Battle Report

Rules: Warhammer Ancient Battles/Shieldwall

Armies: Normans vs. Vikings (Danes) 2000 points

Scenario: Pitched Battle (8 turns)

Table: Mostly open with a large hill on the Viking side. 

Turn 1:

Normans: Most of the Norman army moved forward toward the Vikings on the hill. 
Archers and crossbow fired at Vikings with no effect.

Vikings:  Viking units moved up to the edge of the hill.  Archers killed one Norman knight.

Turn 2:

Normans: The light cavalry rode around the Viking left flank.  Other Norman units moved
forward.  Norman shooting killed one English freebooter on the Viking side. 

Vikings: A Viking beserker charged down the hill and killed four Norman heavy infantry. 
The beserker’s hirdmen unit followed him down the hill into the same enemy but the Normans
fled and got away.  Viking archers shot at knights on their right flank but had no effect. 

Turn 3:

Normans: Norman infantry charged the isolated hirdman unit in flank. The Vikings lost combat
but passed their leadership. A unit of Norman knights (led by their general) charged the English freebooters who lost combat with many casualties but manage to stand firm.  The fleeing Norman infantry rallied.  Norman light cavalry continued around the Viking left flank and knights circled round on the right.  Norman crossbows killed two Viking archers.

 Vikings: Two beserkers rushed into Norman infantry killing seven.  The Viking general’s unit of hirdmen charged down the hill into the flank of the same Norman unit.  Other Viking units began to move off the hill toward the fighting.  Viking archers killed one knight on the right flank.  The freebooters once again lost combat to the Norman general’s knights but stood their ground.  A large combat took place between two hirdmen units and one Norman infantry unit.  The Normans fled and were overrun by the Viking general’s unit.  Both pursuing Viking units smashed into another group of Norman infantry.  This caused the Norman general’s unit of knights (in combat with freebooters) and Norman axe men to panic and run away. 

Turn 4:

Normans: Norman general’s knights and axe unit rallied.  The knights on the right flank charged the Vikings who had just slammed into the Norman infantry.  Norman archers killed three freebooters who passed their panic check.  Crossbows killed two Viking archers.  Light cavalry on the left flank used javelins to kill three Viking bondi spearmen.  The Viking tide was halted as their general’s unit and another group of hirdmen lost combat to the Norman infantry and cavalry but they passed their leadership and stood fast. 

Vikings: A hirdman unit and the remaining freebooters moved toward the rallied Norman knights (including general) and axe men.  In the large combat between the Viking general’s hirdmen and Norman infantry and knights, the Norman horses tipped the scales which caused the Vikings to lose again but they passed leadership checks.

 Turn 5:

Normans: The Norman general’s knights charged a unit of Hirdmen.  The axemen moved to threaten the flank of the Viking general’s unit which was already in combat.  Norman crossbows killed one Viking archer, Norman archers killed four freebooters and Norman light cavalry killed another bondi.  The Norman general’s knights defeated the hirdmen which caused them to flee but get away.  However, this caused the bondi spearmen to run in panic.  Once again, the Viking general’s hirdmen lost combat to Norman infantry and knights but passed leadership. The second unit of hirdmen in that combat are almost destroyed by casualties.

 Vikings: The bondi spearmen continued to run toward their table edge. The fleeing hirdmen rallied and faced the Norman general’s knights.  Viking archers moved forward off the hill and shot one Norman crossbowman.  The Viking general’s unit finally won combat. The Norman knights fled but the infantry stood firm.  The remaining freebooters charged the Norman archers but lost combat and ran away being so few in number that they could never rally.

Turn 6:

Normans: The Norman axemen charged the flank of the Viking general’s unit which was still in combat with Norman infantry.  The Norman general and his knighted charged the hirdmen who had just rallied and turned to face them.  The light cavalry charged the same hirdmen unit in the flank.  The fleeing Norman knights rallied.  Crossbows killed one archer.  The Viking general and his hirdmen won combat against Norman infantry and axemen who both flee.  The hirdmen ran down the axemen.  Norman general’s knights and light cavalry won combat against hirdmen which caused them to automatically flee (ferocious charge).

 Vikings: The Viking general and his hirdmen charged the Norman archers who ran in fear.  This caused the Norman light cavalry to flee in panic.  A lone hirdman standard bearer, the sole survivor of his unit, charged recently rallied Norman kights but lost combat and was overrun.

 Turn 7:

Normans: Norman knights charged Viking archers and overran them in combat.  Norman archers rallied.  Light cavalry continued to run.

Vikings: At this point, the Viking general’s hirdmen was the last Viking unit on the board and it turned to face the Norman general’s knights.

 Turn 8:

Normans: The Norman general and his knights charged the last Viking unit.  Light cavalry rallied near the edge of the table.  The generals fought a challenge in which both were injured.  The Vikings lost combat, ran and escaped the pursuing knights.