The Field of Durobrivae : Last stand of the Vankguard

 The Fall of the Vankguard

(With apologies to Thomas Gray)

To Durobrivae’s vale, in glittering row,

Two hundred Vanking Saxons go;

The Royal Vankguard of manly neck

Chains of regal honour deck,

Tossa Leading, Mighty Lord,

Strong hands wrapped around his sword,

Their ally king of northern Picts

Barbarian conspiracy predicts.

Flush’d with pride and hope they burn:

But none from Durobrivae vale return,

Save Tugga brave and Skvirt so strong,

—Bursting through the bloody throng—

And I, the meanest of them all,

That live to weep and sing their fall.

Catweasle of Lugvalium

The first rung of the ladder campaign.

The Vanking Saxons form line to face the Romans of Quilpius

Across the vale the Romans deploy, and the Saxons are facing the young Tribune Iammius Gittus.

The Picts skulk in the woods, as Picts do...  Opposite them Roman General Quilpius forms up on a promising looking hill

The Vanking Saxons advance cautiously seeing Cataphracts and Mounted Companions opposite.  King Tossa and his Vankguard have cunningly deployed here, to thwart the Roman flanking attack.

The annoying Roman Light horse skitter around the flank.  King Tossa decides that they are probably best just ignored.

In the centre of the Vanking Saxon line Jarl Skvirt "on the Kings Right Hand"  commands a vicious no holds barred attack.  One Roman unit, the "Britannia Hesitatus" hang back behind their fellows, not too keen to get involved with the Saxons.

The Roman line splits and the Picts swarm into the gap.

The Saxons grimly face off against a substantial number of the enemies` points.

A brave unit of ordinary warriors catches the Cataphracts and deals them a deadly blow, almost killing them before the inevitable massacre.  The Cataphracts are finished as a viable front line unit.

With a desperate fight between the Saxons and the Young Tribune continuing the Roman left is wound up by the Picts. 

The line sways back and forward, but that shieldwall protection factor was weighing on the Saxons who were beginning to show the strain. 

Jarl Skvirt leads his men in a struggle to the end.  

Tugga Son of Tossa, the Kings Eldest son, fights round after round with only one cohesion point remaining. 

The Picts swarm over the Roman Left.  The Roman Commander flees the field when presented by the Pictish buttocks. 

The Picts surround a Roman legion swarming it.  If only these Romans could roll well!

The Pictish King shows that he has the favour of VECTRON.  An astounding Seven rolls of 6.

The Picts annihilate the Roman Left.  Quilpius flees in abject defeat.  The Young Tribune Iammius Gittus holds the Roman's only hopes where the Saxons are struggling on the right as this happens the Saxons are broken.  Only their king remains fighting..

The Roman Cataphracts sweep into the rear of the Vankguard.  King Tossa holds for three amazing rounds, needing to roll two sixes to win the battle.  He does not manage it and is killed.  The Vankguard falls, but the Romans quit the field.  The pictish King is the victor.

All Hail Tugga, Son of Tossa, Son of Vank, new Lord of the Vanking Saxons.