On Sunday we played the Battle of Gate Fulford, the forgotten battle of 1066. We used 28mm figures and Hail Caesar rules. Eight guys played the game. The photo above shows the table set up with the first moves under way. Gate Fulford was fought just outside of modern York between the invading Viking army of Harald Hardrada and the Saxon army under the command of the Earls Morcar and Edwin.
Here is part of the Saxon army.
The medieval peasants were good stand-ins for the Saxon Fyrd.
The Vikings had to first cross an area of boggy ground, represented by the green felt above. Then cross the stream to get at the Saxons.
The left wing of the Viking army did exceptionally well crossing the boggy ground. They rolled excellent movement dice and despite the boggy ground having the potential to slow them down it didn't. The image above shows the Vikings crossing the stream on the Saxon right flank.
Commanders on both sides contemplate events.
The Vikings launch a major attack against the right wing of the Saxon army. The Saxons fight back and both sides give as good as they get.
A close up of the fighting on the Saxon right.
The fight above took place in the Saxon center as another band of Vikings crossed the stream and attacked.
Finally the right wing of the Viking army gets moving. The guys playing this part of the Viking army had been rolling terrible movement dice and had spent a good bit of time twiddling their thumbs while the rest of the Viking army was fighting - of course they were receiving a lot of abuse for not helping their mates out. Finally though their luck changed and they go moving.
A Major brawl begins on the Saxon left as the Viking right wing crashes into the Saxons there. Despite fighting hard and inflicting many hits on the Vikings the Saxons are gradually pushed back.
The game ends with the destruction of the Saxon right wing and the retreat of the Saxon left wing. Both wings of the Viking army close in on what is left of the Saxon army.
