for The Devil’s Horsemen MAMLUK€¦ · SIMPLE GBOH RuLES The information provided here contains...

Mamluk: Warfare in the 13th Century Latin East �

© 2006 GMT Games, LLC

Revised July, 2012

GMT Games, LLC • P.O. Box �308, Hanford, CA 93232-�308www.GMTGames.com 0510

�. Introduction ........................................................... 22. Simple GBoH Rules ............................................. 23. Mamluk Special Rules .......................................... 3Mansourah Scenario ..................................................... 4Mansourah Scenario Simple GBoH version ................. 82nd Battle of Homs Scenario ....................................... 9

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S2nd Battle of Homs Scenario Simple GBoH version ... �3Sources ......................................................................... �5Credits .......................................................................... �5Terrain Effects Chart .................................................... �5

MAMLUKA GREAT BATTLES OF HISTORY MODULE

for The Devil’s Horsemen

13th Century Warfare in the Latin EastThe Battles of: Mansourah, �250 (The Nile, Egypt), Homs, �28� (Syria)

Mamluk: Warfare in the 13th Century Latin East2


INTROduCTION The Mamluks were the elite corps of the Egypt-centered Mus-lim armies from the �3th century onwards. They were usually Circassian, Turcoman or Kurdish ‘slaves’, although they weren’t slaves in the sense we usually apply the word. They were more like unpaid mercenaries. However one describes them, they were one of the major fighting forces in the Latin East for several centuries.

Mamluk covers two of the major battles fought by Mamluk armies at the height of their tactical powers. Mansourah was the last battle the Mamluks fought for the Ayyubid Dynasty of Egypt. Shortly thereafter, they overthrew that dynasty and took control of Egypt. Homs (often labeled as 2nd Homs) was one of the major battles fought by the Mamluks against ongoing Mongol incursions into the Latin East.

Components Counters: In addition to the �40 counters included herein, these battles also require that the player have the game Devil’s Horse-men, from which some counters are used. The rules for each battle list the counters that are included with this module, plus the counters to be gleaned from DH.

NOTE: The reverse side of the Knights combat units (both mounted and dismounted) is used to indicate a status other than Moved (Disordered and Unhorsed respectively). These units are subject to the penalties given in 6.13 when moving more than once per turn. Use a Moved marker as a reminder.

Maps: We have provided a specific map for the Mansourah battle. For Homs, players should use the West map from the Kalka River scenario.

APPLICABLE GBOH ERRATA FOR dEVIL’S HORSEMEN Rules7.31 A: Heavy units that move in the opposing player’s Orders Phase are not required to Shock attack.

8.35 2nd bullet point should read:• If the DR is higher than the printed TQ, that unit must move

one hex toward the firing unit. If it attacked from the flank/rear, the unit changes facing first. Only vacant hexes can be entered. If the unit can’t move one hex (for any reason), it doesn’t move; therre is no further penalty.

Charts & Tables(6.8) Movement Cost Chart: Note ‘b’ should read “All infantry pay a cost of ...”

(10.1) Missile Range and Results Chart: Remove the ‘�’ from the 5 hex range for Composite Bow, Foot—that unit may not hit anything at a 5 hex range.

(10.2) Fire vs. Armor Effects Chart: The title should be “Fire vs. Armor Effects”. LN type units are treated as LC. Mounted Knights use the Knights row; dismounted Knights are treated as HI.

(10.3) The Shock Superiority Chart. • Ignore the column for Attacking Unhorsed Knights. Unhorsed

Knights may not attack. • LC and HI should be AS when attacking Unhorsed knights. Leadership Checks: Line Command Outside Command Range, Case A should read: “Leader is Finished”.

CHANGES/AddITIONS TO THE GBoH RuLES (in dH) All of the rules in Devil’s Horsemen are used (where applicable, to be sure), unless specifically stated otherwise below. Any ad-ditional rules are also listed with the respective scenario.

SIMPLE GBOH RuLES The information provided here contains the necessary informa-tion to adapt Mamluk to the Simple GBoH rules. The individual Simple GBoH scenario descriptions follow the same format: Deployment, Formation Charts, Seizure Ratings, Reduced Side availability for each side, Army Withdrawal levels, and Scenario special rule modifications.

deploymentSimple GBoH uses the original deployments in all scenarios with one important exception: the player may place his leaders in any hex with a unit that the leader is eligible to command, per the Formation Chart.

Formation ChartsBoth players have a Formation Chart that describes the overall organizational capabilities of that army. Each row of the chart lists the units in the Formation and their leader that are eligible for activation in a single Player Turn. If more than one type of unit is given for a single Formation, all units of those types must activate unless the phrase “and/or” appears in that Formation entry. In this case, the player can activate any combination of the unit types listed. However, if a given type is activated, all units of that type must activate. Formations without a Formation Commander are treated as Auxiliaries. Leaders eligible to use Turn Seizure are listed in the Formation Chart with a number to the right of the slash (/) indicating the number of attempts that Commander may make per game. Although some leaders com-mand more than one Formation, each has one Turn Seizure rating applicable for the entire game, regardless of which Formation they choose to activate after seizing the turn.

