FACTION PREVIEW: The Kingdom of Jerusalem!
THE KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM
Deus Vult! Was the cry that reverberated from the heart of Christendom, a cry that carried the Saracen's sword from their throat, or that carried their sword to the Saracen's own. It was on the lips of Men nearly a century ago, as men, women, and children of all walks of life but one common faith thundered from Europe and as though or truly gifted by God, quickly claimed not only Jerusalem but the Holy Land itself.
Much has passed since then, the Kingdoms of the Holy Land becoming another set of participants in the politics of the near east. That is, until a state of Outremer falling to the Zengi, the Atabeg of Mosul provoked the flames of Christendom once more, and a Second Crusade was summoned. And yet, in that Second Crusade, the heat of Christ's Passion waned, the Siege of Damascus delivering the city into the hands of Nur Al-Din instead of their own. What had been a continual song of victory without mar trembled, the West and Byzantium being less inclined to help a kingdom that seemed not the favorite of God's anymore.
Worse yet was not how these events unfolded, but rather what fruits would come to ripen as a result of Baldwin III seizing Ascalon. With the Fatimid's dominion open to not only King Amalric I, the successor of Baldwin III, but also the cunning Nur Al-Din, the vultures would come to feast upon the dying Heretical Caliphate. And yet, it was not a Frankish nor Turkish Vulture, but rather a Kurdish Hawk, that would come to roost in the bounty of Egypt.
Salah Al-Din, had come. As the burning sun of Nur Al-Din had come to wane in the sky above Syria, the crescent of Islam rose above Egypt, giving Outremer no cool night to rejuvenate in, from the intense heat of the Phoenix of Islam, ashes cast since the first Crusade gathering and burning once more.
As with how this saga first began back in 1095 AD, 1174 AD was a time of change. A King under Christ was crowned in Jerusalem, a Sultan of orthodoxy rose from the ruins of Heresy, the breath of Byzantium was bolder than it had been for years, the successors of the Seljuks were beginning to be succeeded themselves. It was a moment where nothing was certain, save that what had been would be no more.
For Piety, for Plunder, for Love of God, for Hate of Foreign Man, for Salvation of ones self or of Christ's Holy Land - only God knows what led the hearts of Christian Men to Jerusalem, and the hearts of Muslim Men to reclaim it. Only God knows to whom shall it be given - Muslem, Christian, or Pagan Invader.
CAMPAIGN MAP
From almost all edges is Outremer closed in on - by the sea, by Saladin in Damascus, and by Saladin in Egypt. Yet Saladin's attack may not come from the south in Egypt, but rather the east, in the newly wrestled strongholds of Damascus and the fortress of Homs. To these the Kingdom has the Templar Citadel of Tortosa in the North, and Acre in the Middle of the Levant, to defend against. From Egypt, it's the duty of the Fortress Kerak, with aid from Acre, to defend against the Ayyubid's advance through Gaza. Nestled within the protection of these castles are Jaffa, Tyre, and Tripoli, valuable trade-centers for Jerusalem to develop.
But the King of Jerusalem must be prudent to the currently docile north, where hands of Byzantium, Armenia, and Turks seek to claim Antioch, held under a rebellious Latin Prince. It would make Outremer all the stronger to hold this Citadel, yet open Jerusalem up to new struggles in the North.
The Latin State is strong, but fragile, a glass knife that needs a deft hand to guide it's cut, lest it be shattered on the rock of Egypt, and be unable to brought to bear to greater conquests in the name of Christ.
Strengths
-Abundance of armor across their ranks
-Some of the Strongest Spearmen in the West.
- The Unstoppable and unmatched Christian Knight's Charge
-High quality Crossbowmen
Weaknesses
-A large lack of Professional non-spear foot infantry
-Very limited archery
-Limited Cavalry Variety
-Slightly less horse availability than the Muslims and East Christians
UNITS
Latium Spearmen: Contrary to the stories of crusaders returning home rich with booty, the business of embarking upon a Crusade was a relatively expensive business. As a result, most who set off were relatively well off, far from the rabble which comes to mind. These semi-professional Latium Spearmen consist of crusading pilgrims, settled Latins both in militias and as servants to nobles, and indigenous Eastern Christians.
Well shielded by their dated Kite Shields, simple helmets, and well padded Aketons these men serve well in a role of reliable light-medium spearmen, albeit best utilized if there is an Arrière-ban, and the Kingdom requires all able-bodied men to take up arms.
Latium Horsemen:A majority of the horsemen fighting for Jerusalem were not knights, and were far from a homogeneous group. Mercenary Sergeants of Europe, well off crusaders who weren't nobles, mounted squires & men-at-arms, and even some indigenous East Christians all fought as mounted warriors for Christendom.
Though their ranks are mixed, these men hold more to Europe in their Martial abilities than Asia. Lightly armored compared to their kinsmen, their armor is still slightly superior to their Turkish equivalents. Thus, Latium Horsemen may not only harass and chase the enemy, but also commit themselves to the charge and melee.
