Faction Overview: France by Awesome Eagle

Bonjour et bienvenue de commandant. We have waited many years for your arrival to the once great nation of France and now that you are here, we may finally unite our country and reclaim our pride and the glory of France! But before we begin to reclaim our lands, we must give you a briefing on our Lands, our army and our current situation, so you may be better prepared for our journey together.

Comments? Questions? Leave your thoughts in this thread.

Contents


Our Lands

As French peoples, France is our land. However, we are a shadow of our former selves. Our capital lies in Paris, located on the banks of the River Seine. This is a large town and is our most advanced city. To the east of Paris lies the township of Rheims. Rheims is a small township that, with a little bit of growth will become a large town and enhance our power in the region. Our castle of Angers is located to the east of Paris. This is quite an underdeveloped castle and may be better suited to become a township and boost our trade and income from the area. In the south of France, on the boarder to the Spanish Kingdoms, rests our greatest castle, Toulouse. This city is situated strategically to protect southern France from an invasion by the Spanish and this castle should be further developed to make it our main troop producing castle. To the west of Toulouse is our city of Marseille. This city is located on the French side of the Alps and should have a large enough garrison to prevent any of the fiendish Italians from acquiring it.

Unfortunately this is the extent of our lands. However this may be quickly rectified with the acquisition of several rebel owned cities on our boarders. The capture of these cities will massively increase our power, wealth and influence over the country side. However there are a number of external threats to our lands. One threat comes from the north is from the despicable English. They seek to unify England then push themselves into mainland Europe. From the east comes the threat from the once great Holy Roman Empire. From the south east come the fiendish Italians, looking for wealth and land to steal from us. And from the south comes the dastardly Spanish who seek to carve out their own part of France at our expense.

Our Army

To regain the glory of our nation we know that we must take up arms. Everyone from the king to the poorest peasant must fight for France! We French are renowned for our use of heavy cavalry, especially our knights who do our nation proud on the battlefield. The best French troops are recruited from our castles.

Infantry

Whilst the pride of our nation is our cavalry, we have developed some well-trained, disciplined and sophisticated infantry to act as our anvil for a cavalry attacks. From our castles we are able to recruit:

  • Peasants: Mere peasants armed with simple weapons, are excellent cannon fodder.
  • Sergeant Spearmen: Professional warriors drawn from the lower classes. Carry a large shield and a spear and form a solid defensive unit. Useful in defending the flanks from enemy cavalry attacks.
  • Armoured Sergeants: Professional warriors drawn from the lower classes and armed with a large shield, a spear and wear mail armour. Very solid defensive unit able to withstand attacks from both cavalry and foot soldiers.
  • Voulgier: Soldiers armed with a very long voulge (polearm). These men are effective in defence and form a spear wall that is very effective against cavalry.
  • Pikemen: Soldiers carrying a 5m long pike. These men are a well-trained unit that can present a deadly wall of spears that can stop a cavalry charge dead. They can form a spear wall and are best used in woods or snow that further restricts enemy cavalry movement.
  • Dismounted Feudal Knights: Knights that have dismounted and fight on foot. Make excellent heavy infantry.
  • Dismounted Noble Knights: The elite of the French Aristocracy and they have an élan that is unrivalled. These men have the best arms and armour and form an excellent heavy infantry unit.

Cavalry

The cavalry is the true flower of the French armies. We French have developed extremely effective heavy cavalry that may possibly be the best in the known world and our enemies rightly fear the mere sound of their hoofs. Our excellent cavalry choice is additionally augmented by the ability to recruit Knights Templars and Knights Hospitaller once their respective guild is constructed. The best French cavalry is recruited from castles:

  • Mounted Sergeants: lesser armed cavalry that ride in the company of the knights. Although not comparable to real knights, they can still perform well against a lesser armed or routed enemy.
  • Mailed Knights: Basic heavy cavalry, heavy armour and a good charge, able to be used in a close combat role.
  • Feudal Knights: Knights that dominate the battle field. Trained as warriors from birth, these men are armed with a heavy lance, strong armour and have a powerful charge.
  • Chivalric Knights: True knights in shining armour that are brutally effective. Armed with long lances and steel plate armour, these knights sweep almost all opposition away before them.
  • Lancers: Elite warriors and the ultimate evolution of the Knight. Their craft, weapons and armour have all been perfected by decades of experience. These knights are the masters of the battlefield.
  • Noble Knights: The elite of the French aristocracy and can afford the best arms and armour. Proud and brave, they are usually found in the front of an immediate and devastating charge.

Missile

Whilst not as taken to archery as their northern neighbours, we French have produced a nonetheless effective array of missile troops for our armies. From our castles we are able to produce:

  • Peasant Archers: Peasants that have been levied into the army and armed with a hunting bow and a knife. These men should be kept out of hand to hand combat at all costs.
  • Peasant Crossbowmen: Peasants equipped with a crossbow and a knife to provide mass missile fire. Unarmoured and should be kept out of hand to hand combat at all times.
  • Crossbowmen: Men equipped and trained in the use of the Crossbow. Effective against armour, the crossbow is an effective ranged weapon.
  • Aventurier: Highly patriotic nobles skilled in the use of the crossbow and sword. Whilst primarily used as missile troops, they are well armoured and skilled with a sword so they may be used as shock troops if need be.

