One of the most important battles in British history was fought at Brunanburh in the year 937. I think of this as occurring near Bromborough on the Wirral. This would be a great meeting place at Thingwall on the Wirral with plenty of space on the Dee for the Viking longships. Easily accessed from Dublin where Anlaf or Olaf and his Norse Irish would sail from yet close to Cumbria and Owen’s Strathclyde. Finally Constantine and his Scots could easily travel down the west of the pennines with his allies, the Strathclyde British. One can imagine Vikings from all around the British Isles being told to join their King at the recognised meeting place high on the Wirral peninsula, a site well known to them all with safe secure access by sea.
This meeting place would be close to York and the Kingdom of Northumbria which the allies doubtless intended to secure and split between them. Aethelstan and the English of Wessex and Mercia could gather at Chester, serving as a secure and well fortified base. The roman walls still stand today. From there they would march quickly to the Wirral and prepare for battle. Here they would unfurl their dragon banners. Fully intending to drive these invaders from Dublin and the North back into the sea or their northern mountains.
” Never has there been greater slaughter “since the Angles and Saxons came here from the east…seized the country”.
Aethelstan presenting a book to Saint Cuthbert.
The battle is well attested in many various sources so we can be sure it happened and the result.
I walked the land around the River Dee to get an idea of how the battle may have looked. Obviously the land will have changed with farming and population over time. However the estuary, beach and the Dee would be similar, though one can no longer sail to Chester.
A red dawn rises over the Wirral.
Viking longships moored on the River Dee
Anglo-Saxon Army
Wessex First Division Huscarl Heavy Infantry Egil’s Icelandic Viking Mercenaries Thegn Heavy Infantry Thegn Heavy Infantry Ceorl Medium Infantry Ceorl Medium Infantry Infantry Skirmishers Infantry Skirmishers
Mercian Second Division Huscarl Heavy Infantry Thegn Heavy Infantry Thegn Heavy Infantry Ceorl Medium Infantry Ceorl Medium Infantry Ceorl Medium Infantry Infantry Skirmishers Infantry Skirmishers
Saxon Third Reserve Division Thegn Medium Cavalry Thegn Medium Cavalry Thegn Medium Cavalry
Commanders Aethelstan, King of England Edmund, Prince of England Ealdorman Cynwulf
Pictish Second Division Royal Troop Medium Cavalry Pictish Light Cavalry Pictish Medium Infantry Pictish Medium Infantry Infantry Skirmishers (Pict)
Strathclyde Third Division Teulu Medium Infantry Teulu Medium Infantry Fianna Black Shields Warband Theog Infantry Skirmishers Theog Infantry Skirmishers Theog Infantry Skirmishers
Commanders Olaf/ Anlaf Guthfrithson Norse Irish Constantine, King of Scotland Owen, King of Strathclyde
The armies are taken from the Hail Caesar shieldwall supplement and come out at about 425 points aside.
So with the forces equal can the English still win the day! Presumably historically the English held an advantage in numbers.
The Wessex Camp and King.
Facing them the Viking Camp and the Northern British and the Dublin Vikings.
The Raven standard unfurled against the Holy Cross.
British spearmen.
The Picts.
The Mercians.
The Battle was long fought and ended in chaos. Mike played the Saxons and Darryl the invaders. The Saxons failed to close so were charged by the Vikings and the berserkers. The British held their ground.
The Saxons were pushed back in the centre and right. To their left they were repulsed by the British wall of shields and long spears.
Finally the Saxon cavalry tried to move forward and threaten flanks but the small units were vulnerable to the excellent Welsh skirmishers and fell into disorder.
The Vikings and Saxon Lords ground each other into a stalemate. However too many Saxon thegns had been pushed back or broken by their opponents. So as night fell the Saxons had to retire back to Chester leaving the Vikings and their allies the victors!
Test scenario for Brunanburh to help me learn the rules before the big battle.
