Blood Red Eagle - The Sons of Lodbrok Invasion of Northumbrialand (Mini AAR)

[Zeion]

Blood Red Eagle

The Sons of Lodbrok Invasion of Northumbrialand
A short After Action Report based on Total War: Attila and Crusader Kings 2



Table of Contents

Prologue
Chapter 1: Sigrdrífumál, Victory-Bringer
Teaser Trailer Chapter 2 (Video)
Chapter 2: Of Gods and War
Chapter 3: A Broken Crown
Epilogue

[Zeion]

Blood Red Eagle - The Sons of Lodbrok Invasion of Northumbrialand



Prologue

This is the story of my lord, Halfdan, son of Ragnarr, called the Whiteshirt, or Hvitserk, of his own House, first king of Jórvik and commander of the Great Danish Army. How Halfdan set out to avenge his father, who had died by the petty hands of King Ælla of Northumbrialand, son of Oswulf of House Northumbria.

I am Hæsteinn, þegn of Richmond, Steward and Lawspeaker of Jórvik, and commander in my lord's army. With strong arm and sharp blade, we began our journey of war. On we went, to conquest, to obtain rule of the land and to grant us revenge. More than ten thousand men and three thousand more were gathered in our army. Six thousand berserkers alone, heavy men that we called to match their rage in battle, had followed Halfdan's call from our lands of home in Jylland, Sjelland and Rogaland. They came for fame, some for a glorious death, most for loot. What they all found was blood.

But first must be told the story of the death of Ragnarr, our great father, executed by Ælla in the dungeon of Durham. It was said he died by the venomous bite of snakes, those who we call Adders, in the year 866 of the christian god. Until the end, it is told, was great Ragnarr singing his death-song, greeting the old gods as his brethren in battle. As he lay among the deadly snakes, it is said he uttered:

"The little pigs would grunt now if they knew how it fares with the old boar."

His sons who received the message, as it is told by the skalds, boiled in rage and fury. There was Bjorn, called Ironside, who gripped his spear so hard that the print of his fingers remained marked upon it. Sigurd, called Snake-eye, continued to trim his nails until the knife was peeling the skin off his bones. Ivar, called Boneless, is said to have become red, blue, and pale in turns, until his skin was swollen in anger. And then there was Halfdan Whiteskirt, my lord, who was playing chess, and who then clenched his fingers upon a pawn so tightly that blood started to pour from under his nails.


King Ælla of Northumbrialand watches as Adders are thrown onto Ragnarr, 866 AD.
© Mark Taylor

And so we seeked out to bring revenge to come upon Ælla of Northumbria, by the hands of the sons of Ragnarr. It was a year later, the year 867 of their god, that the war started. The invasion of Northumbrialand, the war of the Blood Red Eagle. A war for revenge, a war to rule the land that we call Englaland.

Before I tell you about the war, let me first tell you about my king Halfdan, and how great a fighter he was: Once came two young men up to him, both strong and tall, how it is good for us norsemen, but who had not seen any true battle. One was wielding a fine axe, made home in Jylland, the other a sword found in Umbrialand: Short and stout, but sharp and fast. The young men said: "Lord Halfdan," because back then, Halfdan had not yet been king of Jórvik, "let it be our honor to combat you and test our mettle. Fight me first, then my brother, for he is younger and I am the firstborn. Then tell us who is the strongest!"

I was there myself, when Halfdan Whiteshirt grinned, and then spoke with his loud and deep voice. "You little foales. Why do you think yourself worthy enough for me to even pick up my sword to test your mettle?" The two young pups faltered. "But worry not, for it is your lucky day. I will fight you both, but I will not spare your lives. For only strength, not sassiness, shall prevail within my halls." A whisper went through the hall which was Halfdan's longhouse.

Then Halfdan picked up his weapon, his blade Forseti, and fought both brothers, not after one another, but at the same time. The members of the hall, Halfdan's hirdmen, beheld his strength and fury. He struck down both brothers and then said: "And this is why you must know your place, and strife not for glory that is not meant to be yours."


Halfdan Whiteshirt with his sword Forseti, 867 AD.

This was Halfdan, my lord and king. He was cruel when cruelty was required, and in those times, in was required often. Halfdan used his wroth like a spear to thrust into his enemies. And when the mead was flowing, in the evenings at the longhouse, his wroth was guiding us towards our revenge on king Ælla of the Saxons.

