Neil Randall - Feb 11, 2007 12:54 pm (#1203 Total: 1205) Set my compass north, I got winter in my blood ... Second Crusade AAR (Thanks to Gert Corthout - originally posted on BGG). Second Crusade, Siege of Damascus and Struggle for Edessa Situation: In the north of Outremer the City of Edessa lays in ruins after the Turk's invasion. Joscelin II is clinging on to the remains of the county and hoping to retake and rebuild the destroyed capital. His army consists of 8 ASP's and some small forces scattered across his remaining lands. Raymond of Antioch's army is slightly larger (13 ASP). Raymond of Tripoli has the smalles army of the three Northern states (5 ASP) but his lands are well defended by the surrounding castles. To the east of these 3 states are the lands of the Turk ruler Nur Ed Din and his 2 sons which have a huge army of 60 ASP's to their disposal. In Acre the three kings are gathered to discuss their strategy. Louis, the king of France (30 ASP, 1 AK), Conrad, the King of Germany (30 ASP, 2 AK) and Baldwin, the King of Jerusalem. To the east lies their target Damascus, where Unur is preparing his defences of the city with his strong army (25 asp). Tactics: The Frank strategy in the south is to split up the big army in acre into a smaller one led by Louis (20 ASP, 1 AK) to block Nur Ed Din should he come south and the rest led by Baldwin would besiege Damascus. In the north the armies of Tripoli and Antioch would merge to shadow the main Turk force and block their progression where ever possible. Joscelin would try to hold on to as much of Edessa as he can (each town/city in Edessa is worth 3 points to the saracens and 1 to the franks - damascus was worth 10 points to the franks -> taking Damascus would be pivotal) The Saracen strategy in the south was for Unur to delay the siege of damacus as long as possible and then hold untill winter comes and the crusaders would return home. In the North Nur Ed Din would split his troops in 2, 40 ASP's under his own command would go west and face the armies of antioch and maybe take the city (5 vp's). This would prevent the franks from moving up aid to edessa so his son Nasr will go north with 20 asp's to conquer Edessa. Going south to help Unur in damascus was considered but the road too damascus was deemed too long and well defended with the Krak des Chevaliers and the coastal cities being major obstacles. Turn 1: Franks AM: Raymond of Tripoli, Baldwin x2, Joscelin Muslim AM: Nur Ed Din x2, Nasr, Unur The franks have the intiative and Raymond of Edessa marches his small army north to antioch, picking up some extra asp's along the way. A heat stroke starts just before Baldwin can start his march towards Damascus, moving slowly the huge, heavily armoured army moves under a blistering sun towards Tiberias to rest, activation ends here and 1 german ASP succumbs to the heat. Time for Nur Ed Din to make his first move he quicly marches his huge army west west towards antioch, stopping along the way to rest and pick up extra asp's and immediately engages the frankish army outside the gates of antioch. The first pitched battle! The franks contemplate retreating inside the heavily fortified walls of antioch but decide to wage open battle anyway. Somewhat luckily the franks manage to pull off a succesfull frontal charge while the saracens batle formation is lacking. The frankish couched lance charge catches the fleet footed saracens and they run them down with minimal losses: Nur Ed Din is soundly defeated and his army driven off! Baldwin's second activation he leads the enormous crusader army unto the walls of Damascus but is unable to start a siege in this turn. Nur Ed Din's second activation, he manages to rally his troops but is unable to do anything else, his army is cought out in the wilderness! Unur's activation comes too late, the enemy is already at the gates and he is trapped inside the city! Sallying out against so many armoured knights would be suicide so he has no option but to pray to Allah the city walls will keep him safe. Joscelin's activation sees him rounding up the rest of his men throughout the county. Nasr now has a clear path to the city of Samosata and even manages to put up a partial siege. Attrition sees the crusader army in Damacus taking heavy losses, while Nur Ed Din loses some more men due to exhaustion. Sarotasa manages to hold just barely though while Nasr's