A Saga Worth Telling ! The final stand of the Danes

So it came down to this - The Danes had fallen back to their ships and on a cold morning on the coast of England either way a great tale would be told and great deeds would be achieved.

The Vikings having lost men on the retreat formed up on the hill - depleted but not at this stage undefeated - Greg the Mad, Peter Ironside and Jon The Devil stood together watching as the Saxons and Normans moved onto the field.

This battle would be hard to win but there was still honor to be had and legends to be made.

Across from the assembled Danes , Wal the Silent, Jon the Avenger ( Son of Ian the Bold) and Niel Righteous, had formed up and where deep in council as Jon the Avenger laid out the plan of attack.

Spears and Shield would be shattered this day and blood spilled and the ravens will have allot to feast on this day!

The Viking Camp - Having wintered it has been set up as an established point.

The Armies deploy the Vikings taking the hill and preparing for a hard fight.

Earl Niel the Wimp....I mean the Righteous - as his plan which worked was to lock my forces in all game and prevent me from joining in. ..... Spoil sport grrrrr :P

Annoying wimpish norman cross bows .....

Valiant Vikings warriors

Crafty Saxons deploy next to their wimpish norman allies :P

The viking commanders confer and agree the saxons and normans all look very silly.

More of the norman cavalry wishing they knew what to do with horses !

The skirmish fight begins in earnest.

The greg the mad launches his assault on the saxons thinking he now has them in a broken line only to find his own line becomes disjointed and broken up.

My Vikings getting frustrated.

Peters Vikings getting frustrated

Greg the mad charging off in all directions

The fight is joined and greg the mads formations are sept aside far to easily.

The situation on the viking left as gregs formations fall apart

Then the Viking counter charge and Peter gets stuck in

Only to be flanked charged by Niel the Wim.... Righteous !

But then!

John the Devil joins the fray and sweeps asides the Earl wimps cavalry and also ploughs into Wal the Silents forces joining Earl Peter in heroic deeds!

My forces sweep on into Jon the Avengers forces but begin to lose momentum.

Situation in the center as the battle for a moment hung in the balance.

At that point My General finds and Hunts down Wal the Silent slaying him in single combat - the battle was swinging back in the saxon's favour but scores where being settled and Jon the Devil took back some honor in dispatching the dastardly Saxon lord who had taunted him so.

My vikings feel the full force the Earl Niels not so wimpish horse in the dying moments.

The final positions - Earl Peters Command broken and the saxons bloodied and the dead and injured earls all seeking safety. the Vikings retreat to their boats Jon the Devil promising revenge as he watches the shores of England vanish over the horizon. 

On the field of slaughter the Saxon Lord and the Norman Lord stood watching the long-ships sail away.  Now the Saxon's had found their strength again and the Norman lord saw an opportunity to make a name for himself, the dead King Williams power was fast failing and those that still stood with that banner would soon join their king.

Turning their horse to join the column of men and horse and leaving behind burning funeral pryers then now set their minds to the next task of London.