The battle of Saruj.

[Mary The Quene]

For days the Royal Army hunted the Muslim army raging through the lands of Edessa. After many sackings the bulk of the Muslim army withdrew from Edessan lands and only a small raiding host remained close the the town of Saruj, an unimportant town. It took long before the Royal army could meet up but finally they met the enemy at Saruj. With the slaughter of Manbij in the minds of the Crusaders and the Countess they wanted only one thing, vengeance. For every inch blood of muslim spent the fallen would be honored. The countess had been kind and generous to the Muslims in captured territory, however the slaughter of Manbij shocked her and made her different person, a person who changed from an innocent, cheerful and young girl into a ruthless monster vowing vengeance. Arriving at the fields of Saruj, the royal Army set up camps and awaited further instructions. The countess and her generals were discussing plans in the countess' tent. The royal army was given rest for the day remaining.

11,000 soldiers
2200 footmen
2200 spearmen
1600 bowmen
2200 men at arms
2800 knights

[Stildawn]

The commander of the Aleppo force surveyed the scene before him, they had been caught napping, fresh off a recent raid of a nearby village the Edessian force had arrived on the southern horizon.

He knew straight away looking at the vast force of light horse, that if he attempted to flee east, well that was a mountainous desert, the pursuing Christians would cut them down... No he must stand here...

Muslim Force:

Total: 4000 Footmen - 1000 Spearmen - 600 Archers - 400 Horse Archers - 1200 Mamlukes - 800

With a flat plain before and behind him (at least until the mountains stretched upwards) the Muslim force spread into a tight line. Spearmen to the front, Footmen behind with some held in reserve, behind that was the archers few in number but well protected.

The flanks were protected by the Mamlukes, with a roving band of Horsearchers in between the two armies.

The Horsearchers moved force, cantering into range of the Christian lines, and letting off their first volley of the day, immediately wheeling back for the short dash out of range.

[Mary The Quene]

The heavy knights and lighter armored men at arms combined their units into one and try to chase the hostile horse archers and mamlukes. The Infantry consisting of spearmen and footmen were put in a tight line while the bowmen were placed right before the wall of spearmen and footmen shooting their arrow on the hostile line. The Cavalry was ordered after chasing of the hostile horse archers and mamlukes to turn back and attack the enemy infantry from the rear as a shock effect. The countess wants her men to take the hostile leader alive, he could prove handy.

The countess watches from a hill watching the battle unfold for her eye's.

[Stildawn]

OOC: Man your lucky this time round. Could you post one move at a time though cheers.

The muslim horsearcher arrows arched high into the sky at the limit of their range, due to this their effectiveness was limited but still deadly, the arrows rained down among the Christian Footmen and Spearmen, at the end the Christians had taken a moderate loss.

Archery Volley Result:

396 Footmen Lost (center) (roll of 6)- 1804 remain 240 Spearmen Lost (center) (roll of 3 + 1) - 1760 remain

As the muslims horsearchers turned back towards their line after their volley they sent up a large dust cloud in their wake... Heading back towards their line they turned again to race forward for another volley... But to their total surprise, from the midst of the dust sprewed forth the Christian Men At Arms, their light horses combined with the horsearchers already forward momentum quickly closed the gap and the melee between both sides light horse ensured.

But it didn't last long, the Horsearchers taken by surprise and with their bows in their hands, they were slow to adapt... This combined with the overwhelming numbers ment the melee quickly turned into a rout.

Men At Arms vs Horsearchers Results:

22 Men At Arms Lost (center) (roll of 19) - 2178 600 Muslim Horsearchers Lost (center) (roll of 1) - Remaining 600 rout and leave the field in panic Seriously great roll here lol, you got a 19 v 1 haha. Combined with superior numbers as well wow.

On the flanks of the lines the two heavy cavalry forces charged into one another, 1400 Christian Knights on each side (left & right), vs 400 Muslim Mamlukes on each side. As the melee ensured between the heavily armored horsemen it was numbers that won the day.

On the left, the Christians fought hard and fast, overwhelming their opponents, breaking through and sending the muslims into a panicked rout.

The right was more even, however even though the muslims fought harder, their efforts were eventually futile against the weight of the Christian numbers. They had to pull back to behind the infantry line.

