Brittany spears... meet the Vikings!

Today, we did a Dark ages skirmish game..or two! We were using my own 'Sword and Dagger' rules and the forces were Phil's and my Normans against Lawrence, Ian and Rod with Vikings.

The game allowed me to get my little stone house out!

The battlefield, Vikings to the left, Normans and their Breton allies to the right. 

 Phils Bretons were all dismounted...

Mine, to their right, were a mix of Norman types. 

We started screened from the Vikings ahead. 

 Only a small force, so where were the rest of the raiders?

..Obviously, lurking behind a large wooded hill! 

 The Normans began their advance...

 ...The Brittany spearmen in the lead.

Seeing their advance, a small body of bow and spearmen stepped forward from the Viking line. 

 The rest of the Vikings now appeared from their wood, would they swing on the Norman flank?

 The Normans deployed behind the Bretons.

...who were steadily advancing on the Vikings.

The Viking archers got sight of my Knights - though their arrows had no effect.

The small Viking force on the hill looked likely to be swept away...

...The Vikings in the wood emerged, would they attack the Norman flank?

However, the small Viking force on the hill decided they were too far away and withdrew from the battle!

The Norman/Bretons had won an almost bloodless victory! - the problem with the Vikings was apparently due to a misunderstanding between the players, who were not sure who was supposed to be supporting who!

Fog of war.....?

We decided to have another game, as we would probably have time!

The Norman/Bretons deployed again in a concentrated force...

....opposite a now concentrated Viking force!

To me, it seemed likely the Vikings planned to defend a line between the farmhouse and the wood...

...our deployment was designed to threaten the flank of that deployment. The fact Phil had not chosen some archers in his force, preferring to go for spearmen,meant we could only attack.

We therefore attacked!

The Vikings advanced also...

...and began long range shooting.

The heavily armoured Bretons were not impressed!

We continued to advance, I deployed my archers in the wood to support our advance.

My Knights followed some Bretons on a wide outflanking move.

The Vikings began to pivot round the hill to face them.

The Breton first line, supported by my Norman spearmen, moved to attack the Viking left.

Having less armoured men, the Bretons bravely took the Viking shooting, which continued to bounce harmlessly off their mail!

My archers finally got into position to engage the Viking right at long range.

The Vikings were still trying to shoot the Bretons, who were closer!

Our flank attack was now nearly in position.

The Viking archers changed target, and caused a light wound on one of my spearmen!

The Vikings decided to withdraw their left more, to protect their flank.

My archers began to get the range.

My Knights hurried to support....

...the impending spear clash!

Not surprisingly, a Viking archer, at this short range, finally slew a Breton.

...then wounded another.

The brave Bretons nonetheless attacked and drove into the Viking line.

The Vikings charged another Breton unit with Berserkir.

Despite the other defenders of the hill being beaten by the Bretons.
Another of my unarmoured spearmen was, meanwhile, wounded by an arrow from the Viking right.

My spearmen now charged in to support the Bretons.

All that was needed was the dismounted Breton knights and my mounted Knights to charge and victory would be ours!

But at this junction, we ran out of time! I am sure the Vikings felt they could have still won, but we will never know!

The Vikings retreating to avoid the Norman attack meant we hadn't the time to finish the game, rather disappointing for sure, but we still had fun!