NationStates Jolt Archive

Today King William the Conqueror has announced a massive invasion of the land to the west of England, Wales. These people have resisted Norman rule for more than 20 years, and will finally be brought to heel.

King William began with secret messages to the nobles of Wales. He promised those that joined him any loyalist lands in return for their fealty. Seeing this as a way to gain wealth, some nobles agreed and fought against the rest. Meanwhile, an army of 20,000 men, including 5,000 knights and 5,000 longbowmen, are marching into Welsh territory. The invasion has been kept largely secret, and the loyal Welsh have been caught somewhat by surprise.

The King's eldest son, Robert Curthose, is leading the invasion, as the King is too old himself. Meanwhile, a small detatchment of England's recently created Navy from converted trading cogs has been assembled, and a small force of 1,000 men are sailing along the Welsh coast, capturing castles and pillaging enemy armies.

King William has sent to his allies, Gascony, Castille, Denmark, and Flandern, to send what aid they can to him. He understands if they are busy and cannot send a large contingent, as this is a relatively minor war and he hopes to move onto bigger and better conquests once this is over.

His Grace, the Duke of Saxony, offers 300 knights and 700 men-at-arms for His Most August Majesty William Plantagent's campaign against the Welsh in an alliance with terms including:
1. Mutual aid against agressors
2. Co-operation in repelling Norse piracy in the German Ocean
3. Favorable treatment of merchants from Bremen and Hamburg in English and Norman Ports.

King William the Conqueror is overjoyed to hear of these terms from Saxony. Norse piracy has become a concern, and our other ally, Denmark, is being raided by them. We fully agree to your alliance and thank you for the soldiers.

A decisive battle has been fought on the Welsh border. The Welsh attacked from their homeland after a rainstorm to attempt to surprise the English. Though they partially achieved their purpose, they were spotted 1,000 feet away, and by the time the armies were separated by 800 feet the longbowmen were sending clouds of arrows into the oncoming Welsh knights.

It was a massacre. The Welsh were bogged down in the muddy ground, and when some were killed the dead fouled up the ground even more. Soon the enemy were at a standstill several hundred feet away, constantly being pelted with arrows.

The Welsh longbowmen had drawn their bows on either side of the attacking knights to fight the supporting English infantry, but a successful flanking assault by Robert Curthose himself with the Norman knights successfully routed the longbowmen, and while the Welsh knights were pinned down the Normans smashed through the entire Welsh battle line from behind, killing the light infantry in droves and making the other bloc of longbowmen on the other flank of the Welsh army surrender to the English.

It has been a stunning victory, and the new longbow tactics are lauded throughout the land, though the noblemen scoff at such unchivalrous methods, and point out that it was their knight's charge that destroyed most of the Welsh army.

3,000 men-at-arms have died in the battle, as well as 1,000 knights. A Welsh longbow force of 1,500 has been captured and sent to Northumbria for service, far away from the fighting, while the majority of the Welsh army was destroyed, most of the infantry and all of the knights. In a relatively successful mopping-up operation, the Norman knights led by Robert rounded up many more prisoners from the fled among the enemy, though due to the proximity to Welsh lands most of the survivors escaped intact.

With news of the victory, several more Welsh fiefdoms have joined the English, and Robert's army, after resupplying, is venturing further into Welsh territory.

The sea raiding has proved successful, and the navy is also being used to reinforce those Welsh nobles that have joined the English cause.

King Olaf received news of raids at Skagen, but also a request for aid in attacking Wales. He did not wish to dissapoint his allies or his people. He sent a message to the King

We will be sending 1,000 Huscarles, 500 Knights and 3,000 Swordsmen to aid you in your conquest, we would send more but Vikings are attacking our shores.

We are eternally grateful to our Scandinavian allies for their support. If you cannot offer these troops due to struggles at home, then we cannot with a clear conscience accept them. After all, this is a relatively minor war, and we will need your aid more importantly in wars to come.

Therefore, review your troops, and if they would be better served fighting in Denmark, so be it. We might even be able to spare a thousand or so of our soldiers to help you.

We can afford to send these men, the raids consist of a minor number of vikings. We just need enough to quell the threat, which won't require many. Our troops are en-route to William as we speak. They should arrive within a couple of days. Though we thankyou for your concern.

