Song of Drums and Shakos

I have tryed out the rules "Song of Drums and Shakos" with my 28mm AWI minis.

It worked out realy well even if my minis are multi based. 1 of my bases was equal to 1 mini in the rules...

I was runing a small engagement. A Native war party was assaulting a small settlement but meet harsh resistanse from the local militia...

OOB

Native Indian War Party
1x Warchief
10x Warriors with some coureurs de bois

Local Militia
1x Captain
8x Militia

A small groupe of Braves advance through the field, the militia respond with a volly of muskets that dosen´t harm even a barn door...

As it takes 2 actions to reload, the Natives take the chance and charge the poor militia...

a fierce fight begins and both sides take casualtys...

the fight continued for some more rounds, and ended with the escape of the Militia Captain and some small part of he´s glorius militia company...

It was a short but nice test game with just about half as many points as the rules recomend, and I think it will get even better and faster then I learned the rules:)

Casulty markers

I have painted up some more casulty and disordered markers for my Hail Caesar/15th centery Kalmar Union War project.

Loss of 3 stamina each ...

Loss of 5 stamina each...

Disordered and Loss of 1 stamina each...

Medieval Manner of Dress #2

I have done as "The Angry Lurker" commented "it's not my period of interest at this time and they should go to medieval nuts" so I have looked after some "medieval nuts" and found that these 3 fits the description;)

Alan at The Duchy of Tradgardland for he´s great interest in Medieval Scandinavia. Good luck with your Danish 13th centry army;)

Sire Godefroy at Conquering the Lead Mountain that are a real medieval reenactor and historical fencer as well as a realy good miniature painter.

Bedford at La Journee That was one of the creators behind the spectacular demo game "Battle of Verneuil 1424" at Salute.

They will each get a copy of the book, Medieval Manner of Dress: Documents, Images and Surviving Examples of Northern Europe, Emphasizing Gotland in the Baltic Sea.

I hope it will inspiring them to paint some medievla scaninavians now;)

If you wasn´t one of the 3 and still want to get hold of a copy you can send a e-mail to the Museum Shop and order one, they have a realy good price at the moment;)

Medieval Manner of Dress

Medieval Manner of Dress: Documents, Images and Surviving Examples of Northern Europe, Emphasizing Gotland in the Baltic Sea.

Publication Date: 2001

Priests, monks, burghers and peasants - how did they dress in the Nordic countries during the Middle Ages? What materials and colors were used? Which changes of fashion occurred?

Knowledge of the medieval manner of dress must be drawn from visual and written records - art, provincial statutes and court findings, supplemented by all too few examples of surviving textile material.

Else Marie Gutarp presents a compilation of the extensive, albeit widely-scattered material - an invaluable guide for workshops, theater groups, organisers of medieval festivals and interested readers in general.

The book also contains diagrammed cutting patterns for several simple medieval garments.

From book's back cover

When I was at the Gotland Fornsal during the Medieval week I purchase 3 extra copys of this book about Medieval Manner of Dress that I thought I woud give away to my blog readers:)

The book are in english and there are NO arms or armour in it at all, but good info about Medieval Manner of Dress, Images and Surviving Examples of Northern Europe, Emphasizing Gotland in the Baltic Sea...

If this sound as something intersting to you pleas make a separate comment that you are interested, include your e-mail adress. If you are one of the first 3 to show interest, I get in contact with you about were to send the book.

I ofcourse won´t publish your comments including your mail adress, but I will publish who got the books in a later post at my blog.

Good Luck;)

Best regards Dalauppror

Flea Market Bargains #2

Back to painting minis again after a week of posts about the Medieval Week on Gotland...

There will be one more post connected to the Medieval week...I thought the one about Lojsta Slott would be the last one BUT I just remebered that I purchase 3 extra copys of a books about Medieval Manner of Dress then I visited the museum.

The 3 books will I give away to my blog readers;) More about the book and how you will be one of the lucky 3 to get a copy in a post tomorrow...i.e. 24 houres;)

Here are a pictures of my new painted flea market bargins, I think they turned out quite well:)

They will ofcourse be used with my 28mm, 15th centry Kalmar Union Project;)

Iron Age Great Hall

My last post of pictures from the Medieval Week are some pictures from Lojsta Slott that are a Iron age hill fort and near by you have a reconstructed Iron age/Viking Great Hall. Unfortunally the hillfort area was´t cleard so you couldn´t realy see the hill fort...they promissed to clear the are from trees and bruches to next summer...but here are some pictures of the Great hall.
Here you can find a Satellite view of the area:)

Lojsta Hall is the oldest reconstructed Iron Age type house in Sweden, an important historical landmark on Gotland. It was built after the excavations in 1929 on the original site, near one of the Manor’s lakes.

It dates to about 400 AD and is a typical longhouse with both people and their livestock living under one roof.

It was probably inhabited for about 300 years before it got abandoned like many other Iron Age sites at the same time. In those days, it was easy to travel from Lojsta to the Baltic Sea and trade goods. The roof is thatched with Great Fen-Sedge (Cladium mariscus), a plant which is common to the local moors.

