Some bloody tin can opening in Normandy shortly after 900AD

The realm has long fallen apart and descended into chaos. Raiders are threatening from all sides, the Saracens, the Magyars and the Vikings, are plundering and penetrating deep into the heart of the once proud civilisation. France is long in the state of perpetual unrest and civil war. The Vikings have festered in the "Normandy", a piece of coast now called after them. Some of them were given titles and land that they swore an oath of allegiance to the King and Emperor (who ever that might turn out to be...). Other "dukes" though are envious of their likes' power and status and no one else is more prone to feuds than the Normans of said region themselves.

Henri the Red is holding a large swath of land and is deemed a favourite of the King. Who has asked him to sent his best men to aid to decide the fight for the title of the Emperor. But that left Henri‘s power base too lightly defended.

So Rolund, also a Norman noble, with old family ties in Danemark wants to seize the opportunity to enlarge his fiefdom with a little help of his cousin Rolf and his Viking mercenary war bands.  Henri is only able to raise the rest of his retinue and calls for the levies of his lands ...

So we dabble again with a little help of Hail Caesar into the 28mm Dark Age again, Bart playing Rolund, the Norman ursurper and his Danish helper, Rolf, while I‘m defending King and Emperor with my Normans and a bunch (140) peasants/levies. Roland and Rolf were two armies and Rolf would after loosing two units (of 4) either just defend or totally leave the field. basically we both fielded our complete collections ... nice feeling ...

Bart first stayed in perfect line while I tried a pincer movement with my two flanks, in my soft centre I had my bishop with 140 peasants ... some arrows and some shield clattering later my Commander unleashed the Cavalry and a Norman metal clash was developing over the tiny river on my right flank. At the same my levies advanced bravely in the centre. They did‘t have armour or shields, so no morale save, so each of Bart‘s hits were actually casualties, ouch.

Then on the left, my Norman Infantry met the Viking Berserker supported Hirdmen in a fabulous "Shield wall" clash!!!! We decided that "Shield wall" was another useful rule just for all Vikings or Heavy infantry Normans. Movement would be halved, attacks against it would suffer -1 melee and ranged weapons, and it would give an extra +1 to morale saves and act as an extra support in the battle resolve. Still we suffered immense losses, but both walls would hold.

In fact even the "very bloody" cavalry exchange on the right flank (just one units with 5 casualties standing at each side), just led to an overall draw. I defeated 1 unit more than Bart and even after a very nasty blunder one of his Normans are nearly off board, we still agreed on a draw – my soft centre of peasant was just that and slowly melting away... a good buffer and as permeable as a giant amoeba, but not with long lasting standing power.

Ah, and Bart nearly lost his Rolund, he got wounded after his Norman Knights were skewered and floating down the river ...

And nearly a novum, ten minutes before ten, Bart wanted to "withdraw" with his last cavalry unit!!! Unheard of! So I persuaded him to attack, he lost, hey thats life!

The left flank of my Norman knights on foot

and my right flank with the heavy horse

The complete set up at start 

Bart right flank with the vicious Vikings! 

and the archery centre

And his right flank with his knights

First two milites clash!

Even one directly in the river!

Casualties are mounting, knights are flying off the horses! 

meanwhile the fluffy centre advance

The battle in mid-swing

My heavy infantry‘s first ever shield wall action!

Bart‘s counter attack on my centre

it suffers but it holds (somehow) 

The shield walls are pushing

With the Lord clearly in our favour 

or not ... in the distance more Vikings gather ...

Barts last Norman cavalry disappeared ...