Intro

Intro

Tuesday, 5 November 2024

MIDGARD HEROIC BATTLES... YET ANOTHER RE-BRANDING FOR MY DARK AGE WARRIORS!

With the upcoming release of Midgard Heroic Battles, I find myself re-structuring my Arthurian and Scotti warbands once again. Originally put together for Dux Britanniarum, then Dux Bellorum, then Lion Rampant and, finally, Dux Britanniarum again, it looks as though Midgard may just be the place where my Dark Age warriors ultimately put down some roots. There is already so much more support for the rules then there ever was for Dux Britanniarum or Dux Bellorum and, watching the videos put up on You Tube has got me excitedly preparing for the release date, which is just a couple of weeks away from the time of posting this.

I have always loved this period of our wonderful history, with its epic stories of heroism and betrayal and the ultimate and inevitable triumph of the Saxon raiders over the those who strived to defend the land against them. Having created a host of characters for battles with Dux Britanniarum, I have decided to revive them and place them into a new chronicle driven by battles using Midgard.

The Alt Clut Chronicle will bring the Midgard battles together and tell the story of epic clashes of arms, initially between the forces of Rhydderch Mor, Warlord of Alt Clut and the vicious and rapacious Scotti raiding parties, led by Donnchadh Luthmhor, High King of Dal Riatta. I've had all the figures I need for a Saxon host for years and have made umpteen attempts to get them painted ready for battle, so, hopefully, the arrival of Midgard will be the spur I need to finally get them onto the table top.

Most of these characters have appeared before when I have been using the rule sets mentioned above, but here they are, in all their dark age glory, as they will appear using Midgard on the table top... Scotti characters first:
Donnchadh Luthmhor, High King of Dal Riata, Serpent Lord of the Western Isles, slayer of the Pictish mountain giant, Feargal mac Hooie, whom he slew with a deadly spear thrust in the Trossachs, famed and adored throughout his kingdom and feared throughout the vast wildernesses of Hen Ogledd.
Donlad ne Breeks, mighty and fearsome champion of the High Kings of Dal Riatta. Worshipped by the warriors of the Scotti raiding parties, who enthusiastically sing the champion’s battle hymn as they sweep into combat:

Let the wind blow high, Let the wind blow low, With my mighty weapon I will go, All the lassies say, “Hello, Donlad where’s yer troosers.”

Amhlaigh, the breaker and taker of heads. Nobody knows how he manages to decapitate his defeated foes armed with only a wooden club but this is why he is so feared by the enemies of Dal Riatta.
The noble Cailean, commander of the mounted raiders of Dal Riatta... fearsome in battle, unparalleled in horsemanship and a bit of a favourite with the ladies.
Cailleach Fitheach Dub, the Raven Sorceress, destroyer of souls, a harridan of fearsome power and bed warmer to a thousand warriors. Her raven, Maru, is the eyes of the warband, flying far ahead and returning with reports on the activity of the enemy. Squark!

Next time... the heroes of Alt Clut prepare for another season of Scotti raids...