A Fight for the Fords - A Midgard Saga

Two opposing armies lined up to see who could control the river crossings. With the Fatamid Egyptians in the North and the Crusaders in the South. The Fatamids moved forwards with the cavalry advancing to take control of two of the fords.

Leaving the infantry to contest the third ford. However they were moving at a snails pace.

The Crusader knights charged but were halted by a shower of javelins from the Fatamid cavalry.

The Fatamid light cavalry pushed on past the ford and charged into a Crusader spear unit. Was this foolhardy?

 The Crusader knights charged again.

 and destoyed the leading Fatamid heavy cavalry.

Meanwhile on the other flank another unit of Crusader knights took the ford as the Fatamid infantry were taking their time getting there.

In the centre things were looking a bit sticky for the Fatamid light cavalry.

 
resulting in them being pushed back across the ford.

On the left flank the Crusader knights charged the Fatamid infantry, pushing them back.

With the Crusaders controling all three fords and the Fatamid personal morale shot the game was called, with a resounding Crusader victory.

Migard: A Song of Ice & Fire on Tabletop Simulator

 With Mal falling ill, the Wednesday group was forced to improvise, so it was back to Tabletop Simulator on Steam! Fortunately Rob had done all the hard work, in creating (or more accurately ‘borrowing’!) ‘A Song of Ice & Fire’ set-up on Tabletop Simulator and creating the Midgard set-up.

After a quick rescaling of the hill and “salient points”, off we set to play Scenario 3, from the book, with the Lannisters attacking the Starks on the hill.

The Lannisters (Steve & Phil) mounted an echelon attack on the hill, with the Knights of Casterly Rock on the Lannister left. The Mountain & his men, plus a unit of Guardsmen were in the centre. Finally Tyrion Lannister had two units of halberdiers & two units of crossbowmen on the Lannister right.

On the hill, the Starks (Rob & Dave) had their cavalry on their right flank. Curiously the Stark bowmen held the centre and the Stark Sworn Swords held the Stark left flank. Great John Umber and his men were due to arrive at the start of Turn 4.

Steve wasted no time in riding down the Stark cavalry. Knights vs medium cavalry, was never going to be a fair fight, even if the Starks were uphill. However, Steve’s knights were in no mood for stopping and some crushing dice rolls swept away the right hand Stark cavalry unit. The Stark cavalry unit closer to the centre only managed to hold on for a little longer, by virtue of Jon Snow dashing over to stabilise things, but this did not last long and he was soon forced to dash back to the archers, when the second Stark cavalry unit ceased to exist!

Jon did manage to pivot the archers, to shoot into the flank of the knights, removing a stamina point from them, but then the Mountain & his men crashed into the formed archers, who just managed to hold onto the hill, at a cost of losing two stamina. They then, rather foolishly decided to charge the Mountain & his men, getting rather chopped-up for their troubles! This left Jon Snow contesting the ‘salient point’, all on his own!

In the centre, Tyrion (Phil) was being more cautious. His halberdiers advanced in echelon, covered by fire from the crossbowmen. The Stark Sworn Swords made a brave attempt at holding the hill, but weakened by the crossbow fire, the Lannister halberdiers managed to dislodge them from the hilltop. Eddard Stark dashed to mount a desperate counter-attack, but was soon left holding the hill solo!  The last drop of Reputation had just run out for the Starks! Great John Umber, spying the Lannister knights waiting for him and hillside strewn with Stark dead, decided to quietly march away again!

Midgard, Artos stuffs it to Aelle: Scenario 1: Artos & the Britons vs Aelle & the Saxons

This was the second of two learning games, in 2 days. The first game saw Chris’s Aelle & the Saxons getting his ar*e handed to him by two OAPs, over Zoom! No pics here, as Phil was too busy explaining the rules to Chris & managing the tech.

The next morning saw Greg lead Artos’ forces to a stunning victory, over Phil’s Saxons, in just over 90 minutes! This being Greg’s first time with Midgard too!

The Saxons opened with a strong central advance of the Hearthguard, screened by skirmishers. The Saxon left hung back, cautiously facing off the Briton cavalry. The Saxon right advanced in echelon to the centre, hoping to exploit the success of Aelle and the Hearthguard centre punch.

All seemed to be going to plan, the skirmishers even managing to inflict a stamina loss on Artos’ hearthguard! However, then it all started to go wrong. The left centre Saxon Heathguard advance stalled, in a draw, while Aelle was driven back (Aelle still smarting from Artos’s refusal to fight him in a duel!). Artos rallied his men, flashed Excalibur and plunged through the Saxon Hearthguard.

In the previous day’s battle, Artos’ Legendary Tool had done absolutely nothing! He hadn’t even soiled the useless thing. In Greg’s hands, Artos’ tool was truly legendary. With the Saxon hearthguard smashed, Osric tried to plug the gap bursting open in the Saxon lines, but Artos, his legendary tool and his Hearthguard, simply steamrollered over the Saxon Young Warriors. Artos again casually dismissing Osric’s challenge to a duel.

The Saxons took some small solace from holding the Briton Cavalry back on the left and even driving back the Briton left flank, but to no avail. Artos has now helping himself to the last Reputation token, by humbling Osric, amongst the bodies of the young spearmen!

We have played this scenario 3 times now, using the same forces, but each game has been quite different. Plenty of see-sawing and little tactical choices, among the bigger battle strategy. Midgard will be on the table for some time, we suspect!

Midgard. A first outing

Artos moved forwards mounted on his trusted steed and as the morning mist cleared, he viewed a vast Saxon horde lined up for battle. Artos cleared his throat and issued a challenge to anyone that would be brave enough to take him on in single combat. After a brief period, a solitary figure appeared. It was Osric the Saxon champion. As he neared, Artos dismounted drew Excalibur and walked slowly towards Osric. Osric rushed forwards and slashed at Artos but he wasn’t quick enough and Artos parried with his shield leaving Osric open to a mortal blow from Excalibur. Artos muttered, well that was easy as he mounted up and trotted back to his army.

This was our first game of Midgard with Artos’s Britons taking on Aelle’s Saxons in scenario one of the Midgard rulebook.

The Saxons advanced, apparently in echelon, with the slingers on the Saxon right holding back whilst the British cavalry looked on perplexed. Hussa and the Saxon Hearthgard advanced towards the British Comitatus commanded by Bedwyr.

Whilst Aelle charged his veteran spearmen towards Kai and the British spearmen.

The Saxon slingers advanced but were ridden down by the British cavalry, as they failed to out evade them.

Bedwyr and the British Comitatus charged Hussa's Saxon Hearthgard, reputation was gained and battle ensued.

The British spearmen to the Comitatus right managed to push back the second Saxon Hearthgard unit and Hussa took a savage blow from the Comitatus, reducing his status.

Spears and horses clashed on the Saxon right with the Saxons destroying one of the cavalry units, but almost coming unstuck themselves.

With the help of the remaining Saxon slingers the second group of cavalry was soon seen off, leaving Artos on his own with no option but to fight on as his reputation would be in tatters if he didn't. There was a lot of pushing and shoving happening in the Saxon centre and left flank with no clear winner.

However, the Saxon Hearthgard eventually managed to push back and destroy the British Comitatus. The Young Warriors in support then turned on the British spearmen to their right and with help managed to push them into the British archers destroying them and reducing the British reputation to zero.