The Viking Migration Page 2

Meanwhile, Prince Sweyn determines to sally out against the traitorous French. He vows to leave none alive.

Our two full units of Scouts and the Red Hawks ride out quickly, with the Scouts looping in behind the enemy to catch routing units and stragglers while the Prince's guard charges straight for the enemy's archers. By the time the French have carefully arrayed their men in neat formations, well back from the walls, the Red Hawks' charge is already upon the hapless militia bowmen.

They break, and are scooped up by the scouts to the French rear. Another unit of archers, shrunken from some previous campaign, gets the same treatment when they venture away from the French lines.


Prince Sweyn was now able to bring his own archers forward to fire at the enemy infantry with impunity. This brought a quick response from the Mercenary Frankish Knights the French had brought. One unit of them chased after our much faster scouts in futile anger, while the other attempted to charge our archers. The Red Hawks met them with a charge of their own, and sent them reeling. A few quick moments of combat, and 30 dead knights littered the field while the rest fled. One unit of scouts intercepted the fleeing mercenaries, but in a stroke of bad luck they rallied just as the scouts arrived. Those 10 knights held long enough for the other unit of mercenary knights to join the battle, but our second group of scouts rode in behind them to save their fellows.

With the enemy's archers and knights routed and captured, the outcome of the battle was no longer in doubt. Leaderless French infantry marched across the field, drawn hither and thither, often looking over their shoulders just in time to catch the glint of a steel lance head descending on them from behind.

The Red Hawks were everywhere on the field, with scouts not far behind. Despite some innovative French tactics (Note the spearman jumping over the lance), there would be nothing for them today but death.

In the end, the French managed to salvage twenty men from that bloody day, men to carry word of what happens when you betray Danish trust.


Some 200 prisoners were executed after the battle, and their corpses dotted the trees for miles as a warning to any other Frenchmen who might think to take up arms in this countryside. Prince Sweyn does decide to abandon Dijon, leaving only a token garrison in place, so that such heroic efforts will not be needed again soon.

One last matter of battle to deal with, as a few more Milanese reinforcements meant for Genoa are on the north border, and the King means to deal with them once and for all. He strikes out from freshly conquered Genoa and meets them on a wide plain near the river. The King brings a force roughly even in numbers to the battle, but far superior in valor.

The battle is unremarkable on a tree dotted plain, and the enemy are driven back.

What is notable is that Milan refuses to pay ransom on these troops. Have they reached the bottom of their coffers, or were they simply not convinced these men were worth paying for? In any event King Charles camps not far from the walls of Milan with a substantial force and reinforcements arriving soon.

Besieging Milan, turn 36.

The Holy Roman Empire sends a demand for a small sum of florins, and threatens to attack if it is not granted. The King instructs that they be offered Dijon to sate their hunger for land in exchange for a few florins and a promise not to attack. The Emperor Henry will have quite a task holding that battered town if the French come again. Diplomatic contact is established with Turkey, including an exchange of maps. The Council's reward? They have longboats built behind King Charles' back. The King is not amused, and orders them sunk.

The Pope is pleased that we have observed his commands with regard to Spain, and our diplomatic relations are generally excellent. Two units of spearmen are sent from Bologna to finish off those troublesome rebel peasants, no wonder the Venetians needed help with them! They cannily avoid major conflict, and slip away into the populace.

 
The escape of a few Venetian peasants was but a minor inconvenience. The decision to be made now was whether to hold the siege against Milan and let our men build ladders and rams, or to go forward with only the single ballista team to smash the walls. The King determines to capture Milan immediately, and offer the enemy no chance to bring in reinforcements. Except for their Duke and his son the only troops within the walls are spearmen and crossbowmen. We attack under cover of darkness.

Leaving only a few peasant archers at the west gate, the King arrays his forces at the north gate hoping to surprise the enemy again. Indeed, the mass of the Milanese and their standard are at the west gate. The peasants are ordered to shoot arrows over the walls to try to hold that force there, and the enemy withdraws all his spearmen to the town square, sending down crossbowmen to engage our peasant archers.

Meanwhile the ballista fires a few shots at the gates, but they are inset within the walls and a difficult target. Though it will take more time, they insist the walls themselves make a better target.


By the time the walls are cracked the enemy has no crossbowmen in place (They are all at the west gate, firing down on our peasant archers) to support their spears, and our swordsmen pour into the gap and begin the slaughter.


The enemy Duke and his son charge forward, swinging the momentum back to the Milanese...