The Lojsta area on Gotland is famous for its lakes. The Lojsta Slott Manor is taken care of by the Lojsta Slotts Hembygdsförening, founded 1921. They keep the area around Lojsta Slott open and available for outdoor activities. Since 1921 Midsummer is celebrated in traditional ways. There are regular activities to preserve old crafts, like coalmining, building boats and old ways of constructing and maintaining houses. Many school classes start or end their semesters on Lojsta Slott with a outdoor camp.

Battle at Visby

Unfortunaly we left Visby by boatduring the night befoe the reenactment of the Battle of Wisby, but I found some nice film that show the battle.

The Battle at Wisby Monday the 27 of July 1631

A unit of peasant soldiers march onto the battle field. They look ragged and their armor consists of various pieces gathered from different places. Some have decent equipment and some have no equipment at all. Some of them have swords, spears and crossbows and others still have tools for agriculture which will now be used to harvest lives instead of crops. Some are mere boys. Others are already old. Some come riding at their small horses, russar, but most of them walk. They are what could be mustered, the last defence. They have already tried to stop the Danes in Mästerby, with little luck.

They greet another Gotlandish force coming from a different direction. They all know that the enemy is close. A courier comes riding, telling them that the Danes are already there. The Gotlandish leaders decide to take up defensive positions on a couple of small hills – there is not enough time to get inside the walls.

The Danes appear behind a ridge. A Gotlandish force is not quick enough, but are trodden down by the heavy horses of the Danish knights. The main Danish force form up and march at the Gotlandish lines. The battle commences. The well-oiled, efficient Danish force gains the upper hand, and the Gotlandish center breaks. People scream and the Danes break through. They are now able to fight one half of the Gotlandish army at a time.

They start with the left one. Arrows dart through the air, and the infantry grinds the peasants to a panicking mass of dying, retreating men. The Danish cavalry pursue the fleeing men and cut them down. After all is finished, the Danes turn to the right one. The Gotlanders are firmly defending their hill – but it is of no use. In the end, they are only a handful left and they are completely surrounded, fighting for their lives. In the middle, the Gotlandish banner is still flying, but eventually no one is able to hold it high anymore. It falls. The Gotlanders are defeated and the Danes pursue the fleeing peasants.

The Danish king charges the field with his body guard. Then all is silent. All that is left is the bodies of the men that fought and died to defend their homes. The bells in the cathedral tolls, when a memorial service is held for the fallen.

Text from the "Battle at Wisby 1361-2011" site

Battle at Mästerby

During the Medieval Week there was 2 reenactments revolving the Danish Invasion in 1361.

I and several houndred of interested was out side Visby to a place called Mästerby and watched the reenactment battle. Here are some pictures and 2 short film clips.

The Swedish Historical Professor Dick Harrison was guiding the audience through the battle.

The Gotlandish force is located on the northern side of Sudertingsån. A number of men are destroying the bridge which crosses the stream. They are working fast, since their scouts have told them that the Danish army is close, and on its way. The Danes have large numbers, modern armour and modern weapons. The Gotlanders themselves have old equipment, but they are truly motivated. They fight to protect their families and homes from the devestation following the Danish army.

The bridge finally crumbles, pulled down by horses, and it does so with a terrible crash. It is at the very last minute, because the Danish vanguard is in sight. The Danes spy out the Gotlanders and, after a while, they pick up formation and advance towards the stream. Getting into and then up from the stream furrow proves to be a hard task; the Gotlanders hold their formations, stabbing and slashing anyone who tries to cross the stream. The Danish vanguard is forced to retreat several times and at last, king Valdemar realizes that his troops will not be able to cross.

He sends off scouts to find another passage over the steam – not too far off, at Fjäle myr, a passage is found. A group of Danish soldiers are sent to cross at Fjäle. The Gotlander crossbow archers attempt to stop the group, but their bolts are almost useless due to the modern, Danish armours. At the same time, the main army attack again, across the stream.

Suddenly, the Gotlanders find themselves battling their enemy at several fronts at once. Their lines break and parts of the Gotlander army starts to retreat. The Danish finally manage to cross the bog on horseback and attack full scale. The Gotlanders are pursued and killed in what proves to be a strenuous battle. Valdemar expresses his hopes that the following battles will not prove to be as difficult as those at Mästerby. Text from the "Battle of Wisby 1361-2011" site

After the battle...

There was participants from 9 countrys...

And of course from Sweden to, these fighters are true Allmoge soldiers from "Bondeuppbådet i Östergötaland"

And here are some lousy film clips of the later part of the battle...sorry I got to get a better film camera...

Medieval Camp outside Visby

Here are some pictures from one of the larger, about 40 tents, medieval camps just out side Visby. This camp was set up by the "Battle at Visby 1361-2011" project, they was responible to arrangentwo 1361 reenactment battles during the medieval week.

The 2 battles was The Battle at Mästerby and the Battle at Visby, unforunaly I only could se the smaler one at Mästerby...pictures soon...

