Ever since reading an article in Little Wars (a sister magazine to The Dragon put out by TSR a long time ago) about a multi-table Viking raid game I have been sold on mini-campaigns. The article was entitled "Save Us From the Fury of the Northmen " (Little Wars Vol.II No. 1). The game map was divided into six 5'X 9' table lengths with terrain depicting an Anglo-Saxon Coastal Earldom. The Earldom had a Keep, watchtower, two villages, a monastery and a town, each with a pre-set amount of booty available for the taking. The Earl, a Sheriff, and the Fyrd Commander deployed their forces beforehand. The four Viking leaders, each with a ship and crew, decided their plan of action without knowing the opposing force,but having a general idea of the lay of the land from a captive. They could attack individually or together. In the game that the article was reporting they stuck together and pillaged until the Saxon forces showed up then boarded their ship and moved to another area to pillage morel This sounds frustrating ( and historical) for the saxon players but eventually the Vikings were caught in a river and mauled-by the vengeful-Saxons.

This seems like a great way to go about campaigning. You can plan strategies, fight several battles and even get some low-level politics in is you wish; all with a minimum of paperwork,

Recently, I visited a new local hobby shop and to my great joy discovered a 7'x24' table in their basement. My mind immediatly started coming up with various mini-campaigns to play. Since I mostly have Sub­Roman and Anglo-Saxon figures the era seemed pretty obvious. I came up with the Saxon Revolt and the conquest of Kent. The table itself will be laid out as a map of Kent (albeit with a wildly disproportionate scale). I have only worked out some of the general ideas on how it will be set up and run. Except for occasional pilgrimages to Rochester, and visits from my brother, I am a solo-gamer so I have a dual purpose for writing this article: one is to outline a possible scenario for anyone interested in this eras and the other is to get feedback on the best way to prepare a game for people who are used to science fiction and fantasy games,

The Coming of the Saxons

In 411 AD, the Roman government of the usurper Constantine III was driven from Britain. Constantine had been one of several British Emperors who had pulled units of the Roman army out of Britain leaving it gradually weaker.

The Picts from the north (Northern Scotland) began intensifying raids into the southern provinces.. The Britons appealed to the Emperor Honurius for help, but the beleaguered Emperor had no one to send and told the Britons to look to their own defense.

The leaders of the Civitates banded together to form a council to decide what action to take. The council headed by "Vortigern" hired Jute mercenaries to help against the Picts and Irish raiders in the wet Traditionally these mercenaries were lead by two brothers Hengist and Horsa, and they did their job well, defeating the Pictish raiders at se and near the Wall in the north and even carrying out raids in Ireland.

Once the Pict and Irish threats were overcome the mercenaries (federates) were settled on the Isle of Thanet, possibly to be on hand if an invasion or raid from the continent materialized. Vortigern was worried that his political opponents might try to invade and gain control of his kingdom. Hengist, playing on his fear, convinced Vortigern to allow him to bring more federates over so he would have the military strength to maintain his rule. Legend states that at a feast Vortigern saw and fell in love with Hengist's daughter. Vortigern divorced his wife and married Hengist's daughter making Hengist the father-in-law of the King. Vortigern is said to have given the land of the Cantii to the federates in return for her hand. Now Hengist had manuvered himself into a very advantageous position, he was kin to the king (or at least head of the council), and he had a large force of warriors at his command.

Fearing the increase in the size of the federate forces the Britons tried to get them to reduce their numbers. By claiming that there were too many federates to supply the Britons (presumably of the council and Vortigern's opposition) hoped to stop the increasing barbarian army on their island. When Hengist would not stop or reduce the influx of Germanic warriors and Vortigern was unwilling or unable to to stop it the Britons turned away from Vortigern and elected his son Vortimer King. Hengist used the refusal of the Britons to pay as a provocation for rebellion and a chance to carve out a kingdom of his own; as the federate kings on the continent were doing. It is at this point that the game begins.

Set Up

The forces involved in this game are only vaguely historic. Each side has three armies/warbands as follows:

Britons
Commander	WRG Pts.	Starting location	Goal
Vortimer	1000 pts.	Londinium	To drive federate rebels into the sea.
Gwyranion	750 pts.	Durovernum	1) hold rebels east of River Stour and 2) retake Thanet.
Catigern	250 pts.	divided among Saxon Shore Forts.	Guard coast from landings by raiders.

Rebel Germanic Federates (Saxons)
Commander	WRG Pts.	Starting location	Goal
Hengist	750 pts.	Thanet	Capture Londinium.
Horsa	750 pts.	Thanet	loot towns and villages.
Octha	500 pts.	At Sea*	loot towns and villages.
* Octha must have enough "keels" to transport his warband, those untransport must be left out of the game.

For those not using WRG rule the troop ratios should be:

British armies:

10% Bodyguard (Veteran Cavalry or Infantry)
30% Cavalry (Above average)
60% Infantry (Average)

Rebel Federates:

10% Bodyguard (Elite Infantry)
40% Federate (Above average Infantry)
50% Warriors (Average Infantry)

While I intend to use individually mounted figures (ala Hal Thinglum) this scenario cries out to be a DBA mini-campaign. The terrain for Kent can be set up on a 4'x 8' table with the British having 3 armies and the Saxons having 2. I would suggest the following: Vortimer's army would be list # 82 with the auxiliary option instead warbands. Vortimer's reserve pool is Londinium.

Gwyranion's army would also be list #82 only with the warband optior Catigern's Coastal army would be list # 81 with the 2 knight and 4 warband elements in the reserve pool to begin with. Catigern's reserve pool also in Londinium. Gwyranion's reserve pool is in Durobrivae.

Hengist and Horsa each have an army # 75 with enough boats that 3-6 warband elements could raid the coast. The Federate reserve pool is Thanet.

Victory conditions

(Option A)

The Briton players win when they capture the Isle of Thanet, and maintain control of at least two cities (Londinium, Durobrivae, or Durovernun). The Saxon players win when they control both Londinium and Thanet.

(Option B)

Move Catigern's reserve pool to one of his forts (pre-announce which one). Move Hengist's reserve pool to Durovernum. Last army standing wins!

Map