The Welsh Kings

[CountMRVHS]

Thanks, Martok! The first couple entries have been pretty quiet, but the storm really broke open during Cadwallon's reign... the third entry will have wars, dynastic maneuverings, civil wars, betrayals, epic battles ... maybe even a couple screenshots if I can figure out how to put them up. Definitely more action-packed. I still need to play out the last few years of Cadwallon's reign, so it will be a day or so before I get the post up. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!

[CountMRVHS]

The reign of Cadwallon I the Great, 844-878.

Conan I may have been known for his lack of sons, but it became a saying in later years that a single Cadwallon was better than a dozen lesser men. In 844 Cadwallon I began his reign at the age of 25, already with a reputation as a natural leader and suspicions of adulterous behavior. As with the beginning of his father's reign, Cadwallon faced some minor grumblings from disloyal generals, but his reign would see the doubling of the Welsh kingdom and the vast increase of her treasury -- loyalty problems would take care of themselves.

Loyalty in the other kingdoms of Britain was more of a problem, however. In 848 Northumbria suffered the first of several civil wars after the death of its powerful king. The rebel forces successfully drove the loyalists off the field in Pec Saetan, Lothene, and Dere. The next year, however, a combined Mercian/Northumbrian army drove the rebels from Dere. Taking advantage of the rebellion in the north, the Scots invaded rebel-held Lothene. Cadwallon himself eyed Pec Saetan -- the province neighbored Clwyd and was known for its lumber resources. He sensed the opportunity to strike quickly and gain a province without being drawn into a major war.

In 852 the Northumbrians suffered a second civil war. Northumbrian Reget and Beornice rose in rebellion. Cadwallon knew it would not be long before the peace that had held in Britain broke apart into war -- the Mercians would not stand by idly while their northern neighbor disintegrated. Sure enough, later that year Cadwallon received word that the Saxons and Mercians had gone to war. Forced to choose, the king sided with the Saxons -- his wife, Aelfrith, was, after all, the Saxon king's sister. Still, Cadwallon held back from an all-out assault of the Mercian provinces.

853 - Cadwallon invades rebel-held Pec Saetan. The rebels retreat from the king's army and Cadwallon settles down to a siege.

854 - Cadwallon assaults Legacaestir, the fortified village of Pec Saetan. At the same time, he orders Lord Idwal, a 6-star general and the king's campwr, or champion, to invade Mercian-held Wrocen Saetan. Legacaestir falls, and in an act of mercy Cadwallon releases the prisoners. Late in the year, Lord Idwal finally corners the Mercian army and, in the snows of winter, drives them back to their keep.

855 - Idwal assaults the keep in Wrocen Saetan and his men easily overwhelm the tiny cav garrison. In recognition of his prowess, Cadwallon awards Idwal with the lordship of Wrocen Saetan. Finally, in the winter months, Cadwallon's wife produces a son.

857 - Seeing the potential for reward, the Irish stir themselves from their island and invade the rebel province of Reget. In the same year the Saxons suffer a civil war, but the rebellion is quickly put down, allowing them to focus on the Mercians.

858 - Cadwallon is troubled by word of assassins caught moving through the Welsh territory of Wrocen Saetan. With the capture of Pec Saetan, the Welsh king had recovered facilities for improves spy networking, and he begins to put them to use, spreading trained spies through the realm. Though the interior of Mercia beckons, Cadwallon refuses to allow his champion Idwal to press the attack, as a 5-stack Mercian army in Hwicce threatens Guent, Pouis, and Wrocen Saetan. Knowing that this threat must be dealt with, Cadwallon moves down from his northern holdings and prepares an army to invade Hwicce, sending his Saxon wife to ask her brother's aid in the endeavor.

In 860 the Irish attacked and besieged the Scottish King in Ulster, later executing him. This action would lead to a generations-long Scots-Irish war that would rage through the north of Britain. Though Cadwallon eyed the Irish aggression warily, there was little he could do to help his allies the Scots.

