Lion Rampant Crusader States Game - Raiding the Neighbours

 

Usama's cavalry advance on to the table

Hama's infantry sit tight on the island with the cattle

Lion Rampant unit cards

Hama's cavalry reinforcements arrive on the table

Usama's infantry arrive on the table

Hama's archers find their mark

On Wednesday afternoon Craig came over and we played a Lion Rampant Crusader States game out in the shed. The scenario was Raiding the Neighbours from the Lion Rampant Crusader States supplement (pp.101-106) with two warbands from the Syrian Principalities list. Usama's warband was attempting to retrieve stolen cattle on an island on the Orontes River, while Hama's warband tried to prevent this. The scenario is based on actual events in the memoirs of Usama Ibn-Munquidh (1095-1188).

It was a fun scenario but we got Hama's cavalry reinforcements wrong they all came on in turn two whereas they should have come on in dribs and drabs over several turns. In the end it probably didn't effect the result of the game that much because Usama's warband had terrible luck with their dice throughout the game and never really got going. Usama's cavalry were almost wiped out to a man by shooting but the infantry managed to launch a late counterattack but Hama's warband was able to hold on to the cattle.

Usama's warband has no luck with their dice

Units on both sides are whittled down by shooting

Shooting continues

Usama's cavalry are almost wiped out

Usama's infantry counterattack

Hama's warband holds on to the cattle

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 - Seljuks versus Byzantines

 

Byzantine attackers deployed

Seljuk defenders

Most of the Byzantines advance

Seljuks advance

Byzantine Klibanophoroi catch up

Last Saturday afternoon Craig came over and we played a Seljuks versus Nikephorian Byzantines Lion Rampant game out in the shed. We both had 24 point warbands, using the usual Bloodbath scenario. The Byzantines were the attackers and the Seljuks the defenders. Craig’s Seljuks consisted of two units of heavy cavalry with bows, a unit of light infantry with javelins, a warrior Azerbaijani unit, and a unit of archers and a unit of skirmishers. My Nikephorian Byzantines consisted of a unit of Klibanophoroi (elite cavalry), two units of heavy cavalry with bows, a unit of skutatoi (heavy infantry) and a unit of archers.


This was a practice game as there is a Lion Rampant event on the 8th of July as part of BelCon II (8th and 9th July 2023) at the Raiders’ Club in Kippax. This event has three games with 24 point warbands and the scenarios of Bloodbath, the Convoy and Hold on Tight. If anyone is interested in playing I can bring along a 24 point warband of Early Crusaders or Normans. Some of the other events at BelCon include 15mm Mortem et Gloriam, 28mm Billhooks Italia and 28mm ACW with Pickett’s Charge. Tickets for all these events can still be purchased on the Olympian Games website.


Most of the Byzantines advanced but it took a few turns for the Klibanophoroi to catch up and launch a wild charge into the Azerbaijani who retreated battered. Repeated charges by the Klibanophoroi, drove the Seljuk heavy cavalry back, before they sucumbed to the Seljuk shooting. The Byzantine heavy infantry forced a unit of Seljuk heavy cavalry to retreat battered but then both units of Byzantine heavy cavalry failed their courage tests and routed. In the end it was a bloodbath indeed and only a unit of Byzantine archers and the Seljuk leader with a single cavalryman remained

Byzantine archers and Seljuk heavy cavalry remain

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