FOG 300 Playtest - Early Crusaders vs Bedouin - 6 August 2017

Finally managed to work in another playtest while everyone else in the house was still asleep (including the cat).  This time we have Early Crusaders versus Bedouins (the ally list from Swords and Scimitars).

The Early Crusader List and Host:

The Bedouin List and Host:

The Crusaders won the initiative for this playtest and opted for Agriculture.  The Bedouins took the compulsory open field, the open and a road.  The Crusaders took the gentle hill and the gully.  The Crusaders picked up the open and the Bedouins picked up the gully by rolling a 6 on terrain adjustment leaving the table looking like this: 

The unfortified Crusader camp is in the lower center of the table and the unfortified Bedouin camp is top left.

Below we have the view of the Bedouin host from atop the gentle hill on the left end of the Crusader line.  From left to right, we have the Bedouin light foot, armoured Bedouins, two protected Bedouin Lancers and then two Bedouin light horse lancers.

Below we have the view of the Crusader host from Ali's magic carpet.  From left to right, we have the Green Knights deployed in a single base line with the Blue Knights deployed across the road.  Next to the Blue Knights is the Crusader spear (I wanted to try out the Black and Yellows for this playtest) followed by the two 4 stand crossbow BGs deployed across the hill.

The Crusader first move saw the foot do a double move on the left with the knights moving a full 5" on the right.  None of the missile troops were within range so the turn ended.

The Bedouin first move saw a single move cross the board with the Bedouin light horse only moving 5" and staying in line with the Bedouin cavalry and light foot.  The Crusader crossbow managed 3 hits on the Bedouin light foot who passed both their cohesion and death rolls.  The range was too far for the Bedouin missile fire to have any effect so the turn ended.

For the Crusader 2nd Move, no one was within charge range so we went straight to movement.  The left most crossbow moved straight forward 4".  The inside crossbow attempted a CMT to reposition but failed so opted to remain in place.  The spear performed a full move straight ahead pinning the Bedouin cavalry line.  Both knight BGs also moved straight ahead a full move pinning the Bedouin Light Horse.  The combined crossbow managed 1 hit between them to no effect.  The Bedouin light foot scored two hits on the outside crossbow who passed their subsequent cohesion test.   The Crusader 2nd turn ended with the field looking like this:

The Bedouin 2nd turn saw all three Bedouin lancers have to roll not to charge.  The middle lancer was the only one to pass the roll and the Armoured Bedouins plowed into the left end of the Crusader spear while the left Bedouin protected lancers launched themselves into the right end of the spearmen and the Blue Knights. Impact looked like below:

Ali failed to take a picture of the results of impact but the Armoured Bedouins scored one hit and took none in return.  The protected Bedouins scored 1 hit on the Blue Knights and none on the spearmen but took 2 from the knights and 1 from the spearmen.  The protected Bedouins subsequently disrupted but passed their death roll.

As everyone was too close together there was no movement for the Bedouins.  In the shooting phase, the Bedouin LF scored 2 hits on the outside crossbow who disrupt.  The Bedouin archers took 3 hits in return but pass both the cohesion test and the death roll.

In melee, the Armoured Bedouins scored 3 hits on the Crusader spearmen and took 2 in return.  The protected Bedouins scored 1 hit on the spearmen and none on the Blue Knights.  The spearmen scored 2 hits on the protected Bedouins in return while the Blue Knights scored 1.  The spearmen lost a base on their death roll while the protected Bedouins fragmented and lost a base.  Joint action passed quietly so the turn ended with the field as below:

To start the Crusader 2nd turn, the Green Knights charged the two Bedouin light horse.  Both evaded with the outside BG rolling short and moving only 6" while the other did a full move back just barely staying on the table.  Unfortunately for the Bedouins the Green Knights rolled up and caught both.  In impact, the Green Knights scored 3 hits on each of the Bedouin BGs while taking only 1 from each.  The hits are displayed below:

The inside Bedouin BG rolled an 11 on cohesion and a 5 on his death roll and survived.  The outside Bedouin, however, rolled a total of 6 for cohesion.  Down a -4 caused them to double drop.  To add insult to injury, they also lost a base on the death roll.  Their disrupted friends on the road subsequently fragmented for seeing friends break.

In movement, the Green Knights reformed in line and shifted a base to the left side of their line so it could fight in the melee.  The inside crossbow on the Crusader left failed another CMT.

The crossbow managed 0 hits on the Bedouin archers who did 2 hits to the outside crossbow who passed their cohesion test.

In melee, the Armoured Bedouins scored 3 hits on the spearmen who managed 2 hits in return.  The protected Bedouin scored 0 hits on spearmen and the knights but took 2 hits from the spearmen and 3 from the Blue Knights.  The Crusader spear survived their death roll but the protected Bedouins  lost a base on their death roll and broke on their cohesion test.  The Bedouin lancers to their right disrupted from seeing friends break.  The broken Bedouin lancers rolled normal on their rout but the Blue Knights only went 3" in pursuit.  Meanwhile, on the Bedouin left flank, the Green Knights score 7 hits to the Bedouin light horse who did 0 in return.  The Bedouin light horse lost 1 base automatically and survived the subsequent death roll but alas they broke on their cohesion test.  With their break, the Bedouin army was done and the table looked like this:

This match up went very fast (just over an hour from rolling for initiative to final break).  On a 2 x2 mounted armies are going to suffer as there is very little room for maneuver/evades.  I have at least two more playtests to work in (Fatimids and Arab Cities but possibly Cilician Armenian as well) before I start playing with the table size.  But I can see that it might be needed.  I am looking at 30" x 30" and 36" by 36" as the next possible size.  

Until next time, keep those troops on the table.