnus and Knud Beleson racing towards the walls of the town while the prince's uncle Knut leads the defense from inside the town. Denmark breaks down the gate and storms the town while the Magnus and his bodyguard arrive just in time to charge some Danish Svenner cavalry waiting for the gates to clear.



After eliminating a company of Svenner and some archers Prince Magnus leads the charge against the Danes storming into the breached gate.



Huscarls and spear militia hold the east side of the gate while Lanndsmen hold the walls along with Crossbows and Levy archers. The king's brother charges the Danes who begin to make their way into the town past the gate while crossbowmen on the walls loose continuous volleys of bolts. A 2nd company of Danish Svenner cavalry make it past the gate and charge up the hill toward the elder Haakonsson commanding the defense. His veteran bodyguard easily defeats them and charges the incoming Danes again.



Outside the walls the dense body of Danes trying to enter through the gates of the town have steadily led to losses amongst Prince Magnus bodyguard and when a Danish Scout cavalry turns from the press and charges some cavalry are forced into tactical retreat.



Prince Magnus wheels about and leads the charge against the Scouts combining forces with his cousin and routing the last Danish cavalry on the field. The town is meanwhile still holding out against the vastly more numerous Danes but slowly being ground down. Finally a company of Lanndsmen on the walls working with the crossbowmen cut down the Danish captain who had cleared one section of walls and attacked the levy archers and the Danes begin to flee...



It is a victory expensive in Norwegian lives but a victory it is. Some may call the princes ride to save the town Heroic but Prince Magnus defers credit for the victory to his uncle.





The Danes beg to be ransomed and that request is granted to help fund the kingdom's treasury and as a result of the most dangerous Danes having been mostly killed in the battle.

[Ichon]

The next several years are filled with maneuvers as the Danes advance with several large armies and garrison Kalmar heavily. Knut Haakonsson returns to Olso for reinforcements leaving his army with Prince Magnus. The Danes finally return and lay siege to Skara and on this second attempt secure victory. A 2nd large Danish army moves from Skara towards Oslo and Knut having hidden his army in the deep forests emerges to lay siege to Skara and the weaker Danish force there. The goal was to draw the larger Danish army away from Oslo giving time for more reinforcements to be recruited while simultaneously capturing Skara before the Danes had time to heavily garrison the castle.

A Danish army led by a Bue Vermundsen, the Danes best general occupies the castle and when Danish reinforcement arrive he sallies out against Knut. Previous engagements had led the Danes to believe that Knut had few cavalry but this time just under half Knuts army is composed of cavalry and the battle is never in doubt.



Meanwhile England had agreed to an alliance with the Danes and sent a fleet to aid their allies. Norwegian ships attack a small Danish fleet and when England intervenes on her ally's behalf open war is the result.

The Pope in far away Rome condemns the action which is portrayed as Norwegian aggression and threatens religious sanction if the fighting continues.



The largest Danish army in the field moves away from Oslo when the garrison there appears too strong to a rendezvous with ships that have already been sunk by a Norwegian fleet.



The previous season the large Danish garrison in Kalmar had moved west leaving only 3 companies of militia defenders apparently in a move to relieve Skara and Prince Magnus seizes the chance to capture the mighty fortress. The Danes return and lay siege...



The Danes have a much larger force led by a competent general but Prince Magnus has a relatively strong force for siege defense.



The Danes batter down the gate and storm the walls simultaneously.



The battle is fierce and Prince Magnus has to intervene quite early to avoid the Danes surrounding the defenders at the gate.



Magnus and his bodyguard help hold the line while archers on the walls rain fire arrows into the crowded Danes.



Finally the Prince's shield bearer slays the Danish general in personal combat at the same time the battle on the walls begins to tilt in Norway's favor and the Danes break and flee.

This time Prince Magnus accepts the accolades of heroism.



The battle despite being fierce and costly in terms of current Norwegian manpower ensures that Kalmar will remain in Norwegian hands henceforth and reduces the Danes to scrounging for armies in the cities and less warlike territories under their control.



Two Scottish fleets are sighted off the coast by a single Norwegian fleet. Both Scottish fleets are carrying troops and it is obvious an invasion is imminent. The Norwegian admiral decides to attack and hopes King Haakonsson will approve especially if a heroic victory is won. Due to previous propaganda on the part of England and Denmark this unprovoked attack angers the Pope when he hears the news the following year. The issue of what 2 large fleets full of Scot warriors were doing in Norwegian waters is not taken into consideration and Norwegian favor in Rome plunges.

The Scottish fleets win the battle but not before losing the main troop transports sending almost 2,000 men to their doom. However the rest of the Scottish fleet makes landfall and Knud Berelson returned from his adventures in Sweden had chosen to invest in a construction project rather than organize a defense force as he should have after several sightings of English and Scottish ships by Norwegian fishing boats- now has to make up for lost time.

Knud feels the militia forces immediately under his command might not be up to the task of defeating a Scottish army led by 2 veteran generals and the small army of reinforcements from Bergen will arrive late in any battle. Knud's previous victories had increased his personal fortune enough to hire mercenaries. The state treasury will not reimburse him as he is not a War Councilor authorized to perform military spending but if the mercenaries allow the battle to be won there will be enough loot for the victors and Knud's cut of that loot will cover the cost of the mercenaries. Or Knud will probably be dead in the defense of his Kingdom. Not a difficult choice for a young warrior who grew up listening to the sagas of his fierce ancestors.



The entire focus of the battle will pivot on whether Knud can eliminate the Scottish generals and their bodyguard before the tide of battle is turned as it surely will if they are allowed free access to the Norwegian infantry.