Hail Caesar rules held out well. Obviously these can be a bit swingy even with the rules like elite and valiant but at least the battle is fun and quick to play. No getting bogged down in tedium and long drawn out battles in this scenario.
Both armies are lined up for battle. I think I might say they are both deployed in shieldwall when I do the next one.
Edmund and his Mercians. Facing them are Constantine and the PictsThe vikings have built a palisade to protect the ships and the Strathclyde British are deployed here, on the right.The view from the tower. Anlaf and his Norse Irish in the centre opposing the men of Wessex under their, King and his Dragon Banner. The view from the English left.
Started with the Saxons
Anlaf or Olaf and his Dublin Vikings.The King of England sets out from camp to drive them back into the sea!
The battle started by the Vikings moving forward but being out of effective range with their skirmishes. The Mercians pushed forward far but the men of Wessex failed to move.
The Picts surged forward against the Mercians and were driven away in rout with their king being wounded. They had one unit left who held the far left flank.
The Vikings rushed forward with their berserkers and wild Irish gaining bonuses in their first charge. The Vikings smashed through the Kings Huscarles and into the ceorls behind. The Vikings also pushed forward against the Mercians. However the Irish failed to smash through and were broken and the British on the right advanced steadily.
Anlaf smashed through all before him. He killed the English King who tried to stem his charge with the Ceorls in the second line. Even the cavalry who hastily charged trying to hold him for a turn were driven away. However to his flanks the Saxon thegns proved redoubtable pushing back the Hirdmen and destroying the Bondi. This left the British on the right the only unbroken division. Seeing his way to safety through the Saxon camp Anlaf marched off the table leaving the Picts and British to their fate.
Thus Edmund became King of all England and the Saxons won the day.
I learnt the rules and enjoyed the game.
Link arrived towards the end to take up the Saxon cause and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The British and Picts will need to be one division next time as otherwise the Broken division rules do not work!
The rules favour the Vikings especially when they can charge. Anlaf rolled a triple advance just at the right moment!
Test scenario for Brunanburh to help me learn the rules before the big battle.
Hail Caesar rules held out well. Obviously these can be a bit swingy even with the rules like elite and valiant but at least the battle is fun and quick to play. No getting bogged down in tedium and long drawn out battles in this scenario.
Both armies are lined up for battle. I think I might say they are both deployed in shieldwall when I do the next one.
Edmund and his Mercians. Facing them are Constantine and the PictsThe vikings have built a palisade to protect the ships and the Strathclyde British are deployed here, on the right.The view from the tower. Anlaf and his Norse Irish in the centre opposing the men of Wessex under their, King and his Dragon Banner. The view from the English left.
Started with the Saxons
Anlaf or Olaf and his Dublin Vikings.The King of England sets out from camp to drive them back into the sea!
The battle started by the Vikings moving forward but being out of effective range with their skirmishes. The Mercians pushed forward far but the men of Wessex failed to move.
The Picts surged forward against the Mercians and were driven away in rout with their king being wounded. They had one unit left who held the far left flank.
The Vikings rushed forward with their berserkers and wild Irish gaining bonuses in their first charge. The Vikings smashed through the Kings Huscarles and into the ceorls behind. The Vikings also pushed forward against the Mercians. However the Irish failed to smash through and were broken and the British on the right advanced steadily.
Anlaf smashed through all before him. He killed the English King who tried to stem his charge with the Ceorls in the second line. Even the cavalry who hastily charged trying to hold him for a turn were driven away. However to his flanks the Saxon thegns proved redoubtable pushing back the Hirdmen and destroying the Bondi. This left the British on the right the only unbroken division. Seeing his way to safety through the Saxon camp Anlaf marched off the table leaving the Picts and British to their fate.
Thus Edmund became King of all England and the Saxons won the day.
I learnt the rules and enjoyed the game.
Link arrived towards the end to take up the Saxon cause and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The British and Picts will need to be one division next time as otherwise the Broken division rules do not work!
The rules favour the Vikings especially when they can charge. Anlaf rolled a triple advance just at the right moment!
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