Clash of warlords, medieval middle-eastern AAR

As the muslim rulers under the crusader era thought more amongst them selves then against the crusader states I think Its only proper to have an battle between two muslim rulers.

I and Johan (http://ottocephalous.blogspot.se/) had our first big battle of our Crusader project and we split our joint collection into two forces and battled it out. We used the Hail Caesar rules from Warlord Games and we have really come to like it.

The game would be played on a double gaming board and our forces would be set up in opposite corners. This will hopefully make a grand battle.

We rolled a dice and it decided that I had to brake the enemy army before the end of turn 6.
We don't know if its fair for gaming balance (probably not) but it meant to give the game some more momentum and speed as I had to race against the turns and use speed to close in. Hopefully this would mean as a sort of motivator for one of the forces to close in.

To bad really that I had to attack, because my infantry had a nice position in the village.

The opposition. Left flank a cavalry brigade with two heavy cavalry units as the main punch, center- lots and lots of spearmen in a long line. And the right flank is made up of a small unit of archers and African skirmishers.

 My army. The left flank is made up of a cavalry brigade using the open space. A infantry brigade is set up in the small village and a brigade of skirmishers is filling up the gaps in the lines.

Enemy cavalry.

 I move forward my cavalry brigade, one unit of skirmishers tag along but other then that the army didnt manage to move.

Enemy commander decides to move up his cavalry threatening the flank of my cavalry, move forward his spearmen  and starts to move his skirmishers.

 One small unit of archers manages to break a unit of heavy cavalry somehow... I rolled two 6s, inflicting a casualty on the unit but more important forces my opponent to roll on the break result table.
Johan rolled two 1... resulting in a heavy cavalry unit breaking from the battle...
Two 6s followed by two 1s... I dont think I have to give you the odds for that, but just say that this will probably not happen any more time ever...

The after result in my cavalry charge...
One heavy cavalry unit locked in combat, one broken and one shaken and forced to pull backwards... His lines held...

Dammit, I got a little to hot blooded and wanted to try out the shining heavy cavalry formation and unfortunately used a more western approach and hit the enemy head on... It didnt really go that well...

But it was only fair, next time I have to remember to use a more eastern approach and soften the enemy up with archers and using the speed of the cavalry to hit them in the sides.

This is not a nice position to be of your on a horse, enemy closes up on the flanks...

Enemy point of view.
Reformed after missing one heavy cavalry unit because of my archers.... Oh yeah oh yeah...

Discussing the finer things in life, the temptations of Acre, figs of Damascus and North African coffee.

Enemy commander spotted... Leading his cavalry brigade from the front.

Somehow my outflanked cavalry unit not only survived that locked in box combat but managed to win it, forcing the enemy back. It was with heavy casualties on my side to but they did win.
My commander joins in and lead the attack one of the spear units next turn and forcing it back a further. Unfortunately the staggering amount of casualties meant that the unit was now shaken and could press on the attack any more.

My Mamluk heavy cavalry archer unit get attacked by infantry and not only manages to win the combat but also brake the enemy unit.

My cavalry brigade was now deemed broken as its main heavy cavalry units was ether broken or shattered. I moved my heavy cavalry unit backwards taking up positions on the side on the Mamluk archers in an attempt to create a sort of anchoring position and looking up the battle field for my opponent.

 My infantry brigade have finally managed to leave the protection of the village and is trying to make a line and approach the enemy.

Enemy skirmishers pushes my Turcomans and trying to flank my cavalry and my skirmishers.

My line closes in on the enemy... slowly slowly...
An Asian lion was seen chasing an Oryx.

Enemy positions at the end of the game.
I didn´t manage to brake his army. My infantry enjoyed the protection of the village to much and I had a hard time to motivate them to leave it to close in on the enemy.


A victory for Johan, and only fairly. I should be punished for trying to use western cavalry tactics with eastern horsemen....
The battle did swing a little more in my favour when my heavily outnumbered cavalry unit did manage to press three enemy spearmen units with heavy casualties but it was not enough.

A really nice game and I hope that Johan and I will have many more like it. 

I think this battle will become a real good lesson on how to or how not to play, give a great idea what units are capable of and a little hint on what Johan and I should paint in the future to our forces.

An I hope this can motivate some members of the club to tag along on this great crusader project....