...but this is precisely what King Charles was holding back the rest of his forces for. Under a barrage of burning arrows, with a freshly dropped section of wall to open a new front, the Gray Wolves lead the attack and drive the enemy back, shattered, to their square. The fool Milanese crossbowmen are cut off and cut down as they flee for the square, leaving their fellows vulnerable to our arrows. Surrounded by Viking Raiders, their Duke is cut down, and the town is ours!


With the Milanese cleared from our path and the coffers overflowing King Charles graciously releases the troops captured in the sack of Milan, and hopes for a restoration of peace with that nation. Prince Selwyn gathers all of our captain led forces in the field to prevent rebellion, and between turns the French offer us a ceasefire. For their treachery they are made to pay dearly before another alliance is inked.

Diplomatic contact is also established with the Sicilians, and maps are purchased. Finally an envoy from Milan reaches our shores and offers a ceasefire. In light of their much reduced stature in the world, they too are taxed heavily for peace and an alliance.

Northern Italy, turn 37.

The Pope demands a cessation of hostilities with Milan. A messenger is sent immediately with documents demonstrating our already concluded ceasefire and alliance. The Council asks that we make contact with the Egyptians. Rumor has it that ours is the wealthiest faction in the known world. With the siege of Venice an inevitable battle on the horizon the construction of ballista is commissioned at the formerly Venetian city of Bologna and our spy is sent to scout their defenses.

Maps are purchased from the Moors to enhance our knowledge of the world.
Near Venice, turn 38.

Somehow the Venetians were informed of our intent to attack, that or they are better informed about our plans than our prior enemies have been, because they've launched a pre-emptive attack against Bologna. Even so, the diplomatic situation is overwhelmingly favorable.

With our Cardinal aging, and the need for influence with the Pope so recently made obvious, new priests are being recruited in Genoa. They'll be essential for teaching the Muslims about their new lord once we reach the Holy Lands. The Venetian attack was obviously a hasty and ill prepared one. Our garrison of miltia troops at Bologna immediately sallies out with superior numbers and the only long range weapon on the field.

Determined to prove that their courage was in inverse proportion to their intelligence, the enemy's command bodygaurd stands their ground and is cut down by our ballista. Our own men watching the bolts fell horseman after horseman began to turn their faces aside and weep, but when the time came to clear the remaining Venetian spearmen off the field they matched the steel in their hands with the iron of their resolve. Brave fools, these men of Venice, but fools all the same.



The captives from this battle were released, both out of respect for their courage and an hope that they spread the story, driving other Venetians to emulate that mad display of bravery. The war with Milan ended, a German princess is contacted about the resumption of an alliance in exchange for a sum of florins. Agnes the Man Hater proves a poor negotiator for Germany, but the alliance is concluded. In addition she is pressed into signing an agreement to attack the Venetians in exchange for her getting her own, just spent, florins back and our own inevitable attack against Venice. A large Venetian army is spotted heading north, and it is hoped the Germans can intercept them.

Some tough looking rebels pop to trouble Venice near Zagreb. Prince Selwyn take command of Milan, and notices that the Milanese built an excellent armourer in the town. Outfitting troops with the new armor is begun immediately. Contact with Egypt results in trade rights and the collection of map information. We now have at least spoken to every notable people in the known world.
 
Near Venice, turn 39.

Another Prince asks for the hand of Cecille, but is rejected. The council sent us a small sum of florins as reward for contacting Egypt, and immediately made a wildly unreasonable demand that we turn back and blockade the Venetian port of Marseilles. King Charles is heard to curse and ask why he didn't think to put the nobles on the longboats they'd gifted him and let them handle the blockade personally. A small force of Venetians is engaged near Venice by King Charles and a few hardly archers.

As we open our attack under cover of darkness the enemy valiantly charges uphill against the peasant archers while the Gray Wolves ride behind them.

Scattered, demoralized, and lost in the darkness and woods the enemy is surrounded and broken by arrows and lances seemingly from every side.




Again King Charles sends the enemy's men home to carry word of our power and valor. They bolster the garrison at Venice, but the word they carry of our coming will far outweigh any aid in arms they can provide. Enough soldiers for the siege are brought up, but the siege cannot yet begin.

Besieging Venice, turn 40.

The Papcy is gifted Genoa in the hopes that this will win a blind eye to our capture of Venice. Additionally this provides us a buffer between our current position and the towns we traded Venice for Bologna. The enemy also reinforces the garrison at Zagreb. Pleased with his success at Milan, the King determines to press the attack against Venice in all haste.

