A Journey South

[Kyrator]

Alexander stands at the head of a 4,000 man army on the outskirts of the city of Batroun. The army begins to march southwards towards Beirut sending 50 Knights and 100 Men-at-arms to scout the defenses and evaluate if it is possible to take the city with the forces available. Other small pockets of troops are detached and are sent to scout around the army for enemy forces, any scouts spotted are to be captured.

Forces

800 Footmen
800 Spearmen
600 Bowmen
800 Men-at-arms
1,000 Knights

[The Mad Skylord]

Moderation:

The scouts don't return. The Latins must assume them killed or captured.

((Rolled a 4))

[Kyrator]

Alexander continues marching on Beirut intent on besieging it, he would find out what awaits him there in person. However due to the disappearance of the scouts the army travels wary of ambush.

[The Mad Skylord]

Moderation:

Rolls

Ambush Roll: 1-10 = Ambush 11-20 = No Ambush Roll Modifiers +2 - Army Alert +5 - Unsuitable Terrain Rolled a 13 + 7 = 20 Messenger Escape Roll: 1-10 - Messenger Escapes before Crusaders can respond 11-20 - Crusaders have a chance to capture the messengers Modifiers -3 - Muslims encountered Crusader Scouts Roll: 10-3 = 7 Defenders: 1'105 men 221 footmen 221 spearmen 166 archers 221 horse archers 276 mamlukes Defenses: 1-3 - Wooden Palisade 4-6 - Wooden Wall Roll: 1 - Wooden Palisade

The army reaches Beirut without event but, as they close in on the town, 5 horsemen gallop out of the gates of the town and disappear over the horizon - towards the Emir in Baalbek. The Crusaders will be unable to capture them.

The town is surrounded by a simple wooden palisade, but it is defended by over 1'100 zealous Muslims. Muslims who know help will soon be arriving. It will be difficult to organize a surrender.

[Kyrator]

Alexander orders 20 horsemen to follow in the direction of the Saracen scouts and track their progress. They are to hurry back and warn Alexander when enemy reinforcements are on the way and of their number. Meanwhile Alexander surrounds the town and begins the siege. As Alexander sets up camp he tells his men to make the camp far larger than needed for the army then send a message to the leader of the garrison of Beirut;

"Surrender and you shall be allowed to leave unmolested. I am but a vanguard bearing a fraction of the men that the main force can bring to battle. I hope you can see reason and accept my offer, otherwise I shall see you on the battlefield"

His army then proceeds to settle down and constructs siege equipment sending some scouts out to watch for the arrival of a larger Saracen force.

[The Mad Skylord]

Moderation:

Rolls

Surrender: 1-10 - No Surrender 11-20 - Surrender Modifiers -5 - Reinforcements -1 - Christian Invaders -6 Roll: Rolled a 6. No Surrender. Reinforcements: 3'480 men 522 Footmen 522 Spearmen 522 Archers 870 Horse Archers 1'044 Mamlukes Arrival of Reinforcements: 1-10 - before siege equipment is completed 11-20 - after siege equipment is completed Modifiers -3 - Messengers escaped before construction began Roll: 11 - 3 = 8 Saracens arrives before construction can be completed. Notification of arrival: Normal Scout Rules Rolled a 14 Troop numbers: Between 2'100 and 3'500 men. Note: Alexander has time to prepare or retreat, due to scouts.

The Commander of the Garrison reads the message to his fellow defenders mockingly, then he spits over the wall and he and his men scream abuse at the Crusaders in Arabic. Their response to being offered surrender is clear.

As Alexander builds his siege equipment, a band of scouts gallop into camp. They shout and yell for Alexander, and hurriedly give their report. Anywhere from 2'100 to 3'500 men are marching to Beirut, and they will be here before construction can be finished. In fact, they are almost here now. The Lord must be swift in his decision.

[Kyrator]

Alexander packs up and moves his army back northward but leaves some scouts behind at Beirut then he cuts east and attempts to set up an ambush on the path back to Baalbek.