Several charges and counter-charges ensue as Knud attempts to preserve his own cavalry force while luring the Scots into over-extended positions.



The first Scottish general and a company of Border horses are caught by Knud and his only unit of Svenner and eliminated in a bloody melee. Meanwhile the Scottish commander is causing havoc further down the line.





Finally Knud catches up with the Scottish commander after several attempts and after his accompanying unit of Svenner is routed by the Scot generals bodyguards. With the help of one of the militia companies Knud had been so worried about being unsuitable for the battle and the arrival of the reinforcement from Bergen the tide of the battle is eventually turned.





Despite outnumbering the Scots the victory is costly in Norwegian lives. Mostly paid for by militia levies and mercenaries but... Knud does not win renown for the victory. The Scots offer to pay ransom and Knud accepts but the reinforcing army from Bergen is unaware of ransom payment and eliminates all the fleeing Scots down to the last man. The remaining mercenaries are rich men splitting the full payment amongst the survivors whom Knud promptly dismisses from his service.

[Ichon]

Shortly after winning the siege of Kalmar- Prince Magnus embarks on several construction projects in Kalmar and nearby Visby greatly enhancing tax and trade income while adding a strategic port and military facilities.

English and Danish fleets battle constantly with Norway over control of the Baltic. With Norway losing a few skirmishes but winning most of the battles. (most aggressive use of navy by AI in any campaign I've played)

Scotland decides to take advantage of King Haakonsson's focus on Denmark and the Baltic land unopposed by any Norwegian navy to once again invade- this time right outside the walls of Eikundarson. Knud Berelson is slightly more prepared this time though he had dismissed several militia levies shortly after putting down a local revolt that finally tempered his bodyguard into veterans. Luckily he still has sufficient forces to meet the Scots in the field...



Knud Beleson after his adventures with Magnus against the Swedes and Danish had returned to Norway and has already commanded one battle against the invading Scottish and now commands the mostly militia forces that march to meet Scotland.



The experience Knud gained with Magnus and the poor initial deployment of the Scottish forces lead to Knud being active right from the start of the battle.



The Scottish general causes high losses but suffers some attrition and is then defeated by Knud in personal combat.



The battle earns renown for Knud who had left the previous battles somewhat under appreciated.



A few minor skirmishes occur with Denmark but nothing major while the war is constantly interrupted by edicts to stop the fighting from the Pope leading to strange stand off situations where neither side wants to make a move and risk excommunication.



The war with Novgorod had almost been forgotten until a small army lands on Visby and prepares to lay siege.



Denmark since losing Kalmar takes longer to replace it losses and has a few armies which were ransomed from Norway but never brought up to full strength.



England has sent 4 fleets into the Baltic so far but a truly large fleet anchors off the coast and an edict from the Pope forces both sides to wait but this time the waiting is to Norway's benefit and gives time for more ships to arrive. The resulting battle is a surprise- Norway had appeared to have the upper hand but the English give good account of themselves but due to the heroic actions of Norway's Dragon ship fleet the battle is won.

[Ichon]

The next phase in the campaign against Denmark occurs when Norway gathers enough forces to lay siege to both Lund and Roskilde if the chance arises. This opportunity presents itself in 1246 when a large Danish invasion force bound for Oslo is sunk by combined Norwegian fleets.

There is an issue on whether to lay siege to any Danish cities the following year as a result of the naval war there is a Papal order halting the war currently in effect. King Haakonsson is old and senile now and past caring about the Pope- he wants this war to end in his lifetime or at least to ensure Denmark will no longer remain a threat to the Haakonsson dynasty. The simultaneous assaults go forward meeting little resistance from the small Danish garrisons.

The Pope excommunicates King Haakonsson beginning a long period of tension between the Haakonsson family and the Church along with certain Norwegian nobles who feel the Church deserves more respect.



Denmark responds immediately with 2 armies approaching Lund and a 3rd preparing to siege Roskilde.



However Norway has sufficient forces in the area to meet them in the field. The Norwegian army is composed of nearly all cavalry.



The Danish armies did not have time to combine and the Norwegian cavalry takes advantage of this to great effect.











Norway completely triumphs and most of the men involved recall the battle as being quite fun sweeping beneath the trees charging the Danes and having them melt before them on all sides. Only some Danish Huscarls put up much resistance.

[Ichon]

1247 is a momentous year for the Kingdom of Norway. Soon after the Pagan solstice still celebrated in some corners of Norway, King Haakonsson the Wise dies having led Norway to the cusp of control over all of Scandinavia. The news takes some time to reach Rome where the Pope reconciles the Kingdom and imparts his blessing onto the new King Magnus.

King Magnus enter his first battle versus a small army of Novgorod which had landed on Visby hoping to gain control of this strategic trading post and harbor for the Baltic fishing fleets that are beginning to be seen as a source of riches better than the tin and silver mines of Scandinavia.





Norway despite slowly winning the war versus Denmark and the various other Kingdoms which have intervened still is the weakest power in the Baltic.



King Magnus easily wins his first battle as King.



King Haakonsson's daughter and the current King Magnus sister had been touring Europe arranging trade pacts for nearly 15 years when she is recalled to Norway for an arranged marriage. Rejecting her father's desire to marry within the kingdom she seduces an aging Karolinger who was the military governor of Hamburg hoping that his desertion from his post would lure Denmark into war with the Holy Roman Empire and thus thwart her fathers wrath. However before news of this betrayal reaches King Haakonsson- or some claim that this news caused Haakonsson to keel over dead- King Magnus is crowned and is in great need of allies and strong generals so Karolinger is welcomed into the dynasty despite suspicion by other Norwegians and Karolinger own lingering affection for his Emperor in Frankfurt which leads to divided loyalties.

