This covers the armies of the Anglo-Danes, from the Danish conquest to the Norman conquest. Anglo-Danish (Saxon) armies consisted of three main troop-types:
#1 A magnates personal hearth troops - huscarles, family and close theigns.
For a king and certain powerful earls this could be several hundred men.
#2 The 'mounted warband' - the above plus all local theigns and those
eqquipped as theigns by the 'five hide' system. These were armoured
horsemen equipped with spear, sword and shield though they normaly
dismounted to fight.
#3 The full fyrd - all the cheorls etc from the area. These men fought
in the 'shieldwall', in large call-ups they would be supported by
'lesser' men (primarily their own family, servants and slaves) firing
missiles over the shieldwall.
Men from each region stayed together and were commanded by their own
magnates. The hearth troops fought as a unit, protecting their leader.
--Notes based on Tom Adamson.
EITHER
0-2 Royal Division of
1 Royal Huscarl
1 Huscarl
2-3 Divisions of
1 Huscarls
1-2 Select Fyrd
0-2 Divisions of
0-1 Huscarls
1 Select Fyrd
1-2 Fyrd or Fyrd with archers
OR
2-4 Divisions of
1-2 Stiffened Fyrd
1-2 Fyrd or Fyrd with archers
Optional Units
0-2 Archers (n1)
0-1 Javelinmen
0-1 Normans (n2)
Note 1 Optional archer units are prohibited if any Fyrd with archers are employed.
Note 2 Normans cannot be used by Harold.
Fyrd units can be deployed in deep-line. If any Fyrd are deployed in deep-line, all must be.
Royal Huscarls
elite Hvy Shock- Initiative 6
Bases (points)
4 (xx)
Royal Huscarls are commanded either by the King, or one of his close relatives
Huscarls
Hvy Shieldsmen or audacious Hvy Shock- Initiative 6
Bases (points)
4 (xx)
6 (xx)
Both Royal Huscarls and Huscarls can be deployed as Irregular Heavy Cavalry instead. They fight as one initiative level lower than on foot. If they dismount to fight on foot during the battle, they may not remount.
Stiffened Fyrd
Hvy Shieldsmen- Initiative 6
Bases (points)
6 (xx)
8 (xx)
Stiffened Fyrd represent the shieldwalls at Hastings, with the front-rank(s) comprised of Huscarls.
Select Fyrd
Med Shieldsmen- Initiative 6
Bases (points)
6 (xx)
8 (xx)
Fyrd
Med Shieldsmen- Initiative 5
8 (xx)
Fyrd with Archers
1/2 Med Shieldsmen, 1/2 Lt Archers- Initiative 5
Bases (points)
6 (xx)
8 (xx)
Note- no more than 2 units of Fyrd with archers can be employed in an Anglo-Danish army.
Archers
Light Archers- Initiative 5
Bases (points)
4 (xx)
Archers cannot be used if Fyrd with archers are used
Javelinmen
Light Irregulars- Iniative 5
Bases (points)
4 (xx)
Normans
Audacious Light Chevaliers- Initiative 6
Bases (points)
2 (xx)