Repost
Britannia 1258
“At the beginning of 1258, the British Isles are in chaos. The Kingdom of England exercises influence over most of the Isles, but its power is contested from several theatres. In the far west, on Irish soil, England tenuously holds a network of fortresses that keep the Irish at bay. However, the chieftain Brian O'Neill has succeeded in uniting the Irish, and despite their lack of heavy infantry and financial difficulties, with a strong push they may seize the island. On the Marches, the Welsh have also been united, by Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, who threatens the lightly held English border fortresses and rules over a people who simply refuse to be subjugated. In the north, the English are allied with the fierce Scots, but this bond is untenable, and the only remaining question is when war in the Highlands will erupt. To the south, is the French, deviously waiting for the chance to take the Isles. Finally, the warlike Norwegians are returning to the Isles, having held the Isle of Man and the Hebrides for some time, their king coming personally to oversee the conquest of Britannia. England is the largest and richest faction in the isles, however they are very thinly spread, and incursions into their territories from the Welsh, Irish and even perhaps the Scots or Norwegians, seem inevitable unless action is taken. Time will tell who can come through blood and iron to unite Britannia.”
Gamestart: Winter 1257
32 SCs in Total 17 SCs to Win
3 Irish/3 Welsh/4 French/4 Norwegian/5 Scottish/13 English
There is a pre-game build phrase were players can choose what units.
Rules
Crossings
Armies can cross between Kent/Calais, Derry/Dalriada, Wick/Kirkwall, Stronoway/Skyes, Cardiff/Devon
Rivers
Fleets can move into spaces with rivers.
Norway and 1263
If Norway has not been eliminated by 1263, three Norwegian fleets arrive in Norwegian Sea, Northern North Sea, and Central North Sea, if not SCs are under Norwegian control then Norway has to disband units in 1264 to compensate for the new units.
Tips
England: The largest power, England should look to win quick or for a long haul victory. Ireland is hard to hold but, a useful springboard to project power in the western part of the board. Try to break up a Norwegian/Scottish Alliance or else the whole Northern England is in trouble. The French and Welsh should be properly contained by the fewest number of units till an opening is there for an English invasion. Above all England needs to be a superior diplomat, the only way England will win if the rest of the board is divided.
Scotland: Scotland has an interesting position, surrounding it is the time bomb known as Norway. It may be reasonable to take out or weaken Norway before the next Viking invasion happens. On the other hand a strong Scottish/Norwegian alliance can devastate England and Ireland with Norway mostly dealing with naval concerns and the Scottish highlanders smashing through the center. It might be tempting to ally with England but, remember England only needs 4 more SCs to win at the beginning of the game. Preferably wait till England has been cut down to size.
Ireland: Securing Ireland is your main concern, luckily the English will have a hard time holding or reinforcing such far off holding and there are other nations that can help but, be wary of any other nation trying to get a toehold on Ireland. The Welsh might be your best short term alliance since both powers will benefit against the English overlords. For the most part the Irish should secure Ireland and look to land on the British Isles for some payback and an Irish victory.
Norway: While building a lot of fleets is tempting with rivers about remember to build a least a couple of armies. Norway doesn’t really have any enemies to confront unless a power builds too many fleets. Norway should sit back, talk smoothly, and wait for a chance to claim some coastlines and go up river.
France: While France has a very secure position, France is possibly the slowest growing power. Speed here is critical if France doesn’t grow and gain a foothold on English soil then French chances at winning is remote. To that end try to work with Wales but, don’t give too much away. Your chances of victory rely not on brute strength; you can’t overcome England without help. No, France needs to be a good diplomat before being a good general.
Wales: A dangerous position, surrounded by the English with other powers just behind the English. Luckily, those other powers should be interested in helping Wales…for a price. Deciding what is affordable or what is easiest to take by a stab should be kept in the Welsh mind. If England falters, Wales is arguably the best power to capitalize on such event.