(Hey Cal, great RP, but I do believe Phil says you must have sombody RP the resistance for you. Not to be an ass or anything, but rules are rules...)

(OOC: If you're looking for a resistance RPer then I'd love to get my hands dirty, just let me do some research first)

OOC: Awesome! I'm used to RPs where everyone's too inactive to do resistance, I've become accustomed to doing it myself, but it'd be great if you would. Kro, didn't know about that rule but thanks.

Anyway, will hold off till Spooty has some info, but I want to get this rolling if possible.

(OOC: I have enough info to start)

Caladonn, what the hell? You RP both sides?! "My goes went in and won". Quite efficinet way to fight a war. Fon't you think there should be Phil, as it usually is the MainMod, or someone else to play the non-played factions? I find it rather inane to attack and then just announce that enemy made an idiotic attack and got slaugthered.... :confused:

A quote from Philanchez in the Reconquista thread...

OOC: I someone doesnt RP them me and scandinvans will be forced to do it our selves and that makes it no fun...

You notice from this that Philanchez does allow RPs in which you RP the resistance. As I said before, in other RPs I've done other players were only willing to do major resistances, and so I didn't think anyone would want to do this. However, happily I was proved wrong, and I now have a defender... yay!

The enemy force just tried an idiot attack and got slaughtered? Umm... Well, often people attempt to use weather to their advantage, especially in home territory. Weather is unpredictable, and sometimes it doesn't work out, like now. The Normans used their inexperienced longbowmen to create a diversion while the main force of Norman knights attacked from the sides. Most of the Welsh survivors got away due to the proximity to their own territory.

Although I certainly could have made it harder, I don't think this is in any way inane. It is, after all, only an opening battle in the war for Wales. The English will have their share of bad luck later on.

I'm ready to start also, btw. Despite what I said, I'm willing to redo the first battle as people seem to have problems with it.

IC: The English force is massing on the edge of Wales. A small maritime force has begun harrassing Welsh villages, and King William has sent secret letters offering a retention of much sovereignty and even a splitting up of conquered lands among nobles that aid the Norman cause.

OOC: No, I think I need to apologize for this one... I hadn't noticed Phil saying anything about the issue. Again, I posted too hastily. If what you're doing has his approval, then I should have nothing to whine about, and I will end it here. Sorry for the inconvenience.

OOC: Nah, it's fine. I'm too used to doing my own RPs I forgot that small RPs are still sometimes RPed by other players. This is my first major RP on the NS Forums, most of them have been less-active offsite RPs. Thanks for your comments, I appreciate your complaint and I hope this RP with Spooty will be more interesting.

Gruffydd ap Cynan had taken power over Northern Wales thanks in due part to the Danish and the Normans who now attacked the Southern Clans, it was the pinnicle in flip-flopping which had both angered and confused Gruffydd who immediatly sent a message to the Norman king William

Message From King Gruffydd ap Cynan

To King William The Conquerer,

Why do you attack now after having aided my into power? Was it some trick or do you plan on including me some part in this plot of your's, being as I owe so much to you I am willing to negotiate, if you leave me as King of this province but under your control then I will have satisfaction, otherwise I will be forced to mobilise and combat you.

OOC: Sorry, didn't realise I put you in power...

IC: To My Dear Friend King Cynan,
I sincerely regret this. You can certainly stay as provincial King, and I welcome Wales into the Kingdom.

Sincerely,
William I

With Wales joining the Kingdom, some troops have traveled there to ensure that the change of hands is peaceful, but the goodwill of the King goes a long way towards that. The English have indicated that they will pay a handsome wage to all skilled longbowmen willing to serve in the Army, and this will hopefully also increase goodwill.

A new castle building project to protect Wales from the Vikings has been started also.

The saxon forces arrived after the main battle was fought and had nought to do but assist in the mop up. Staying long enough to see that the land was now firmly in the hands of the English King's vassel, they began their way home with few losses.

OCC I figured you'd be fighting a war of subjegation for some time so I figure my men would arrive after the first major battle, not thinking a vassel king would be quickly installed.

OOC: I will obviously have some discontent for a while, and I'll keep troops stationed there.

(OOC: that's lol, but it's cool, I only just found out when I decided to re-read Cynans profile, what's even weirder is that the Saxons also helped meaning that both the people who aided him to head honcho wanted his blood.)