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I have a Viking army that I use for historical or sometimes Warhammer Fantasy as Norsca.
It is always has a figure named Ragnar (sometimes army general, sometimes a sub-commander), because that is the way of things.
Unfortunately, Ragnar is extremely unlucky, so much so, that is his sobriquet: Ragnar the Unlucky.
I have even tried changing figs (but never the name - that just isn't done!) in an attempt to get a new nickname.
It never works.

Below is the latest in the Saga of Ragnar the Unlucky.
I'll have a complete report when I finish the battle. Hopefully in the next day or so.

The historical rules I play (which are very similar to Warhammer – being written by Rob Broom) – if you win a combat, but the enemy outnumbers you and only fails panic test by one, they do not route, but you do get a momentum bonus off +1 (cumulative) for the next round of combat.
In my current game of Scots of the Isles vs. a Viking coalition, Ragnar is attached to a unit of Vikings from the Orkney Isles and is facing a unit of Islemen. Both units are armed with hand weapons & shields – no armor. Both units started out with 24, but Ragnar’s unit was whittled down a little bit by a nearby units bow fire on the way in. This turned out to be critical as it gave the Islanders a slight advantage of numbers.
I’ll have a complete write-up later, but near as I recall, the fight when on for something like 6 rounds. The first round was a tie, but Ragnar won all the others. He had 5 momentum markers by the last round. I don’t recall that ever happening to me before
The Scots finally broke & fled and were overrun by Ragnar (who was wounded once). Unfortunately for Ragnar, his unit had now fallen below the minimum for infantry (6 figs), so after the pursuit, he was removed as well.
Even when he wins, he loses.




Presenting the many faces of Ragnar the Unlucky
(there probably have been more, but this is all I can remember)
The first one is actually Harold Godwinson, perhaps using a Saxon for a Viking started the run of ill luck.

The second is a generic Viking. I like the fig, but it doesn't scream "Ragnar" to me. He now occupies a space in the front rank of my favorite Viking unit.

The 3rd one is actually a "Ragnar" (he has "hairy breeches") a cool enough fig, but doesn't look like an army leader. He now occupies a spot in the middle ranks of my favorite Viking unit.

The one on the far right is supposed to be Brodir of Man. He looks like an army general so I may stick with him for a while. Even if his only claim to fame (in history) was killing an 80 year old Irish dude.

Figures that end up telling their own stories are some of the best kind.

All four have some neat traits, I think the second, while maybe not Ragnarish, as you said, is a very neat figure.

Love it. Way to "drive the narrative" with Ragnar.

It reminds me of a certain Ork figure I have, that I do not like. That guy is always the first to be removed from the unit because I do not want to see his ugly mug. He never gets a chance to shine!

There are a wide variety of really cool Viking miniatures out there.

Entertaining read, thanks for sharing. Hopefully my own Viking army can create some similar stories one day.