My Introduction to SAGA!

I bet you didn't think you'd see this on my blog! :)

I had my SAGA cherry popped last weekend after the Waterloo 2015 planning committee finished our initial meeting at the Croydon venue last Saturday (I put my hand up to be Wellington. What was I thinking?!). Darren suggested a game of SAGA after the meeting. He has only a 4 point Viking army, so Pete brought along his 15mm Dark Ages troops. We were going to use a stand of them as equivalent to a single 28mm figure, instead of the 28mm figures, but it was looking more and more complicated. Leith happened to be passing and Darren's 28mm Gripping Beast figures caught his eye. When he realised we didn't have enough 28mm figures he generously offered to lend us his. Well, we couldn't take his figures without inviting him to play, so we duly set up a 4 points a side Vikings vs Anglo-Danes game. Darren and Pete were the Vikings and Leith and I were Anglo-Dane.

There was no scenario, just a up and at 'em fight to get to know the rules, which are simple enough once you get a grip on the mechanics. I'm not sure I'd call them historically accurate, more a glorified rock, paper, scissors with dice, but whatever; I had a blast!

I ended up with my whole command completely wiped out, except for my warlord. I took a fair few of Pete's Vikings with me, but the single warlord accounted for ALL the rest of Pete's command! He was a one man killing machine! He must have been a little pooped after all that killing, because he couldn't lay a finger on Pete's last figure, which allowed the Vikings that extra dice, dammit! My warlord was chasing Pete's last Viking around like a scene from Benny Hill (cue saxophone theme).

Darren and Leith had hardly come to blows before Pete and I had virtually wiped each other out. They contacted and similarly entered into a particularly bloody affray with Leith coming off decidedly second best, leaving Darren and Pete the victors.

It was a really fun game with simple, easy to learn rules. Pete was worried he was going to have a hernia at one stage we were laughing so much! Who needs a warband when you've got a one-man killing machine for a warlord! RAAAAAHHHH!

I enjoyed myself so much, I'm going to build my own Anglo-Saxon force using Gripping Beast 28mm plastic figures (yes, you read right; 28mm figures!)

My command; closest to furthest - levy archers, warriors, huscarls

Some of Darren's lovely Gripping Beast Vikings

And another lot

Pete took command of Darren's figures including the Wolfkin-clad berserkers and mail-clad fyrd

Leith's Huscarl's (including one dropping his trousers!) and warriors

Another warrior band

Another view of Leiths Huscarl band

Pete took the initiative and took a double move to get stuck into my levy before they started launching arrow volleys. Not a good start for the Anglo-Danes!

Half the levy are destroyed in first contact! The rest follow soon after.

My warriors, accompanied by the warlord, exact revenge on the Vikings...

...and destroy the lot! They took a few casualties in the process, while the berserkers loom in the background!

In the centre, the two warrior bands clash, with the Anglo-Danes virtually destroyed!

Next turn, they are!

The berserkers attack like a swarm of buzz-saw armed kamikazes!

The warlord is left as sole survivor of the combat!

The Viking warriors sense an easy kill and gang up on the warlord.

Bad mistake! He kills 2 Vikings and forces them back...

...and then goes for the throat in the next turn!

RAAAAAHHH!

Only one left! He runs...

...but the warlord chases...

...and misses!

The chase is on! Cue Benny Hill:

On the other side Darren's fyrd attack Leith's warriors. In a meat-grinder, Leith survives...

...but Darren brings up reinforcements accompanied by the warlord!

The Anglo-Danes are doomed!

Leith's HUscarls then get whacked by Darren's remaining group of warriors; Game over!