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Hey! I was just looking for inspiration from any "grand campaign" AARs, since I'm starting my own...and felt completely overwhelmed. While others have obviously put a lot of respectable work and research into their projects, there was simply too much information.

Then I found yours...and it is brilliant. :D

Enough to keep me interested and informed, not so much that I get intimidated. Perfect use of pictures, too. Assuming I have your permission, I'd like to steal the format (propery creditted, of course).

So, let me know, and keep up the great updates!
 
Spothisto said:
Is this dead?
Not really. Only dead late. I am quite sorry to continue to keep everyone waiting, but there is probably no way I am going to find the time to continue before the Christmas holidays. But do not give up hope. I still have quite a bit of material to post and I have vowed not to let it rest until I have completed this AAR.

~Lord Valentine~
 
Lord Valentine said:
Not really. Only dead late. I am quite sorry to continue to keep everyone waiting, but there is probably no way I am going to find the time to continue before the Christmas holidays. But do not give up hope. I still have quite a bit of material to post and I have vowed not to let it rest until I have completed this AAR.

~Lord Valentine~

So is this now officially dead?
 
Scotticus said:
So is this now officially dead?
No! There is a German saying along the lines of: "never say never". I still want to continue this AAR but I am way to busy at the moment. I am studying hard for my A-levels exams in April. At the same time I am taking driving lessons and looking for a place where I can spend my 9 months of social service after I leave school in summer. So I have got a lot on my mind at the moment and little free time to write on.

But still if do hope to put the Scottish kilt back on once the worst is passed and lead the Kingdom of Scots to new glory. :)

~Lord Valentine~
 
Quite a few people thought this AAR to be dead. And who could blame them after 5 months without update! I have finally found the time to write an update again and hopefully will be able to continue it on a fairly regular basis. Wish me luck. :p

Ranald I "the Conquerer"​
Born 1135 - Died 1183
Ruled 1140-1183

4-3.jpg

The Regency Years
1140-1152​

Part Two: Intrigue and Conquest


The Cast:


Ranald I, King of Scotland, Ireland and Wales
Roger Dunkeld, Duke of Strathclyde and Atholl, member of the regency council
Sir Magnus of Västmanland, Marshal of the Royal Armies and member of the regency council and tutor and guardian of Ranald I
Centule I, King of England

While all seemed to be quiet in Scotland one of the greatest medieval conflicts was erupting in eastern Europe. The Kingdom of Bohemia had seen a continuous rise since the late 11th century leading the conquest of Poland in 1120. This rise in power however lead king Vacláv I into a dangerous rivalry with the Holy Roman Emperor and in 1143 this erupted in a giant war between the current Emperor Ödon (Otto) V and Vacláv I, which was to last until 1150.

But even know as central- and eastern Europe fell into a horrific conflict not all was quiet in Scotland. There had been an uneasy peace in the regency council for the last two years but Lord Rogers desire for power and influence was a constant threat to the precarious stability. In 1143 the Duke finally struck. Knights wearing Lord Rogers’s livery forced their way into Edinburgh Castle and seized young king Ranald and his tutor Sir Magnus of Västmanland. The following day the Dukes heralds announced that the "shameless foreigner" Magnus had tried to bring about the young kings doom by ways of sorcery and the poor man was hang, drawn and quartered to the applause of the masses that rejoiced at the destruction of a foreigner in such a high position.


1-3.jpg

And thus ends valorous Sir Magnus...


With the young monarch in his hands the de facto rule of Roger Dunkeld from 1143-1151 began. The early years of the regency dominated by Lord Roger where peaceful and productive with an remarkable absence of inner strife. The year 1146 saw the congregation of a great clerical council which inquired into the question how far the kings rights concerning the appointment of bishops went. Researching deeply in the monastic archives the council came to the conclusion that "our most noble Lord King Ranald by ancient laws and costumes of the realm of Scotland is the head of the church and may make and unmake bishops as it pleases his majesty." This most extraordinary position taken by the clergy in favour of their monarch and very much against the Pope would be recalled as an important argument in during the reformation, but had little immediate effect for Ranald declared that he had "neither need or want to rule the church" and preferred to let leave this to the Holy Father in Krakau.