I, Hæsteinn of Richmond, was a good fighter myself, the gods bore witness many times. Not as strong as Whiteshirt, this is true, but I slew five foes in a skirmish once, two of which where almost the size of Halfdan himself. In the war of the Red Blood Eagle, I had the honor to lead our right flank and fight with my berserker brethren. Men hungry as wolves, strong as bears and sharp as the hawk.


Hæsteinn with his berserkers, preparing for battle, 867 AD.

With the first warm days, early in the year 867 AD of their nailed god, after a cold winter, we marched north. North towards our enemy, towards Ælla and towards our revenge for Ragnarr Lodbrok. With us were not only the ten thousand and three thousand men of Halfdan, but also his brother, Ivar, who had brought seven thousand warriors from his realm. By our gods and their wisdom, our seers, the Gothi, determined the form of vengeance prescribed for Ælla, which we would make sure he received: The flesh and the ribs of Ælla were meant to be cut and sawn out in an aquiline pattern, and then one of Ragnarr's sons, who were Whiteshirt, Snake-eye, Ironhide, and Boneless, would need to tear out the palpitating lungs of our enemy, while the blood is still warm and the heart is beating. This was the doom determined for him, and we were its bearer.


In January 867 AD, more than twenty thousand norsemen were holding camp in Jórvik, preparing for war in the north.

We left Jórvik and knew we would not come back without king Ælla dead and lord Ragnarr avenged, or perhaps we would enter the halls of Valhalla while seeking revenge but without obtaining it. Nonetheless, we would arrive at our eternal destination, which are the halls of Valhalla, with the table of the gods, and the valkyrja, and where the mead streams endlessly.

[Zeion]

Hello everyone,

this is a new AAR of mine, one with a much smaller scope than my other (and of course still ongoing) one. I had thought about the idea of combining multiple games to tell a story for quite a while now. So here we go, a combined CK2+Attila AAR, where the story will be primarily driven by the events of the CK2 campaign, supported by images from TW:Attila battles. The story of this AAR will cover the war against Northumbria and its allies, and it will be interesting to see who will emerge victorious from this conflict, and whether or not Halfdan and his brothers will have their revenge, and whether or not the norse will be able to maintain their stronghold in England.

I hope you enjoy this and please feel free to comment!

Cheers,
Z

[seleucid empire]

Great Start. Im really looking forward to where this is going. Especially since Vikings Season 4 is coming out soon which will probably cover the same events as this AAR

[Alwyn]

I agree with seleucid empire, this is a fascinating period in history and I am looking forward to Zeion's tale about it. (I enjoyed a recent TV adaptation of Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom which is also about this period). I like the authentic details, such as the use of nicknames like Snake-eye; titles such as Stewart and Lawspeaker contribute very well to the historical atmosphere.

[Merchant of Venice]

Oh CK2, how I love you!

Love the choice of faction and the mix of Attila and CK2. Also, what are better than Vikings? I too love the TV show and this looks in the same vain.

Love the artwork as well, especially the CK2 piece.

[seleucid empire]

I agree with seleucid empire, this is a fascinating period in history and I am looking forward to Zeion's tale about it. (I enjoyed a recent TV adaptation of Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom which is also about this period). I like the authentic details, such as the use of nicknames like Snake-eye; titles such as Stewart and Lawspeaker contribute very well to the historical atmosphere.

thanks for letting me know about this series. Im watching it right now.

Im curious to why in all these shows, the saxon army is always represented as a mob while the vikings had an organised shield wall. Im probably wrong, but weren't the saxons the ones who invented the shield wall, and used it in their invasion of britain?

[Alwyn]

Good question, seleucid empire! I imagine you're right, that the Saxons would have used a shield wall historically. Watching the Danes' shield wall in an early episode, I was reminded of a Roman testudo (because their shield wall includes shields over their heads as well as in front of them). Maybe European societies copied the Roman testudo and that led to the shield wall? I guess, in the TV series, the Saxons don't use an organised shield wall partly to provide a reason why the Danes tend to win and partly because it allows the Saxons to improve their military tactics during the series.

[seleucid empire]

Watching the Danes' shield wall in an early episode, I was reminded of a Roman testudo (because their shield wall includes shields over their heads as well as in front of them). Maybe European societies copied the Roman testudo and that led to the shield wall? I guess, in the TV series, the Saxons don't use an organised shield wall partly to provide a reason why the Danes tend to win and partly because it allows the Saxons to improve their military tactics during the series.

I also got the feeling too when I watched that scene. I thought that shield wall they had was too perfect for anyone. I dont think even the Romans would have been able to make it look so symmetrical.

