Skirmish at Thorringhall Wood.

After recovering from his injuries, Jarl Ragnar and his faithful bodyguard Rurik retreated from Arlesford to set up camp in Thorringhall Wood. Here they hoped to lick their wounds and await reinforcements from Ragnars brother Otrygg.

Whilst passing through the warband stumble across a hamlet in a clearing in the trees - as they approach the outskirts they see an ancient shrine to the battle slain, unaware that they have already been spotted and followed by the Saxon militia of Thorrington (near Alresford) under the command of ageing Ealdorman Tunberht.

View of the hamlet from the North showing the Church of Saint Harry Harrison.

View from the East with Ealdorman Tunberht's abode.

View from the South and Jarl Ragnar's approach.

The old pagan worship site of Jymdegrizz. A tribute to the dead.

Ealdorman Tunberht assembles his men.

Ragnar approaches the hamlet with Rurik in the background.

The Saxons make slow progress...

...and Ragnars drunken thrall cautiously move alongside the pathway...

...as his bondi move through the edge of the forest with Ruriks beserkers in tow.

The Saxon ceorl move through the hamlet.

After sporadic bowfire between the sides, neither seems willing to commit to battle.

A face off begins across the hamlet as Rurik leads his men to the Saxons flank.

Ruriks beserkers and Tunberhts huscarl rain blows upon one another...

...and Rurik lets out a bellow as he cuts down Ealdorman Tunberht!

The Saxon forces looked on in horror as their leader fell to the ground - within moments they began to flee into the surrounding woods.

Ragnar congratulated Rurik on the well won victory. The warband were organised and guards posted. Tonight his men would sleep under thatched roof and dine on pork belly!

Forces

Viking Raiders (Rob)
Jarl Ragnar
1 unit of Hirdmen (4 x Hearthguard)
1 unit of Beserkers (4 x Hearthguard)
1 unit of Bondi (8 x Warriors)
1 unit of Thrall (12 x Levy)

Anglo-Saxon Defenders (ZM)
Ealdorman Tunberht
1 unit of Huscarl (4 x Hearthguard)
1 unit of Huscarl (4 x Hearthguard)
1 unit of Ceorl (8 x Warriors)
1 unit of Gebur (12 x Levy)

We fought this quick Saga battle that ultimately only lasted four turns! We played the '"Clash of Warlords" scenario with 4 point warbands.

Despite continuously moving forward to meet his adversary ZM had trouble getting his Saxon levy into the action and they spent most of the game crossing the fences in the hamlet. Robs viking raiders attempted a flanking attack but ultimately withdrew when faced by the relentless movement towards them of the Saxons. Rob began to retreat and ZM followed and gave a good chase but neither side was really able to commit to battle. After some moving too-and-fro and some sporadic bow fire causing some casualties, Rob managed to get his beserkers (under Rurik the Restless) to move to the Saxons exposed flank. Spotting this, ZM gave a manic charge into the oncoming beserkers with a handful of his Huscarl. In the ensuing combat, the beserkers came out on top and poor Tunberht was cut to pieces despite the heroic sacrifice of two of his bodyguard, ending the game. This was ZM's first game of Saga and to be honest he fared well despite being unable to use many of the abilities on his battleboard. Rob had learned from our first encounter and used the beserkers to good effect (unlike I had, where they were frustratingly held on the wrong side of the river!) and the flanking attack drew ZM and his best troops to fight. The dice-gods were with him today!