Ceorls

Here comes the first of 3 units of Anglo-Danish Ceorls for Earl Ethelstones warband to SAGA.

As I used what minis I had my Ceorls might have a little to much armour, but Earl Ethelstone are a very wealthy man so he can affort to arme he´s followers in the best way;)

The maker of the minis are, from left: 2x Perry minis (Crusader range), 3x Gripping Beast (mix of plastic Viking/Saxons), 2x Foundry, and last a GB plastic:)

The Last Anglo-Danish Housecals

Here are the 4 last of Earl Ethelstones Housecarls, Now I will make the last jobb on the Cerols and then the warband are ready for the struggle against the Normans and Viking invaders...

This time the minis I used are: Gripping beast (plastic Viking/Saxon), Foundry (one more old Perry sculpt?) Gripping Beast (from the Penda vignette) and a Gripping beast (plastic Viking/Saxon)

Sorry for the lousy pictyre quality...I will do better next time...

Norman Pursue

This will be 2 short AAR of the latest battles in our SAGA Campaingn, game #8 and #9

Last time a large norman force defeated a allied Viking/Anglo-Danish force. The Norman have now split their force in two to be able to pursue both the Vikings and the Anglo-Danes...They shoulden´t have...

Game #8 Normans vs. Vikings (Sacred Ground Scenario)

The Normans under command of Comes Rollo catched up Jarl Eiriks warband of Vikings by the coast, just as they was going to move for easyer prey... BUT then the incautious Normans appered the Vikings decided to give battle...

Jarle Eirik deployed most of he´s warband in 2 large groups, one Bondi and one Hirdmen, keeping only the Berserkers and a small group of Bondis as reserve...

Comes Rollo immediately discovered that the Vikings left flank would be vulnerable and sent 2 units to flank the Viking line...

Jarl Eirik was eager to get hold of the good ground and ruched he´s warband forward...

On the Vikings Right flank the large groupe of Bondis captured the wood and intimidate the Norman Sergenats...

The main struggle was around the central hill...The Viking Hirdmen first captured the high ground but was soon sweept away by the Norman Flanking force...

In a fierce Battle Jarl Eirik and the berserkers fighted their way to the top of the hill...There they found Comes Rollo in a exposed situation...the berserkers slaughtered him:)

By the loss of their Warlord the Normans didn´t have much to put up and regarded the battle as lost...retreating from the field...

Game #9 Normans vs. Anglo-Danish (Clach of Warlords Scenario)

Duc Willhelm and hi´s Normans chose to follow the retreating force of Earl Edward "the Doubtful". The mounted Normans soon got up to the retreating Anglo-Danes...Earl Edward was forced to give battle...

Earl Edward decided to try out a new approach and deploy hes warband in a extreamly defensive position and divide he´s warband in several very small groups...he might not do that again...

Duc Willhelm used a more direct tactic...

Although the Normans planed to get in there and fight it out it took them a very long time to get there...hinder by Anglo-Danish intimidation and Trapped...

Finally they managed to get a unit of Knights in combat with the screaning Geburs...

The levy archers put up a real fight, supported by some SAGA abillitys they managed to survive, at least a few of them...

The exhausted Norman Knights retreated and two of them fell from their saddles... thanks to the Anglo-Danish Exhaustion Abillity :)

In the center a group of Mounted Norman Sergeants started to harass the Anglo-Danish Ceorls...

The Normans continued to press the Anglo-Danes hard but losing even more Knights to the Exhaustion...

By night fall the 2 forces both withdrew but it was still a minor victory for the Normans...

Anglo-Danish Housecarls #2

Last night I finished some more of Earl Ethelstone Housecarls, the last 4 are in the final staget to...

This time the minis are from left, Gripping Beast (Plastic), Black Tree Design, Foundry (old perry I think) and last a Grpping beast (Plastic)

Anglo-Danish Housecarls #1

Earl Ethelstone will have 3 points/12 minis of Housecarls all will be armed with large Daneaxes, don´t know if that is good but it is cooool;)

In our games the Housecarls with Daneaxes have turned out to be quite fragile, with their lower armour, but they can deal quite some damage to:)

Here are some pictures of the first group/point of Housecarls.

The minis are from left; Musketeer (Early Saxon range), Perry (Crusader range), and 2 Gripping Beast (plastic Saxon/Viking mix)

Blood Reavers #2

I painted me an Aspiring Champion and a Chaos Marine with a meltagun for my Blood Reavers 40K force, so now I have a small squada ready for combat:)

Earl Ethelstone

As I started to work on my Anglo-Danish SAGA warband I tougth it would be ready in a week or two...

