Heroes as a Wargames Campaign

My planned Autumn campaign for 2025, a continuation of my Heroes game.

So Far

Prince Isperich, son of King Krum, ruler of Translavonia, has been captured in a battle with the Normans.  The city of Saczow has now been besieged and Odo de Farandole, the Norman Captain has threatened to execute the hostage Prince unless they surrender.

The new Voivode of Saczow (Odo having killed the last one in battle) is Trevel, another son of King Krum, and he's clearly not too concerned about his brother.  Instead he has gathered his Druzhina bodyguard, and the city militias, for an attempted night attack on the Norman encampment.

The original Heroes map, printed out from my pdf copy of the rules.

 
Saczow  15000

Zagreb  20090 Capital

Istria   5000

Mozyr 5000

Zada 5000

Kastav   1000

Zadar 5000

Random events, per turn

1. Political - sub table
2. Religious
3. Dynastic
4. Famine or feast
5. Trade or piracy
6. A new foe

Political

1. Byzantium interference
2. Triente intervenes
3. The Empire's game
4. Voivodes revolt
5. The Magyar appear
6. A Bulgari summer
7. The Frankish enemy

Religious

1. A Diet
2. Bishop interferes
3. Denounced
4. Blessed
5. A Heretical Preacher
6. A man of Godde joins you 

Dynastic

A Byzantine Prince

Son of the Doge

New Local city Lord

Heiress

Prince of the Empire

Second son of the Voivovde

Famine or feast

Trade or Piracy

A new foe

1. A new warband - dice
2. Raiders - dice
3. A charismatic Captain
4. A small fleet lands
5. Rebel within the Warband
6. A Lombard Duke or  Bulgar, Serv, Croatia or Slav Chieftain

My master plan for 20mm Normans in the South was to use a mixture of metal figures and the HaT 1/72 El Cid range.  The plastics keep the price of the project low, but they are nice figures and versatile in terms of representing generic 11th Century warriors.

20mm Forces in Cyprus
2 groups of 6 Elite Cavalry, Norman Knights (6 more to add) Tumbling Dice Miniatures.
12 Light Horse, Mainly Italeri and HaT Andalusian

12 Goth/Lombard Horse, Newline Designs. Using these for Slavs too.
12 Heavy Spear Tumbling Dice metals
12 Medium Spear HaT El Cid Spanish
12 Archers HaT as above
24 Goth or Lombard Spear from Newline
12 plastic Archers

6 Byzantine Cavalry Newline Late Romans

6 Light Byz Cavalry Newline Late Romans
12 Byzantine Varangians, Tumbling Dice Saxon Hussars.  Using these for Swabians too until I get a better answer 

96 mixed plastic "Spanish" HaT El Cid foot as unit builders

12 Arabic Cavalry
96 plastic HaT El Cid Andalusian Foot for unit building.

12 HaT Mounted Huns, a group of Heavy a group of horse archers to use as my Bulgars, possibly Slavs too 

Based singly, but I going to go to 3/2/1 basing.  I need a lot of singles for Pillage Games though.

Terrain already made
Norman Tower and Motte

Palisades
City gates

Dark Age buildings 

Terrain to do
Olive grove
Wagons
Slav Ring fort palisade gateway

The ship templates for a Dromon, Galley and dhow

Army Lists 24 points 

Army lists will use "character figure" rules, minor sacred standards, Holy characters.

Lombard City Force
• 3 Heavy Cavalry @ 12 points (+Leader)
• 1 Heavy Infantry Spearmen (the Popollo) @ 5 points mixed foot and crossbow.
• 1 Heavy Infantry @4 points
• 1 Lower Class Spearmen (the Commune) @ 3 points
Galleon

Byzantine Thema force
• 2 Heavy Cavalry with Bows* (+Leader)@ 10 points
• 2 Skoutatoi Heavy Spearmen @ 8 point
• 1 Light Cavalry bow @3
• 1 skirmishers Peltastoi @ 2 points
• 1 Sacred Standard @ 1 point
Dromond

Frankish (Ottonians)
• 2 Heavy Cavalry * @ 12 points * If Swabians use dismounted knights with two handed swords or axes.
• 1 Lower Class Spearmen @ 3 points
• 1 Skirmishers @ 2 points
• 1 Ottonian character figure.