men take no losses due to supplies coming in from Melitene. Turn 2: Franks AM: Louis of France, Baldwin x2, Joscelin Muslim AM: Nur Ed Din x3, Nasr Saracens get the initiative. Nur Ed Din renews his attack on the franks at Antioch, again they risk open battle. This time the saracen's superior numbers mean they are able to score a minor victory but the franks manage to hold their ground. Baldwin finally initiates a full siege while Louis marches the french army to tiberias, ready to support should the besieging force take too many casualties. Obviously the french crusaders are not happy with this so they return home desillusioned. Nur Ed Din renews his attack on antioch, this time finally scoring a decisive victory! The franks are forced to retreat within the gigantic walls of Antioch. In damascus the crusaders charge the walls but are beaten back without effort by the city's garrison. Nur ed din tries to set up a siege of Antioch but notices he doesn't have enough men to put the huge city under siege (he needed 35 asp and only had 27 left after the previous battles and attrition), furiously he ravages the surrounding lands. Joscelin now decides to take a chance and try to relieve Samosata before the city (only 1 asp left!) falls to Nasr. Outnumbered he attacks the besieging force. Joscelin's better leadership proves decisive and the saracen army is driven off. Samosata is relieved at the last moment! Nasr is able to regroup his demoralized troops but can do nothing more. Supplies keep the attrition in damascus at a minimum for the franks while the garrison loses 1 ASP. Nasr and Nur Ed Din lose some ASP's as well due being forced to pitch camp out in the open. Turn 3: Franks AM: Raymond, Baldwin x2, Joscelin Muslim AM: Nur Ed Din x3, Nasr (from now on the game speeded up a lot) Saracens have the initiative and Nur Ed Din decides to march north towards edessa, taking Maresh, Aintab and Birijek. Baldwin assaults damascus twice succesfully knocking of some assault points. The city still has 2 sdr left. Nasr chases Joscelin away from Samosata but fails to set up a new siege. Joscelin regroups in Raban. No attrition damage done (!). Turn 4: Franks AM: Raymond, Baldwin x2, Joscelin Muslim AM: Nur Ed Din x3, Nasr Franks have the initiative. Raymond and his depleted army marches from Antioch all the way to Aintab retaking it, but taking a lot of attrition as well due to the autumn rains. Nur Ed Din attacks Raymond in Aintab, Raymond decides to use the town as defence (gets a defence bonus but cannot retreat), unfortunately for him Nur Ed Din's tactics are perfectly executed and the entire frankish army is slaughtered to the man. His next activation Nur Ed Din marches north and assaults Joscelin in Raban, Joscelin also decides to use the town for defence but this time the franks put up a stout defence and beat back the saracens while taking no losses themselves! There is hope in the north. Joscelin's activation comes up right on time, he needs to chase away Nasr from Samosata's gates and return to Raban to defend the town against nur ed din's final activation. It can be done! If then damascus falls, the crusaders win. Joscelin meets Nasr outside Samosata, Nasr stands his ground. This time the saracens feign retreat and the francks charge after them impetously only to be surrounded and finished off. Joscelin himself dies in the attack. The remains of the army retreat to Raban. Nur Ed Din manages to regroup his men and leads the assault on the remainders of the edessean army in Raban, slaughtering them all. Nasr takes Samosata a few days later. All of the county of Edessa has fallen to the might of Nur Ed Din! As the dire news of the death of Joscelin reaches baldwin he presses the final assault. Finally the crusaders manage to breach the walls and take the city! Damascus falls in Christian hands! Final score: Saracaens 15 Franks 10 Aftermath: The crusaders took the mighty city of damascus, but at what cost? Joscelin lays dead and his army is destroyed, as are the armies of Antioch and Tripoli. Nur Ed Din has taken heavy casualties himself but the hordes of saracens are plentifull while the christians bleed for every man lost, and they lost a lot. The coming years will prove to be dire times for the frankish men in outremer as the german and french knights return to their homes, meaving outremer withfew able knights to defend its lands.