Karolinger was the first foreigner employed by the Haakonsson family and somewhat distrusted as a turncoat. Consequently his loyalty to the regime is questionable. However his abilities as a warrior are not questioned and he takes command of Roskilde and leads the defense against Denmark's counter-attack.



The Danish have a large army led by their Crown Prince with 2 other family members and most of the veteran soldiers they have left after the recent string of defeats.



Karolinger deploys the infantry in the center of the battlefield on a slight rise with the noble cavalry on the right wing and 3 companies of Svenner cavalry on the left wing.



Karolinger wears fine armor which was a gift from his former Emperor and feels comfortable leading the charge against the first company of Urban militia the Danes send his way hoping to draw the Danish Crown Prince into battle.



Karolinger works with the well drilled Norwegian nobles except for one recently come of age prince who decides to try and charge straight through a unit of Huscarls and is stopped in his tracks. The other nobles and their bodyguard split and charge the Danish Crown Prince from 2 different directions momentarily causing him to hesitate.



Meanwhile on the other side of the battlefield a company of Danish Huscarls followed by some Urban militia attempt to engage the Svenner cavalry who had been waiting patiently for the battle to develop. An ultimately foolish action as the Svenner can easily outrun these infantry.



A company of Danish Svenner cavalry intervene in Karolingers attempt to engage the Danish Crown Prince and the Danish infantry surge forward to engage the Norwegian battle line. Danish archers lay stakes in the midst of the battle causing more problems for Karolinger's attempt to engage the Danish commander. Some Huscarl cavalry attempt to catch the Norwegian Svenners on the other side of the field but are greatly outnumbered and quickly eliminated.





Despite the Danish Crown Prince evading Karolinger the Norwegian nobles manage to eliminate the Svenner cavalry and nearly kill 1 of the other Danish nobles.



The Svenner cavalry work together to kill the 2 Danish companies which had attempted to engage them while veteran Danish Urban militia complicate the matter of bringing to heel the Danish commander and the other Dane noble cavalry.





Karolinger thinks he has finally trapped the Danish Prince especially when a Svenner company rides into the melee but the Crown Prince manages to escape yet again though this time he loses his entire bodyguard except for his personal shieldbearer. The company of Svenner that had helped kill the Prince's bodyguard is in close pursuit and quickly catches and kills the Prince when he stops to get his bearing at the top of a hill.





Karolinger sets his attention on eliminating the rest of the Danish nobility once he hears that the Danish Crown Prince is dead.



Despite the odds and the presence of several companies of Danish heavy cavalry the fact of the large amount of cavalry on the Norwegian side leads to an overwhelming victory for Karolinger and some grudging acceptance from some Norwegians.





Karolinger offers to ransom the Danes and the offer is accepted. Multiple ransoms are draining the Danish treasury and enriching the Norwegian nobility.

[Ichon]

The consolidation of Scandinavia progresses as the Merchants of Lund offer to form a guild under the auspices of the Royal Norwegian Crown. The King Magnus had earlier followed his father's advice and torn down or sold buildings which did not fit into the long term plan for expanding Norway's power. Siege artillery yards, brothels, and theologians guilds had all been sold off or destroyed. The Pope already looked on Norway with disfavor so the added negative relations for selling Church property was minimal. Even with this additional income the Crown experiences periodical lack of funds when it is forced to endow young nobles or retrain military forces after difficult battles. The ongoing Naval war in the Baltic drained immense funds with the construction and repair costs of ships nearly matching the land forces for a brief period.



Papal edicts still interrupt the progress of the war with Denmark as King Magnus has to respect the growing power of Christianity amongst the nobility and is not as free as his father to disregard the Church. The Danes meanwhile also seem content to obey the Papal orders leading to frequent standoffs with no fighting...



Apparently Norway is not the only Kingdom bearing the Pope's displeasure. The Holy Roman Emperor is excommunicated and a Crusade is called by the Pope on Frankfurt. This is disquieting news to King Magnus as the Germans had been staunchly neutral and friendly trade partners but as a Catholic King with the Pope's blessing Magnus will be expected to join the Crusade.





This is particularly poor timing as an expedition to repay Scotland for its earlier invasion attempts has just departed with a significant portion of Norway's land forces.



The leading elements of the expedition soon encounter a Scottish fleet before land is even sighted...



With the announcement that Denmark's King will join the Crusade, the Danes offer a temporary truce to King Magnus who accepts in light of the changing political situation.



The first Norwegian ships make landfall and spies sneak into Scotland establishing the lay of the land prior to Karolinger and Knut Haakonsson the leaders of this expedition embark with the main armies.



The Scots seem to have as many fleets as the Norwegians and continually meed the Norwegians on the high seas.

Karolinger decides that Inverness as the northernmost outpost and current center of Scotland's military should be captured first which will also give reinforcements delayed by a late winter storm the prior season time to arrive.





The war with Novgorod is now contained by the Norwegian navy who embargo all Novgorod ports. Meanwhile Novgorod has captured Reval and attacked the Teutonic Order.

[Ichon]

CHAPTER 2- The invasion of Britain



Karolinger had hoped that his spies would be able to infiltrate that Scottish fortress and open the gates but his master of spies reports that the Scottish are too vigilant and the chances of success too poor to risk his men's lives. Karolinger takes what forces he has available and lays siege. The Scots have 2 generals nearby that will join the battle as reinforcements along with several units of Highlanders and a single Noble Highlander.



