Game Report: A Desert Brawl

North-East of Al Qosimah, March 4th The Year of Our Lord 1168

Sir Egburt's great march to the south had sounded like such a good plan to him when he'd agreed to raise a force to support it. Now James, Son of Mathew, was becoming to undermine the moniker he had gained. "The Calm" was beginning to feel an increasing frustration at this march, their scouts had seen signs of enemy cavalry moving in the area, but there was no sign they were willing to offer battle. If they couldn't be forced to fight soon the army of Jerusalem would be forced to turn back, short of food and water, having accomplished nothing but expending vast quantities of money. 

A rider came bounding over to him. "My Lord, Sir Egburt begs you join him for a council, the enemy army has been sighted near the town." The Calm reasserted itself.

The Game

This game pitted a Crusader States army against a Fatimid Egyptian army in a straight up fight, using the excellent Soldiers of God rules. An additional complication for the game was the fact that the commanders were tasked with accumulating 'Honour Points', mostly at the arbitrary whim of the umpire, and had to roll on a dice listing the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues, each of which could lead to different outcomes. 

The Frankish force consisted of two units of Knights, two units of Mounted Men at Arms (one of each in each flank battle), two units of archers and a unit of Foot Men at Arms in the centre battle. 

Jerusalemite forces deploy. The left battle will make an uncontrolled move forward under the urging of their commander who was driven by his rage.

The Fatimid forces consisted of two units of Mamelukes, two units of Arab Tribal Cavalry and two units of Horse Archers split evenly between the two flanks, two units of Archers and two units of Infantry forming their centre. 

The army of the Fatimids marches onto the field

The opening moves of the game saw the two armies advance upon each other, before first contact was made when, on the Crusader left, a unit of knights hammered into a unit of Horse Archers they caught in the open, and the Mounted Men at Arms, backed up by their general, smashed into the Mamelukes on the right flank of the Fatimid line. Despite the massive impact of the charges, the Fatimids held on, if barely.

Fighting erupts on one flank of the battle, while other elements close upon each other.

Not to be outdone, the Frankish right flank stormed into the Saracen forces, their knights smashing into the Mamelukes, who were backed up by a unit of Horse Archers, giving them a serious bloody nose in the process. Meanwhile, the Mounted Men at Arms charged into the infantry forming the front line of the Fatimid centre, nearly shattering the unit in a single turn of fighting.

With their cavalry wings fully committed, the Crusader infantry pushes forward.

On the Fatimid right, the Mameluke unit became disordered, breaking up from close order to open order, while, to the astonishment of all, the unit of Horse Archers managed to survived their ongoing melee with the knights.

The knights fail to break the plucky horse archers, while the Mamelukes begin to suffer in their ongoing fight.

The infantry lines continued to close upon each other, exchanging flurries of arrows in the process, meanwhile the cavalry fight reached a critical moment as the Mameluke unit on the Fatimid right collapsed into rout.

The Mameluke unit ends up in dire straits and breaks

On the far right of the Jerusalemite line meanwhile, the knights facing the Mameluke and Horse Archers took an absolute beating, becoming unformed in the course of the fighting.

The knights attempt to hold on after taking a savaging from their opponents

Meanwhile, the Mounted Men at Arms fighting the infantry mass found themselves on the receiving end of several Fear cards from the Fatimids, as well as some dire dice rolls, and broke and fled, leaving Sir James the Calm alone to face the horde alone.

Sir James the Calm puts his moniker to the test again as his cavalry force disintegrates around him. 

On the Jerusalemite left, the Mounted Men at Arms went out of control and charged into the Arab Tribal Cavalry, getting involved in a brutal melee. Both units were battered to breaking point in short order. In a single turn, the Mounted Men at Arms, the Arab Tribal Cavalry and the Christian knights on their right flank all broke and ran, leaving the Frankish right completely open.

Holes appear in both sides' lines as the armies bloody each other.

Going into the final turn, the situation could be best described as precarious, with the Fatimid Army morale at 2, the Franks at 1. In a scrabble for survival, the Horse Archers on the Fatimid right held out against the knights, their stubborn resistance impressing all. 

