The combined use of two peoples of one color is one of the keys to victory. The cooperation of two peoples of the same player allows him to gain a numeric superiority over another people and a large harvest of victory points in that region. The most important thing with this cooperation is the right balance of points between the two peoples and the sacrifice of secondary objectives to a third people (which is often an enemy but is thought to be not too dangerous at that moment).

This possibility of cooperation is available to all colors during the course of the game, normally during a major invasion of one of it's peoples. The support given by an already established people (which in most cases moves before the invader) is often decisive if the action is well prepared. One of the most effective teams (and the one I prefer) is formed by the Welsh and the Danes. It is also the one team where the support has to be planned early in the game.

The Danish don't show up on the board as raiders before turn 11 and their major invasion takes place during turn 12. The 14 danish armies collide with a coalition formed by Saxons, Angles, Brigantes and some left-over Romano-British. The balance of power is not in the favor of green and the 14 danish armies often have a hard time to reach their objectives. During turn 12 they've got to strike the north of England (and most often the Angles), while on turn 13 their objectives are further south (usually held by Saxons).

This job might prove quite dangerous if the Anglo-Saxon war hasn't been disastroust for at least one of its two participants. Arriving for a major invasion facing these english regions overpopulated is a nightmare I wish nobody - except my opponents...

Luckily the green player has a high trump in its sleeve, the Welsh. 13 counters which can devastate the english plains and reduce the saxon population to that of the Jutes.

The offensive has to be started during the turn following the taking of York, at the same time the irish menace is being dealt with. This way the welsh terror during the next 4 or 5 turns is going to revive the sinister times of the medieval age.

Fed by their plains and protected by their inpenetrable mountains, three or four welsh armies can go on to attack weak points in the saxon defense in order to both destroy saxon armies and decrease their population growth. Also, if not chased away by the Saxons, the occupation of these plains will give the Welsh more armies, a vicious circle in favor of the attackers.

This general offensive, on the other hand, has to be managed with care: Move away too many Welsh from their homelands and they will hinder the danish progress, destroy the Saxons totally and they won't be able to help to stop William the Conqueror. It is also important to monitor the Anglo-Brigante conflict closely in order not to give too many victory points to the Angles.

Handled this way, the Danish longships have a good chance of arriving well. The few points lost for the Welsh by the settlement of one or two irish counters in Wales are generally compensated for by the danish success. And when Sweyn-Canute arives with only two or three armies during turn 14 to proclaim himself king, the game is already won.

An answer to this strategy, which has ravaged the boards during last years french championships, is known but not totally dependable. Some say it depends on the dice. I will let you discover this answer, which has ended my way to the finals, yourself. A little hint: As it's often the case, the suppressed use the means of their suppressors against them, the key to the defense lies in the coordination of several peoples of the same color... You already understand, don't you?

François Sommaire
October 1997

Translation by Joachim Ring
January 2000