[The Mad Skylord]

Moderation:

Rolls

Scouts: 1-10 - they don't escape 11-20 - they escape Modifiers +2 know the enemy is coming +2 poised to escape Roll: 8 + 2 + 2 = 12 Scouts Escape Muslim Army: 1-10 - Return to Baalbek 11 - 20 March on to Batroun in pursuit Roll: 10 The army marches back to Baalbek (that was close Ky) Ambush: 1-5 - No Ambush 6-10 - Partial Ambush 11-18 - Ambush 19-20 - Perfect Ambush Modifiers +5 - Suitable Terrain -3 - 4'000 men -3 Don't know the terrain +1 - Know the enemy is definitely on the way Roll: 12 Ambush - The Crusaders manage to ambush the Muslims as they march back to Baalbek. While the ambush is successful, it is not quite perfect, and the Muslims manage to recover enough to form rough battle lines. ((Basically, you get a big boost to all your attacks, but the Muslims have recovered enough to give resistance. They get negative modifiers, and you get positive modifiers. Post your orders and your exact number and I'll roll the battle.))

The Crusader scouts escape back to Alexander. Once they see that Beirut is safe, the army decides to march straight back to Baalbek.

They march for a short time, and then they stop for nightfall in the mountains. Just as they are setting up camp, Christian war cries fill the air and Crusaders charge down into the Muslim camp...

[Kyrator]

Forces

800 Footmen
800 Spearmen
600 Bowmen
800 Men-at-arms
1,000 Knights

Alexander orders his knights to pin down the Saracen Mameluks and to cut them down, meanwhile his Men-at-arms and half the footmen are to run rampant throughout the Saracen camp to wreak havoc and disorder within the enemy ranks as our archers rain down fire arrows upon the tents until they spot any sign of horse archers at which point they are to focus them. Our Spearmen are to move in and help our knights against the Mameluks while the other half of our footmen guard our flanks and try to shield our bowmen from retaliation.

[The Mad Skylord]

Moderation:

Combat Initiation

Pin the Mamlukes: 1-5 - Mamlukes evade completely 6-10 - minority of Mamlukes are pinned 11-15 - majority of Mamlukes are pinned 16-20 - Mamlukes pinned completely Modifiers +5 Ambush +2 Downhill charge Roll: 9 + 7 = 16 Mamlukes pinned completely Wreaking Havoc: 1-5 - Minimal Havoc 6-12 - Moderate Havoc 13-18 - Massive Havoc 18-20 - Total Panic Modifiers +5 - Ambush +2 - Downhill Charge Roll: 15 + 7 = 20 + 2 Total Panic Archery: 1-5 - Minimal damage 6-10 - Moderate damage 11-15 - High damage 16-20 - Brutal damage Roll: 19 Archery Targeting: 1-5 - High Friendly Fire 6-10 - Moderate Friendly Fire/low enemy fire 11-15 - Low Friendly Fire/moderate enemy fire 16-20 - High Enemy Fire Modifiers -5 Total Havoc and Panic Roll: 6 - 5 = 1 High Friendly Fire Pinning Horse Archers: 1-10 - not pinned 11-20 - pinned Modifiers -5 - Total Havoc and Panic Roll: 13 - 5 = 8 Archers Fail to pin Horse Archers

Combat

Mamluke Combat: 1-10 - Mamlukes winning 11-20 - Knights winning Modifiers -2 - Friendly fire +5 Ambush +2 Downhill charge +1 Pinned +1 Spearmen reinforcing Roll: 2 - 2 + 5 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 9 Mamlukes winning Saracen Rally: 1-8 - Saracens Rally 9-20 - Saracens fail to rally Modifiers +5 Havoc and Panic -3 Mamlukes winning combat -1 Horse archers not pinned -1 Friendly fire Roll: 4 + 5 - 3 - 1 - 1 = 4 Saracens rally Forming up: 1-6 - Rallied Saracens form up perfectly 7-15 - Rallied Saracens form up well 16-18 - Rallied Saracens form up roughly 19-20 - Rallied Saracens fail to form up Modifiers -4 - Rallied +5 Havoc Roll: 16 - 4 + 5 = 17 Rallied Saracens form up roughly Footmen/Men at Arms vs Saracen Infantry/bowmen 1-5 - Crusaders Routed 6-15 - Prolonged combat 16-20 - Saracens routed Modifiers -5 - Troops running rampant +2 - Rough formation Roll: 10 - 5 + 2 = 7 Prolonged Combat - Saracen's Favour Horse Archers vs Reserve Footmen 1-3 - Perfect Accuracy/Huge damage 4-10 - Good Accuracy/High Damage 11-15 - Decent Accuracy/Moderate Damage 16-20 - Bad Accuracy/Low Damage Modifiers -4 - all Crusader troops pinned Roll: 13 - 4 = 9 Good Accuracy/High Damage