The final fight of the game took place in the centre, with the command group of Sir John the Calm taking on the infantry ahead of them, both sides inflicting one point of disorder. Both sides then spent their last cards to recover this point. Critically, this left the two Fatimid infantry units with as much disorder as they had bases, taking a point of morale off for each of them. The Fatimid army, at 0 morale to the Jerusalemite 1, collapsed into flight. 

A gallant stand by Sir John the Calm sees off the Fatimid army, much to the relief of the Franks

While it was technically a victory for the Crusaders, they were an utterly spent force, the losses to their cavalry arm undoubtedly rendering the army unable to continue their campaign. 

The final tally saw the commander of the Fatimid right, and the stubborn horse archers, squeaked to first in the Honour Points tally, winning a personal victory even as he and his men made their escape.

The figures used in the game were from Baccus 6mm.

March 6th, Dusk, Outside Al Qosimah

Sir John the Calm's arm ached, his head was pounding, sweat soaking into the lower layers of his armour. Around him lay the broken bodies of men and horses from both sides, the cries of the wounded and dying drifting over the carnage, the sounds cruelly juxtaposed with the silence and stillness of the dead. 

Dust clouds marked where the enemy forces were withdrawing, the remnants of the Christian army were too exhausted to pursue the foe and were staggering around, looting what could be stolen, some aiding the wounded, or disposing of the fallen enemies.

It was clear the campaign was over, so many brave knights lay slain, or with their horses lost. Without cavalry, the army could not advance. A return home was all that could be expected now, after so much blood and gold had been expended, for no real gain. No doubt a great fuss would be made about driving the infidel from the field. Sir John was sure it would be a great comfort to the men lying dead all around him. 

Game Report: A Mountain Hike

 71 BC, South of Noricum

Gauis Decimus Merula was tired, tired of the cold, tired of trudging around the wet, miserable, barely civilised frontier of the Roman world, but Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus had been clear in his orders: None of the rebel slaves from the Spartacan revolt could be allowed to escape. Half the legion was scouring the passes in small hunting parties, mopping up any likely looking fugitives. 

His group gone over a ten days since they last caught anyone, a solitary old man. He'd not provided any useful information before his death about other escapees. Now though, they'd sighted a party, a group of armed men, undoubtedly rebels. He had fought throughout the war in Spain for Magnus, surviving the worst of the brutal fighting against Surtorius and his forces, he would not fail his general now.


This game pitted was set at the very end of the Third Servile War, Spartacus' army has been destroyed and the last few survivors are trying to escape Roman territory, while the Romans try to hunt them down. Our scenario set a group of gladiators the task of fighting or evading their way through a Roman party to escape into Noricum. We used the Outremer: Faith and Blood ruleset, with both forces being built using the Crusader faction, with a 1500 Livre limit. Both sides ended up with 9 figures.

Romans:

Gaius Decimus Merula (Centurion)
Gnaeus Numiunus (Hastatii)
Gaius Numerius (Hastatii)
Marcus Albinus (Principii)
Marcus Cornelius (Principii)
Sextus Sequanius Carnifex (Triarii)
Arisotcles (Archer)
Titus Sabinus (Triarii)
Septimus Julius (Hastatii)

Gladiators:

Nemo (Dimachaerus Gladiator)
Leonidas (Murmillo Gladiator)
Borux (Thraex Gladiator)
Numenus (Gladiator recruit)
Tetriates (Gladiator champion)
Scarux (Murmillo Gladiator)
Bellua (Thraex Gladiator)
Icarus (Scissor Gladiator)
Castor (Hoplomachus Gladiator)

The pass where the gladiators and Romans will meet, an abandoned watchtower guarding the route towards Noricum.

The Game

The Romans were deployed along the table edge with the watchtower and road running along it, deployed in a skirmish line along the entire length of the edge, while the gladiators deployed with a strong central force and the two of their number with the loner trait, Tetriates and Borux out on the flanks. Both sides then began a general advance, with the Romans all making best speed to reach the enemy, while the gladiators began to drift to one side of the play area.

The Gladiators advance

The Roman skirmish line sweeps towards their quarry

Marcus Cornelius began to outpace his accompanying triarii, moving to confront Tetriates, while Arisotcles began to size up his possible targets, although he judged himself to be out of range. 

