Back to work this week so progress has slowed down.but I have still managed to make quite a bit of progress with my Stamford Bridge scenario. I now have the map just about as I want it prior to playtesting and have also finished the draft orders of battle for both sides.

Setting these up using my new MS Word template certainly makes things a lot easier and quicker. Here is a link to the draft order of battle file with scenario notes,glossary and sources still to be added in.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/54384751/Stamford%20Bridge%201066%20AD%20Draft%20Scenario%20Design%20Notes%20OOB%20%26%20Sources.zip

As you will see my scenario for the battle steps right into the middle of the ongoing Anglo-Saxon cavalry debate. (did they or didn’t they fight on horseback)  In this refight of the battle I have drawn heavily on the work of the American medieval military historian Kelly DeVries, specifically his 1999 work “The Norwegian Invasion of England in 1066” published by Boydell Press, ISBN 1-84383-027-2. In this book drawing heavily on Saga and other sources he makes the case for Harold  fielding a substantial cavalry force at Stamford Bridge and using it to mount a series of attacks on the Viking Shield Wall.

Other sources I am using for my scenario include “1066: The Battles of York, Stamford Bridge and Hastings”  by  Peter Marren, Pen & Sword Books Ltd (6 Jun 2002) and an 11th century map of Norway found at

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=mideavel%20norwegian%20maps&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHistory_of_Norway&ei=jttAT8W8Jo748QPL-dmDCA&usg=AFQjCNH9zyd5rF4nyIVjAlpo9OVw6x2R6w

for the provincial unit titles of the Leidang Bondi contingents making up King Harald Hardrada’s Norwegian army.

 
My Tours 732 AD scenario is now ready for playtesting. Also inside  the scenario folder is the new style “Notes, OOB & Sources” file which is set up in landscape format for easy viewing and reference purposes.

This is the first scenario in which I have tried out the use of an off map movement track to give the Franks (but not the Arabs) the option of making a flank march on their left flank to attack the Arab camp, The scenario can be downloaded here.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/54384751/Tours%20732%20AD%20IDL.zip

Enjoy the scenario. I would be grateful for any comments feedback or AAR’s you might wish to make particularly on the “flank march” simulation method I have used and the way that I have used a MS Word file to provide extra scenario information. You can comment either using the reply facility here or in the Slitherine run “Field Of Glory Digital” forum. I have also expanded the book review section of this website to include the works used to make this scenario and done the same for the glossary section.

 
Just a short blog today. I have finalised my scenario for the battle of Las Navas De Tolosa 1212 AD and posted it on the mediaeval scenario downloads page.

 I have also revised and expanded the book review section in the resource centre. This is now broken down into 6 sub pages including a new one devoted to early history up to 559 BC. When I start to do scenarios for this period I will also create a separate downloads section for these also.

 I was away for most of the week which is why my book selling link was switched off, its up and running again now.  I have annual leave in the coming week so should be able to get a good chunk of work in on by battle of Tours  732 AD scenario a first draft of which I hope to have up and running for playtest by Monday 13th February.