I think you might be right. They probably did it to make the saxons look weaker.

Id imagine the real reason the vikings had an advantage was not because the saxons didnt use a shield wall but because the Vikings were just so much more ferocious with their pagan religion. They would have a reputation aswell which would have decreased the morale of the Saxons.

Also, they had their long ships and were able to do a lot of quick raids, weakening the English Kingdoms for years before they ever had a large scale battle.

[Zeion]

I have only watched one episode of Last Kingdom, but I think the scene you are referring to is actually in that episode. To my knowledge (I'm by no means a norse expert though), the scene is def. a bit exaggerated. The shield wall was by no means a viking speciality, at least not to the extent of how it is displayed in Cornwell's books or the TV show. To my understanding, there was actually little difference in fighting styles between Danes and Saxons (except perhaps in terms of cavalry, as the Saxons had better access to horses - a fact that was later mitigated by some peace treaties).

The Danes' success was mostly based on their very efficient raiding tactics and, potentially, better trained fighters. It is quite probable that the English kingdoms only had badly trained military, especially when compared to the earlier Romans. The Battle of Ashdown is one of the better documented battles and apparently only about a thousand soldiers fought on each side. Still it was one of the major battles of the war between Danes and Saxons. That gives a clear picture, I think. (Please forget what I just said when enjoying my AAR, however ).

It is also notable that despite the terror they inflicted on the English kingdoms, the so-called Vikings of that time had little substantial success in terms of establishing lasting kingdoms, except the ~50 year existance of the Danelaw.

Sources are scarce, however, especially un-biased ones. So we might have to use our own imagination and judgement... and with that in mind, let us see what perspective on history this AAR will deliver.

[McScottish]

Truly there was very little difference between the various English kingdoms and the Norsemen, even what you would expect - a more bloodthirsty religion, more militant citizen-soldiers, and the like - made not that much difference overall. Tactics, modes of warfare (minus horsemen), armour and the like were all near-identical.

As for the Saxons being worse warriors, not so; the fact that each kingdom was seperate, with their own rulers etc, was a big problem for the future 'English' when the Vikings came.

Oh, and a common misconception is that the Fyrd was a rabble of half-time and inferior soldiers, this is also not so.

Here's an interesting article on what could be expected in the Alfredian period/the ninth century here.

I'd recommend taking a look at other articles on that website, Regia is well know for being a thoroughly researched and pretty darn good re-enactment group.

As for the AAR...I look forward to more.

[baozi]

A CK2 and total war AAR?
This is amazing

[Zeion]

Blood Red Eagle - The Sons of Lodbrok Invasion of Northumbrialand



Chapter 1: Sigrdrífumál, Victory-Bringer

The Great Danish Army left Jórvik early in the year, packed with shield and sword, the men were beginning their march. Eager for battle we were, eager for bloodshed, and hungry like wolves. We were following Ivar, the Boneless, Halfdan's brother, who had set off towards the north some days earlier. He had taken his men, six thousand norsemen, most of them light and fast skirmishers, to make sure we would find king Ælla's men on the field of battle.

How Halfdan inspired the men to march

The men rejoiced by the thought of battle, and Halfdan led them onward. He marched right next to us, and carried the same weight as all of us, and probably even more. Whenever his eyes met the wavering expression of cowardice in his men's faces, he would speak and rally their spirits. "Do not think the gates of Valhalla will be open for men lamenting about the hardships of march and combat, of sweat and blood. Be brave, and be strong, my warriors. And Odin will be with you!"

I remember well one morning, after we had left our camp in the lands of Durham. I was marching next to my king who is Halfdan, amongst his sons and hirdmen. His son Ragnarr was moaning and wailing about the shortage of food and wine, about the absence of woman and shelter. Then Halfdan Whiteshirt did not tarry but instead punched his son so hard that Ragnarr, a heavy man of his father's size, fell over in Durham's mud. No man spoke, no man stepped in. It was silence amongst Halfdan's companions.

Then my king said. "You of all my men, Ragnarr my son, of all my men you should be among the bravest, eager to renounce the pleasanties of life off the viking. Of all men you should be among the strongest, rejoicing the ways of war and combat." Then he grabbed his son and with unworldly strength, he lifted him up on his feet. "Now go, and find some courage in your bones!"

Then we men knew that Halfdan's wroth was fair and just.