The forces brace themselves for imminent contact

The first combat of the game occurred when Tetriates pounced on Marcus Cornelius. While the first blow of his two handed axe was deflected off the Roman's shield, his second smashed through all of Marcus Cornelius' defences, instantly taking the Roman out of the fight.

Tetriates storms into the Romans

While there is no applause, the victory is just as satisfying as one in the arena.

The Romans were understandbly alarmed by this turn of events, and further disappointment when Arisotcles' first arrow fell short of its target. Meanwhile Castor, bouyed up by the success of his colleague attacked Septimus Julius. Unfortunately for the gladiator, Septimus was able to smash his shield into Castor's face, before following up with a thrust of the sword, sending Castor crashing to the ground, out of the fight.

Castor falls, struck twice.

Borux attemtped to avenge his fallen comrade, rushing in to strike the Roman's rear, but Septimus was able to fend off the attack, while Scarux failed to attack the Roman, now facing his attacker. Tetriates meanwhile charged Titus Sabinus, although the Roman was able to survive the first round of fighting, while Icarus squared off against Marcus Albinus, after having taking a wound from Arisotcles' second arrow of the game. Meanwhile Nemo used his impressive pace to break past the Roman hunting force.

Scrappy fighting breaks out across the pass, with casualties even between the two sides.

Fighting continued, with Gnaeus Numiunus being charged by Bellua, the brief clash of steel ending with Bellua falling.

Bellua falls to Roman blades

Clearly inspired by his victory, Numiunus charged into Leonidas who was facing off with Gaius Numerius, only to be cut down by the gladiator, cutting short the Roman's jubilation.

The gladiators extract swift vengeance for their fallen brother.

Elsewhere on the field, Icarus found himself on the wrong end of Marcus Albinus' sword, losing his second wound and falling. Aristotcles hit Scarax with two arrows, failing to cause any harm, but pushing the gladiator back. With Leonidas stuck in combat with a Roman soldier, and others threatening to close in, Nemo chose not to escape but came back to assault Numerius in the back, an assault the Roman barely survived. 

Nemo returns in an attempt to rescue his comrade in arms

Tetriates, far on the other side of the field, claimed his second victim, smashing through Sabinus' guard and cleaving into his flesh. 

Tetriates stands over his second victim, his axe slick with the blood of the fallen

Gaius Decimus Merula joined Septimus, and between them they managed to dispatch Borux, while Scarax failed his morale roll to charge into the Centurion's exposed back.

The Centurion demonstrates why he is in charge, dispatching his enemy in one savage blow.

Despite being surrounded, Numerius was able to dispatch Leonidas, before Nemo cut him down in turn.

Leonidas falls in battle, as befits one bearing his name

Nemo exacts a swift vengeance

Scarax finally managed to overcome whatever fear had held him back, storming into Septimus Julius and putting him down, while Numenus, rushing to aid his brothers in arms, was hit by an arrow and fell.

While Scarax cuts through one opponent, Numenus suffers the indignity of falling to an arrow

Merula decided that he could outrun Scarax, so charged towards Nemo, hoping to catch the gladiator before he escaped. Sextus Sequanius Carnifex meanwhile, not feeling like facing Tetriates' charge chose instead to charge the gladiator, not only inflicting a wound, but forcing the gladiator to flee from combat. 

The field is increasingly littered with the dead and dying

Tetriates and Nemo clearly sensed that the odds were firmly against them, and turned to flee, quickly outpacing the Romans burdened by their heavy armour. Meanwhile, Scarax, stuck in the centre of the Roman force and slowed by his equipment found himself under the eagle eye of Arisotcles, who did not miss his mark this time, felling the last gladiator in play.

Scarax falls, as Arisotcles racks up his second kill.

So in the final tally, the Romans had five men down (in the post battle roll up only one was permanently lost, two suffered permanent harm and the remaining two not only made full recoveries but actually gained positive traits), while seven gladiators had fallen, any still alive to be crucified. However, one of the escaped gladiators, Nemo, was actually Spartacus, having avoided death at the Battle of the Silarius River, so while the Romans achieved a points victory, the gladiators achieved a victory of sorts. 

