The Rebirth of Wales!
[This is my first AAR, so please do not be too rough. Also I am writing this at around turn 130 or so, so my memory is a bit hazy towards the beginning and some turn numbers are estimates. I am also not yet finished with the campaign. So I will update it when I am.]
You may be wondering, why is it called the "rebirth" of Wales. Well a long while back, when I first started playing Medieval 2, I did a campaign as Wales, and failed miserably. I decided to redo Wales, and do right with them, in a grand rebirth of Wales!
Part I: The rebirth - Turns 1-15 - The first objective of the Welsh was to recapture the city of Cardiff, from our long standing rivals, the English. We started off with two commanders, both worthy of leading the assault. Two brothers, our king, Llewellyn, and his brother, Prince Dafydd. While King Llewllyn was superior in command, and perhaps better for the job, I thought prince Dafydd should lead the assault. I mustered up a force, which consisted of nothing more than militiamen, Gwent Raiders, light infantry with little business in a siege, and Helwyr, archers easily comparable to peasant archers.
After a turn or two of waiting, the assault began. Prince Dafydd watched as our brave soldiers climbed the walls, facing superior English troops. Losses were heavy, but victory was ours. With Cardiff under Welsh control, our borders grew to about the borders of Wales today, and our economy was on the rise. England, however, was not pleased. Turn after turn, more English troops showed up at our borders. We attempted to train armies worthy of fighting, but we were plunged into debt. England then led a few attacks, it took some serious bloodshed, but we held on alright.
Part II - The Welsh Aggression - Turns 16-30 - Our ports blocked, our economy struggling, our towns under constant attack, we did something bold, and got aggressive. Luckily, a river protected certain parts of our territory, so I tried my best to leave us defended at all. But many troops went into the royal army, led by King Llewellyn himself. Consisting of Meirionnyyd Spearmen, the best kind avaliable to us, Welsh Skirmishers, a fierce javelin unit, mailed knights, and Saethwyr, a decent archer unit.
We pushed for Glouchester, an English town just across the river seperating us. I laid siege, and after getting proper equipment, the brave Welshmen rushed through over the walls, and the town was ours. Little did I know, I picked the perfect time to attack. The Barons Alliance showed up and took a few English settlements soon after Richard the Lionhearted set out to crusade. Taking full advantage of this, I spread my army thin, and captured two more English towns. By now my economy was on the rise, and I was able to maintain decent armies.
Part III - The Rise of Rhodri - Turns 31-50 Soon after the pushes into England, a general who had been with me since near the beginning, named Rhodri, was moved to govern a newly conquered town. By now our border were expanded by two or three settlements eastward. Both the king and prince, were off closer to Southern England, fighting there. However, I wanted to push into North England, and sent Rhodri, a general with little command, and to offer, to lead an invasion force.
I first had Rhodri siege the English castle of Lancaster, a rather tough goal. England, however, sent another force to counter our siege, and Rhodri was stuck fighting two good sized English forces, both consisting of excellent troops, like armoured swordsmen and even English Knights. Though the odds not our favor at all, Rhodri's force crushed the English, and sent them running, but with around a thousand prisoners for us, they did not get far. In the first instance of Rhodri's dreadful ways, they were not even considered for ransom, only executed.
As aforementioned, both King Llewellyn, and Prince Dafydd were off in Southern England. Between us and the Barons, England grew weaker, we managed to take two or three English settlements, and close to half of England's starting territory was ours.
Part IV - An unfortunate death - Turns 50-80 - Now a fine and notoriously brutal general, Rhodri's dread and command were high. By the end of this part, he would have taken many English settlements, all through North England. Meanwhile, King Llewellyn, and Prince Dafyyd had completely ravaged southern England. They were now down to two or three settlements, and Nottingham was their new capital, as the Barons Alliance had taken London. Also Richard I had returned from his crusade, but had the unfortunate fate of running into the prince's army.
Things all seemed well, and now we had England pushed back to the edge of a cliff. However, unfortunately, King Llewellyn passed away around age 60. It was a death of natural causes, but he did not get to see England fully defeated. After some well placed sieges, England was down to the town of Nottingham, and The Barons, our allies, last town was London. I decided to take them both in one turn. Now King Daffyd led a force to siege London, and General Rhodri led a force to siege Nottingham. They both had overwhelming success, and we had all of England's and the Barons Alliances towns.
Part V - A Sad Time for the Welsh - Turns 81-90
Next was a very passive, and saddening time in our kingdom. With England defeated, we had no more enemies, little money in the bank, and scattered troops and armies all about. After a few turns I managed to disband/relocate enough for us to be making tons of gold, and keep well defended territories. However, a message popped up that I had dreaded to see. Rhodri was gone. He too died from natural causes, and I was devestated to see him go. He was dreadful and brilliant, he alone led armies to push through some of England's most well guarded towns. And he never spared a prisoner ever.
I renamed his last taken fortress, Nottingham, to "Rhodri Fortress" in his honor. After a few more turns, another message popped up I was not happy to see. King Dafydd was gone. Natural causes as well, but now the best generals were all gone. Dafydd's son, Aeddan was now king. He did not seem to well. At least he started off worse than his father. He had a lot of proving to do. But I had money, our capital, Caervarnon, was a citadel capable of creating our best infantry, Morgannwg spearmen, and Rhyfelwyr. As well as culverins and mortars. I decided to go after Dublin, owned by Ireland, a settlement we needed to win. As well as go after Scotland, who I just felt like attacking.
Part VI - The Plague - Turns 90-99 - The next few turns went quickly. I had glorious armies ready to attack. Rhodri had two sons. One was grown up, one around the age of 12. I sent Rhodri's grown up son into Scotland, and took the town of Edinburgh, with heavy losses, albeit. I also sent a random adopted son with quite a few troops into Scotland, but he was defeated by a large Scottish force, and died in battle. Soon after, the plague struck, however, and was thinning armies everywhere. Sadly, even Rhodri's son was killed by the plague while holding Edinburgh.
Not to phased by the plague, I still sent, King Aeddan with a force of our best troops over to Ireland, where walked right into the undefended Dublin. Rhodri's other son, named Llewellyn, presumably after the great king, was grown up.
Part VII - The Defence of Dublin - Turns 99-120 - Rhodri's son, Llewellyn, mustered up a nice force and stormed into Scotland, taking the town of Dumfries, and immediately moving on to capture the town Glasgow. Meanwhile things seemed quiet in Ireland for a while. That soon changed. Two stacks of Irelands finest showed up to take Dublin back. I had no choice but to counter attack. What came was... a decisive victory! King Aeddan proved to be a brilliant commander! we slaughtered the Irish. However that was not the end. While things were surprisingly calm now in Scotland, Ireland was persistent. I got reinforcements ready, but King Aeddan defended against, not one, not two, but three more large Irish forces.
I damn near thought we would lose Dublin. Down to around 100 troops, our the kings army was almost gone. Luckily, reinforcements came. Enough to defend Dublin, and push onwards to take the Irish citadel of Trim. King Aeddan's command is now very high, and he has three gold chevrons of experience from battling the Irish. While things certainly seemed to be looking up, that changed when Norway arrived. They are currently laying siege to Glasgow, where Rhodri's son, Llewellyn is. Will he hold against the Norwegians, did we just gain a new challenging enemy?
That is where I left off tonight, and what we must deal with now. I hope you enjoyed so far
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