Scotland1146.png

The political situation in Britain 1146. Scotland (blue) and England (red) are the dominant powers. The grey areas are held by the Kingdom of Norway as fief from Scotland.​

The balance of power in Britain at the same time was a quite promising one. Englands king Centule like his counterpart across the channel was suffering from increasing insanity. Additionally he relied on a large group of hated favourites which added injustice and misgovernment to an allready difficult situation. Not surprisingly great parts of the country, including the Earldoms of Warwick and Norfolk where in open rebellion. The county of Leicester on the Anglo-Scottish border had also broken all ties with the royal administration in London.
Capitalizing on this most convenient circumstance Lord Roger summoned a major feudal host to York in Spring 1147 and lead it across the border. Within two weeks all castles in Leicester had been overrun and the army returned home in triumph. The minstrels where still busy singing about the most recent Scottish triumph over the English when the news of the death of Centule and the rise of his cousin to the throne of England as Robert II brought about a new and dangerous situation...




~Lord Valentine~
 
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Soon there will be no England, but Scotland. :D
 
Chilperic: Yeah it's quite a resurrection isn't it? :)

Kurt_Steiner: I didn't anticipate this development when I started the game. But as you will see in the next update: Englands not dead yet.

~Lord Valentine~
 
Ranald I "the Conquerer"​
Born 1135 - Died 1183
Ruled 1140-1183

4-3.jpg

The Regency Years
1140-1152​

Part Three: The three Lions are out to hunt


The Cast:


Ranald I, King of Scotland, Ireland and Wales
Roger Dunkeld, Duke of Strathclyde and Atholl, Lord Protector of the Realm
Robert II, King of England
Roger of Seymur, Constable of England
Geoffroy I, King of France

It was clear that with the acquisition of Leicester Scotland tread on dangerous ground. Many Anglo-Norman barons were enraged at yet another Scottish expansion southward and urged both their king and their peers to cease their futil struggle against each other and to join arms instead to drive these "Celts" back into the barren mountains from which they had come. To discuss this danger another parliament was summoned to Edinburgh in December 1146. This second parliament was a important hallmark in the development of this institution. For the first time not only the lay and clerical magnates where summoned but also representatives of the shires and cities. This novelty had is origins in the Roman law principle "qoud omnes tangent ab obmnes approbetur" (what touches all shall be decided by all). The parliament made two important decisions. The first was to elect a special commission of five magnates, headed by Lord Roger as "Lord Protector of the Realm", whose task it was to ready the country for a possible upcoming conflict. The second meant striking a deal with the Papacy. In exchange for absolut papal sovereignity over the Scottish Church Pope Urban IV recognized all Scottish possesions south of Berwick (and therefore in England).

All of these preparations came just in time for in January 1147 news spread that king Centule of England had died (some claimed he was poisoned by a disgruntled subject whose petition he had rejected). However with his nephew Robert II a king who was determined to regain his "just" rights came to the throne.


2-3.jpg

King Robert II "the Harsh" of England (ruled: 1147-1161)

And indeed war was imminent. Scotland’s ally Geoffroy of France, in one of his rare moments of sanity, had decided to seize the opportunity to take possession of the English holdings in Normandy. This quite naturally meant war and Scotland, "bound by honour, treaty and friendship" joined in support of the French. The forces held in readiness by the Protector Roger marched out in spring and after conducting a great raid deep into English territory conquered Lincolnshire. In April the levies that had been hastily arranged by the English where completely annihilated. Taking a closer look at the situation these Scottish successes lose a lot of their magnificence. Robert II had on hearing the news of the outbreak of war taken the majority of his forces to the continent to confront the in his eyes greater threat of the French. In April he won a devastating victory in Normandy and thereby forced the French king, who had to fear internal instability due to his insanity and lack of success, to agree to a truce. Robert was now free to concentrate all his forces against the Scots.

The Scottish army in the meantime had returned north and reached Durham when in May news reached them that Robert II had devastated the Midlands and was advancing towards Scotland with a great host. A council of the great nobles present discussed which course of action should be taken. Lord Roger argued that it would be wise to retreat to Scotland. It would be impossible for Robert to supply such large a army for a longer period of time. Also Roberts unpopularity and the rebelliousness of his vassals would force him back home before the end of the year. When the enemy was thus weakened should the Scots strike. The majority of those present however strongly protested against this course of action. Scotland’s honour was at stack! The victories of the past 15 years had greatly increased the self-esteem of the Scottish soldiers. They would not run away from the English like in the old days. They would fight. And thus the scene was set for the First Battle of Durham on the 29th of May 1147.


dhm463.jpg

An idealized 20th century painting showing King Robert II and the knights of his houshold advancing at the outset of the battle.

All in all the Scots numbered some 16.000 men. 1.200 of these were heavily armoured knights, sergeants and men-at-arms. The English mustered some 11.000 men with 850 knights. Their infantry however was more differs and effective, including some 2.500 battle hardened Breton mercenaries.