The rules we used were Osprey's Outremer: Faith and Blood, which played very well and gave a very cinematic feel to the action. I have a horrible feeling a set of Crusader era figures suitable for the game will be added to the painting pile in the near future, and these rules will undoubtedly be back.

Spartacus looked back towards the valley, feeling a crushing sense of guilt quite the equal of the one he had felt after leading his forces to defeat in the battle only a few weeks previously. Yet more good men dead, yet more suffering marked against his soul. He contemplated finding Tetriates who he had seen struggling away from the battlefield nursing a wound, but banished the idea from his mind. Nemo he had become, and Nemo he would remain, a nobody, all the easier to pass as with no one who might ask uncomfortable questions. He turned his back to the Roman world and forged ahead into the mountains, and, he hoped, out of sight of history.

Battle Report: Battle of the Hampton Roads, August 4th 1908

Aboard the USS Kansas, 36nm ENE of the Hampton Roads

Admiral Sperry, USN paced about the bridge of his ship, only occassionally allowing himself to glance at the coast of Virginia, just a few miles away. Every minute he and his fleet withdrew exposed more of the US coast to the depridations of the Royal Navy. Wireless reports had been spotty at best since the fleet had been ordered to withdraw from around Newfoundland, but had included tales of burning towns, massacred crews and other horrors. "I hate retreating." he muttered to no-one in particular.

The war was supposed to have ended by now, a crushing blow on land to knock Canada out of the war, while the fleet cut off the flow of British ships from across the Atlantic. The Royal Navy couldn't spare enough vessels to send against them had been the line from the War Department, so the fleet could trivially destroy the fragile lifeline that kept the British Dominion fighting. A line they had repeated over and over, right up until the day of the Battle of Gulf of St Lawrence. Sperry and his force had been sent after a supposed convoy, although in reality it turned out to be nothing more than destoryers and cruisers acting as if they were escorting something. He had pursued them for nearly a day, always closing, but never by enough to engage, before suddenly the British ships had sped away. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet had moved into the Gulf, aiming to destory ports and other facilities to slow the flow of supplies and troops.

That was where the Royal Navy had struck. Sperry had received scattered radio reports as he rushed his force back with all speed. First the fleet had engaged what appeared to be a small force, then out of a bank of fog the main enemy fleet had descended upon them, a wall of steel and fire across the fleet's tee. Several ships were disabled or destroyed instantly, others ran aground in the treacherous waters. Hundreds of men were killed. When the fleet had turned to run, another British force had appeared behind them, destroyers and cruisers attacking with torpedoes, yet more battleships raining fire down.

Sperry and his ships had met some survivors as they tried to return, before receiving the general order to flee back to the Hampton Roads, where fortifications could protect the fleet from the enemy. Their ships had been battered, many had lost turrets, had damage to their engines and could only limp along, their hulls riddled with holes, compartments flooded, the bodies of the men who had drowned in them still floating there, carried like some macarbe cargo. Sperry had tried to escort three of the ships, but off the coast of New York the enemy had caught up. He hadn't even had time to take off their wounded or any crew who could be spared, and faced with an unwinnable fight he had ordered his ships to make best speed, leaving the Alabama, Massachussets and Indiana to face the British. He hoped to God some of the men from those doomed vessels had made it to shore.

Now here he was, feeling like a coward and a failure, only a few hours from relative safety. Perhaps he would be remembered as a disgrace to the uniform, but at least his men would be home. "Smoke on the horizon!" bellowed a man aloft in the conning tower. "To the North!" For a brief moment Sperry allowed himself to imagine it was the three ships he'd abandoned, but the cold hard reality was that it was the British. He rushed up to the conning tower, training his binoculars on the point indicated by the lookout. Sure enough, a black plume, no, several black plumes. Coal smoke. "Smoke on the horizon!" bellowed another looked "South East!" That could be other survivors making their way to the roads, perhaps help for the coming fight. He turned to scan for the other ships. "Get the squadron ready for battle." he ordered, clamour breaking out as the order was carried out.

An hour later, the ships to the north became just about visible. Their grey hulls cut a path through the waters as they bore down on their prey, the White Ensign fluttering in their upperworks. The ships to the south east appeared to have changed tack, cutting towards Sperry's ships, not towards the Roads. It had dawned upon him that this almost certainly meant they were British too. The race for home was on, and had just become far more deadly.

