well, it's a big subject that can be debated forever, but I think when you play the game you'll find there's a nice balance in the game play - and the Scots are a bit stronger because they're cool. You're welcome to make house-rules or try alternative stats, the game will work just as well, but you might need to have more equal forces in terms of numbers.
I believe the story with Wallace goes something like this...
He was fishing by a river. 3 horsed English ride up and demand to take his fish that he's caught - it's to be remembered that not only is singled because he's a dirty Scot - but for his threatening stature, which is red-flag of course to a bully on a horse with a sword and 2 chums.
Wallace refuses of course - and sticks his dirk through the sergent's thigh - pinning him to the horse. He disarms the rider and uses his own sword on him to dispatch him and the other two - if I recall the story goes he cuts the guy's leg off - causing him to dismount. I don't have the story in front of me - but it's something along those lines.
It's following this incident that he goes into hiding and lives Robin-Hood style in Selkirk forest for a number of years, indeed Wallace very likely is basis of the Robin Hood story.
"The trouble is that most of the stories about Wallace were told by Scots to important & powerful fellow Scots, were it was important & prudent to venerate ones national hero. " Yes no doubt, but stories would not be told of one who was not worth telling stories about - and most stories have a kernel of truth at their heart. There are also English documents, quotes and of course the trial documents pertaining to Wallace. He was a menace to the English.
"When studying history at University we were always told to ask who had written the document, why had they written the document & to whom was the document for."Of course - but that would be equally true of any English documents that would seek to play down the affair. I believe that the tale of Robin Hood (which is an English tale) is actually about Wallace. The name is changed so that he is a English hero - and the place of course - but the story is so close there are hardly any differences.
"As regards the forces involved they were fairly evenly matched in numbers at Falkirk & especially at Stirling Bridge. "The Osprey book puts the forces at Stirling as the following:
English:350 cavalry (150 heavy)
6,350 foot - including over 1000 longbow and at least 50 crossbow
Scots:6,000 spear or pike
400 longbow.
This is hardly a matched force - if you think it is, I'd like to play the game with you, but I'll take the English thanks
.
Falkirk (again from Osprey)
English: (Edwards main army back from France - led by Edward himself)
Cavalry: 2,250 including heavy and knights and 100 crossbow
infantry: 12,900 including 5,500 longbow, 400 crossbow
Scots:Cavalry: 500 light
9,500 infantry mostly pike but some longbow.
Again, I'm not sure why you'd say that was equally matched.
With Rebellion you can play small or big battles - just as with Games Workshops rules you can play Helms Deep - you just don't really use 10,000 orcs - you use 100 instead for obvious reasons.
Anyway I'm Sorry for such a long rant, its the historian in me thats always wanting the correct facts, & the historical inaccuracies of Braveheart & other Hollywood films are a pet hate of mine. I don't mean any of the above to be taken as criticism, I just wanted to put a different point of view across.No offense taken at all - I actually want to steer people away from the film myself and guide them into the light. The Scots I have done so far are meant to represent Wallace and his band of outlaws prior to him leading the Scots forces proper. This is him in his 'Robin Hood' years - but of course people want to play in battles too - it is a game first and formost. As I say, to play historical accuracy, you'd have to use DBA or something equally chess-like and use smaller scale. Personally DBA bores the tits off me, so I just had to write something I liked playing.
I look forward to your ever expanding range of figures" Cheers - you'll have noticed already then the pike and Scottish knight - so you won't have to use the highlanders if you don't want to.
The models will help me play-test the cavalry and archers at Salute. The Germans are coming over to help me play - and they have a great eye for detail when it comes to rules, they don't miss a trick.
With each troop type it's good to have some strength balanced with a weakness. Longbow are great - but they are lightly armoured and can't charge - that kind of thing. It may not be completely historically accurate - but a good weakness or two allows for clever tactics and an exciting game.
Remember that overall - the English were as you say, better armed and equipped and with larger forces.
They Lost the war.
(ok they won again later - but that's Rebellion part II).