Dux Britanniarum AAR Vikings vs. Anglo-Saxons

I and Jonas have started a small Dux Britanniarum Campaign using our Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, to get a feel for the campaign rules. We decided to set the Campaign in Northumberland and the area of the first Viking raids in 793 AD.

Jonas are playing the Anglo-Saxons and we used the British starter army for them.

He´s Warlord was Aethelbald the Cruel a man of just 22 springs that had worked he´s way up much due to he´s tremendes constitution.

He´was  always followed by he´s Champion Ealdwulf an old and experienced warrior and of course two of he´s childhod friends Leofric and Hacca.

By King Aella the Generous they was assigned to protect the northern coast from the  Savage barbarians that attacked Lindisfarne last summer.

I would use my Vikings and run them as a Saxon Starter army.

My Warlord was Gutorm the Coward, of course no one dared to say it to he´s face as he was King Gudmunds second son. Gutorm didn´t even want to get out for a viking but as he was a man that liked other mens wifes he´s father thought it was best that he left home for a while...

To protect he´s son the old King Gudmund sent some of he´s best men. The old Champion Styrbjörn to make all the fighting, Sigvard and Ragnar was sent to lead the men, now they was out for some easy plunder...

We decided to start our campaign using the sea raid scenario from the TooFatLardies Summer Special 2012, after all the Vikings did arrive by boat...

The Viking 2nd in command, Sigvard and Ragnar, had decided that the Kings son Gutorm needed a easy prey for he´s first raid. So the aim for the attack was a small churche by the coast...

After the terrible attacks last summer , King Aella the Generous had posted small forces of warriors alog the coast. One of therse was posted close to the church, under command of Athelbalds 2nd in command Leofric.

As the two Viking ship run up on the beach close to the Church, the clergyman Brother Bede posted him self out side he´s church praying for a miracle to occur...

In the Anglo-Saxon shore camp there was much activety as the men gathered themself to deffend the church amd throw the invaders back in to the sea...

The Vikings ruched ashore, two groups of Hirdmen was ordered to meet the approaching Saxons... The rest of the Vikings was on there way to the church...

The Saxons that had guarded the coast moved swift close to the disembarking Vikings, Leofric didn´t get them in Shieldwall just yet...

By the coast the Saxon leader Leofric got he´s men to form a shieldwall to better be able to withstand the feirce Viking attack to come...

Gutorm the Coward commanded he´s men from the back...they was ordered to move as quicley as possible to the church, but was some hampered by the field and the forest.

PRAISE THE LORD !!! Brother Bede called out, then by a mere miracle Aethelbald the Cruel with he´s Thegns and a large group of gathered Fyrd arrived.

What was expected as a easy and quick raid, just had gone bad for Gutorm the Coward and he´s warband, only beccause The old Champion Styrbjörn told him what to do Gutorm didn´t run back to the ships... 

The Vikings formed a battle line to meet the approaching Saxons...

By the coast Sigvard and the Viking hirdmen charged the Saxon Shieldwall... a fierce battle started with several casualtys on both sides, but the Saxons stod firm...

By the coast the difference in warrior status started to show...the Saxon Fyrd started to be puched back, still maintaining the Shieldwall but suffering hard of the chock from the Viking Hirdmens heavy attacks...

By the forest the Viking luck wasn´t that good...although confront inferior enemys they recived heavy losses and soon two of the three groups was on the run for the ships... at that moment Gutorm the Coward to was intimidated and ordered a general retreat for he´s men, BACK TO THE SHIPS !!!

The battered Saxons let the Vikings embarke theirs ships and get away, glad that they managed to save the Church from the flames. 

Brothe Bede praised the lord for this greate Miracle and prommised to join Aethelbalds retinue for the comming month and care for the wounded men. Aethelbalds lost 9 men during the fight and it would take him a month to renew he´s warband, by the loot from the fallen Vikings he got a Thief´s Hord of plunder.

Gutorm had lost 13 men during the combat, he didn´t realy care as he´s father would send more warriors, but he was glad that he had survived he´s first real fight. 

Now he would rest and find some nice womens to comfort him while he was awaiting 2 month for the reinforcements to arrive and the wounded men to heal, then he would be back...

This was our 3rd Dux Britanniarum game, took a little long time, but that was probably due to two players on each side that had to discuss every decision...

Rules wise we start to get a good grip of them and it was nice to try out the campaign rules to, they realy give a good flavour and story to the fighting, looking forward to continue the campaing.