It has been commented on in PA that while there has been a decline in commercial boxed wargames there has also been a rise in DTP wargames. Senlac Hill is one of those new DTP designs by Norman Smith. I can only admire the hard work and effort devoted to produce these games. The Battle of Hastings has been the subject of wargames including a dice-less version by TSR and an S&T issue game. This new game attempts to give a different feel to the battle and seemed to me to be a good simulation. The components are reasonable, an A3 paper map, a set of A4 counters, various charts and a 12 page rule booklet that included an historical commentary. My version was the first draft and the counters were the typical boardgame symbols but these have now been replaced by a later version, which have pictures of the different troop types. Norman was kind enough to give me the revised counter sheet later and also an improved map. The Map is clear and functional featuring the eponymous hill surrounded by brooks and marsh or morass while the valley below has a hillock and further morass and brooks. The map is quite full when the armies are deployed and there is little room for manoeuvre but from my limited reading of the battle this seems reasonable. As a DTP design you need to base the counters yourself but I found it very easy only although in hindsight I should have used a slightly thicker card. The map is only paper but as I play under a Perspex sheet this was no problem. The Armies are deployed in traditional manner with the Saxons atop the Hill with a front rank of Housecarls rear ranks of Fyrd plus the odd archer unit. Harold is at the rear. The Normans below are divided into three feudal components - Bretons, Normans and Franco Flemish all with archers, infantry and cavalry. Both sides have various leaders the Normans including Bishop Odo and the Papal banner. There is basically no stacking apart from leaders so the whole game is very easy to set up as the Armies set up dispositions being clear. There are also alternative scenarios with differing deployments for those wishing to see what would have happen if the Saxons arrived earlier. The game has a number of features that are unusual and give the game its flavour. Firstly the units deploy faces a hex vertex so presenting two fronts hex sides that exert a Zone of control, two flanks and two rear side hexes. Units can only attack out of the front hexsides but can be attacked from any. Units must stop movement when entering an enemy ZOC. If a unit starts its movement phase in the ZOC of an enemy it can move away from that enemy 1 hex but cannot move into a hex next to the same or another enemy unit. This coupled with the combat system gives a unit by unit approach unlike normal games but it is probably better for early medieval warfare. The sequence of play consists of the following phases, a lull testing phase, offensive missile phase, movement phase, and defensive missile phase combat and re-organisation phase. You will note that archer units can either fire in their turn offensively or defensively in the enemy turn. The Lull phase occurs when the Norman player decides to break from the normal turn and decides to regroup. Both sides can now re order, pull back from combat, replenish spent archers and rally troops easier. Reading the historical commentary it appears that during the battles such breaks did occur. There can be any number of lulls but as the turn marker is moved on when one is called and the battle only lasts for 10 or 12 turns they need to used carefully. I feel it is useful game device and probably realistic. The missile fire phases are quite simple you roll a die and a successful result can disorder the unit. However a roll of 1 or 2 by a Norman Archer means he has to retire to the lull box presumably to replenish his arrows and cannot re appear till a lull phase is called. Missile fire disorders normal units but eliminates Archers. However if a leader is fired upon he can be killed on a die roll of one. It means of course Harold can get the get the arrow in the eye. Archers fire up to hexes by line of sight but no overhead firing. Archers cannot attack in close combat. Movement is simple 3 or 4 hexes for ordered units depending on being with or adjacent to a leader. Disordered units only move 2 hexes. Cavalry can charge giving a bonus in combat but automatically becoming disordered. However they cannot charge uphill. This means the Saxon shield Wall is very tough. The Combat phase is unusual units can only attack as individual units. The result depends on a die roll and various additions or deductions so it is the differential that counts. For example an ordered housecarl has a basic strength of 5 attacking an ordered Norman infantry of strength 4 would have a differential of +1. A roll of 5 or 6 would be enough to kill the Norman However, lesser rolls would either disorder the Norman or Saxon or both. A roll of 1 would eliminate the attacker (not of course possible here because of the +1 modifier). Disordered units cannot attack but defend with a strength of 3 (the ordered Fyrd strength). I see the disordered category as reflecting battle fatigue. When units are eliminated in combat there is a chance that similar unit types adjacent will flee depending on a die roll. and accumulated losses. Eventually the troops on both sides will start failing morale and fleeing. However there are chances to rally disordered units. When a defending unit is eliminated the attacker must advance after combat. There are rules covering the likelihood of impetuous Saxons sand the use of the feigned flight by Norman Cavalry (in this case not Breton or Franco Flemish). The final phase is the reorganisation phase when units not in enemy ZOCs have chances to rally. The presence of leaders particularly Odo aids reorganisation. The Saxon phase is the same as the Norman although they can’t declare a lull phase. There are numerous other rules including Archer interchange, Saxon missile capacity, and the use of the papal banner, all of which give a flavour to the game. Victory basically means killing William or Harold or if both survive, Victory points are given for enemy losses or holding certain territory. How does the game play? One important thing mentioned in the rules is to play the whole game thorough. The game can change in a few turns. For the Norman player the task seems daunting as the Saxons have the Housecarls and advantage of ground. However the carefully use of archer and selected attacks can whittle down the Saxon Line. The Saxon player has to hang on but there is the temptation to follow up successful attacks in order to sweep the Normans is away is very great. The Norman Cavalry can be deadly on the flat. The game certainly gave me the feel of the battle especially at the later stages when both sides’ morale begins to tell and start fleeing the field of battle. The rules are generally clear and well laid out. The game can go either way and often both sides have to use their leaders to get the breakthrough. Leaders can survive the death of the accompanying unit. But throwing William or Harold into combat is very risky. I particularly liked the way the whole system worked together the use of the lull mechanism and the way the archery worked gave a feel to the battle. There is also a second game on the Battle of Stamford Bridge. (I wonder if it could be adapted further to other Dark Age battles. I am currently reading the Byzantine Wars by Haldon that has some evocative descriptions of Dyrrachion, Dorostolon and others). The game is very playable and is easily completed in an evening. The author even has a website although I have yet to visit it. The games are available from Second Chance Games or contact the author on www.btinternet.com/-norm.smith. I questioned the author concerning the role of archery and the initial missile fire. Senlac Hill Reply by Norman Smith Back to Perfidious Albion #104 Table of Contents Back to Perfidious Albion List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by Charles and Teresa Vasey. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com