The Battle of Misgewidere Hill, a SAGA report

Getwin Wefanson saw the messenger long before he could hear him, plunging down toward the village from the nearby ridge. As the young man drew nearer his words began to carry on the breeze "They are coming...they are coming!"
Wefanson strode toward the rushing boy meeting him at the village boundary. Bulging eyed the red-faced youth burst out "Knights my lord...many knights...making for Misgewidere Hill..."
"Charetier!" the Saxon warlord cursed "Will he never learn?"
"No, my Lord" the young man panted "These are other knights, led by the Comte de Forgeron-Scribe"
"Well, they still need to be taught the same lesson" Wefanson roared "Bring me my axe, I've Normans to kill!"


Thus Scrivs and I met up once more at Maelstrom for a little more SAGA action. Having not made much progress with either Vikings or Scots I once more dusted off the trusty Saxon warband, whilst Scrivs would be using his El Cid Spanish force in the guise of Norman knights.
My list was the same as usual:

Getwin Wefanson – Anglo-Danish Warlord
2 Units of four Thegns
1 Unit of four Thegns with Dane Axes
3 units of 8 Ceorls


Scrivs had somethig like:
Le Comte de Forgeron-Scribe - Mtd Norman Warlord
2x 6 Knighs
1x8 Mtd Serjeants
1x8 Spearmen
8x Crossbows

We rolled and discovered we'd be playing the Sacred ground scenario, where each side accumulates points for having models on either the hill or the two areas of terrain placed on or about the centre line.

Niceties over we lined up and went at it.

 The battlefield from the west

 And again from the South-East

 Stout Saxon yeomanry

 Beastly Spani Norman Invaders

Le Comte de Forgeron-Scribe seized the initiative and raced men onto Misgewidere Hill.

Whilst the Saxons took a more steady advance

 Come Down and Fight!

 Oh!

A unit of Norman horse launched themselves from the hill and slaughtered a unit of Huscarls before returning to the hill-top to catch their breath.

At this point I deceide a re-think was in order. A wall of well armoured horse-flesh was occupying the top of the hill and Forgeron-Scribe was racking up the points...

 Where are youooo..?

Sending a unit of Ceorls into the woods Getwin pulled the Dane axe armed men back and led them toward the broken ground in the east

 Charger!

Impetuous Sejeants threw themselves down the hill toward a unit of isolated Ceorls, but their brothers in the wood had seen off the Norman spearmen.

Have some of THAT!

Rashly, Getwin led his Dane-axe men in a charge across open ground onto the hill, where they slaughtered four knights, though they were left a little exposed...

Seizing his chance the Norman warlord launched himself at the Saxon and duly cut him down, though Wefanson took at least two Serjeants with him.

The same picture from a different angle, though Scrivs flash seems to have gone off at the same moment, playing havoc with the lighting!

The beastly crossbowmen poured shot into the broken ground but were unable to thin the numbers. At this point the Saxon total began to seriously climb...

We've got your 'ill you stinkee Saxons!

This Rock is our Rock, and it's not your Rock

A final turn charge by Serjeants into the wood was repulsed by the Shieldwall bearing Ceorls and with that we discovered that the Saxons had just sneaked a win by 152 pts to 144.

A terrific game, one which i thought was utterly beyond me by turn two when Scrivs seemed to be racking up 30+ points a turn and I could see no way of shifting them from the hill. Fortunately the durability of the Saxons proved to be the difference and I snatched a win in the final turns. The charge with my Warlord was probably the moment that swung the game, taking four knights out of the scoring equation, even though it proved fatal to Getwin in the long term.

I do love a good game of SAGA. I'm sometime frustrated when actually playing that I'm spending more time looking at the board than at the pretty toy soldiers but it gives a great, fast, free flowing game and the result is usually in doubt until the last few turns.

Another jolly good game with Scrivs. He took pictures too, so doubtless the Norman propaganda will appear on his site in due course...

As the sounds of retreating horsemen echoed around the nearby hills the remaining Saxons surveyed the field. The hill was once more theirs, but at what cost? Their mighty leader lay face down in the mud, trampled by the hooves of the Norman warlord. Sadly they gathered round his body to pay their respects...
"What are you doing you aerselings. Don't just stand there, pick me up and get me back to the village!" roared the wounded warlord. "And does anyone know how to get hoof-prints out of a cloak?"