We did a Dark ages game at the club yesterday, it was a fairly last minute decision so the forces were a bit hotch-potch, at least on my side!
Despite my Normans being in my bag, everyone else had Vikings, so a renewal of the Einar Saga was a possibility. Einar was dead of course, so Phil used a new, as yet unnamed Jarl, I had Gunnar (natch!) .. Ian and Lawrence had new characters.
Lawrence was in charge on our side, Ian led the other.
The scenario was a territorial dispute between rival Lords in Norway, the aim would be to defeat the opposing force or kill the opposing Jarl....
Despite my Normans being in my bag, everyone else had Vikings, so a renewal of the Einar Saga was a possibility. Einar was dead of course, so Phil used a new, as yet unnamed Jarl, I had Gunnar (natch!) .. Ian and Lawrence had new characters.
Lawrence was in charge on our side, Ian led the other.
The scenario was a territorial dispute between rival Lords in Norway, the aim would be to defeat the opposing force or kill the opposing Jarl....
My force deployed to the right of a stream.
Lawrence deployed his larger force far on the left, with a 2 foot gap between us.
Ian deployed opposite, in woody terrain.
Phil deployed opposite me..not being Christian he fielded a group of Berserkir!
Phil began moving across the stream to join him.
Ian started the game with a rapid advance toward Lawrences force.
I started moving towards Phil.
Lawrence moved round the woods to his front to attack Ian.
Ian left his archers in a wood to cover his advance without slowing the advance of his melee troops.
I sped my advance too as Lawrence would be overwhelmed if both enemy forces attacked him together.
Lawrence, seeing the danger, withdrew towards my force, covered by his archers.
Ian turned his force to move through the woods, instead of round them.
Phil's forward elements joined Ian.
My men were aware the stream would delay them, but forged across to try to join Lawrence.
(An overview of the situation at this point)
While their forces merged, Phil sent a group of spearmen forward.
I rushed my unarmoured men through a wood for speed...
..While my armoured men began forming a line by the stream.
Lawrence moved to extend my line.
Ian detached his hearthguard to turn Lawrences flank.
Phil, his forces at last over the stream, moved to face my men.
The forward group of spearmen entered the wood in front of Lawrence.
Meanwhile, Lawences archers slowed to loose a few arrows.
Phils men only took a light wound though!
Phil deployed a strong spear line facing me.
Ian spent time passing through the woods.
Finally, our line started to form.
Phil, and Ian's archers began to shoot at my line..
..one of my unarmoured spearmen took a wound.
Phil and Ian's men struggled through the wood to attack Lawrence.
My men were pinned by Phil's spears.
My archers managed to wound some of Phils men as they attacked.
Phil's 'forlorn hope' of spears broke cover first and attacked Lawrences line.
Lawrences arrows and slingstones played on them.
But they smashed into Lawrences line
As my line slowly advanced, one of my armoured spearmen fell with an arrow in him.
Unsupported, the 'Forlorn' was surrounded and began to take casualties.
Most who could fell back.
At the other end of Lawrences line Phils Berserks charged in, and were winning!
Lawrences men bagan to slowly give ground.
Ians line had left the woods, but were attacked by Lawrences Lord, bodyguard and unarmoured swordsmen. The only casualty was Ians Jarl who fell from a single axe blow from his opposing Jarl!
I had meanwhile charged with my bodyguard into the flank of Phils Berserks.
However, with Ian's death, the heart went out of the enemy force, and as the sun set, they withdrew from the field.
It was a hard game, we would have lost but for the happy chance that Lawrence's Lord slew his opposite number in a desperate last ditch charge!
Thor would be pleased!
