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