Viking raiders, led by Ivar Erisksen, have been spotted moving towards Eastham and the nearby abbey of St Wulfstan - the local fyrd has been summoned and Thegn Rodor and his best men are on their way to join them ...
---oXo---
As the locals make for the safety of Eastham, two mounted scouts try to get some idea of the number of Viking raiders and ride off swiftly to inform Thegn Rodor...
The settlement at Eastham .....
The Vikings are on the move .....
Some local fyrd arrive near Eastham ....
Another group of the local fyrd arrive on the other side of Eastham, as the locals from the nearby farms reach safety
The local fyrd form up in front of Eastham as Thegn Rodor arrives with more men ...
Thegn Rodor reinforces his right flank with some archers and armoured men, keeping the rest of the men he bought with him as a small reserve. A group of armed locals take position behind the left flank....
The Vikings charge the Saxon shield wall ...
some vikings attempt to turn the flank ....
but are met by the armed locals who keep them back ...
The Vikings are getting the best of the Saxons ....
The Saxons fight back holding off the Vikings and thinning them out in places ....
as a gap forms in the Viking battle line, some of the Saxons come to support the locals on the left flank while others with support from Thegn Rodor's reserve attack the Vikings in the centre ....
The Vikings have had enough and disengage, falling back
they are soon in full retreat .....
A victory for the Saxons - the settlement of Eastham is safe and the Vikings are beaten