But as Jarl Eirik realy needed some ships to get around the British coast and my "friend" Ogge lured me in to paint some 40K minis the Earl Ethelstone and he´s warband have been delayd...

At last have I finished Earl Ethelstone and he´s warband will muster up during the next 2 weeks...I hope...

Earl Ethelstone will be fielded as a Anglo-Danish force to start with but will probably double up as Saxons warband to...but with a new flag...

The minis are frome the lovely Griping Beast Penda Vignette but I gave him a realy ax and a new Housecarl to carry he´s banner...that mini are from the Perrys crusader range...

Northern Wargaming

I got tiped about a new Swedish Wargaming Blog (in english) Northern Wargaming

The best about it at the moment are that they have a realy nice AAR of a 15th century Kalmar Union War game:)

It´s a skirmish game using the LOTR rules, please have a look.

This was perfect inspiration for me to continue my own Kalmar Union War project:)

SAGA Campaingn game #7

Our 7th SAGA Campaingn game was large game with two 4 point warband on each side, Viking and Anglo-Danish against a double Norman warband....on our usual 120x120cm table...

The Norman Duc Willheln and Comes Rollo had gathered a large Norman force to advance North from Sussex in to the land that the Viking recently had conquer.

Jarl Eirik gathered he´s warband and summon he´s loyal? subject Earl Edward "the Doubtful"...

The Normans deployed in two separted flanks both with a mix of Knights and Shooters...

Jarl Eirik deployed as he used in a shieldwall and demanded that Earl Edward would do the same and send he´s archers to protect the right flank. Jarl Eiriks plan was so simple that even Earl Edward had to understand it...

Hold your position and let the Anglo-Danish Trapped and Intimidation abillitys work during the Norman advance, and then make some swift double or even tripple moves, strike hard, retreat and regroup for a new lighting attack...

As plan the Norman started to advance but the Normans infront of the Anglo-Danish Archers seemed intimidated and didn´t dare to close in to much...

The Viking did hold their possitions, so did the Anglo-Danish levys, I suppouse they didn´t dare to do else...

BUT the Housecarls and Earl Edward started to advance in to the forest...Jarle Eirik was furious!

The Norman crossbows made a swift advance to get in range...what they didn´t expect was the long lightning charge made by a large group of Bondis that reached them and slaughtered them all:)

Some of the Andlo-Danish Housecarls moved out of the forest besides the Victorious Bondis and started to talked about supporting them...

BUT the Normans did exploit their mistake and slaugther them with a group of Mounted Sergeants...

Jarl Eirik took advance of the incautious attack by the Norman and attacked the Norman Sergeantes and the Knights giving them both a real spanking;) Comes Rollo started to withdraw what was left of he´s warband... Jarl Eirik smelled Victory !

BUT at the same time Earl Edward and he´s remaning Housecarls had forced their way through the forest and engaged the Norman sergeantes in the field...and was beaten...retreating back to the forest...

The Anglo-Danish levy still protected the left flank, intimidating the Normans not to advance...

Jarl Eirik started to move he´s warband to help Earl Edward and just mop up what was left of the Normans...

Earl Edward still wanted to be the hero of the day...so he ordered he´s last Housecarls to charge the Norman Sergeantes in the field a nother time...so they did leave the Earls side and chased the Sergeantes from the field...

A groupe of Norman Knights noticed Earl Edvards Exposed situation and charged him right away...Earl Edward was slain and severely injured during the fight bit some loyal retuiners managed to get him of the field of battle...

By night fall all Anglo-Danish warriors had fleed the field, The Vikings had been in hard fights but haden´t suffered to many losses...BUT was forced to withdrav from the battle field then their right flank was exposed due to the Earls defeate...

The Norman claimed the victory ! (22 VP to 21 VP)

This was a realy close and good fight! The gaming table should have been 180cm wide but other wise all worked out well.

Both warbands on each side rolled SAGA-dice and activated at the same time, which gave some extra possibilitys in the use of the battle boards.

Blood Reavers

After several month of brainwash I maight have given in...to paint me some 40K minis...

My friend? Ogge started to paint a Tau army last September and haven´t spoken of anything else, every time we talk he rave about 40K and that I realy, realy, realy need a 40K army to...

I have stoicly recisted untill last week then I started to go through my old warhammer bit boxes seeking stuff to use for a Chaos Space Marine army...

I decided to go for Chaos Space Marines as I got lots of bits that I can use to hold down the cost and there will be a quite small army.

Hopefully it will be finished in no time, so I can go back to SAGA and my 15th centery project...

Here are a VIP picture of the first minis I put together...