The fortress has 2 gate and Karolinger divides his forces in order to gain both gates and then be able to hold either gate against the Scottish reinforcements reported by spies to be close to the battle.





The ladders are laid and Landsmenn begin climbing the walls. The single siege tower is put alight by the Scottish defenders while the first Scottish general charges more quickly than anticipated and arrives while the Norwegian are not quite prepared.





Karolinger and Knut Haakonsson both engage but not before the Scottish general manages to inflict heavy losses.



Compounding the situation a 2nd Scottish general charges from behind the shelter of the walls and joins the melee...



Despite high losses amongst the archers and infantry the Scots are driven off and one general is slain while the other flees for his life. Karolinger pursues through into the fortress...



The 2nd gate has been taken without resistance as the Highlanders on the walls move toward the central defenses when the first Scot general is slain. The Norwegians prepare to meet the Scottish reinforcements approaching.



Karolinger manages to catch some Highlanders before they can enter the central keep and massacres them within sight of their comrades who rain arrows and spears down killing several of Karolingers bodyguard.



The Scot reinforcements are defeated and a ram is brought forward to breech the inner keep. The militia pushing the ram lose their nerve and flee when they manage to breech the gate and the waiting Scottish charge.



The Norwegians pour into the keep...



and a bloody, swirling melee develops.



The battle is exceptionally bloody and more costly than Karolinger had planned due to the strength of the Scottish generals opening charge. But the invasion remains on schedule.

[Ichon]

Karolinger leaves a small garrison at Inverness and marches quickly to Aberdeen where his spies have more success infiltrating the city- an assault is launched before the summer campaign season ends and Scot reinforcements arrive.

Karolinger is joined by a small group of Norwegians who had departed Bergen late...



The assault is covered by a dank, dark mist which sweeps into Aberdeen and masks the sound of the spies opening the gates...



Once the gates are open however the Scots react aggressively.

The streets leading to the central square feature several sharp engagements and a company of Scottish Merchant militia actually cause a problem that Karolinger himself has to ride into battle to prevent calamity.



The Norwegians finally manage to enter the central square only to be met by further bloody fighting.





The battle is won and Aberdeen will be secure for at least one winter giving time for further Norwegian armies to arrive.





The fall of Inverness and Aberdeen roils Scotland and brave men all over the land join the war when a eloquent noble named William Wallace speaks of freedom from the invaders.



The growing might of Norway put on display by the rapid fall of northern Scotland leads to King Magnus issuing more restrictive orders on military recruitment. The unease of some in the nobility to the tension with the Church provides even more reason to think about the future.

BGR info-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

King Magnus gains the trait- offends the nobility and several generals choose to support the King over other unnamed options. If I had many low loyalty generals there would soon have been widespread revolt but in this case every single general choose to support the current King over a pretender.

Norwegian merchant guilds in Lund and Roskilde have been active in establishing trade within Germany and also provide regular reports on the progress of the Crusade on Frankfurt which has fought off several sieges already.



Norwegian spies make their way further into England and report active resistance by Welsh rebels has tied down a huge number of the English. A Norwegian fleet waits in the Irish sea halting trade between Ireland and England.

[Ichon]

King Magnus had decided to join the Crusade on Frankfurt to placate the Pope and some of the out nobles but after hearing reports from the merchants guild on the numerous armies around Frankfurt already, he decides his arrival will be little missed and gathers a small force with the intention of raiding the English coast...

Landing near York and encamping during a late spring snowfall Magnus surprises an English force moving north to secure the border with Scotland.



Magnus attacks the English column from two sides- the English have several companies of heavy cavalry and Magnus writes dispatches to his heir in case he doesn't survive the battle.



The battle begins with King Magnus leading a charge on the center of the English column. The English heavy cavalry forms the van and rear guards and will take a few minutes to aid the infantry in the columns center.



The English also have siege artillery which is able to fire nearly point blank range into the Norwegian infantry- however the artillery is relatively inaccurate and the 2nd shot hits a company of Feudal Knights charging the Norwegians.

King Magnus wheels his cavalry and watches the English heavy cavalry hit his lines with a sinking feeling...



Gritting his teeth Magnus gives the order for a charge into the English Feudal knights.



The Svenner cavalry accompanying King Magnus leaves the Fryd spearmen and Urban militia they were harrying and charge the siege engines which had zeroed in on the Norwegian position causing large losses.



The English heavy cavalry cause havoc with the Norwegian infantry but also suffers losses as the Norwegian fight back with vicious despair filling their veins.





A company of Svenner cavalry which had circled the battle charges the English general and his bodyguard from behind and get lucky killing the general instantly. King Magnus and the other Svenner companies meanwhile charge the rest of the English heavy cavalry and combined with the losses they have already suffered and the death of their commander they finally break and try to flee the battle...

King Magnus is triumphant and York lays undefended... however the action of using the Crusade as a pretext to launch an invasion on England, and high tax rates on the nobility lead to the Norwegian nobility beginning to openly question rule by the Haakonsson family despite the power they have gained for Norway.

King Magnus is forced to turn back from nearly undefended York due to political considerations and boards ship toward Inverness to confer with his generals and issue War councilor responsibilities.







Reports of more English armies to the south make the decision to turn away from York easier but King Magnus vows to return.

[Ichon]

Karolinger had earlier attempted to lure William Wallace out of the Scottish highlands but Wallace did not take the bait so when Knud Berelson arrives at Inverness with further reinforcements an army is formed to march and meet Wallace in the field.



