summer ends quietly

The Angles, the Welsh, and the armyless Irish all pass.

The autumn of 1003 begins with another Scots turn.

updating the map

Here's a current map, showing the impending tussle over the heights of Slieve Gullion.

crashing and bashing

It has been pointed out to me that, in the process of losing Armagh, the remaining Irish troops are eliminated. As vassals of the Scots, the Irish retain Armagh, but they will have to rebuild their army.

The Danes having passed, the Normans rode south from York to attack London. The English, perhaps having strayed out in the noonday sun too often, marched out to fight them in the open field. The Normans first stormed the small hillfort that the English had garrisoned and left their baggage in. The Normans slew the guards and looted the baggage, then fought back and forth, eventually killing off enough of the "small men" (skirmishers) that the few remaining English took to their heels. The Normans paraded into London and established their Duke as "King of All Britain". (2BUA-0, 4 Prestige for the Normans, the English lose 3 Sp, 1 Ps total, retain London, but become Norman vassals).

The English pass in their turn; it is now the turn of the Welsh.

special report from our Scottish correspondent

The Welsh prince, full of bravado, landed at Mann to relieve the besieged Irish populace at Castle Mann. The Scots, seeking retribution for a disastrous Irish invasion of the Strathclyde, had been laying siege for months now.

The Scots elected to attack the Welsh Prince as the tide was out, keeping the Irish army on their boats all day.

King Malcolm III and the Eachernthiergna (Horse Lords) rode from left to right across the front of the pagan enemy encouraging his clansmen and thegn warriors forward from their traditional place of honor on the right of the Scottish line.

A dispatch of Scottish light horse fell to the javelin ambush of the Welsh psiloi, but the ensuing highlander charge drove them to the safety of the hillsides leaving the mounted Prince of Wales to face them in a stand off.

As the Prince of Wales vacillated across the field from the ferocious clansmen, Malcolm III and his horsemen slammed into the ranks of the Welshmen.

Inserting themselves between the water and the Welsh left flank, Malcolm's horsemen and thegns rolled up the befuddled and helpless Welshmen. Ignoring their pitiful cries for mercy, the Christian Scots dispatched thousands of the pagans and the fields of Mann ran red with blood. [Here your editor will interject the observation that, of course, the Welsh are all good Christians too, intent on slaughtering their neighbours to the greater glory of God.] The Welsh prince fled the field, leaving the Gracious Bishop of Villanova de Popecki to negotiate safe conduct for the Welsh camp followers and store of rarebit.

The main Scottish shield wall, watched the battle while eating cheese and drinking wine (again?).

Viewing this from the Castle of Mann, the besieged Irish, out of children to consume, surrendered to the gracious King Malcolm III, whose thegns shared their ales and venison with the wraiths who were once a thriving populace.

Let all take notice, it was the Irish who landed upon the coast of Scotland only a few months before. The gracious King Malcolm III welcomes the crowns of Wales and Ireland to call Him overlord and live full and pleasant lives free from the scourge of conflict and fried Mars bars.

Malcolm III
Rex and Nice Guy

the end of autumn 1002

We fought out the Battle of Mann last night between Wales and Scotland. I will defer to one of the combatants to provide a full report, but the outcome was a 4-1 win for the Scots who (after the Irish have their turn, in which they can do effectively nothing because they sent a contingent to the Mann battle) proceeded to complete their year-long subjugation of Mann by finally reducing its inhabitants to obedience.

I will provide an updated map over the weekend (and update the army lists and prestige totals). The Normans, the Welsh, and the Scots will be able to refill their armies from their reserves over the winter, but the Vikings (who can recruit only 3 elements), the English (who can recruit 3 but still need to lose 2 after a previous defeat), and the Norse Irish (who can recruit only 2 elements) will have some tough choices.

Also, could the Norse Irish please clarify their current status: have they voluntarily submitted to vassalship, and if so to whom? I have heard rumours, but I have seen no formal declaration by the Irish themselves.

oh, Mann!

The Scots continue to wreak havoc on the Isle of Man. But their brutal "shock and awe" tactics seem to leave the Manx unimpressed. Another element of Scots goes to the great Reserve in the sky while Mann remains resolutely Irish.

late summer, 1002

The Irish desperately tried to fight off the fierce attack of the Welsh. They slew many warriors (the Welsh lose 2 Wb and 1 Ps). But the Welsh hacked and slashed their way through the ranks of the Gaels, slaying their general and many kern (Irish lose AxG, 2 Ax, 1 Ps). Many of the Irish broke and ran (Irish lose Bd, Ps as additional casualties). Wales acquires 3pp, one for the element loss differential and two for slaying the Irish general.

The Welsh proceeded to lay waste to Dublin, replacing all the churches with chapels, all the pubs with union halls, and all the potato fields with sheep pastures. Strong, stern men were seen in every quarter, alarming the populace with their ferocious, close-harmony singing and their profusion of consonant-like vowels.

Only waiting for the Scots to finish the turn.

the end of the beginning

The Irish invasion of Scotland met a rather bloody conclusion, as the Scots detached a small portion of their army to surround and attack the Irish, as the bulk of their spearmen stood on a nearby hill, snacked on cheese and pickle sandwiches, and watched the battle.

Four Irish bands were slain [will fill in which elements from my notes later], while only one band of Scottish skirmishers were slain. The Irish retreated precipitately, falling back to the Isle of Man. The Scots, given the opportunity to pursue their defeated enemy, leapt into their birlinns and coracles and followed. (Neither the initial Irish invasion nor the Scots counter-invasion lost any elements to the windy waves of the Irish Sea or to Corryvreckan--Cailleach Bheur was apparently sleeping.) But the Irish, loathe to fight further until they had repainted their shields and polished the brass hilts of their swords, moved back to Armagh. The Manx were, it appears, annoyed but not dismayed by the departure of their overlords and gave the arriving Scots a broad two fingers. (The Scots lose an element for a failed "siege".)

Thus arrived summer 1002. The Vikings made a few exploratory raids from their stronghold at York. They seem to have sent scouts, mounted on local horses, in several directions, checking the roads to the north and west. But in the end, they stayed in place, calculating many options but making no movements.

All wait now to see what move the Norman army makes, if any, from its base in Fecamp.

more warfare in the north!

While the Welsh watch their sheep (or their neighbours') peacefully grazing, the Irish sail off around (their) sea, stopping at various congenial watering holes for a bit of a sunbathe. Arriving on the coast of 'Cumbria' (taken rather broadly--I imagine to have a quickie marriage at Gretna Green or to do some shopping at The Lanes in Carlisle), they decide they like it and begin debating whether to call it a "holiday home" or "the first step in the great Irish Empire".

Interestingly enough, the King of Scotland happens to be in the area, on a holiday of his own with a few thousand close friends and retainers. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to the Irish dilemma.