At my local club, Livingston Battleground, there was a most
welcome return to the Dark Ages with my Scots Saga warband all dressed up and
ready for a fight. I’d arranged a game with one of my regular Saga opponents, who’d also
had a bit of a Saga hiatus recently, so we were both keen for a refresher. I’d also been
chatting to one of the other club members who’d expressed an interest in a
demonstration game. So a hastily arranged three-way scenario was on the cards. Upon
arrival at the club however, yet another one of our Saga regulars had his
troops with him, so the three way game turned into a very agreeable four-way
‘King of the Hill’ scenario!
We decided on two teams with a 4 point warband apiece and
an 8 turn limit. Whichever allied side had the highest troop value, (3 points
for each Hearthguard, 2 for Warriors and 1 for levies), on the ‘hill’ by the end of turn 8 wins the day.
I allied with the new player, using most of my Scots miniatures to assemble both
a Scots and Welsh force. Our opponents deployed Vikings and Anglo Saxons,
who’d apparently agreed a temporary armistice so they could have a go at the kilted
ones instead!Saxon levy archers supporting the Vikings |
The Saxons deployed on the Viking's left flank, hoping to utilise the terrain get their archers into a strategic supporting position. Over on the opposite side of the hill, the Welsh had command of Bonnedid, levy archers, and mounted Teulu Hearthguard, the latter being split into two groups of four and deployed to secure both flanks of the combined Welsh/Scots army.
Scots Javelin levy with their Warlord |
The Saxons were now distracted by combined Welsh Mounted
and Scots warriors taking on their Ealdormen and Thegns, although their levy archer Ceorls were still advancing. Meanwhile the Scots levy javelins, having
successfully manoeuvred out of the way of their advancing warrior comrades,
confidently negotiated a small hill before heading forward to threaten the
Saxon archers.
The second Welsh mounted unit flanked the Vikings ascending the hill, discovering that psychological warfare was the order of the day with much enthusiastically crude gesticulation and vocal, but undecipherable, taunting being most effective - drawing some of the goaded Vikings away from the laborious hill climb. The Welsh archers had by now found their range and were also busy loosing arrows on long, high arcs towards the Viking Hirdmen on the hill – some of which had even been confident enough to descend down towards the Scots lines.
The second Welsh mounted unit flanked the Vikings ascending the hill, discovering that psychological warfare was the order of the day with much enthusiastically crude gesticulation and vocal, but undecipherable, taunting being most effective - drawing some of the goaded Vikings away from the laborious hill climb. The Welsh archers had by now found their range and were also busy loosing arrows on long, high arcs towards the Viking Hirdmen on the hill – some of which had even been confident enough to descend down towards the Scots lines.
However, these few over-confident Vikings were pushed
back and the Scots main force then moved as one to contest the hill with their
leader amongst them and escorted by a small contingent of sweaty Hearthguard.
The Saxon archers were denied their objective by the arrival of the large group
of Scots javelin levy, so much so the Saxon war boss himself smashed into their
lines hoping to scythe his way through the conscripts. That he did, but
unfortunately the surviving Scots levy, instead of retreating back, started to
climb the hill instead looking for protection from their warrior brethren!
By the final turn, the Vikings on the hill found themselves
fighting to hold it against the swelling ranks of Scots warriors, whilst their berserker
brethren were still delayed by the taunting Welsh mounted Teulu. The Saxons too
were held up, embroiled in a brutal fight with groups of stubborn Scots fighters and the remnants
of the first Welsh mounted unit. With the tide of battle turned, the allied Welsh and Scots took the day. Just.
----------------------------------------------------
Another example where serendipity provides a most entertaining gaming opportunity. It certainly was a useful exhibition game for our first time player to be involved in, with varied and multiple forces in action and demonstrating the role of the different faction abilities. Once again Saga successfully provided some entertaining and atmospheric, albeit 'historical lite’, Dark Age skirmishing.
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