Game Setup

This is the latest game set up in an alternate history of 1908, where the US and Japan (now with UK support) have ended up at war after US arbitration at the end of the Russo-Japanese War failed. In this game, the US ended up going to war with the UK after boarding British merchants which had been running their blockade of the Japanese home islands. After initial successes, their advance into Canada was turned back when convoys full of British forces arrived, and the US fleet, when sent to cut the flow of troops, ran into the Grand Fleet off the Canadian coast. A general order had been sent out to all surviving US ships to rally under the fortifications in the Hampton Roads.

The US fleet was made up of two squadrons:

1st Squadron

USS Kansas, USS Minnesota (Conneticut class Battleships)
USS California, USS Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania class Armoured Cruisers)

2nd Squadron


USS Virginia, USS Georgia (Virginia class Battleships)
USS Missouri (Maine class Battleship)
USS Wisconsin (Illinois class Battleship)

The Royal Navy pursuit forces consisted of:

1st Squadron

HMS New Zealand, HMS Dominion (King Edward VII class Battleships)
HMS Caesar (Majestic class Battleship)

2nd Squadron

HMS Cornwallis, HMS Exmouth (Duncan clas Battleships)
HMS Vengeance (Canopus class Battleship)
HMS Victorious (Majestic class Battleship)

3rd Squadron

HMS Agamemnon (Lord Nelson class Battleship)
HMS Swiftsure (Swiftsure class Battleship)
HMS Achilles (Warrior class Armoured Cruiser)

The odds were definitely stacked against the US forces, even with the presence of two land forts. The game set up was simple, the US forces needed to scape into the Roads to evade the British, while the British needed to destroy the US forces.

Forts on the coast, under orders to protect the Roads from the expected British forces

For the game we used the Perfidious Albion rules which, if a little silly, are fun and fast. The models come from Tumbling Dice's Age of Battleships range.

From: Admiral Fanshaw, RN HMS New Zealand

To: Admiralty, London

Report on the Action of the 4th August, 1908

Sir,

It is my honour to report on the action my force took part in off the coast of Virginia on the 4th of August, 1908. Visibility was good, with calm seas and light winds. Early in the morning, at approximately 0840 we sighted vessels on the horizon and moved to intercept. HMS Cornwallis' squadron was closest to the sighting and led the pursuit. Soon we were about to get close enough to confirm that the vessels were American. My squadron and that led by the HMS Agamemnon's pursued the enemy directly, while the HMS Cornwallis and her squadron closed on them from the East.

The fleets engage, the USS Georgia and USS Virginia coming under fire

Shells rain down around the lead US vessels

Fire was opened at about 2 nautical miles by the HMS Cornwallis and her squadron, firing on the lead two US vessels of the nearest squadron, now identified as the USS Georgia and the USS Virginia. The USS Georgia exploded very suddely, testimony from the survivors indicate that the ammunition hoists were hit and a fire spread to the magazine.

Disaster strikes the US fleet as the Georgia explodes, taking most of her crew with her to the bottom

American fire was concentrated on the HMS Agamemnon, who took several hits, two of which penetrated her armour and hit ammunition hoists. Her crew managed to successfully flood both magazines before any fires could spread to them, but this did leave all her main armament without ammunition. A major fire also broke out onboard the Agamemnon.

HMS Agamemnon burns as her crew floods the magazines to prevent their ship following the Georgia's fate

While the Agamemnon was unable to fire, the Swiftsure and the Achilles fired on the USS Wisconsin. Several shells were seen to hit near the Wisconsin's stern. After this firing, she began turning to starboard, apparently out of control, so we presumer her rudder or steering gear was hit.

While the first US squadron continued their run for safety, the second squadron turned into the fight, while the Cornwallis moved to cut off the American retreat and the Agamemnon pressed the US vessels in.

British forces harry the US fleet as they attempt to escape

With the Agamemnon's heavy guns disabled, her squadron were only able to direct fire from lighter guns onto the enemy, achieving no immediately apparent damage. The Cornwallis' squadron again split their fire, with the Cornwallis and Exmouth targetting the lead battleship of the second US squadron (identified as the USS Minnesota) while the Vengeance and Victorious fired on the USS Virginia. In a testament to the excellent gunnery of the crews, both vessels exploded within a few minutes of each other.