An assault from the north and south with a distraction to hold their crossbowmen at the west gate is planned. The King takes his Gray Wolves north with some spearmen, Norse archers and a ballista, while our Huscarles and swordsmen make a quiet approach from the south, until the ballista can crush a hole in the walls.

The enemy again gathers in the square as our cavalry run down his crossbowmen.

While the swordsmen make their way up the southern streets archers are gathering to the west of the square and their arrows are set aflame. The men would later recount the beauty of the fire arrows arcing across the night sky, no doubt enhanced by the knowledge that each arrow might lighten their later work.

In the end the enemy is beset on all sides and wiped out to a man. The smell of scorched horseflesh would take weeks to fade.


Hoping to maintain relatively cordial relations, the King releases the Venetian captives again. Word has it that he plans to attempt to negotiate for Zagreb rather than to take it by force. The King's reputation for chivalry is thus enhanced as well. Princess Cecille is commanded to begin negotiations for the eventual handover. Perhaps Milan will make a tempting prize.
Venice, turn 41.

Negotiations with the Venetians over Zagreb go poorly, as their demands are outrageous and unreasonable. Princess Cecille is ordered to move for Byzantine lands while Prince Sweyn begins gathering an army north of Venice for the capture of Zagreb. The garrison there is near full strength. Retraining proceeds apace at Milan and now Venice, where an accomplished blacksmith has been commissioned. Our furthest afield diplomat reaches Jerusalem at last, and discovers that for the nonce the garrison is light.

North of Venice, turn 42.

Cecille attracts another suitor, also turned away. King Charles may not confess it in public, but I know he still hopes for a son. Perhaps God will favor him, certainly Odin has turned his face from this matter. A second Danish spy infiltrates Zagreb, and sees a powerful force holding it.

Prince Sweyn has gathered a suitable Danish response.

West of Zagreb, turn 43.

Scouting further down the coast it is discovered that the Venetian fortress at Ragusa is poorly held, and their village at Durazzo is little more than a wide place in the road. If Zagreb can be captured the remaining Venetian holdings will certainly fall. With most of our forces down to retrain, there is little astir. My wife has borne twin boys for me, I brought them captured banners from Milan and France for their blankets. I greatly regret that it won't be the Gray Wolves riding to battle at Zagreb, but Prince Sweyn has proven his worth in the field.
Siege of Zagreb, turn 44.

Sitting in Venice with little to do but oversee the effort to outfit our old troops with fresh armor, the King has been presented with a fine new suit for himself. It is truly a marvel of protection, but wasting away here within the walls it will never see use! I can feel our armies growing frail here as the years pass, and I cannot help but worry that the King's will to complete our quest may be waning as his worry for producing a true heir waxes. The Pope is pleased that we have kept the peace with Milan. As if the people of Zagreb needed more warning, our attempt to introduce a third spy to their city was uncovered and the man was killed. Prince Sweyn determines to attack in some haste so as to preserve the two spies already in place.



For the assault the Prince copied King Charles' now classic strategy from Milan and Venice, attacking at dawn with archers at the main gates, a small attack force with ballista to the south, and the Prince's own men and two catapults to the north. The enemy was ill prepared for our catapults, and had spearmen on the walls as though we'd brought ladders to this fight. Their error was soon revealed to them.


At the west gate our Norse Archers got word that spies had opened the gates, and the walls were held only by a single spear unit. The archers charged into the first bright glints of sunlight, drawing swords for the bloody battle to come.


While they fought the catapults finally dropped a section of Zagreb's walls northern walls, and the ballista accomplished the same to the south.


Venetian cavalry rode to assist their spearmen by the west gate, putting a bit of doubt into the Norse Archers there. As he charged to the aid of our archers by the west gate, Prince Sweyn ordered the catapults into the walls, under cover of a Huscarl cavalry screen to either side of the breach. The Venetian response was quick, almost catching our catapult crews unaware.



Just as they began their charge against the fleeing catapults, with the massive engines blocking the gate, our Huscarl cavalry crashed into them from both sides, breaking them instantly. The Venetian spearmen were ridden down to a man, and the catapults began their slow roll back inside the walls.


A fierce battle developed on the western streets between the Red Hawks and the enemy cavalry, with arrows and bolts whizzing overhead in a constant stream. Just as the enemy cavalry broke, a gap opened in their ranks, exposing Prince Sweyn to a devestating volley of crossbow bolts. He tumbled from his saddle, and a wail went up from the Prince's guard.


