The SAGA of stuck between two crossings and a hard place.

The battlefield

A while ago David and I got to try out the two fords scenario an adaptation from OHW to SAGA.  He brought Irish to face my Norse Gaels. David kindly set-up the table in advance and we diced off for attacker and defender with the Irish opting to attack. Narrative wise the setting was the Norse Gaels were returning to Dublin after raiding the Culchies.  The Gaels needed to get back to Dublin while at the same time hold back the Culchies seeking vengeance.   

The Irish warlord leads his warriors towards the farnstead

The returning Gaels consisted of a Warlord with two units of hearthguard , two units of twelve warriors and two units of four warriors.  Scenario wise the Gaels would have to pull units of the table and small weak expendable four man units seems good candidates for the withdraw. The warriors and hearthguard were a 50:50 mix of javelins and Dane axes.  The vengeful Irish consisted of a Warlord with two champions, one unit hearthguard, one unit of dogs and two units of warriors

While the Hearthguard, champions and dogs go for the other ford

The Gaels deployed two weak units in a the nearby farmstead partly to block the bridge partly to shelter the units. The rest of the army deployed between the two fords waiting to see which way the Irish would come.  In reply Irish sent the champions, hearthguard and dogs to one crossing while the Warlord and remaining warriors contested the bridge near the farmstead.

The Gaels have two small units in the farmstead with the rest of the centered between the two foras

The battle started badly for the Gaels. It seemed the Irish brought greyhounds to the battle and the dogs duly bolted across the ford and into the woods pushing on exiting the table and fulfil a possible Irish victory condition. While the Champion and hearthguard followed at a much slower pace.  Things were not much better at the other crossing and apparently the farmstead was made of mud and sticks and the small warrior bands it housed suffered from a barrage of Irish javelins (with missile fire being an Irish strength in Saga, included the dreaded potato assault).

The Gaels battle line

The Gaels stumbled to reply and made a tactical error by sending some hearthguard to chase down the hounds. The error being the dogs on their own could not fulfil the victory condition and the hearthguard would have been better employed blocking the ford to prevent across from crossing. Also chasing fast dogs through woods with elite infantry is a bad idea. Elsewhere the warlord lead a unit of Javelin armed warriors to barrage the Irish hearthguard crossing the river inflict some casualties.  The hearthguard and warriors armed with dane axes moved towards the farmstead and it beleaguered defenders. One of the defending units down to one warriors pulled back expecting to withdraw in the next rounds.  The hearthguard chasing the dogs caught them and inflict some minor losses but predictably the dogs fled moving closer to their objective and leaving some exhausted hearthguard in their wake.

(queue the music) Who let the dogs out?
As the Irish hounds flank the Gaels battle line

The Irish continued to force the crossings with the Hearthguard and Champions fording the river to deploy facing the Gael’s Warlord and his warriors.  The remaining Gael unit in the farmstead again suffered a hail of missiles and was reduced again to a single warriors with the Irish crossing the bridge and threatening the farmstead.  For the Gaels a unit consisting of a single warrior was pulled from the battlefield and the last warrior in the farmstead fell back before the relief column could get to the farmstead.  The Gael’s Warlord lead his warriors against the Irish hearthguard and reduced them to a single warrior who fled back across the river.. The other exhausted Gael hearthguard unit rested preparing to return to fray.

Gaels hearthgaurd break formation to chase down the dogs

Seizing the moment the Irish occupied the abandoned farmstead. If they could out for the rest of the battle victory would be theirs. At the other ford the champions and remaining warriors made a dash for the farmstead. Even the dogs abandoned their advance and move towards farmstead.

The hounds race towards the exit and possible victory

The Gael's warlord with his warrior deny the ford to the Irish elite

For the gales it became tense. Another single warriors unit was pulled from the battle and all of the other force moved as fast as possible to the farmstead. The Gael’s Dane axe armed hearthguard and warriors launched multiple assault but could not dislodge the intruders.  The Irish warlord and the remaining warriors moved to reinforce the defenders while the rest of the Irish converged on the farmstead. A third and final unit of Gaels warriors was pulled from the battlefield.  The remaining gaels again tried to storm the farmstead and against were pushed back. But the Warlord and his javelin armed hearthguard managed to intercept and destroy the remaining Irish hearthguard.

The irsh seize the farmstead and all breaks loose and the Gaels try to reclaim it

The Gaels warriors are forced to withdraw and the Irish champions use the gap and race to support the battle at the farmstead while the Gael's warlord and his hearthguard chase after them

The defenders are reinforced with Warlord and more warriors while the Gaels commit their Dane axe hearthguard to the fight,

The Gael’s Warlord and his javelin armed hearthguard arrived just too late and the Irish hounds returned and the last Gaels assault on the farmstead failed leaving the Irish in control of the battlefield.

The Gael's repeatedly try to reclaim the farmstead

The dogs return to break the Gaels final assault on the farmstead

That is all for now thanks for stopping by