The Scots have claimed the high ground and have most of their forces deployed on the edge of a forest to decrease the impact of the Norwegian cavalry.



Knud orders the Norwegians to climb a hill towards a small mill opposite the Scots hidden in the trees.



Levy archers are ordered forward to spray the nearest Scots with arrows.



This draws out some Noble archers and Knud charges...



The charge decimates that company of Highland Noble archers but several other companies of archers nearly kill Knud and do eliminate the greater part of his bodyguard with amazing efficiency.



The levy archers are ordered forward again...



Meanwhile Karolinger has deployed across a small valley from the Scots and decides to charge some Scots on the far right of their line. As he approaches he notices that the Scots have deployed a massive line of stakes just past the forest edge.



This charge combined with the levy archers firing uninterrupted leads Wallace to order his army forward to engage the Norwegians near the mill.

Knud thanks the God fervently as the Scots move out of their fortified position.



The advance is led by Highland Noble archers whose is fire devastatingly effective. The Norwegian cavalry attempts to engage the Highland Nobles.



The Scots have some Border horse which catch a company of Svenner reforming after a charge...



Knut Haakonsson charges another company of Border horses that had engaged some Landsmenn and the charge is devastating.





The Scots advance up the hill toward the mill and engaged the Norwegians all along the line.



The Norwegian cavalry darts in and out of the battle finally eliminating the final company of Highland Noble archers which had been causing large losses to the Norwegians.



The onslaught of the Scots first smash the few Scottish volunteers who had joined the Norwegian army but soon other Norwegian companies are routed.

3 companies of Scot infantry even circle around behind the mill and hit the Norwegians from behind...



Worse- the slow moving Scottish pike companies are finally near enough to join the battle and things like dire for the Norwegians. Suddenly the news spreads like lightning... Wallace is slain! Knud hears the cries of the Scots and looks to see who has done this deed? Unbelievably in the chaos of the battle Knut Haakonsson's bodyguard apparently trampled Wallace when trying to turn and flee from the approaching pikes.



Now the Scots begin to break and a few companies flee... a pursing company of Svenner fail to notice the stakes in a heated pursuit of routed foes and are decimated.



Dire news... Knut Haakonsson is spitted by a Scottish pikeman as he attempts to break the last Scottish company of Highlanders and falls dead instantly. However his bodyguard carries the charge home and the Scots begin to sense that defeat is imminent and even the pike squares morale starts to waver.

Repeated charges to their backs by the enraged body guards of the fallen Haakonsson finally break the last of the pike squares.



The victory ensures that Inverness and Aberdeen are now safe from immediate counter-attack and that the Norwegian foothold in Britain is firmly planted.

[Ichon]

When word of the fall of Frankfurt to armies of Leon-Castile and the Norwegian invasion of Scotland reaches Denmark the Danish Crusading army is quickly recalled- then when news of King Magnus appearance in England reaches Denmark a Danish army immediately approaches Roskilde and breaks the truce and lay siege.



The Norwegian Crown Prince is young and had been given the governorship of Lund to prove his management skills but when he hears word of the siege of Roskilde by the Danish Crown Prince he sets forth with a single company of Merchant militia to try and help lift the siege.

The Norwegians inside the city storm out when the Danes attempt to ward off Prince Barislev. The Danes occupy a hill and have positioned siege artillery and archers in the most effective positions. This combined with their great numbers puts an immediate assault on the hill into a precarious tactical situation.

Prince Barislev works his way around through the forest to the rear of the Danes while the Norwegians Roskilde march partway up the hill, then pause to rest under over of some trees while the next phase of the battle is left to the cavalry.





The Danes had moved forward some crossbowmen who prove a vulnerable target to the Norwegian cavalry charge of Prince Barislev's bodyguard...



Meanwhile Sighvat Hylgaard attempts to lure the Danish Prince into battle by hurling taunts and staging mock charges.



Finally the Danish Prince takes the bait but charges the weaker Merchant cavalry instead of Sighvat. This will prove to be a poor choice as Sighvat is then free to take them from behind as he is rumored to take Prince Barislev around the campfires. Prince Barislev has no wife or known children and has adopted an unknown man into the Royal family who is only 2 years younger and the pair are frequently seen together. Sightvat is know to have fathered children so some of the suspicions relax- however others whisper of secret rituals where Prince Barislev prays for a special relationship with the Christian God he worships so piously.



The charge on the Danish crossbows has carried thru all the way to their spear line... a case of poor command on display as the charge barely misses stakes and has to fall rapidly back costing many casualties.



The Merchant cavalry suffered heavy losses but Sighvat is able to kill the Danish Prince as a result.



For the 2nd time this battle the Danish siege engines score a direct hit on fast moving cavalry... incredibly unlucky for the Norwegians.



Several charges by Svenner cavalry and Merchant cavalry are turned back by the Danes who despite losing their Prince seem to have good morale.



Finally when it appears the Norwegian cavalry is a diminished threat when Prince Barislev's bodyguard escort their Prince from the field after several foundered charges- the Danes advance down the hill toward the Norwegian infantry.



A company of Merchant cavalry hide in the woods as the Danes march down the hill waiting for a clear avenue towards the Danish archers and engineers.



Which happens quite quickly...



Sightvat then returns to the battle after having rested his horses and helped bandage some of his bodyguard who have been wounded.



This is the last straw for the Danes and the rout is on.



The battle is costly in terms of cavalry but overall losses are few.



The Danish offer of ransom is accepted as the threat from the remaining territories under Danish control is deemed low enough to take the money.