They chased the fleeing cavalry, smashed the crossbowmen who had slain their lord, and mad with battle lust charged alone into the enemy's town square.

Calls to charge in support of the Red Hawks echoed down the streets of Zagreb as careful positioning of the ballistae and catapults was forgotten in the rush to spill Venetian blood. Our spearmen, who had safeguarded the south gate all this time, were the first to arrive in aid of the Red Hawks. As they charged down the street they saw a doughty Hawk cut down the enemy commander, though surrounded by spears on all sides. Their charge proved hasty, however, as reinforcements did not arrive in time. As their blood rage ran down and the true situation began to penetrate their heads the Red Hawks' courage faltered, and the few remaining men in the Prince's guard fled for the hills, never to be seen again. The spearmen too turned their backs to the fight and fled.

As the battle hung in the balance our Huscarls completed their run to the enemy's rear and charged, just in time with the arrival of the swordsmen and archers at the melee. The enemy was surrounded and butchered to a man before the sun crested the hills west of Zagreb. No surrender was accepted.


 
With no general to reign them in, the soldiers of Prince Sweyn's command took revenge on the locals and burned much of the city, putting some thousands of it's citizens to the sword. A Venetian army to the north watched as Zagreb went up in flames.

The King, on hearing the news, is terribly distraught. Rumors resurface among the troops of Sweyn's odd rise to adoption, and the King's childless wife. He immediately departs Venice and begins gathering a force along the road to Zagreb to relieve the grieving troops there.

King Charles considers the civilian massacre at Zagreb a disgrace, and the loss of his adopted heir intolerable. In this light Princess Cecille is recalled to reopen negotiations with the Venetians. After much wrangling and the exchange of a large sum of coin a deal is reached which brings peace, and hopefully a final separation of our two peoples. Bologna is returned to Venice in exchange for Ragusa and Durazzo. Our road to Jerusalem got a little easier, and a fortress for further retraining our elite troops has been secured.

The Venetians entrust Durazzo to mercenaries in our name. They are sent packing, with taxes set to near nothing to appease the few peasants in this crude village, and reinforcements begin making their way south from Ragusa and Zagreb to hold the town.
On the road to Zagreb, turn 45.

Once again documents must be sent to the Pope reassuring his Holiness that our hostilities with Venice are at an end. Additionally it is learned that our allies, the English, have been excommunicated. Another daughter of old King Knud, Vemy, has come of age. She is set to work seeking an improved relationship with the Papacy. Zagreb is little more than a burned out husk of a town, a waystation on the road to Ragusa, our new center of operations. The two Venetian forces encamped nearby worry the King a bit, since the fortress is held only by the conscripts Venice herself left there for us, but there is little to do but speed along the road.

On the road to Zagreb, turn 46.

A Venetian army momentarily blocks the route to Zagreb, but their men that abandoned Ragusa still head north, away from our weakly held new lands, so peaceful intent is presumed. The King waits for them to clear the road before proceeding. Retraining of spearmen in Milan and Venice is nearly complete, and crossbowmen begin training there.

Near Zagreb, turn 47.

King Charles has brought almost all of our troops of quality over the pass out of Itlay, only militia troops hold Milan and Venice now. Milan declares war on the Papacy, and so our alliance with the former is dissolved. Milan and Sicily are both excommunicated. Our Cardinal, our sole voice in Papal elections, passes away peacefully. Cardinal Halstan was dutiful in service to King and God, his passing is much lamented. Many of the men who perpetrated the massacre at Zagreb are now being retrained at Ragusa. A spy scouts the Hungarian fortress at Sofia, and the King is much impressed. Princess Cecille is sent north with the idea of wooing the commander there, Istvan.

Zagreb, turn 48.

A son! A son for King Charles! The boy was born in a tent northwest of Zagreb, to much rejoicing and not a little disbelief. At Zagreb a parade was organized, the locals were dispirited but the soldiers made up for their lack as they trooped past the King holding his newborn son in his own arms.

He is given the name Emund. My sons, though still unable to even hold a real sword, are sworn to his service by my hand in a secret ceremony. In private the King is heard to wonder if Prince Sweyn was the sacrifice necessary to appease Odin's wrath and lift the curse on his line.

The Pope has commanded that the numbers of the faithful be increased around Durazzo, and our priests are sent south to accomplish this. Reducing the garrison at Zagreb to a few spearmen, the King sets out for Ragusa with his new son in tow. The cursed peasants that the Venetians begged our help with so many years ago have returned, blocking the very bridge to Venice herself. As a test of their mettle, a unit of Crossbowmen are sent to engage the peasants.


