Another game of Hail Caesar this week. We have discovered that games of around 300 points in 2 'divisions' work well on my 6' x 4'ft table. Charlie brought along 300 points of his Normans to take on 150 pts each of Ian's Saxons and my Vikings. It was a straightforward encounter battle with a small added challenge for each side. The attacker has to raid a small dwelling in the opposing half of the table and get away with a wagon loaded with loot. The defending side has to try and get a mounted messenger off the opposing table edge (a plea for aid perhaps?). I also produced a set of cards and players drew one card per leader figure. These cards could increase your leaders abilities or add an extra skirmish unit to your force or any number of things. A quick dice off decided that Ian and I were the attackers and Charlie was the defender.
My Vikings look across at the approaching Normans, especially the Norman cavalry on the left.
Vikings and Saxons to the left, Normans to the right.
The white cards are from a random pack which can upgrade your leader, add an extra unit or there also a few 'random' events. My Viking leader Torsten was upgraded, Ian (Ianberht) got a random event which allowed us to place a marsh in front of the advancing Norman cavalry. Charlie's main commander Beohmund was upgraded to Ld 9 and Roger de Baskerville got a Papal Banner allowing him to re-roll a failed Break Test.
Charlie sends his Norman cavalry forward.
Note the red headed figure hiding at the back, that is the messenger.
He easily got across the board as Norman missile fire forced my archers sent to hunt him down were forced back behind a hill and in disorder.
Ian's saxons form a defensive line to face the approaching Normans.
The house is the one we needed to try and loot., we never got near it.
Breton light cavalry harass Ian's Houscarles with javelins.
Ian charges in, the Bretons counter charge...
No more Breton Cavalry., the only unit Charlie lost.
So far so good for the Saxon/Viking alliance.
Charlie attacked my Vikings with a combined infantry and cavalry attack.
My Vikings received a right good beating and the whole division broke and my commander was also killed in the melee. My luck was dreadful today, makes up for last weeks good luck!
On the Saxon flank, Ian's force were also in trouble with quite a few disordered units. He used his turn to withdraw across the stream. The unit of skirmishers in front of the Norman cavalry is all that is left of the Vikings and they are trying to withdraw.
At this point a resounding and well deserved victory was declared to Charlie and his nasty Normans.
We play again next week, same sides but Ian and I are hoping for a better performance, especially from my Vikings.
Revenge of the Dice Gods.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, is there an advantage to the one larger force over the two smaller ones?
The dice gods had a good laugh at my expense today. Technically there should be no advantage for the Normans being one force (but in 2 divisions) and the Anglo Danes and the Vikings being two seperate forces, both sides were at 300pts.
ReplyDeleteExcellent looking game and armies, as for the dice gods they can be fickle ! LOL
ReplyDeleteThe dice gods are fickle indeed, perhaps i should make a sacrifice before next weeks follow up game.
DeleteThanks Wek, I am leaning more and more to 28mm figures for the spectacle they create.
ReplyDeleteCracking looking game, very nice collection on the table, really look great.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the very kind words Donnie.
ReplyDeleteImpressive collection very nice looking table. Odin be praised.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I did not praise Odin enough?
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely looking game
ReplyDeleteThanks Jim.
ReplyDelete