Pig Wars Episode 2

Pig Wars Second installment – New Dulham

The story so far

Julian and Gary (need Viking names please) have declared themselves Jarls of Dulham, the village captured in the previous raid. They are in possession of a sizable treasure horde, plenty of livestock as well as Frigid, favourite daughter of the local Saxon Thegn Athelstan. As other Danes heard of their fortune, they flocked to the new gold giving Jarls and so Gary and Julian have restored their original warbands to full strength and have enough sword and spear Danes to form a second warband each.

Julian and Gary have each begun to establish new settlements, finding that Dulham was in danger of sinking into the mud as it is situated on a flood plain.

Mark (need Viking name please) fled the last battle after attempting to double cross Gary and making a deal with Athelstan. He has a ship of his own now however, and put in to shore further south where he met with Thegn Athelstan.

Athelstan has been weakened by the ongoing fighting with local rivals and raiders and has been unable to muster enough men to challenge the invaders. He can still muster a full warband of his household troops. He also supplies Mark with enough men to restore his original warband to full strength.

Mark "The Hindmost" and Athelstan (Paul)

Julian has begun to establish the new settlement of New Dulham. To make an immediate statement of intent a great hall has been built but the defences are incomplete.

Julian holds the beautiful but troublesome Frigid, favourite daughter of Athelstan, as a hostage to prevent any rash action by her father.

You both get on well, sharing a fondness for ale, brawling, whoring and hearing tall tales and have formed an alliance. Athelstan has promised his daughter Frigid’s hand in marriage and New Dulham itself to solidify the alliance. Frigid is believed to being held in Julian’s settlement.

Game Objectives – To kill enemy leaders, to hold Frigid and New Dulham at the end of the game.

Special Rule – You may set aside up to 5 men from one of your 20 man warbands to be a rescue party for Frigid. They may be deployed anywhere on the table, not within line of sight of Julian’s men. Once in LOS they must be placed on table.

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Julian assisted by me (2 warbands)

You have begun to establish the new settlement of New Dulham. To make an immediate statement of intent a great hall has been built but the defences are incomplete.

You hold the beautiful but troublesome Frigid as a hostage to prevent any rash action by Thegn Athelstan.

Word has reached you that Mark has allied himself with Athelstan and is on his way to attack your new settlement.

Game Objectives – To kill enemy leaders, to hold Frigid and New Dulham at the end of the game.

Special Rules – You have fallen head over heels for the headstrong Frigid. You may not kill her as you are so besotted and have convinced yourself that she secretly holds feelings for you. She has made several escape attempts however so she must be under constant guard at all times. A building must be nominated as Frigids quarters and a guard must be kept on any doorway.

New Dulham with it's new hall and partial defences. Julian's warbands guard the gaps in the wall. Frigid is in the main hall.

My warband waits for a sighting of Mark and Athelstan's forces.

The Hindmost, in the foreground, with Athelstans warband advance toward the woods.

Athelstan on the left and the Hindmost on the right advance towards New Dulham. Athelstan takes some bow fire from the wood where archers are hidden.

The Hindmost can't help living up to his reputation as Athelstan leaves him behind. Mark blames the cards, but we know the truth!

Athelstan races ahead as the Hindmost is spooked by some archery coming from the wood. (Julian had deployed all his 4 bowmen in the wood and they were not deployed on to the table until they opened fire)

Athelstan's first attack on Julian's warband was repulsed with casualties on both sides. Athelstan's morale broke and he was forced to temporarily fall back. Mark eventually caught up and tempted Julian by placing a short shield wall within charge range.

Athelstan reforms his line bringing his spear armed huscarls to the front.

Having called for support from my warband, Julian froths at the mouth and prepares to charge...

...whilst the second line of Mark's warband are momentarily distracted by the local fauna!

A mass combat breaks out with all 4 warbands involved. Here Julian's berserker attacks Mark's personal figure who has already taken an arrow hits. The berserker scores another wound on the Hindmost but is then cut down.

The sheep can only stand and watch as Snorri the Foolish charges Mark's archer. What could possibly go wrong? Oops Snorri is no more, defeated by a man with no more than a stick.

Archers are in fine form as Julian's fells three of Athelstan's Saxons!

The mass brawl continues with leaders "leading" for a change and getting stuck in.

Mark's warband fails morale and starts to fall back. I decide to send them to the afterlife, only to lose 4 out of 5 combats - ouch.

Shortly after this Athelstan's band also breaks and falls back. All sides have taken painful losses, but all leaders are intact and Frigid is still in Julian's possession. Therefore it is a victory for Jarl Julian of the newly renamed "Great" Dulham. Not sure what Gary will think about that.

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