Arthurian TW Preview 2d March: Gwent & Powys
GWENT & POWYS
Welcome to this second preview of Arthurian: Total War. We apologize for the delay between our previews, but events - essentially since our 'Saxon' modeler left us without news - have retarded it. So we will show your now not one, but two factions: the kingdoms of Gwent and Powys.
Preface to all British factions
See our Dyfneint preview.
Gwent history - Gwent had, before the Roman conquest, been inhabited by the powerful tribe of Silures, who had themselves been, like most tribes south of the Brigantes subjects or allies of the Catuvellauni, and were famously noted for having a tan complexion, curly hair, and other supposedly 'Iberian' features that set them apart from their paler neighbors. When King Caratacus fled to what is now Wales, it was first with the Silures he found asylum, and many of the tribe were part of his army that was defeated by Ostorius Scapula in 50 AD. When Caratacus fled again, and was eventually arrested, Roman attentions on the island focused further on the Silures. However, they were extremely difficult to subdue. Under Ostorius Scapula, the Twentieth Legion had been defeated by the Silures, and Scapula had been overcome by illness and died. The following governors tried, with little success, to overcome them, until Julius Frontinus finally managed it, though himself credited an amount of luck to the campaign, and seemed even admirable of the skill and bravery of the Silures at war.
The area of south Wales was divided between small kingdoms such as Gwent, Glywysing and Ergyng. Their history is complex, those kingdoms being sometime ruled by one king, sometime by several. Gwent and Glywysing rulers trace back their lineage to Maximus Magnus himself, and Eudaf Hen, Maximus's father-in-law. The area seemed also to have been ruled by Vortimer, Vortigern's son, around 450 AD. At the time of Arthur, the king of Gwent is believed to have been Caradoc Vreichbras, 'Strong-arm', thought the area of Caerlion-Upon-Uisc is often associated with Arthur himself.
Gwent and Glywysing were the land of saints. Lot of monasteries were built there, including the famous Llan Illtud, a school lead by Illtyd, the teacher of some of the most well-known celtic saints, such as Gildas, the writer of the De Excidio Brittanae.
In the early VIIth century, Gwent was ruled by Tewdrig ap Llywarch - thought some historians believed he was the son of Budic of Llydaw. Tewdrig, after a pious reign, decided to retire in a monastery, and his son Meurig took the crown. Around 630 AD, the Saxons launch a major offensive, and it is said that Tewdrig retake his sword to fight with his son, defeating the invaders at the Tintern ford but he was mortally wounded in the battle. Meurig's son was called Arthwys, and it was probably because he made Caerleon his court that the legends told Arthur's court was at Caerleon.
South Wales will be later known as Morgannwg, today's Glamorgan, until the Norman Conquest in the late XIth century.
Powys history - Powys largely encompassed the territory that once belonged to a pastoral tribe known as the Cornovii. The Cornovii, from what can be determined, made little art, though the vast number of hillforts they built implies they were more concerned with warfare. The region also famously produced some manner of unusual weapons compared to the other Britons; largely bronze age designs, updated with iron, possibly meaning the tribe was, more or less, Celticized pre-Celtic natives, which may also explain the lack of much metalwork or a local central authority, which is a common part of Celtic finds and territories. The Cornovii had been part of the Corieltauve confederation, and possibly subjects of the Catuvellauni, as many members of the confederacy were; possibly all of them. Little is known at length about them, except that their leader most likely died when the Romans stormed the Wrekin Hillfort, after which the Cornovii became subjects of the empire.
Powys's name derives from the latin word Pagenses, refearing to the 'people of the Pagi', of the country. Powys was probably the native land of Vortigern, and his sons inherit the area after his death. Vortigern's grandson, Cadell, had been driven from his kingdom by Irish pirates, and he was re-established thanks to St. Germanus help. The power pass to his son Cyngen, sometime identifed with Gildas's 'Aurelius Caninus', and then to his grandson Brochfael. Brochfael's son, Cynan Garwin, was once the master of Taliesin and celebred in some poems. His son Selyf was killed during the battle of Caer Legionis by the Bernicians Angles, in 613 AD.
Powys once extend eastward to Caer Guricon, the roman Virocunium, actual Wroxeter, until 570 AD when the kingdom was split. Powys managed its freedom for a while, but would be later conquered by the Gwynedd of Rhodri Mawr in the IXth century, and thought a later re-emergence it will form a part of the Welsh kingdom of Llywelyn Fawr in the XIIIth century, until the Norman conquest around 1280 AD.
Here new briton units in their Powysian or Gwentish form.
Infantry
Bonheddwyr
The Bonheddwyr were free nobles, the elite foot soldiers of a Chieftain’s armies. Before a battle these champions would often walk forward in front of their army insulting, taunting and challenging their opposition (much to the amusement of their fellows), and be accompanied by shouting and jeering from the lower ranking men, and the din of their war trumpets. The Bonheddwr were lightly armoured, and the individual carried a spear, a small round shield and several javelins into battle.
