Since I started my "Dux Britanniarum" games, we have played a total of 17 battles … BUT they have been spread out over 4-5 campaigns, which means that very little progress was made on the narrative front. So, from now on I'll be running a "House" campaign, where every battle played will contribute to the narrative. Players can just jump in and out and play either side, but the campaign will move on.
My son and I recently played the our first game of this House Campaign. We have started to use the Lion Rampant rules to play the actual tabletop games, which continues to work very well. I took pictures of this game and made another Flickr album (similar to the one covering the collection here: TMP link There are descriptions of the action in the comments of each photo, but I'll also summarize below.
flic.kr/s/aHsm5BHzP5
The year is 480 AD, and the invading Saxons have started to spread out from the Lost Lands – their traditional home in the southeast – past the ruins of London and into central Britain. As they start to raid into the province of Verulamium, they encounter the resurgent forces of the new Kingdom of Cynwidion – named for a warlord who came south from the Pennine Mountains to stake his claim in the old Roman south.
King Cynwid has placed the safety of Verulamium in the hands of a young lord, the Tribune Iviacus. In January of 480, the Saxon lord Beohrtwulf summoned his warband for a surprise winter raid. His luck was good, and the weather was bright and clear as he approached the first Briton village. Although the villagers had fled, his warriors moved swiftly and unopposed into the village and started to look for hidden loot. As they were thus distracted, Tribune Iviacus finally arrived at the head of his household troops – well armored and disciplined warriors. The Saxon raiders recoiled and tried to form a battle line, as the Britons took position on a low hill overlooking the village. It was then that Beohrtwulf (a well known swordsman) challenged Iviacus to a duel – one which the Tribune must accept or lose face before his men. Despite Beohrtwulf's reputation, it was Iviacus who struck first and hardest as they met between the two battle lines, and although both men were bloodied it was Beohrtwulf who withdrew, his honor darkened but intact.
As the forces took stock of one another again, the Briton reinforcements of levy warriors and archers (and some malingering peasants!) arrived. The Saxons would be outnumbered if they continued to search for loot – but as luck would have it they quickly found enough to proclaim victory at home … if they could get it there! The Saxons now tried to cover the retreat of the warriors carrying the loot, hampered by some Wild Charges made by their undisciplined warriors. The Britons attacked to regain the loot, but although they had some success they could not retake enough. Iviacus decided that he had to break the morale of the Saxon force in outright battle, and threw himself and his men at the Saxons. First to break was the retinue of the Saxon lord himself, attacked by waves of Britons and finally by Iviacus in person! More Saxon warbands were broken as they withdrew, although at a terrible cost to the Briton lord's retinue. Finally, the moment came when only a charge by the bloodied Briton lord himself could save the day … The charge was successful, and the Saxons broke, leaving behind their loot – but at what cost! Young Tribune Iviacus lay dead on the field of battle, glorious in victory.
The Saxons would take two months to replace their heavy losses, leaving the Britons at peace until April. The Britons collected battlefield loot worth 2 talents of silver, and the noble Solinus was promoted to Tribune to take place of the fallen Iviacus. As springtime arrives so will more raiding Saxons …
makes an addition to his Flash Gordon collection.
