Sigurd Skullsplitter drives off Viking raiders near Jorvik

Vikings get ready to attack two village buildings not far from York during our monthly Saga Game Day

We met for our November Saga Game Day at the Guardtower East in Columbus, this past Sunday. I took my Anglo-Dane army again -- the Viking Lord Sigurd Skullsplitter of Jorvik (York). We had 12 players again -- a good handful of those from Dayton, Springfield, and other area locations. We have made it a goal to start playing more of the scenarios from Book of Battles. We gamed Urban Uprising, Pillage, The Crossing, and Feasting & Pillaging, in addition to the standard Clash of Warlords. Steve and Jeff also played a game of Saga: Age of Magic.

After three turns, the Vikings at right are well into the village, while the Anglo-Danes at left are arriving

My first matchup was against Jenny's Vikings in the Pillage scenario. Her Vikings were raiding an Anglo-Danish village not far from York, and we would be hurrying to protect the hapless peasants from their deprivations. Her army marches on from one short side of the board, while mine has to roll dice using the Reinforcements rule to arrive. In the meantime, four units of four civilians huddle in fear inside the buildings.

Viking warriors charge into the village, looking forward to a day of slaughter and pillaging

One of the Anglo-Dane's biggest strengths is their ability to throw fatigue on the enemy. I started loading Jenny's units up with fatigue markers from the very first turn. Meanwhile, my troops started showing up on Turn 2, with my Warlord, one unit of 12 warriors and another of 6 hearthguard arriving from the opposite short edge and hurrying towards the village. I knew I'd be able to use my units with the free Maneuver rule, so kept my Saga dice from loading up my Battle Board and continue to beleaguer Jenny with more fatigue. The Vikings successfully stormed the first two buildings, slaughtering all peasants (or so they thought) easily.

The spitting-mad Crone surprises Vikings inside her home, killing three hearthguard before being taken out

The most humorous point of the battle (for me - not Jenny) came when she searched the houses for loot (which counts as victory points). In one building she did very well, discovering two treasures. For the other, though, she pulled "The Crone" marker. This infuriated Saxon matron attacks the unit with 3d6, scoring kills (no save) on sixes. Guess what Jenny rolled? Three sixes! What's more, it was three hearthguard that the Crone killed - almost an entire point of her six point army!

A unit of Anglo-Danish warriors catches an exhausted Viking warrior unit trying to break into a building

Two turns later, my last two units arrived (another 12-man warrior unit, and 6-man hearthguard). I was getting closer to intercepting the raiders, but couldn't prevent a unit of Viking warriors from attacking the center building, where four monks were praying for God's to rescue them. I decided not to use the fatigue I'd loaded the Vikings up with, and surprise of surprises, one monk survived, leaving an exhausted warrior unit outside - still trying to get in.  On the same turn, my hearthguard charged a unit of Viking warriors in another building, but was repulsed, suffering five of six casualties. Yikes!

The Vikings set fire to the two closest buildings while carrying two loot tokens

On the next turn, my warlord took matters into his own hands and routed the remaining Viking warriors from the building. Meanwhile, Jenny brought a fresher unit to take out the last monk. My warlord then charged that Viking unit, sending it fleeing from the structure. At the same time, my unit of warriors charged the exhausted Viking warrior unit that had failed against the monks, sending them reeling backwards with heavy casualties.

Anglo-Danish warriors prepare to receive the charge of a much smaller unit of Viking hearthguard

The Crone-ravaged Viking hearthguard bravely charged the much larger unit of warriors and died to a man. The handwriting was certainly on the wall, and we agreed to call the game. We said Jenny would get away with her two tokens of loot, as well as burning the two original buildings she took. It was a rout on points, though, as my "massacre points" more than quadrupled her victory points from the loot and burnings.

I will follow up this post with another detailing my much deadlier and close second game against Thomas's Crusaders. Stay tuned!