@cargol and I have decided to dust this one off from last year and have another go at it as 1 vs 1 campaign -- keep a couple of battles ticking over. 🙂
Sultan Cargol is in charge of the Saracens and I am commanding the Crusaders -- it's a simple, fun and quick 4-turn mini campaign set during Saladin's campaigns that ended in the capture of Jerusalem.
We both get one attack in the first turn, and the action starts off at the south of the map. The Saracens always go first.
@Cargol is attacking ACRE from Damascus.
I am attacking AHAMANT from Kerak.
Here below are the rules -- they are quite simple (had to recreate them after the great FGM crash 😲 ) -- if anyone wants a go 1 vs 1 against another opponent, I am happy to GM the campaign for you.
RULES
Each turn there are TWO Initiative Points (IP) available -- at start one for each side. These allow you to launch attacks, one per IP.
Starting Setup
Each faction starts with SEVEN provinces -- worth 13 points. (The number in the green circle is the points value of the province)
ARMIES
Crusaders: Crusaders (1155-1291) Allies: Syrian States (1090-1286)
Saracens: Ayyubid Egyptian (1172-1250) Allies: Syrian States (1090-1286)
ATTACKS
Each faction gets ONE attack per IP.
SARACENS always go first in declaring attacks.
A faction can attack an enemy home province that is adjacent to a friendly-controlled province, provided they control enough adjacent friendly provinces whose value (Number in Green Circle) match the value of the province being attacked.
You may not attack from a province that is already under attack.
You may attack into a province from which an attack into a different province has been launched.
(so in map below, for example: the Crusaders cannot attack DAMASCUS without capturing HOMS or AHAMANT first)
FIELD BATTLES
Field Battles are medium size Open Battle on either Pot Luck or Middle Eastern Agricultural maps.
Battle Results
Attacker Major Victory (40%) -- Province is captured
Attacker Minor Victory (60%) -- Province if placed under SIEGE (see Sieges)
Draw - Battle continues next Turn
Defender Minor Victory (60%) -- Attacker is repulsed (but retains the IP)
Defender Major Victory (40%) -- Attacker repulsed (forfeits the IP to the other faction)
SIEGES
Sieges are resolved at the end of the Turn after they were begun using an 8-sided die roll on the Siege Table:
Roll of 1 to 5: Siege successful and the province is captured
Roll: 6 to 8: Siege is broken off
Jerusalem, Acre, Damascus, Antioch and Edessa get a +1 die roll modifier.
If the besieging army's home province is lost during the battle phase of that turn, then the siege is automatically lifted.
Relieving A Siege
A faction can launch an attack to attempt to relieve a siege.
These battles are played in FOG Medieval as Relieve The Siege battles.
Siege Battle Results:
Attacker Major Victory - Siege is lifted - Besieger's IP forfeited to the other faction
Attacker Minor Victory - Siege is lifted - Besieger retains IP
Draw - Battle continues next Turn
Besieger Minor Victory - Siege continues -- attacker repulsed, retains IP - siege roll at end of turn
Besieger Major Victory - Province Surrenders - (attacker's IP forfeited)
Victory Level Definitions
A Major Victory is when you win by routing the enemy with between 40% to 59% casualties and a minimum +25% margin.
A Minor Victory is when you win by routing the enemy with 60%+ casualties, with any % margin.
However, if you adjust the winning above score down to 59% and the difference is still +25%, it's upgraded to a Major Victory.
Draw is when the battle times out inconclusively without one of the above results.
Campaign Victory Levels:
Overwhelming Victory: control Jerusalem, Damascus, Acre, Antioch & Edessa
Major Victory: control both Damascus & Jerusalem and have more points (add up province values)
Minor Victory: higher points total than enemy faction
Draw: both sides have equal points
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
@cargol -- the Ahamant battle challenge has been set up -- usual pw: FGM1
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
The battles have begun ... both maps a bit cramped (and one ended up being Mediterranean -- but still ok for the region).
