Ouch! Help with huscarles

[caravel]

You need to achieve naval superiority and invade southern England first with your entire force, leaving only peasant garrisons in Ireland (fleets of longboats protecting your coasts). If you don't do this, and start sparring with the Picts or Scots in the north, or messing about in Wales, then either the Mercians, Saxons, or even the Northumbrians (though they're not usually as much of a problem) will probably conquer up to the Scottish borders and meet you there with several stacks made up of a good proportion of Huscarles. You will then have the unenviable task of fighting your way through that lot from north to south, probably losing alot and suffering many revolts and reappearances of the Scots and Picts in the North.

Train about 12 bishops at the start of the game and send 6 to Hordaland and 6 to Jutland and leave them there. If they get assassinated replace them. These are likely to be the only Bishops you'll need. When you have high valour spies you can send them there also. If the provinces rebel continuously, with your spies help, the Vikings may eventually lose and get eliminated. Send in your emissary, bribe the rebels, train peasant garrisons, and build any happy buildings to maintain loyalty and disband those units you bribed. Two extra provinces, albeit cut off provinces, and one less Huscarle producing pain in the rear.

You should only invade Great Britain when your economy can support it. It is very important to tech up to longboats and secure your coasts first, then expand your shipping to form a trade network. Once you're even moderately strong at sea and can produce ships from all of your provinces you should ruthlessly attack the Viking longboats and sink them all, alliance or not. This will serve to paralyse them and stop their raiding.

Don't invade from the south west coast, particularly Cornwall (West Wales). Instead take the route of William the Bastard of Normandy and land in the south east, spreading out quickly and taking Wessex. Invading via Cornwall may throw you into war with the Welsh and it is also easy for the AI to defend that choke point.

It is a good idea to ally with the weaker southern English faction, usually the Saxons, though not always and assist them with attacking the Mercians if the opportunity arises (it may not). Never let either of them get too strong.

Leave the Scots, Picts and Northumbrians until last. It is doubtful if the Northumbrians will make much headway against the Scots and Picts. Once you've conquered up to the borders your enconomic and military strength will be enough to deal with them easily. The Welsh should be absorbed directly after you've dealt with the Saxons or Mercians.