Faction Overview: England, by Awesome Eagle

Hello and welcome General. We have expected your arrival for many years now but you must have been unavoidably detained. We, The English peoples are ready to march the long road to victory and conquest. But before our journey together commences, you must be given a briefing on our lands, army and current situation, so that you may be better prepared for our campaign.

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Contents:


Our Lands

As English peoples, we hereby claim domination over the English Isles! Though of once Nordic and Norman stock, we are now English and should be allowed to rule the lands accordingly. Our seat of power rests in London, which I located in Southern England. This London is a not only our capital but is also a large town and where most of our yearly income is generated. We also hold two castles. The first and slightly more developed castle resides at Caen on the northern coast of what will become France. This was our original settlement some years ago before we made our invasion of England. The second castle resides in Nottingham, to the north of London. This castle is our main troop producing settlement on the British Isles and should be developed to allow for the recruitment of better troops for our armies.

Unfortunately this is currently the extent of our borders but they may be expanded quickly and easily by the subjugation of nearby rebel settlements both on the Isles and mainland Europe. These lands should prove to be easy conquests for a general of your talent. However in the far north of the British Isles lays a grave threat to our peace and security. The barbarous Scots inhabit the northern mountains and will prove to be a tough nut to crack in order to ascertain an domination over the isles.

Our Army

Whilst a land of gentlemen and ladies, we understand the need to fight in order to secure our security and power. The English are renowned for their ability as archers they are well trained and equipped to do battle with any foe from a distance. The best English troops are recruited from castles.

Infantry

Whilst not fighting with the same ferocity as our northern neighbours, our men are quite disciplined and form a very strong line that will prove tough for any foe to breakthrough. From our castles we can recruit:

  • Peasants: Mere farmers armed with simple weapons, are excellent cannon fodder.
  • Levy Spearmen: Common village and town folk levied into the army. They are armed with long spears and large shields and are useful in defending flanks from cavalry. However they will not survive long in a melee.
  • Billmen: Men armed and trained in the use of a billhook. These men are particularly effective against armoured opponents but are found lacking when pitted against sword wielding opponents.
  • Armoured Swordsmen: Represent the knightly class but with a desire to fight on foot. These men are armed with excellent armour and weapons and should provide you with the backbone to your armies.
  • Heavy Billmen: The highest aspiration of the English commoner infantry. The Heavy Billman is equally impressive in attack and defence and is particularly effective against armoured opponents. They can take much damage but are still found lacking when against sword wielding infantry. (EoJ’s note- best used as a cheap flanking unit)
  • Dismounted Feudal Knights: Knights that have dismounted and fight on foot. Make excellent heavy Infantry.

Cavalry

Whilst not able to field a great variety of cavalry, they are very effective and powerfull when used properly. The basic choice of cavalry for England can be augmented by the acquisition of the Knights Templar or a St John’s Chapter Guild. These Guilds respectively allow the training of the respective cavalry unit for use in the English armies. From our Castles we can recruit:

  • Hobilars: Light cavalry who are used to scout before an army. These cavalrymen shouldn’t be relied upon in battle, but are useful in chasing down routed units.
  • Mailed Knights: Basic heavy Cavalry, heavy armor, good charge, able to be used in close combat role.
  • Feudal Knights: Dominate the battlefield, knights are nobles who have been trained as warriors since birth, armed with a heavy lance and strong armor, have a powerful charge.
  • English Knights: True knights in shining armour. Brutally effectgive heavy cavalry. Wear a steel plate armour and have a very powerful charge. These knights should form the majority of your cavalry forces.

Missile

When men think of archery, the English longbowmen dominate their thoughts. Archery is the main strength of the English armys and should be used to great effect aginst an enermy. From our castles we can produce:

  • Peasant Archers: Peasants levied into the army and armed with a hunting bow and a knife. Should be kept out of hand to hand combat at all costs.
  • Longbowmen: Men trained from a young age to use the longbow. Can piece all but the best armour. However Longbowmen are suseptable to cavalry so sharpend stakes should be deployed to keep them at bay.
  • Yeoman Archers: Highly trained ranged troops armed with a longbow, a large mallet and a small shield. Can deploy sharpened stakes. Once out of ammo, can be used in a supporing infantry role.
  • Retinue Longbowmen: Professional and highly trained archers. Are well armoured and equipped and can be used in many different roles.
  • Sherwood Archers: Hailing from Sherwood forest, these expert longbowmen have trained from youth to hunt and have turned their skills against foreign enemies. With a expert ability to camouflage themselves anywhere, these men can lay deadly ambushes.

