If You Go Down To The Woods Today.......

It was already afternoon when the column came into view of the border tower.  The eerie quiet put the old soldiers on their guard.

Suddenly the Queen's curse broken the silence, followed by a screaming charge of painted warriors and beasts from all sides.

Before the spearmen could react, a horde of men and beasts was upon them upon both sides. Around the edges, arrows flew in both directions, when an open target presented itself.

Fierce fighting broke out as the column of squares struggled to reform from from marching order to squares but discipline and armour helped to hold the squares together despite the ferocious attack. Soon the lack of armour and discipline had their enemy at a disadvantage. Even the great apes were reluctant to plunge in. (ie lousy dice!) 

Losses were heavy on both sides and the woods folk fell back then regrouped, ready to throw themselves onto the pikes again when the call came. But with dusk drawing in, the Queen saw no reason to sacrifice more of her subjects when the enemy had been scarred and was obviously just wanting to go home. She ordered the horns to call the warriors back. Even the body of crossbowmen cowering in the edge of the great wood where the road runs through it, would be allowed to go. They had not chosen to come and fight. 

Night falls. Many were dead or wounded but the army was nowhere near broken, just eager to get home alive. 

The Great Revenge Raid was over and the survivors would soon be home while the spirits of the rest would wander the woods and hills for all time.

The Long And Hazardous Road Home

After the bloody battle against the Farmers, the Duke decided that he could report to the King that he had punished the enemy, even if he had intended to burn their crops and stores and hadn't come closer than a few outlying farms. What he had done is lose a bloody awful number of horses and more than a few noble knights had been wounded or killed, at least the Hillmen didn't take prisoners so there was no question of ransoms to be paid.  

"There we are lads! That's the border post, you'll have hot food tonight."

Oh, and of course he had lost a shocking number of men and a lot of their armour but both of these could be replaced, but no, none of that was going to keep him awake at night. It had been trying to think of a way to get safely past the woods and swamps folk on the way home that had been on his mind, but here they were at the border. 

"Wait, who is that on the high rock across the river? What is she calling out?"
"The evil ones have come! I curse them and their children!"

 Supper may be late......

To be continued......

Go Home Iron Men, Go Home or Die!

With the dawn, the Earl's army arrayed themselves for battle, and advanced.

The spears formed into two blocks while archers advanced on either flack to flush out any ambushes and the cavalry followed behind until their time arrived.

As expected, there were light troops lurking in woods and marshes or on the rocky hills but these did not stop the spears in the center from scaling the ridge and throwing themselves against the defending spearmen. The ensuing melee was fierce and prolonged.

On the flanks, the fighting was fierce for a short while but both sides were both more focused on protecting the flanks of their own center than on trying to expose the enemy's flanks.

The Midlish pikemen struggled to climb the hill and push back the defenders and as the day grew shorter, the Midlish line started to shrink despite the commitment of a reserve body of spearmen. The only hope was that the battered defenders had been weakened enough for the knights to break them.

Charge followed charge and the casualties were heavy on both sides but as the defenders right flank appeared to be open, stout body of armoured soldiers shaking their axes and two handled swords in defiance moved up from their hidden reserve position to fill the gap, while the defenders skirmishers finally drove off the last of the Midlish mounted crossbowmen on their right flank and started working around the open Midlish right flank. 

As the sun began to sink, there was time for one last desperate cavalry charge but it also was repelled and the battered Midlish spearmen began to fallback without orders. Fortunately for them, the enemy was too badly cut up and weary to pursue and were glad to rest on their spears and jeer their retreating enemy.

Note: The figures are 25mm from Garrison, Revenge (via Old Glory), a few Minifigs and various individuals from all sorts of places. Some of these were painted and started fighting for me in the 70's, others were painted here and then over the years with a few more still in waiting. Many of the figures have been converted or modified in some fashion

Rules: Gathering of Hosts (2024 version). 

Now the Hurley Burly's Done

 Now the Battle's Lost and Won.....

Report tomorrow!

Enemy In Sight Milord!

The Duke's outriders had reported frequent sightings of enemy scouts along their line of march but there had been no sight of any force of note, until that Saturday evening.

As usual, the "Farmers", men from the fertile valleys on the southern coast of the western peninsula, formed their shieldwall in the open with difficult terrain to guard their flanks. (eg see  Battle of Argentium Bridge ) This time, on a ridge for good measure.

The Duke surveyed the terrain and his old enemy, then issued his orders: "The day is getting late, we'll camp here and attack in the morning. Send out scouts and a screen of cavalry and archers to make our camp safe. Scrounge whatever food you can find, and in the morning we will burn these farms. I will set up my headquarters here."

To be continued......

The Armies Gather.

After the Free Peoples of the West had recovered their Sacred  Dalag Naomh (see 4 post series inc prelude and a fierce battle)  several years went by while the Midlands were preoccupied by the latest war with the Federation. (See 8 posts in 2020 starting: here)

After a period of calm, the King at last saw fit to punish the forest folk for their raid to recover their deity.

Once again the Earl of Cowcross leads an army into the hills and forests of  Old Valdur. Already the foresters have been sent forward to ensure that the enemy does not spot then until it's too late.

The eagle has spotted the Midland intruders and brought the news to the Watcher who immediately sends forth her messengers to alert the Westfolk..

War has come again to the hills and forests.

They Shall Not Pass!

OOPS!  I just discovered that I did not finish this battle report from last June! Well, hopefully late is better than never. Good thing I have some pictures at least.

This game was a revenge attack from the Great Raid launched in the previous year against the Midlish Kingdom's Eastern Frontier. (See Fight at the Ford and the stop motion video report on the following clash).

This game followed a year later when the Midlands launched a revenge raid against the Valdurian province of the Northern Federation. In expectations of a counter raid, border guards were posted along the frontier to watch and raise the alarm if, or when, it came, and to hold until relieved. 

ALARM! SOUND THE HORNS! TO ARMS!

LIGHT THE BEACONS!

 The Northern Federation Horse Guards and some of the local Valdurian tribesmen were first to arrive.

The Valdurian light troops relied on ambush and missile fire to slow down the invaders until help  arrived.

After a fierce and bloody fight, the Black Knight, Captain of the Pass and Commander of the expedition, fell prisoner to the Captain of the Federation Horse Guards and the battle was over.

Legend has it that the ghosts of the fallen rise and fight amongst the woods and fields each year on the night of the anniversary of the battle.