In 862 the Mercians attacked Wrocen Saetan, but, intimidated by the skill of Campwr Idwal and his army, withdrew before battle was joined. The next year, the Saxons attacked Mierce itself. Cadwallon realized if he did not make a grab for Hwicce soon, the Saxons might claim it and the rest of eastern Britain for themselves. He spent the year training more men for an assault.

In 864 Cadwallon got his chance -- the Mercians emptied Hwicce of its armies and attacked the Saxons besieging Mierce. Cadwallon led a single army composed of 2 Welsh Bandits, 2 Armoured Spearmen, 2 Celtic Warriors, and other archers, cav, and infantry into abandoned Hwicce. The same year, Cadwallon's brother-in-law, the Saxon king Harold, led an army of his own into the province. Before either side could claim a victory, however, the Mercians responded by maneuvering Lord Elfward (an untried, 0-rank general) and a 3900-strong Mercian army into the province. Though their combined armies only amounted to half of the Mercian force, the Welsh and Saxon kings remained on the field, united by their marriage relationship as well as the prospect of gaining the rich income from Hwicce. The battle that ensued would be known as the Battle of the Two Kings.

Cadwallon and Harold, the Saxon king, arrayed their forces at the top of a sloping hill, the Mercians in the valley below. The Saxon forces occupied the right, the Welsh the left of the allied battle line.



With such a disadvantage of ground, the Mercians could only wait for the Welsh and Saxons to descend upon them. Cadwallon chose to hold back and let his archers do their work, while Harold's huscarles and superior infantry assaulted the Mercian left. The Mercian battleline quickly degenerated into a mob as the Mercian huscarles and spears took the fight to the Saxons -- but this merely opened their flank to the Welsh. Cadwallon gave his cavalry (2 RBs and 1 Horsemen) the order to advance, and crushed between the Saxons' infantry and the Welsh cavalry, the Mercians fell back. When Mercian Lord Elfward fell and the first wave was routed, things began to look very encouraging. And when the second wave proved to consist mostly of Mercian peasants, the grim work of battle took on a fatalistic joy, as the noble Welsh horsemen easily cut down the Mercian farmers. But the Welsh and Saxons had no reinforcements, and when the third wave of fresh Mercian Horsemen and Mounted Sergeants crested the hill, dread began to creep into Cadwallon's mind.



At this point Cadwallon committed his infantry, hoping to surprise the Mercians as they entered the field. But his Saxon allies had seen their forces whittled away, and proved unable to stand up to the continued Mercian onslaught. Cadwallon's men were growing more tired with each heft of the spear or swing of the sword, and the king himself was reluctant to join battle because of his responsibility to his kingdom -- his son was too young to take over leadership of the Welsh if he himself should perish. Steeling himself, Cadwallon nevertheless gave a shout and charged into the Mercian spearmen, taking several casualties from his bodyguard but driving off a portion of the enemy. The battle still swirled about him, however, and only thanks to a charge from his Welsh infantry was the king able to pull back and survey the situation.

It was grim indeed. Though his Celtic Warriors and Armoured Spearmen were containing the enemy, more Mercians poured over the hills -- fresh contingents of Militia Sergeants and Urban Militia with wicked piercing weapons as well as a constant stream of Spearmen and cavalry. The Welsh infantry held, wavered .... and finally broke. Cadwallon galloped back toward the base of the hills down which they had marched, swinging his sword above his head and roaring for his men to rally. But as his exhausted men regrouped in a ragged line on a small knoll, the Saxon king Harold was overwhelmed by Mercian spears and fled from the field. The Welsh were now alone.



Cadwallon's ragged band eyed the Mercians from their knoll, watching the enemy form up across the trampled and muddy field. The Welsh forces consisted of two under-strength units of Armoured Spearmen, 19 men in a single unit of Welsh Bandits, and 2 under-strength units of Archers. Cadwallon himself had only 3 bodyguards -- the only Welsh cavalry remaining on the field. The Mercians had the numerical superiority, with 3 units of Urban Militia, 2 units of Spearmen, and 3 under-strength cavalry units. From their position across the field where their general had fallen, the Mercians watched. No more Mercian reinforcements appeared over the hill. It would come to one final, exhausting push across the corpse-strewn field. Cadwallon grimly unfurled the dragon banner of Wales and ordered his men forward.