Slavs, Croats, Servs
• 1 Heavy Cavalry @ 4 points
• 4 Light Spearmen @ 12 points
• 1 Archers @ 4 points
• 2 Skirmisher archers @ 4 points
Ringfort gateway

Bulgars
• 1 Elite Cavalry + bow (+Leader) @ 8 points
• 1 Heavy Cavalry @4
• 2 Light Cavalry bow @6
• 1 Archers @ 4 points
• 1 Skirmishers @ 2 points
Ringfort gateway

Norman Mercenaries
• Drilled trait @1 and Feigned flight @1
• Mounted character figure @1
• 3 Elite Cavalry @ 18 points (+Leader)
• 1 Light archers @ 3 points
Walked hill town or palisaded bandit camp

Arab Pirate fleet

1 Heavy Cavalry @4 (+Leader)
• 3 Spearmen @ 12 points
• 2 Archers @ 8 points
Dhows

 
Scenarios (the hooks)
The scenarios are listed and drawn randomly, being removed once played.  That makes them a narrative of my Norman's attempted Conquest of the Dalmatian Coast. 

Ambush on the forest road
The crossroads battle
The richest monastery
The charcoal burner's huts
Raiders and traders
The enemy fleet
The rival merchants
A plague on both your houses
The Merchant of Venetiza
Two gentlemen of Roma

The Devil's Family :The Bellême brothers
Hawking and hunting with my Lord the Bishop
A turbulent priest

Saracen pirates
Revolting peasants
The great Bulgar slave raid
Crossing the Sava river
The Sacred Item racket
A war band of Swabians
The Great Byzantine Bribe
Bandits in the forest
The Lombard Princess
Wreck of the Pantocrator's Fist
Band of pilgrims
The Pope's hostage
Bishop versus Duke
The Slav Warlord/Voivode and the ring fort
An exile of Saxony
Monasteries
Castle attack
Pillage the Village
Ship battle, the floating harbour
Fight in the Olive groves
The Ambush in the city streets.

Battle, the Vengeful Catepan

Battle, the Martial Pope 

Defeating a campaign earns reputation points and a d6 loot roll

Bonus Awards. 

Defeating some scenarios gives the characters certain bonus awards.  I'll treat these as random, granted on a 6 loot roll.

1.  The Warband leader falls ill for a month

2.  A minor character in the Warband is appointed as a Centenar

3.  A Master Archer is identified among your shooters 

4.  The enemy camp has a buried horde of silver. D6

5.  A hostage is taken

6.  The bonus d6

1. Marry a Lombard or Slav Princess/ heiress for a title.
2. Nearby town surrenders, gain title as count of ...
3. An Alexandrian Scholar/ doctore joins the retinue for +1 
4. "The Devils own luck," reroll one dice per turn cost @1
5. Goddes Warrior +1 courage @1
6. The benefits of family - Add a second character.

Names

EMPIRE

Domenico, Vitale, Ordelaffo, Sebastiano, Orie, Peter, Orso, Otto, Herman, Armulf, Grimoald, Conradin, Henry, Priedrik, Louis, Robert, Carl, Garloman, Roland, Renault , Therauld, Theodohat, Zwentibold, Theodoric ,

Adelchis, Thevdigisel, Chindaswinth, Albion, Wamba, Fulk, Droggo, Ebbo, Wala, Amalswintha, Sisnand.

TYRANTIA

Constantine, Alexius, The odosius, Justinian, Valentinian, Michael, Nicopherious,

Phillipicus, Anastasius, Lee, Stauracius , Androcius, Isaac, Romanus, John, Basil, Zeno

MAGYARY

Stephen, Janos, Rostislav, Bela, Ladislas, Louis, Botond, Bulcscu, Arpad, Termacs,, Gyula, Geza, Andrew, Saloman, Almos, Denes, Kalovan, Sigismund, Ulaszlo.

