At last the 3 Little Pigs were all together at the one time for perhaps the first time in a month. The scene was set for a three way Saga game of “Feast of Crows” a “three for all” standard victory point scenario. The warbands consisted of Dave K’s Vikings, Andrew’s Anglo Danish and David S’s Irish (of course – see previous blog).

 Dave K’s warband of Ottar Grimsson

 Ottar Grimsson

 

 Andrew’s warband of Eadric Wulfssige

 

 Eadric Wulfssige

 David S’s Irish warband of Rudraige mac Dela

 

 

 Rudraige mac Dela

 Again the ancestral lands of Rudraige were being invaded, this time by the combined Anglo Danish and Viking forces. Rudraige needed to act quickly to avoid having to fight both at the same time, and perhaps by damaging one, turn their allies against them.

The superstitious Vikings were scared of the spectres of the “Sons of Dana” and promptly half of one of the warrior units ran off leaving there comrades huddling together in fright.

Rudraige attacked quickly trying to get his Irish hounds and his mounted Fianna, both of which had seen off the attacking Welsh just a few weeks ago, into the fight early.

 The Viking lead units held up by their scared warriors.

 

Meanwhile the methodical Anglo Danish plodded along maintaining formation and dressing their lines at every opportunity.

The Viking Hearthguard advanced, but ran into a wall of javelins from the Irish Fianna . The deadly attack left none alive.

The remaining Viking warriors were whipped out of their huddle by the mighty warlord Ottar Grimsson and charged the Irish Fianna to avenge their dead hearthguard, leaving only one Irish noble left to join the side of his liege.

The pack master of the Irish war hounds, seeing the danger, advanced to fill the gap created by the carnage of the near elimination of three fighting units (2 Viking and 1 Irish).

Meanwhile the fragile Anglo Danish/Viking alliance had disintegrated and a lone Viking warrior unit was attempting to hold off the whole Anglo Danish warband, fortunately giving more than it received.

 The Viking warriors pushing back the Anglo Danish hearthguard and warriors, while the rest of the Anglo Danish warband move over the hills to engage the Irish.

 

 Seizing the initiative,  and with the “Blood of Kings” flowing in his veins, the Irish warlord, Rudraige and the lone surviving hearthguard charged the Viking leader. The fight was swift and brutal, and at the end, the Irish were the only one’s left standing.

For the second time within a fortnight the head of an Irish enemy leader will hang in the halls of Rudraige mac Dela.

 The Irish wolfhounds who had been held back from the fight to protect the flank of the Irish warlord were now unleashed to feast on the flesh of the remaining Vikings. The one-sided fight was swift and vicious.

 The Irish could  afford little time to boast of their victories as the whole Anglo Danish warband was marching over the hills towards them.

Fortunately night was falling and the two warbands retreated to their various camps to tell long tales deep into the night of how the mighty Vikings were crushed beneath their feet.

Rudraig and his Curaidh, who were still to draw blood in the fight.

All that was left to do was to tally up the booty from the fight. The mighty Irish warriors ended up with 18 victory points, the Vikings 9 and the woosy Anglo Danish a mere 4.

Using modern parlance  the Irish net gain was 12.5, the Vikings a net loss of -8, and the Anglo Danish a zero sum gain.

Fortunately the Vikings are only interested in the head count gained, not lost!!!