Coming to a stop within range of the Welsh bows, Cadwallon's archers began to whittle down the Mercian Urban Militia. But the Mercians refused to stand and take this long-range punishment. The Mercian line advanced across the mud at a quick-march.

Quickly Cadwallon ordered his archers to fall back, and his Armoured Spears to quick-march forward to meet the enemy. Lacking any other infantry, Cadwallon knew much would depend on the knife-and-sword work of his few Welsh Bandits and the archers of Guent. As the spear-walls ground together, the welsh archers circled around and charged the Mercian flanks. The lines held. Cadwallon rushed back and forth behind the Welsh lines, bolstering his men's morale. Still the lines held. The Mercian cavalry finally committed itself to the fray, charging into the Welsh Bandits who were in the scrum on the Mercian right and routing them. Seeing that all the Mercian forces were now committed, Cadwallon and his bodygard rode round the enemy flank and, howling like demons, thundered into the rear of the enemy spearmen.




...and the Mercians broke! Sounding their desperate horn-calls, the Mercians fell back, and with a collective shout the Welsh lifted up their exhausted arms and, with new vigor, dashed after their bitter foes, chasing the last of the dogs from the field.

Cadwallon and his little band had wrested control of Hwicce from the Mercians, driving them back into their fort. The king settled down to a siege. News of the heroic victory spread through southern Britain like wildfire, earning Cadwallon his 3rd rank and the reputation as a skilled attacker. That same year, Cadwallon's emissaries secured an alliance with the Northumbrians.

....to be continued...

[Martok]

Simply awesome, CountMRVHS! That ranks up there as one of the best battle accounts I've read in a long time -- and around here, that's definitely saying something.

All hail King Cadwallon! May his hair never lose its luster.

[bamff]

Stirring stuff indeed, CountMRVHS!

Well done!

[CountMRVHS]

Thanks very much for the comments, guys! The next half of Cadwallon's reign should be up late tomorrow. It's nice to read your encouragements.

[Roark]

Awesome thread, CountMRVHS. One of the best I've ever read. Good to see one of the more challenging VI campaigns being documented.

Carn the Welsh!!

[caravel]

In that write up you have captured everything that is good about MTW battles, and in particular turning the tide against the enemy in an epic fashion, through a use of sound tactics. All of this adds to the immersion factor of the game.

[CountMRVHS]

...the continuation of the reign of Cadwallon I, the Great.

In 866, a year after his triumphant victory against the Mercians in Hwicce, Cadwallon, supplied with fresh troops from nearby Pouis and Guent, moved to assault the final fort in the region, into which the last pockets of Mercian resistance in Hwicce had gathered. But before Cadwallon's troops could mount their assault, two fresh Mercian armies moved in from Mierce to contest the province. Cadwallon was on the defensive, and outnumbered by more than 2 to 1.

The terrain of Hwicce offered little in the way of hills, but Cadwallon knew he could neutralize the effectiveness of the enemy's many spears and fyrdmen by deploying some units in the clutches of trees that lay scattered across the field. The bulk of the Welsh forces arrayed themselves on a small knoll -- 2 Armoured Spears, 2 Celtic Warriors, 4 Archers, and some Horsemen and RBs along with the king and a unit of Welsh Bandits. The two remaining units of Welsh Bandits concealed themselves in the woods to the front and right of the battle-line. As the Mercians marched forward, threading their way through the trees, the Bandits emerged and threw themselves into battle, stalling the enemy and allowing the Welsh force to advance and crush the Mercian spears in the forest.



Confused and surrounded by the nimble Welshmen, the Mercian general was quickly killed and his forces' morale burst. Cadwallon and his cavalry pursued them on into the night, capturing over 1,000 prisoners and ordering their execution at dawn the next morning. His reputation as a skilled defender grew, and the word "butcher" was often whispered through southern Britain in association with his name.

Over the next two years, thanks to joint Welsh-Saxon attacks, the Mercians were driven from Mierce, which fell to the Welsh, and the rich provinces of Middel Seaxe and Middel Engle fell to the Saxons. The garrison at Hwicce was finally starved into submission, and Cadwallon began to anticipate the end of the war. With the precipitation of a Mercian civil war and the Saxon capture of Lindissi and East Engle, the Mercians were finally eliminated.

