The Normans decide to try widening their foothold in the North and return to the siege of Denmark. But clearly the Danes have laid in more beer and neeps, as they see off their invading cousins for a season (Normans, please designate an element to be lost).
The English watch events with interest but choose not to venture beyond their dooryards. So cautious are they that when a contingent of Welsh shepherds turn up calling "Gŵyl San Steffan!", the English give them a huge chest full of hacksilver. The shepherds, marvelling, go on their way.
That closes out the summer of 1004. Leaves begin to turn, there's a chill in the air, and
the wind whips up the waves so loud,
the ghost moon sails among the clouds,
turns the spear blades into silver,
on the border.
Autumn, 1004 arrives.
Showing posts with label normans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label normans. Show all posts
Friday, September 2, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
I'll post a new map shortly (we could use one). In the meantime, for your entertainment, some photo recaps of previous battles:
Scotland v. Wales: Autumn 1003. The third meeting between these armies, which show a pronounced pattern.
England v. Wales: Autumn 1003. One of the smallest DBA battles I've ever seen.
Danes v. Normans: Summer 1004. The latest battle in the campaign.
Scotland v. Wales: Autumn 1003. The third meeting between these armies, which show a pronounced pattern.
England v. Wales: Autumn 1003. One of the smallest DBA battles I've ever seen.
Danes v. Normans: Summer 1004. The latest battle in the campaign.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
war in the north
The Danes thought they would liberate Norway. The Normans were having none of that! A fleet of transports brought the chivalry of Fecamp, Coutances, and Caen to the fjords, just inj time to face down the cocky Vikings.
Pictures may be found here, but the long and the short of it was 2 Danish Bd and 2 Danish Sp dead, one of them the Danish general. Mighty against England, the Danes proved themselves (again) no match for mounted knights. Two more elements (Ps and Sp) were lost as penalty for losing their (third?) general in combat against the Normans, and the Danes slunk home to lick their wounds.
The Normans pull into a commanding lead, with the Scots a lagging second. The two also have almost the last intact armies, as most others are reduced to 2-3 elements.
The Normans have the next move, with which they can relocate their army from Norway if they choose, but they may not invade again this turn.
Pictures may be found here, but the long and the short of it was 2 Danish Bd and 2 Danish Sp dead, one of them the Danish general. Mighty against England, the Danes proved themselves (again) no match for mounted knights. Two more elements (Ps and Sp) were lost as penalty for losing their (third?) general in combat against the Normans, and the Danes slunk home to lick their wounds.
The Normans pull into a commanding lead, with the Scots a lagging second. The two also have almost the last intact armies, as most others are reduced to 2-3 elements.
The Normans have the next move, with which they can relocate their army from Norway if they choose, but they may not invade again this turn.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
recent events in Cumbria
The army of the Duke of Normandy rode north into Cumbria in the spring, determined to batter his arch-rival the King of Scotland into submission. The sun shone on the mail of his knights and glittered on the tips of the spears of his footmen.
Less glittered in the brown and green clad hosts of the Scots, but grim determination was seen in their mien, and a fierce willingness to battle could be seen in their eyes.
So determined was the King of Scots to come to grips with his enemy that, he too, marched from his strongholds and sought out the foe. They found them sooner than they expected, as a trap sprung by the cunning Normans caught the Scots away from their beloved hills and forests, out in the open.
Too pleased with his cleverness, the duke charged forward heedlessly, and many of his knights (2 Kn) were slain in their collision with the Scots spearmen. But once the fighting lines became broken and the melee more general, the weight of the armoured horsemen began to tell, aven as Norman footmen fell beneath Scots swords (1 Sp).
The Scots lost many of their stalwart footmen that day (2 Sp and 1 Ps), but it was the loss of a good half their horse (1 LH) that finally broke their spirit. The remaining Scots broke, falling back beyond the forth and the Tay to Scone, while the Normans settled in to plunder Cumbria (and the Lothians).
