Norman Saga Warband

Over the last 2 weeks or so I worked up a 5 point Saga warband of Normans for a buddy from the club in exchange for a copy of the CCA Spartan expansion. Nice figs - these are Gripping Beast 28mm with LBM shield transfers.

Scott and I completed our WAB campaign last night, and what a strange finale it was. In the past few games Scott's large Norman knight unit had it's way with my warbands, so I decided to counter by fielding a single warband of 64 warriors to absorb the blow and flank it with nobles and viking pirates with 2-handed axes to close in for the kill. I also tooled up my king with a steed and 2-handed axe to challenge the Norman Comes to a duel at the beginning of the battle. I reckon that could have gone either way, similar stats but he had a lance and heavy armour on warhorse against my highland pony and thrusting spear, but I also had 3 wounds to his 2. If I went first, I would probably win, but if he went first it could have been tight...

In any case, Scott declined the challenge which gave me d3 (rolled a 3!) points to use towards battle resolution in the game.

This photo shows the Norman Comes with his minstrel (singing Brave Sir Robin, I believe) declining the challenge to face Chief Angus McLovin

These 3 points hung over Scott's head like a cloud for the rest of the battle, proving to be decisive. Basically, his large knights circled my large warband and would not risk a charge. In the meantime, my vikings and nobles chased his other units all over the board getting brutally pincushioned by bows, slingers and crossbows.

They went thataway!

I eventually forced a small unit of his knights off the board (fleed a charge too far) and ran down another unit of foot knights that fled from my vikings (fleed a charge not far enough) and that was enough points for a Scottish win.

Hooray!

But really, it was kind of a non-game. Scott never had a winning position to launch a charge (with the -3 outcome differential sitting over his head) and I never got a decent charge chance. The battle that wasn't, we never fought a melee.

Next up: 15mm Dacian DBA army on the bench in preparation for MayDay.