The Kingmaker (PBEM)

Player 2 View

by Craig Ambler

At the start I was blessed with a very unbalanced hand, one titled noble, 3 other titles I couldn't use, 3 offices and 2 mercenaries. I did have the best leader in the game though; Percy with his 100 men. If not I would probably have died after 2 turns. I had to throw away 3 good titles and two excellent offices, these were to go to other less worthy personages before too long.

So Percy, Earl of Northumberland, Treasurer of England, and his Scots and Flemish mercenaries set off to find fame. The other factions were all more numerous than Percy, but at least Percy was able to hold his own and the others were wary of him.

Initially the game went very slowly for the first few turns. I was lucky in the draws as I gained Clifford, Holland, Fitzalan and Mowbray in consecutive draws. I decided that the time for action was upon me so I decided to go for royalty, Margaret of Anjou was set within reach at Coventry. Percy and Greystoke were sent to Coventry (no pun intended) to escort her to her new home. My army marched to Coventry and were lucky to survive. Plague had swept through the city killing thousands including my prize, I was thwarted again. At this point I was viciously attacked by Hastings and Grey; my troops held out and managed to beat the villains. The victory was due totally to the heroism of Greystoke, who as my troops were wavering charged in with his own body guard and routed the enemy, but in the process suffered a mortal wound from which he died in the night. He was given a burial with full honours - he was a great and valiant man. Grey was repentant and was given pardon, but Hastings shown no regard for the deaths he had caused and he was executed and branded a coward.

Percy and Holland then marched to Kenilworth to go after Edward. This time they were successful and Edward was under their protection. Before we had time for other plans Percy was called away to his lands on the border, and the army was dispersed.

To disrupt plans further, the Chancellor called a Parliament at Whitby. All were invited and most went. I sent three out of five not being too greedy after spoils. All went hoping that the Chancellor would spread the titles around and that the Chancellor would be fair and true to the country.

The Parliament was a travesty - the Chancellor gave all the spoils to his own faction, (to make things worse most of the spoils were the ones I had given up at the beginning). He contemptuously left the rest scraps; he is now at least twice the size of any other faction. He has caused a major problem for himself we are all now allies with one goal; to stop him. War is imminent. We are ready for the fight and will not be brushed aside!

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