The Minstrel Boy: The SAGA continues.

The "historical arm" of the Hamilton Road Games Group held a triple-table SAGA event last Saturday. Four folding tables were put out and three separate games were held at the same time. I ended up across the table from Steven, Andy's son, who shows up at the Group when his work schedule allows. He fielded Jomsvikings while I ran out my Irish to see how they'd work again. I forgot my war-dogs, which the Irish are allowed to field as part of their force, so I fielded my usual 2 units each of kern (levy), Bonnachts (warriors), and Fianna (elites) as well as my warlord. Steven's Jomsvikings are not able to field any levy so all he had were warriors and Hirdmen. The Jomsvikings have a thing called "wrath" which can build up under certain circumstances which permit that crowd to move the opponent's units or remove figures from enemy units. I wasn't sure what "wrath" did but I tried to avoid it as much as possible.

The Jomsvikings of Steven Andreuson advance. There was a good bit of terrain on the board... as the Irish like it!

Warriors in larger units and hirdmen/huscarls in smaller.

The other view with my Gaels and the obligatory bog.
Derek, to the right, checks his viking battle board. He was opposed by Bear with more Jomsvikings.

As it was Steven Andreuson (to Viking-ize him) allowed me to move forward a lot and hung back on his end of the board. I know the Irish are not much armoured but they all carry javelins so I tried to close to some sort of throwing range quickly. Steven used one of his battle board abilities and did damage to one of my kern outfits. I did everything I could to keep Steven's warband from building wrath, which caused some unfortunate trade-offs for me but it kept some of the Jomsviking special abilities under wraps.

At one point, I discovered an Irish battle board special ability: if an opponent's unit is within 4 inches of ANY "unlevel" ground (hills, trees, bogs, industrial waste, etc.), the Irish player can shoot one shot at that unit with unseen people in the terrain. This simulates hidden forces taking pot-shots at the enemies with stones and the like. (the rules add "potatoes" but I'm too much of a Dailey to acknowledge that slur!) Because of this, Steven spent the game avoiding terrain and furiously measuring. I did end up hitting a unit of warriors with my kern's javelins and doing unexpected damage to them. I really think that there are no push-overs among the factions in this game. Steven did use one of his battle board abilities to immobilise my warlord who appeared to have "sat out" most of the game.

The kern advance on the left flank. (Old Glory 25's)

My warlord takes a long breather. (Another Old Glory 25's from the Saxon raider bag.)

It almost appeared that Steven was forming a shield wall. I found out later what was going on when he sprung his trap.

Bondi and the Warlord fight my kern and drive them back.

The game see-sawed back and forth with me avoiding stirring up Jomsviking wrath and Steven avoiding all uneven terrain. Eventually after losing a unit of Kern, I advanced close to the Jomsviking battle line. Then Steven unleashed his secret weapon; his battle board allows him to move some of my units and he did so, pushing back troops and pulling the warlord forward. He then dry-gulched my leader and killed him - the object of the scenario.

I did lose the game, but all I can say is that the "boyos" gave him a run for his money.

Derek and Bear battled it out with vikings and Jomsvikings respectively. Andy and Kevin opposed each other with Normans and Anglo-Saxons, I believe. Later, Andy taught Wayne the game and Kevin took the Normans to fight the Anglo-Saxons again. Wayne had never played the game before, but I think he finished the game a fan.

A photo of some of my Bonnachts playing "king of the hill."

My Kern had been thrown back with some losses.
The bingo chip or the shields on the ground indicate a "fatigue" on the unit.

the Jomsvikings gather in tight formation as they avoid all rough terrain.
Can't you just hear it? "Come o'er here, ye blatherin' skilipeen!"

We're all getting fewer, but the Kern stood some of their ground.

The Jomsviking warlord, Swen Swensonson, looking belligerent.

I still say it looks like a shield-wall.

The scene just before Steven moved both of my Fianna back and pulled my warlord forward.

The warlord and some of his warriors holding the flank.

For next week, we decided to play American Civil War skirmish gaming in 25mm... since it is the Fourth of July. I've got to finish an artillery crew for this game.