But though the Mercian threat was eliminated, Cadwallon was troubled by numerous assassination attempts -- several successful, and one causing the death of the Lord of Defet. The origin of the threat was never discovered, but in 869 the Welsh were again thrust into war by an unexpected Saxon attack on Welsh fleets in Saefern Mutha, just south of the Irish Sea.

The outbreak of war between the former allies, Saxons and Welsh, made the position of Cadwallon's wife Aelfrith -- sister to the Saxon king Harold I --very dangerous. Far from being repudiated by her husband, however, Aelfrith produced several more sons to continue his line.

But the insult of the betrayal shook Cadwallon to the core. Harold -- his wife's brother, with whom he had drawn swords at the Battle of the Two Kings years before -- must suffer Welsh vengeance. Cadwallon vowed to meet Harold in battle or die trying.

To that end, the Welsh king embarked on a campaign aimed at the heart of Saxon power: the south. From Hwicce, he invaded West Seaxe in 870. The same year, however, a Saxon army from Sumorsaete moved into Hwicce -- Hwicce, which now was defended only by a unit of Celtic Warriors and Prince Mervyn, Cadwallon's only son. Rather than allow the sole heir to be besieged while Cadwallon was cut off from support, Mervyn's bodyguard convinced him to abandon the province which his father's prowess had won and retreat to the mountains of Pouis. Though the Saxons in West Seaxe retreated in the face of Cadwallon's army, as the Welsh king settled down to siege he realized that he was alone, cut off from resupply.

Fo the next several years, the cowardly Harold kept himself well to the east, away from the threat of Welsh attack. Driven to come to grips with his former ally, Cadwallon repeatedly attempted to attack East Seaxe, but each time was driven back was a Saxon counterattack which put him on the defensive. Over the course of these maneuverings, Cadwallon had pushed into the coastal region of Suth Seaxe, holding it under siege for a year and gaining a reputation as an Expert defender. Cadwallon then abandoned the siege and invaded West Seaxe again, but, despite the complete absence of Welsh presence in Suth Seaxe, the terrified garrison refused to leave their fort and starved to death! Welsh scouts brought the news to Cadwallon in West Seaxe and he ordered the immediate devastation of the countryside. Nothing was safe from the torch, and the greedy flames fed even upon the wood and stone of the humble Abbey in the region.

In the chaos of Cadwallon's campaign, his second son Caradoc came of age -- and promptly vanished. No sooner did the boy turn 16 than he disappeared, and his father received no news of his whereabouts, whether he was kidnapped, killed, or actually deserted. The strain of this disappearance wore on Cadwallon's relationship with his wife, as he suspected her hand in the matter.

Finally, in 874, Cadwallon was able to invade East Seaxe, where Harold was located. But the Saxon king moved too quickly. As Cadwallon's army moved into the region, Harold's army was moving out to attack the recently-acquired Welsh region of Middel Seaxe. This frustrating pattern would become characteristic of the rest of the war: Cadwallon attacking, Harold retreating. Cadwallon would spend the last years of his life in increasing rage and desperation, trying to corner his old ally, while at the same time fighting off Saxon attacks on Cerniu and Mierce.

In 877 Prince Conan came of age. Possessing an aggressive mind, and resentful of the simpleton his older brother Mervyn had become, Conan began plotting to remove Mervyn from the line to the throne.

But before Conan's plans could come to fruition, Cadwallon died in the field, in the midst of his campaign, successfully driving Harold and his army out of Dornsaete. The king was 60 years old, and because of his relentless attacks on Harold and the Saxon king's constant retreats, the year of Cadwallon's death was also the year of a Saxon civil war. Even in death, the influence of the Welsh king was felt among his foes, and despite his relatively short life, he accomplished more than any of his ancestors. Despite his brutality, Cadwallon had earned the appellation "the Great".

In 879, however, Prince Mervyn ascended the throne. He had inherited his father's natural leadership ability, and was known as an honorable warrior (he pledged, on his ascension, to drive the Saxons into extinction in his father's memory), but he was also known as a simpleton. With a jealous younger brother eyeing the throne, the future of the Welsh dynasty was uncertain.

