I like to pit the Baltic Pagans against the Northern Crusaders. This is a wonderful period to learn about and play within. Lots of colour and interesting background. The small groups of knights that tried to carve an empire from the thickly wooded lands of the north is very evocative. Just as inspiring is the struggle of the pagans to expel the followers of the grasping god from their homeland.
This week we did scenario ... ahhh ... ummm ... D or E i think. The one where one side has to march across the table while the other attacks.
The worshipers of the mighty forest rabbit had over extended themselves whilst raiding and the Brotherhood of the Sword had swooped on their opponents as they returned home.
The crusaders had to split their forces between the NW and SW corner. With their mounted units they would attempt to catch the pagans in a pincer. All the while their crossbowmen would harry their opponents from the rear. The spearmen pictured above would be tasked with holding their advance for as long as their schiltron formation could manage.
Here the pagans surged forward. Large units of fierce foot, one bidower and a single unit of heavy foot men-at-arms. The bidowers were thrown forward and to the left of the foot troops in the hope they could shield other units from the crossbowmen's fire. These bidower troops rained turn after turn of arrows down on a variety of crusader troops but were little able to damage more than their skirmisher equals on the other side.
The much prized crossbowmen whose job it was to scythe down their foes. The pagans lacked the missile troops to respond and their haste to reach the other side motivated them to try and ignore this threat as best they could. These troops would initially prove slow to activate and enter the fray.
The table - complete with large rectangular snow drifts? (just army lists that I should have removed before the image was snapped.) The road marks the intended passage of the Baltic pagans. The topmost image of the two shows one crusader force which intended to harry the pagans from the rear. It also shows the pagan's plan to throw the bidowers toward the crossbowmen in the hopes their skirmishing would absorb some bolts.
The spearmen were pushed forward by their unsympathetic lord.
The mounted sergeants moved into position. These troops were much maligned on the evening but would prove instrumental to victory. Early activation failure caused them consternation.
The early turns favoured the pagans. Time and again they managed to motivate their entire army. Fierce foot units streamed toward the centre of the table. The crusaders cursed as the pagans mocked their pale and deceased god who lacked the virility and speed of the forest bunny god.
Still they surge onward! We shall smash through this Christian rabble to reach home!
The leader - Lord Leopold Swain - famed hater of the forest peoples, pagans, slow witted, withered or lame - sat back in apparent inactivity. This caused the crusaders to fall into internal bickering throughout the evening but may perchance have been a master stroke as they were preserved for devastating actions later.
It wasn't a bad move as with the wild charge rule such knights can be drawn to their doom in rough terrain by such units as fierce foot. But this was to cause the internal squabbles.
The pagan march forward continues. The lone spear unit begins to question their resolve. If only our shields will hold ...
The cavalry are in position but - due to the bickering which rose in intensity and insensibility at this point - no charge occurred. I'm sure this will also be claimed as a master stroke of tactics in the annals of the northern crusades - but at the time the pagans mocked their craven hearts.
Form up lads, this will sting.
Several wild charges by the pagans followed into the spear whose schiltron greatly prolonged their lives and ability to absorb damage. Only when they fell to half strength did they shields and resolve falter.
Only one of the pagan units remained at full strength. Crossbow bolts from behind and the spearmen had taken their toll. Spearmen are fantastic defensive troops who fight better when receiving a charge. The schiltron formation raised their armour to a near impenetrable 4.
The knights finally came forward just as the spearmen faltered but the first action was by the pagans who issued a challenge. "May the Giant Rabbit kick your nethers," cried Catweasel Hairyknuckles - the leader of the Baltic troops.
This first challenge was but a draw ... the first indication that the Christ god was stronger in the north than the pagans had hoped.
This above image shows the perilous situation for the pagans. Now surrounded but only able to forge boldly toward their objective, they were trapped by situation and tactics. Bolts plunged into their buttocks while horse threatened. One unit of fierce foot had been destroyed by fire while 2 others were sapped of their strength by bolts and pointy spears.
And now the cruel Lord Leopold drove home his advantage and repeatedly charged home. The earth and camera shook as the heavy hooves impacted the earth. The elite pagan troops gradually fell. Now the activations deserted the pagans and the christians held the initiative.
In desperation - or courageously - another challenge was issued.
And with three swift but decisive blows Catweasel's skull was cloven in and he twitched upon the ground to the delight of Leopold - oppressor of the weak.
Now stark horror stalked amongst the ranks of the pagans who knew their might rabbit god had simply sodded off or burrowed deep underground. The other Crusader cavalry unit - after recovering from very hurt feelings - returned to charge into the exposed rear of the weakened fierce foot.
Between the hammer and the anvil.
Probably enough said.
The shaky cam is not only bad photography but also an accurate depiction of the fear in pagan hearts as they ran into the wood. This very unit let fear be their master as they successively failed to activate and annihilate the last of the men-at-arms - avenging their leader. Fierce foot are very poor defenders but able attackers and these were still just above half strength - thus still rolling the maximum number of attack dice. With lower defence values and being at half strength, the men-at-arms may have fallen.
This marked the final failure of the pagans who had advanced so boldly into the centre of the table ... to be here cut down and have their bodies trampled into the mud by the unyielding hooves of the invader.
Fortunately, the forest is filled with eager hairy men leering from behind each mighty oak - keen to display the virile virtues of their Forest Rabbit deity and replace the losses suffered on this bleak day in the far north. Both their tunics - and the North - will rise again!
