After a while of working on this, Ages of War is finally ready for play! Inspired by games such as Crusader Kings, the RoTK series and SimRTK, Ages of War takes place in a alternate history after the battle of Hastings in which William the Conqueror died along with King Harold of England. Both character and ruler sign ups are open, hoping to have the game off the ground and running in a week or two! Hope to see you there!
SUCCESSION CRISIS
In January of 1066, King Edward the Confessor of England passed away. His death would set into motion a large succession crisis for the crown. While Harold Godwinson would take the throne, he had two major opponents; Harald Hardrada, the Hard King of Norway and Duke William of Normandy. Both Harald and William started to prepare their own invasions. In response Godwinson gathered forth his army and placed them in southern England to wait for the Norman invasion.
BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE
Hardrada landed in York in September, meeting with Tostig Godwinson; the exiled brother of King Harold, along with his forces he had recruited from Flanders and Scotland. The combined forces of Harald and Tostig defeated the English resistance led by Edwin, Earl of Mercia, and Morcar, Earl of Northumbria. Upon hearing of the Norwegian army in the north, Harold moved his army from the south to attack his enemy. He traveled for four days gathering more men for his army and on September 25 would launch a surprise attack on the Hardrada’s forces at Stamford Bridge. The battle went on for a few hours before the Norwegian’s lines broke and both Hardrada and Tostig fell. The English pursued and killed more of the Norwegians, thus eliminating the threat in the north. Harold then took his forces and turned back south with the remainder of Edwin and Morcar’s forces to meet the Norman invasion.
BATTLE OF HASTINGS
After landing, Duke William and the invading Normans set up their base, building a wooden castle at Hastings. The English forces would not be able to surprise the Normans, as they were scouted in their advances. As they approached, William marched his army from Hastings to meet Harold’s English forces. The English forces would set up a shield wall, which William would try multiple times to charge and break, failing every time. After one of the failed charges, rumors spread of William’s death among the Norman army. Believing William dead, the Norman forces started to retreat. Seeing the Normans retreat, Leofwine Godwinson, King Harold’s brother, led a charge of the English forces to attack the retreating army. As things started to look bleak for the Normans, Duke William appeared, rallying his army and leading a counter attack against the English. A fierce skirmish ensued, claiming the lives of Leofwine and Edwin. The English forces proceeded to regroup and reform their shield wall. The Normans once again were unable to break the wall, so William feigned a retreat hoping to bait the English forces in. The English took the bait, once again pursuing the Normans. William turned his forces and fought, finally breaking the English defenses. Both armies clashed, causing heavy losses to each army. King Harold would take an arrow to his eye, and would die shortly after. The English army would start to lose morale, until the King’s brother Gyrth rallied the remaining army and continued on with the fight. Gyrth would meet William during the melee and the two would engage in a fight. William would take the upper hand, injuring Gyrth, but before he could deliver the killing blow, William was struck by a javelin in his back. Gyrth would take the opportunity to slay William while he was distracted. With William dead, the Normans retreated back to their castle at Hastings. Once again the English pursued, inflicting more casualties to the Norman army. The Normans routed and returned their stronghold, while the English regrouped and held a coronation ceremony for Gyrth Godwinson, proclaiming him the new King of England.
AFTERMATH
After returning to Hastings, many of the defeated Normans would sail back to France, leaving a smaller force still present under the leadership of William FitzOsbern. Meanwhile, the reign of King Gyrth would prove to last only a few days, as he died due to the wound given to him from William. Now, nearly a month has passed since the battle of Hastings and no new King has been crowned. The lords of England have begun to grow restless, while others made their intentions for the throne known. With the presence of the remaining Normans in Sussex complicating things further, what will become of England as the year 1066 comes to a close? Who shall arise from an Age of War to become the next king of England?
