A new army list proposal for Medieval Warfare

The early inhabitants of North America and Greenland had contact with not only the Vikings, but with the Welsh as well, according to oral history. The Vikings referred to these natives as skraelings, and their brave attacks were spoken of and later written down in various sagas.

There is little to go on insofar as making up an army list for these peoples, but for those of you who would like to do a Viking or Welsh vrs. Skraeling battle, I have attempted to come up with a plausible and yet flexible list. Battles, skirmishes really, were small and mostly of the raid or ambush type between the Europeans and the natives, but it was a possibility that had the Vikings established a large base in North America, a larger set-piece battle may very well have been a reality.

First and foremost, the Eastern American Indians were adept at forest fighting, both from ambush as well as in pitched hand-to-hand combat, necessitating a loose order basing. Armed with hand axes, or tomahawks, many Indians also used the bow, especially when attacking from ambush. Some also reportedly had rudimentary armor, made from wood, that allowed a certain modicum of protection.

The 13th century Historia Norvegiae describes the Skraelings of Greenland as "…small people who used missile weapons of walrus tusks and knives of stone…." By 1379, the Icelandic Annals note that the Vikings in Greenland were in dire straits and the Greeenland colony eventually died out for a number of reasons, not least of which was the expansion of the Skraelings. These groups of Skraelings were actually Innuits, and they gave the Vikings a very difficult time.

The natives of Vinland fought against Leif Erikson's brother Thorvald, killing him with an arrow. The Vikings respected the strength and the battle prowess of the Skraelings, this coming through in their writings. Here, then is the army list.

Notes

• All Skraelings are Irregulars.
• Many Skraeling were also archers, reflected in the numbers available to them in the list. Archers often carried tomahawks as well.