4-3 win for the Normans, who now control Cumbria and gain 1 PP for battle and 3 PP for control of Cumbria. Scots retire to Scone.
England's turn.
Less glittered in the brown and green clad hosts of the Scots, but grim determination was seen in their mien, and a fierce willingness to battle could be seen in their eyes.
So determined was the King of Scots to come to grips with his enemy that, he too, marched from his strongholds and sought out the foe. They found them sooner than they expected, as a trap sprung by the cunning Normans caught the Scots away from their beloved hills and forests, out in the open.
Too pleased with his cleverness, the duke charged forward heedlessly, and many of his knights (2 Kn) were slain in their collision with the Scots spearmen. But once the fighting lines became broken and the melee more general, the weight of the armoured horsemen began to tell, aven as Norman footmen fell beneath Scots swords (1 Sp).
The Scots lost many of their stalwart footmen that day (2 Sp and 1 Ps), but it was the loss of a good half their horse (1 LH) that finally broke their spirit. The remaining Scots broke, falling back beyond the forth and the Tay to Scone, while the Normans settled in to plunder Cumbria (and the Lothians).
4-3 win for the Normans, who now control Cumbria and gain 1 PP for battle and 3 PP for control of Cumbria. Scots retire to Scone.
England's turn.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Danes not dead yet, but dedicated defenders
The army of the Normans sailed across summer seas from London to Denmark, hoping for an easy conquest. They were disappointed, as the defiant Danes held forth in their steading at Aalborg. Waving spears, axes, and the occasional mocking turnip at their southern cousins, the men of the northlands jeered at the frustrated horsemen whose valiant steeds gave them no advantage when charging palisades. Many of the lance-bearers perished before their duke called a halt to the escalade.
Monday, May 16, 2011
crashing and bashing
It has been pointed out to me that, in the process of losing Armagh, the remaining Irish troops are eliminated. As vassals of the Scots, the Irish retain Armagh, but they will have to rebuild their army.
The Danes having passed, the Normans rode south from York to attack London. The English, perhaps having strayed out in the noonday sun too often, marched out to fight them in the open field. The Normans first stormed the small hillfort that the English had garrisoned and left their baggage in. The Normans slew the guards and looted the baggage, then fought back and forth, eventually killing off enough of the "small men" (skirmishers) that the few remaining English took to their heels. The Normans paraded into London and established their Duke as "King of All Britain". (2BUA-0, 4 Prestige for the Normans, the English lose 3 Sp, 1 Ps total, retain London, but become Norman vassals).
The English pass in their turn; it is now the turn of the Welsh.
The Danes having passed, the Normans rode south from York to attack London. The English, perhaps having strayed out in the noonday sun too often, marched out to fight them in the open field. The Normans first stormed the small hillfort that the English had garrisoned and left their baggage in. The Normans slew the guards and looted the baggage, then fought back and forth, eventually killing off enough of the "small men" (skirmishers) that the few remaining English took to their heels. The Normans paraded into London and established their Duke as "King of All Britain". (2BUA-0, 4 Prestige for the Normans, the English lose 3 Sp, 1 Ps total, retain London, but become Norman vassals).
The English pass in their turn; it is now the turn of the Welsh.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
a sticky end for a Danish (king)
The Normans moved by sea to the cliff-filled coast of Norway, where they laid claim to the fertile fields of Trondelag. The army of Denmark rushed back from York to contest the conquest, but the King of Denmark was slain early in the battle. Read a Norman account of their victory here.
Norway becomes Norman. The Vikings lose a Bd (and two Sp in the retreat).
England's turn!
Norway becomes Norman. The Vikings lose a Bd (and two Sp in the retreat).
England's turn!
Friday, February 25, 2011
the end of the beginning
The Irish invasion of Scotland met a rather bloody conclusion, as the Scots detached a small portion of their army to surround and attack the Irish, as the bulk of their spearmen stood on a nearby hill, snacked on cheese and pickle sandwiches, and watched the battle.