The Scots did not have much of a battle plan. It was simply decided to charge the enemy and run him down through superior numbers and valour.


battlefield.jpg

The site of the battle of Durham today.

It was an awing site when the 1.200 Scottish riders thundered across the plain against their foe. It was a charge that no conventional infantry force would have been able to withstand and the common wisdom of the day would have been to counter it with a counter charge of ones own knights. Roger of Seymur, the Constable of England however had advised Robert II well. The English infantry was well entrenched with stakes built up in front of them. Behind them pikemen formed the first defensive row while archers supported them from behind. It was into this human fortress that the Scots charged.

battle1.jpg

The Scots clash with the English line of defense.

And against all expectations the Scottish attack was halted. The knights where unable to make a significant breakthrough against the thick formation of stakes and men and where they did they where cut down individually. In a state of frustration the Scots hoped that their infantry would force them entrance into the main enemy lines and a fierce fight ensued. It was now that the English knights who so far had been held back and covered in the woods on the flanks lead and inspired by king Robert himself clashed into the flanks and rear of the Scottish infantry. The only lightly armed infantrymen melted away like ice in the desert sun and those who could not get away quickly where cut down by the English hobilar light cavalry which followed the charge of the knights. At the same time the heavy English infantry went over to the attack.

Unbenannt.jpg
The tide turns against the Scots.​

The situation was now clearly hopeless for the Scottish knights. They where being attacked from the front by the English infantry, from the flanks by English knights and in their rear the king Robert II himself was preparing to enter the melee. Lord Roger was the first to abandon the fight and flee. Many others followed his suit trying to through off parts of their armour on their way. But to no avail. Over 350 Scottish knights where killed that day with another 400 being taken prisoner. The infantry casualties where even more horrific with 6.000 killed and 3.500 taken prisoner. The English had lost only 900 infantrymen and 25 heavy riders, only one of which was a knight.
The English had, as a Scottish chronicle complained, won a battle through "deceit, dishonor and the betrayal of all which might be called chivalrous conduct."...


~Lord Valentine~
 
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I'm very glad to see this AAR come back to life :cool: too bad it's with this scottish defeat. I hope Lord Roger will be able to regroup and save the kingdom from the perfidious Albion...
 
The English had, as a Scottish chronicle complained, won a battle through "deceit, dishonour and the betrayal of all which might be called chivalrous conduct."...
:D

Great to see this AAR back, and that you`re roleplaying to make things harder than in normal game. I hope that you`ll update regularly (this is megacampaign after all) :). Those two last pics - are they M2tw screenshots? If yes, what kind of mod you`re using (it looks awesome)?

tm
 
It lives, excellent. A brief setback, I say. No one stops Scotland.
 
Agincourt revisited...

No matter, Scotland will soon strike again...

I hope...
 
Wow... what a blow against Scotland. Just like the medieval English though - to fight shrewdly, I mean unfairly, to beat the odds. How will Scotland recover?
 
I am overjoyed to see that I have still got so many intersted readers. Cheers to you friends!

gigau: I'm glad you enjoy the show. :) But this isn't the last chapter of this conflict. After all I promised you the greatest war in the British isles since ancient times.

thrashing mad:Thanks! But it might be a week until the next update because I am very busy with school (and a big party to celebrate begining of the easter holidays :cool:) this week. Where the screenshots are concerned I actually don't know where their from. I just searced for pictures of battles in the medieval era and found them.

JimboIX: That's the right attitude! Scotland the brave will outlast them!

Kurt_Steiner: The Scots aren't the kind of people to give up at the first setback. Look at how stubbornly they resumed the fight time and time again against Edward I!

General_BT: Well the Scots where getting a little "victory drunk". This defeat should have brougth them back to earth again. If they stand together against English agression (allthough in the last few years the Scots where the agressors if we're honest. :p) they still have a chance.

~Lord Valentine~
 
I like to see the player lose sometimes... Makes the AAR more intresting..

Question: Didn't you make an AAR under the name Imperator Valantine on the (Sadly now death) Rtr forums?
 
Deamon said:
I like to see the player lose sometimes... Makes the AAR more intresting..

Question: Didn't you make an AAR under the name Imperator Valantine on the (Sadly now death) Rtr forums?
Your right! I wrote several AARs under the name Imperator Valentine. Ah the good old days of the RTR forum. I hope to see them revived once RTR 7 is out. :)

~Lord Valentine~