The Peasant Republics

My latest search for obscure medieval conflicts brought me to events closer to home, the County of Holland and Frisia. Frisia is one of a number of Peasant Republics that existed between the 13th and early 16th century, others are Butjadingen, Stadland, Stedingen, Land Wursten, Land Hadeln and Dithmarschen. Most were absorbed by the territorial expansion of local princes with Frisia and Dithmarschen holding autonomy until the 16^th century.

Free Canton Army

Needing only foot figures, this would seem to be an easy army to collect. Searching the box of ‘extras’ however, produced too few figures for a complete army, however, opening a second box, did reveal camp followers, mobile baggage and a peasant army of 12 elements. The latter were assembled years ago for a scenario and had not seen any further use since. That would change.

Five of the twelve elements were repurposed for the Free Canton and the next two days were spent cleaning and replacing weapons with brass rod for pikes. All figures are Legio Heroica and lacking helmet and armour; brighter colours were used for their clothing.  

 Flags

Five flags were painted for the Free Canton army. Like all my late medieval army, flags are interchangeable increasing their potential for historical battles. Below are the flags made for Frisia, Groningen, Stedingen and Dithmarschen. Although conjectural, colours are based on coat of arms for the entity. The seven waterlilies (pompeblêden) commonly seen on the Frisian flag would make their appearance during the 16^th century and were omitted for the early period.

Source: Wapens, Vlaggen en Zegels van Nederland, T. van der Lars, Amsterdam

 

IV/13e Free Canton (littoral)

1 x general (3Pk), 8 x spearmen (3Pk), 1 x Frisian dardiers (4Ax), 2 x archers/slingers (Ps).

Note, The DBMM Free Canton list a few sword and axe wielding peasants (3Bd).

The Battle of Brunanburh 937

This scenario is based on the final novel of Bernard Cornwell’s, The Last Kingdom series. In the part, titled “The Slaughter”, the battle field and disposition of forces are described. While the book is historical fiction, the game does work well for a DBA3 game. Below are the necessary terrain features and composition of armies based on the novel. Enjoy the game. 

Terrain

The battle field is marked off by hazel rods and is 600 paces wide (7.5BW) and enough space should be allowed for the 6BW distance between lines and for elements to deploy in two lines. Two streams, to the rear and right of the Saxon deployment meet creating a patch of boggy ground. Streams delay crossing and banks add to its defense. A road crosses the battle field and the stream located at the rear of the Saxon deployment. A gentle hill is placed partially in the deployment area of the Norse Vikings. Wood surrounds the battlefield.

The Saxon army, positioned left to right.

Wessex, 1 x general (4Bd) Athelstan, 1 x hird (4Bd), 3 x select fyrd (Sp).

Mercia, 1 x hird (4Bd), 3 x select fyrd (Sp).

Northumbrian allies, 1 x general (4Bd) Uhtred, 1 x hird (4Bd).

Off table: 1 x household cavalry (Cv) Steapa

 

The Coalition, positioned left to right.

Scots, 1 x general (3Pk) Constantine II, 5 x spearmen (Sp). 1 x archers (Ps).

Strathclyde, 1 x general (Sp) Owain, 1 x spearmen (Sp).

Norse Vikings, 1 x general (4Bd) Anlaf Guthfrithson, 1 x household (4Bd), 1 x ulfhednar (3Wb).

Note

All mounted generals dismount at the start of the game and fight as their common troop type. Mercia and Northumbria behave as allied contingents of Athelstan as do Strathclyde and the Norse for Constantine II.

The sole mounted figure is Steapa who arrives on turn 5, no cavalry are listed for the Middle Anglo-Saxon, nonetheless as the scenario follows the author’s description, here they be.

A Dark Age Battle, something different

It has been a while since I used the double size command for a game and in preparation for next Tuesday, I decided to test a game. How this option differs from the standard 12 element game, follow the link and read the details (link) 

The Scots invade Mercia

The Scots have invaded Mercia. With a force substantially larger than years past, Mercia have called on Wessex to for support. Wessex, positioned on the right, Mercia on the left, together, they present a solid front of spear.

Across the field, the Scots have positioned their schiltrons in centre with thegns and lighter troops flanking the pikemen and on the far left, a small contingent of Vikings.

Mercia spring ahead of their right wing to reach the Scots, eventually both divisions come to grips with the barbarians of the North. The shoving to-and-fro of lines produce few casualties; however, the battle is still young.

Despite both sides beset with low pip scores, the lines begin to fragment and in the isolated conflicts casualties begin to mount. The struggle takes a takes a critical turn with the loss of the Mercian sub-general.

In revenge, Mercian spearmen attack and kill the Scottish warlord (CinC), leaving a portion of the Scottish line leaderless when the sub-general assumes overall command.   

The schiltrons have widen the gap in centre to bring down the Saxon CinC. The Saxons leaderless, flee the field with the Scots in pursuit. The Scots victorious, 8 + CinC + Sub-general – 4 + CinC.

Observations:

Nine turns is not a particularly long game, but needed an hour and six minutes to reach a decision. This was the exact amount of time for the full album by Wardruna to play out.

Wardruna – Rnaljod – Yggdrasil (full album). 

More Dark Age Battles

The Bernard Cornwell novels, the Last Kingdom, have proven a source of inspiration for the following dark age battles. Below are four clashes of the Norsemen in various forms. 

 

III/24b Middle Anglo-Saxon vs. III/40a Viking

Wessex attempt to impede a Viking landing, but find their flank turned.

