Dark ages - The Landing

In this weeks game we played a classic raid from the sea.  Two boats loaded with raiders arrive and head for a local village. The attackers have 12 turns to secure 5 loot tokens and return them to their boats. There is plenty of loot available with 10 points placed around the village and several buildings to search, but time is tight.  

Game 1 - Robin Hood / Vikings raiding vs Vikings

The attackers headed for the centre and right-hand end of the village. Landing unopposed they moved in-land in search of booty.  

Viking raiders

The Vikings attacked and made inroads into the raiders forces before their own Berserker when into a bloodlust killing friend and foe alike.   

 

Robin Hood's band on the beach

The raiders were able to get some loot back to their boat but fell sort of the required 5. Defender Wins   

 

Game 2 - Saxons / Irish raiding vs Welsh / Normans

In this game both boats headed straight of the left-hand end of the village, isolating the Welsh from the Normans. 

Saxon raiders

The attackers quickly came ashore and assaulted the isolated Welsh, pushing them back and securing some loot. As the Welsh suffered the Normans rushed across the beach to their aid.   

Irish pack claims a victim

When they were about 2/3 of the way there the Irish boat suddenly pushed off from the bank and headed for the opposite end of the village. They had not unloaded all their troops and now threatened the undefended right-hand end of the village. The Normans had to choice but to leave the Welsh to their fate and run back across the beach.  

The Irish lost some troops from their second raiding party but the attackers secured 5 loot for an Attacker Win.    

More games and project completed

A busy week of gaming saw me over in Fishponds at the weekend for another game of Test of Honour with my monks once again facing off against my brothers samurai. The mission was to search a village and identify casualties from a previous battle who could be saved.   

 

Temple guards attacking

The monks proved good in combat but terrible at searching and so the game ended in a draw with both sides nabbing two objectives and the fifth going unclaimed. 

Battle is joined in the centre of the village

The completed project is my Great North War Russians and Swedes, with the final unit some dismounted Dragoons for the Tzar's army. Its been a couple of years work but I now have 24 Russian units and 16 Swedish units done, with a roughly 50/50 cavalry ratio. All are based for Beneath the Lilly Banners.    

Great North War Russian Dragoons - NorthStar figures  

With Nigel's armies we've enough for some large games. We both have Ottomans who could also be fielded.  

Finally some more Blucher during the week. This game pitted an very elite French army (mostly Guard) against a much larger Austrian army in a resetting of the 1814 Battle of Laon. The game was tied but with the Austrians feeling a bit happier as they were holding 2 of the scoring three villages.      

Laon for Blucher

 

Dark Ages - The Pilgrimage

This weeks battle was The Pilgrimage scenario from Pillage. The defender must escort three Priests the length of the table, one of whom has a holy relic they are trying to get to safety. The twist is neither the attacker or the defender knows which Priest has the relic until he dies or leaves the table. 

Game 1 - Vikings / Merrymen (Defender) vs Vikings / Arab (attacker)

In this game the defender opted to disperse the Priests to force the attackers to also spit up

Priests ready to set off 

Merry men advance

The defenders were able to get two of the Priests off, one pretty much unopposed. Neither had the relic though and so everyone in range converged on the remaining Priest. 

  

Viking defedenders

After a tussle the defenders retained control of the relic and would have got it to safety. Defender Win.

Victory!

Game 2 - Saxons / Normans (Defender) vs Viking / Saxon (attacker) 

In this game the defender kept the Priests together and looked to muscle their way through the attacker.  

Attacking Vikings in shieldwall

Early game the defenders did lots of casualties on the attackers with the Saxons suffering heavily. Later the dice swung and things became more even.   

Defending Saxons also in shieldwall

The game ended with heavy losses on both sides and an attacking Saxon skirmisher grabbing the loot. Attacker Win. 

Victory!

  

       

Dark Ages - Pillage

This week we started our Dark Ages properly with the Pillage scenario. An attacking warband must try to steal loot from a village - the defenders get some troops in the village with the rest arriving from the table edge. The attackers have 10 turns to steal 10 points of loot.

Game 1 - Saxons / Robin Hood vs Irish

The attacking Saxons / Robin Hood'ers opted to crash straight up the road into the village with Robin's more lightly equipped band in the lead.

Part of the Irish warband

Saxon attackers

The Irish attacked Robin's men with the village garrison and were able to gain the advantage. Their Saxon allies slowed as the Irish reinforcements approach with a vicious battle breaking out in the village square.  Numbers and a flanking manoeuvre told, with the defenders seeing off the attackers for a win.  

Robin and his men attack

Game 2 - Vikings / Normans vs Normans

The attackers split their forces with Vikings down the left and Normans on the right. The Viking defenders moved to counter both attacks.   

Normans advance

Defenders await the attack

The Vikings vs Normans flank was a cautious affair until the defenders got in position and then launched an attack. The Viking vs Viking fight was much larger with both sides piling-in from the start.  

Normans vs Vikings

Viking vs Viking

The defenders found themselves cut off from the loot, allowing the attackers to gain an early lead. Some late routs by the Normans even things up but the attackers still ran out winners. 

So one win a piece for the  attackers and defenders on the night.

 

 

1,500 years of history in a week

A busy week this week on the wargames from with some gaming and painting. We've been debating the use of AI in wargames and in a light hearted moment I created an AI powered opponent - the Roybot 2000.

Roytbot 2000

On the painting front I'm very close to completing my Great North Wars Russian army with the final line regiment done. This is in the uniform of the Kazanski Regiment from Moscow. 

GNW infantry - Warlord games

I've also done a second batch of warrior monks for test of honour. Some leaders, archers and Ikki Ikko.

Warrior monks - Fireforge Games 

On the gaming front we tried out Beneath the Lilly Banners in 15mm. My SYW British stood in as Williamite forces against Robin's Jacobite's. We played the rules unmodified and it worked well. Williamite firepower was decisive on this occasion.   

Williamites capture the crossroads 

Finally we've begun using Pillage dark ages/ medieval skirmish rules for out regular club games. For this intro game people brought what they has so the game saw Irish, Vikings, Saxons, and Arabs.    

Irish dogs attack