SKJALDBORG – The Final Víkingr Shieldwall Event (In the past)

Thanks a lot for the SW event. I had fun. Kudos for keeping the torch burning!

Was nice to bloody my spear once more. Hopefully I can make the next one, work usually cuts into it.

Thank a lot for organising events like this. I had fun.

Thanks everybody for playing!

I had a great time aswell, many thanks to the organisers!

Shame I couldn't play tonight (my momentary absence from the mod is getting too long anyways), but great to see the SWE happening once again. Good job, everybody involved.

The event itself was jolly good fun, my thanks to Ubbe, Porkie and Hrotha! The fifteen minutes leading up to the event of utter chaos on the Jomsborg TS were somewhat less delightful. The persistence of some Jomsvikingr to keep talking German was rather pitiful, as was their tendency to open their yaps while something important was being said. I dearly hope another TS-server where someone can actually hand out priority speaker to those in charge can be found. But the latter doesn't detract from the joy that was had during the battle: once again, well done!

Orchid said:

The event itself was jolly good fun, my thanks to Ubbe, Porkie and Hrotha! The fifteen minutes leading up to the event of utter chaos on the Jomsborg TS were somewhat less delightful. The persistence of some Jomsvikingr to keep talking German was rather pitiful, as was their tendency to open their yaps while something important was being said. I dearly hope another TS-server where someone can actually hand out priority speaker to those in charge can be found. But the latter doesn't detract from the joy that was had during the battle: once again, well done!

Click to expand...

I'm glad you, and everyone else, had fun We'll do our best to remedy the teamspeak situation for the next event and also to explain how to fight in a shieldwall. So if you're a new player or thinking about joining come on in! Everyone's welcome.

Great event and thanks to the organizers!

I really wish this mod took off better in America. I cannot wait to attend some of these events!

It is great and motivating to see the Shieldwall event is being revived. I am sure Skjaldborg will prove that it lives up to the legacy. Just like Rǽdwulf, I am sorry I could not make it to the first session but I am confident that many more are lying ahead.
Many thanks to the organisers for shouldering this task!

Here's the footage of the shieldwall event:


One day I would find a rendering setup that doesn't look like total ****e below 720p or above for Warband vids... one day.

SilentMatthew said:

Here's the footage of the shieldwall event:
*Snippety snappety snoppety snuu*

One day I would find a rendering setup that doesn't look like total hite below 720p or above for Warband vids... one day.

Click to expand...

Thanks for recording! It even helps with improving the event

Thanks for the video!

Some thoughts:
1. What the hell is wrong with my mic.
2. The video seems to be confirmation that the Norse line gave way too easily. Very often, their shieldwall can be seen stepping back, which results in their second-rank spearmen and two-handed axemen being exposed and easily dealt with. It is very important to try to hold your ground as much as possible.
3. It also seems to me that the Norse front-rank fighters were too eager, which again left them wide open to their opponents. This is because, in a shieldwall, you're not only threatened by the enemy directly in front of you, but also by those to their sides and, potentially, by the spearmen behind them in the second rank. That's up to 6 people to keep track of. In 1 vs 1 fights, readying an attack to threaten your enemy and keep them on the defensive can be a very effective technique. In the shieldwall, however, it just leaves you wide open, particularly to second-rank spearmen. Veteran front-rank fighters quickly learn that they will only survive and make themselves useful by being very conservative and patient, and taking as few risks as possible. They should only lower their own shields to strike when they're reasonably confident that none of the up to 6 or so enemies in front of them are in a position to get them.

But I'm sure the less experienced fighters will have learned a trick or two for next month's shieldwall.

Thanks Matt! You must be the best axe thrower 2014 :-þ

About the one-sidedness of the event, I realise we made a mistake when we fiddled with the loser bonus (we changed it so the loser bonus didn't kick in before one team was leading by four - where it's usually two) - not that it was all important, but it might have given them a better chance if we had it the default setting. We could try with the middle ground setting (kick in after a three nil lead which was what I intended, but couldn't remember quite how it worked); we could also just lower the percentage of the gold bonus - if anything. All in all I think what mattered most was the fact that the better part of the veterans were on one side while the other side consisted mostly of one clan (famous for its backpeddling) - and I also think there's a morale effect (thinking back to the Brúnanburh event where one side lost every round and the enthusiasm was hard to find for the last map).

Heh thanks, I believe that the gods humoured me based on the abnormal number of axe-to-faces I had from the last shieldwall I attended.  Anyways, it was a pretty fun shieldwall despite it being quite one-sided.
My 2cents, it seems both sides had some problems with the distribution of men in their respective shieldwalls. One having too much in the second rank and other having a tad too little, which causes a wide front wall. Therefore, making significant portion of the front unavailable to fight with their shieldwall (also increases possibility of flanking...). In concert with... mostly honouring the rules and of course more veterans on one side caused a one-sided battle.

All good observations and they'll be studied as best as we can for the next event. I do take responsibility for the less than stellar experience some people had. So, while it might sound like an empty promise, I will do my best to ensure that everyone can enjoy this event, no matter their background or lack thereof in the mod, and that no-one needs to stop attending of their own choice. The slight drama that's been going on hasn't exactly helped things, but I reckon that we can come up with a suitable solution.

Important information: Starting from the next event everyone will be only responsible for their own actions, meaning that we absolutely stop caring about clans or backgrounds. So if you decide to defend someones' or go along with their rule breaking actions, you will do so alone and may become subject to the same punishment as the rule breaker suffers. This of course mainly aimed at, and indeed inspired by, the discussion that's been going on in the Jómsvíkingar clan thread, but also to everyone in general. This event has one, and only one, authority: The admins

Ps: While this might sound like a harder approach it's actually how we've handled things always. It just happens to be a subject that bears repetition and clarification, especially after recent events.

Also, TeamSpeak is under my dominion now. Reap it... 

[Removed a post]

Please keep this thread clear of spam etc. If you feel like venting your frustration, go to the mead hall, please.

Just seen some of the vids of this, looks fun, hope to join in on the 2nd Nov.