 

The USS Minnesota explodes after being hit in the magazine

USS Virginia suffers the same fate as her sister

 After some more manoeuvering, the HMS New Zealand's squadron was able to join the fight, coming upon the USS Wisconsin, which was still stuck in a starboard turn, although she had slowed. The fire from the Wisconsin slackened after the first broadsides from the squadron. The Cornwallis' squadron engaged the Missouri and the Kansas. Once again, excellent gunnery was rewarded when the Kansas exploded.

The alarming tend of American ships to explode under fire continues with the USS Kansas

American return fire was concentrated on the HMS Cornwallis, several shells penetrating her belt armour and causing damage in her machinery spaces. The engineers of the Cornwallis are to be commended on their repeated efforts throughout the battle repairing the damage and keeping the Cornwallis in the fight. Fire from the USS Wisconsin struck the HMS Swiftsure, destroying her conning tower and killing Rear Admiral May. She was also forced to flood the magazine supplying her secondary battery after a hit on an ammunition hoist.

Despite now being massively outnumbered, the US forces continued to fight, tuning in to the action. The Wisconsin came under the fire of the entirety of the HMS New Zealand's squadron at near point blank range. The concentrated firepower proved too much for her. Before she exploded a raging fire was seen breaking out on her decks.

The crippled USS Wisconsin finally succumbs after being pounded by a full British squadron

The US armoured crusiers took fire from the Exmouth and Cornwallis, with the lead vessel, USS California, exploding shortly thereafter.

USS California explodes after point blank range fire.

In a final act of defiance, the last two US ships launched a charge towards our ships. The USS Pennsylvania took the full weight of fire from the HMS Cornwallis and her squadron, with predictable results.

Burning wreckage is all that remains of the US 1st Squadron

That left just the USS Missouri in action, on her death charge towards the Agamemnon's squadron. The HMS Swiftsure, with the damage to her conning tower impeding her ability to manouever, was unable to avoid being rammed, taking very heavy damage and experienceing major flooding. The Missouri took fire from the Swiftsure, Achilles and Agamemnon before surrendering, her upper works having taking significant damage.

Before she is forced to surrender, the USS Missouri rams the HMS Swiftsure, causing massive flooding.

Thus it is my duty to report the destruction of three enemy battleships, two enemy armoured cruisers and the capture of one battleship for no permanent loss to our side. The state of our ships is as follows:

HMS New Zealand: No damage, 10% ammunition depleted
HMS Dominion: No damage, 10% ammunition depleted
HMS Caesar: No damage, 15% ammunition depleted
HMS Cornwallis: Significant machinery damage, torpedo tubes disabled, heavy damage to prow, forward funnel lost, one port side secondary gun destroyed, moderate flooding. 48 casualties 45% ammunition depleted
HMS Exmouth: No damage, 40% ammunition depleted
HMS Victorious: No damage, 50% ammunition depleted
HMS Vengeance: No damage, 47% ammunition depleted
HMS Agamemnon: Ammunition hoists to A and Z turrets destroyed, one secondary turret destroyed, minor machinery damage, one funnel destroyed. 23 casualties. 95% ammunition rendered unusable
HMS Swiftsure: Conning tower, one funnel and two port secondary guns destroyed, extensive damage to hull, massive flooding in machine spaces. 88 casualties. 35% of ammunition depleted.
HMS Achilles: Minor machinery damage, damage to prow. 12 casualties. 70% of ammunition depleted.
USS Missouri (Captured): Fire damage to upperworks, port side secondary batteries destroyed, heavy damage to prow, heavy flooding. 94 casualties.

In addition to the 467 survivors of the Missouri, we rescued an additional 640 men from the water.

Your obedient servant
Admiral Fanshaw.

Onboard the HMS New Zealand, 4th August 15:30h 

Admiral Fanshaw looked over the water, where boats from the British ships were pulling the dazed American survivors from the water. A short distance away, the Agamemnon and the Achilles were helping the crew of the Swiftsure with damage control, pumping out the water she had taken on after being rammed, the Missouri still buried in her flank even now. With the guns of the forts silenced, the delicate process of seperating the vessels could begin.