[Soviet]

Let me be the first to say that this is great!

[Ichon]

Wilhelm Karolinger had been a valuable addition to the Norwegian nobility and had developed a close friendship with Knut Haakonsson. While on campaign in Scotland his Norwegian wife had died and then Knut was killed in the battle against William Wallace. Karolinger is quite old and wishes to avenge his friend and resolves to take as many Scots with him as possible.





Unfortunately for Karolinger the wonderful armor his previous Emperor gave him thwarts his desire and despite his entire bodyguard dying his horse panics and runs away from the battle with him cursing and trying to untangle the ropes he had strapped himself onto the horse to make sure his aging body was not dislodged during the battle.



This mad charge by the valiant German impresses the Scottish King and along with movements along the English border lead him to offer a temporary truce to King Magnus on very favorable terms.



The success of the Lund and Roskilde merchants guilds, the wars wreaking Germany, and Norway's control of the Baltic leads the Hanseatic League to offer to place their headquarters at Visby- unfortunately due to the heavy cost of the ongoing wars in Britain Norway is not in a position to accept.

[Ichon]

With the truce with Scotland King Magnus gathers what forces are available and returns to York to fulfill his vow.



The English are prepared this time and meet Magnus just outside York. The English have occupied a superior position at the top of a hill and have 2 companies of heavy cavalry plus a General as well as 2 more companies of Feudal knights and some Urban militias as reinforcements.



A company of English Feudal knights charge down the hill to open the battle...



King Magnus counter-charges...



and is attacked right away by the English commander...



who is in turn charged by a company of Svenner cavalry...



The English archers are causing steady losses occupying a position at the top of the hill while the Spearmen Sergeants are nearly the equals of the Norwegian infantry.



Another company of Svenner cavalry climb the hill and prepare to charge the English archers.



Meanwhile King Magnus has isolated the English commander...



A company of Svenner cavalry is resting and for some reason oblivious to a company of English light men at arms which advance and engage them.



The English commander escapes Magnus and the infantry melee surges around the battling knights...



The Svenner cavalry companies repeatedly charge the positions the English archers occupy as the steady barrage of arrows is taking a terrible toll on the Norwegian infantry down the hill.

The dense body of archers and the nearby trees interfere with the cavalry and make a for a torturous process.



King Magnus chases off the English commander momentarily and joins the Svenner at the top of the hill and tries to silence the singing of the English bows...



The arrows of the archers begin to find the Norwegian cavalry and then the English commander and a reinforcing company of Feudal knights charge...



A 2nd reinforcing company of Feudal knights aim further down the hill and catches a Svenner cavalry in the back and nearly eliminates them.



The English commander was ill-advised to charge into a battle his Feudal knights might well have won on their own and dies by King Magnus own hand...



King Magnus wheels as soon as the English commander falls and charges downhill to try and rally the Norwegian infantry whose morale is wavering after the heavy losses and the charge of the Feudal knights.

King Magnus charge also breaks the final company of Spearmen Sergeants freeing the Norwegian Feudal Foot knights to engage the English knights.



The captain of the English knights is slain but Magnus has to remain near his infantry for awhile as their morale is shaky and fresh English reinforcements are still arriving.



Once the English Urban militia is routed King Magnus charges the wavering English archers finally putting them to flight... all across the battlefield the English nerve collapses except for 1 company of Light men at arms who have been pursuing a company of levy archers.



Once King Magnus and the few of his bodyguard still in the saddle charge, the Light men at arms break and run... and King Magnus is left with possession of the field and York.





King Magnus does not wish to see his hard fought victory rob him of York and so orders the prisoners executed.



The sack of York and subsequent pillaging as well as the decimation of 2/3s of Norway's armies in Britain in the previous year lead to an overflowing treasury. The Hanseatic League again makes an offer which is gladly accepted.



King Magnus has taken York but can he hold it? With numerous English armies nearby and the military fortress of Nottingham less than a months journey to the south, the King retires back to his fleet and sails for Bergen.



News of Magnus victory at York and the aggressive attacks by Poland and France lead the Holy Roman Emperor to offer a truce and renewed trade pact.

Perhaps the Emperor wishes to tax the trade of the Hanseatic merchants who have chosen Visby over Hamburg or Lubbock as their trade headquarters.

[Ichon]

INTERLUDE-



Summary of Norway in 1269 (turn 50).

Expenditures are less than income with the capture of Scotland and the decimation of the invading armies. However with retraining and fresh recruitment as the Kingdom expands there will likely be a period of lowered income though with BGR the requirement to use war councilors and professional training staffs preclude massive army buildups so as a Kingdom grows the amount of armies usually declines relatively.



The military power of Norway remains relatively low but is much more effective than other powers. The Crusade and expansion of France and Venice have reduced HRE to a shadow of its power only a few turns earlier. The Mongols are expanding rapidly as usual in 6.3 but Novgorod appears to have more armies on the steppes for now. The Turks seem likely to fall quickly but the Fatimids might check Mongol expansion.

Moving small wounded units back to Oslo for retraining in the campaign against Denmark there were some ambushes by rebels that led to battle losses and a few naval battles have been lost. No major battles or sieges have been lost so far this campaign.



The finances of Novgorod fall shortly after a complete blockade is established but it might also be due to Novgorod getting into wars with its neighbors. England is easier to link the decline in finances to the complete embargo of its ports.

Diplomacy has not been a focus this campaign and with such secure borders probably won't be.



The rise of France and Venice and the fall of HRE are obvious in the population ranking while the loss of York does impact England.

