The Battle of Hastings Game

The Battle of Hastings game is a simple strategy game when you can either be Harold Godwinson or Duke William of Normandy. The game gives you choices for what you can do and you need to select the right choices to win. If you have studied the Battle of Hastings you can win very easily because the right choices are the ones which are historically accurate. I enjoyed the satisfaction of knowing that my historical information was accurate and winning the game. Whilst playing the game I learned how clever you have to be in a battle strategically because if you were William you needed to know just what choices and what risks you should take that would lead to victory. In the Battle of Hastings Harold Godwinson had just arrived at Hastings having walked 200 miles North to fend off Harald Hardrada, King of Norway. His men were tired and weak and barley fit for battle. Harold posted his men on the hill outside Hastings and made a shield wall. This benefited them because it meant the Normans needed to charge up the hill into the shield wall. Sometime in the battle, the Normans thought that William had been killed, and they started to retreat, and the English started to run after them. Then, William stood up and said he was not dead, and to keep fighting and the English were out in the open now and were caught unawares. William used this strategy many times and he eventually succeeded in killing Harold and won the Battle of Hastings. This game is a valuable learning experience because it gives you choices and it helps you see the logic and reasons for why a certain choice did not workout.