Know no mercy, Mercians

[Gilrandir]

Did you here that sound? Well, I did. It was a trumpet-call. I'm summoned to war. My destrier neighed smelling battle from afar. While my esquire is saddling it, I drink my last ale ready to .... To cut a long story short: VI Mercians expert.
My plan for the campaign is to ally myself (or at least to try to) with everyone to the north (Northumbrians, Picts and Scots), tech up to huscarles and squash 1) Saxons and 2) the Welsh. Then having produced some ships I will fancy Ireland, I guess.
The greatest problem at the outset I consider Viking raids. Since they will not have (at least for the first decade or so) enough ships to circumvent Britain and attack from the west, I find one or two (don't remember exactly) Mercian provinces that have exit to the eastern seas mostly vulnerable to such raids. Thus, I envisage two possible options:
1. Abandoning the seaboard province(s) altogether.
2. Destroying all the buildings in them and keeping them garrisoned enough to stay loyal. Doing this I will a) get from destruction the money which is likely to be purloined anyway; b) discourage the heathen from any attacks as I have heard that they tend to target the rich provinces with lots of loot (and a monastery).
What do you people think, which choice should I adopt? Or perhaps you would draw another road map for me?

[drone]

In only one VI campaign did I "cash in" my monasteries before the Vikings could get their hands on them. It's something of an exploit, but with the Scots there is not much else you can do.

With the Mercians though, you shouldn't have a problem. Lindissi is the only Mercian coastal province, and it only has a Forest Clearing (indestructible) in it. Viking raids are a worry for the other poor saps on the map, not you. You need to focus on eliminating the Saxons before they get big. The Mercians also get Urban Militia/Militia Sergeants for AP troops, so when the Vikings do come around you have something to hurt them with. You should be able to crank out UMs right from the start. And to add to the embarrassment of riches, Mercia gets Mounted Sergeants. Great against the non-Germanic factions.

I would say attack the Saxons and Welsh first, focusing on their landlocked provinces first. Build out from there, while the Vikings do their raids and weaken the other factions.

[Gilrandir]

The Mercians also get Urban Militia/Militia Sergeants for AP troops, so when the Vikings do come around you have something to hurt them with. You should be able to crank out UMs right from the start.

I have consulted the VI tech tree and it seems to me that UM, militia sergeants and huscarles all can be trained only at the fort level, which makes the first two almost redundant. But I may be wrong in this. Your directions bear my plan out, so I will stick to it.

[drone]

Urban Militia need a Blacksmith (Stockade level), which Mierce starts with. Militia Sergeants need a Master Blacksmith (Fort level) and Huscarles need a Royal Palace (Fort level + Mead Hall). Of course given the option you want the Huscarles, but the militia units are cheap and disposable, pin an opposing Huscarle unit with Fyrdmen and flank with the militia. Huscarles v. Huscarles is an expensive fight.

Militia Sergeants are probably unnecessary. Recruit UMs from Mierce, they get +1 valour which should be good enough for their purpose, which is to die gloriously.

[Gilrandir]

Thanks, Drone, I think I will find place for both UM and huscarles in my earlier-stage armies. You seem to be very well-versed in the game you played only once. So a relevant question why only once? Inadequate roster or smaller-scale map?

[drone]

You seem to be very well-versed in the game you played only once. So a relevant question why only once? Inadequate roster or smaller-scale map?

I wasn't clear from my previous post. I've played the VI campaign several times, I actually like the smaller campaign. But I only pulled the Abbey destruction trick in one of them, my first Scots campaign. I looked at my starting position and roster and decided there was no way to win if the Vikings came calling.

[Gilrandir]

I can't imagine winning VI with Scots, Picts or the Welsh. Having no last-resort unit (like huscarles) up the sleeve I believe it hopeless to confront Vikings or, say, Mercians. But perhaps I overestimate the axe-abundant factions and there is some way to withstand them (like the Picts' crossbows+berserkers)?

[drone]

For the most part, each faction in VI is set up with a Viking counter via armour piercing weapons:

• Saxons - Huscarles
• Mercians - Huscarles, militia
• Northumbrians - Huscarles, Woodsmen
• Welsh - Bandits with longbows
• Picts - various Crossbow units
• Irish - Kerns with javelins, Bonnachts with spears, Gallowglasses

And then there are the Scots. There is not much you can do against the Vikings until Armoured Spearmen are available, with some morale/armour upgrades they can fare pretty well against Huscarles, as long as they can get flanking support. The Welsh have it tough as well, it takes a while to build up to Bandits.

Apart from the Saxons and Mercians, each faction has to be played in a completely different manner. Which is just one reason why the VI campaign is so much fun.