His squadron had performed well, the total destruction of the enemy fleet had been accomplished with only light losses. All he needed now was a supply ship and his fleet would be back up to full combat readiness, apart from the Swiftsure. Even the Agamemnon was reporting she'd have her guns back in action by dawn.

He looked back at the shore, where smoke from the small fires caused by the bombardment marked out the forts' locations. With the entrance to the Roads now sealed, the US fleet was as good as doomed, which meant the convoys from home would now be safe for the duration of the war. Hopefully that would help bring it to a conclusion rapidly, before too many more died.

Battle Report: Wrath comes to Al-Qasr, April 5th 1164 AD

Shortly Before Dawn, April 5th

Brother Karl the Flaggelist looked down upon the small village, surrounded by the men of his force, clad in their white robes bearing the red cross of their Order. His Knight Lieutenant turned to him "Is this wise Brother?" he asked.
"The force that destroyed the pilgrim caravan came from this place" Karl responded.
"They came through here, they could have just stopped to get supplies."
"Either way, if this town is destroyed, the pilgrims will be safer. The time for discussion has passed, take your place. We attack before they wake."

The next few hours were bloody as the Knights Templar cut down anyone they could catch before setting the settlement ablaze. As his force reassembled outside the town, Karl heard the bellow of trumpets coming from the east. "SARACENS!" he bellowed, a surge of elation and excitement flowing through him. Around him the Knights took formation as a massive host of the enemy emerged over a ridge ahead. "God give us strength." said the Knight Lieutenant "There are too many for us to slay them all."
"Nothing is beyond His Will." Karl barked back "Doubt not." More trumpets sounded, this time from the west. Karl turned, expecting to see more of the enemy, instead he saw Christian banners. "And thus is His Will clear made manifest. We will smite His enemies here today!" The assembled Knights cheered.

The scenario for this game was that a small force of Knights Templar, led by a particularly zealous fanatic, had raided a small town, Al-Qasr, which they felt was responsible for a recent raid on a pilgrim group. Just as they finished their task, a Fatimid raiding force that had been moving towards the town for supplies and a Jerusalemite force that had been shadowing them arrived, and battle was joined.

The game was played using the Soldiers of God rules.

The Fatimid force arrives.

 

Frankish forces march into battle, with the Templars just outside the now burning settlement

The Jerusalemite forces, with a Battle Plan of Double Envelopment, were composed of:

Right Battle: 

1 unit of Holy Order Knights (3 stands) 
1 unit of Knights (4 stands)
1 unit of Mounted Men at Arms (3 stands)

Left Battle:

1 unit of Knights (4 stands)
1 unit of Mounted Men at Arms (3 stands)

Centre Battle:

1 unit of Men at Arms (4 stands)
2 units of Archers (2 stands each)

Facing them, the Fatimids following a Advance and Harrass Battle Plan was composed of:

Left Battle:

2 units of Mamelukes (3 stands each)
1 unit of Horse Archers (3 stands)
1 unit of Arab Tribal Cavalry (4 stands)

Right Battle:

2 units of Mamelukes (3 stands each)
1 unit of Horse Archers (3 stands)
1 unit of Arab Tribal Cavalry (4 stands)

Centre Battle:

2 units of Infantry (4 stands each)
2 units of Archers (4 stands each)

The battle began with the Frankish forces advancing towards the centre of the Saracen forces and unite with the exposed Templar unit, while the Fatimid light cavalry began sweeping around through rough terrain to outflank the Crusader army, causing some minor disruption to their units as the light forces interpentrated with the Mamelukes on their right flank, which was quickly corrected.

The right flank of the Jerusalmite army rushes to link up with the Templars

Some disruption is caused as Fatimid lines cross over each other.

