Battle of Brunanburh 937AD:
In 937 AD the kingdom of Wessex defeated a large Celtic-Norse Alliance at The Battle of Brunanburh. The only account of the battle we have is an old Anglo Saxon poem. The poem is recorded in four manuscript copies of The Anglo Saxon Chronicle. It is not clear whether the poem was written specifically for the Chronicle or whether it was an independent piece that was incorporated into later manuscript copies of the Chronicle. Regardless, it survives as the sole entry for the year 937. The physical details of the battle at Brunanburh are scanty. History reveals the date (937 A.D.) and the names of the important leaders: Athelstan and his brother Edmund leading the Anglo-Saxon army; opposed by Constantine II, King of the Scots, Olaf Guthfrithson, Norse King of Dublin, and Owen I, King of Strathclyde.
In his preparation for battle Athelstan, King of England, hired Viking mercenaries to fight in his army. The fulfillment of their agreement with the king lead them into the thickest part of the battle. The similarity of weapons, equipment, and tactics between the two armies is not surprising as Vikings fought on both sides of the engagement. The tactics employed by both armies were also identical. The shield wall, being the ultimate test of kinship, was employed by the front ranks. With their shields overlapping to almost half their width, the grueling tug of war would go on for hours. The ability of the combatants to maintain this posture was greatly affected by the speed of advance, variation in terrain, and the amount of mead drunk before the battle. In essence it was a drunken Rugby match with axes swinging in the air. Archers were posted to the rear of the shield wall where they could contribute by shooting overhead. Thrown spears or javelins might be employed in the same manner. The battle is considered one of the bloodiest of the period. Five Saxon kings and seven Viking earls were killed in the battle. King Olaf Guthfrithson and his Norse contingent fled away in their boats, as well Constantine II, King of the Scots, and his son were left dead on the field of battle. The Saxon brothers had won a great victory for England.I’m interested in fighting Bruanaburh as a scenario battle. I’ll refer to the DBM army
lists to guide me in determining army compositions and size proximities. For the Celtic-Norse Alliance army I’ll use the Sub-Roman British list, book II list 81; for the Anglo-Saxon army I’ll use book III list 24.