Merchant trade and tributes have contributed to Norway's success as the massive naval wars would not have been able to be supported otherwise.



The Royal Family and other minor nobility-

















The territories under Norwegian control bring quite decent income even on low taxes. During the Danish campaigns most taxes were set to high but after Lund and Roskilde were captured taxes were lowered so that cities could grow more quickly. For the early campaign I have heavily edited desc_strat file and reduced Scandinavian and British isles population sharply so they wouldn't be able to surpass the rest of Europe so quickly but this late era campaign is straight 6.3







Various Merchants contribute nicely though none are on very rich resources. 3 merchants are moving towards silk and gold but so far the most income is earned from glass and marble merchants.

[Ichon]

Let me be the first to say that this is great!

Thanks... had to do more real work than I thought last week so not much more playing done. I did have some time to go through and cleaned up some of the text and made sure a few broken image links were fixed. This is my 2nd TW AAR so still figuring out the style I want to use.

Some more updates coming tomorrow.

[Ichon]

Haldor Haakonsson grows tired of waiting for King Magnus to prosecute the war with Novgorod seriously and takes matters into his own hands by capturing Turku from the weak garrison Novgorod has left as Lithuania is slowly winning that war and recently successfully captured Novgorod itself. The recent reports from the east indicate some large Mongol invasion in progress and Novgorod is unable to meet the threats from the Mongols, Lithuania, and now Norway simultaneously. King Magnus final orders are to dispatch a diplomat to the east and attempt to make contact with these unknown eastern invaders.

For acting without War council authorization Haldor is given a warning and fined. The following season King Magnus passes away due to a combination of old age and sea sickness as he returned from Bergen to York which has not yet fallen despite all indications when he left, and still remains under Norwegian control.

King Burislev takes the crown and appoints his adopted son Sighvat as Heir. Burislev had disputed his brother the late King Magnus focus on Britain. Burislev had led the Norwegian faction which felt the Church deserved respect and now intends to work on converting the heathens of Lithuania and Novgorod. He departs Kalmar taking a small army with the intention of capturing weakly garrisoned Reval. Pardoning Haldor Haakonsson is his 2nd action upon taking the crown intending to show favor for taking the war to the non-Catholic peoples of Novgorod.

However many in the nobility prefer savage old King Haakonson and would still like to fight for riches and glory. King Burislev has been an able administrator and builder but he is somewhat effete and has never commanded in battle- only accompanying his father's generals as an adjunct. The fact he has never taken a wife and has chosen to appoint his adopted son as Heir further lowers his authority with the nobility. If he is unable to prosecute this religious war he prefers vigorously, the nobility might well reject his authority entirely.

King Burislev's Heir Sighvat is governor of Aberdeen and has already commanded several battles against rebels in Scandinavia but has yet to face a real foe in battle.



Meanwhile old Karolingers only son Karl of Skolhamarr and the late King Magnus the Wise's youngest son Haflidhi follow in the steps of their grandfather and embark on a voyage intended to bring them riches and glory. Their first target is the coast of western Ireland.



Having stayed in Britain when King Magnus left York for Bergen, Haflidhi is determined to surpass the glory of his father and grandfather.



Haflidhi and Karl meet the last of the free Irish just outside Galway in a field which slopes gently down to the sea.



The Norwegians greatly outclass the Irish in heavy cavalry but lack capable archers and the numbers the Irish have gathered.



The Svenner cavalry is able to take on light infantry and archers capably but has trouble when engaging spearmen and takes many casualties. The Yeoman archers in the Irish ranks also inflict high losses amongst the Drengjar companies who have eagerly followed Haflidhi in hopes of earning land and loot.



The Irish commander is soon killed by Haflidhi and Karl and the the Svenner cavalry dispatch the archers which leads the forward deployed Irish army to either flee the field or fight to the death.



The Irish reinforcements are already charging the rear of the Norwegian and engage the Norse archers and the reserve Huscarls. Svenner cavalry respond quickly..



The battle was never really in doubt and is soon over.



Haflidhi is disappointed in the losses his men took but the victory is still regarded as a heroic victory by most of his men simply due to the fact the Irish army was so large.



The English have occupied eastern Ireland for years and their capitol at Dublin is Haflidhi's next target. Naval fleets report English flags flying above the walls of Caernarvon castle and a large part of the English garrison in Dublin has departed...



Spies report that the English appear to be preparing to move on York and there is also a large Scottish army near York. The English have amassed a huge amount of men and the Norwegians have years of hard fighting to look forward to if they want to steal the spoils of the earlier Norman conquest 2 centuries ago.



Wise King Magnus had ruled well and ordered the construction of a massive Citadel at Inverness to ensure Norway had the means to fight against the strong English resistance he expected. This Citadel will be Norway's largest.

The small army of reinforcements following Haflidhi will be transferred to Karl's command and Caernarvon will be Karl's target if reports that the English have moved most of their forces to lower England turn out to be true. Haflidhi will take the men currently under his command and move on Dublin.



King Burislev has inherited a realm on the brink of prosperity as King Magnus was able to lower the taxes all over Norway for the later years of his rule. Now King Burislev orders several fleets of Longboats beached and abandoned to save costs and raises taxes all over Norway to ensure the necessary funds to defend the gains in Britain and conduct the new wars in the east against the heathens and pagans.



These actions decrease King Burislev's popularity and authority. He must prove to be as capable commander as he is administrator if he is to remain King and ensure Norway does not fragment into several squabbling factions. His Heir Sighvat in Aberdeen is given orders to keep the fighting on low ebb there but matters take on a momentum of their own with Haflidhi taking advantage of the general pardons issued by King Burislev and the lax War Council orders to conduct his conquest of Ireland and when the Scots break the peace and lay siege to York forcing Sighvat to take to the field and give battle to the Scots.