Sergeant Swordsmen: Finding men willing to fight on foot as a unit who can afford good arms and armor is no small feat in the Kingdom of Jerusalem or even Europe itself. Save for the Germans and few others, there exists a strong bias to fighting on foot for the Noble Class. Such does not exist, whether of humility or practicality, in the lower classes and it is from them that Jerusalem draws the workhorses of their Infantry. Professional soldiers, lacking in mail but armed with the nimble heater shield and sharp arming sword, these men may be not as well armored as knights on foot, but work together as a unit...something Dismounted Knights cannot claim.
Latium Crossbowmen: For an overwhelming majority of those who went on the Crusades, archery was not their culture's forte, and it as well as most forms of ranged combat were left to the Indigenous Christians. The one exception was the crossbow, which with the spear was to the Professional Soldier what the lance and sword was to the knight. Though Semi-Professional, it does not take much experience to utilize their deadly weapon, and against the hordes of Turkish Horse Archers or formations of well-trained Muslim Foot Archers these crossbowmen mean as much to the Victory of Outremer as the Knights themselves do.
Latin Sergeants: The First Crusade had seemed a herald to change in the world of Latin Christendom, and one such change was the momentous rise of Professionalism in the military. Though the returning dawn of the Footsoldier was yet to arrive in Europe, the Twilight was bright for them in Asia. Though the land is dominated by horsemen, spearmen and crossbowmen are invaluable in their ability to keep the enemy cavalry at bay, and defend their own horsemen.
Being a fully professional force, consisting of servants and sergeants well equipped by their lords, they are the core of the upper echelon of Jerusalem's infantry. Come to rely on them greatly, for without the spine to your army that Latin Sergeants provide, the body of Jerusalem, and Christ's cause, shall fall.
Sergeant Crossbowmen: Would the Latin Sergeants be the spine of Jerusalem, then the Sergeant Crossbowmen are the ribs, entrusted to protection of the heart of the Kingdom - its Knights. Professional Soldiers of whom the crossbow has been as much a part of their life as the lance and horse is to the Knight, these men have also taken to arming themselves with sword and shield, their training less than a knight or dedicated man-at-arms, but far from lacking.
Thus, do Sergeant Crossbowmen exist as a hybrid, but instead of a "Jack of all trades, master of none", they are masters of the crossbow, and adepts at the sword.
Mounted Sergeants: Consisting of the wealthier sergeants and servants of a nobleman as well as those that are independent, they often formed a reserve for if the first call to arms was not enough. When utilized in battle, they would form up behind the heavier knights, but stand before the lighter Squires and irregular horsemen. Many of the mounted sergeants in service to the Kingdom of Jerusalem were mercenaries from outside the Middle East, likely due to the rarity of horses in Outremer. These mercenaries were often found in perpetual service, their contracts continually being re-established monthly.
Having become more common in the later half of the 12th century, Mounted Sergeants stand alongside Knights and Turcopoles in importance within the Kingdom of Jerusalem. With good mail armor, albeit not as much or as heavy as a Knight's, strong kite shields, and lance and sword, they fill Jerusalem's niche of durable, affordable medium cavalry, suited both to the charge and the ensuing melee.
Men-At-Arms: Professionalism was on the rise in the 12th century, non-nobles acquiring more armor, better training, and being utilized far more on the battlefield. Men-At-Arms are symbolic of this change, being professional soldiers high in the personal retinue of a Knight or Lord, exceptionally armed in their service to these nobles. With Axe and Kite shiled, they are professional infantry trained to fight on foot as a unit far more than Dismounted Knights are. For that reason, in open battle and many other circumstances, Men-At-Arms can be a far better choice for Jerusalem than a more armored Knight on foot would be.
Latium Halberdiers: Due to the abundance of foes with bow and arrow and lack of Plate Armor that needed cracking, wielding weapons without a shield never caught on as it did in Europe. Yet it would be against the Fatimids that the Mounted Nobles of Europe would experience an ominous prophecy of what would happen in their own lands, with Muslim Infantry wielding long-hafted maces and other polearms with considerable success against Crusade horses.
Perhaps as inspiration from the Fatimids, or as the sprouting of what Military changes would blossom in the coming centuries, Jerusalem has come to arm some of its militias and semi-professional soldiers with halberds of mixed designs, some being the Gisarme long-hafted axe, others the Voulge with sharpened tip. However humble the origins of these farm-tools turned weapons, they present themselves as a wicked tool against any horsemen that should brave the cover of crossbow fire.
Latin Knights: While in the East, Heavy Shock Horsemen must share the throne of the battlefield with light horse archers, Knights had known no equals in Europe, and have come upon the shores of Asia as Kings in another Kingdom, who must fight to claim this new throne.
