Dark Ages in the British Isles were a fascinating, dismal time of constant wars, in which people fought for survival. A dark age with a deep blend of cultures. The 6th and 7th centuries were a time when invaders (Saxons, Angles and Jutes) tried hard to forge their destiny in a new world with the steel of their swords, shields and spears. The ancient peoples tried to resist, while they saw their kingdoms defeated and conquered by the “barbarians”, and sorrowfully saw how their beloved world slowly disappeared off the face of the earth. But other people must not be left unmentioned, like the Picts, who have always inspired great interest. Or to the west, another island as complex as Britain: Ireland in which many people were fighting for a piece of land, their clans, livestock and supremacy. In short, it is a world we know little about, yet a magnet for history lovers: a time of war and great deeds, where few kings (almost none) died in their beds.
You will hate yourself while playing it. You will wonder why you cant put it down after your party is smashed by bandits for the tenth time. But you will keep playing it because it is the best thing you've ever seen done with warband. Brytenwalda is a finely crafted masterpiece, and is superbly detailed from the land you walk on, to the ten different titles in each lords name. The game is tough, it is punishing, and it is not for the faint at heart, but of you immerse yourself in it and learn the ropes, then you will have an unmatched and novel experience in ancient Britannia. Best thing I've ever played