Enterance...yes, you had to pay to get in...

Swedish banners...first a small St. Olof banner, then a 3-crowns banner, the Swdish royal banner.

Close-up of the 3-crowns banner.

Shield with St. Olof

Cooking...got to eat god if you are fighting the Danes...

I guess you have to wait a year or two before signing up for the army...

Gotlandic militia...

Weapon check before the battle...

Instructing the troop how to fight and die...some pictures from the Battle at Mästerby comming soon...

You can find some nice pictures and drawing at the swedish part of the "Battle of Wisby 1361-2011" site

Historical Mueum in Visby

One of the days we spent at "Fornsalen" that are a greate Historical Museum in central of Visby, it was so greate that I forgett to take pictures...but I have some...

They have a large exebition about the Gotlandic History and ofcourse with a focus on the Battles of Gotland specially the Battle at Visby in 1361.

The Battle of Gotland.

On July 22, 1361 landed the Danish invasion army at the central west coast of Gotland, probably in Fröjel. As early as July 23 should be the army of Danish King Valdemar the lead having reached Fjaler bog and Sudertingsån which they must pass in order to continue to Visby. Here, according to tradition have been two types of large losses from Gotland. July 26 - a Monday - continued to march towards Visby and 27 was a great battle outside Visby's closed gates. According to contemporary data Fallen 1800 Gotlanders here.

Two days after the battle opened the city gates and Visby Council received the Danish king who had them sign a very kindly worded charter to ... "the wise and honest men, mayor, aldermen and the bourgeoisie in our town, Visby, our dear and faithful people, who they had the old time "... In Visby, life went on and commerce seem to be underway shortly after 29 July.

The dead were buried, including the large mass graves that were dug in the consecrated ground of the Cistercian nuns' cemetery just east of the city wall. Farms may be suspected of having looted and much of the countryside was devastated. For the farmers on Sudret the fight was not over. Another type is according to later sources to have been there Gotland is at its narrowest, between the FIDE Church and Burg Bay. The task is supported by leaving messages in the FIDE church.

To show the difference in armour Danes vs. Gotlanders in the battle in 1361.

Different replica Gotlandic armours, based on the finds in the graves.

"Solberga mannen" The Solbergaman are a reconstruction by Oscar Nilsson based on a cranium found in the mass-graves after the 1361 battle outside Visby.

Ofcoure they have some models to:)

This is one showing the Harbour during the 14th centery, due to the lower water and higher land the old harbour are now a nice park called "Almedalen"

The museum are built inside 3 of the Old packhouses near the old harbour and they have set parts of one up as in the 14th centery, This is the Showroon in the Packhouse there the merchant showed examples of the merchandises they had in the uper floors.

My son found a small boat to test:)

In the museum they alsoe have a section dedicated to the Gotlandic 17th century innovator, entrepreneur and technology educator C. Polhem, with lots of he´s tecnical innovations to test. Realy nice specially for the kids.

Medieval Week Pictures

Here are the first round of pictures from my trip to Visby and the Medieval Week, I hope that you find them inspiring and make a trip there next year...it´s always week 32...at least it have been so for the last 20 years or so;)


Early morning in Nynäsham, boarding the ferry. It´s a 3 hour ferry ride from Nynäsham on the mainland to Visby on Gotland.


The Kogg "Tvekamp af Elbogen" was visiting Visby during the week...the Kogg are a replica of a wreck find from Foteviken in Scania, the Kogg find are probably the oldest find of a armed Hansa Kogg. It was build in Poland around 1390 and was shipwrecked shortly after 1400, the Kogg was probably used by the pirates "Victual Brother".


Forum Vulgaris was the "Main" stage at the "Food Court"


Part of the "Food Court" in the middle of the large Medieval market, a tower in the city wall in the back...


Armour:) One of several trader in weapon and armour...


Every thing you need to start a rebellion...


There was probably 150-200 different traders at the medieval market all week.


Model of a part of the Visby City wall, how it looked back in the 14th centery


Kapitelhusgården i.e. Chapeterhouse-yard have its own small medieval market about 10 traders and a medieval tavern.


The Chapeterhouse are active all summer and is realy worth a visit.


Inside a small trading shop at the Chapeterhouse.


Looking at some Minstrels out sid the "Bride gate" at S:ta Maria Cathedral


There was at least 3 different medieval camps around Visby during the week, this is the smallest one, 20-30 tents, placed at the Jousting court.


The Teutonic Knights part of the camp...but they are all away to subdue some heathens...or just shop at the market;)


One evening I and my daughter was to the Tournament, the first one for her and she realy liked it:)

The first time I saw this tournament was about 15 years ago...and they have realy improved to a realy nice and professional show.


We ofcourse made some trips outside Visby to. This is ,Tofta Church, one of the about 100, still in use, medieval Churches on Gotland.


Part of the Gotlandic coast and some small Rauks in the back.


Medieval Dusk at the sea.


Visby city wall and the Towers of the Chatedral.


Visby city wall and some tents from one of the larger medieval camps...more pictures from that camp in the next post...