Vikings deployed in the NE corner, Anglo-Danes deployed in the NW and SE corners

Vikings advance through the village past the church

Anglo-Danish heavy infantry

Anglo-Danish heavy cavalry

Anglo-Danish veteran heavy infantry with leader

Warbands converge on the edge of the village

On Monday Craig came over and we played our first Lion Rampant Second Edition game, as we’d both received our copies in the mail last Friday. We played Scenario 9 The Relic (p.150), with my relic stealing Vikings the attackers, while Craig’s Anglo-Danes were the defenders. We played the optional Unit Flank and Rear and Shieldwall rules (pp.111-113). The Vikings deployed in the NE corner aiming to exit with the relic on the SW corner, while the Anglo-Danes, deployed in the NW and SE corners, had to prevent them and recover the relic.

While the basic rules haven’t changed from the first to the second edition, the content and period covered has been greatly expanded, the page count alone has increased from a sixty four page set with soft back cover to two hundred and eight pages with a hard back cover. There is a one and half page summary of the rule changes from the first edition in Appendix C (pp.200-201). The terms used to describe troop types has been broadened as was case with the earlier Lion Rampant supplements, Crusader States and A Viking in the Sun. The main additions are chapters on optional rules, campaigns and sample twenty four point warbands ranging from Late Romans (and Blemmye!) through to the War of the Roses. There is plenty to digest and enjoy here for both seasoned Lion Rampant veterans and newcomers to the rules, highly recommended!

In our game the warbands converged on the edge of the village. The Vikings had some early success with their berserkers and elite infantry but were worn down by combat and sling shot. A number of flank and rear attacks by the Anglo-Danes proved very effective with armour of the defending units reduced by one. Once the remaining Viking units were at half strength it was all down hill, the last Viking heavy infantry unit succumbed to a hail of sling shot and routed.

Anglo-Danes close with the relic stealing Vikings

Viking Berserkers and Anglo-Danish heavy cavalry retreat

The Vikings are worn down by combat and sling shot!

Remaining Viking units are at half strength

Will the Vikings escape with the relic?

Anglo-Danes recover the relic and the last Viking unit routs!