Description[]
We Band of Brothers is the sixth scenario in the English Campaign. It is based on the campaign against the Lollard revolt of Henry V, his campaign to France, and the decisive battle of Agincourt.
Briefing[]
We Band of Brothers: 1414 - 1415
The time has come once again to raise the sword, to reclaim the lands of William I which are England's by right. The luminous star of the Black Prince, Edward, has long since faded, but that of the present King, Henry V, is rapidly gaining in brilliance.
But alas! Treachery against the young King, both here and in France, threaten his plans. Henry's oldest and dearest friend, Sir John Oldcastle, has thrown in his lot with the heretic sect known as the Lollards, who are inciting open revolt across the country side. They even plot to take the life of Henry himself as he sits in London!
In France, meanwhile, King Charles VI refutes Henry's righteous claims to lands there. He cites - and not without controversy - the ancient Salique rule that lands may not be passed down along the female line.
Henry must now deal with the threats at home and abroad... and forge a legend that shall last throughout the ages.
"O for a muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention, a kingdom for a stage, princes to act, and monarchs to behold the swelling scene! ...Can this cockpit hold the vasty fields of France?" (Shakespeare's 'Henry V')
Objectives[]
- After Henry is warned of the plot against his life, bring him safely from London to Oxford.
- King Henry V must survive.
- Visit the Temple in each of the English cities. You must find and destroy the 4 Temples that are supporting the Lollard rebels. The Temples will declare its loyalties when you bring a soldier up next to it.
- Kill Sir John Oldcastle, or find a way to capture him for a larger reward. The rebellion will not officially end until this is done.
- Bring Sir John back to the Tower of London so he may stand trial.
- Bring King Henry back to the Tower of London.
- Build up your army and send all your units to Portsmouth where they will be automatically be loaded onto ships. When you've reached your population limit the fleet will be ready to sail. Even non-combatants should be loaded.
- The Earl of Westmoreland must survive.
- Destroy all the enemy buildings within the walls of Harfleur.
- Bring Henry and the Earl of Westmoreland to the fords outside Nesle.
- Eliminate the bulk of the French troops waiting at Agincourt.
History[]
Henry V was born in 1387, the eldest son of Henry IV and Mary Bohun. He was an exceptional soldier and displayed this talent at an early age fighting the Welsh at age 14 and even commanding forces at the Battle of Shrewsbury when he was 16. He became king of England when his father died in 1413.
Henry was tested by uprisings early during his reign, the first by the Lollards, an unorthodox religious sect, which was led by Sir John Oldcastle. Oldcastle and Henry had become friends when Henry had been the Prince of Wales. Despite this, Oldcastle plotted against the King and, when he was finally captured, Henry had no choice but to have him executed.
The Hundred Years' War flared up again when King Charles VI of France refused Henry's claims to lands in France. Henry's brilliant military career continued with his famous against-the-odds victory at Agincourt (1415) and eventual re-capture of Normandy.
The 1420 Treaty of Troyes arranged the marriage between Henry and Charles' daughter, Catherine, and also made Henry heir to the French throne. But Henry became sick during another campaign in France and died in 1422. Had he lived just a little longer, he would have become King of both England and France.
Instead, rule of England fell upon Henry VI, the infant son of Henry and Catherine, whom Henry had never seen.
Shakespeare dramatized Henry's life in his play "Henry V", first performed around the turn of the 17th Century. Though not the first play about the great monarch, it is certainly the best remembered today.
Hints[]
- Once you find a Temple loyal to King and country, you will be able to use it yourself.
- The Lollards do not always hang out in exactly the same Temples. Should you be forced to revisit England, things may be different than you remembered.
- Only Oxford University can protect your loyal Englishmen from heresy.
- The Rebellion is quite powerful. You will want to send quite a few troops to each Temple.
Storyline[]
King Henry V and his cousin, the Earl of Westmoreland, are outside the Tower of London.
Earl of Westmoreland: Fly, my liege! The Lollard heresy has grown into outright rebellion! You must leave London ere the flower of England is cut down before it blossoms!
Henry V: Fear not, my cousin. Our loyal guardsmen will guarantee the safe passage of Our person. We shall away to Oxford and rally our men to stamp out this rebellion.
Henry V and his men arrive at Oxford.
