Dark Ages - the finale

For the final game of the Dark Ages interlude we did an battle royale style battle. All the factions have assembled to elect a high-king but all plan to use the opportunity to eliminate a deadly rival. All the leaders start in the centre, having each randomly selected another player as their rival. The warbands start on the table edge and no attacks are allowed for the first two rooms.

The battle field

The Merrymen

The first Viking band

The Picts

The Anglo-Saxons

The Irish

The meeting

Most of the leaders immediately rushed back towards their warbands with lots of jockeying for position as everyone tried to move towards their target whilst working out who might be gunning for them.     

Second Viking band 

The early action saw one of the Viking warbands attacking the Anglo-Saxons whilst the Irish rushed towards the Pictish troops who formed a defensive perimeter.   

Anglo-Saxons ready for the Viking attack

With the Vikings getting stuck into the Anglo-Saxons the Irish launched their war dogs into the Pictish crossbowmen and then attacked their lines.   

The Merrymen and the second Viking band were circling each other when one of the Berserker got confused and attacked his compatriot killing him in.   

Merrymen prepare for a Viking attack 

Berserkers get confused!

With night falling all the warbands were engaged - Irish vs Picts, Vikings vs Merrymen and Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons. No one managed to kill their intended targets but there were injuries and a dead; Viking 1 (Dead), Viking 2 (3 wounds of 4), Anglo-Saxon (0 wounds), Irish (0 wounds), Picts (2 wounds), Merryman (2 wounds).   

Irish and Picts

Vikings and Anglo-Saxons

A fun game and suitably chaotic. Played the Irish and was trying to kill the Picts. The Anglo-Saxons were trying to kill me but got tangled up with the Vikings.  
   

Dark Ages - St Brice's Day Massacre

For this weeks game we played the St Brice's Day Massacre scenario from Pillage. The attackers must assault a defended village and set fire to the church. To help the attackers there are 3 fire sources on the table that can be used to help with the fire setting. 

On table 1 we had Vikings / Saxons attacking vs Picts / Arabs defending. On table 2 we double Saxons attacking vs  Vikings / Merrymen defending. 

Fire source on table 2

Table 1

Picts defending the church on table 1

Table 1 was a hard fought game with the attacker eventually setting a fire late in the game.  

 

Saxons attacking on table 2

On table 2 the first battle saw the attacking Saxons very quickly overwhelmed the defenders and set fire to the church within 7 moves. So we swapped around and had the Merrymen/Vikings attack. This was a closer battle with the attackers managing to set a fire late in the game. 

 

Tussle around the church on table 2 

Dark Ages - The Raid

A shorter report this week on our latest Dark Ages games. This weeks scenario was a a race between two raiding forces ro grab loot from the middle of the table and search some buildings. Game 1 was Robin Hood + Vikings vs Picts + Vikings. Gamer 2 was Welsh + Anglo-Saxons vs Irish + Arabs.

Hoodies on the road

Picts advance

Game 1 was a win for the Hoodies / Vikings with a 5-2 victory for them. 

Irish moving around the flanks

Irish and Welsh clash

Anglo-Saxons claim some loot

Game 2 was a win for the Arabs / Irish with them claiming a 10-1 victory

Release the hounds

 

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.    

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!