Hi Mr. Cornwell. I just read Odin’s Wolves by Giles Kristian, and he detailed a fascinating Viking tactic when fighting in the shield wall. I have often wondered how the Vikings fought in the wall using the big Danish axes, since they are really a two-handed weapon and would preclude the use of a shield. What the Vikings did was have the front rank crouch down and push their shields against the enemy. The second rank, using the Danish axes two-handed without shields, would attack the enemy over the backs of the front rank, which the axes considerable reach allowed them to do. In effect, the front rank would become their shields. Have you ever come across this in your studies? Alan Kempner