                Wales Scenario for Warlords II

                by Jan "Barbarian" Kohl


This is my first attempt at creating a Warlords II scenario, using the new
scenario editor.  It should work pretty good though, both the computer and
I play-tested it.  The first battle, which used computer Warlords against 
each other, took 128 turns, and the Welsh Rebels finally one!  Talk about a
slugging match...

I spent alot of time making this scenario, and first of all I would 
like to acknowledge these excellent books.."Castles" by Plantagenet Somerset
Fry, the Ordnance Survey Motoring Atlas (of the United Kingdom), and "The 
Ordnance Survey Guide to Castles in Britain".  Without these books, it 
would have been impossible to create this scenario in such detail.

Anyhow, enough drivel.  This is a very short and concise history of the 
Welsh battles, so as to give you a bit of insight into the very 
interesting heritage of the Welsh castles.  

Wales has been inhabited for thousands of years.  A slightly horse-headed
feature on the west side of England, it's rich valleys and heather covered
hills have been the home of more farmers and shepherds than you can shake
a sword at.  First, we will start with the Iron Age...these ancient peoples
built forts and villages all over Wales.  Many of the forts were so 
strategically well-placed that they were rebuilt as Celtic forts, then Roman
forts, then Norman and Welsh castles, thousands of years later!

The Welsh people originally descended directly from the Celts, and that makes
them a very stubborn folk.  (I'm part Welsh, so that probably explains why
I never listen, either).  Anyhow, one good (or bad, depending on the point-of-
view) aspect of that means they don't like anyone telling them what to do.
When William the Conqueror came to England in 1066, he soon after learned he
was going to have problems with the Welsh.  He should have said, right then,
"We'll just rope that part of Britain off and leav'em to it".  Would've saved
some hassle.

Some 200 years later, about the time this story starts, a new Welsh leader,
Llywellyn the Last, was making himself known.  He was known as "the Last" 
because there was another Welsh leader, Llywellyn the Great, who ALSO
rebelled against the King.  He (Llywellyn the Last) began by "thumbing his 
nose" at the King, like attacking castles, building castles of his own, and 
generally making a nuisance of himself.  This had been practiced by others 
before him, but it really got on King Edward I's nerves (as it was bound 
to do, Kings are like that, you know).  He began an active campaign to get
Llywellyn, which included building new castles, strengthening old ones, and
moving armies into Wales.  Llywellyn was a good fighter.  He would feint here,
destroy a castle there, all the time fading back into the Welsh hills when
he needed to.

However, money and men finally prevailed on the part of the King.  Llywellyn
was defeated in the north, and was fleeing south to his castle at Aberedw,
when he was ambushed near Builth Wells and slaughtered before anyone knew who
he really was.  (Kings usually liked to see their adversary's heads lopped off
rather than let a common soldier have all the fun).  Legends I have heard,
late at night in the common room of a local pub, say he was peeing in the 
bushes when they caught him...

That didn't stop the Monarchy's problems with Wales, as a little over one-
hundred years later, Owain Glyndwr led the Welsh in another uprising.  Even 
to this day, they are stubborn as heck...just ask me!

Anyhow, this Scenario attempts to represent Wales at the time of 1275 AD, at
the height of the battles between the Monarchy and the Welsh.  I claim 
artistic licences on some of the history perpetrated in this, as I couldn't 
always find info on the different castles and ruins.  However, the castles
and most of the ruins are all correct, and in their correct locations.  As
well, some of the time frame is incorrect, as some of the castles were not
built in 1275, and some of them were already destroyed.  I just wanted to
get most of the major castles into the picture, so please forgive me.  Heck,
raze them if it makes you feel better!  Also, I included two new army units,
the Lord Knights and the Trebuchet (a large catapult).  (I've always hated
the Spiders and the Wolves anyway).

As to the battlefield, you will find that the Monarchy and the Druid Priests
are the hardest to play in a "warlords" scenario, because both are in remote
locations...I have done it (without cheating) so I know it can be done.

Anyhow, enjoy..if you have any comments about "Wales..1275 AD", problems, 
or questions, you can email me at "jkohl@fwb.gulf.net"  Also forthcoming,
from me, Scotland..1300 AD, and the "Battles of Middle Earth"...stay tuned...

May your eyes be keen, and your sword sharp....

Jan Kohl            26 May 1994


