A Lion in the Holy Land - an English campaign AAR

[econ21]

1150 (7600 florins) King Rufus’s army finally arrives at Caernarvon and was able to defeat the Portuguese besieging the city (b25). Faced with a large number of enemy crossbowmen, the English for the first time decide not to use fire arrows for fear of reducing their rate of fire. In the battle, Rufus’s three regiments of longbows kill 360 enemies (two-thirds oft the total Portuguese army) for the loss of only five men of their own!

In the Holy Land, the loss of Jerusalem, Acre and Gaza has driven a wedge through the middle of the Egyptian kingdom. During this period, Egypt is unable to mount a coherent response and instead of sending a single large army against the crusaders, is reduced to manoeuvring with small forces – seemingly trying to move north from the newly formed crusader kingdom (Outremer). Reluctant to lead these small forces consolidate, the crusaders attack them where they can. In this year, Augustine of Wellington fights one such encounter, pitting his longbows against Egyptian mameluk archers (b27). The Mameluks prove formidable foes – when Augustine charges them with his regiment of Crusader knights, a melee immediately develops but it is not to the crusaders advantage: over half the regiment fall to the axes of the Mameluks and they kill only 16. The English resolve to be more circumspect in dealing with these powerful horse archers.

1152 (8538 florins) En route to Damascus, Robert the Crusader defeats a second small Egyptian army (b27).

1154 (6305 florins) The English begin to construct a fleet to transport them to Iberia, but the first three hulks are blockaded at Caen by the Spanish. A diplomat at Pamplona observes that a large Scottish army that had originally landed at Antwerp has marched all the way to the Pyrenees but then rebelled. This force will be more of an obstacle to an English assault on the castle of Pamplona than the small Portuguese garrison. Spain offers England a ceasefire. Rufus counters by demanding 5000 florins in return, but this proposal is just rejected. The Spanish lay siege to Rennes again, this time with two regiments of dismounted foot knights, a regiment of town militia and a regiment of jinettes.

Two regiments of HRE spearmen besieging Antwerp are driven off by a sally, after Prince Robert arrives to provide support.

Robert the Crusader begins the siege of Damascus.

1156 (5119 florins) The construction of a Channel fleet and the recruitment of the first two regiments of swordsmen in Nottingham is contributing to a renewed fall in England’s income. King Rufus looks to Outremer to provide funds for his kingdom, as Robert sacks Damascus (b30). This provides 11066 florins, bolstered by a further 2500 reward from the Council of Nobles. The siege itself is a bloody affair – the crusaders have to fight their way through a large Egyptian bodyguard at the gate. The longbowmen are brought up too soon and 95 are shot down outside the gate towers.

Prince Roger pursues and destroys the HRE spearmen who had besieged Antwerp (b28).

Edward Curtice arrives at Rennes to drive off the one and a half regiments of Spanish mailed knights besieging the city. The English militia garrisoning the town suffer heavy losses from the Spanish knights (b29).

1158 (15211 florins) The merchants guild’s offer to set up in Jerusalem is gratefully accepted. The Pope sets a mission to build a small chapel in Gaza.

Prince Roger returns to Caen after his relief of Antwerp and King Rufus embarks the main English army into the fleet at Dover, preparing to sail to Iberia.

The Spanish attempt to storm Rennes (b31). Edward Curtice is trapped in the settlement. He knows that if it comes to fighting inside the city, his militia will be carved up by the two regiments of Spanish dismounted feudal knights. His only advantage will be if he can use his escort and the half regiment of knights garrisoned in the settlement. Consequently, as soon as the battle begins, he rushes his horse outside of the main gates and charges the Spanish battering ram with his militia. The skirmishing jinettes inflict losses on his cavalry, but he orders a charge into the enemy infantry. One regiment of dismounted feudal knights counter-charges his escort.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Edward Curtice knows his cavalry will be almost useless in the cramped streets of Rennes, so he boldly charges his besiegers.

However, it crumbles when charged in the rear by a regiment of militia. As the English cavalry charge into the remainder of the enemy infantry massed around the ram, the Spanish morale fails and their commander sues for terms. A relieved Edward accepts. The Spanish are excommunicated for their repeated aggression.

At the end of the year, the Scottish army loitering outside York finally strikes. The alliance with England is betrayed. King Rufus must now ponder whether to disembark his army from Dover and cancel the planned invasion of Iberia. Although both Portugal and Spain are excommunicated, the window of opportunity this provides is short – Pope Gregory is 60 years old.