Recap pages are Spoilers Off by default, so in all these pages all spoilers are unmarked. Proceed with caution. You Have Been Warned
Quarrels had consumed England as some rebel lords captured Edward Longshanks, who upon being freed was determined the reunify the country through ruthless resolve. As he solidified his control, went on Crusade and became king, he turned his attention to the rest of Britain, seeking to crush the Welsh lords and make a name for himself as Hammer of the Scots. The player is in control of Britons, the color being Red. Scenarios
1. Vain Ambition
During the reign of King Henry III, his ruinous reign led to a rebellion under Baron Simon de Montfort. After the Battle of Lewes, Prince Edward II and his father were captured and jailed in Hereford until an unlikely ally freed him. Thus begins Edward Longshanks' reign as he dispel the rebellion that divides his kingdom.2. A Man of God
As his bloody suppression of the rebellion stained his honor among the nobility, Edward II lead a crusade to the Holy Land to regain his piety and respect. Under the siege by Sultan Baibars, Edward must defend the cities of Acre and Tripoli from the Mamluk Sultanate.3. Of Castles and Kings
Since returning from the Crusades, Edward Longshanks becomes king when his father passes away. As King, his first decision is invading Wales, where he is to settle the score with an old enemy, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd. However, with the Welsh princes unifying against the English invaders and their arboreal terrain, Edward has a plan with nipping the terrain out of the bud.4. Toom Tabard
With news of King Alexander III of Scotland passing without a male heir to the throne, Longshanks see this as an opportunity to rule Scotland. He claim the title upon marrying Alexander's granddaughter, Margaret, until she suddenly passes away a year later, in which he instead installed John Balliol into the throne. However, the Scottish refused to be ruled by their English puppet, leaving Edward no choice but to claim Scotland by force.5. Hammer of the Scots
After the defeat of King Balliol, the Scottish turned to William Wallace for defending their realm until they were defeated at Falkirk. With his enemy in hiding, Longshanks and his commander Aymer de Valence began sieging Stirling Castle, alongside with a Scottish lord named Robert the Bruce. He orders a construction of a great trebuchet to deliver a message of death at the defenders of Stirling. Meanwhile, Wallace is not finished with the English...This campaign contains examples of:
- Adaptational Villainy: Compared to the references with Outlaw King, Robert the Bruce is more of a Card-Carrying Villain, openly gloating on his assassination of Comyn in a church, much to the disgust of the English.
- Call-Back: This campaign references previous campaigns in the game, especially the William Wallace campaign.
- "A Man of God" makes reference to the Kotyan Khan campaign, as the main enemy is the Mamluk Sultanate who repelled the Mongol invasion in the Middle East. Baibars is also mentioned to be of Cuman origin.
- "Toom Tabard" is the point where the William Wallace campaign begins, with the death of King Alexander III and Edward Longshanks claiming the throne of Scotland. In addition, one of the bonus objectives has Edward claiming the Stone of Scone from the yellow faction. This is a reference to the "Research and Technology" scenario, where the outro states that Edward Longshanks claimed the Stone of Scone.
- Hammer of the Scots reference how William Wallace led the Scottish to victory against the English until they lose the Battle of Falkirk and went into hiding.
- Cosmetic Award:
- "The English Justinian" for completing the campaign.
- There's also "Unchivalrous Pragmatist"note , "Throne Thief"note and "Malleus Scotorum"note .
- The Dog Bites Back: John Balliol spends the first part of his mission being submissive and apologetic, due to his role as Edward's de facto Puppet King in Scotland. Once enough time has passed he'll unleash an horde of Scottish troops from beyond the river to attack the English.
- Early-Bird Cameo: The campaign features the "Normans" for the first time (as name-swapper Sicilians)
- Enemy Mine: During the siege of Acri you can send a messenger to the Mongol Camp (and then a tribute) to have them attack the Mamluks from behind.
- Gameplay and Story Integration: You only get access to the unique technology "Warwolf" in the last scenario, as the final step to build the Warwolf and use it to tear down Stirling's castle.
- Hold the Line:
- The second mission has you keeping Acri and another city safe from the Mamluks' attacks.
- The third scenario starts with a Protection Mission where you must protect the builders of the three castles from Welsh attackers.
- In Spite of a Nail: Even if you assassinate Simon de Montfort before he becomes aware of Edward's escape, the following event in which he rallies the nearby cities and the Welsh against Edward will still play.
- Oh, Crap!: The Welsh in the third scenario start out bold and defying... but will eventually fold in shock upon seeing Edward overpowering their armies.
- Perspective Flip: The tutorial campaign has William Wallace fighting Edward Longshanks. In this campaign, you play as Longshanks in his war with Scotland.
- Tempting Fate: The framing device of the campaign is Edward's son musing on his father's actions and wondering if he can live up to them. Edward II would be deposed and forced to abdicate in favor of his nephew, and be generally remembered as a weak king.
