ADLG - Game Report 187

Anglo-Danish (180) vs Vikings (155)

Back from Brixham, we decided to meet at Entoyment for a mid-week round-robin competition. I took along my Anglo-Danes as they hadn’t even been unpacked yet and therefore were an ideal period match for Mark’s Vikings with Breton Allies. He invited me to attack in the plains, and I obliged by placing my cavalry on the right with the shield wall in the centre and the Welsh Allies out on the right in the rough ground. The Anglo Danes advanced on the right refusing their left.

The first target for the Welsh was a small group of Bowmen entering the plantation. In front of the Vikings the Welsh Light Cavalry have exposed their rear to entice the Vikings to charge.

I didn’t need to entice the Vikings to charge, they charged anyway. The Welsh are committed and seem to be prevailing against the Bowmen and also against the Viking warriors. The Shield wall is currently holding and with luck if the Welsh prevail, they might sweep down the enemy line from the right to the left.

Indeed the Welsh are prevailing but they have a unit of Heavy swordsmen to clear out of the way first. Although there are gaps appearing along the enemy battle line, the result is far from certain as casualties amongst the shield wall increase. On the left the Anglo-Danish cavalry and Norman Knights are ready for the mounted showdown.

Both shield walls start to crumble and become fragmented. They key would be whose command and control can recover the situation the quickest and press on to the second phase of the battle. On the left one of the Knights has been destroyed wile the other pursues recklessly forward.

The Anglo-Danish command fails to rally the situation In the centre and the fights develop piecemeal. The reckless Knight has been destroyed and the remainder of the cavalry are looking less than healthy.

Outcome

A win for the Vikings by inflicting 23 hits to the Anglo-Danes and receiving 23 to their 25! We traded blow for blow throughout it was so close to being a mutually assured destruction.

Lessons Learnt

Recommend keeping the impetuous Norman Knights on the outer flank so that when they exploit their success they cannot be surrounded.