After a long repose, a single post has emerged from the mist. A game of Saga finally caught in the sails of my imagination. This week Saga 2nd Edition and "The Siege of Dunstan Abbey."
6 Points of Vikings attacked - 1 bow levy, 1 huscarl, 4 warriors (8 figs each.)
AND one skald.
4 Points of Scots defended - 1 eilte units with mounts (and the option to dismount), 3 units of warriors (again 8 figs each.)
AND 1 small base of monks + 1 Abbot Dunstan.
(Above shows Abbot Dunstan before his monastic hovel on the sea blasted coast of Scotland.)
The scenario was hand sculpted. A double 6 roll for either side could cause special effects:
For the Scots ... the Abbot would call upon the Christ god to rouse the waves to fury or revive the deceased.
For the Vikings ... any group of warriors could knock down a section of wall.
Two of the Viking units began in boats - rowed at speed M - while the rest started in the swallows of the sea slowing their first movement to S.
The Scottish monks were setting to work defiling and blessing a nearby pagan burial mound and needed to be rescued at the beginning of the game.
On Turns One and Two, the Viking used all their saga dice on movement surging from the foam. The Scots used a few of theirs to ride quickly from the defences to encourage the monks to cease their duties and return to the safety of the abbey. The Jarl bawled at the thralls to send a volley of arrows into the horsemen ... but these thudded into stout war boards for no effect. Meanwhile, the horsemen threw the monks bodily over the mounts and returned. The Vikings attempt to slow their effort by burning fatigue to slow movement by to little effect.
Meanwhile, two units of Northmen warriors and the skald (see the prow of the lead boat on the right) applied themselves to the oars and approached the sea ward side of the palisade.
There was a turn or two of delay while the Vikings implored Njord for the power to knock down the walls and aid their attacks on the soft Christians. Wading ashore, and letting their boats drift, the Viking to pound at the walls.
The Abbot implored Christ to swamp these invaders. The sea responded by pulling three Vikings to an ignoble death.
By Turn 4 the Vikings had moved into position but had not breached the walls. In this time, the Scots - even with less Saga dice - were stacking their board for the eventual assault. The Vikings were forced to repeated use all for theirs for movement. This would later play out into the Scots favour.
And then the walls crashed down!
Turn 6 saw two Viking warrior units face a single Scot defender at the wall. The Viking surged over and forced the Scots back after one victory in melee. Over the next few turns, several melees ensued but each coasting the Vikings more and more warriors. It was not a fair trade with the Scots.
The next image shows the situation at the sea wall later in the game. All units were fatigued and gutted. The skald had many verses of heroic struggle, sacrifice, divine intervention and defeat. These tales would hopefully inspire more invaders from Denmark to attack the shores in coming battles.
On the other side, the Vikings smashed down the wall in Turn 5 or 6 then struggled to get sufficient men through to attack the defenders. From here continual defeat was the lot of the Vikings. Urged by the vehement cries of Abbot Dunstan the defended stood staunchly. The invaders did not win a single combat as their entreaties to both Njord and Odin were swallowed by a uncaring sky.
The huscarls hurled themselves forward and fresh warriors were bought up in between hails of arrows but only 5 or 6 Scots defenders fell. With losses mounting, Saga dice supply dwindled to a trickle and the Jarl sounded the horn of retreat. He was fuming at the inability of his men to land blows upon the Scots and knew them was something stronger than stout oak and iron guarding the lives of the defenders.
It would seem their was more to this womanly Christ god than met the eye ... The Abbot was a powerful foe and must fall if the immortals of Asgard were to be appeased.
It was time for the skald to weave his honeyed words, espouse the glories of those who perished and went to Valhalla ... and inspire new boatloads of strong oarsmen for the task at hand.
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