Dark Ages

The Vikings line up.

   So, the other night I took part in a quick game of Hail Caeser, playing a simple Viking raid on a Saxon dwelling. We had two divisions sides with a mix of Thegns and Hirdsmen. Terry and John took the Vikings Jim and I took the Saxons. Lines were drawn and here is a quick recap of what happened.

  The Vikings moved forward, chanting their war cries and shouting curses from Odin on their foes. The Saxons, however, remained resolute, fixing their shields into the customary shield wall and waiting for the enemies to arrive.

The Saxons engage Shieldwall manoeuvres 

  The moment came and with a great cry the Viking warband, led by Terry, charged forward into the mass of troops led by myself. After a quick exchange of blows, the Vikings found themselves not only being forced back but quickly set upon by their foe. 

It was the second Saxon turn and on the right flank, combat carried on with the Saxons taking the upper hand and forcing the Vikings back again. However, on the left flank, their glorious leader, Jim, urged them to charge forward, to gain honour and glory, to protect the women and children.

Only for the men to go. No. 

At this point, Terry’s division had become broken. His two units of warriors had suffered many, many casualties, but the Saxons kept in combat with, doing their very best to wipe the invaders of the land. However, with the other divisions being remaining largely untouched. The battle hung in the balance.

Do you have a flag?

On the left flank, the Vikings were close enough to charge. They just need a successful test to give them two moves. The dice were rolled; they passed, but could only move forward one move. Leaving them with the jeers of the nearby Saxons ringing in their ears. 

On the right flank, more of the same continued. The Saxons, with a plus one for winning the last combat, pressed home the advantage, but the Vikings were now beginning to fight back. Wounds were beginning to mount, and for one unit, they were getting dangerously close to breaking. 

Things are starting to look bad for the Vikings

This was the turn, charging forward the Saxons engaged with the Vikings interlopers, hoping for a quick and decisive battle, like their brethren on the left flank. However, it was not to be. The Vikings, eager to take revenge for their fallen brethren, or to burn some houses, were not sure which, cut down the Saxons as they charged in, and pushed them back towards the homesteads.

Worse for the Saxons, the left flank started to fragment with one unit managing to get the upper hand but took a heavy beating from the Vikings in return. And the other pushing forward, driving back the enemy again. Things were starting to get precarious.  

The final turn for the Vikings began. It was a game of combat now, however Terry’s unit of archers shot and took a small unit of slingers to their breaking limit. On the right flank Jim’s Saxon’s disappeared under a wave of axes and swords. There was one unit left, engaged in combat.

However on the right, the Saxons were beginning to falter. The unit taking the heaviest damage fell back, whilst the other units bounced the marauding Vikings back once again.

Or maybe not

The final Saxon turn arrived with a few quick charges and we were into the combat phase. The Saxons, on the right flank, thought bravely, and despite managing a high number of wounds, were unable to see of their foes. Jim’s Saxon’s on the left flank fought bravely, but no made indentation into the Vikings.

And with that the turn and the game came to an end. It was a highly enjoyable affair with two great armies, and everyone came away happy. What more could you want from a game. I felt that Terry suffered from some poor dice rolls, which stalled the Viking charge on the right flank, and that I was blessed with some very good roles, that enabled me to bounce Terry’s forces backwards. But’s that what Hail Caesar, and all wargames are like, a series of bad dice rolls and you’re scuppered.

The positive outcome of the battle, unless your my bank balance, is that I know want to buy Saxons and Vikings.