[Martok]

Another superb entry, Count.

So I have to ask -- what did happen to his son Caradoc? Was he assassinated, or did the game somehow delete him?

[CountMRVHS]

Well there was no message of assassination, so I'm sure it wasn't that.

I suppose there is one possibility aside from random game-deletion, but I'm not sure. Here's the theory:

It was a pretty chaotic time, with multiple battles happening each year. I thought I had accounted for all of the Royal Bodyguard units in Cadwallon's army, but I imagine it is possible that I hit End Year, Caradoc came of age and appeared on the map in a province where I was having a battle, and he died during the battle. When the battles were over for that year, I would have (maybe?) still received the announcement about Caradoc coming of age, but as he was actually dead ... ... I wouldn't have been able to find record of him once I was actually returned to the campaign map when the announcements were over. See what I mean? So that's my guess, but it depends on when during the turn-taking phase a coming-of-age son actually appears on the campaign map -- before battles, or after.

At any rate, I think this will be my last entry for the Welsh kings.... by the time I was a few years into playing Mervyn's reign, I realized the game seemed like a foregone conclusion! The Welsh were in control of all of southern Britain and only needed 7 or so more provinces for the 2/3 victory. And for me, the most interesting part of the campaign is the early years, when wars are beginning and the fate of your empire hangs in the balance. Some highlights, though:

True to his promise, Mervyn *personally* killed the traitorous Saxon king Harold, finally cornering him in Defnas. Despite his apparent slow-wittedness (Chinless Wonder), Mervyn proved a surprisingly canny leader, pushing the Saxons into civil war and bribing some of the remnants of their forces to use against them later.

In the last stand of the Saxons, in Mierce, Mervyn's jealous brother Conan led a Welsh army which was joined in the field by their allies the Northumbrians. But Conan turned on his allies during the battle, forcing the Northumbrian king off the field along with his army and then routing the Saxons, eliminating the faction.

The only factions remaining were the Vikings (confined to their Scandinavian homelands), the Welsh, the Northumbrians (confined to their starting position), the Picts (basically confined to their starting position), and the Irish, who wiped out the Scots and were in command of the seas.

Although there could have been some interesting battles between the Welsh & Irish, my income was so high (I was making teched-up Welsh Bandits every turn) that there was nothing really preventing the Welsh from claiming their victory ... nothing, that is, except the slight boredom that comes from taking a big chunk of the map.

I am starting a Northumbrian campaign, however, which promises to be interesting: turtling again, Expert difficulty. I think the Northumbrians are actually the most difficult faction in VI when turtling: they have potential strong enemies on *both* sides, they have poor lands, the Vikings are very likely to take a swipe at them early, and because of their position they will have little influence on the eventual Mercian/Saxon war -- unlike the Welsh, who can basically jump in wherever they want as long as they survive long enough. Anyway, I'll consider making a new thread with some highlights from that campaign if really interesting stuff happens, but nothing so detailed as this -- it's a lot of work! I've gained a new appreciation for everyone who does detailed AARs, that's for sure.

CountMRVHS

[Deus ret.]

I am starting a Northumbrian campaign, however, which promises to be interesting: turtling again, Expert difficulty. I think the Northumbrians are actually the most difficult faction in VI when turtling: they have potential strong enemies on *both* sides, they have poor lands, the Vikings are very likely to take a swipe at them early, and because of their position they will have little influence on the eventual Mercian/Saxon war.

True enough - I played all VI factions except the Mercians and Picts and have to second that. Northumbria has potentially good units (huscarles) and even some iron, but their position may well be most precarious. In my experience, they are kind of VI's HRE - they are quickly torn apart and disintegrate under the pressure from their numerous enemies. Unlike most other factions, allying with the Viks is not really an option for them - the Northmen are too prone to assault the rich Eastern provinces. Besides, they have very little land to expand into (Reget is a hard grab indeed) and can't afford to leave a single border unguarded for more than two turns.

Good luck on Expert - I'm looking forward to more captivating write-ups!