The campaigns and battles of 1066 and the few years after have long fascinated me. At long last I finally got round to re-fighting the main battle of that time, Hastings. Using figures from my own collection and those of Ian and Charlie as well four of us sat down to play the game. I re-read a few accounts of the battle and planned a scenario with some of the events that happened that day mixed in to hopefully give the players a few surprises. I have only listed stats for the troop types used during the game. I have called the Normans...Normans but have called the Anglo-Danes... Anglo Saxons. This is the book I used mainly for troop numbers and deployment etc.. as a bit of a nod to a great wargames 'name'.
Here are the scenario details, including army lists, deployment (see map) and special events ...
With both sides estimated at around 7,000 to 7,500 men I have used a very rough guide of 1 figure is equal to 30 actual men, but have also rounded numbers up to make complete Hail Caesar units.
Hastings: Umpire notes… only reveal to the relevant players after deployment.
All Norman cavalry that may use Feigned Flight may also turn to face upon executing their flee move (whether this was a single move from Initiative of up to 3 moves on a successful order).
The marshy, rough ground on either side of Senlac hill is only placed by the Umpire after Norman deployment. Any troops other than skirmish infantry moving through this ground will become disordered.
Last Man standing: whilst Harold is still alive his personal unit of Huscarles will never break They may withdraw, taking Harold with them but never break until destroyed. |
Map of deployment, the Saxons deploy first but the Normans take the first turn.
William pondering tactics before the battle.
Hastings 1066: Normans. The Normans are the attackers and take the first turn.
INFANTRY Unit | Clash | Sustained | Short Range | Long Range | Morale | Stamina | Special | Points | Hvy Spearmen | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4+ | 6 | Heavy Infantry | 26 | Med Spearmen | 6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5+ | 6 | Medium Infantry | 23 | Inf bow or x-bow | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5+ | 6 | Medium Infantry | 24 | Skirmish bow or x-bow | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | Skirmishers Small Unit | 12 |
CAVALRY Unit | Clash | Sustained | Short Range | Long Range | Morale | Stamina | Special | Points | Knights lance | 9 | 6 | 3/0 | 0 | 4+ | 6 | Tough Fighters | 34 | 0-1 Knights with Fr. Charge | 9 | 6 | 3/0 | 0 | 4+ | 6 | Tough Fighters and Frenzied Charge | 37 | Breton Knights | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4+ | 6 | Spear/javelins | 30 | Light Cavalry | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6+ | 4 | Small Units | 17 |
SHIELDWALL: Takes a whole move stationary to form a Shieldwall, but may come out of Shieldwall without penalty. Units in Shieldwall move at half speed, deduct 1 from their combat values, add 1 to a morale roll, add 1 to any Break Test resulting from melee. (All Heavy and Medium infantry may form Shieldwall).
Frenzied Charge:must Charge if in range, three moves allowed on a successful order/initiative. Tough Fighters: re-roll one missed combat attack.
Tallifer: before the battle commences a lone Norman knight advances from the Norman line to challenge any Saxon Huscarl to a duel. This is the minstrel Tallifer. The Saxons will send a hero out to meet the challenge. Both players throw 1xd6, the highest score wins the duel. If Talifer dies the huscarl returns to the saxon ranks and the battle commences. If Tallifer wins the duel he then charges the saxon ranks. Once again, both players throw a d6. If Tallifer loses the battle will now commence. If Talifer wins, he meets an heroic death but does manage to inflict 1 point of damage on the Saxon unit he charged.
Rumour of William's Death: At the start of each Norman turn, the Duke William must throw 1xd6. On a score of 6 a rumour runs through his ranks that he has fallen. For this turn all units in William’s division may not advance or charge. They may however shoot and may defend themselves if attacked.
Papal Banner: William was gifted this banner by the Pope. Once per turn William may re-throw one failed Break test for any one unit in his division.
Duke Williams division. William the Bastard: Ld:9, FV:3, leads his own unit of Norman Knights with Ferocious Charge plus the Papal Banner. 2x Units of Norman Knights, lance. 2x units of Heavy Infantry with spear 1x units of crossbow 1x units of skirmishers with crossbow
Bretons Division. All mounted units in this division have the ‘Feigned Flight’ rule which allows them to break off from hand to hand combat by using Initiative or an order. P157. led by Alan Fergant, Ld: 8, FV: 2. Leads his own unit of Breton Knights with javelin. 1x unit of Breton Knights, javelin. 2x small units of light cavalry with javelins. 2x units of Medium Infantry Spear. 1x unit of bowmen 1x unit of skirmishers with bow
Flemish Division. led by William Fitzosbern and Eustace of Boulogne. Ld:8, FV: 2, lead their own unit of Norman Knights with lance. 2x units of Norman Knights, lance 2x units of Medium Infantry with spear. 1x unit of skirmishers with bow. |
Harold, taking a quick rest before the battle.
Hastings 1066: Anglo Saxons. Must deploy first.