These peasants are fearless, and charge directly into a hail of bolts.

Though their losses are stiff, they prove resilient. A single man from our crossbow unit returns to Venice to tell the tale, compulsively muttering 'the pitchforks, the pitchforks, the rising and falling of the pitchforks...'

He is discharged from service and sent to retirement in the hills. A freshly armored unit of militia spearmen is sent to handle the peasants, but as before they avoid pitched battle when weakened and the core melts away into the local peasantry.


Near Ragusa, turn 49.

Sensing a change in the power dynamic with the birth of Emund the council of nobles puts forward a candidate for adoption. The King dismisses him with a snort. Pope Gregory calls a Crusade for Tunis. Though relieved the target is not Jerusalem, the King still cannot bring us to participate, and an explanation is sent for the Pope. On the road to Rome our messenger gets word that the Pope died the very same day he called the crusade, and matters are somewhat in flux there. A new Pope, named Gaitanus is elected, without Danish input, and our allies the English are reconciled. One of our spies is scouting Thessalonica, the next town on our route. The Hungarians contact us to sue for an alliance, and the King asks that the fortress at Sofia be turned over to Danish control in exchange. To his surprise, the Hungarians agree.

Ragusa, turn 50.

Sofia is a wondrous fortress, and mighty troops can be trained there. An agent of the King orders that training proceed at full speed in preparation for the battles to come. Another noble suitor is rejected for Cecille, who is recalled from the road to Sofia to negotiate with the Byzantines. We offer them two towns and a King's ransom for Thessalonica, but they reject the offer. In exchange, we reduce the offer greatly and trade for the castle at Corinth. This secures our flank for the inevitable capture of Thessalonica and Constantinople.


Leaving the castle the best the Byzantines can raise to hold it for us is five pairs of ballista. On news of the trade our relations with Byzantium are very good. Two large crusading armies encamp near Venice, which is loosely held by militia spearmen and the richest land in our current holdings. The King prays that their crusade goes as planned, south.

East of Ragusa, turn 51.

The King decides to take his best troops and head for Thessalonica, hoping to draw some cavalry from Sofia when the time is right. The council presses their case again, asking that the King adopt one of their number to be his heir. King Charles is furious when they present him with Gustav Jarl, who has demonstrated little loyalty to the throne in a career primarily noted for the size of his graft collected to date. The man is sent packing. Back near Venice little princess Vemy, out of the King's sight, determines to marry into the German nobility like her sister before her. She selects the commander of the brave crusaders at the gates of Venice. To everyone's surprise her new husband, Leopold insists that he be adopted into her family instead, and so a new heir is introduced after all.

King Charles moves beyond mere fury at the news. Leopold is reputed to be a brute of a man, with little care for loyalty or chivalry and an ill reputation. In addition he has sent his new wife to live on his estates in Germany, seemingly as a public hostage against King Charles' ill will. Armies cannot be turned back to regain the Princess, no can anyone here in the south be quite certain how this Leopold effected his bold power grab. The King determines to test Leopold's loyalty as soon as possible, while only a crude militia army and a soon to be surrendered city are within his grasp.
Gradually a story is coming together that seems to explain the curious events surrounding Venice. The Germans moved their army of 'crusaders' onto the bridge at Venice, and there has been no word out of the city since. With Odin's prohibition on ships so firmly ingrained in the men of our armies, and the bridge held by an immense German force, there is no way for a messenger to reach us. Rumor has it that this Leopold scooped up a few noblemen and the Princess Vemy from the surrounding area, and took them to private chambers. These councilmen, already deeply concerned by the birth of Prince Emund, bowed to Leopold wishes and consented to witness his marriage to Vemy as valid. The remaining nobles will no doubt fall in line behind any scheme to hold their grip on power. Vemy is wed and carried away to Germany within a week. This Leopold is a disreputable sort, cruel, ignorant, drunken, unjust, and with a different woman in every town. Meanwhile the 'crusaders' remain camped on the bridge, under the command of one of his German cronies.

This is a great indignity, a crime against our King and our country, but the mandate of Odin forces our hand. The matter must be borne for now, but letters are sent to the Emporer Henry and the Empress, the King's sister. Though the messengers must ride by way of roads through southern Germany, where Leopold holds sway, eventually one will get through. Meanwhile we turn our attention to Thessalonica, and then the great city of Constantinople. Ballistae are sent east from Durazzo to make for the walls of Thessalonica, and Feudal Knights, mounted and dismounted, are trained at Sofia.

