MacDidz: The Scottish Blog

[Didz]

I'm glad you guys are enjoying this blog and I shall keep adding to it when I can. I'm one of those players who likes to keep notes of his games so I find it quite nice to have this forum to publish them on, and if you enjoy reading them then thats even better.

One thing I find quite interesting about this Scottish game is the way my habit of using mercenaries is leading to a quite interesting anti-English coalition in my field armies. Indeed, a large portion of my so called Scottish Army are actually Irish and no doubt you will soon seen some Welsh and even English troops appear. I suspect that historically this would have been quite accurate, the only people missing at the moment are the French who are being a little bit slow in recognizing the opportunity Edward is offering them.

The other nice thing about writing a blog like this is that it encourages me to add a bit of background colour to the characters. Edward for instance is turning into a pretty ruthless character, both in the game and in this blog. Although he nearly comes unstuck in Sherwood Forest. But thats in the next report.

[Didz]

Winter 1100: Nottingham
The first frosts of winter found Edwards army camped outside the walls of Nottingham Castle preparing for the imminent assault. The army was cheered by the news that York had already fallen to Alexander and all looked forward to the plunder which Nottingham would provide, not to mention the warm beds, ale and women.

The army was poised to strike when news reached Edward from his agent, Wallace, that the English had finally stirred themsleves from the Welsh borders and were approaching from the west through the forest of Sherwood.

"Yer can allays trust the damn English ta ruin a good party." cursed Edward "Muster the men, lets teach 'em how we Scots deal wi' gatecrashers.'

The Battle of Nottingham
The area from north to west of Nottingham is one huge forest. The forest of Sherwood was a Royal hunting ground used by the English king and so was preserved from clearance by local peasants and farmers. However, Edward managed to find an area of higher ground which was large enough and clear enough to deploy his army upon.

The way Edward deployed his army was becoming almost a standard for the Scottish king. The infantry formed two lines with the crossbowmen in front and the archers sandwiched between the first and second line, whilst the border horse formed up slightly behind each flank ready to fend off any threat or launch an attack on the enemy reserves.

Scouts soon reported that the English were approaching through the forest to the west and Edward rushed his army forward to deploy across their line of advance, and to allow his crossbowmen a clear field of fire as they emerged from the tree-line.

The English infantry baulk under the heavy fire but the English knights spur forwards and hurl themselves at the Scottish line driving off the crossbowmen and impaling themselves on the wall of lowland spearmen and Irish axemen forming the Scottish first line.

With the English Army now locked in close combat with the Scottish battle line the Border Horse on the flanks of the line sally forth to drive off the English archers.

Fighting is fierce and bloody, the Scottish first line is driven in by shear weight of numbers and Edward is forced to commit his second line to protect his archers.

Finally, the English have had enough and their Knights attempt to extracate themselves from the slaughter.

The English general is either too slow or too brave and is cut down by Scottish spearmen.

Their Captain dead the English lose heart and flee to the South presumably heading for London their last place of refuge. The border horse chivvy them from the field whilst the archers and crossbowmen use them for target practice. The rest of the army began catching their breath and looking for loot or friends amongst the corpses that littered the hillside.

But Edward was looking for the English King. Rufus had not shown his face at the battle, although Edward knew he must be close by. He had deliberately held back his retinue of 62 knights with the intention of preserving it to deal with Rufus and his small retinue of English from Nottingham. The idea of cutting down the English King personally appealed to him and he certainly did not want Rufus to escape back into the city. So now he scanned the tree-line looking for any sign of the skulking monarch.

The sight that greeted him made his blood run cold. For instead of Rufus and the small retinue of knights reported by Wallace, what emerged from the tree's and began to march resolutely up the slope towards him was little short of another English army, and an army made up not of peasants and local levies but an army of knights.

"Ta Arms! Ta Arms! Recall the pursuit. Reform the battle-line. Ready the archers."


As the tired and bloody Scottish Army scrambled to face this new threat Edward realised he had been right all along. It had been a trap. The English had lured him here like a fat trout with a juicy worm and now they thought they had him, but something must have gone wrong for the English had been late springing the trap, had Rufus and his knights arrived earlier when the Scots were still struggling with the main English army they would have overwhelmed him. But they had not and so there was just a chance that Edward might still win, if god and St.Andrew was with him. Crossbow bolts began to pepper the ranks of English knights plodding up the slope but with minimal effect, the English just kept coming.

The battles lines clash over the bodies of the fallen from the first battle. Rufus and his personal retinue charge the Scottish centre intent on breaking the line.

The remnants of the Scottish horse attack the English flanks in a futile attempt to break their resolve.

Edward watched the struggling mass of men with growing concern. Everything was now committed to the fight except his own household and the Scottish ranks were gradually being thinned. It was only a matter of time before his men gave way under the pressure.

