Battle Report - 09 Dec 2013 - Dux Britanniarum

Andy and I were long overdue for the next round of the Linnius Campaign in Dux Britanniarum - checking back, we last played in July! Time since has been taken up with holidays, playtesting for Carve out a Kingdom and heaven knows what else, but it was definitely about damn time. 

We rolled the church scenario - evidently Aelfric thinks they're easy pickings, since he keeps going for them. However, the Saxons haven't succeeded in one since the theft of the Holy Knucklebone of St. Cadwyr, back before Leofric the Drunkard died, so heaven knows why!

I started badly with a rubbish force morale roll, which meant I was starting on 6. Same plan as last time - which was also a mistake. Last time, I failed to make the necessary rolls for looting in time, and this time was the same. The Saxons came on with a long run up the left hand table edge to get to the church and some handily placed marshes and hills stopping the British (who came on the middle of the right hand side) getting stuck in. So I did exactly what I did last time, sent the hearthguard to engage the British, along with one unit of warriors, and let the rest loot the church. 

Which was fine, except that despite a FAT hand of awesome cards, Andy got to go first in the battle, and Aelfric and the hearthguard got their butts kicked. 

Meantime, Ecgwine's group reached the church, and rolled a 6 on their first turn of looting. And from then on with two groups activating each time through the deck, completely failed to roll another 6 in 6 turns. (Odds, for those interested, just over 11%).

Beornwulf's lone group of warriors made a stand on the hill, which is frankly where Aelfric should have been, while the former added to my pool of looting rolls. This wasn't a dumb plan, as the combination of them being on a hill (-1/dice move), Andy's force being in shield wall (one fewer dice/move) and my archers knocking shock off them like it was going out of fashion, they took their own sweet time getting into contact. Unfortunately once they did, my dice deserted me, and in the end I lost the fight, Aelfric (who'd joined the fight) and Beornwulf both got wounded and byebye force morale...

Ah well. Tomorrow's another day.