[Ichon]

Crown Prince Sighvat moves as rapidly as possible and arrives at York before the assault is launched. The Scottish King and Heir are both present along with several companies of heavy infantry and siege artillery. Having moved so quickly with what forces Prince Sighvat was able to gather, Prince Sighvat makes camp within a few hours march of the Scots siege camp.



The Scots launch a siege assault on York and Prince Sighvats army rushes to the battle as reinforcements...



Due haste and the location of the opposing camps Prince Sighvat's army arrives behind the Scots and in poor position to arrive at the city walls ahead of the Scot army.



The Scot King and Heir are at the rear of their army and Prince Sighvat orders and immediate attack.





A unit of crossbow militia is nearest and their steady volleys take a toll on both the Scot King's bodyguard and his Heir's as well. However both men escape the vise of the Norwegian assault while a company of Urban militia catch the Norwegian Merchant cavalry and put them to flight- they choose flee for the city gates and most are cut down before even reaching the walls.



After the fury of the initial attack only the Scot King survives and his Heir is down to a single bodyguard but the Norwegians have costly losses of their own. The Crossbow militia moves too slowly to escape charging Ghent Raiders and the downward momentum they gain on a slight slope nearly obliterates the crossbowmen.



After hard fighting the Scot King and Heir are both slain but in the process most of the Norwegian relief army is put to flight and more than half are cut down before they even near the city walls...

Game info

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

the resilience of the these FM cost much of the chances of winning the battle though it took a long time to play out the rest.

A company of Norse archers and Sighvat alone survive outside the walls, the Norse archers claim a slight rise and shoot fire arrows in several companies of Scots who approach and break their morale but most of those units rally and Prince Sighvat can only kill so many fleeing men by himself... several times he is nearly killed as the company he was chasing rally around him.





The Scots siege artillery breaks through the walls while the remains of the relief army wearily trudge up onto the walls only for many to be killed by the Scots siege artillery.



The Norse archers outside the walls move slowly to try and assist but are continually challenged by various Scot companies who do cause a few casualties but invariably flee after a short time... however of 8 attacks, 5 reform and return or join the battle on the walls of York.



Sheer numbers of veteran Urban militia and the Galloglaich heavy infantry that survived the fight outside the walls finally tip the battle in the Scots favor and they claim the central square. A few survivors of a company of Norse archers make a run for the square to keep the resistance going but turn and flee when Scots appear on both ends of the street they are on.



The Norse archers make a desperate charge to get inside the walls and are met but a Scot company of Urban militia who manages to break the morale of the Norse archers who are exhausted by the point only for their own morale to break when charged to the rear by the lone Prince Sighvat fighting valiantly. However he is out of time and has not enough time to make a difference. The battle is lost and he must flee... if only he had brought a single additional company or met the Scots in the central square the battle might have been won but Norwegian don't cower behind the walls.





The Scottish royal family is nearly extinct but their King and Prince went down fighting and the Scottish army claims York in the end.

[Ichon]

The English add insult to injury and force Prince Sighvat to abandon the few remaining men under his command and flee for his life.



Meanwhile Haflidhi has laid siege to Dublin with the few reinforcements who could arrive at the speed Haflidhi demanded. His is forced to abandon this siege when an English army appeared out of hiding in central Ireland and threatened attack.



King Burislev is unaware of these events and lays siege to Reval while ordering reinforcements from Kalmar and Turku to sail to his aid to hold Reval from likely counter-attack or move on to assault the Lithuanians further inland.



Prince Sighvat is burning with the need to avenge the losses of his men and the stain on his honor of being the first Norwegian to lose a major battle in several decades. He boards ship with the reinforcements he was to eager to wait for the previous season and attacks a Scot army outside Edinburgh. The Scottish defenders inside Edinburgh sally out to assist their comrades.



The Scot siege works at Edinburgh have been busy and several siege engines are present in both Scot armies.



Normally such a concentration of siege artillery without accompanying companies of infantry or cavalry would be a threat but unable to cause much damage in such a fluid field battle. This battle is an exception to that...



The siege engines kill nearly 1/4 of the advancing Norwegians before contact is even made. Prince Sighvat and a company of Svenner circle the battle and engage the Scottish King.





The battle is fierce but Prince Sighvat's need to vengeance strikes down the Scottish King a few minutes after the engagement begins and the Svenner ride to attack the artillery engineers.



Finally the Scots morale breaks and they try and flee the battle...



The field belong to the Norwegians but Prince Sighvat does not feel his honor is restored just yet... however with the death of their King in battle the Scottish royal line is dead.





York and Edinburgh fall into the hands of local lords who recruit fresh men and prepare to resist anyone who wishes to lay claim to what has fallen into their hands.

The celebrations surrounding King Burislev's ascension are over and the War Council issues new orders...

The Kingdom of Norway is now a major power and King Burislev and his advisors take precautions to ensure the rest of the nobility are obedient and reduce the odds of disobedient nobles having the power to cause problems.



When Haflidhi hears of the disaster at York he takes half the army meant for the conquest of Ireland and moves forward looking for battle. The war with the English is put on temporary hold as a Papal edict is issued forbidding fighting and King Burislev's views on Papal edicts are well known. Despite being a Haakonsson, Haflidhi decides to obey at least for now.



The Danish remain a threat and require a large force to remain in Scandinavia to guard against attack.