Light Fatimid forces use the burning town to screen their movements

The end of Turn 1 sees the two forces closing in on each other

The next turn saw the flanking skirmishers of the Fatimid forces move further behind the Jerusalemite lines, opening volleys having no significant impact, while the heavy cavalry of the Kingdom of Jerusalem forces continued to ride towards their targets. Before the Templars could charge, they were themselves charged by the Fatimid's Left Battle's Mamelukes, the fighting slightly favouring the Knights. The Fatimid forces also switched their battle plan to an all out attack, changing their orders to give them greater forward momentum at the cost of order cards that allowed them to fire.

Knights close in on their foes

The Fatimid right sweeps over a low ridge and towards the exposed Crusader flank.

Finding space, the left flank of the Saracen forces move to the rear of the Frankish army.

The first combat of the game sees the Mamelukes take on the Knights Templar, coming off a little worse thanks to some poor dice rolling.

Turn 3 sees the armies closing to engagement distance

The Mamelukes took more damage in the next turn, poor dice rolls not aiding their cause as the Right Battle of the Jerusalemite army repeatedly engaged them, moving up their Mounted Men at Arms as support. Even the defeat of a Templar champion who challenged a Mameluke champion failed to dishearten the Knights.  On the Crusader left, their Mounted Men at Arms managed to contact the Horse Archers and began a melee, which saw both sides take a point of disorder. The Arab Tribal Cavalry then moved up in support of the Horse Archers, and the Men at Arms took a further point of disorder. Meanwhile, in the centre, the two infantry lines closed and exchanged flurries of arrows. 

The infantry forces come into arrow range.

The fighting near the town sucks in more men, still favouring the Christian forces.

The Mounted Men at Arms fail to distinguish themselves in battle against the Fatimid skirmishers

Turn 4: Both flanks are heavily engaged, Fatimid forces have surrounded the Crusader right and the centres close upon each other.

In the next turn, the Fatimid forces found themselves hamstrung by the lack of useful order cards, their outflanking forces being unable to use their missile weapons or charge into exposed Crusader units' flanks or rears. Meanwhile, the Crusaders faced no such issues, being able to repeatedly hammer the Mamelukes and Horse Archers in close combat. The forward Mameluke unit was broken, and routed at the end of the turn, while the Horse Archers were hanging on by a thread. In the centre, the Saracen infantry were able to close in on the Knights before they could muster a full charge. In the ensuing melee they held their own.

The Mamelukes are hammered by the Templars, breaking and running.

The too and fro of the fighting on the hill leaves both sides in a vulnerable state

Saracen infantry decide to pre-empt the knight's charge, beginning a furious melee

Turn 5 opens with the Saracen army reeling under the impact of Frankish Heavy Cavalry

Turn 5 saw a further turn of poor cards and poor dice for the Fatimid forces. The perfectly positions skirmishers again failed to act, while Crusader units hammered the units they were in contact with. The second unit of Mamelukes, clearly stunned by the sudden collapse of the other unit, failed to achieve any hits in a round of melee with the Templars, while taking 4 hits in return, being left in a routing state. Further rounds of fighting would see them flee at the end of the turn. On the hill the fighting swayed too and fro, the Saracens being unable to capitalise on their advantage in numbers. In the centre, the second unit of Fatimid infantry charged into the Mounted Men at Arms supporting the Holy Order Knights, but were soundly defeated in the ensuing melee. The other unit of infantry took an absolute beating from the Knights. Both units would rout at the end of the turn, and with those three units routing the Fatimid army's morale collapsed, leaving the Jerusalemites in control of the field.

Saracen infantry shatter and flee from the knights

Mamelukes and infantry break and flee, and the Fatimid army collapses.

With their centre gutted, the Fatimids flee

Despite the apparently one sided outcome, it wouldn't have taken much for the result to be reversed. The Fatimid side had very poor dice rolls, despite which several Jerusalemite units were close to their breaking point. A few different cards or dice, and it could have been a very different outcome. 

Brother Karl's arms ached, his head pounded and his throat was parched, but he felt a dark joy as the enemy fled before him, not even tempered by the death of the Knight Lieutenant in single combat. Clearly his doubts had led to the revokation of the Lord's protection. Across the field, Christian cavalry were cutting down the fleeing enemy, his Brothers and the men of the army that had come side by side. The enemy would tremble at the news those that would escape would carry. Perhaps now his Order would allow him to lead a larger force into the enemy territory, to claim more land for the righteous. His work was far from done.