INFANTRY Unit | Clash | Sustained | Short Range | Long Range | Morale | Stamina | Special | Points | Huscarls Hvy Inf, Long Spear or armed with 2-H axes | 7
8 | 7
7 | 3
2 | 0
0 | 4+
4+ | 6
6 | Tough Fighters, Elite, Stubborn, Valiant Shieldwall No Shieldwall | 36
37 | Thegn Heavy infantry: spears | 7 | 7 | 3
| 0 | 4+ | 6 | Shieldwall long spears, phalanx | 32 | Fyrd medium Infantry: spears | 6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5+ | 6 | Shieldwall | 23 | Militia | 7 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 6+ | 8 | Militia, large unit Freshly raised. | 22
| Skirmishers with javelin | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Small unit | 11 | Skirmishers with bows | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6+ | 4 | Small unit | 13 |
SHIELDWALL: Takes a whole move stationary to form a Shieldwall, but may come out of Shieldwall without penalty. Units in Shieldwall move at half speed, deduct 1 from their combat values, add 1 to a morale roll, add 1 to any Break Test resulting from melee. Elite: recover from Disorder on a 4+ Stubborn: re-roll failed Morale Save Tough Fighters: re-roll one missed combat attack. Valiant: Break Test re-roll once per battle Wavering: take a break test when you take a casualty. Militia: no move on roll equal to Leadership. Freshly Raised: check unit in its first round of combat. Throw 1xd6, 1: Terror, only hits on 6’s and becomes disordered, 2-3: Panic, in its first round of combat hits on 6’s only, 4-5: Determined: unit does its duty, 6: Inspired: unit gets an extra attack in 1st round.
Fighting Man Banner: this is Harold’s personal standard. Harold’s own unit of Huscarls may re-roll failed Morale Saves once every turn.
Fyrd re-enforcements: (may only happen a maximum of 3 times. At the start of each of their turns, the Saxon Commander must throw a d6. On a score of 6 an extra unit of Fyrd enters the board along the London Road. The Anglo Saxon player may decide which division the new Fyrd unit moves to join.
One in the Eye: At the end of each turn the Saxon commander throws 2xd6. On a score of double six, one randomly selected command figure may have been injured/killed by an arrow in the eye. Randomly select any leader figure from either side whose division has been targeted this turn and throw for missile damage as usual.
Harold Godwinson, Ld: 9, FV: 3 plus his Fighting man Banner. Leads his own unit of Huscarls. 1x unit of Huscarls 2x units of Thegns 2x units of Fyrd 1x unit of skirmishers with bow
Leofwine: Ld: 8, FV: 2 leads his own unit of Huscarls 1x unit of Huscarls 2x units of Thegns 2x units of Fyrd 1x Militia unit: large unit. 1x unit of skirmishers with bow
Gyrth: Ld: 8, FV: 2 leads his own unit of Huscarls 1x unit of Huscarls 2x units of Thegns 2x units of Fyrd 1x unit of skirmishers with javelin
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Charlie and Nigel took control of the Normans leaving Ian to play the role of Harold Godwinson and also Leofwyn whilst I controlled Gyrth's division and tried to remember all the special rules.
King Harold and William the Bastard have a friendly chat before the battle.
The Normans are eager to get going.
Overview of deployment.
Tallifer rides forth and after two rounds slays a Saxon champion.
Tallifer then charged the Saxon line but was cut down with no effect.
The Normans now advance, apart from Charlie's knights on the Norman right who decided to withdraw???
The Saxons feeling confident on their hill.
King Harold surveys the battle just before the two sides clash.
William stays back, watching the battle unfold.
He had sent his two flanking divisions forward, holding his own troops back apart from the missile troops.
The Norman light cavalry attack the Saxon skirmishers in the rough ground and disperse them.
The Norman shooting had been causing quite a lot of damage to the Saxon Shield wall, it was time to send in the knights, and they were very tough!
Many warriors were slain on both sides.
After much heavy fighting Harold's brother Gyrth was slain, his division then broke and the Saxon left flank was open. With Charlie also doing well with the Breton division on the other flank, forcing their way on the hill and Leofwine's units being destroyed and pushed back the battle was going the Norman's way when we had to call time. Another tow or three turns would certainly have seen a Norman victory with just Harold left isolated in the centre of the hill virtually surrounded by Normans.
We all really enjoyed the game, Hail Caesar certainly gives fast, fun games. We also learnt a few things. If we were to play this scenario again we would probably limit the number of rounds of shooting for the Normans; afterall they did run out of missiles in the actual battle. We also learnt that Norman Knights are tough, even when you are a unit of Saxons in shieldwall, well supported and in shieldwall! When Nigel though 9 melee dice and two dice for hus leader and scored 11 hits I knew I was in for a tough day. Only one extra unit of Saxon Fyrd managed to arrive and that was the only special rule that the dice managed to trigger so in a refight I perhaps need to make them a touch easier to happen.