Henry V: We must prepare our forces in safety here at Oxford. Then, to stamp out this heresy, the troops must be sent to scour the churches throughout the land to root out those disloyal to us.
A church is found.
Knight: In the name of the King and the Church, all those culpable in the Lollard's heresy, are commanded to come forth!
A loyal English church is revealed.
Citizen: There be naught here but true Englishmen, loyal to King and Church alike!
A loyal Welsh church is revealed.
Citizen: There be naught but true Welshmen here, loyal to Crown and Church alike!
A Lollard church is revealed.
Lollard: We can give no greater gift to Almighty God than to die in his service!
Sir John Oldcastle is found.
Henry V: Here is our former ally, Sir John Oldcastle. We have been informed it is he who has hatched this vile plot against both Crown and Church. His death would be welcomed, but perhaps justice would be served best if he were tried as a heretic at the Tower of London.
If Sir John Oldcastle is killed.
Henry V: Thus passes my oldest friend. If only he had valued King and Church more then his own misguided philosophy.
If Sir John Oldcastle is converted via a Priest.
Sir John Oldcastle: I see that my course shall not succeed... for the sake of the friendship I once did share with the King, I will go peacefully to the Tower.
Sir John Oldcastle is brought to the Tower of London.
Henry V: It aggrieves me to put an old friend on thus, but the King must be seen as resolute.
The Lollards have now been dealt with.
Henry V: At last the vile serpent of heresy shall be purged from the land! But presently We are required at the tower to receive the ambassador of our relation the Dauphin, son of France. We must return to London at once.
Henry V arrives back at the Tower of London.
Earl of Westmoreland: An ambassador hast arrived from France. Shall we call him in, my liege?
Henry V: Not yet, my cousin. We would be resolved, before We hear him, of some things of weight that task our thoughts, concerning us and France.
Archbishop of Canterbury: God and his angels guard your sacred throne, and make you long become it!
Henry V: We thank you. My learned lord, We pray you to proceed, and justly and religiously unfold why the law Salique, which they have in France, should or should not bar us in our claim. For never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood; whose guiltless drops are every one a woe, a sore complaint, 'gainst him whose wrongs gives edge unto the swords that makes him such wastes in brief mortality.
Archbishop of Canterbury: There is no bar to make against your Highness' claim to France but this: 'No woman shall succeed in Salique land' - 'Salique' being land the French unjustly gloze to be the realm of France, yet their own authors faithfully affirm that the land Salique is in Germany, between the floods of Sala and of Elbe. As clear as day, King Pepin's title, and Hugh Capet's claim, all appear to hold in right and title of the female: so do the kings of France unto this day; howbeit they would hold up this 'Salique' law to bar your Highness claiming from the female?
Henry V: May We with right and conscience make this claim?
Archbishop of Canterbury: The sin upon my head, dread sovereign! For in the book of Numbers is it writ, when the man dies, let the inheritance descend unto the daughter. Gracious lord, stand for your own, unwind your bloody flag, look back into your mighty ancestors. Go, my dread lord, to your great-grandsire's tomb, from whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit, and your great uncle's, Edward the Black Prince, who on the French ground played a tragedy, making defeat on the full power of France.
Henry V: Call in the messengers sent from the Dauphin! Now are We well resolved; and, by God's help and yours, the noble sinews of our power, France being ours, we'll bend it to Our awe, or break it all to pieces. Now are we well prepared to know the pleasure of our fair cousin Dauphin; for we hear the greeting is from him, not from the king.
Messenger: Your Highness, lately sending into France, did claim some certain dukedoms in the right of your great predecessor, King Edward the Third. In answer of which claim, the Prince my master says that you savor too much of your youth, and bids you be advised there's nought in France that can be with a nimble galiard won; you cannot revel into dukedoms there. He therefore sends you this ton of treasure; and, in lieu of this, desires you let the dukedoms that you claim hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks.
Henry V: What treasure, cousin?
Earl of Westmoreland: Tennis balls, my liege.
Henry V: We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with Us; his present and your pains We thank you for. When We have matched our rackets to these balls, We will in France, by God's grace, play a set that shall strike his father's crown into the hazard. Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler that all the courts of France will be disturbed! Now get thee away!
Earl of Westmoreland: This was a merry message.