Militia

Building a barracks in a city will allow you to recruit militia soldiers. These units are merely townspeople with some training and equipment. Maybe sent into battle but are more useful in garrisoning towns. The militia units are:

  • Town Militia: Peasants and commoners levied with only a little training, equipped with a short spear and a small shield, won’t survive long in battle.
  • Spear Militia: Commoners and peasants levied with some training, equipped with a spear and a large shield, somewhat useful against cavalry and flanking.
  • Archer Militia: Bow equipped peasants called on to provide a garrison of missile troops. Poorly armed and should only be used against the enermy from behind their own walls.
  • Bill Militia: Commoners armed with a billhook and formed to garrison a city. Not comparable to Billmen recruited from castles but may be useful in defending the flanks.
  • Heavy Bill Militia: Citizen soldiers called up to fight in a time of need. Are well armoured and have some training in war. A capable unit that do some serious damage in battle. (EoJ’s note- Again, best used as a cheap flanking unit)

Seige

Siege weapons can be built when you construct a Ballista maker in a castle or city. These weapons allow armies with them to immediately assault a settlement without having to wait the regular 2 years to build siege equipment.

  • Ballista: A giant crossbow that hurls huge javelins that can take down small walls and piece any armor.
  • Catapult: A catapult throws large rocks at walls and troops, does a lot of damage to both.
  • Trebuchet Result of the evolution of siege machines, very powerful machine that hurls huge boulders and even throw rotting cows.

Our Starting Situation

To undertake these conquests we have a large army. Currently General, we have an Army located in the northern part of the Nottingham region. This army is vital to take York before the vile scots and contains Prince Rufus and his bodyguard, 2 battalions of Peasant Archers and 2 battalions of Spear Militia. This army may need reinforcement to successfully take York. Reinforcements for this army can be found in Nottingham. The garrison of this castle includes a battalion of Peasant Archers and 2 battalions of Spear Militia.

The garrison of London should be emptied and the units taken north to join the northern army. The garrison consists of King William and his bodyguard, a battalion of Peasants, a battalion of Town Militia and 2 battalions of Spear Militia. On Mainland Europe we have a large army also. The garrison of Caen includes Robert and his bodyguards, a battalion of Peasant Archers, and 2 battalions of Spear Militia. However the army to the west of Caen is stronger with 3 battalions of Spear Militia, a battalion of Peasant Archers and a battalion of Peasants.

Our faction also has a small navy consisting of 2 Cogs located in the Channel and at the mouth of the Thames near London.

There are several people in our family that gives their lives to ensure the success of our faction. These men and women are our agents. The first is Cardinal Aston. This man is in the cardinals college and with clever use, may become the next pope and look favourably on his homeland. The second is the daughter of King William, Princess Cecilia. The Princess is a valuable asset to the king and can be married off to a favourable general or can be used as a diplomat on her father’s behalf. The third is the Diplomat Laurence Bidell. This man is a keen negotiator and should be used to garner trade agreements and alliances with favourable nations. The fourth agent is the Merchant Samuel Blacke. This man may travel the land, selling resources for a profit, of which he gives to the English crown.

Holy Christians

Since the spreading of Christianity to England during the Roman occupation, the English have been mostly god fearing Catholics. Since we are Christians, we are enabled to build churches and chapels in our settlements and castles. These churches are beneficial to public order and will slowly turn a populace to Christianity, making them easier to control. Being Christian allows us to undertake crusades and ask them to be called upon a settlement of our choice that is out of favour with the Pope. Should the Pope call a crusade onto the Holy Land and the situation is stable on the Isle, it may be beneficial to heed the call and establish a toehold in the east for unlimited expansion against a Muslim foe.


Thus noble and Courageous Gentlemen, you have seen informed of our Country. Now LEAD US TO VICTORY!!