"Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons." - General MacArthur
Campaign Progress
Warlords and Factions
Alfred Steptoe
Aethelflaed
Cnut
Charlemal
Gunnblasdt
Conn Cétchathach
Sir Sybald
Leif the Lucky
Ubbason the Bastard
Tavish McTavish
Caradog ap Llewellyn
The King of the Anglo-Danes was was not at all happy. His advisers, who had brought him the finished War Banner earlier that morning, should perhaps not have been surprised. Aarold Steptoeson was known to be a hard man, and for that reason, out of earshot, more than a few would refer to him as Aarold the Bastard. He had at least conceded that the banner did look pretty good, but try as they might his advisers could not get him to understand why it had cost so much. They should have known better. Money had always been their master's greatest desire. And now, with the royal coffers running low, the King had decided that the time was right for something to be done about it.
The Anglo-Danes were going to war.
Aarold led his men across the borders of Rheged into the land of the Norse Gaels. His men were fired up with enthusiasm. The fact that other warbands were attacking the same enemy this Campaign Season was proof of the weakness of Leif's men. The rumours that they had beaten the invading Scots earlier that year did not change their opinion; the Anglo-Danes merely scoffed at the failure of Clan Tavish, who were evidently even weaker, and advanced with even greater determination.
Meeting the Norse Gaels at a mountain pass, a great battle was fought, and the Norse Gaels proved themselves again, seeing off Aarald's invading force, who retreated back to their own lands in disarray.
Aarold's Warband invades Rheged, but loses Defend the Pass against the Norse Gaels.
The Anglo-Danes were not only unlucky on the field of battle that year. The weather was bad throughout the whole of Britain, and the crops failed. So it was that the Anglo-Danish army returned to find the people starving, and grain had to be imported to feed the people at cost to the royal coffers.
The Anglo-Danes roll Poor Harvest on the Fate table at the end of the Campaign Season, and they lose -1 point of wealth. Because they now have only 1 Wealth but 2 units of Warriors on the roster, one of those Warrior units is temporarily dismissed. This is the unit that does not carry the War Banner.
The Anglo-Danes choose to raid the Scots in Scots Northumbria. However, before they are able to muster their forces, they are themselves attacked by Danish Vikings raiding East Anglia.
Cnut's Danish Vikings landed in East Anglia and attacked the local villages and crop fields, spreading fear and destruction among the people. The Anglo-Danes defended the village with two units of local levy archers, knowing that reinforcements in the form of eight warriors were on the way. Aarold deployed a unit of twelve archers in a large building but was surprised when he discovered his second unit of none was too large to garrison either of the smaller buildings. Resigned to going down fighting, Aarold positioned himself next to the smaller levy unit now deployed in the open. Cnut duly assaulted the levy with his warriors, killing four of them and driving them back. The retreat of the levy left Aarold and the formidable Cnut face to face. Warlord's Pride ensured single combat between the Warlords and in a desperate duel Aarold came very close to killing Cnut before falling victim to the mighty blows of the fearsome Dane.
Upon seeing Aarold struck down the levy fled the field, leaving the Vikings to plunder the village.
News of Aarold's death was carried to his Father, Alfred Steptoe, who was enraged at the loss of his son and heir, and immediately declared a blood feud against Cnut and all his house. Thus, Alfred has taken command of the Steptoe Warband.
The duel between the two Warlords looked very one sided on paper with Troll Hide and Son of Odin meaning that no less than four uncancelled hits were needed on Cnut to kill him. Aarold achieved three, which led Campaign Co-ordinator Jon to consider John's campaign prospects to be truly F****D - but fate took a surprising turn when John rolled for his replacement Warlord with King's Domain, War-Toothed and Golden Hoard, and The Bastard (keeping it in the family). This leaves the Anglo-Danes substantially stronger than they might have been had Aarold survived. Anglo-Danish sages suggest this was their master's plan all along, emphasising that Aarold swung first.
Whatever the truth, it is certain the norns continue to weave the fates of our Warlords in surprising ways!
The Anglo-Danes lose Harry and Burn against the raiding Danish Vikings, and in the process their Warlord is slain in single combat by the enemy Warlord. They lose -1 point of Wealth for being raided and would lose another -1 point of Wealth because of the death of their Warlord - but as they now have zeo Wealth they instead lose -1 point of Reputation.
In his first major act leading his people, Alfred Steptoe led his Warband in an attack on the Scots, raiding across the border into the province of Scots Northumbria.
The scenario played was Escort. This requires the players to bid the number of points they think they can use to escort the baggage from the table. The player that bids the least becomes the escort and plays with the points he bid, while the other player plays with his full Warband. Alfred set the game at 4 points so each player could bid between 1 and 4 points. Alfred bid 4pts while Tavish bid 3, so the Scots escorted the baggage.
The Anglo-Danes fought bravely, capturing one of the baggage items, but the Scots units defending the other two were too strong and were able to escape after a bloody fight in which they lost seven Warriors for no gain.
The Anglo-Danes gain nothing from their expedition. They lost 1 Hearthguard and 2 Warriors, then recruited 3 Warriors and spent one point of Wealth to recruit a further 5 Levy.
Returning from their raid against the Scots, the Anglo-Danes were taken by surprise by an attack on the city of Jorvik by their Anglo-Saxon neighbours.
Aethelflaed, Queen of Mercia, cunning as ever, had marched her army against the unprepared Anglo-Danish capital. Alfred's men withdrew to the safety of the fortress, and manned the walls and towers of the city in a hurried defence, but they fell foul of treachery. Someone among the Anglo-Danish nobility had been bribed, for the Anglo-Saxons crossed into the Burh before effective defensive positions could be taken, as the wall of the city was quickly breached. The defenders, slow to react because off The Anglo-Saxon Penny, defended as best they could, a loyal group of brave warriors surrounding their Lord to protect him from the assault. As they fell, Alfred found himself exposed, but fought bravely, setting an example to his men, fighting off his assailants.
Reinforced by more warriors, the Anglo-Danes struck back, forcing the eney levy back across the walls and exposing Anglo-Saxon hearthguard to a hail of arrows from the battlements. But again the enemy relentlessly attacked. Alfred's warriors once more came to his side, this time to be slain by the enemy hearthguard, who slew them mercilessly. Alfred, now surrounded by the enemy, was put to the test, but with God on his side, he fought all three Anglo-Saxon hearthguard, killing them all in a heroic stand.
His enemy dismayed, the Anglo-Saxons fled the field as the defenders jeered their departure and cheered their victory. Jorvik had withstood the invaders and Anglo-Danish lands were safe.
The Anglo-Danes gain +1 point of Reputation and +1 CVP for successfully defending The Burh. They lost 4 Warriors, and recruited 4. They then paid 1 point of Wealth to recruit 1 Hearthguard to replace their battle losses fully.
