Historical Background
The Battle of Hattin was the greatest defeat suffered by the Crusaders, and it led to disastrous results. The battle should not have been fought. Saladin’s army had advanced into Crusader lands and had besieged Tiberias. Prudent council noted that Saladin’s army was at the end of a tenuous supply line and could not long remain at Tiberias. Prudence lost. Capable King Baldwin was dead and weak King Guy now ruled. He listened to those who believed a large Crusader army was unbeatable.
On July 3rd that large Crusader army started out to relieve Saladin’s siege of Tiberias. The Crusaders marched in three large squares (col- umns) with the infantry protecting the supplies and cavalry inside. Raymond of Tripoli was leading the vanguard, Balian of Lbelin commanded the rear guard and King Guy was in the center. Saladin sent soldiers to harass their advance and with only a few springs along the Crusader line of march their advance slowed to a crawl under the hot summer sun. 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. Poor Crusader reconnaissance failed to reveal that Saladin’s larger army was already on three sides of the Crusader army and was starting to close in from the rear also.
The march forward toward disaster resumed in the morning with Raymond’s first attack failing to open a gap towards the Horns of Hattin. The infantry entrusted to protect the Knights then scattered in search of water. Raymond gathered what troops remained and tried another desperate charge. This time he was successful and broke through the Ayyubid lines heading toward Tyre.
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 
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| 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 4 |
Crusaders Army
• Leader: Raymond III
• 4 Command Cards
• 2 Inspired Actions tokens
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| 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
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 clear terrain Ayyubid baseline hex and exits the battlefield.
- Retreat & Panic rules are in effect for Crusader infantry 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 and are treated as Broken Ground terrain that also blocks Line of Sight.