Shortly thereafter, the Saxon shield wall is breached sending Wessex from the field. A crushing Viking victory, 6-0.

 III/40a Viking vs. III/28 Carolingian

The Vikings continue their tour and land on the northern coast of Frankia. A surprise landing catches the Franks scrambling to protect their right flank.

Frankish milites charge the Viking left ahead of their infantry assault, both conflicts become hotly contested. Yet, the Franks persevere and repel the Viking incursion, 4-3.

 III/63 Polish vs. III/48 the Rus

The Poles utilise their cavalry superiority to turn the Rus shield wall. 

The subsequent clash, the Rus spearmen prevail to defeat the Poles, 4-2.

III/63 Polish + Viking allies vs. III/48 the Rus

A renewed encounter, the Poles are joined by a contingent of Vikings. The lines are not aligned, prompting the Polish to advance in oblique order.

The struggle becomes desperate for the Rus as the Vikings have pierced the Rus shield wall and the ensuing mayhem results in the collapse of the Rus right flank. The Rus flee the field, 4-3.

Observations

Viking allies can add an extra punch for a number of armies and for the Poles, they have proven their worth.

Fast blade can be deadly when facing another army solely comprised of infantry. They are vulnerable against a mixed force of infantry and mounted.  

Three Dark Age Battles

Mercia vs. Vikings

The Saxon shieldwall seemed secure with its flanks anchored on a village and wood. Matching their shieldwall, the Viking right rushed the village in an attempt to turn the Saxon left. This failed, losing two elements.

Despite their loss, the Vikings redoubled their effort and surged forward, slowly forcing the Saxon centre to cave, turning the conflict to a 4-2 win.

Mercia vs. Strathclyde

The Strathclyde shieldwall remained in its position awaiting its cavalry and skirmishers to turn the Mercian left flank.

The Strathclyde attack on the Mercian left foiled handing the initiative to Mercia who advanced forward and charged the Strathclyde line.

Lines buckled, yet neither shieldwall showed signs of breaking. Redoubling their effort, Mercian Hird breached the Strathclyde’s centre to earn a narrow victory, 4-3.  

Strathclyde vs. Pre-Feudal Scots

Strathclyde deployed first positioning its cavalry behind the shieldwall, anticipating a moment to turn the Scot’s flank. Surprising Strathclyde, the Scots deployed their entire force facing Strathclyde’s right in an attempt to overpower that flank. The race was on.

Placed off balance, Strathclyde formed three divisions with its right wing tasked to contain the flanking attempt by the Scots, while the centre and left divisions wheeled right to attack the enemy main body.

Fortune favoured the Scots as the schiltrons broke through the Strathclyde right and centre, joining the mayhem, the Galwegians completed the victory with a 5+gen – 1 win.

Dark Age additions.

Having a small window of opportunity between projects for the Seven Years War, I tackled a small backlog of Dark Age figures purchased early this year. These are Old Glory miniatures, to be used for early and later medieval armies. The armies are of two commands, hence the double number of elements.  

The crossbowmen are meant for a number of armies; the Communal Italian, West Frankish and the First Crusade. 

Similarly, the archers cover the options for the above armies and include the mounted archers for the Anglo-Norman. The horses are Blue Moon and held by a Museum Miniature medieval peasant, sans farm implement.

Last are two packs of Ottonian and Crusader unarmoured spearmen were based as feudal retinue for the Medieval German of the “a” sub-list. Extra spearmen nicely formed three elements of standard spear. The feudal retainers are classed as solid horde and with all solid horde in my collection are placed on a 40mm x 40mm base. 

66 AD - Rebellion in Judaea

Protest against excessive tax measures brought Judaeans to the point of rebellion.  The Roman governor Gessius Florus issued orders for the various garrisons to suppress the insurrections in their districts. A vexillation of one legion encountered a number of rebels gathering across a river. 

The standard game was played and using the battlefield cards, the random selection produced a battlefield with a road intersecting a river and difficult hills to one flank.

 

Rome moved first to quickly seize the bridge forcing the defending Zealots back. More legionnaires supported the assault with the ballistae rendering support fire.

The rebels countered by crossing the river hoping to put the Romans off balance. Anticipating this, Rome sent reserve cavalry and auxilia to deal with the threat. This scattered the rebel skirmishers, but did not deter a second column from pressing forward.

The Zealots, forced further back allowed Rome to expand their foothold across the river. Reserve legionnaires engaged nearby enemy regulars sending them recoiling. On the Roman right, auxilia units threatened to cross the river, holding enemy units to hold their position across the river. 

Roman drill overcame enemy resilience to earn a narrow victory, 4-3. 

Finding a common strategy among rebel leaders proved difficult during the early stages of the revolt. One such faction encountered the approach of a Roman column. Seeking the shelter of nearby hills, the rebels deployed for battle. 

Advancing in two columns, cavalry on the Roman right would pin the enemy left, while the main column would assault the enemy formed at the base of the hills. 

Rebel formations withdrew to higher ground giving Rome no other option than to follow. Rome approached the enemy in two columns, the left supported by archers and the right by ballistae, their missile fire kept the rebels dancing. Roman equites on the right caught rebel troops before they could reach cover in the hills.

In an attempt to catch Rome off-balance, the rebels launched suicidal attacks against isolated units. This failed leaving the rebels no option but to flee the field. 

Observation.

Both were close games and could easily have ended with a rebel victory. The Zealots (3Wb) made little impression on the legionnaires and found themselves consistently pushed back in both games.

The Jewish Revolt is not a tournament winner, but can make a legato’s life a miserable one.