My army will be Blood Reavers i.e. Red Corsairs under command of the infamous Huron Blackheart.

But I don´t like the Huron Blackheart minis... so my army will be Huron Blackheart have done "good" work for the Chaos Gods and been rewarded and achieve Deamonhood and become a deamon Prince:)

Here are some pictures of the first 3 minis I painted for this interlude project...

Salute 2012

Now it´s no return...

The Flight and Hotel are booked AND I have got my Advance Ticket for Salute Twenty Twelve at Excel, 21st April 2012 :)

So now I just have to wait 3 month...

SAGA Campaingn game #6

This was our first 6 point game, between Jarl Eirik and hes nemisis Earl Edward up in the northern part of Essex.

We used the Sacred ground scenario, there you get victory points by the end of each enemy turn for every own warband member that are in any of the 3 terrain piece...

Jarl Eirik had rowed up a small river to attack Earl Edwards land, ofcours was the Earl alerted and he gathered a Warband to meet the Vikings on the field of battle...

The Vikings disembarked their Long Ships and waded ashore, confident of victory as the Earl had been beaten by them twice in the past...

Jarl Eirik deployed he´s warband in a shieldwall with he´s best fighters on the left aiming to seize the forest to the left and the Hill in the center of the field, but ignore the marsh to the right, at least to start with...

As usual Earl Edward "the Doubtful" scattered he´s warband all around with no cleare intention...or did he cunningly hide he´s real plan...

Jarl Eirik immediately took the initiativ and saw a opportunety to get a advanatage... With the help of Njord he managed to ruch he´s warband and claim the Forest to the left and the Hill in the center without he´s warriors get to wear out...

The Anglo-Danish apperently was chocked by the swift Viking advance as they started to warily move an mass...

The Large group of Anglo-Danish Housecarls with Daneaxes had just made their first move towards the hill, with the clear intention to attack the Viking Bondis uponit...BUT...Jarl Eirik had other plans for them...

As lightning from a clear sky the Berserkers made al realy long move and charged the Housecarls and started to slaugther them...after a round of combat, 6 Housecarls was slain and only 2 of the berserkers:)

Earl Edward "the Doubtful" coulden´t belive he´s eyes then he saw the 2 remaining Housecarls run for their lifes...

How was it possible for the Berserkers to make 3 moves and still not let the opponent get any fatigue to exploit...

The battle board was loaded with good stuff... Njord to remowe the fatigue they got after their 2nd activation...Frigg to to remowe the fatigue they got after their 3rd activation and Ullr to get re-rolls on the 17 attack dice...

...and as the Berserkers attacked them in the "side" not even all of the Houscarls could contribute to the fighting...but they can still be slain;)

After the loss of the main part of he´s Houscarls Earl Edward "the Doubtful" lost some of he´s fighting spirit...But he tryed to repaire the damage by sending he´s remaining 2 small groups of Housecarls forward...

The Housecarls on the Anglo-Danish Right flank meet up with 2 groups with 6 Hirdmen...the Housecarls put up a stoic fight forcing the Hirdmen to withdraw...

The Anglo-Danish levy had tryed to chase away the Bondis on the hill with archery but to no vain... so the Earl sent them forward to support the Houscarl attack and at least claime some victory of the hill...

As usual Earl Edward "the Doubtful" wanted to lead the last desperate attack from the front...

The Earl and he´s last Houscarls cleared the hill from Viking Bondis...but to the cost of all Housecarls...

The Earl was all alone on the hilltop waiting for the Viking vengeance...

Supported by a singel Hirdmen and a loaded battleboard Jarl Eirik Charged the hillside and engaged Earl Edward in a last struggle...

Jarle Eirik had defeated Earl Edward "the Doubtful" in personal combat before...and this time was no exception...

Once again Jarl Eirik spared the earls life and demanded him to take an oath of support in the upcoming battle with a large Norman Force...But that is another story...

This was a realy nice game, as Lasse starts to learn to use the battleboard in a very good way for him...not for me;)

The game was realy over by turn 3 as the main objective was to claim Victory points by havin warriors in the terrain areas.

I managed to get several of them in there in turm one which gtranted me about 10 VP in the end of every Anglo-danish turn...

So by turn 3 I had 30 VP and the Anglo-Danish 0 VP...and Lasse also got he´s best Housecarls obliterated by the mighty Berserkers:)

Viking Ships

My first post for 2012 will be a picture of my finished Viking Ships for my SAGA Warlord Jarl Eirik:)

With some micromanagement I can get about 12 minis on each ship without the 30mm bases overlap...so now Jarl Eirik can bring he´s warband out for some strandhugg along the british coast;)