Good King Wenceslaus I : A Christmas Adventure

For our last battle before Christmas I chose something with a festive theme. It is the year 934 AD Wenceslaus the Good (also known as Vaclav in his day) has headed out on Christmas Eve to distribute presents and gifts to the local population. Unbeknownst to him his brothers have hatched a plot to depose him. The main protagonist in this evil plot is his brother Boleshaw (Boleslav) who would go down in history as Boleshaw the Cruel !

Returning to his castle keep Wenceslaus and his retinue are ambushed by Boleshaw who has hired a ragtag force of bohemian tribesmen and mercenaries. Wenceslaus must get back to his keep avoiding any distractions on the way !

A view of the village of Stara with the Keep in the foreground

Boleslav, ambushing from the woods

Full of Christmas cheer some of Wenceslaus’ armoured infantry

The Duke himself Wenceslaus, the alarm has been raised and he sends his retinue in all directions

Mercenary tribesmen rush forward intent on mischief even though it is Christmas Eve !

Bohemian light cavalry harry the flanks

Boleslav the Cruel has hired a local lass to distract anybody coming through the village (we had some special rules for her where she would reduce leadership or cause units to be pinned)

The light cavalry have been sent to cut off the route to the Keep

Would you believe Wenceslaus has been waylaid in the village, his wife looking on from the keep doesn’t look very happy !

Boleslav charges in to kill the Duke’s bodyguard

He then gallops towards the Duke to minister the killing blow

But the rebels are too late to stop the first unit of heavy cavalry make it back to safety

and then a second unit makes it home......Wenceslaus is now making a dash for safety

In the end Boleslav earned a minor victory, killing one more unit than escaped, but Wenceslaus made it home safe, unfortunately meeting his wife under the Christmas tree she doesn’t seem to happy and has a few questions about why he is late home !

Also managed to finish off a couple more bits

Another unit of Austrian infantry 

Diminutive 10mm from Pendraken

And some Gondorian  knights who had languished half painted almost since the third age ! But now they are done

If you have made it this far thanks for taking the time to read. I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas, hopefully Santa will be kind and you get a few more figures. Roll on 2020 😀