Knights vs Mamlukes Results:

140 Knights Lost (Left) (roll of 18)- 1260 remain 200 Mamlukes Lost (left) (roll of 12) - The remaining 200 rout and leave the field 602 Knights Lost (right) (roll of 2)- 798 remain 200 Mamlukes Lost (right) (roll of 6) - 200 remain

The Christian archers also let forth their own volley now that they had moved into range. The wind was with them and their arrows flew straight and fell hard among the ranks of spearmen to the front of the muslim line... Many muslims in their lighter armor died or were mortally wounded. In fact the volley with its size of 1600 arrows decimated the muslim spears, leaving only 60 survivors, however the footmen in reserve gave them hope and the now ragged line held.

Christain Archers Volley Results:

540 Muslim Spear Lost (center) (roll of 20 + 1) - 60 remain but stand firm You rolled a 20 lol.

As the dust from the initial engagements settled, both commanders surveyed the field.

On the left the remaining Christian knights had no one before them but the backs of the routing Mamlukes, to their right was the muslim infantry line.

On the right the remaining Christain knights had pushed the Mamlukes back, to their front was the reformed Mamlukes, to their left was the muslim infantry line.

In the center between the two infantry lines were the remaining Christian Men At Arms, they had no further targets cause the enemy Horsearchers had all routed from the field, to their front lay the muslim infantry line, behind them was the Christian infantry line which was now within archery range. To their sides were open field as the Knights had pushed off the muslim Mamlukes.



OOC: Excellent rolls for you this time, I'm a bit disappointed in the horsearchers, they were supposed to be my main killing force lol but well your roll was just too awesome. For your next post I've stated where all the forces are, so work off that.

[Mary The Quene]

Victory is ours! shouted several soldiers preliminary. Victory is close but yet the battle is not won. The countess smiled down upon the battlefield from the hill she uses to watch the battle. Justice will be brought to the soldiers of Manbij.

Center :

The men at arms have to retreat to avoid getting sandwiched. Order the archers to unleash another volley upon the enemy. After the archers did their job let the infantry storm the hostile line, use the men at arms as reserve if they are needed.

Left

The knights from the left are ordered to assist the knights on the right and to team up with them.

Right

Fight the remaining Mamlukes and team up with the mamlukes from the left, after that try to attack the center from the rear.

Extra

Do everything possible to capture as many enemies as possible, especially their leader.

[Stildawn]

As the Christian Men At Arms pulled back, a duel volley of arrows soared overhead, the muslim bowmen targeting the Christian Infantry, while the Christian Bowmen did likewise... Again the wind was with the Christians and their arrows proved more effective.

Archery Volley Results:

108 Christian Footmen Lost (roll of 9) - 1696 remain 624 Muslim Footmen Lost (roll of 13) - 376 remain

With the Men At Arms gone, the Christian infantry crashed into the already shaken Muslims, weakened by archery fire, they didn't stand a chance against the Christian numbers and zeal. They fought hard but had to pull back joining their archers in the rear grouping together for survival.

Infantry vs Infantry:

69 Christian Footmen Lost (roll of 16) - 1627 remain 69 Christian Spearmen Lost (roll of 16 same roll as above) - 1691 remain 60 Muslim Spearmen Lost (roll of 10) - 0 remain 158 Muslim Footmen Lost (roll of 10 same as above) - 218 remain

On the flanks the victorious Knights on the left raced behind the Muslim infantry, seeing this the Muslim commander turns his entourage and makes his escape, hoping to eventually rally his fleeing men.

The Knights from the left managed to strike into the remaining Mamlukes flank, while the Christian Knights on the right charged again into their front. The result was a slaughter.

Knights vs Mamlukes:

41 Knights Lost (roll of 15 + 1) - 2017 remaining 100 Mamlukes Lost (roll of 7) - 100 remain but rout and leave the field

The battle was all but over, the remaining Muslims surrounded.

218 Muslim Footmen, combined with 400 Muslim Archers huddled in the center of the field. They had 1627 Footmen and 1691 Spearmen to their front and stretching to their sides, with 2017 Knights behind them.

OOC: Again with the good rolls, though this battle was essentially over when you got those first few awesome rolls lol.

