Friday, April 24, 2015

Raid at Heaðuswát Cirice (Battle Blood Church)

Cuthwulf once again gathered his troops to rain the Briton lands this time the target chosen was a church (perhaps at the instigation of our new Wicca Priestess, Norgyth) the stream was not a significant factor beyond slowing my initial advance in a minimal way
John cam on in close proximity to the church but his position bottle necked him some what.  That swamp was the key terrain piece of the battle.
You can see how the Briton formation has to pass through the bottle neck corked by the swamp or move to one side or the other.
Both sides jockey for position.
I have gotten men in the church (this I believe is a mistake Looting is a 6 on a 1d6 and you have to pass twice, and your odds never get better... I should have kept that group in the fight)
Deorling confronts the Briton elites but decides...
its better to fall back to cover.
the elites attack I hold only because I have cover...
a bit of stand off has developed in the center as Cuthwulf and one of his Hearthguard move off to deal with the Briton elites.
John breaks away...
Still as stand off in the center my men are continuing to try to loot the church without success. My archers are picking away at one unit of Briton Warriors.  To the left John breaks one of my my Elites...
but the other comes up behind his elites and break them.
Both sides are fairly even as the battle enters mid stage.  there is a lot of back in forth maneuvering by Bergred and the Britons in the center.  The Swamp Deorling drives off the Briton Slingers but is overwhelmed by the levies.
Bergred launches a final charge that results in breaking a unit of warriors on both sides
Cuthwulf has rejoined the fight and call the warriors out of he church his two unit put a levy to route and the others withdraw.  Bergred's force is driven back(at the bottom)
Bergred is no trying to escape both sides moral is hanging by threads.  Cuthwulf tries to reach and save his old comrade.
Bergred manages to dance away for a while and I use the stand forth card and try to take john in the rear but my movement is far short.
Bergred's men are killed and he is over run and captures.  Deorling died with his men in the swamp. This was the bloodiest battle yet the Saxon's lost 29 men including 6 elites as well as a noble killed and another wounded. The Britons lost 22 men killed. This gives John a +4 victory his first in a while, fortunately for me the heavy losses on both sides mean the same recovery time though John as gained two additional warriors.  I need to roll up two new nobles.

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