I am now in a position where I can game with my old mates in Melbourne as we have purchased a “city crash pad”, so whilst this blog is not strictly a P.I.G.S. game, as the “keeper of the blog” (sounds a bit like someone who tends Irish pasture) I have decided to include these games on an on-going basis as well.

With the fledgling war games room still coming into shape, and me still feeling a bit like the country mouse visiting the city, the conditions were not ideal, but more than adequate as we found other ways to stay well lubricated (there is nothing sadder than a games room with over twenty metres of shelving void of figures – well………… maybe the space for the bar and no bar!!!!!).

 

The gaming choices are limited until the shelves are stocked but a standard 15mm Dux Bellorum 32 point game was organised.

I had built hex terrain some time ago for Command and Colours Ancient gaming with figures but have had limited opportunity to use it so this was a chance to roll out the hex mat and show-off the terrain.

“The Welsh historian, Nennius, records twelve great victories in battle during Arthur’s time as Dux Bellorum. Much of his material is mythical, however, and the magical number 12 does not sit well for historical evidence. Some historians have argued that this is too great a number for one man’s lifetime, and their locations may well have been too widespread for a single leader to have fought in each. Counteracting this view, some believe Arthur to have headed up a warband of cavalrymen traveling around the country and championing the British cause: hence his widespread popularity. True or not, it seems likely that, as with stories attached to the real Arthur, several of these battles may have been properly associated with alternative Arthur’s or just with other great Dark Age heroes. A tendency towards Northern locations may strengthen this theory. Unfortunately identifying the location of the battles is a highly controversial pass-time” (Wikipedia).

According to Nennius, Arthur’s first battle was at the “mouth of the river called Glein”.

This has been tentatively identified as one of the two Rivers “Glen” in Britain today; one in Lincolnshire and one in Northumberland.

Unfortunately, Glen stems from the Celtic word for “pure”, so there were probably many rivers thus named in 6th century Britain. A battle at the former would have presumably been against the first Bernician settlers and at the latter against the northward moving East Anglians. Either could be also attributed to King Arthuis of the Pennines as well as Arthur Pendragon but I am assuming the later.

So there we have it – our battle is set in 6^th Century Britain at the mouth of the River Glein between Arthur Pendragon and the Bernecian kingdom of Deiran.

Arthur’s army was controlled by John G. and the Saxon’s by Steve N.

The Saxon army of Deiran consisted of Foot companions, 2 Noble Riders, Noble Warriors and 4 Ordinary warriors.

Deiran King of the Bernicians

Deiran’s Bernician (Saxon) Army

The army of Arthur consisted of his “Round Table Companions, Noble Riders, 2 Noble Shield Wall 2 Ordinary Shield Wall, Close Order Bowmen and mounted and foot bow armed skirmishers.

Arthur Pendragon and his Knights of the Round Table

Arthur’s Romano British Army

The battle lines are drawn with Arthur advancing with his knights on the right flank.

Arthur’s shield wall await the Bernician warrior onslaught through the bog.

Arthur charging down hill to contact the Bernician Noble Warriors.

Romano British horsement v Bernician Warriors. The noble warriors on the Saxon right, just in picture, were destroyed in very short time.

The “Ordinary Warriors” on the left held of the cream of Arthur’s army, including himself and his Knights of the Round Table until almost the end of the battle.

Meanwhile the Saxon right wing Noble Riders have broken through the archer screen, and destroyed the majority of Arthur’s shield wall.

Hit in both the flank and rear by Noble Riders the warriors on the Saxon left are still holding on.

With the Romano British shield wall collapsed the centre is controlled by the Saxons.

With the last remaining shield wall covering the retreat Arthur’s battered knights flee to fight another day.

All in all a great game with which to “christen” the war games room.

Arthur myth or Legend? All I can say is that on this occasion he was certainly no legend!!