Village Raid Dux Bellorum Game

Visigoths defending the village

Saxon right flank and centre

Saxon left flank

Saxon skirmishers and cavalry

Saxons advance on the village

Saxon fanatics (Footsore Attecotti)

On Saturday afternoon Craig and I played a Dux Bellorum game with the Village Raid scenario. My Visigoths defended a village against Craig's Saxons attackers. The Saxon attack faltered early on when their left flank crumbled. They pressed home in the centre and on the right and routed two units of Visigoth cavalry but suffered further casualties were unable to pass their 50% casualties break test.

Earlier on Boxing Day we played a Samnite versus Republican Roman 900 point, Clash of Spears game (see photo at the bottom of the post). This was pretty disappointing, not much chop at all, very WAB like and fiddly. Craig thought they've overcooked the command and control as there seemed to be more counters than figures on the table.

Visigoth infantry charge on the right flank

Saxon left flank crumbles

The centre gets messy

Visigoth cavalry are charged in the flank

Saxons fail test for 50% casualties

Visigoths repel the Saxon attack

Samnite vs Republican Romans Clash of Spears game

Battle of Ashdown 871 AD Dux Bellorum Game

View from the Vikings line with Alfred's division deployed on the hill

Aethelred's division behind the hill

View from the Saxon lines with the Viking King's and Earl's divisions L to R

Both armies advance

Viking Earl's division refuse the left flank and move to the right

Viking King's division advances

Last Sunday down at the Vikings Club, Craig, Bern and I met and we played a Dux Bellorum game of the Battle of Ashdown 871 AD. Both sides had two divisions each with six leadership points per division. On the Saxon side, Bern was Alfred the Great (with an additional two leadership points for the great man) and Craig was Aethelred. I commanded both Viking King's and Earl's divisions. The scenario we used was similar to the Battle of Ashdown scenario in the new Hail Caesar Shieldwall supplement (pp.68-69). The order of battle was determined, to some extent, by the available painted troops we had!

Alfred's division were already deployed on the hill with Aethlred's division moving up behind. The Vikings were the attackers but didn't fancy attacking Alfred's shieldwall on the hill. The Viking Earl's division refused the left flank and move to the right. The Viking King's division advanced and attacked and the Saxons suffered early casualties. Soon both sides on the Viking right flank were engaged in a protracted shieldwall slogging match. Alfred's division eventually advanced down the hill hoping to catch any straggling Viking units on the hop. In the end we ran out of time but it was minor victory for the Vikings with Aethelred's division on the verge of breaking.

Saxon cavalry advances

Viking left flank maintains cohesion

Viking and Saxon forces close on the Viking right flank

Alfred's division advances down the hill

The Shieldwall slogging match continues

Things are getting messy!

End of the game Saxon left flank under Aethelred is about to break