MS04 Al-Qadissiyah (Nov 636)
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Sassanid Persian failure to capitalize on the victory over the Arabs at the Battle of the Bridge in 634 allowed the Arabs to pursue their campaign against the Byzantine Romans in Syria. The leader of the Rashidun Caliphate, Umar, appointed a close companion of the prophet and one of the very first to convert to Islam, Sa’d ibn Abi-Waqqas, to muster and lead an army against the Persians in Mesopatamia to renew their attempt at conquest to the north. This trusted general united the various Arab tribes and the new army began its march toward the Euphrates up the Medina-Hira road in May 636, acquiring many more warriors to join its cause along the way. The Sassanid general Rostam Forrokzhad, carried upon a throne at the head of the imperial army consisting of immortal elites and a contingent of battle elephants, marched forth from the Persian capital Ctesiphon to meet the Muslims encamped near al-Qadissiyah. Fortunately for the Muslims, the defeat of the Byzantines at Yarmouk in August allowed Caliph Umar to send reinforcements to the Euphrates to assist. The two formidable armies caught sight of one another on either side of the al-Atiq canal. After some months of negotiations and raiding skirmishes, and the demand that the Persians convert to Islam, Sa’d withdrew his army a mile beyond the canal to allow the Persians to cross and meet in combat.
War Council
Sassanid Army (Tan blocks, Sassanid Inspired Actions)
Leaders: Rostam, Jalinus, Beerzan, Hormuzan
6 Command Cards
2 Inspiration tokens
Move First
Superior Firepower: the Sassanid player begins with the Darken the Sky card in his hand of six command cards. The command of the Arab army is six.
Arab Army (Purple blocks, Rashidan Inspired Actions)
Leaders: Shurabil, Asim, Zuhra, Abdullah
6 Command Cards
4 Inspiration tokens
Reinforcements: The Arab player begins with the Rally card in his hand of six command cards. The command of the Arab army is six.
Victory: 7 Banners
* If the Sassanid player occupies a camp space in the Uzeib hill fortress at the start of his turn, he earns a permanent victory banner and that camp is removed.
* If the Sassanid general Rostam is eliminated, the Arab player earns two victory banners.
Special Rules
*Any Sassanid unit that retreats onto an al-Atiq canal hex is considered to have fled the battlefield and is removed from the game. The Arab player earns a victory point for each Sassanid unit that flees the battlefield.
*All super heavy, heavy and medium cavalry units have bows.
*The Sword of Allah: Arab medium cavalry may move up to four hexes when ordered by a Mounted Charge.
New Units – Elephants and Immortals
The two Sassanid medium infantry units are immortal elites. They follow the same rules as medium infantry with the exceptions that they consist of five blocks and will ignore one flag when attacked.
Elephants
Move: 2
Ignore: Swords
Morale: Elephants receive no support or benefit from leaders
Combat: same dice as defender. Reroll swords for more hits and/or retreats. An elephant rolls one die against lone enemy leader.
Momentum: advance & battle
Retreat: one space for each flag.
Rampage: when an elephant must retreat, roll two dice for each adjacent unit, friend and foe before its retreat movement. Apply hits on unit colors only.
If an elephant’s retreat path is blocked the blocking units each lose one block per flag rolled and the elephant remains in its hex. This is in addition to an elephant’s rampage.
If an elephant’s retreat path is occupied by a friendly lone leader it joins the leader.