David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Tuesday, 17 December 2024

Harald II v William the Barsteward

 Some scenes from Monday's game with my 1066 & All That collection and the current darling of the internet community, Midgard. We added some element of Magic/Sorcery with each side taking a Christian priest with one 'spell'. For the Normans Bishop Philipé de Rounslie, and for the Saxons Father Bycca. The Bishop had the Battle Rage offering while Bycca had the Curse attribute.

The field of battle is open ground with no significant features, we are rule novices and kept it straightforward. The Saxons are on the left, the Normans the right.
William the Barsteward positioned himself amongst his mounted warriors...
...while Harald II was to be found amongst his Huscarls and was accompanied by Father Bycca, Curse at the ready!
Saxon lightly armed Javelin skirmishers were working their way around the Norman left flank when they were caught by the Mounted warriors. The result looked a foregone conclusion given the large dice disparity!

More mounted warriors smashed into the Fyrd while the Huscarls can only stand by and hope!
Father Bycca readies himself in prayer. Can his Cursing turn back the Norman hordes?
Despite the long odds the javelin armed troops resist their opponents for three turns before their Stamina breaks and they are destroyed. A Loss of Reputation for Harald!
On the Norman right flank the Fyrd are proving a four and determined opponent, driving back one unit of mounted Breton warriors and fighting another to a standstill. Is this the moment for the Huscarls to strike a decisive blow in the centre?
Well it might have been had not Father Bycca been admirably placed to utilise his Curse attribute against William the Barsteward. Already reduced to one Stamina by three rounds of Single Combat William fails to avoid the curse with a throw of 🎲! Having used up his Mighty Deeds in combat rerolls he looses his life! (Twice now in successive games!) 
With the Norman Reputation down to six against the Saxon's thirteen, the Huscarls rampaging through the Norman centre, the Fyrd holding off the Bretons and lunch imminent Phil concedes the victory to my Saxons. Once again history is changed... As to Midgard as a rule set, well I'll happily give it another go but I think bigger battles using my Late Romans and my Punic War collection will stay with Hail Caesar, but never say never of course.

 



















2 comments:

  1. A grand game and only two things we did wrong (one getting mixed up with HC🙄) Verily William seems cursed, or is it me😂

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  2. A fine game there and I'm looking forward to giving Midgard a run out in the New Year. I see them being used for small historio-fantasy games, a step up from Dragon Rampant maybe, but not sure yet. Certainly for bigger battles I too will go with HCII.

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