118 Hattin - 4 July 1187 (Balian’s Rearguard)

Details
Written by: GMT Games
Category: Post-Second Crusade
Hits: 322
Victory Results:
 0 %
Record a victory for BOTTOM ARMY  100 %
Total plays 2 - Last reported by ozzie on 2025-06-30 07:00:11

Historical Background

On July 3rd the Crusader army started out to relieve Saladin’s siege of Tiberias. The Crusaders had ignored logistics. A large army in hot dry country needed large amounts of water. On the evening of the 3rd, Taki al-Din had blocked the road to the springs of Hattin, which forced the thirsty Crusaders to halt prematurely and make camp between Meskenah and Nimrin. During the morning march on the 4th, under the hot summer sun and constant attacks against the rearguard, Balian’s rearguard square became isolated from the other Crusader squares. With little hope of joining the others, and after heavy fighting and substantial losses, Balian ordered a breakout to the rear. Some forward elements managed to fight their way through to the center column, The remaining troops, sensing their best chance lay in going back, managed to break through the enemy lines to their rear.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

War Council

Ayyubid Army

• Leader: Saladin
• 5 Command Cards
• 4 Inspired Actions tokens
• Move First Move First

Leader Auxilia Bow Infantry Medium Infantry Light Cavalry Light Bow Cavalry Medium Bow Cavalry Heavy Cavalry
4 4 4 2 10 5 2

Crusaders Army

• Leader: Balian
• 4 Command Cards
• 3 Inspired Actions tokens

Leader Heavy Knight Cavalry Medium Infantry Light Bow Infantry Medium Crossbow Infantry Heavy Infantry Turcopole Light Bow Cavalry Heavy Military Order Knight Cavalry Heavy Military Order Knight Cavalry
2 1 6 2 2 2 1 1 1

Victory

8 Banners

Special Rules

  • The Crusader player gains 1 Victory banner for each ordered unit and/or leader that start its turn on a Crusader baseline hex and exits the battlefield.
  • Retreat & Panic rules are in effect for Crusader infanty units. 
  • All Ayyubid Medium cavalry units are armed with bows, place bow markers. Heavy cavalry units are not armed with bows. Some Light Cavalry are armed with bows. Use the proper bow and non-bow Light Cavalry blocks for these different units.
  • All hill hexes are considered rugged terrain and are treated as Broken Ground that also blocks Line of Sight.

 

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Posts in discussion: 118 Hattin - 4 July 1187 (Balian’s Rearguard)
ozzie replied the topic:
#1090
2 weeks 4 days ago
Two successful breakouts for the Crusaders, although Balian was struck down in the second game. Despite Balian's fall in the second game, Joscelin ran to the rescue and commanded the medium infantry in a full retreat, getting all 5 units plus the Turcoupoles off the board. Balian fell leading his knights to victory, smashing unit after unit and the two damaged units of knights sat on the flank blocking off all Ayyubid moves to get through.

Despite the Crusader escapes, one has to assume the rest of the Crusader command left behind gets massacred?

We found it an easy run for the Crusaders as the Ayyubids are so spread across the right and left flanks, they don't have enough cards or tokens to do any real harm. Without the ability to conduct bonus archery effects (Darken the Skies, Hit and Run, etc) or a mass of move "everyone" right or left, most Ayyubid troops fail to conduct any action for the entire game.

We also found the "Panic" rule actually helped the Crusaders as it was worth taking the retreat(s) for a 1-in-6 chance of a hit, because it gets them that much closer to the baseline and, potentially, off the board. The rule is not harsh enough.
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