DARK-AGE BATTLE COMMANDS AND ORDERS [*]

OLD NORSE COMMANDS

Prepare to go forward one step       fram einn stiga        [1]
Forward one step                     stig                   [1]
Forwards                             ganga fram             [1]
Left turn                            vinstra sn[u']         [2]
Right turn                           h[ae]gra sn[u']        [2]
About turn                           i kringum sn[u']       [2]
Prepare for shield wall              b[u']a til skjaldborg  [3]
Shieldwall                           skjaldborg
Weapons                              v[a"]pn
Shields down                         ni[d-]ra skjoidu       [3]
Open order                           opna fylking           [4]
Close order                          fylking                [4]
Hogsnout                             svinfylk
Kneel                                knekrs[u']p            [5]
One/Two rank(s)                      ein/tw[a'] r[o/][d-]   [6]
Dress the line                       skipa fylkingina       [4]
Halt                                 st[o/][d-]va           [4]
Mark time                            merk tima
Standfast                            stand f[ae] stan       [7]
Attack                               [a']r[a']s             [8]
Fall back                            hr[o/]kk               [9]
Re-form                              endrtak fylkingina     [10]
Run away                             rennundan/hlaupa undan [11]
Incoming                             i komandi              [12]
I Surrender                          ek ganga [a'] hond

ANGLO-SAXON COMMANDS

Prepare to go forward one pace       forth an fotstepp/fotastepp
Forward one step                     steppa
Forth                                for[th]
Left turn                            winstre tyrn
Right turn                           riht tyrn
Left wheel                           winstre hweol
Right wheel                          riht hweol
Prepare to attack                    gearwia[th] to onr[ae]s
About turn                           utan tyrn
Prepare for shieldwall               gearwia[th]
Weapons                              w[ea]pen
Shields down                         scieldas ni[th]er
Open order                           open fylce
Close order                          neah fylce
Hogsnout                             swinfolce
Kneel                                cneowa[th]/cneowain
One rank                             an r[ae]w
Two ranks                            tw[a"] r[ae]w
First rank                           fyrest r[ae]w
Second rank                          o?er r[ae]w
Dress the line                       tryma[th] [th][a"] r[ae]w
Halt                                 healt
Mark time                            mearc tima
Beware                               bewaria[th]
Standfast                            standf[ae]st
Attack                               on r[ae]s
Fall back                            buga[th]
Re-form                              edniwa[th] [th]et?folc
Run away                             rinna onweg
Rout                                 fliema[th]
Incoming                             incumende

CONQUEST ANGLO-FRENCH ORDERS

GENERAL ORDERS

Advance                              Advance
Charge                               Charge
Left                                 Gauche
Right                                Droite
Halt                                 Halte
Spear                                Lance
Weapons                              Arme
Shoulder Arms                        Porter Armes
Open Order                           E'tendu
Close Order                          Serrer
Shields                              Bouclier
Lock                                 Surrure
Wedge                                Coincer
Reform                               Reformer
Line                                 Ligne
Twice                                Deux Fois
Retire                               Se Retirer
Retreat                              Se Replier
Advance, force open                  Advance, fendre au coin

MISSILES

Load                                 Charger
Aim                                  Vise'e
Fire                                 Feu

[*] This document, including Old Norse Commands, Anglo-Saxon Commands, and Conquest Anglo-French Orders was taken from an article submitted by Rob Roberts and Neil Shepherd to the April 1995 "Runestaff", the newsletter of "The Vikings (NFPS)". In the July 1995 issue of "Runestaff", Freki of Draum published an article entitled "A Few Comments On The Article About Old Norse / Anglo-Saxon Commands Which Was In The Last Runestaff" which explained some of the meaning and corrected some errors. I have incorporated this second article, in part, into the first article in the form of footnotes. Freki used the following source for the commentary: "Introduction to Old Norse" by E.V. Gordon, Clarendon Press, 1957. It discusses the grammer and syntax of O.N., gives poetic/saga examples, and has an O.N.-to-English dictionary.


[1] To prepare = b[u']a (Prepare for shield wall = b[u']a til skjalborg). "Fram einn stiga" means "forward one step" whilst "stig" (meaning step) is used for this by Neil. In the light of these, perhaps the following could be used instead:

Prepare to step                      b[u']a stiga
Step                                 stig
Forwards                             fram  or  gang fram

"ganga" - to go/walk.

(NOTE: verb infinitives end in "-a" (STIGA) whilst the imperative (the "command") version drops the "-a" (STIG))


[2] Right is n[ae]gra, not h[ae]gra. About turn: I have used "snuask apt" which means "turn back". I cannot find any reference to "kringum" in my dictionary.


[3]

Shield                               skjoldr

The gentive plural "of shields" is skjald hence "shieldwall" is "skjaldborg" which literally means "stronghold of shields."

Prepare for shieldwall               b[u'] til skjaldborg
Shields down                         skjoldu ni[d-]

[4] "Fylking" means a battle array or host and in my eyes it may not be precisely a rank of warriors. I suggest the following alternatives:

Open rank                            opna ro[d-]
Fasten together                      halda saman
Dress the line                       skip ro[d-]
Halt                                 halt

"skipa" means to array, draw up, put in line, etc.

"halda" means "to hold" in the sense of to hold something in your hand and stop. Its command form, the imperative, is not "hold" but is "halt".


[5] Neil has used kn[e'] -krs[u']p meaning knee-crouch, but "to crouch" is "krjupa" and not "krsupa". Could we use, instead, "fall a kn[e']" which means "fall/bend at the knee" from "falla"=to fall?


[6]

One rank                             einn ro[d-]
Two ranks                            tveir ro[d-]ir

[7]

Stand fast/firm                      stand fast

"standa" - to stand, "fast" - firm


[8]

Attack                               gang at

"ganga" - to go. The noun "soku" is "the attack" but the equivalent verb is not given in the dictionary.


[9]

Fall back                            hr[o/]kk  or  hr[o/]kk fr[a']

"hr[o/]kkva" - to fall back


[10] Neil uses "endrtak which has "endr"="again" and "tak" from "taka"=to take. Two better versions could be:

Re-assemble                          hverf saman end
Re-create                            skap end

Both these mean reform, in a broad sense.

"hverfa saman" - to assemble, "skapa" - to create


[11]

Run away                             halt un[d-]an
Withdraw                             gang un[d-]an

[12] Neil uses "i Komandi" which comes from "i"=in and "Koma"=to come. The present participle of Koma is Komandi (coming) Thus, incoming is "i Komandi".