JP from Wargames FC put on an awesome campaign that was great fun and had a brilliant narrative. Three factions had converged around Shrewsbury and the Welsh border for control of the Area. The Welsh wanted to push East and gain Shrewsbury, Vikings had come down from the North West, burning pillaging and taking what they could and the Anglo Saxon/Danes were trying to remain in control of that part of Mercia.
I
entered into the Campaign with my Welsh warband, led by my Warlord Owain ap
Padraig, a self made half Welsh half Irish juggernaut, who would not be stopped
by anything.
The
Warband all day was as follows:
Warlord (Owain)
2 x Units of 4 Hearth-Guard2 x Units of 8 Warriors
This is the SAGA of Owain ap
Padraig
1st Game vs Kierons Vikings (Clash of Warlords)
[Kieron would go onto win the most sporting, very nice guy to play against]
Owain had moved his force into the Pant Mounds and encountered a roving Viking warband led by Hogany Stefanson. The Vikings had surprised the Welsh by moving quickly in the centre through a small valley.
Owain planted his banner on the highest point surrounding the potential battlefield and stands his ground taunting the Northmen and awaiting Hognay’s attack. The Vikings surge forward and receive a deadly hail of javelins, which whittle down the Bondi warriors. The remaining Bondi clash against Owain's Welshmen forcing them to disengage for a short while before being flanked by another group of Welsh warriors and another rain of javelins come down from the hill from Owain and his Hearth-Guard.
Owain taunts the
lethargic Hogany and his Hirdmen and with the Vikings raging forward, he
counters and nearly destroys them to a man.
Owain then charges down the hill screaming his war cry and slams into
Hogany, slaughtering the pagan Norseman in a single round of combat.
Viking advance in the valley
2nd Game vs Kevs Anglo Danes (Challenge)
[In this game one unit of warriors was allowed a free activation once]
After heroically
defeating the Viking excursion around Pant, Owain was challenged by the local
Anglo Dane Ealdorman Arthur Godwin.
Accepting the Saxons threats, Owain meets Arthur in a small wooded area West
of Shrewsbury. [In this game one unit of warriors was allowed a free activation once]
Arthur bravely stands in
the centre of the field with his whole shield wall collected behind him whilst
Owain moves into the woods to his left and lets fly with his javelins, grinning
to himself as he watches one pierce Arthurs mail and cause a grievous wound.
Arthur back peddles
towards his lines and steels himself for the Welsh advance, knowing they will
take delight at dancing through the woods and peppering his force with their
javelins. Arthur sends warriors on his
right flank to counter the Welsh in the woods and they are charged by Owain and
his Hearth-Guard which push them back.
The encounter slowly
becomes a stalemate with Arthur dropping back more and more because of his
losing blood, and slowly leaves the field to seek the attention of his
household. Leaving Owain, again victor on the field.
3rd Game Me & JP vs Tom
(Anglo Saxons) & Mal (Anglo Danes)
[In this game Levy counted for Saga Dice generation!]
Owain after successfully countering the Challenge from Arthur has teamed up with Tristan ab Llewellyn after learning that other Welsh forces are also moving towards Shrewsbury. The Anglo Saxon/Danes have been noted as withdrawing from a lot of the surrounding area and Owain and Tristan have encountered a joint force led by Elfric Hairypants (Saxons) and Leofric the Grim (Danes), holed up in a small hamlet centred around an impressive church.
[In this game Levy counted for Saga Dice generation!]
Owain after successfully countering the Challenge from Arthur has teamed up with Tristan ab Llewellyn after learning that other Welsh forces are also moving towards Shrewsbury. The Anglo Saxon/Danes have been noted as withdrawing from a lot of the surrounding area and Owain and Tristan have encountered a joint force led by Elfric Hairypants (Saxons) and Leofric the Grim (Danes), holed up in a small hamlet centred around an impressive church.
Owain and Tristan rapidly
advance towards the hamlet as they can see it is lightly defended as the Saxon
troops are still deploying East of the village.
Screaming their taunts
Owain entices a Dane unit of Warriors into moving around the church into the
open. Owain’s Warriors occupy the church
and prepare to ambush any Danes that try and storm it while his other forces slaughter
the Dane Warriors and a small unit of Axe wielding Hearth-Guard. The Anglo
Saxons fully deployed now hurtle towards Tristan’s force and smash his units of
Warriors in a bloody whirlwind and take down Tristan just as easily – although they
themselves are sorely depleted in numbers.
Owain carries on his
dutiful destruction of Leofrics forces, bringing his Warriors out of the church
and cutting down Leofric and his followers, Leofrics son narrowly escapes the
slaughter and vows vengeance on Owain for the death of his father. Owain then turns to accept the charge from
Elfric. With the light fading the Saxon and Dane forces depart, moving further
East but not before a devious sneaky Saxon hurls a spear in the gloom, hitting
Owain.
Counting the cost the
Owain was found to of won the feast of crows yet again!!
Taking the church
4th Game Me and Dave (Welsh) vs Gaz (Vikings) & Mal (Anglo Danes – again)
[Mad 12 player game over 3 tables – players could move forces across tables to
support allies]
After the destruction of the Saxon/Danes outside Shrewsbury
Owain again joined forces with another Welsh Warlord Gryffd whist various other
Welsh allies where countering the Vikings and Saxons elsewhere. Advancing along
one of the main roads Owain and Gryffd encounter Leofric the Younger (Son of
Leofric the Grim – remember him from the last game hehe) who is hiding cowardly
in a wood by a major road junction, also a small Viking warband led by Eric Bloodbeard
is lurking nearby. Seeing Owain and
Gryffd marching along the road Eric decides the better part of valour is to run
away or he won’t have enough men left to row his ships, seeing this Leofric
sends some troops to engage him in combat leaving Eric with a rather diminished
looking Viking warband who hastily escape.
Owain now catches up with Leofric and taunts him by
waving his father’s captured banner dripping in blood, and taking out his Axe
armed Hearth-Guard easily, Owain’s Warriors skirt into the woods and hurl their
javelins at Leofric, but being more agile than his father he dodges through the
trees, abandons the battle and runs.
With no one left to fight Gryffd charges of towards
the junction and towards the sounds of battle to the South whilst Owain storms
after Leofric, determined to wipe out that house once and for all. Coming out of the woods, Owain can see
Leofric slightly in the distance, it looks like he has been held up by other
forces belonging to who knows who blocking his retreat. Grinning manically he
unleashes his forces with a below that would cower a god and pounds towards
what could be a destiny changing encounter.........Owain and Leofric clash in a
slam of shields and a fluffy of steel and blood...Owain stands at the end with
Leofric motionless at his feet and ravens carrying the news that the Welsh
warlords have a major Mercian town to sack!!!
Owains rampaging warband
The Final Standings
Welsh dominate
My Warlords glorious SAGA will continue..
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