With the Society of Ancients Maldon Battle Day fast approaching we ran another test game with my Shieldwall rules.
The Vikings have landed on Northey Island. Their target is Maldon which is connected by a tidal causeway to the island.
We first fight our the Combat of Champions on the tidal causeway connecting the island to the mainland. Marcus, Wulfstan, and Aelfere block the passage and the Vikings send out three champions to meet them — Halfdan, Bjorn and Sven. The Saxons get the better of the engagement, increasing their reputation and killing Sven the Lacklustre in the process. Buoyed up by their success the Saxons deploy for battle in good heart.
Crossing the causeway the Vikings begin to deploy with Olaf Tryggvason’s contingent forming the left of their line.
The Saxons have more men and their right outflanks the Viking left. Encouraged by the success of the battle of champions, the Saxons get their men into good fighting order before the Vikings and they advance rapidly on their right.
Byrhtnoth, leading the Saxon left, is slower to advance as he has been spending time consulting his priests and monks. The Vikings may scoff but their laughter is cut short when a 7 is drawn from the card pack allowing the Saxons to re-roll any one set of dice. They do this at a critical moment thanking God for having responded so favourably to their piety.
As the lines close Aelfwin’s champion issues a challenge to personal combat with Olaf. Olaf’s champion takes up the challenge and gets the better of it, wounding Aelfwin’s champion and reducing Aelfwin’s prestige.
In the ensuing combat, some of Olaf’s followers are forced back. In the centre a fierce fight between Offa (on the Viking side) and Godric (on the Saxon side) flows back and forth with Offa gaining a slight edge. On the far left of the Saxon line Byrhtnoth’s contingent finally moves forward to meet Svein’s Viking advance.
At this point things are beginning to look serious on the Viking left. Gadda’s outflanking Saxons break formation to wheel around to hit Olaf’s flank.
Gadda’s Saxons sweep away one of Olaf’s units and cut them to pieces in the following pursuit.
Gadda attempts to rally his men from their pursuit to turn to close onto the Viking rear. HIs retinue obeys but the rest of his men carry on to reach the causeway and loot the Viking ships.
Olaf Tryggvason is now surrounded by Saxons, His men fight valiantly to protect their lord but Olaf is killed and his men die with him. Elsewhere, however, the Vikings are in the ascendancy. Offa breaks one of the Saxon units, Byrhtnoth is severely wounded and his men also begin to fall back.
The game ends with a marginal Saxon victory. Although Offa and Svein have the edge on their opponents, the Saxons have taken the causeway and are now looting the Viking camp and burning their ships. The Vikings have no option other than to withdraw to defend their ships and then sail away. Byrhtnoth will be taken to the church to have the Nuns tend his wounds. Maldon is saved and for now the Viking threat has gone away.
The main battle was fought using Shieldwall Rules which are available form my website here. I will also have hard copies for sale at the Society of Ancients Battle Day. Richard Speedman’s Combat of Champion rules for the fight on the causeway will be available to download shortly and will also be available at the Society of Ancients Battle Day.
The full Maldon scenario with map is available as a free download from my webstite here.