Made up of lower to middle class knights, armed in somewhat dated but still efficient equipment, these knights hail from Latin Christendom, coming to Jerusalem as pilgrims, crusaders, mercenaries, or settlers. As medium-heavy cavalry, they are best utilized in the role that Knights are famous for: Charging home into the enemy, breaking through by weight and momentum, and engaging in the ensuing melee.
Dismounted Latin Knights: Dismounting to fight may be a strong tradition in the Near East, but save for Germany, it has never truly caught on with the warrior-aristocracy of much of Europe. A knight certainly can fight on foot, but there is no concept of fighting as part of a unit if not on horseback.
As a result, these Dismounted Knights do not excel in a role of Heavy Infantry in open battlefields. It would be the foolish General that relies on dismounted rather than mounted knights, but it would be the foolish general who thought these men serve no purpose. In siege, or supporting spearmen, they are invaluable. Trying to hold part of a battle line, and their actions are futile.
Outremer Knights: As in Europe, the relationship between the King and the great nobles of the realm was far from complacent. In the later half of the 12th century, the balance of power had begun to shift, favoring the Barons whose power grew as the King's and the lesser aristocracy's waned.
Perhaps such was due to the drive and energy in these leading families, as these were far from complacent nobles who rested upon the laurels of long-passed ancestors. Most of these leading families had come from origins humble in comparison to knights back in Europe, having gained fortune and fame through their own merits early in the 12th century. Belonging to the noble households entirely or mostly established in Outremer has given these nobles a greater understand of their foes and their strategies and though they still stay true to the ways of the European Knight, has let them adopt to this alien landscape far better than the come-and-go crusaders.
Less hot-headed in the charge as Latin Knights, but with armor-piercing mace, they fare far better in the ensuing melee. As well, with smaller heater shield to parry their foes rather than sit guarding half their body, the Outremer knights are a far more potent force in the clash than their Latin Brethren.
Dismounted Outremer Knights: Though still holding the same disdain to fighting on foot which a majority of their European ilk hold, Outremer knights are at least more willing, or capable, on foot than Latin Knights fresh from Europe. With armor-crushing mace and agile heater shield, they fare fare better in the clash. Still does their knightly origin exhibit an individuality which, though less pronounced on horseback, is woefully evident when on foot.
If on the attack, then their fluid nature is more of a boon, save for if their foe remains in a cohesive formation, and denies them the chance to fight one on one. But if on the defense, their lack of experience on foot, and refusal to work as a team will let enemies which value cohesion and teamwork push them aside.
Templar Knights:
"Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomine tuo da gloriam."
- Not unto us Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give glory.
For all that the Templar Knights have done in the name of God and all they are known for, that Glory of God must have been and continue to be made all the greater. Highly disciplined and trained, they are amongst the best knights the Crusaders can field. First upon the battlefield and last to leave, if at all, Templar Knights are best utilized in the vanguard of the charge, opening a breach in the enemy line for their comrades to follow.
Such zeal does have its drawbacks, for the Templars are so keen on the destruction of the infidel that in battle, their foes destruction may matter more than their own survival.
Templar Axemen: Unlike many other knights, who wane in dedication or abilities when on foot, Dismounted Templars don't skip a beat, as fanatical, determined, and aggressive on foot as they are on horseback. Armed with not the sword or spear but a tall and vicious axe, they are no subtle infantrymen, best used leading other crusaders in an infantry charge.
Knights of Jerusalem: While some knights choose to place their loyalty in people, serving nobles greater than they, others choose to place their loyalty in God and join the many Religious Orders. But then there are a few, who serve a thing lesser than God, but which serves God far more than the petty ambitions of nobles. It is they who join the Knights of Jerusalem, men who answer to no Noble save the King of the Holy Lands and God almighty. Their fief, the Holy Lands, granted to their Lord by the Lord.
Upon mailed horses, a rarity amongst the Latins in these times, they are the heaviest amongst the heavy, knights whose charge nears the impact of the Khwarezmian or Byzantine, yet who do not wade into battle as they, but charge with lances couched and body tense, before wading through their shattered foe to hew them further with sword swing and slash.
Jerusalem Guard: The Knights of Jerusalem are too trained and valuable a force to dismount to fight, and it is for that reason that in defense of the walls of Jerusalem and in the cities and citadels of the Holy Land the Jerusalem Guard would be called. Consisting of lesser knights, lord-less sergeants, and other men of the middle to lower upper class, these Guardsmen have too rejected the notion of obedience to self-serving nobles, under not the banner of these households but rather beneath the Cross of Christ and the Holy Land.
They are without peer west of the Fertile Crescent, disciplined and highly motivated heavy spearmen who embody the defense of the Holy Lands.
Turcopole Foot:
Turcopole Mounted:
Featured in the roster, but not on the preview:
Hospitaller knights
Poulain Knights (On foot and Mounted)
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Originally Posted by Yoda Twin
Great preview! It shows the units in all their beauty... (almost! Nothing can show AD's units in all their beauty! 
