Battle of Stamford Bridge, 25th September 1066

For the first Friday game of 2024, Mie W staged a refight of Battle of Stamford Bridge in 28mm. The game was hosted at Rupert's and th e rule set was based upon Peter Dennis & Andy Callan's '1066 and all That'.

This game is a follow on from the relatively recent refight of Fuford Gate (see here), in thet the Anglo-Dane & Viking forces were impacted by the losses that they recieved at that earlier meeting.

Anglo-Danish orces pour over Stamford Bridge after making short work of the one 'heroic' Viking.

As such the Viking forces under Harald Hararda and Tosting Godwinson were reduced but not devistatingly so, the only big change being that Jarl Gnvald the Bald had been slain at Fulford Gate and thus his small force was no longer available. Instead the Vikings could call pon their reserves under Eystein Orri, located some 12 milies from the battlefield.

The Vikings were played by Rupert (Harald), Dave (Tostig) and Mat (Eystein Orri), whilst the Anglo-Danes were commnded by John (Harold Godwinson), with the able help of Mark, Mike N (Earl Morcar's Northumbrians) and Phil (Earl Edwin's Mercians).

First stage of the game was the fight to cross the bridge, a lone Viking Hearthguard stood wealding a double handed axe, unlike the historical ledgend, Harold ordered his bowmen to open fire nad teh unfortunate Viking was cut down in a hail of arrows without creating his own ledgend!

The Second stage of the battle was the Anglo Danes marching to deploy in to line of batte, Harold deployed to the left and centre, with Morcar deploying to his far right and Edwin to his immediate right. On each flank were depoyed independent Anglo Danish horsemen, threatening the Viking flanks, forcing their right flank to refuse their line to protect themselves.

The waiting Vikings begin to line-up on the slope northe of the River Derwent

The Vikings had started the game with just Harald and Tostig on the tabletop, accompanied by their bodyguards and Heathguards. During the course of the long Anglo Danish deployement process, they were able to bring additional units onto the field to bolster their lines. Harald was linng up in the centre and left, whlist Tostig was to his right.

The Anglo-Danes doing the same after crossing the bridge.

The Anglo-Danes slowly begin to close on the Viking lines.

Stage Three - the Angle-Danes advanced into contact on their left, with John keen for the fighting to begin. As this was happening Eystein orri's troops began to arrive on the Viking extreme left, a turn or so later Morcar and Edwin's men also engaged along the line, aincluding lead elements of Orri's troops.

Another view of the waiting Viking lines

The Anglo-Danish line as it advances.

Close-up of the Anglo-Danish Horse

Another shot of the Anglo-ane lining out after crossing the bridge

Battle of Fulford Gate, Part 2

Moving on from Week One, we had change n personnel, as the waring commanders took breaks (holidays actually!), leaving us with the following players on each team.

Vikings -  Rupert (King Harald), John (Tostig) and Dave (Jarl Gunvald) all ably aided by Mat

Anglo Danes - Steve (Earl Edwin), Phil  (Earl Moncur), helped by Mark

The situation at the start of Week Two, conflict along the river line with all to play for...
Harald's troops nearest camera with Tostig's contingent and then Jarl Gunvald.

Fighting was intense with each side taking casualties, the Anglo-Danes, defending the river line held back the Viking Bondi & Hirdsmen, leveraging their advantage their defensive advantage. But, cunning old fox, Harald, realised that the trick in cracking the Anglo-Danish shield walls was to exploit his crack troops - learning from the exploits of his Berserkers he then committed his Hearth Guards to attacking the enemy lines with their two handed axes.

Immediately he started to see success and this was picked up by Tostig and Jarl Gunvald who committed their crack troops to the attack as well.

Tostig's Hearth Guard, punishing the extreme left wing of the Anglo-Danish line - held by Mercian General Fryd, who were unable to stop their assaults.

Soon both winds of the Anglo-Danish Army were in trouble, Earl Edwin's left flank, held by General Fryd, were being mauled by Tostig's Hearth Guards, eventually they cracked and retreated. Leaving the ford uncontested.

Earl Edwin's Housecarls, rushing to re-enforce the left of his line, eventually engaged with Tostig's Hearth Guard, trying to recapture the ford, but to no avail as night-time arrived too soon.

