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.

Troops behind the hills on Seljuk left flank
should be Crusaders not Seljuks!

Crusader knights attack

Crusaders suffer heavy casualties

Seljuks are driven back

Side view of the game

Crusaders attack with infantry and
win 7-5 victory banners

Lion Rampant Crusader States Game - Bloodbath in the Vines - Crusaders and Byzantines versus Syrians and Seljuks.

 

Crusaders and Byzantines deployed in the foreground

Syrians and Seljuks deployed

Crusaders and Byzantines attackers advance

Syrians and Seljuks advance

Byzantine horse archers cop a hammering

Azerbaijani warrior infantry charge
the Byzantine horse archers

Battered units retreat in the centre

Last Friday afternoon Craig and Robert came over and we played a Lion Rampant Crusader States game out in the shed. Craig commanded the Syrians and Seljuks with two 24 point warbands, one an all cavalry force and the other an all infantry force. Robert commanded a 24 point Crusader force and I commanded a 24 point Byzantine force. The scenario was the usual Bloodbath, the game proved to be fast and frenetic and very bloody indeed for both sides. 

The Seljuk horse archers quickly found their mark and almost destroyed the Byzantine horse archers in the first couple of turns. It was only a matter of time before both Byzantine units routed. The Crusaders did most of the fighting and only the Byzantine klibanophoroi (elite cavalry) really contributed. Casualties for both sides were very high, the entire Syrian and Seljuk cavalry force was eventually wiped out and both Crusader and Byzantine leaders were killed. In the end the Syrians and Seljuks just managed to hold on for a very brutal and bloody draw.

Most of the fighting is on the Crusaders' flank

Byzantine klibanophoroi line up a wild charge

Heavy cavalry casualties for both sides

Crusader knights charge again

Only Syrian and Seljuk foot remain

Game ends in a brutal and bloody draw

Lion Rampant Crusader States Game - Crusaders versus Fatimid Egyptians

 

View of the table

Crusaders

Fatimid Egyptians

Fatimid attackers advance

Side view - Fatimid archers hit their mark

Last Tuesday afternoon I went over to Rick's place and we played a Lion Rampant Crusader States game. I'm still painting my Seljuk infantry so I decided to field Fatimid Egyptians with my Almoravid Moors as Sudanese infantry. I commanded the Fatimid Egyptian attackers and Rick commanded the Crusaders with the usual Bloodbath scenario and looting of the village. The Fatimids in the Crusader States supplement army lists get two extra points, as their leader doesn't add a morale bonus for courage tests, so I had 26 points and the Crusaders only had 24 points and were out numbered.

This turned out to be a very one sided game, Rick hadn't played for a fair while and didn't have much luck with his dice. The Crusader knights and sergeants basically provided target practice for the Fatimids. The Crusaders did destroy a unit of Sudanese light infantry and the crossbowmen and light infantry caused a few casualties but otherwise it was a one way street. For future games I want to try out some of the scenarios in the excellent Crusader States supplement and a four player game with Crusaders, Byzantines, Syrians/Seljuks and Armenians. I have my Armenian infantry based and primed but have done much painting on them to date.

Crusaders are out numbered 

Crusader knights and sergeants provide target practice

Only the Crusader infantry remain

Crusader light infantry break

Lion Rampant 2nd Edition - Early Crusades Game

 

Seljuks left, Crusaders right

Seljuk heavy cavalry with bow

Seljuk infantry and horse archers

Crusaders advance

On Monday Craig came over to my place and we played a Lion Rampant 2nd Edition Early Crusades game. We diced for scenarios and got Scenario 7: Hold on Tight, Craig was the attacker with his Seljuk Turks and I was the defender with my Early Crusaders. We advanced in turn to the objective, a field in the middle of the table. The Seljuks had the best of the early missile fire exchange. My recently painted Turcopoles failed to activate repeatedly in turns with both shooting and skirmishing and most of the fighting was done by the Crusader knights. The Seljuks wiped out the Crusaders leader's unit and when the   Crusader spearmen failed a courage test it was all over, a convincing victory for the Seljuks.

Crusader knights line up a wild charge

Crusaders attack the Seljuk flanks

Seljuk light infantry wall of spears causes a retreat

Crusader spearmen fail a courage test

Seljuk victory

Early Crusaders

 

Here are some Early Crusaders from the Victrix Norman Cavalry plastic set that I've just finished painting. Shield transfers are by Victrix and banners are by LBM from the Norman lance pennants set. Great figures as you'd expect but really versatile too, with Norman, Early Crusades, Spanish and Andalusian options. I liked these so much I ordered another set to do as Spanish caballeros for my Reconquista army.