Viking Age Scandinavian AD 790 - AD 1100

Waelwulfas was the term sometimes used by the Saxons to describe their Viking opponents- translated as either Wolves of Slaughter or Slaughter Wolves

This list covers the armies of viking age Scandinavian nations.

Viking was most probably a term indicating a free-lance raider and pirate, and most Scandinavians of the period weren't really Vikings at all. A lot of those who actually were Vikings probably viewed it as a seasonal entrepreneurial occupation to supplement their 'day jobs' as farmers, fishermen, traders, etc.

An army from this list must be either a Viking Army or a Leidang Levy Army.

• Viking Army Viking armies are those Scandinavian armies intended for offensive operations and most often entirely ship-borne.

• Leidang Levy Army A Leidang Levy army is any army raised for home defence by a Scandinavian King of Denmark, Norway or Sweden.

Viking Army

An early Viking Army usually consisted of free-lancers ships' crews who have gathered together on some venture or other. Such early Viking armies had quite loose organisation and contingents could join the army and leave it again as fortunes and chieftains' whims changed.

Later, as Royal control strengthened during the period, the raiding and settling activities come under the control of Kings to some extent.

The Leidang (Leidang in Danish, Leding in Norwegian and Ledung in Swedish) was an organisation for raising ships and crews for both home defence and offensive overseas expeditions. Each province had an obligation to raise a certain number of ships when called on to do so by the King.

The King could call for a half-Leidang if an offensive expedition was intended. The resulting army was probably very similar to a free-lancer Viking army and is treated the same in game terms.

The full Leidang raised much larger, but less skilled forces and was used for home defence.

The Danish army that conquered England under King Knut in AD 1014 was most probably a Leidang army. Such armies could still be joined by free-lance bands.

Viking Armies covered by this list mainly operated in:

• Scandinavia, the islands of the North Sea, and the Baltic
• The Frankish Empire
• The British Isles
• Russia

Occasional Viking expeditions also attacked Spain, North Africa, Italy and the Caucasus. The exploration of, and settlement in, Greenland and New Foundland did not include any large-scale military activity.

Viking activity in Russia was absorbed into the Rus state by 850 AD. The only exception to this is the expedition of Ingvar Vittfarne ('the widely travelled') in 1042-1043 AD. Ingvar cannot have any allies except a Sea-King.

Leidang Levy Army

The full Leidang was a defensive levy of all able-bodied men to defend the home province. Such a levy could be effective, the Norwegian levy destroyed the army of King Olaf at the battle av Stiklestad.

Levy armies are only available in Scandinavia itself.

Army List

Terrain: Normal - Coastal

2-4 King's or Jarl's Division

1c Huscarls

1-3 Vikings

The C-in-C must command a King's or Jarl's Division. A Leidang Levy Army cannot use more than the minimum number of King's or Jarl's Divisions.

2-4 Levy Division (Only Levy Armies in Scandinavia)

1c Huscarls or Levy Bondi

2-3 Levy Bondi

Levy Divisions must be used by a Levy Army in Scandinavia.

0-2 Sea King's Ally Division

1c Ally Huskarls

1-3 Ally Vikings

The Sea King's Division depicts uninvited free-lancers joining a major Viking expedition or an independent minor ruler coming to aid an ally Leidang Levy host. A Levy army can not use more than one Sea King's Division.

0-1 Division of Allied Irish (Only Dublin Vikings)

1c General

1-2 Bonnachts

1 Kerns

The Irish allies represent those irish rulers who allied to the Vikings. Most warfare in Ireland during this period was waged between coalitions including both Viking and Irish rulers,

0-1 Tribal Slav or Finn Ally Division (Only Vikings in the Baltic)

1c Ally Chief and Retinue

1-3 Ally Tribal Warriors

0-1 Ally Tribal Archers

The Viking bands operating in Russia were not as numerous as those in the west and are treated as allies in the Tribal Slav and Rus lists. Vikings operating in the Baltic sometimes allied themselves with various Slav Chiefs.

Optional Units

0-1 Scouts

0-1 Archers

0-2 Dublin Irish (only in Ireland)

Optional units cannot be attached to any allied division

Units

Huscarls

• Either

Heavy Shieldsmen- Initiative 6 (Audacious, Deep Line)

4 Bases - 28 Pts, 24 Pts if Ally

6 Bases - 38 Pts, 32 Pts if Ally

• Or

Heavy Shock- Initiative 6 (Deep Line)

4 Bases - 36 Pts, 32 Pts if Ally

6 Bases - 48 Pts, 42 Pts if Ally

Comments:

Shock Huscarls are predominately armed with the Danish axe, a changeover that occurred in the late 10th/early 11th C)

Vikings

Medium Shieldsmen with Light Archer Detachment- Initiative 6 (Audacious)

6 Bases - 39 Pts, 33 Pts if Ally

8 Bases - 48 Pts, 42 Pts if Ally

Comments:

The Viking units represent the rank-and-file of raiding armies, as well as the more effective non-professional warriors of Levy armies.

Strictly speaking 'Viking' probably referred specifically to sea-borne pirates/raiders out for plunder on a fairly free-lance basis.

'Vikings' called to the standard by the regional assembly (ting) or in defence of their homes would not have considered themselves 'Vikings' at all. They would have considered themselves 'Bondi' or 'Karls' (honourable men of the free-holding farmer class with military obligations).

Scouts

Light or Medium Cavalry - Initiative 6

2 bases - 32 Pts

Levy Bondi (only in a Leidang Levy Army in Scandinavia)

Medium Shieldsmen - Initiative 5

6 Bases - 26 Pts, 32 Pts if with Light Archer Detachment

8 Bases - 32 Pts, 39 Pts if with Light Archer Detachment

May have Light Archer Detachment.

Comments:

The Levy Bondi represent less effetctive yeoman farmers levied for defense of their home province. They were less effective than the semi-professional warrior retinues, but could be raised in large numbers.

Archers

Light Archers - Initiative 6

4 Bases - 28 Pts

Irish Allied General's Retinue (Only in Ireland)

Medium Irregulars - Initiative 6 (Audacious)

4 bases - 16

6 bases - 20

Irish Allied Bonnachts or Dublin Irish (Only in Ireland)

Medium Irregulars - Initiative 6

4 bases - 16

6 bases - 20

8 bases - 24

Irish Allied Kerns (Only in Ireland)

Light Irregulars - Initiative 5

4 bases - 14

6 bases - 17

Ally Chief and Retinue

Medium Irregular Horse – Initiative 6 (Ally)

3 Bases – 33 Pts

4 Bases – 40 Pts

Comments:

The Ally Chief and Retinue represent the noble retinue of a Slav tribal chieftain allied to the Vikings.

Tribal Warriors

Medium Irregulars – Initiative 5 (Ally)

6 Bases – 17 Pts

8 Bases – 20 Pts

Comments:

Tribal Warriors represent the rank-and-file warriors of a Finn or Slav tribe allied to the Vikings.

Tribal Archers

Medium or Light Archers – Initiative 5 (Ally)

4 Bases – 20 Pts

Comments:

The Tribal Archers represent bow-armed Slav or Finn warriors of a tribe allied to the Vikings.

References

Battle of Maldon (Poem) - Saxon Version http://www.georgetown.edu/labyrinth/library/oe/texts/a9.html

Battle of Maldon (Poem) - Translation

http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/oe/maldon-trans.html

UK Battlefield Trust

http://www.battlefieldstrust.com/resource-centre/viking/battleview.asp?BattleFieldId=23