Henry V: We hope to make the sender blush at it! Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour that may give furtherance to Our expedition; for We now no thought in Us but France, save those to God, that run before Our business. Therefore let Our proportions for these wars be soon collected, and all things thought upon that may with reasonable swiftness add more feathers to Our wings; for, God before, We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door! Prepare Our troops, and assemble them at Portsmouth, from where We shall hasten to France!
The first lot of troops have been loaded at Portsmouth.
Henry V: The first of our forces has been loaded for the invasion. When every-bodied soul that England can produce has been so loaded, We shall be prepared to begin our expedition.
Earl of Westmoreland: Just so, my lord.
The next lot of forces have been loaded at Portsmouth.
Henry V: Half of Our forces have now been loaded. When the remainder of Our countrymen have been brought hither to the Docks at Portsmouth, we shall be ready to depart.
The last lot of forces have been loaded at Portsmouth.
Henry V: At last we stand ready to employ our might in defense of our just cause! Let the fleet set sail!
The ships arrive at shore.
Henry V: The city of Harfleur lies but a short way to the northeast. Our quest to win France, and avenge the Dauphins' insult against Our person, begins here.
Earl of Westmoreland: Fear not, your Majesty! The stout yeoman of England are fully prepared!
Henry V and his men arrive to attack the buildings and defenses of Harfleur.
The army and buildings of Harfleur are destroyed.
Henry V: Harfleur is ours! But there are signs that the bulk of the French armies have marshalled nearby to face us. Come, cousin; let us repair to Nesle where we may espy our enemies and plan our stratagem.
Henry V and the Earl of Westmoreland spot the army ahead of them, waiting at Agincourt.
Henry V: The French are well arrayed for battle.
Earl of Westmoreland: There's five to one; besides, they are all fresh! O that we now had here but one ten thousand of those men in England that do no work to-day!
Henry V: No, my fair cousin; if we are marked to die, we are enough to do our country loss; and if to live, the fewer men, the greater share of honor. This day is called the feast of Crispian?
Earl of Westmoreland: Aye, my lord.
Henry V: He that shall live this day, and see old age, will yearly on the vigl feast his neighbors, and say, "Tomorrow is Saint Crispian". Then he will strip his sleeve and show his scars, and say, "These wounds I had on Crispian's Day". This story shall the good man teach his son; and Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remembered - we few, we happy few, we band of brothers!
Earl of Westmoreland: Then perish the man whose mind is backward now!
Henry V: Thou dost not wish more help from England, coz?
Earl of Westmoreland: God's will, my liege! Would that you and I alone, without more help, could fight this royal battle!
Henry V: Why, now thou hast unwish'd five thousand men; which likes me better than to wish us one. The men know their places. God be with us all!
The bulk of the French army is now defeated.
Earl of Westmoreland: Lo! We've broken their spirit - see how the dogs run from us! France is again ours!
Henry V: Be not so harsh, dear cousin. Many a good man has fallen in battle this day, friend and foe alike.
The Dauphin: Alas! Our men are brave, but it seems bravery alone does not suffice in these times. These Englishmen did not view my gest with all due humor. They are akin to hornets when riled!
Henry V: So, Dauphin! These lands are now mine by right of conquest as well as lineage. What say you?
The Dauphin: What is left to say? My father bids me present his daughter, Catherine... If you truly seek to rule over this land, you will never be legitimate in French eyes unless you wed to the Royal House.
Henry V: Sooth! A man could not hope to find a finer flower. Let there be no obstacle to this union! The bold men by my side, and their fallen comrades in honor with the French, deserve no less than that we should all live as brothers, filling no more the rivers of France with blood!
Catherine of Valois: Truly sir, I welcome my betrothal to you, and the commingling of our great nations.
Walkthrough[]
In this scenario you can get up to 40 civilization points. Don't spend them in this scenario, as it is the last one with Middle Ages units.
You start with Henry V and 4 Long Swords. Henry is scripted to flee to Oxford and is pursued by 4 Archers, but his Long Swords will easily kill them. After that, let them heal at the hospital.
Economy: let 8 Citizens build a Granary and Farms directly south of Oxford. Build a Settlement south of this and assign 6 Citizens to chop wood. Prepare more Citizens for the iron, gold and stone mines in the west.
