BYZ10 Battle of Mu'tah (September 629AD)

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Byzantines were reoccupying territory following the peace accord between Emperor Heraclius and the Sasanid general Shahrbaraz in July 629. The Byzantine sakellarios 
Theodore, was placed in command of the army, and while in the area of Balqa, Arab tribes were also employed.

Meanwhile, Muhammad had sent his emissary to the ruler of Bosra. While on his way to Bosra, he was executed in the village of Mu'tah by the orders of a Ghassanid official 
Shurahbil ibn Amr. Muhammad dispatched 3,000 of his troops for a punitive expedition to  the tribes for the murder of his emissary by the Ghassanids. The army was led by Zayd ibn Harithah; the second-in-command was Ja'far ibn Abi Talib and the third-in-command was Abd Allah ibn Rawahah.

The Muslims engaged the Byzantines at their camp by the village of Musharif and then withdrew towards Mu'tah. It was here that the two armies fought. Some Muslim sources 
report that the battle was fought in a valley between two heights, which negated the Byzantines' numerical superiority. During the battle, all three Muslim leaders fell one after the other as they took command of the force: first, Zayd, then Ja'far, then 'Abdullah. After the death of 'Abdullah, the Muslim soldiers were in danger of being routed. Thabit ibn Aqram, seeing the desperate state of the Muslim forces, took up the banner and rallied his comrades, thus saving the army from complete destruction.

War Council
Rashidan Army (Use Tan blocks, Rashidan Inspired Actions)
• Leader: Zayd ibn Haritha
• 5 Command Cards
• 4 Inspired Action tokens

Byzantine Army (Use Purple blocks, Byzantine Inspired Actions)
• Leader: Theodore
• 5 Command Cards
• 3 Inspired Action tokens
• Move First

Victory
6 Banners

Special Rules
*The Byzantine Medium and Heavy Cavalry units are armed with bows.
*Rashidan leaders always use 1 die for Leader checks in Close Combat