Like almost every morning, a low mist hung over the calm waters off the island of Iona. The wind swirled, parting the fog just enough to reveal colorful sails on the horizon. Abbot Blathmac, son of Flann, walks the path up the hill to his day room, planning to spend the time in quiet contemplation of the life of his patron saint. From this height, he can see the monastery of St. Columba spread below, the monks and local folk bustling about herding sheep. But those sails… as the mist clears he can clearly see the longships and their dragon prows. “Vikings! Pagans! To arms, to arms, in the name of St. Columba!” he cries, hurtling down the hill towards the monastery. He could only pray his flock would live through the day.
Background
In this battle, six players loosely reenacted an early viking raid on the island of Iona, in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. Three players took command of viking crews, and three players took control of the Scottish monks and defenders. The monastery of St. Columba was raided several times in the viking age, surviving and soldiering on until the site was finally abandoned in the 900s as the monks fled to Ireland. According to legend, the Book of Kells, a famous manuscript (still found today in Dublin), was started at the abbey on Iona. Today, you can also visit a later benedictine abbey on the Island to learn about its fascinating history.
The Abbey of St. Columba on the Isle of Iona, 825 C.E.
The Scenario
Early viking raids were largely smash-and-grab pirate affairs, focused on looting and pillaging. The monastery of St. Columba, while unimpressive to modern eyes, was the pinnacle of society in 800s Scotland. The asymmetric scenario aimed to convey the speed, terror, and brutality of viking raids, as well as the determination of the early medieval Scots to carry on. This game was run at several conventions, and this battle report recounts a game from July 2024 at Historicon. Huge thanks to our club, the Union Gang, for help with playtesting and making terrain!
The game used the Ravenfeast rules, which can be found free online (http://www.ravenfeast.com/) and are great intro wargaming rules for medieval and fantasy combat. The game lasted 9 turns, and each player controlled a squad of approximately 10 warriors. Each side was looking to get 10 victory points to achieve their objectives- in this scenario both, one, or neither side can achieve their objectives. The vikings gained points for capturing sheep, cows, and monks (and returning them to their boat, 1VP); looting buildings (1VP per loot token); and for slaying the good-for-nothing Abbot who made them fight so hard for that loot (2VPs). The monks gained victory points for slaying viking Jarls, Huscarls, and Beserkers (1VP each), preventing the looting of buildings (1VP per unlooted building) and for fleeing the board with their precious relics, including the Book of Kells (4VPs). As in history, these sides had little understanding of each other and wildly different worldviews- at the end of a bloody day both sides may have been able to stand proud before their Gods.
The Viking Raiders
The Viking Raider of Jarl Ragnar, Huscarl Harald and Jarl Helga
Three players controlled the Viking raiders, landing in three separate longships on the beaches of Iona.
Jarl Ragnar (Black Ship): 8 hirdmen, 2 beserkers, 1 huscarl, 1 Jarl
Huscarl Harald (Black Ship): 8 hirdmen, 2 beserkers, 2 huscarls
Jarl Helga (Blue Ship): 8 hirdmen, 2 beserkers, 1 huscarl, 1 Jarl
The Scottish Monks
The Scottish Defenders, behind their palisade.
Three players controlled different squads of the Scottish monks, mostly deployed in the abbey, with a few monks outside the walls tending sheep. The Scots begin with 6 sheep and 2 cows (some inside and outside the walls), who may be moved 2 inches a turn if a friendly monk is within 6 inches to herd them.
Warriors of the Faith:8 warriors with javelins and 4 monks (2 start outside the walls)
Protectors of the Flock: 2 huscarls, 5 wardogs, 2 Warriors with Bow. and 2 monks
Defenders of the Faith: The Abbot Blathmac. 2 huscarls, 4 defenders of the faith. 2 warriors with bow, and 2 monks (1 starts outside the walls)
The Raid Commences!
Jarl Ragnar looked up and down the beaches as the longboats pulled ashore as the cold ocean mist soaked his beard. Unsheathing his blade, he whispered a prayer for Odin’s blessing. May the all-father look kindly upon his crew today…
With all six players assembled and the raiders and defenders deployed, battle commenced with an initiative roll!
Turns 1-2
The Vikings won the initiative, and surged off the boats towards the abbey. Several vikings from Jarl Ragnar’s boat approached the west gate, seeking to batter it down. Another hirdman peeled off towards the monk and sheep outside the west gate, aiming for some loot. Two beserkers from Jarl Helga’s crew headed towards the sheep and monks in the corral outside the walls. The rest of the vikings swarmed towards the walls, where the Scots warriors readied their weapons. Inside the abbey, one of the Monks ran to the church, gathering the key relics, including the Book of Kellls. With this secured, the Monk aimed for the east gate and eventual escape down the road. The monks outside the walls tried to herd the sheep towards the safety of the abbey, but ultimately had to abandon their slow charges to the oncoming raiders. On the walls, the warriors with bows and javelins readied their missiles. A flurry of attacks came from the walls… and two vikings went down with javelins in their chests! First blood to the monks!
