After completing the Leidang army for the Swedes, I decided a test case was in order. Here follows the escapade of the Danes.
Test one
Dithmarschen peasants formed a line along a
narrow passage between marsh and wood. The Danish boendir deployed in the first
line with archers interspersed, the remainder of the army formed a reserve
behind the first.
A right-wheel of the line allowed the peasants to bring forward more spearmen and the dardiers and in response, the Leidang realigned its line to conform.
The ensuing clash brought both sides to near breaking point, however, the Danes rallied to deliver a decisive blow. Leidang 4-2.
Test two
With their backs to the sea, Wendish pirates took advantage of the difficult hills to deploy half their force. The remainder formed two ranks in centre.
Advancing forward, the Leidang formed two division, the right would attempt to pin the enemy formed on the hill leaving the left division to assault the enemy centre.
Danish cavalry followed the breakthrough in centre while archers on the flank performed their miracle work. Leidang 4-2.
Heavy rainfall left the fields a muddy quagmire. Despite this, the Saxons pushed forward in two divisions; the main division comprised the majority of infantry, supported by a reserve of knights.
Using the muddy field to anchor their left, the Danes reformed their line making the initial contact at one point of the battle line.
Nonetheless, Saxon troops breached the Danish line at the right of centre while the feudal retinues held the remainder of the Danish line at bay.
In less than two hours (8 turns), the Danes were soundly beaten. Saxony 5-2+Hd.
The test games were a means to explore a few ideas for a campaign setting. In the planning is a campaign centred on Denmark’s conflicts spanning a period of a hundred years. Despite the periods of peace, Denmark fought not only the opponents noted above, but became embroiled with a civil war. Beyond the Danish frontier, other entities had their own conflicts, such as the Saxon campaign against the Wends and Bremen invading the cantons of Dithmarschen and Stedinger.
How this
will be accomplished will be solved in the coming weeks,