Bêrfelawyr (Long spearmen)
The Britons were particularly proficient in the use of the spear and those who were particularly skilled generally preferred spears of the longer variety. The tactics of these soldiers were similar to the phalanxes of Macedonia or the pike regiments of the Renaissance, tactics very effective against cavalry. The Bêrfelawre were generally part-time soldiers and due to the cumbersome nature of their weapons, their equipment was fairly basic: light armour, if any at all, and a small round shield.
Gwaywffynabwyr
AoR Powys
Like all Celtic cultures, the Britons had a strong legendary and mythological storytelling tradition that kept them in touch with their past and has helped keep their culture alive to this day. Prior to the Roman invasions the Britons had a strong warrior culture, where great heroes were remembered in poems and songs, like those in Y Mabinogion, which was never forgotten. After the Romans left the Britons to fend for themselves, some chose to take up the sword in the manner of their heoric ancestors, wearing traditional checkered trousers and fighting bear chested with a spear and sheild. The Gwaywffynabwyr are only recruitable in Powys, due to their prevalence there.
Penboethiaidyr (Fanatics)
The Britons were Christians long before their Saxon invaders, the religion being introduced to the Isles by the Romans. Their brand of Christianity was somewhat different to that practised in Rome, but they shared they shared their fervent desire to convert the heathenous pagans. The Penboethiaidyr were fanatics recuited by monastaries to protect the Christian Britons from their pagan foes. Although relatively lightly armed, their righteous fury equipped them well for battle, inspiring fear in their enemies.
Light Troops
Ardu (Levies)
The Ardu were the poorest soldiers available to a commander, these levies being made up the lowest members of society. They fought with whatever came to hand: home-made javelins, carving knives, anything they could afford. Although the Britons were famed for their eagerness for battle, these peasant levies could hardly be relied upon to make any great impression on the battlefield. They wore no armour, as they could not afford it, and were poorly organised, being raised only in times of most dire need, this meant that they would likely be severely lacking in morale when combat came to them, making them very probably be the first to flee.
Helwyr (huntsmen)
The Welsh people were keen huntsmen and used the hunt to practice the skills needed in battle. There are numerous Welsh stories and poems linked with their passion for hunting, most notably the tale of Prince Llewelyn and his greyhound Gellert. To be a good huntsman meant a men could command a powerful role in the royal courts and society in general, and could become very rich. The Helwyr equipped powerful bows, enabling them to kill the toughest of quarry, but very little close combat weaponry, thus should be kept out of melees.
Saethwrabhyr (longbowmen)
AoR Gwent
The deep valleys and big hills and mountains of the southern Cambrian (Welsh) kingdoms was the perfect terrain for archery and ambush, as such in Gwent and Glywysing these tactics were favoured. They employed swift skirmishing archers, who, similarly equipped to rhyfelwyr elsewhere, carried a bow, a sword and leather armour. The bow of the saethwrabhyr was special though, it was a powerful fore-runner to the longbow, making this unit particularly effective on the battlefield: the extra range and power of their bow meant that they could rain death on the enemy whilst staying out of range of their archers.
Cavalry
Teulu
Literally meaning “family”, the Teulu were the professional noble bodyguards of individual princes and chieftains. Although cavalry are generally not best suited to the rough hilly and mountainous terrain of Britain, the Teulu often rode into battle. Being of the nobility, the Teulu could afford the best of military equipment and were very well armed by Celtic standards: they wore chain or scale mail and helmets, and carried a shield and a lance, making them a pivotal force on the battlefield.
And now, some action shots of a rainy battle between Gwent and Powys.
Those screenshots are still WIP, and units can be modified.
People, note that we are waiting for some more modelers to help the mod to be completed quicker.
Briton units are on a very good way, only about 10 models remaining. Gaelic units would need a skilled skinner to help, and eventually a modeler, Pictish are half-done but our main issue is Anglo-Saxons and other Germanic units, since our modeler who was dedicated to do this, Alcibiades of Athens left us one month ago without news.
Arthurian: Total War team is:
Agraes - project leader & historical research - skinner - mapper
Ian_of_Smeg - historical research - traits
Ranika - historical research - gaelic specialist
Thrashaholic - historical research - briton specialist
Vortigern - historical research - briton specialist
Spongly - historical research - saxon and pictish specialist
Blindfaithnogod (of the Byzantium TW team) - skinner/modeler
Hross - historical research - germanic specialist
Kscott - mapper/skinner - has stop modding
Alcibiades of Athens - skinner/modeler
Professor S - symbol maker, skinner
Favre - skinner
Zhuge_Liang - skinner/modeler
Sher Khan - concept artist
Shrimpy - 3D animator
Pinarius - skinner/modeler
MADTAO - skinner/modeler
Uranos - mapper
Special thanks to :
- Atheist Peace who make us a space on the Imperium forums
- BDH who give us a great map_heights of Britain ;)
- Lusted and Atilla Reloaded for let us use their amazing Late Romans skin packs :D
- Dust for his gallic saddle model
- Pinarius for allowing us to use his wonderful horses
- Webbird for giving us the right to use his awesome celtic skins
- Promotheus for his spear blade models
- The Stranger for his unit layout
Don't forget to show everybody your are an Arthurian fan!
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