Defense: the only attacks at Oxford are Priests coming from the west and the north trying to convert your units. They are easily countered by a tower at the road to the west and another southwest of the southwestern tip of the forest where you chop wood. The north of Oxford is secured by the University, where you position 5 Long Bows.
There are two little camps of enemies west of Oxford and at the iron/stone fields in the far west. Among them are some units of the next age, if you want, you can convert them to bolster your army, but they are not necessary.
Expansion: With Henry, the Longswords, and another 5 Longbows, escort 5 Citizens to the Stone/Iron fields in the far west. Build a Settlement, populate, it and build 6 Citizens for stone, 6 for iron and 5 as builders. Guard them with your troops until you can place some towers to the north and the east of this mining site. Go with the troops and the 5 Citizens back to the gold field you saw on the way and repeat the procedure. Now that you have more stone, you can complete your defense at Oxford against Priests with 2-3 more towers.
Attack: Build an army of Henry, 5 Long Swords, 10 Long Bows, and 5 Knights. Upgrade them all to maximum. Visit the 4 heretic villages to the west, the northwest, and northeast. Build 2-3 towers to fortify your position, then go with Henry to the Church to trigger the attack of the Lollard troops. After defeating them, raze the Church. At the last village (northeast), take a Priest with you. The boss of the enemies, Sir Oldcastle, can be found here. Convert him to receive a greater reward later. Go with Henry and Oldcastle to London, to the tower. If you had Oldcastle killed in the field, you get 10 civ points. If you dragged him to London, 20 civ points.
Preparations: After the long dialogues you have a second hero, Westmoreland, and finally a healer. Let your Citizens work for you until you have more than enough resources. Build an army as following:
- 10 Knights
- 10 Pikemen
- 5 Long Sword
- 15 Long Bows
- 5 Crossbows
- 3 Trebuchets
- 2 Priests
- 1 Prophet
Populate or eliminate all your Citizens. Reach your population cap with only military units. Upgrade them fully: Melee units with attack, armor, and hitpoints, ranged units with attack and range, and the Trebuchts with speed. Go to the Docks in the south to travel to France.
Landing: Let your army stay where they landed. French patrols will pass there, concentrated on walking their route. They are easy prey. Convert 3 Ballistae - more for fun, but they have their use.
Citizens: Meanwhile, follow Westmorelands advice and send a fast unit to the discontent French coast village west of your landing site. 6 Citizens will defect to your army. If you need it, you can mine all resources and build all buildings you want, but with the above-mentioned preparations, this is unnecessary. Group the Citizens to have builders.
Harfleur: Set your complete army to unit behaviour "stand ground". Position your troops in good formation (Knights at the front because of the enemy crossbows that can kill your infantry with one shot). Advance slowly, killing enemies. Let the Trebuchet destroy the 5 towers outside the wall of Harfleur. Build 2 towers to fortify your position, if needed. Demolish the gate and advance slowly until you have destroyed all turquoise buildings in the city (10 civ points).
Battle of Agincourt: You lose control of your army for a short while. Send your two heroes to the ford in the far east of the map for reconnaissance. After a dialogue - citing Shakespeare's play Henry V - you regain control of your army. The following battle will be one of the easiest in the game. It has three phases:
- The Bombards: On each of the two hills on the other side of the river are 2 bombards; they are not guarded and have a range of 10. Kill them with a Trebuchet, which fully upgraded with civ points and resources has a range of 12.
- The Infantery and Archers: Crossbowmen are sharpshooters; for them, all infantery and archers are one-shot-kills that do not trigger the attack of nearby enemy units. Send a Crossbow over the left (western) hill to bypass the enemy army. From the side and the back, he can kill around 30 units. Now, the French army has lost more than half of its units.
- The Knights: Enemy units are scripted to not cross the river, so you can lure them nicely. Build some towers at your side and position your ranged units there. Take your Prophet and attack the first Knight with Malaria. Retreat him to safety. The pursuing Knights will arrive nearly dead and are killed fast. Repeat that with one of your Knights. If necessary, repeat to win the battle and the scenario (10 civ points).
That was another victory with zero casualties - in this case this seems to be actually nearly historically correct.
See also[]
- Henry V of England (Wikipedia)
- Shakespeare's play Henry V (Wikipedia)
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