The Tax Man Cometh - Part 1

Hrothgar - my new Viking Champion!
(fig by Heroes of the Dark Age)

...being the 5th Battle of our Dark Ages Campaign and this month it was Peter's turn to run a scenario.  We also decided to take our Vikings and Saxons on the road and play at the Western Suburbs Wargames Association in Altona (Melbourne), so we could meet up with Owen.  It was fantastic to get him into our game, and visit a great club where I was a member some 12 yrs ago when I lived nearby.  Thanks very much to the very welcoming members of the WSWA - it was greatly appreciated, and we really enjoyed your wonderful facilities.

Situation: Norse traders have reported that it is tithing time and the Ealderman's tax collectors are operating out of the town Church.  The Bishop's residence nearby also houses a great deal of coin from outlying Parishes.  Furthermore, the local townsfolk have a habit of donating riches at this time to a local crone who is believed to be a witch.  It is rumoured that years worth of such donations are stored in a cave near her hovel outside of town.

Naturally, stories of booty such as this cannot be ignored!  The viking warbands of Ken, the Lad, Steve (played by Owen for this game) and me are closing in on the town, which has a number of guards - plus the King's Army has a strong detachment nearby.  And so, on an otherwise quiet day, the locals go about their business, unaware of the approaching marauders...

The Vikings crept up - Ken and Owen planned to go for the Church, the Lad was going for the Bishop's House, while I was going to send a strong force to the suspiciously vulnerable crone's hut and have a small force out to loot the town and support whoever needed it.

The Lad's lads approach the Bishop's residence

One of Owen's Huscarls tries to distract the Saxon guards...

...which was entirely successful (unfortunately for him!)

Meanwhile, my own lads found the old Crone outside her hut protected not by a cute little bunny, but the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!!!

Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer! 

"Go on, Bors, chop its head off."

And so, my lads charged the rabbit and the crone:

"One rabbit stew coming right up!"

Who could have predicted the outcome of that little misadventure...

"Well we'll not risk another frontal assault. That rabbits dynamite!"

Seriously, this battle got really tough and my lads were going down hard - which is disconcerting in a campaign!  We fade out on them at this time to the fading laughter of Tim the Enchanter...

Away from this silliness, the other Viking groups were closing on their targets:

The Lads boys close in on the Bishop's house

My other detachment reaches town, and my Champion roars a challenge to the Garrison Commander!

...while Ken and Owen's troops shake out into a shieldwall formation and take on the remaining forces

At this point all were hungry and a brief pause in hostilities was required!

The Lad discovers the joy of being at a club with a canteen! (0% rabbit content pie)

Part 2 coming shortly!