Our travel-stained reporter this week hot-footed it from the Russian Steppe in 1941 to the north of Syria in 1125. He recognised it immediately. Only two weeks ago he had been here to witness the destruction of the Byzantine army at the first battle of Azaz in 1030AD. Would the Christian forces fare any better this week.
The situation in the Levant was tense. With Islam seemingly in the ascendant but suffering from fractious in-fighting, Venice had launched a mini-crusade in 1124 which captured the coastal city of Tyre. Religion was the ostensible motivation but commerce the real driver. Baldwin II, the King of Jerusalem decided to follow suit and try to capture the ancient city of Aleppo. Al Bursaqui of Mosul was ordered to defend Muslim interests.
The Crusaders deployed with an infantry right wing, a knight heavy centre and a mainly infantry left. Al Bursaqui had an infantry left, and more balanced centre and right.
The Muslims moved first with a general advance.
The Christian right was slow off the mark drawing an early “1”
but their centre and left advanced leaving one unit hiding in a wood. The Christian centre was clearly their “schwerpunkt” but seemed to lack punch.
Lances were shattered and heroes expended but to little avail. Indeed several units received counter-attack disorders which seemed to unnerve Baldwin aka “Rob”.
The forces of Steve and Tony exchanged archery fire which gave the Christians the advantage there,
with Tony’s General doing an about turn and moving back behind his lines. I suspect he was deployed in the wrong place!
The General tried a flank attack on the Crusader knights but was thwarted by the use of the Crusader Stratagem as he blundered into hidden broken ground and stopped dead in his tracks
The Christian centre became very messy with one gallant unit of Knights breaking through and charging towards the Muslim camps whilst all their compatriots gradually withdrew to rally .This could end badly for someone. That “someone” was Chris on the Crusader left. After the appearance of a Muslim hidden unit using their Stratagem, the Turcopoles were destroyed and the Muslim army began the systematic destruction of Chris’ flank.
The Crossbow went next taking some infantry with them and Malcolm’s cavalry charged through the gap and into one of the Crusader camps.
All could still be redeemed if the Christian centre could get going and do some damage. Unfortunately not. Malcolm’s cavalry raced across the board and took the second camp and with it the remaining victory tokens.
Per the Victory medal count a decisive Muslim victory, but probably closer than that. Steve’s right was undamaged and could have pressed Tony more, but the real problem were the Knights. To misquote Admiral Beatty 791 years later at the Battle of Jutland, “There’s something wrong with our bl**dy Knights today…”
Simon
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