If he was to win this fight then Edward knew that he would have to risk all on a final roll of the dice, and trust that St. Andrew was holding the dice cup.

He could see the English Royal Standard and knew that Rufus was there in the fight near the centre of the battle. It was time to rip out the heart of this English Army or die trying.

With that he moved his personal retinue of knights around the left of his own battle line and brought them up behind the English centre where Rufus was still struggling to break through the Scottish line. With a final shout of 'Fer Scotland and Saint Andrew, KILL THE BASTARDS' he launched his charger into the midst of the English knights and began hacking his way resolutely towards the Royal Standard and the English King.

Rufus seeing the mass of Scottish knights closing on him from the rear spurred his own horse hard and finally managed to break through the Scottish battle-line and escape abandoning his standard bearer and most of his surviving retinue. Edward attempted to follow but an English spear thrust across his chest made him realise that the English had closed ranks behind their King and pursuit would be suicide. 'SCOTS TA ME! BACK! BACK! He fell back reforming behind the English line whilst the surviving infantry on the hill launched a furious charge into the English spearmen to distract their attention.

The escape of Rufus proved to be shortlived, as the English King attempted to make his way back to his own lines, Edward and his surviving knights having extracted themselves from the tangle of English spears intercepted him and Edward finally had the King v King showdown that he craved. Rufus died his chest pierced by a Scottish lance.

Their King dead the English lost heart and began to fall back down the slope and melt away back into the greenwood from wence they had come.

Pitfully few of the Scottish host survived and of the 62 knights that stood with Edward that morning only 30 now remained, nevertheless it was a victory. The English trap had failed and Rufus had paid for his deception with his life.

Edward wandered the battlefield congratulating his men and surveying the carnage.

"How many did we lose?" he asked.
"As best we can tell six hundred and sixty six, Sire" was the reply.

Edward laughed ironically "Six-hundred and sixty-six, the devils number, if that doesn't convince Pope Gregory that we are on a holy crusade to rid the world of these English devil's then nothing will. Make sure that MacDougall gets that message in Rome, I want the Pope to know what happened here today, and that God was on our side."

[Stuperman]

The plot thickens, this it really good, I hope to see what happens next.

[Didz]

Winter 1100 AD: The Battle of Nottingham (Evening)
The funeral pires were burning fiercely on the hillside, fuelled by the oaks of Sherwood and Edward was recovering from the battle in his tent and contemplating Rufus' crown on the table before him when his equerry entered.

Sire! a deputation from the city is here to plea for mercy.

Edward stirred from his thoughts picked up the English crown and emerged from the tent into the stench of smoke and death outside. A small group of well-dressed Englishmen were gathered outside under the curious and careful gaze of his surviving knights. Their leader, a well dressed man with an impressive set of whiskers, stepped forward and bowed.

"Your majesty, I am Alan Wheatley and I have the honour to be the Sherriff of Nottingham. I am here together with this deputation, and on behalf of the Constable of Nottingham Castle to negotiate terms for the surrender of the keys to the fortress."

"Da yer have any daughters Mister Wheatley?" asked Edward pretending to inspect the English Crown in his hand.

The Sherriff seemed perplexed "Yes, sire I have a daughter. Her name is Marion." he replied.

"Then my terms are quite simple Sherriff. Tell you and yer friends, both here and in the fortress that if they hand over the keys to the Fortress to me tonight I will offer them and their families my protection tomorrow, when my army enters the city. If they do not then they can remain where they are until my soldiers find them and meet their fate like the rest of the population."

But, Sire surely we can discuss.... began the Sherriff.

"There is nothing to discuss, Sherriff. You can see the state of my army. Thanks to your King I have less that thirty knights remaining, and much of my army are hired thugs. Do you think I can deny them the spoils they have fought hard for here today. I can offer you and your friends protection but nothing more. Accept it now or negotiate with my soldiers tomorrow."

"You leave us no choice. Sire!"

"There never was one. Hand my men the keys and go with them to gather your people together in an easily defensible location, then stay there until what must be done is over."

The next morning Edwards army sacked Nottingham, claiming the warm. beds, ale and women that it craved. Whilst the castles dignitaries and their families cowered under the protection of Edwards knights.

[Didz]

Summer 1101: Nottingham Castle

Sire! Wallace reports that the English are still skulking about in the forest to the west and that another small English army has left London and is marching North, probably to join them.

Another small army. repeats Edward scornfully Another small army, like the small army that Rufus brought with him last year. De'yer think that Wallace has learned to count yet, or must we discover what small really means to him only when we count the corpses on the funeral pires.

"Tell, Wallace that I want ta'know how many English not how big they are and that if he cannot count them on his fingers and toes then I shall relieve him of them."

