Historical Overview Section

At the time of the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the dominant ruler in Wales was Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, king of Gwynedd and Powys. The Normans were however succesful in subjugating the country, first in the south where they overran Gwent before 1070, and this accelerated after the killing of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn in 1075 which led to a rather unhelpful civil war in Wales and gave the Normans an opportunity to seize the lot. In 1081 Gruffydd ap Cynan, who had just won the throne of Gwynedd from Trahaearn ap Caradog at the Battle of Mynydd Carn was enticed to a meeting with the Earl of Chester and Earl of Shrewsbury and promptly seized and imprisoned, leading to the seizure of much of Gwynedd by the Normans. William the Conqueror advanced into Dyfed founding castles and mints at St David's and Cardiff. When Rhys ap Tewdwr of Deheubarth was killed in 1093 in Brycheiniog the Norman conquest of Wales appeared virtually complete.

In 1094 however there was a general Welsh revolt against Norman rule and what the Welsh felt to be an excessive use of vowels in the (Norman)) tongue, and gradually territories were won back. Gruffydd ap Cynan was eventually able to build a strong kingdom in Gwynedd. His son, Owain Gwynedd, allied with Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth won a crushing victory over the Normans at the Battle of Crug Mawr in 1136 and annexed Ceredigion. Owain followed his father on the throne of Gwynedd the following year and ruled until his death in 1170. He was able to profit from disunity in England, where Stephen of Blois and the Empress "Waltzing" Matilda were engaged in a struggle for the throne, to extend the borders of Gwynedd further east than ever before!

Using the army in ADLG

  • Very dependent on terrain - defending is a good option for the army, and it needs rough going, Taking the HIlls as covered with RGo / Brush gives you an extra piece or two in most terrain types.
  • The earlier option gives you a lot of Medium Foot Swordsmen - but both they and they are actually surprisingly decent in wide formations even against enemy (non Knight) mounted as they will often have overlaps.

8 The Atecottti in the earlier option are also better than you might expect against non-Impact (ie Bow-armed) mounted.

  • A Viking ally gives a very solid centre to the army
  • Don't take all of the terrain choices - being able to try and move one may well be better than having 5 on table, as lets face it, the chances of 2 bits being in the same place (on one edge) are pretty high.

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Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army

200AP Madaxeman Roll Call 2018
2 NObles Elite HC
5 Welsh Medium Swordsmen
2 LF Javelin
Competent General
==
3 Huscarls, Elite, Armour, 2HW, Embedded Ordinary Viking Ally General
3 Bondi, Hi Swordsmen
1 Irish, Medium Foot 2HW
1 LF Javelin
1 LF Bow
==
3 Welsh Warriors, Medium Sword
3 Attecotti, Elite Impetuous Swordsmen
1 LF Javelins
Competent General


200 Points from Dogs of War 2017
4 Longbow
2 Medium Spear
2 LF Bow
--
4 Longbow
2 Medium Spear
2 LF Bow
--
4 LH Javelins
2 HCv Elite
2 MCv Elite
2 MCv