Viking 878 and the Invasion of Little Queensland Beach

View from the deck of Little Queensland Beach. Sea was rough, and sky overcast most of the visit.

I just returned from my annual vacation trip home to Nova Scotia, Canada's Ocean Playground. After spending time in the city with friends and family, and thanks to the generosity of a long time friend, I am able to spend the better part of a week in a cottage on the coast.

Mornings for me, was time spend assembling three boxes of Warlord Factory Persian Cavalry.

Four days were devoted to some form of gaming. The first was a Junta Game, held at the home of Marc and Krista on Wednesday afternoon. Seven player mayhem ensued. Last year's winner, moi, was forced to settle for 2nd place.

Junta - Paul- Krista - Louisa - Mike - Myself- Peter - Photo by Marc

Mike H, as the most corrupt player won. In his own words, "depositing ill gotten gains while stepping over the still warm bodies of his victims." Louisa, playing the game for the first time, got into the spirit of the game, by trying to take Mike out with four unsuccessful hits in three turns.

Thursday was turned over to two four player games of Viking 878. The first was an introductory game for Paul and Mike. Paul (Norsemen) and Mike (Berserkers) won the first game of the day with 11 points after peace was declared at the end of the fifth turn. I played the Housecarls and Anthony ran the Thegns.

For the 2nd game, Paul had to go home and prepare our dinner and was replaced by Ross Mac, who was taking a course at a nearby museum, and would stay a couple of nights.

"It takes a pillage to raze a church"

We used a couple of the available expansions, including churches, and Viking Settlements for the our second go. Mike (Berserkers) came up with bad pun of the evening with the quip, "It takes a pillage to raze a church".  We were able to raze most of the churches. I believed only two were left standing, just beyond reach. The Viking Players would have won by destroying all 14.

Ross (Thegns) and Anthony (Housecarls) had the third and final moves in the fifth turn and the English nobles and lords were able to clear out our incursion with little danger to themselves. Once again peace was enforced by the Treaty of Wedmore. The winners of this game were determined by the order of play. With the treaty in play, the side that went last would have been able to gather enough shires to obtain victory. In this case the English held on to fourteen. Nine is the magic number.

Overall a fun evening. Catherine and Paul prepared a feast for us all and we wondered up the road to their place for dinner before finishing the game.