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Cut and Thrust - Your Journey Through the Middle Ages Podcast
The Viking shield wall: tactics and psychology on the medieval battlefield

The Viking shield wall: tactics and psychology on the medieval battlefield

Cut and Thrust - Your Journey Through the Middle Ages vor 6 Monaten

Why the thin shield wall failed & how the boar snout formation worked – New insights from experiments on Viking battle tactics

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22:52

#shieldwall #vikings #medievalhistory In this episode, Hendrik
and Carmen show you how the legendary Viking shield wall really
worked! Modern experiments reveal surprising weaknesses of this
famous formation and explain why only deep formations survived on
the battlefield. From the Battle of Hastings in 1066 to the
mysterious boar snout formation (Svinfylking) – we dive into the
tactics and psychology of medieval warriors. Discover why
exhaustion was the greatest enemy, how shield bosses stabilized
the formation, and what role painted round shields played in
psychological warfare. Plus: The transition from the Viking round
shield to the Norman kite shield and what this reveals about
changing combat styles. Based on archaeological finds like the
Gokstad shields and practical reenactment experience, we bring
you closer to the fascinating world of medieval battle
formations. Learn how terrain selection decided victory and
defeat, and why the shield wall was much more than just standing
side by side. Enjoy, and see you next time! #medievalhistory
#battletactics #hastings #reenactment #warfare Battle-Merchant:
https://www.battlemerchant.com/en/ Battle-Merchant Blog:
https://www.battlemerchant.com/en/blog/ Blog post for this
episode:
https://www.battlemerchant.com/en/blog/the-viking-shield-wall-tactics-and-psychology-on-the-medieval-battlefield
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