Alfred the Great - The Great Heathen Army 871 AD, March Turn Seven

If you have been following this thread of posts up to now, you might like to have a look back at the preceding ones as I have added "Mr Steve Blood-axe's" pagan Viking thoughts about his plans and preparations to the end of those previous postings and will add his comments from the other side of the hill as we go on from now.

Alfred the Great- The Great Heathen Army 871 AD - Introduction
Alfred the Great- The Great Heathen Army 871 AD - Turn One
Alfred the Great- The Great Heathen Army 871 AD - Turn Two
Alfred the Great- The Great Heathen Army 871 AD - Turn Three
Alfred the Great- The Great Heathen Army 871 AD - Turn Four
Alfred the Great- The Great Heathen Army 871 AD - Turns Five & Six

With the start of March, turn seven of our game, Aethelred calls out the shire-men and three Earls and fifteen warriors join the Earl and seven warriors of the garrison at Cippenhamm. I was hoping for seventeen warriors until I realised those pesky Vikings had sailed down the Temes and occupied Abbendum, top right on the map. The only way to stop that kind of thing is to occupy the key sites along the river from Lundene but I don't have enough men to spare from the main army.

King Aethelred then takes his army north towards the town ready to confront the Viking army if necessary. The Royal Estates form the bastions of Wessex and as well as acting as recruit depots form a key part of the defence allowing the main army to create forces to support it in a given area where they are needed.

With a Viking resupply due in the next turn I expect the army will fan out to occupy as many sites as the safely can to gather in the resupply points even though they currently hold ten points. King Bagsecg and his force will probably move to one of the villages nearer the Temes rather than invite attack from my army. He could move to Clere and be beyond my reach but that would separate him from King Halfden's force further north.

Saxon Comment - Post the Viking move.
Well the good news is that my expectation was proven correct and I am in my opponents mind. The bad news is that my expectation was correct and the Vikings are content to build their forces in anticipation of the arrival of  the Great Summer Army. I have a feeling it might be a difficult year!

Not much heard from our Viking friends, other than a comment made in some Norse gibberish from a straggler we picked up and roughly translated by my tame Viking Ealdorman, Uhtred along the lines of "run away and back to the boats". Oh I tell a lie, look what turned up in the Wessex post

Viking Commentary Turn 7

The Saxons end their move sitting directly below Chippenham , this position means that I will not be able to concentrate my army and attack them so I need to think of another idea.

The Viking Resupply is next so instead of staying around Chippenham as I planned, I will move back to the next highest collection of points available which is along the Thames.

Unfortunately given the terrain I cannot get everyone into nice little groups as the forces that were in Malemsbury are limited to how far they can reach due to woods etc so I do the best I can and strengthen this group up a bit just in case.

The reinforcements that sailed up river last turn to occupy Abbendun cross to the other side to occupy Dorchecestre instead for another two points and I push out a single warrior to grab another point at Sashes ?. A shiny new penny to anyone who can tell me what town this is supposed to be. (Warning. Promises involving shiny new pennies will not be honoured)

Next turn I will combine everyone into two groups and I will probably have to abandon the two little towns which is no problem. Hopefully the Saxons will predictably trundle up the road towards me and not go across country as this will mean me having to evacuate Abbendun as well before they score for re supply.