The Saga of the three Angry Viking Warlords

The hill between myself and Nick soon became a bloody battleground

Yesterday evening Nick, Martin and myself played a Saga three way at the club using the Feast for Crows scenario. Martin and I had not played for a very long time - actually almost a year to the day - but Nick was fresh from his adventures at the Stoke Challenge over the weekend.

My warband

I took my Vikings as had Nick, Martin had bought both Anglo-Danes and Vikings, it seemed apt though that he should use the Vikings and we could have a brutal mash-up over who called whose wife ugly or who called somebodies pint a poof!

We all picked from the basic Viking lists in the Saga rule book and all chose very different lists. I used my Warlord along with two units of six Hirdmen and a unit of 8 Bondi. I managed to use both the Jarl Sigvaldi and Svenn models that I had painted and never used, both as Hirdmen. The remainder of my models are from the lovely Shieldwall Miniatures range.

Nicks warband

Martin used his Warlord, a unit of four Berserkers, a unit of eight Hirdmen and a unit of eight Bondi, his figures a a mix of Foundry, Black Tree, Artizan, etc. Finally Nick used his Warlord, a unit of four Berserkers, a unit of four Hirdmen, a unit of twelve Bondi and a unit of four Bondi, these are all made from Wargames Factory plastics. As you can see, all very different forces.

We deployed, I was unfortunately second to pick, so ended up sandwiched between Nick and Martins force, this was going to be bloody. Although I was somewhat protected from Martins troops due to the dense woodland in his corner of the table.

Martins warband

Nick and I immediately moved towards each other in an attempt to knock some lumps off before Martin got there and polished off the remainders, I despatched a unit of Hirdmen to try to hold off Martins force.

On the second turn Nick launched his Berserkers into my Hirdmen who locked shields and killed them off for only the loss of a single Hirdman. My Hirdmen then pushed on into the large unit of Bondi but were driven off with a couple of casualties. My Bondi then engaged Nicks Bondi, building up their fatigue and killing a couple before my remaining Hirdmen finished them off.

Prepare to die Berserker!

Nick then committed his Hirdmen to the fight killing the last of mine on that flank. By now my other unit of Hirdmen were engaged with Martins Bersekers who fared much better than Nicks, for the loss of three figures each. I was getting very thin on the ground although had killed loads of the enemy. With only my warlord on one flank I did a do-or-die move and charged into Nicks warlord and we traded blows ineffectually for a couple of turns before my warlord got the better of his and despatched him. However it was turn five and by now Martins Hirdmen had finished off the last of mine, I was down to the solitary warlord. Turn six and I moved my warlord to attack Martins remaining berserker and both were killed in the ensuing scrap.

My warlord does for Nicks

As I had no figures left, the final turn was played out between Martin and Nick, the Hirdmen clashed and Nicks remaining three were done for, but managed to take out four of Martins in return. It was time to tot up the casualties.

Despite being up against it in all the combats I had managed to kill:

• Nicks Warlord, 1 Hirdman, 4 Berserkers and 12 Bondi plus of Martins 4 Berserkers and 3 Hirdmen.
• Nick killed of  mine 6 Hirdmen and 8 Bondi and of Martins, 4 Hirdmen.
• Martin killed my Warlord and 6 Hirdmen and of Nick, 3 Hirdmen.

I was a clear winner, despite losing all of my troops in the process.

My mighty pile of kills

Martins collection of kills

Nicks pile of kills