Waelstowe - solo wargaming in the Dark Ages

Where to begin O prince?

‘Twas the year of Our Lord, 873 and the pagans had been punishing us for our sins for many a year.  Chief instrument of God’s punishment was Halfdane Ragnarsson.  In the last few years he had ravaged Northumbria burning the fair city of York to the ground and put his lackey, that Judas Egbert, on the throne.

In the spring of 873, King Horek fled to the court of my lord, King Alfred, having been driven from Denmark by Halfdane.  Whilst my lord had no love for such a pagan as King Horek from whose lands so many had sailed to plunder our land, he did take pity on him and gave him shelter.  It was I, O Prince that started to instruct him in the Truth that might save the poor man’s soul.  But it was not long before storm clouds appeared, and Halfdane along with a vile heathen called Harald Klak arrived with a great host at the borders of Wessex demanding that Alfred hand over King Horek. My lord refused and summoned Wulfhere and Edwin to his aid.  I went with the great host of Englishmen to the woods where Halfdane and Horek were encamped.  

This is what happened on that fateful day in Eastertide, 873.

Alfred was on our left, Wulfhere in the centre at a small hamlet and Edwin on the hills on our right.  Opposing us were Halfdane and Harald Klak in the centre, in a wood.  On Halfdane’s left was Asbjorn, on Halfdane’s right his brother Sigurd Snake Eyes.

Then Halfdane, Harald Klak, and their men burst from the trees and rushed upon us. In that charge I saw Halfdane’s hirdmen lag behind, scattered from their fellows in the wood. Yet neither Halfdane nor Harald faltered, but strode straight into Wulfhere’s shieldwall.

Halfdane was wounded from an earlier adventure, when he seized Hildisvini, the Boar’s Helm, from a troll in Sweden. When his card was drawn and he became the Focus of the tale, he had to choose: heal his wound or rally the warriors disordered as they left the wood. I decided, on his behalf, that he would heal.

His next action was to cry, “Follow me!” Yet only his bondir obeyed. The hirdmen, still out of formation, stayed at the wood’s edge.

The Event card, as ever, showed Harald Klak wading in beside Halfdane and between them they inflicted many hits on Wulfhere’s men, and Wulfhere himself was wounded (marked by a shield). You can also clearly see the Divine Aid—Devotion (marked by Undead Warriors)—granted to the English.

The English then fell upon Halfdane and Harald from left and right.  Edwin came down from the hill and attacked.

My King, Alfred, lead his men straight at Halfdane as well with King Horek beside him, eager to attack those that had driven him from Denmark.  

Halfdane and Harald Klak were beset from all sides

The rest of the Heathen army was still way behind.

Sigurd Snake Eyes, Halfdane’s brother then decided to act, attacking Edwin’s men that had come down from the hill.