The Vikings that established themselves in Eastern Europe were known as the Rus. They established a expanding kingdom that eventually became Russia.
The Rus have some interesting abilities on the “Battle Board” with great names such as “Biting Like Wolves” and “Endless Wastes”.
During the 9th century some of the Vikings from Sweden headed east. They sailed down various rivers seeking plunder and trade. Typically for the Vikings, some of them stayed and established themselves. They were known as the Rus, possibly because Rus was a Finnish name for the Swedes.
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At the time the area was largely occupied by several groups of disorganized Slavic tribes. A Rus chieftain named Rurik established a kingdom in Novgorod around 860 AD. The new kingdom prospered, conquering Kiev within 20 years. The Rus united a large area and formed the basis of modern Russia.
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Some photos below show a Pagan Rus starter army. Click on any photo to see it enlarged. This 4 point SAGA starter army includes:
- A Warlord. He is the leader, of course, and is the figure on the large round base.
- 2 groups of 4 Varjai. These are the picked fighters of the Warlord and are generally referred to as Hearthguard within the game.
- 1 group of 8 Militia. These are your standard fighters and are typically referred to as Warriors within the game.
- 1 group of 12 Slavs. These are unarmoured fighters, often press-ganged peasants and are typically referred to as Levy within the rules.
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