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Here is the final installment:

Aldhere regrouped deep in his territory. He sent messengers to his kin to come to his aid. But reports of pillaging, looting and murder kept coming in to his camp. He couldn’t wait for help. He decided to fight now with what he had or else all would be lost.In the middle of a glorious summer he set out to find his foe.


Set up

                      Saxon      Viking

Climate          Cool         Cool

Terrain          Arable      Littoral

Aggression      2              4

Season          Summer (previous decisive battle pushed next encounter into new season)

Dice roll          5              5


Aldhere’s army composition was chosen by Hjor as per the mapless campaign rules. He would have to make do with the Great Fyrd again. An identical dice roll meant once again an Arable battlefield (72x72cm) with battle starting at 1000 (hrs), more than ample time for the morning Mist to clear (5-5=0; Sunrise 0330 hrs).


Aldhere caught up with Hjor along the coast as he was returning to his ships. The small fields had been abandoned by the farmers for weeks. As the Saxon scouts came out from the woods, they saw the Viking camp. Hjor had turned and was eager for battle. Aldhere deployed his army in echelon as he was wary of the Viking’s seafaring ability. However Hjor was confident that he had the Saxon’s measure and deployed into line. Hjor found himself and his berserkers facing the Great Fyrd at the end of the line. Aldhere and his Hirdmen were there to help bolster the flank with archers also in place. The lines clashed and the initial push went in favour of the Select Fyrd but no breakthrough could be made. Aldhere pushed forward but as he turned he saw the Great Fyrd and archers routed by Hjor. Soon his Select Fyrd also gave way and Aldhere knew he had no choice but to take his followers and escape to friendly territory.


Hjor gains another +2 strategic points to go to a 4-1 lead. This gives Hjor a Major Victory in the campaign.


Hjor watches the green hills disappear over the horizon. His ships are slower than usual, weighed down with slaves and plunder. But he knows these waters well enough. He will soon see the fjords of home. For once, the bitter cold of winter will be easy to ignore. For he will busy enjoying his success and planning his return. But this time he means to stay.



Cheers

Jim

Hi paddy649.

I mentioned Persian Fire Temple, Ziggurart, Cyrus the Great's tomb and a Gulay Gorod for the Post Mongol Rus. Unfortunately the current lists don't have as many exotic constructions as previous lists.

Cheers

Jim

Interesting situation today. The Viking shieldwall had the very last element trailing by one basewidth, ie it was front right corner to back left corner contact with the group. The Saxon advanced a Psiloi to touch the far edge of the TZ of the last element of the group, though most of the element lay in front of the trailing element. Now it's the Viking turn. I want to reform his line and engage the Ps, preferably at the end of the line. But when I read the rules I was struggling to find the exact moment that conforming occurs. Is it at contact or at the end of movement?

If it is at the end of movement then I would follow this route:

- Advance the solitary element to contact. Advance the group alongside to reform the line. Slide the Ps laterally to line up with extreme end of the line. 

If it occurs at contact then I would have to follow this route;

- Advance the group to contact. Force the Ps to conform to the group. Then advance the solitary element back into line, "overlapping" the Ps (though it doesn't actually matter).

This would place the Ps aligned with the second last element of the line. This is not a deal breaker and better than the following outcome:

- Advance the solitary element. This now has to slide to conform to the Ps and is overlapping the last element of the group, which is also in TZ making manoeuvre a right old mess!

So learned friends, do you conform at contact or at the end of movement? 

Cheers

Jim 

Here is the next installment:

Hjor was in a rage after his first encounter with Aldhere. Not only had darkness fallen before he could force a result, but his troops had the worst of the fighting that did occur. Aldhere, for his part, was confident that he had the Viking’s measure and was eager to settle this matter and rid his land of the invader. He did not have to wait long for his opportunity. Hjor soon regrouped and advanced seeking redemption. In the mid-morning of a clear Spring day, after the mist had risen, their forces met on the battlefield…


Set up

                     Saxon    Viking

Climate         Cool       Cool

Terrain          Arable    Littoral

Aggression    2            4

Season          Spring (my decision for the narrative)

Dice roll         5            5


As the previous battle was inconclusive, I decided that the armies would meet again in the same season, Spring. The dice roll meant an Arable battlefield (72x72cm) with battle starting at 1000 (hrs), ample time for the morning Mist to clear (5-5=0; Sunrise 0600 hrs so would clear by 0900).


Aldhere took a stand near an ancient stone ring (Ediface) with a river on his right and a wood on his left. He lost momentum early trying to get the Great Fyrd (Hd) into line to cover his flank, their movement hampered by the woods. His other flank anchored to the river by his archers. Hjor in the meantime, was able to form his army in good order. His Vikings extending all the way to the river and he and his beserkers on the right flank opposite the Great Fyrd. The Saxon archers did little to slow the Vikings so Aldhere ordered his troops to advance. He and his Hirdmen started well, forcing back the invaders. However, he didn’t realise that Hjor and the berserkers had eventually broken the Great Fyrd. In addition, the Select Fyrd had multiple holes punched through the shieldwall and his archers were last seen fleeing into the river. Realising the day was lost Aldhere and his remaining men fell back and left the field to Hjor.


Hjor gains 2 strategic points for routing the enemy. In addition, Hjor will choose the composition of Aldhere’s army in their next encounter. This will occur in Summer given the size of the victory.


Hjor looks over the battlefield as night falls. Few Vikings would enter Valhalla that day. He laughs. He’d better find some gold for those that remain. Luckily, he is surrounded by Saxons that won’t be needing their possessions any longer. Aldhere will be back but not for some time. He’ll need to replace his losses. Then we will see who will rule this land. Now for some plundering.


Cheers

Jim

Welcome to the forum! A little hint on learning the rules is to watch a few of Tony Aguilar's videos on Youtube. Makes the rules much easier to understand and you get a feel for how the game should flow as well as a crash course in tactics.

Cheers

Jim

Perhaps the "front edge" part is there to allow you to wheel past "geometrical" ploys on your own bound to attack a different enemy. But the inside part allows you to threaten flank/rear. The touching part is difficult. PB must've realised that it would keep mounted in TZ on recoil. It simply boils down to whether flanked lines are so restricted. I don't think that a flank threat would be ignored but I never fought so it's just my opinion. Others disagree, which is fine.

Jim