The vikings surge forward towards the abbey and the livestock!
Turns 3-4
Blood drawn, the raiders swarmed over the abbey. They charged up and down the walls, from the corral to the west gate. Two vikings attacked the west gate itself, hoping that it would buckle. The Scots shooting was more limited, as their targets were closing into hand to hand range.
The vikings grabbed two sheep near the west gate, and two beserkers make it into the corral, grabbing 2 sheep, 1 cow, a monk, and threatening the escape path of the relic down the road! The vikings with loot began to flee back to the ships with their gains.
In combat, the Vikings charged the west gate .. and a lowly hirdman destroyed it in one turn, truly showing the mighty power of Thor. A lone Scottish huscarl stood blocking the destroyed gate. Up and down the walls, vicious fighting broke out. The Jarl Ragnar killed his opponent, springing up onto the walls. Scottish warriors started to fall, as did Viking hirdsmen.
A wave of warriors crash into the wall and the west gate.
A hirdman destroys the gate with a single mighty blow.
The Jarl Helga’s crew attacks the wall near the corral.
Turns 5-6
Up and down the wall, the ferocious melee continued. The vikings continued to slay warriors and find gaps in the wall to scale. Pockets of Scottish warriors fought back, killing a couple of beserkers. The brave Scottish huscarl continued to be a human gate, blocking entrance to the abbey, but finally fell to a swarm of hirdman and beserkers. The way was open! When the few Scottish arrows (or the rocks thrown by the monks) found a target, it pinged off the viking armor.
A brave scottish huscarl holds the gate, but the Jarl Ragnar’s crew fight their way over the wall and into the abbey.
Turns 7-8
These were the critical turns, as the Vikings were over the wall and through the gate, pouring into the abbey. The monk fleeing with the relics out the east gate, including the book, was threatened outside the walls by the Jarl Helga’s beserkers and hirdman, aiming to cut off escape down the road. The scots, despite being hard pressed at the walls, sallied forth, with huscarls and wardogs charging from the eastern gate. Killing the beserker, this counterattack protected the monk, then the scottish warriors rescaled the walls to rejoin the fight in the abbey. On turn 8, the lone monk reached the end of the road with the Book of Kells and precious relics. Looking back at the smoke rising from the abbey, the monk whispered a prayer for mercy and fled to safety!
Inside the walls, the vikings continued to dogpile and slaughter the remaining scottish warriors. Several hirdmen made it to the buildings and looted the the church, stable, and barn. The monks tried to put out the flames but to no avail! The Abbot remained in reserve behind the church, safe from the marauders.
The scottish huscarl and wardogs sally forth from the east gate to protect the monks outside the walls!
A monk, carrying the precious Book of Kells, escapes on turn 8 thanks to the brave sally of the scots!
Turn 9
The last turn had arrived, before the vikings needed to return to their ships and the sea! Several vikings, mostly hirdmen, returned to the longships, capturing a total of 4 sheep and two monks. In the abbey, the scottish huscarls, Abbot, and wardogs led a final counterattack, though outnumbered, to slow the Viking advance. The vikings cleverly charged the monks, to prevent them from trying to extinguish the flames on their buildings. The final brawl ensued, and the vikings generally had the upper hand. Two wardogs leaped heroically at the Jarl Ragnar, trying to slow him down, inflicting a wound! But in return, the noble hounds wer cut down by the savage viking. And with that the final turn ended, as smoke swirled around the abbey!
A hirdman runs for the ships, loot in tow.
Turn 9- the game is over and the abbey burns!
End of the Battle
At the end of the battle, the vikings dominate the abbey, as only the Abbot and a small group of monks remain within the walls, surrounded by dead comrades. The vikings, though, are well bloodied and grab their loot to flee to the boats before more locals arrive looking for a fight. In total, the viking players got 12VPs– 4 captured sheep, 2 captured monks, and 6 loot tokens from buildings. The scots players also got 12VPs- 4 for saving the Book of Kells, 2 for an unlooted building, and 6 points for slain beserkers and huscarls. Both sides achieved their victory conditions (greater than 10VPs): the vikings have looted and pillaged, bringing home a mighty haul- the survivors will be wealthy back in Scandinavia! But the Monks have also preserved their greatest treasures and hopefully inflicted enough casualties on the viking leaders that next seasons’ raid will go elsewhere- guaranteeing their survival. As in the historical raid, both sides can find tales of heroism and silver linings in a day of blood and fire – the vikings grow richer and the monks keep surviving.
Abbot Blathmac wept as the burial stones were erected. So many had died. Yet, there was hope too. The abbey still stood, though the smoldering stone church would need a new roof. More importantly, the flock, though bloodied, still held faith. He could only pray that he would never see those sails again in his lifetime…
Hope you enjoyed, and maybe you have some Vikings in your collection where you could try this scenario sometime- this could easily be re-skinned to reflect different raids and assaults during the period, and you can tweak force composition and objectives to match!
-BS