Third Crusade at Camp Cromwell 22/05/09

King Rich's Crusaders v. Jim & Thomas' Saracens - Camp Cromwell Rules

Mission based on Arsurf & Hattin.

The Crusaders have to cross the 8x6 table lengthwise & get off the other side with their baggage train & at least some Knights. Desert terrain with a road down the middle with hills, sand patches & salt pans scattered about. Crusaders deploy first within 60cm of back table edge. Saracens deploy second - anywhere on table except not closer than 30cm from any Crusaders. Crusaders get first turn - all units are considered moving under existing move orders. Saracen units start stationary & have to activate Initial orders.

The Crusaders win if they get their baggage train & at least 1 unit of knights off the far edge of the table. The Saracens win if they take the baggage train or rout all the knights. The army morale test rule doesn''t apply to the Crusaders, but does to the Saracens.

Crusaders: 2x3 Knights, 2x4 Sergeants, 2x4 Turcopoles, 4x4 spear & crossbow, 1x4 Train guards with 4 waggons, 1 General.

Saracens: 1x4 Elite Heavy Cavalry, 2x4 Heavy Cavalry, 6x4 Light cavalry, 4x4 spearmen,4x4 bowmen, 1 General.

The Crusaders placed 2 infantry either side of the train & charged forward with their cavalry.

The Saracens held back with their Heavy Cavalry & Spearmen & sent all their light cavalry & bowmen forward as skirmishers.

The Crusader cavalry trotted forward brushing the skirmishers aside though losing the odd casualty. The skirmishers got out of the way then closed on the infantry around the train. In the centre the Saladin's Heavy Cavalry charged down hill at the Knights & Sergeants. The hill plus some skirmish casualties balanced the odds a bit in the centre. Saladin's guards beat one knight unit. One Saracen Heavy Cav was beaten by the other Knight unit, but they then pursued off the table. The other Saracen Heavy Cav was beaten by Sergents. On the Saracen left, the spermen were beaten by Turcoploes & Sergents who did rally, but not until they readched the edge of the table. On the right, Spearmen in a salt pan beat off Turcopoles.

The routed knights ran back towards the baggage train with Saladin's guard in hot pursuit. One of the Infantry units was sacrificed to protect the train, but the relentless skirmishing had weakened the Infantry and attacks by Spearmen and Light cavalry (some of it now reformed) finished them off.

It was a very succesful scenario which gave both sides a chance even thought they were very different armies.
The pic is taken behind the Saracen right while the main forces are still slugging it out.