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[caius britannicus]

Today I have a very LARGE preview for you. I will be recounting for you the tale of Teutonic Grandmaster Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim and his army of the Teutonic Order.

He had answered the call from the King. Saladin had laid siege to Tyre and his Majesty and his Army of Jerusalem where pinned inside the ancient stronghold. He had marched 3000 spearmen, 200 horse, all knights, 500 crossbowmen and 100 heavily armored foot knights to lift the seige. He had been successful, but it cost him many lives and now two days later he was marching back across the plains of syria to his stronghold in Belfort.



He marched in standard column, he himself led the vanguard while his knights protected the flanks and also took up the rear. It had been a long two days and his men where showing signs of extreme fatigue. Faintly, on the wind he heard a horn blow, then came a shout from one of his lieutenants.


"SARACENS! TO THE EAST!"

It couldn't have come at a worse time, his column was stretched nearly a mile long and it would be near impossible for him to rally his men and face the Saracen threat. He quickly wheeled his bodyguard to take up the left wing and sent orders for his men to form a line with the rest of his mounted and foot knights taking position on the right. He hoped the weight of his knights charges on either wing would be enough to fold up the Saracen line and allow him to surround them.



The line formed quickly, the Saracens were still over a half a mile away. He quickly surveyed his line and then called the for a general advance. He then turned and looked across the field at his enemy.



On the other side of the battlefield the Saracens marched steadily forward. They held numerical strength and contained two regiments of the feared Black Guard. These units had not been at Tyre and were eager for battle. The Saracen general ordered his own troops to move toward the Teutonic line. Placed at his center was one regiment of the Black Guard, the other took up the right flank opposite the Grandmaster. His hopes for the battle were simple. He planned to pierce the Teutonic center before his wings gave way to the knights. If he could do this he would be able to turn his line and absorb the heavy charge of the european knights and avoid being surrounded.

As the armies closed each side began to pick up the pace of their advance. Signals blared from both side to call the charge. The Saracen line surged forward developing into a massive wedge of men and horse with the Black Guards forming the deadly tip. The Teutonic line maintained its position and surged forward in unison. First to clash on the battle field where the Teutonic spearmen and the Black Guard.



The europeans wavered but held their ground. Quickly the knights on the right flank pushed home their attack. The cavalry crashing into the enemy ghulams and light arabian cavalry while the foot knights swept into the enemys anatolian spearmen.



As he watched his men crash upon the saracens like a great wave crashing upon cliff, von Bassenheim lead his own bodyguard in a daring frontal charge of the Black Guard stationed on the right.



Sadly it was all for naught. The Teutonic center buckled then broke just as the knights on both flanks gained ground. The Saracen general pushed his Sibyan Al Rikab through the hole that was created, routing the crossbowmen and the spearmen in a matter of minutes. The knights out on the right flank were then surrounded and killed to the last man as their Grandmaster escaped with the few men that remained in his bodyguard. It was a bloody defeat for the the grandmaster and his newly created order. He would return to Belfort where he would lick his wounds and plan his vengeance.


Special thanks to the guys at Chivalry Total War who so generously allowed the use of their covered horse model