Four Irish bands were slain [will fill in which elements from my notes later], while only one band of Scottish skirmishers were slain. The Irish retreated precipitately, falling back to the Isle of Man. The Scots, given the opportunity to pursue their defeated enemy, leapt into their birlinns and coracles and followed. (Neither the initial Irish invasion nor the Scots counter-invasion lost any elements to the windy waves of the Irish Sea or to Corryvreckan--Cailleach Bheur was apparently sleeping.) But the Irish, loathe to fight further until they had repainted their shields and polished the brass hilts of their swords, moved back to Armagh. The Manx were, it appears, annoyed but not dismayed by the departure of their overlords and gave the arriving Scots a broad two fingers. (The Scots lose an element for a failed "siege".)
Thus arrived summer 1002. The Vikings made a few exploratory raids from their stronghold at York. They seem to have sent scouts, mounted on local horses, in several directions, checking the roads to the north and west. But in the end, they stayed in place, calculating many options but making no movements.
All wait now to see what move the Norman army makes, if any, from its base in Fecamp.
Four Irish bands were slain [will fill in which elements from my notes later], while only one band of Scottish skirmishers were slain. The Irish retreated precipitately, falling back to the Isle of Man. The Scots, given the opportunity to pursue their defeated enemy, leapt into their birlinns and coracles and followed. (Neither the initial Irish invasion nor the Scots counter-invasion lost any elements to the windy waves of the Irish Sea or to Corryvreckan--Cailleach Bheur was apparently sleeping.) But the Irish, loathe to fight further until they had repainted their shields and polished the brass hilts of their swords, moved back to Armagh. The Manx were, it appears, annoyed but not dismayed by the departure of their overlords and gave the arriving Scots a broad two fingers. (The Scots lose an element for a failed "siege".)
Thus arrived summer 1002. The Vikings made a few exploratory raids from their stronghold at York. They seem to have sent scouts, mounted on local horses, in several directions, checking the roads to the north and west. But in the end, they stayed in place, calculating many options but making no movements.
All wait now to see what move the Norman army makes, if any, from its base in Fecamp.
Friday, February 11, 2011
ravens wheel over the moors
The armies of England and Denmark met in bloody battle! Your correspondent was not able to get copious detail on the battle (he was busy losing, badly, an off-script Breton invasion of Normandy), but he observed two dense battle lines rushing straight toward each other with a huge gap subsequently forming in the center of the English army as the Vikings under Sweyn carved their way deep into the Saxon ranks. Victory for the Danes, 0-4 (all Sp). The English withdrew to London. The Vikings gain 4PP for the battle and now hold York.
Not to be outdone, the Normans (cousins by blood to the Danes) announced their intention of invading England while English were down and bleeding on the canvas. England mollified them with huge chests of silver coin, so the Norman army stays in place and cannot attack English territory for the remainder of 1002. (Frank: I know I said last night that you would complete the move and remain in Winchester, but looking at the danegeld rule, it's supposed to take place before actual movement, so I think the Normans will remain in their starting location, Fecamp). England transfers 1 PP of monies to Normandy.
After Denmark and Normandy, England gets the next move. Aethelred, what will you?
(BTW, the turn order is clockwise; this year it began in the north, so it's Danes, Normans, English, Welsh, Irish, Scots. Next year it will begin with a random player but progress in the same order from that start.)
Not to be outdone, the Normans (cousins by blood to the Danes) announced their intention of invading England while English were down and bleeding on the canvas. England mollified them with huge chests of silver coin, so the Norman army stays in place and cannot attack English territory for the remainder of 1002. (Frank: I know I said last night that you would complete the move and remain in Winchester, but looking at the danegeld rule, it's supposed to take place before actual movement, so I think the Normans will remain in their starting location, Fecamp). England transfers 1 PP of monies to Normandy.
After Denmark and Normandy, England gets the next move. Aethelred, what will you?
(BTW, the turn order is clockwise; this year it began in the north, so it's Danes, Normans, English, Welsh, Irish, Scots. Next year it will begin with a random player but progress in the same order from that start.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)