075.Siege of Acre_a - WDS Crusades Book II
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| Rating: | 0 (0) |
| Games Played: | 0 |
| SM: | 3 |
| Turns: | 36 |
| Type: | Stock |
| First Side: | Crusader Alliance (CB2) |
| Second Side: | Anti-Crusader Alliance (CB2) |
Date: August 31st, 1189 - Size: Medium - Location: Port city of Acre
Crusade: The Third Crusade
Scenario Briefing: Historical - Much has happened since the fall of Jerusalem in 1187. The Sultan Saladin has consolidated his power base in both Egypt and Syria. The Kingdom of Jerusalem has been greatly diminished by Saladin's sweeping attacks of reconquest throughout the Kingdom. In fact, so secure was Saladin in his dream of removing all Latin Crusaders from the Levant, that he felt it safe to release King Guy from his chains of bondage. Perhaps his release was a stratagem to cause more instability in what was left of the Crusader-held territories.
Was all this premature? Perhaps! Though hugely successful in his reconquest of the Levant, it was not without its challenges and even failures. For instance, the city of Tyre successfully resisted Saladin s attempt to capture it. Despite being challenged and denied entry into Tyre by his rival, Conrad of Montferrat, King Guy managed to gather a relatively small but potent force. This force proved crucial when he set out to besiege Arce, giving him a chance of success.
While all this was happening in the Levant, even more was taking place in Europe. To start, Pope Gregory VIII issued the papal bull "Audita tremendi" calling for the Third Crusade. And unlike the previous two Crusades, the Third Crusade would include not one, not two, but three of the most powerful Kings of Europe. Maybe even four kings if we count King Guy. Aside from King Guy, the three were Richard I of England, Philip II of France, and Frederick I "Barbarossa" of Germany. This was an amazing accomplishment given the intense rivalries and hatred each had for the other.
Though each of the three kings, just mentioned, has by this time taken the Cross, their time for being an active participant in the Levant has not yet come. In fact, their arrival would be more than a year in the future, so for now, King Guy was alone. But his bold moves to halt and even push back against Saladin, inspired lesser known, but still important participants. Some of these included Crusaders from Pisa, Flanders, other parts of Italy as well as early arrivals from England, France and Germany.
In this first scenario depicting the struggle for the port of Acre, King Guy would only have a small army of Kingdom of Jerusalem loyalists and a fair number of Pisan Crusaders who wished to join him. As this was a lightning strike, the only siege equipment available for the Crusaders to use in scaling the massive walls of the city was ladders.
As the Crusader army approached, the Muslim defenders were not impressed and felt little to no anxiety in their ability to successfully defend Acre from this failed and seemingly incompetent king. Having been decisively defeated at the battle of Hattin and the cause for the ruin of nearly the entirety of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Guy failed to invoke fear into the hearts of Acre's defenders. Time will tell if King Guy can redeem his tattered reputation.
Now is your chance to prove the Muslim defenders wrong, should you choose to play as a Crusader, or right if you choose to play as a defender of Acre.
The Third Crusade has begun. Take up your sword and may the will of your creator guide you in your efforts.
Recommended Rules: [Default]
Intended to be played as the Crusader Alliance against the Anti-Crusader Alliance AI but can be played Head-to-Head.
Suggested Reading: Asbridge, Thomas, The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land (chapters 14 & 15).
Crusade: The Third Crusade
Scenario Briefing: Historical - Much has happened since the fall of Jerusalem in 1187. The Sultan Saladin has consolidated his power base in both Egypt and Syria. The Kingdom of Jerusalem has been greatly diminished by Saladin's sweeping attacks of reconquest throughout the Kingdom. In fact, so secure was Saladin in his dream of removing all Latin Crusaders from the Levant, that he felt it safe to release King Guy from his chains of bondage. Perhaps his release was a stratagem to cause more instability in what was left of the Crusader-held territories.
Was all this premature? Perhaps! Though hugely successful in his reconquest of the Levant, it was not without its challenges and even failures. For instance, the city of Tyre successfully resisted Saladin s attempt to capture it. Despite being challenged and denied entry into Tyre by his rival, Conrad of Montferrat, King Guy managed to gather a relatively small but potent force. This force proved crucial when he set out to besiege Arce, giving him a chance of success.
While all this was happening in the Levant, even more was taking place in Europe. To start, Pope Gregory VIII issued the papal bull "Audita tremendi" calling for the Third Crusade. And unlike the previous two Crusades, the Third Crusade would include not one, not two, but three of the most powerful Kings of Europe. Maybe even four kings if we count King Guy. Aside from King Guy, the three were Richard I of England, Philip II of France, and Frederick I "Barbarossa" of Germany. This was an amazing accomplishment given the intense rivalries and hatred each had for the other.
Though each of the three kings, just mentioned, has by this time taken the Cross, their time for being an active participant in the Levant has not yet come. In fact, their arrival would be more than a year in the future, so for now, King Guy was alone. But his bold moves to halt and even push back against Saladin, inspired lesser known, but still important participants. Some of these included Crusaders from Pisa, Flanders, other parts of Italy as well as early arrivals from England, France and Germany.
In this first scenario depicting the struggle for the port of Acre, King Guy would only have a small army of Kingdom of Jerusalem loyalists and a fair number of Pisan Crusaders who wished to join him. As this was a lightning strike, the only siege equipment available for the Crusaders to use in scaling the massive walls of the city was ladders.
As the Crusader army approached, the Muslim defenders were not impressed and felt little to no anxiety in their ability to successfully defend Acre from this failed and seemingly incompetent king. Having been decisively defeated at the battle of Hattin and the cause for the ruin of nearly the entirety of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Guy failed to invoke fear into the hearts of Acre's defenders. Time will tell if King Guy can redeem his tattered reputation.
Now is your chance to prove the Muslim defenders wrong, should you choose to play as a Crusader, or right if you choose to play as a defender of Acre.
The Third Crusade has begun. Take up your sword and may the will of your creator guide you in your efforts.
Recommended Rules: [Default]
Intended to be played as the Crusader Alliance against the Anti-Crusader Alliance AI but can be played Head-to-Head.
Suggested Reading: Asbridge, Thomas, The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land (chapters 14 & 15).
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