About Halfdan's sons

All of Whiteshirt's sons were with us. There was Sigfrid, his oldest, who was also the wisest and who was familiar with the ways of the gods. Even though he was only a young man still, he knew how to read the flight of the raven and the bowels of the rabbit. He was also a handsome lad, a "pretty boy" as some men liked to put it. Most men still respected him, some for his kindness, but most for his sense of justice. The same could not be said about his brother, Gudfrid, the king's second oldest. Gudfrid's tongue was like a snake's, and his mind was sharp as a blade. Where the men liked and respected Sigfrid, the oldest, they feared and dreaded Gudfrid.


Halfdan Whiteshirt and his three sons.

And then there was Ragnarr, the youngest, who had been vituperated by his father in front of his companions. Ragnarr did not share Sigfrid's kindness, nor Gudfrid's deviousness, and he had inherited neither his father's wisdom, nor his strength, but only his cruelty. But who knows a norseman's fate on this world, before he enters he eternal halls. Perhaps there would be a great path ahead of Ragnarr the youngest? I did not know back then.

The Story of how I killed the boar

About myself, there is not much to tell during the march, except perhaps how I killed the boar. I was on watch one night, with Sigfrid who was Halfdan's son. We scoured the woods, our eyes and ears always open. Sigfrid thought we had found a Saxon spy, a scout of our enemy. But what we found was an angry boar, protecting its piglets.


Hæsteinn, Steward of Jórvik, and member of Whiteshirt's council.

It was too late to draw my blade, and the wild boar was already stampeding towards us. I rejoiced the honest fight, and I grabbed the boar by its throat and killed it with my bare hands. And so I proved my strength to the gods, while Sigfrid held true witness. "A great sign my friend," Sigfrid said and congratulated me for the kill. It would not be my last on this campaign.

How we met the army of Ælfwald of Westmorland

We norsemen are like wolves, they say, hunting their prey, encircling it, weakening it, and eventually killing it with a decisive blow. Like hungry wolves we assaulted our enemy, with red mist in our eyes, fueled by the hunger for vengeance, by the hunger for a glorious death. We longed for battle, and at the end of the first month of the year 867 of the Saxon's nailed god, we finally found it. Ivar the Boneless had met our foe near a Saxon city, near the city they call Newcastle. Scouts reported the skirmish had begun already, so we rushed onwards as quickly as we could.


Ivar the Boneless engaged the enemy from Northumbria near Newcastle
on the 27th of January, 867. Halfdan and his men were in pursuit
and were hoping to join the battle soon.

Poor lads of Northumbrialand! Ivar put them on the top of his spears, and held the line behind his shield wall, when my king's forces finally arrived. Halfdan, being the fierce warrior he was, led our men in the center. His men, supported by the Berserkers of Jylland, charged into the enemy.


Hæsteinn slays a Saxon during the Battle of Newcastle, 867 AD.

I led my men into the right flank of the enemy, and in the rage of the berserker, we slew many a foe. It was a bloody skirmish and I almost felt pity with the Saxons, who were outnumbered, desperately trying to make their stand. On my flank, we put a quick end to our enemies, but in the end, it was at the center, where the skirmish was decided prematurely.

How Ubbe cought Ælfwald

In the center, where both leaders clashed their battle lines, Ubbe saw Earl Ælfwald of Westmorland, of the House of Hayles, Marshall of king Ælla. Ælfwald fought like a man, giving us a pleasant battle, how we norsemen like it.


Ubbe, one of king Halfdan's companions, fighting.

Ubbe, a strong warrior of Halfdan's size and who was always fighting alongside Whiteshirt, fought his way through the Saxon ranks, and finally crossed blades with the Marshall himself. The other men later told us that Ubbe killed three Saxon fighters before he reached the Marshall, and that their duel was so fierce that the men around them stopped fighting. It is said Ubbe broke the shield of Ælfwald's and then decided to wrestle him down with his bare hands.

The battle is decided

When the Saxons saw that Ælfwald was captured, they lost all little amount of bravery they had been able to muster within themselves. They started to run, some started to beg. Others fought until the bitter end, which was coming to all of them. Halfdan, cruel in his wroth, commanded us to let no one alive.


When their Marshall was captured by the norse warrior Ubbe, the Northumbrias were deprived of their will to fight.
Cornered between the forces of Ivar and Halfdan, they all found their demise.