ASGARD

Guthräm, Eric, Einar, Ragnar, Harold, Thorgils, Swein, Cnut, Snorri,

TRANSLAVONIA

Krum, Isperich, Trevel, Sevar, Kormisos, Vinech, Telec, Sabin, Umar, Toktu, Pagan,, Teleric, Malamyr, Sabin, Asen, Kalojan, Ivajlo, Koloman, Symeon, Smilec, Ormotag.

ISPANIA

Manuel, Miguel, Peter, Carlos, Alfonso, Adielie.

RUSSLAND

Vlad, Borris, Igor, Ivan, Alexander, Vladimir , Matislav, Yaroslav, Vagrad, Vaxtang, 0leg, Petes, Svjateslav.

HERZLAVAKIA

Ottokar, Stephan, Nemanja, Ures, Mututin, Dragutin, Vladislav , Jakov, Svetoslav, Sisman, Vukasin, Hrelja, Dragas, Uggljesa, Dejanovic, Lazar,; Balsic, Hvroje, Ostoja, Hrvatinic, Herceg.

POLDAVIA

Bolesslav, Roman, Stanislaws, Jagielto, Tadeusz, Jerzy, Jozet, Kazimeirz, Janusz, Adam, Mieczyslaw, Marian, Andrzej, Witold.

ANGONIA

Aelfrith, Aethelred, Aelfred, Penda, 0swy, Oswald, Edmund, Rae đwald, Worr, Hengist,

Caelwin, Theobald, Eorpwald, Siward, Hereward, Angelthe ow , Stuff, Bearwold, Cr orlwulf,

Eadwig, Peuthwine, Scromail, Spearhafoc, Yffe.

Orwan, Feargus, Cadwallon, Dai, Gryffyd, Malcolm, Coran, Dermot, Donal, Cydog, Rhys,

Coinmail, Dubhslain, Idwal, Maelslaihta, Rhidwallon, Liam.

igan (Order 45540625)

ORENTIA

Khalid, Mohamme d, Abâul, Walid, Maslama, Omar, Othman, Yezid, Tbrahim, Merwan,

Haroun, Muavia, Abde Ime lik, Soliman, Hisham, Masud, Kayqubad, Mustarshid, Quahir.

Pillaging Normanns

 New set of rules, Pillage, based largely on the Middle earth battle game.  Worth a go I thought.

New rules.  Dark age skirmish with a focus on... Well... Pillaging. Man to man fighting and pig stealing.  It even includes some naval rules.

The Norman raiders, under the Earl.  All mounted at the moment.

And the village defenders, under the Bishop.  Mainly footmen.

The Bishop and a shot of my whacky Gandalf the cat t shirt.

I dismount some of the Earls men.

So far this counts be a small Lion Rampant game.

The Bishops men form up and go forwards.

Some good loot here.  The Earl gets his bowmen into the trees.

Turn one and the bow have a great shot.

The Earl skirts the duckpond

It ran smoothly.  I didn't really need the rulebook out.

The Bishop leads a charge

And the shooting was brushed off.

Fight in the village.  Some nice Victrix figures in my collection.

The Bishops archers do actually kill an enemy.

And the Earl charges home.

The Bishop is apparently mighty.

And 50% losses reached by the Earl who turns tail.  The Bishop is victorious.

Nice game.  I liked the single combat nature, and twenty figures a side level.  Pillage is useful as a skirmish game for limited numbers like this. I don't have the Vikings or Saxons to make this 

Hairfoot Jousting - game one The Pipe Downs.

A beer and pretzels type game.  To be honest I just wanted to paint the miniatures but once done I thought I might as well try out the rules.

The Teams

The Crumblewick Jousters

Team Captain: Dildo Shaggins
Mount: sheep (soft)
Cookpot, rolling pin

Bingo Bumfoot
Mount : Dog (energetic)
Felt hat and broomstick

Ponto Puddles

Mount: Goose (Aggressive)

Stick.

