Bucellarii: Command and Colors Medieval Crusades Games

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Command and Colors Medieval Crusades Games - Lake Antioch and Dorylaeum

Crusaders play a Mounted Charge
card in the first turn

Seljuks evade and shoot

Battle takes place between the Orontes River
and Lake Antioch on 9 February 1098

Crusaders win 5-4 victory banners

Crusaders and Seljuks deployed for the third Dorylaeum
scenario, a flank attack led by Raymond IV of Toulouse

Happy New Year for 2025! Last Monday afternoon Craig came over with his Muslims and we played two Command and Colors Medieval Crusades games out in the shed. The first scenario was Lake Antioch 9 February 1098 and the game was over fairly quickly. The Crusaders winning 5-4 victory banners, although the Seljuks finished strongly. The mat had four inch rather than five inch hexes we usually use, which meant some of our unit sizes were smaller than normal, not that it makes any difference in game terms. We decided to play a second game, the third Dorylaeum scenario, with a flank attack led by Raymond IV of Toulouse. I had been soundly thrashed playing the first two scenarios with just the blocks last month.

We hurriedly deployed for this scenario, see photo above, and failed to notice that the troops behind the hills on Seljuk left flank should be Crusaders not Seljuks! However the Seljuks were unable to use these troops at all in the entire game, due to a lack of cards for this section. It proved to be a much closer game and the Seljuks made good use of their cards and Inspired Action tokens to Darken the Sky and Fire and Close. The Crusader knights attacked but suffered heavy casualties. In the end multiple left section cards enabled the Cruader infantry to attack and drive the Seljuks back. The Seljuk light bow cavalry and light cavalry suffered retreat results near their base line which meant they were wiped out as they were unable to retreat. The Crusaders winning a hard fought game 7-5 victory banners.