Crusades Campaign - The Isle of Fob

Peter J and I are about to start a fictional Crusades Campaign. We will be using Ager Sanguinis Rules to fight the table-top encounters, and an Ager Sanguinis / Theatre of War (Piquet) hybrid set of rules for the map moves etc. The hybrid campaign rules are currently available from the files section of the following Yahoo Groups under the title 'Isle of Fob Campaign'; as are Ager Sanguinis Rules for early Crusader warfare:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Piquet/

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/shatteredlances/

The photos are from a recent (not campaign related) game, hurriedly thrown together, that Peter and I fought out (Crusader victory) a week or two ago.

Background:
From the Chronicles of Kermit the Hermit........

….In the summer, in the year of our Lord 1110, sore pressed by incursions on his northern borders by Asiatic hordes, the Emperor [Byzantine] withdrew armies and garrisons from quieter parts of the Empire to meet the threat. This was folly for, in leaving the Isle of Fob unprotected, he invited the attention of divers Seljuk princes.

The Isle of Fob is not, in truth, an isle. It is a large tract of land connected to the mainland by an isthmus that borders the lands of the Hashishmendid Seljuks. No sooner had the garrisons left the Isle the Seljuks, led by a certain Emir called Gudrupee, crossed the isthmus and occupied Chiosus. It was late in the year and here Gudrupee encamped for the winter and declared himself Malik of Fob. On promises of land, wealth and the Glory of Allah his army was swollen by reinforcements in readiness for the campaigning season.

Fearing for his cherished Isle the Emperor was at a loss, for in sending troops there he must give up another cherished part. Then fortuitous help came to him. A Crusade, led by Louis of Chernobil, was on its way to Jerusalem and was at that very moment passing through the western borders of his lands.

It has long been known that the Isle of Fob is a blessed place; for it was to here that our Lord’s Cup was taken and hid in one of the many monasteries. The Emperor, being both wise and cunning, let it be known throughout Christendom that this Blessed Relic would surely fall into the hands of the heathen if left unchecked.

At once, the Patriarch of Jerusalem hurried to intercept the Crusade and, with the aid of the Emperor’s fleet, diverted Chernobil and his followers to the Isle of Fob. Chernobil and his followers landed at Lampron and, on Christmas Day, entered the town.

But now the Emperor’s plans became untied. Betraying the Emperor, the Crusaders crowned Chernobil King of Fob and set to plan conquest of the Isle for themselves.

Thus the scene was set for the bloody War of Fob………

Campaign start: Campaign turn 3, Spring.

The campaign Map

The Ilkley Lads and I will also be at the York show on 7th Feb 2010 - doing a Crusades game. Drop by and say hello.

James