Routing Stage

Mamlukes vs Knights/Spearmen 1-10 - Knights/Spearmen break 11-20 - Mamlukes Break Modifiers -3 - Mamlukes winning -1 - Friendly fire +4 - Spearmen in combat with horsemen Roll: 4 -3 - 1 + 4 = 4 Crusaders Break Saracens Infantry/Bowmen vs Men at Arms/Footmen 1-10 - Crusaders Break 11-20 - Saracens Break Modifiers -3 - Mamlukes defeated Knights -2- Saracens winning combat Roll: 13 - 3 - 2 = 8 Crusaders Break Horse Archers vs Footmen/Bowmen 1-10 - Crusaders Break 11-20 - Saracens Retreat to wait for help - allowing crusaders to retreat in good order Modifiers -3 - Knights defeated -3 - Foot/Light Horse defeated -1 - Heavy arrow fire Roll: 10 - 3 - 3 - 1 = 3 Crusaders break Overall: Pyrrhic Saracen Victory

Casualties

Riding down routers: 1-8 - High Casualties(15%) 9-17 - Moderate Casualties(10%) 18-20 - Low Casualties(5%) Roll: 17 Moderate Casualties - 10% extra casualties Crusaders Footmen/Men at arms 6d10 rolls 10, 10, 9, 5, 4, 3 43 + 10 = 53% Maximum Casualties = 50% Knights/Spearmen 1, 3, 9, 3, 9, 2 27 + 10 = 37% Footmen/Bowmen 1, 3, 2, 2, 7, 4 19 + 10 = 29% Saracens Same figures, minus 10%

The Crusaders ran down the hillside howling. They quickly established supremacy. Knights and Pike pinned the Saracen Mamlukes in desperate hand to hand combat, and footmen and men at arms ran amok in the Saracen camp. And the the first arrows were loosed... They caused huge damage to the Crusaders, but they were not shot by Saracens. In the complete havoc of battle, the Crusader archers were shooting their own men!

The initial shock wore off fast. It was the turn of the Crusaders to be shocked. They didn't know who was shooting them! The tide turned, and the Saracen Mamlukes managed to make the heavy tide of Crusaders falter. This, in turn, allowed the Saracen foot to rally, and rally it did! Quickly forming a rough formation, the Saracen troops charged into the scattered Crusaders running around the camp. The brutal melee continued...

The horse archers had free rein of the battlefield. There were no troops fast enough to catch them, and without any opposition - save the odd arrow - they tore apart the contingent of footmen and bowmen left in the rear.

After much prolonged fighting, the Crusaders finally broke. They fled for their lives and they were vulnerable to slaughter, but the Saracens chased them only so far. It had been a hard day for them, too, and they had to retreat to Baalbek to lick their wounds...

Troops Remaining

Crusaders 655 Footmen 400 Men at Arms 455 Archers 477 Spearmen 777 Knights 2'853 men Lost 1'147 men Saracens 313 Footmen 313 Spearmen 313 Archers 705 Horse Archers 762 Mamlukes 2'406 men 1'074 men lost

Lord Alexander

Killed In Action – 1-2/20 (if a 1 is rolled your character is killed and a 2 is mortally wounded) Wounded - 3-7/20 (there will be a further roll to see what type of wound) Captured - 8-12/20 (you are captured by the other side and must be ransomed or escape) Free - 13-20/20 (you get through the battle without being captured or wounded) Roll: Rolled a 16. Alexander escaped battle unharmed.

Crusaders flee back to Batroun. They will remain there for a total of 12 hours from the time this post was last edited.

[Kyrator]

Durrleted

[The Mad Skylord]

Void

[The Mad Skylord]

Your troops can move now, Ky.

[Stildawn]

A messenger arrives for Lord Alexander

To Lord Alexander

I am stuck in the field at present unable to come to your aid. For this I am sorry.

Pull back to Jubail, there is a relief force of three thousand waiting for you, defend southern Tripoli until I am able to return.

Lord Santana

[Kyrator]

Alexander rallies his men and leaves the battlefield bitter and defeated, he rides north and makes camp for the night. After receiving the letter he returns home, a failure in his own eyes.