[Mary The Quene]

The battle is nearly over, hundreds and hundreds of Muslims had been massacred during the battle standing no chance against the Edessan troops. Up the hill the Countess looked with a smile watching the battle. Finally, the soldiers of Manbij are avenged. Only a small group of muslims remained on the battlefield, effectively surrounded, standing no chance against their opponents. Seeing the encirclement the Countess grabbed a white banner and charged downhill with a small host towards the besieged Muslims. Accompanied with a small host of 50 knights who bear the flags of Edessa with them they arrived in front of the hostile troops. The countess dismounted from her horse, made some steps forwards and waited until a Muslim approaches her.

[Stildawn]

The Muslim ranks were decimated, the only person of any rank was the commander of the archers, who had thus far escaped death from either sword or arrow.

The Archers Commander stepped forward cautiously towards the Countess, but remained close to his remaining men.

[Mary The Quene]

The Countess and guards looked in joy to their defeated opponents, this time they would be the ones to smile. A translator was dispatched to translate the countess.

It was foolish to oppose us and invoke our wrath as you can see. Your leader, he is a coward, he has fled from the battlefield as soon as he saw he was losing. My offer is simple, surrender to us or get killed instead, i only offer you this once. I may be a woman but my hands are of steel and they shall give the signal for your deem if you refuse.

[Stildawn]

The muslim was only just holding it together, he almost smiled at the Countess's remarks.

"And why should we trust you?" He said with a accusing finger pointed at the Countess. "You and your kind are nothing but murderous barbarians, sweeping in from the west like horrid demons, taking what you want, killing the rest... You... All of you are a plague to this peaceful land, destroying families, slaying the innocent... You are an affront to God" The man let loose in a almost crazy rant, tired from the endless destruction the Christians had brought with them, both to his people and to himself personally.

"The sooner we trust you, the sooner you would reveal your true ungodly barbaric nature" He said, it truly was a lost cause, but he didn't trust the Christians one bit, he had no reason to.

[Mary The Quene]

While listening bored to the Muslim, Annalisa takes an apple from her guard's bag and slowly but surely cuts the apple into smaller pieces and ate from it while listening amused at the muslim his rants. She turned her back to the Muslim and talked to her host of guards.

By the grace of god, this fool even dares to oppose me, even when i have his fate in my hands.

Then turning back to the muslim she almost could spit the apple in the face of the muslim but decided not to do so.

Trust? I have kept my promises when i peacefully took control of Manbij and Aintab, i have allowed your rotten kind to live on with the promise of no harm being done to them. It is YOU and YOUR master that have brought destruction to these lands plundering cities, killing the innocent, and stealing their property, i have never done such thing unlike you, so i'm sorry if i feel insulted by you. If i'm an affront to God then why does he grant me victory?, do you not see it?, he favors me, his holy daughter.

That last sentence was said mockingly, for she knew that the Muslims were not used to see women as commanders and leaders.

By the will of god i offer you a last chance as gesture of generosity, surrender and live on to see your children and wives again or die for a leader that is to cowardly to fight on the battlefield.

[Stildawn]

This girl is delusional the man thought to himself after listening to the reply.

"You and your kind, came from your homes and bloodily carved out your own vain realms from lands that had been peaceful for generations... You so called crusaders are insane to think you have any essence of moral high ground after the rape you brought from your cursed west." He spat on the ground in front of her, he did not care for his own life, his family in Edessa had already been raped and murdered when the "peaceful" Countess created her County.

He paused for a moment, though he and many of his men lives had been displaced due to this vain girl, some of them still had families left...

"But we have no choice but to surrender, though we will all prey for the destruction of your barbaric kind" With that he gave an order, and the remaining men disarmed.

[Mary The Quene]

Some additional knights approached the Muslims and started to confiscate their weapons. After that the Muslims were chained and brought all before the eye's of the Countess and the most noble of the noble's. After watching the vast column of prisoners she turned her attention back to their leader.

I hate you, but you've taken a wise decision, join your men and rest, we will soon head to Edessa and repair the destruction you brought upon the city. It will be a long march.

Then she turned back to her general's and noble's

We must celebrate this victory, give our men wine and let them rest. Tomorrow we will head back to Edessa and start the reconstruction of the city and start the interrogation of the prisoners, there are still questions that need to be answered.