I've just played out 498 when King Idres is due to invade Devon. However this year my Player Knights suddenly develop a moral streak, and a realisation that no one will help them unless they begin to help others, and took the Knights of Salisbury to assist.

The battle was played out according to the Book of Battle and was inconclusive, Idres began an organised retreat after seeing the intensity drop to below 10 for two rounds. I was quite happy not to give any kind of plot protection here and the Knights had done very well using both luck and clever tactics to smash into the enemy camp.

So I played it out that King Idres wasn't expecting this, didn't want to risk a rout, withdrew from the field and then his forces rolled out of Devon.

So what now?

What are Idres' options?

Even outnumbering the reinforced army of Devon by about 3:1 (my reckoning) he only gets a +5 to the Battle Intensity so with heroic Player Knights doing their thing it's quite possible for it to go against him.

My first thoughts are the Idres will send Prince Mark to try and charm Salisbury into leaving Devon to it in 499, but my Player Knights are stubborn and being whipped up by Sir Brastias who's trying to get Logres to stand together, so it's quite possible they'll tell him to take a hike and head on down to Devon once again.

So if they do this can an invader keep forcing new battles after achieving an inconclusive result? I can imagine Idres getting quite focussed on this and being more prepared for an extended campaign and just keeping on battering at Devon until one side routs.

My understanding of an inconclusive battle result, whether or not one side withdraws from the field or not, is that the amount of territory in each army's possession remains about the same. So Idres could start burning down the bits of Devon occupied by his forces until Devon gives up, or one side can force the other to a rout. Does that sound plausible?

I guess the ultimate limit to this is the 6 weeks of vassal service that a Knight is sworn to provide? Devon can keep going as it's their homelands that are at risk but the Knights of both Salisbury and Cornwall are limited by this?

Any thoughts or suggestion? What can an attacker that faces being faced with many inconclusive battles do?

Any thoughts or suggestion? What can an attacker that faces being faced with many inconclusive battles do?


For the aggressor, just having a couple of armies march around on enemy ground for a few months is a result in and of itself. You live off his land, nick a bit of plunder as you go along, weaken him for next time and demonstrate that he's incapable of holding his territory secure. Having (and winning) a decisive battle isn't really necessary.

So they'll just stick around making a mess of the place and then come back next year and do it all again. Idres has deep pockets and a secure base area in Brittany so he can afford to take a few goes at getting Devon to bend the knee. Of course he'll probably try and peel Salisbury and other allies away from Devon in the meantime, but if he can't then it's not such a big problem for him.

Regards
Luke

Devon would of course be defending their homes throughout the year. The Salisbury knights would be limited by their 6 weeks, or however long they can be persuaded to serve. Same with the Cornwall knights.

If it were my campaign, I'd probably rule that Idris would be taken aback by the sudden reinforcements: obviously he has underestimated Devon's allies! Furthermore, even with the 3:1 odds, the Devon-Salisbury alliance has proven to be equal to the task of making it an even fight. And since we all know that the Cornish knights have a reputation for Cowardly behavior (at least later ;) ), an even fight is something Idris would not want to risk. After all, one big defeat and -Cornwall- might be invaded! No, better to try something else...

So after retreating back to Cornwall (probably not raiding too much, if the Devon-Salisbury army is still following him), it would be the time to send Prince Mark to the courts to try a negotiated settlement. After all, Idris is not that bad, is he? He is at least a Christian King, not a barbarian like the Saxons. All he wants from Devon is their allegiance and service, right? So give him that and he will be happy. In return, Devon's lands will not be laid to waste by his HUUUUGE army. And after Devon, he would be more than happy to continue onwards to Salisbury to teach them a lesson, too! However, he would rather be friends, good friends with Salisbury. How about Salisbury changing sides? And after Cornwall has taken Devon, Cornwall will help Salisbury to get Caer du Plain back, and teach that Vortigern's whelp a lesson!

And if reasoning and threatening won't do the trick, perhaps bribery will? Should the Salisbury knights switch sides, surely there would be some manors to be rewarded from conquered Devon to those knights who have proven themselves to be good friends to King Idres... Naturally, Prince Mark might seek out the influential knights of Salisbury (i.e. PKs) out privately first to promise nice things to them, if they will speak for an alliance with Cornwall. And if no PKs take the bait, surely some NPKs will, giving a chance for some Intrigue and Orate at the Salisbury Court. :)

EDIT:
Like Luke says, Idris should definitely be making the point that he can keep at this as long as he has to. How long can Salisbury neglect their eastern border by helping Devon? How many knights are they willing to lose to the hopeless fight in Devon and earn Idris' ire, too? He has men to spare, and more (he claims).

On the other hand, having Idris making a mess of Devon, might Dorset and Somerset be induced to join the Alliance? At which point Cerdic might be getting worried what that Alliance will do once the Cornish threat abates... Might be the time to start raiding Salisbury to weaken them and maintain the status quo between the Cornish and the Alliance, keep them fighting one another to a standstill, which is the best result for Cerdic. Well, either that or the Alliance losing, in which case Salisbury is again easy pickings or desperate for someone to protect them from Idris...