Attack them to the south of course (horsemen)

Not willing to waste time, you take the honour-guard up on his solemn advice. The barbarians, although numerous, had proven in the field before to be cowards if their initial charge was broken. The same would happen here. A single Lance blow to the brunt of their raids, and their campaign of looting would be over.

Ordering for your cavalry (of 100 riders and mounts) to target the barbarians directly to the south, you set out with five of your best men to co-ordinate the strike. With banner-bearer and bodyguard in tow, you don your weapons and armour and leave the castle behind.

You set off for the hill-lands of the south, past the fields of your plains, to the heart of where the barbarians lies.

Arrayed outside a crude log-fort is the barbarian front line, with a mismatching collection of weapons and armour facing your uniform and well-equipped forces.

(There will be no weapon loot from this battle. Only a minor bonus to metal production, as the axe-heads and sword blades are melted down.) +2 metal production.

The attack goes just as planned, the barbarians, although strong, prove weak-willed to face a determined opponent, and soon flee the field. Their shield wall crumples like wetted paper before the wind, and whatever arrows are loosed by their archers, causes only superficial damage to your armour and shields.

(armour and shields tested, no re-forge time required.)

Soon you find yourself face to face with the barbarian leader, a Giant of a man, as is the case with all barbarian leaders, holding a large iron shod cudgel in his right hand.

"You bastard." he calls out over the shrieks of his fleeing and dying men. "There will be no escaping what I'm gonna do to you!"

And with a bellow he charges at you, cudgel raised!