Aye Sire! I'll make sure he gets the message. Replies the equerry. Also, I am afraid there is bad news from Rome, Sire.

Bads news from Patrick. Did the Pope not get our message?

"Nay! Sire I'm afraid he did not. It seems his Holyness Pope Gregory died before Patrick could deliver our message. The new Pope has called himself Pope Aczo and comes from Portugal, so I am told."

"He died...my God he died. Thats the best news I've heard all week. Can there be any doubt now that God favours us. What do we know of this Portuguese Pope, does he favour our cause?"

"MacDougall, writes that he is quote 'utterly corruptable', Sire"

"Ha! Ha! Saint Andrew's bollocks" guffaw's Edward thumping the table in excitement "God has truly smiled on us today, lets waste no time then, have a chest of 500 florins dispatched immediately to Rome with a note congratulating his holyness on his new errm!....calling, and assuring him of the full support of Scotland in his future success. Patrick can deal with the details, just make sure his holiness is in our pocket before we march on London, and let Patrick know there will be more gold to come if he needs it."

[Didz]

Winter 1101: A time of consolidation and change
With most of England under their control the Canmore's spent the winter of 1101 consolidating their hold on their lands. Troops were rested and retrained and fresh troops were raised to help stabilize their control of their existing lands.

Edward remained in Nottingham, intent on preparations for a march on London in the Summer. The capture of the fortress of Nottingham provided the Scots with some of the most modern facilities for producing armour and weapons available at the time and Edward is engrossed in plans for their future incorporation into the army.

Fresh news arrived from Patrick MacDougall their man in Rome. I regret to inform your majesty that Pope Aczo the Corrupt died before I was able to deliver your gift of 500 florins. However, you will be pleased to announce that the college of Cardinals have just appointed a candidate from our allies in Sicily to the papal throne. I have met with Pope Alexius and he sends greetings to you his most loyal, faithful and trusted servant, and wishes you well in your endeavors.

It appears that God has some pride after all, or perhaps just a sense of humour. [Scotland's Pope-o-Meter rating rockets back up to 10/10]. Edward was becoming increasingly convinced that God really was on his side and the side of the Scots, he had never been a particularly pious man but it seemed to him that the facts spoke for themselves even if some of the heretic's wandering the country claimed otherwise.

The Winter also brought sad news that Queen Margaret, the mother of Alexander, Edmund and David Canmore had died. King Edward was the son of their fathers first marriage to Ingibiorg, daughter of Finn Amasson, widow of Thorlinn, Jarl of Orkney and thus had Norse blood in his veins, which some say accounts for his fierce and brutal ways. Nevertheless, Edward viewed the death of Margaret as an omen of the changes to come, ambassadors from the Danish court were becoming increasingly demanding over the rights of they thought they had to land in Northumbria, and in particular to York. Queen Margaret had kept these whining Vikings under control but now she was gone Edward realised it would only be a matter of time before the Danes decided to try and recover the land they had lost to the English at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

Edwards only hope was that he could finish the English, before the Danes became too much of a nuisance.

[Didz]

Summer 1102: Nottingham Besieged
As the Winter of 1101 retreated so the English advanced. A number of them had spent a cold winter in Sherwood Forest living on their former masters deer and terrorizing local travellers. Now bolstered with fresh men from London they laid seige to Nottingham Castle.

They made a big show of constructing a ram and some scaling ladders but seemed less excited about actually using them, and Edward's initial concerns about the ability of the garrison to resist an English assault subsided. The passive behavior of the English merely encouraged the Scots to become bolder. They began making sallies from the castle to harry the English, at first in small numbers and eventually in strength.

The English proved to be equally unwilling to face the Scots in the open as they were to face them on the walls of Nottingham and at one point the Scots were able to drive them from their seige works and take possession of their seige engine and ladders.

Eventually, after much wasted loss of English lives they gave up altogether, lifted the seige, and retreated back towards London.

[Didz]

Trouble with the Danes
It was soon after the lifting of the English seige of Nottingham that Edward was informed of the first trouble with the Danes.

Danish ships had been seen patrolling off the Scottish coast for months but in the late Summer of 1102 they began to attack trading vessels entering and leaving the port of Edinburgh. Edmund had sent ships of armed men to drive them off and had been successful in doing so, but the loss of Danish lives had meant that relations with the Danish court were now hostile and Edward was worried that this would become a distraction from his main objective of London.

He commissioned the building of three new Holks in Edinburgh, in the hope that this would dissuade the Danes from further aggression and sent his own ships across the North Sea to scout the Danish coast and establish whether the Danish were massing for an invasion. Initial reports suggest that they are not, but Edward is convinced it will only be a matter of time unless he can do something to mend the rift.

A diplomatic mission is called for and Edmund is instructed to look for a suitable emissary.