Road east of Ragusa, turn 52.

Despite having effected this power play with Leopold, the council continues to put forward their sons for adoption into the royal family. A Jens of Sikrum, though a fine man in his own right, is sent packing because of who pulls his strings. The Pope is please that we have kept the peace with the Venetians. Leopold is spotted north of Zagreb, riding hard to the east. King Charles sends a trusted administrator to Sofia, hoping to keep it at least as a bulwark against any darker act of rebellion. The artillery from the capture of Zagreb, two catapults and two ballistae are also on the same road, but though the King ordered them brought to the front it isn't clear whose command they are actually under. Our spies report that Thessalonica is held by a single Byzantine general.

Between Durazzo and Thessalonica, turn 53.

Again the council sends a young noble to the King, hat in hand, to ask promotion into the royal family. Again he is faultless in his own right, but King Charles sends him away without even a viewing. The King's mother passes away peacefully in a carriage by the road south of Zagreb. They had been estranged since the old King passed from power and went into Spain, but King Charles is still grief stricken. The army moves east, into Byzantine territory. Reinforcements from Corinth are moving towards Thessalonica, but the King is unconcerned. He sends Princess Cecille to Constantinople to negotiate for the surrender of Thessalonica into our hands.

Siege of Thessalonica, turn 54.

Negotiations fail, Thessalonica is either too rich a town, or the Byzantines think they can hold it against us with only a single unit of cavalry. It is madness. Additionally one of the eldest of the nobles has the effrontery to offer himself as a husband for Princess Cecille. He is sent away without an audience, and word is passed back to slow the carriages bringing the nobility to the front with 'accidents.' I suspect King Charles would speak with Leopold, who now styles himself 'Prince' Leopold under the authority of the council, when the man's supporters are far back along the road. Still no word out of Venice. After all these years, I myself count the men we left there among the dead. Some finely trained archers, sons of true Danes who fought by King Knud's side at Hamburg will never fight under a Danish banner again. Hundreds of spearmen, and some freshly trained crossbowmen too are gone. We may never know the full truth of what happened there in Italy, but I hope some day I or my sons see that city again.

Thessalonica is not reinforced by the Byzantines, the men we though were tasked to that purpose move into the hills south of our encampment. Whether they mean to rebel, attack our camp, or head for Durazzo they will have to wait until Thessalonica is captured.

King Charles, ever chivalrous, sends a small force against the city.

The ballista rolls right up to the unmanned gates, and blasts them aside.

Our spearmen draw the enemy's bodyguard out of the town square to the west, while our archers occupy the square from the east and fire arrows into the enemy's backs.


The spearmen sell their lives dearly to drag down the heavy cavalry, and eventually General Olaskos is run through, last of the defending Byzantines.




Near ten thousand florins are taken from the capture of the city. There are no prisoners. A Danish spy spots a small army west of Constantinople, and our fresh mounted Feudal knights are eager to bring them to battle.



The enemy refuses to pay their ransom. Our fortress at Sofia begins training Norse Axemen. No doubt they will be needed at Constantinople. In the hills, King Charles declines to take the Gray Wolves against so weak and badly led a force, so he send his most trusted captain, a man named Sighvat, to manage the battle. The King and I rode out to observe the battle from a hillside north of the field, ready to call in reinforcements should Captain Sighvat be forced to withdraw.

Our men arrayed themselve on a snow strewn hilltop, with sporadic tree cover on our left flank concealing our swordsmen.

The enemy horse archers speed ahead of their main line to give battle uphill, and they take the worst of it despite the unusual tactic of riding in a circle to throw off our men's aim.

Our hardy Norse Archers adapt quickly and sow slaughter among the enemy horse with precise massed fire.

The Byzantine response is deadly, as their ballista opens fire from under the trees with flame tipped spears the length of a wagon axle to cover the charge of their infantry.



Captain Sighvat wisely gives the order to counter charge, hoping the enemy ballista will hold it's fire for fear of impaling their own men in the melee. Simultaneously he signals the swordsmen concealed in the trees to deal with the enemy ballista.

Those ballista men proved their courage, firing a last brace of bolts directly over the heads of the swordsmen who then destroyed them. Fortunately those bolts shot high, likely because the enemy feared hitting his own men.

The Byzantines rout quickly without the ballista to cover their uphill attack.