The South Meadow Thistles

Team Captain: The Gaffer

The Gaffer, Mount: Turkey (bouncy)
Walking stick

Nobby Pailhat
Mount Pig ((Deliberate)

Rumpo Rumpfoot, Mount Giant Weasel helmet and fence post.

The Game

The thistles start with a charge into one of the fences, earning an endurance loss each.  The mounts are difficult to control.

Bingo runs a tilt at the target and avoids the swinging sand bag

Nobbys mount blunders into getting tilted by the Bingo

But Bingo loses a tilt to the Gaffer.

Ponto tilts the target dummy, but gets whacked by the sandbag

Rumpo delivers a fine triple tilt on Bingo and that's -4 endurance.  

Out of nowhere Ponto gets a good run on the Gaffer 7 Vs 4 and -3 endurance.  Crumblewick make a comeback.

Shaggins on his sheep collides with Bingo, but the sheep is "soft" so no endurance loss.

But both Crumblewick team members get hit by that damn clever weasel, Bingo is knocked off and retires.

Leaving Shaggins to face two Meadow Thistles.  He loses three more endurance, leaving him on one.  Game pretty much over.

The end as the Gaffer comes in full tilt and knocks the sheep over.  Job done.

A win for the South Meadow

Zulu game 3 the Mounted Infantry

Attack on Silhayo's Kraal January 1879

Game 3, the Mounted Infantry attack.

The Frontier Light horse have rounded the mountain and climbed a less steep slope to challenge the Zulu.  Meanwhile elements of the 24th and NNC have rallied and are moving up into support.

Four groups of eight Frontier Mounted Infantry arrive on the Zulu flank.

The straggling NNC and 24th Foot regroup to assist.
I swap the objective markers the run across the table.

Ok so after a game of "what's in the middle at Lidl" I bought a £3 doormat to provide the long grass.  No apologies but I got it onto the table and restarted the game.

In Blood and Steel an enemy on the opposite side of tall grass can't be shot at.  They are outside line of sight.  Within the grass they get soft cover.  The rocky ground is similar, but here it is at the foot of a slope so doesn't block line of sight.  It does however count as hard cover.  I'm counting "dead ground" as being outside line of sight, and unless at the edge can't be shot into or out of.

The British win the initiative edge.  They attempt to use shooting to weaken the Zulu.

And these frontier light horse are a mix of Boer and actual Frontier horse from Perry Miniatures.

The Zulu aggression shows as they charge from the rocks (with a -1" penalty for that movement in difficult ground). Six hits five casualties and two fatigue.

The Frontier Light horse hold on, but it's grim.

And the Zulu line comes forwards getting into charge range.

The Zulu get into contact with a rush from the rocks and it's four dead and two fatigue fails.

Perry miniatures vs Minifigs.

The NNC join the combat.  Strangely-Brown to the rescue.

But the Zulu charge another group in destroying the Mounted infantry group.

But on the summit the Zulu can't get close enough.

And the Regular Infantry are getting into firing position.

Shooting drives the Zulu back.

The Mounted Infantry shooting is excellent here.  Six hits.

Three Zulu down but no fatigue!

Shaka B gets the charge done.

The Zulu start falling back before the sustained rifle fire.

And van Trompe keeps the pressure on.

With the Regulars now firing the Zulu's game is pretty much done.

A last success as Shaka B routs Mounted Infantry group

The Zulu start to pull back over the mountain.

Even under all of that firing the Zulu get a substantial part of their force away.
Good game.

The History bit

Russell's mounted contingent had reached the heights with his force was split in two with the Natal Mounted Police and Natal Carbineers on the left and the other men on the right, out of sight of each other. The left unit came under fire from a party of 60 Zulus on rocky ground. They dismounted and advanced in skirmish order, returning fire. The Zulus were driven off by 10:00 am, with losses of between ten and eighteen dead and no British casualties.The right-hand party captured a number of Zulu horses but otherwise had an uneventful day, except for narrowly avoiding a friendly fire incident with a party of the NNC who had removed their distinguishing red headbands to avoid attack by the Zulus.