Militias

Once a barracks is built in a city then you are able to recruit several types of militias. Whilst not as effective as castle trained troops, they are well used as garrisons to keep the city safe and free of crime. From our cities we are able to produce:

  • 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.
  • Crossbow Militia: Townsfolk quickly trained to use the crossbow, they are poorly armoured and are expected to hide behind their own defensive walls.
  • Voulge Militia: Reasonably well armoured and able to defend themselves, these commoners are good garrison troops.
  • Pike Militia: Commoners armed with a pike and with a modest amount of training, these troops can hold a defensive position very well but need support because of lack of armour.
  • Pikemen: Soldiers carrying a 5m long pike. These men are a well-trained unit that can present a deadly wall of spears that can stop a cavalry charge dead. They can form a spear wall and are best used in woods or snow that further restricts enemy cavalry movement.
  • French Mounted Archers: Available once a Military academy is built in a city, these professional soldiers are armed with powerful bows and horses that provide them mobility. These men are modelled on the English Longbowmen.
  • Gendarmes: Available once a Royal Officer’s Academy is built in a city, these cavalrymen are equipped as knights and can be used effectively as heavy cavalry.

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 Current Situation

Whilst we are a mere shadow of our former selves, there are many opportunities in the lands surrounding us for easy and quick conquests. These opportunities are towns and castles occupied by rebels. They will prove to be very important conquests and will help us to increase our power and influence over the country side, whilst denying our close neighbour this.

Our opportunities are the township of Dijon to the south of Rheims, Metz to the east of Rheims, Bruges and Antwerp to the north of Paris and Rheims, Rennes to the North West of Angers, Bordeaux to the north west of Toulouse. The capture of these lands before another power is able to, will massively increase the power and wealth of our kingdom.

To undertake these conquests quickly we have already assembled a large army stationed throughout France. Currently commandant, we have some large garrisons in our cities that may be useful to capture the rebel cities on our boarders. Firstly, in our capital of Paris, resides our King Philip, a battalion of Crossbow Militia, a battalion of Peasant Archers and 2 battalions of Spear Militia. In Rheims rests Raoulet Poitevin and his body guard, 2 battalions of Spear Militia, a battalion of Peasant Archers, and a battalion of Town Militia. Nearby we have an army located on the boarder of Rheims and Dijon. This army contains a squadron of Mailed Knights, 2 battalions of Spear Militia and a battalion of Peasant Archers. It is recommended that we reinforce this force to take Dijon quickly and move on the Metz.

In Angers, we have Guillemont de Lyon and his bodyguard, 2 battalions of Peasant Archers and 2 battalions of Sergeant Spearmen. With some reinforcement this army could possibly take Rennes before the vile English get their hands on it. In the Toulouse, in the south of France, we have Prince Louis and his Bodyguard, 2 battalions of Sergeant Spearmen and a battalion of Peasant Archers. To the north west of Toulouse is an army with a squadron of Mailed Knights, 2 Battalions of Peasant Archers and 2 battalions of Spear Militia. It is advice that this force be reinforced before attempting to take Bordeaux. And finally in Marseille we have Perrin Gassou and his bodyguard, 2 battalions of Peasant Archers and 2 battalions of Sergeant Spearmen.

Currently, our nation has no fleet but once a coastal settlement in the north like Rennes, Bruges or Antwerp is captured, it is recommended that we build a fleet to contest the English Channel and prevent reinforcements being landed if war is to come.

For our mission to reunite France we have loyal band of agents willing to die for our cause. The first of our agents is the Cardinal Etienne Tristram. This man is in the cardinal’s college and with some clever use, may become the next pope and look with favour and his homeland. The second is the daughter of our King Philip, and that is Princess Constance. 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 spy Aubert Febre. This man will be vital to our early expansion and is located next to Dijon. Sending him into Dijon will give us a chance of him opening the gates of the town so we may not have to spend time on a siege.

We Holy Christians

Since the spreading of Christianity through the late Roman Empire, we French and our ancestors have been devout Christians. Since we are Christians we are able to build churches and chapels in our settlements. Not only are do these give a bonus to public order but they also slowly turn the populace of a region to Christianity. Being Christians allows us to take part in a crusade. These are massively beneficial to us as this may allow us to acquire a foothold in the rich Middle East, allowing us unlimited expansion against the Muslim foe.

Mods

France features greatly in many Mods. The most famous two are the Retrofit Mod and the Mongolphobia Mod. These mods change small aspects of the French by modifying some unit statistics and balancing the campaign.


Thus Noble Commandant, you have been briefed on we French peoples, our lands, our army and our current situation. Now lead us to VICTORY!