Trapped between the Ivar's skirmishers and my king's main force, there was no retreat to be found for the poor lads of the Saxonland. By sword, or axe, or spear, they all found their death on the field of battle that day. Only Ælfwald we left alive. After the battle, Halfdan called for Leif, a battle-hardened veteran of his companions. "Leif, take four more men," king Halfdan said, "and bring Ælfwald to Jórvik. Throw him into the deepest dungeon you can find. But keep him alive, you hear me. We might need him." And Leif did as his king commanded.

As we looted the corpses of our enemies, Halfdan came to me and said. "You fought well Hæsteinn," which made me feel proud. "And I hear you have slain more than a dozen Saxon lads today?". I must have grown a cubit, and I said. "I have, my lord." He looked at my sword, which was bloodied with the lifeblood of the men I had slain. "Does your blade have a name now, Hæsteinn?" Because it was a new blade and it had not been named until that day. I held my sword into the air and said. "I name it Sigrdrífumál, my lord, Victory-Bringer." Halfdan laughed and replied. "A good name, my bloodied friend. May the Saxons hear that name, and may king Ælla fear it's blow."


The Battle of Newcastle, 867 AD.

That was how the Battle of Newcastle ended, and no Saxon was left alive that day. It was not the time to celebrate our glory, but instead we marched on. It was only the beginning, and Halfdan grew restless with each day that passed.

The siege of Bamburgh begins

After the Battle of Newcastle, we found their stronghold of Bamburgh unprotected. Only a thousand men and a few more were protecting its gates and its walls, desperately hoping an army would come to relieve them. And this is how the siege of Bamburgh begun. But it was Ivar, the Boneless, who commanded the siege, not Halfdan. Because Halfdan had other plans, and he knew how to make us follow him.

About Halfdan's speech to go south

It was the night after the battle, when I sat with my lord around the fire. His sons were there, who were Sigfrid, and Gudfrid, and Ragnarr, and also Ubbe sat with us. We sat by the fire and were drinking, and also thinking and talking about the war that was still ahead of us. Then Whiteshirt stood up and started to speak.

"You know I come for king Ælla, that I came here to have my revenge, to perform the Red Blood Eagle, the ritual as it was prescribed by the Gothi." We all nodded and agreed. "But there is also another reason." He stood tall and strong and looked us into the eye with the gaze of the gods. With his full beard and his bushy eyebrows, he was looking down on us like a stern father looks down on his children. "This land. This land my friends, is destined to be ours. This was my father's dream, my father's work. It is this land we must claim. Even more so than we must bring death to king Ælla." We lifted our cups and slugged down our mead. "And this is why we must go south. King Ælla will be hiding in his castles, hiding from our armies. He will not run, he cannot run. But his allies we must defeat, his friends in Mercia, and Wessex. The lord Alfred and his armies of more Saxonmen from the south. This is where we must go to claim this land." We all agreed and lifted our cups again. "And once this land is ours, once a norse kingdom rules the lands of Englaland, then I will be the one mauling the body of poor king Ælla."

And this is how we began to march south.

[Lugotorix]

This is quite epic. My hometown is named originally after King Aella of Northumbria, so this is right up my alley, and I'm really digging the composite of CK2 with Attila screens. Perhaps you could mention the auspicious ormhir in Sigurd's eye. I have an article coming out in the Eagle standard about a mod in the this exact time frame. By the way, perhaps for ease of access, you could link Chronicles of Cimmeria in the Eras subforum, so I don't have to go into EBII looking for it.

[seleucid empire]

EDIT: I had both of your AARS open so I posted in the wrong one

[Alwyn]

An epic tale indeed. I wonder how young Ragnarr will respond to his public humiliation and his subsequent experiences - will he become a better man or a worse one?

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

This is very dramatic. I particularly like the style you're writing this in - it seems very appropriate for this story.

Like everyone else, I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.

[Merchant of Venice]

Can't heap much more praise on this than what everyone else has said. I like your screenshots (both CK2 and Attila) and agree with Caillagh in that I like the style you've chosen for it and the small extra things you add such as Ragnar being humiliated and the boar.

[Zeion]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. It is actually quite fun to write in this very peculiar style - even though it always clashes with my work on Cimmeria (totally different style and scope). It's actually really challenging to work on both projects at the same time, sort of. I have just released the first piece of Part 14 in my Cimmeria AAR and the second piece is basically done as well - so I will probably focus on this one now and get it done first.

Also, there is another nice surprise feature for Blood Red Eagle in the works. Stay tuned!
Cheers, Z

[Lugotorix]

Hilderic and Aella have a great deal in common! I hope a battle awaits.