Now the fun starts -- Sultan @cargol has gone very mobile cavalry heavy -- my Crusaders are more of a plodding, heavier force, although we do have some Syrian Arab allies to add some lighter units.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Both battles are underway and can go either way. Fun and tense engagements so far 🙂
A couple screenshots from Sultan @cargol attack on ACRE ... a real ding-dong battle over a stream in the middle of the map that's cramping both sides' styles quite a bit.
The Crusader right of the map is dominated by some impressive looking mountains ... with my spearmen trying to bottle up some Saracen cavalry in a narrow defile.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Thanks guys: interesting to follow this campaign. 😀
TURN 1 battles now completed, with two very close victories for the Crusaders. Thanks for the the fun battles @cargol .
The Saracen attack on ACRE suffered a Minor Defeat (53 - 61 = -8%) -- they are repulsed, but retain their Initiative Point.
The Crusader attack on AHAMANT resulted in a Minor Victory (61 - 50 = +11%) -- the region will be under Siege in the next turn.
TURN 2
Turn 2 has AHAMANT under Siege by the Crusaders -- this will be resolved by a die roll on the Siege Table at the end of the turn.
The Saracens retain their Initiative Point and can launch ONE attack.
Sultan @cargol has the option of using it to relieve the Siege at AHAMANT or attacking somewhere else.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
I will take my chances in Ahamant, hoping for a good dice roll, and will attack Acre from Damascus. The proximity of the two most important cities , Damascus and Jerusalem makes the South front the most important front in this campaign.
Challenge accepted.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Gott admit, the game has gifted my Crusaders a pretty good defensive map to try and hold off @cargol 's renewed attack towards ACRE.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Battle update :
Skirmishing action ongoing. Crusader's light cavalry on my right is being pressed hard and already suffered casualties.
One crusader's allied cavalry unit was routed and another one suffered casualties.
It seems that the Saracens have the initiative at the moment.
Rico's most capable units ( 4x Knights units) are positioning themselves for the charge !!
Battle for ACRE is over. Despite impetuously committing my Crusader knights too early to the fight, I just managed to avoid total disaster and hold @cargol 's Saracens to a Minor Victory.
The Siege die roll for AHAMANT went in my favour with a roll of 5 -- the siege was a success and AHAMANT falls to Crusader control.
This gives the Crusader side a narrow 14 - 11 point lead for now.
TURN 3
ACRE is under siege by the Saracens. (this will be resolved by Die roll at the end of the turn, also depending on the outcome of the Crusader attack)
The Crusaders have one Initiative Point and decide to use it to attack from Jerusalem and try to relieve the siege.
@cargol -- I am setting up the challenge now.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Challenge accepted. Good luck!!
My Crusaders' attempt to relieve the siege of ACRE was a dismal failure and suffered a major defeat -- well played @cargol , I royally fooked that one up. 🤣
So ACRE falls to the Saracens and they go ahead 14 - 12 on the scoreboard.
On to TURN 4.
Sultan @cargol has TWO Initiative Points this turn. Only upside for the Crusaders is that Saracens don't have enough time left to capture JERUSALEM (not the Crusaders DAMASCUS) -- so it's a fight for a Minor Victory for last two turns.
@cargol -- you have TWO attacks! Over to you.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Crusaders are up against it now -- Outremer is split in two and we're facing all out Infidel offensive in the north!
Where's Richard the Lionheart when you need him??
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
I seem to remember playing this campaign as the Saracens and doing very badly. Looks like @cargol is playing better than I did. Did we even call it off early because I lost every battle?
"En cualquier dirección que recorras el alma, nunca tropezarás con sus límites." Sócrates
I seem to remember playing this campaign as the Saracens and doing very badly. Looks like @cargol is playing better than I did. Did we even call it off early because I lost every battle?
I think you and Nathangun played as Saracens against me and Cargol as Crusaders ... I think we got a Major Victory.
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia