Saga last Saturday - Vikings vs. Anglo-Danes

Not Spencer's Anglo-Danes but Kyle's Anglo-Danes. We reserved a table at Guardian Games and played 2 games last Saturday, keeping us out of the 90+ degree weather.

First game was a 6 pointer (Clash of Warlords), my Vikings were:
Warlord
Hird x4
Hird x4
Warriror x12
Warrior x12
Levy x12

Kyle's Anglo-Danes were:
Warlord
Huscarls (axes) x4
Huscarls x8
Warrior x8
Warrior x8
Levy (slingers) x12

ADs went first and immediately sent slingers to a center cover point to take cover and proovide some screening while AD Huscarls and Warriors on the my left flank shifted to center. AD Warlord and his retinue stayed to anchor the right flank. 

Vikings moved enmasse. Old Men with Bows tried to take the center for cover but AD used an ability to cancel that move. V Warlord, Hirdmen, and Warriors did move forward but not very far.

My big viking strategy was to keep all units in a big "pod" around my Warlord so as to take advantage of a few abilities that drank up fatigue and to activate units with "we obey" as much as possible since the ADs have abilities to lay down fatigue at random and cancel activations. On a tactical level it was a great plan. On a strategic level? Not so much.

ADs countered and came up my left flank putting a Huscarl unit of 8 behind the fence. AD warlord and his retinue anchored in the trees.

I attacked the Huscarls behind the defensive fence with a warrior unit of 12 only to be decimated. The 2 survivors of that 12 Viking warrior unit retreated to the Levy that was consistently frozen by AD board abilities.

AD crept forward more but left a small hole I could get my Warlord and Hirdmen through to attack his Warlord and Warriors hiding in the trees. Alas, another AD ability and my own mistake left my Warlord alone deep behind enemy lines.

Viking Warlord is WAAAYYYY up there in the trees, all the rest of the Vikings are pretty much close to where they started.

There he is, all by his brave little self, up against the Anglo-Dane Warlord and his 8 warriors.

The Viking Warlord attacked the Anglo-Dane Warlord and lost with no damage but had to retreat to the fence. AD Warlord countered bringing his Warriors along and the game ended there.

The second game was a 4 pointer. Same scenario (Clash of Warlords).

Vikings:

Warlord

Val'Serkers x4

Hirdmen x4

Warrior x8

Warrior x8

Anglo-Danes:

Warlord

Huscarls x4

Huscarls x4

Warrior x8

Warrior x8

I thought to experiment a bit and "go defensive" with my Vikings on a hill and that ended in a slow slaughter for my Vikings.

Initial rush.

On the hill waiting for the Anglo-Danes.

The Anglo-Danes were just able to move in and pick the Vikings apart over 3 turns leaving me with a last stand with my Val'Serkers, 5 exhausted Warriors, and an exhausted Warlord.

I'm taking notes as I consistently lose Saga games. This Friday Spencer and I will both be playing Viking factions and he's going to help me figure out my game. I am having issues figuring out "order" of my turn and how to properly use my resources. I hope to become a better player soon. I refuse to blame the dice.