Fulford was the first battle to take place in 1066, between the combined forces of Edwin, Earl of Mercia and Morcar, Earl of Northumbria, and the forces of Harald Sigurdson, King of Norway and Tostig Godwinson, exiled Earl of Northumbria. The site of the battle was about 3km south of York, and most of the action took place over a drainage ditch that ran into the River Ouse.
In this refight I allowed the players to set up their forces however they wished, rather than the historical positions of the particular commanders and their men.
The Anglo-Saxon force began closer to the ditch, which was defensible, but the Norwegian force had a higher number of heavy troops.
The initial setup. The Anglo-Saxons are on the left, on the northern side of the drainage ditch, and the Norwegians are on the southern side. The River Ouse runs along the bottom of the table.
The initial setup. The Anglo-Saxons are on the left, on the northern side of the drainage ditch, and the Norwegians are on the southern side. The River Ouse runs along the bottom of the table.
The Norwegian battle-line.
The Anglo-Saxon battle-line.
Tostig and Harald lead from the rear...
The two armies face off across the ditch.
The first Norwegian Swine-arrays make their way across the ditch.
The battle-lines become fractured as the armies smash together. The red line shows the division between the two.
Harald and Tostig make it to the front line... Harald is supported by Flemish mercenaries and warriors from Orkney.
Earl Edwin is killed, and the Saxon right flank collapses, opening the road to York.
The centre of the field fights to a stalemate.The battle ended as a draw, edging towards a marginal Norwegian victory. However in the real battle it was a total rout. The Saxon army was swept away. Both earls lived on to become leaders of the resistance against William The Bastard, and Tostig and Harald were both killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge five days later. Figures are 10mm Magister Militum and Pendraken.
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1 comments:
Nice one lads
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