FOG 300 AAR: Ayubid Egyptians vs Crusaders

Managed to find the time to get a quick game in Thursday night with John Martin.  He ran Ayubid Egyptians vs Early Crusaders.

Here is a shot of the Ayubid Host.  Two average Turcomans in the front.  The 2nd row is made up of the average Ghilman on the left and the average armoured lancers on the right.  The 3rd row is the superior Ghilman with the FC and the unfortified camp in the back.

Here is a shot of the Crusader host.  The two average knights have flags and are on the right hand in the center.  The superior knights are the green and yellow ones on the left.  The armoured spearmen are behind the knights.  The general is an FC and the unfortified camp is in the back.

The Ayubids won the initiative and opted for Hilly.  The Crusaders took the compulsory hill and a broken.  The Ayubids took a broken and a brush.  The compulsory hill and his broken fell on his side of the table.  His brush fell in my middle.  My broken could not fit on his side edge and was discarded.

The Ayubids deployed with the superior Ghilman on the left end of the line partially on the hill.  The average Ghilman and one Turcoman deployed on the other end of the hill.  The remaining light horse Turcomans covered his center with the armoured lancers next to them.

The Crusaders deployed the armoured spearmen in front of the camp.  The two average knights were deployed stretching to the left from the brush in the center of the table.  The superior knights deployed in line at the end of the Crusader front.

The Ayubids had to move first.  The armoured lancers moved straight forward.  The two light horse Turcomans moved toward the center in an effort to get ready for shooting at the average knights.  Both Ghilman moved their full move forward. (No picture).

The Crusaders moved both average knights straight forward 5".  The Superior knights moved 5" forward with a slight wheel to their left.  the General moved to the center average knights.  The Ayubid shooting was poor at best.

The Ayubids expanded the average Ghilman into a line and moved up to within 3" of the superior knights.  The superior Ghilman moved up on the end of the Ayubid line to also be able to shoot at the superior knights.  The center Turcomans wheeled until they were pinned by the center knights to get a die on the superior knights as well.  The other Turcomans moved up a bit to shoot at the average knights next to the brush.  The armoured lancers turned 90 anticipating the knights charging.  In the shooting phase, the Ayubids threw a lot of dice at the superior knights but to no effect.

The Crusaders charged in their turn with all of the knights.  Both Turcoman light horse evaded as did the average Ghilman.  The superior knights made contact with the superior Ghilman with 1 base so there was only one impact contact.  The resulting impact resulted in the Ghilman disrupting.  After conforming the superior knights shifted a base to cover the front of the Ghilman so 3 bases were fighting.  The center average knights rolled down and only charged 3" while the average Ghilman evaded 5".  The center Turcoman evaded 9" and stopped just short of the table edge.  The other Turcoman evaded 7" stopping in front of the Ayubid camp.The Crusader spearmen moved up 4" to stay within 8" to give support where needed.  In the melee phase, the superior knights beat the superior Ghilman again dropping them to fragmented.

To start the next Ayubid turn, both Turcomans moved up to be in position to shoot the knights closest to the brush.  The average Ghilman turned around and measured their options realizing too late that none of their bases were entirely on the hill.  The armoured lancers stayed put.  In the shooting phase, the Turcomans proved inept with their bows.  The average Ghilman were just outside of 3" of the superior knights.  In the melee phase, the superior knights beat the superior Ghilman who routed off the table.  The superior knights pursued stopping at the table edge causing the average Ghilman to evade to the back side of the hill.  In joint action, the Ayubid general moved to behind the center Turcoman hoping to make it to the average Ghilman before it was too late.

Unfortunately, no picture survived of the final defeat of the Ayubids but this is how it unfurled.  The superior knights charged dropping a base back to keep from going off the table edge.  The average Ghilman were less than 3" from the table edge and evaded off board.  The average knights next to the brush charged the Turcomans in front of them.  It just so happened that by charging straight ahead they would clip the front corner of the Ayubid lancers who were within 5" so they did not need a variable move roll.  The Turcomans, however, evaded off the table.  At impact, the average knights, with general attached, managed to roll about as bad as you could rolling 1 hit and a 2 and a 3.  The Ayubid lancers hit twice.  Luckily, the Crusader general survived and the knights passed their cohesion test.  At the end of the impact phase, the Ayubid army was broken with 5 attrition points down to 0.

We finished the game in less than 1 hour and a half.  We hope to make this a weekly event with 1 or 2 games every week going forward.  Until next time...