On the Anglo-Danish right flank, a contingent of Housecarls had been strengthening the flank and doing good work. However at the Bridge the Berserkers had continued to do their work, disrupting the shield wall and fighting to the death. This allowed Harald time to deploy his Hearth Guards along the same part of the river bank and finally the two Fryd units (one General & one Select) gave way and routed. leaving Harald in control of the bridge.

Nip and tuck in the centre

In the centre the fight continued to be very close fought, with neither side gaining any huge advantage, Anglo-Danish advantage in holding the defendable river line being offset by better quality Viking troops and some unfortunate dice throwing.

With one turn to go, disaster struck Earl Edwin's forces, both of his sub-commanders were struck down in personal combats, whilst this had no immediate effect it meant that the good Earl Edwin was left with an initiative disadvantage and a lack of field commanders to help save any vassalating units when they were morale tested.

On the Anglo-Danish right, Vikings take control of the bridge,
as English units retire from the fight

So as night fell the umpire declared a marginal victory for the Vikings, who had taken both the Bridge and the Ford and had a number of units north of the river. The Anglo-Danes had fought well, holding their own for most of the day, until mounting casualties took their toll.

This periodic campaign will now move on to the Battle of Stamford Bridge, historically fought just 5 days after Fulford Gate but in wargames terms will now be scheduled for December!

Casualties taken by both sides will be factored into the Order of Battle for Stamford Bridge, whilst both side can expect to receive re-enforcements - on the English side the arrival of King Harold and his Army and on the Viking side the arrival of more supporters and Harald's reserves.

Finally the map from the game that may be of interest to our viewers / readers!

Table-top Map, English deploy on village side of the river,
Vikings deploy on the sloped side of the table

Battle of Fulford Gate - Battle Report - Week One

Week One of the Battle of Fulford Gate was hosted by Rupert and involved 28mm figures from Mike W's collection. Mike W, also developed a set of 'Quick & Dirty' Dark Ages Rules for this series of 1066 gates.

On the Viking Side we had Rupert, Mat and Dave commanding Harald Harada and Tostig Godwinson' arrays. On the side of the English we had Steve, Mike N, Phil and Mark commanding the armies of Earls Edwin and Moncur.

The number of figures on each side was somewhat similar but the Vikings had generally better quality troops, albeit that their Victory Points required them to establish a foothold north of the river by the end of the day.

The Anglo Danish Armies, from the Western flank,
Earl Edwin's Mercians nearest the camera and Earl Moncur's Northumbrians in the distance.

Both sides had a command conundrum to solve before deploying their troops, the river over which they would be fighting was tidal and so they had to select a game turn in which to start the game with this in mind. Additionally the English side was tasked to hold the river line as long as possible, whereas the Vikings were marching on to the battle field and would want to start the game as early as possible.

Vikings of Gudbald's command (part of Tostig's motley array oy of allies & supporters)
lead an attack on Edwin's Fyrd on the western flanks.

After initial deployment - as it happens both sides elected to deploy as early as possible on turn one - the sides marched forward to the river line. The English reached the river line first and there set-up a shield wall along the length of their line.

Vikings from Tostig's division, heading north, come off the slopes and head towards the English lines on the river, hoping to cross at the bridge and ford locations.

Gudbald and his troops where the first to make contact with the English in and around the western marsh areas but the fighting was inconsequential and was to continue for many turns. To the East,  Moncur's forces closed and engaged with a Bondi unit initially attempting to force the bridge, only to be stopped by their English adversaries.

English Archers in the marshy are a to the west of the battlefield.

Harald reacted quickly as he was in the vicinity of the bridge attack, realising the Bondi unit was not suitable to succeed in such an attack he pulled them back and fed in his Berserkers instead. These proved much more effective as they began to cut their way through the defending General Fyrd.

The battle lies from the eastern point of view, with Berserkers attacking across the bridge 

The game reached a natural break-point, to be continued next week - there was now fighting all long the line with Viking units crossing the river and flinging themselves against the English shied walls

Detail of the bridge fight, with King Harald and his bodyguard, personally directing the attack

In the centre, Viking Bondi,
crossing the river to spread the happiness to two English units - one General he other Select Fryd

Final view of the Bridge battle, with the Berserkers pushing through the opposing Fyrd
but at the cost of casualties to themselves.

Week Two to follow soon!