A dashed line denotes separate Formations that are led by the same Commander. They are not Multiple Formations and they cannot be activated at the same time unless there is a specific mention in the scenario rules.

Seizure RatingsLeaders eligible to use Turn Seizure are listed with the number of attempts they are allowed to make per game.

Reduced SideUnits that have a Reduced strength side are listed for each player.

Mamluk: Warfare in the 13th Century Latin East 3


Army Withdrawal LevelsSimple GBoH retains the same withdrawal levels as the original game. They are repeated here for the players’ convenience.

Competitive PlayThe various Competitive Play options provided for the standard game may be used with the Simple GBoH rules.

Special RulesThe following special rules from DH are applicable to one or both battles included in the Mamluk module as noted:

Cavalry Pursuit: Rule 7.6 Cavalry Pursuit is not used.

Impetuosity (at 2nd Homs): If the target of a Hit and Run Tactics missile fire attack is infantry, and the infantry suffers a Hit, the player for that infantry rolls the die.• If the DR is the same as or lower than the printed TQ, nothing

happens.• If the DR is higher than the printed TQ, that unit must move

forward one hex if there is no unit in that hex. If the unit can’t move forward (for any reason), it doesn’t move; there is no further penalty.

Aggression Reaction (at 2nd Homs): If the target of a Hit and Run Tactics missile fire attack unit is a HC of any type, undertake the same DR as in Impetuosity. However, if the DR is higher, that HC must immediately move a maximum of four MPs toward the firing unit by the most direct path, and Shock Attack the firing unit. Such a reaction/charge is treated as part of the firing unit’s movement/turn, and the resultant shock (only the HC and firing unit are considered) is resolved before anything else happens. • C-armed LC may retreat up to two hexes when so counter-

charged. This retreat is conducted before the HC advances.• Knights add two (+2) to their DR.

Size: All units are considered to have the same Size. Therefore, in a Shock attack, if the attacker has more units than the defender, the Shock DRM is +2. If the defender has more units than the attacker, the Shock DRM is –2.

Feigned Retreat (at 2nd Homs): Eligible LC (see scenario rules) may use this modified version of the Retreat Before Combat rule (Simple 7.4�-7.44) when attacked by other cavalry, regardless of the MA differential. Such eligible units may not use Retreat Before Shock against other cavalry. Light Cavalry without the Feigned Retreat ability use RBS per the standard rules. Heavy Cavalry may not use RBS against other cavalry. A unit may not use Feigned Retreat if it began the player turn in an enemy ZOC or had an enemy unit in its ZOC. The Feigned Retreat is performed as follows:

�. The defending unit retreats per Simple GBoH 7.42 and 7.43 with the exception that it may not enter an enemy ZOC and at the end of the retreat the unit is faced in the direction of its retreat.

2. If all the defenders have retreated, the attacking player rolls the die, and compares the roll to the attacking unit’s FR Reaction

Rating given in the scenario setup instructions. If there is more than one attacking cavalry unit, the owning player picks which one must pursue. If a unit is stacked with a leader, subtract one (–�) from the die roll.• if the DR is the same as or lower than the FR Reaction Rat-

ing, the attacking unit advances, per Simple GBoH, 7.44. The retreating unit may return to its original facing.

• if the DR is higher than the FR Reaction Rating, the attacking unit uses the same rule but MUST advance into the vacated hex and MUST continue its advance along the path of retreat until an enemy unit or ZOC intervenes, or it moves within two hexes (one intervening hex) of the retreating unit. If there was more than one defender, the pursuing player picks the path and unit to pursue. The other retreating units ignore step #3.

PLAY NOTE: There is no pursuit unless all the defenders have retreated.

3. If the advancing unit is able to move within two hexes with a vacant hex in between, the retreating unit then rolls the die and compares the roll to its TQ rating. • If the die roll is the same or lower, the retreated unit reverses

its facing and may immediately either fire its missiles at the pursuer from its current hex, or move forward one hex adjacent to the pursuer, and either fire its missiles or Shock attack. The pursuing unit may not react in any way (Fire, Retreat Before Shock, etc.).

• If the above die roll is higher than the retreating unit’s TQ, the pursuing unit may immediately move adjacent to the retreating unit, and either fire at the retreating unit or conduct a (Flank) Shock attack. The defending unit may not react in any way (Fire, Retreat Before Shock, etc.).

PLAY NOTE: All Shock Attacks in ‘3’ are part of the Feigned Retreat and only involve those units. Any other adjacent units are ignored. The Shock attack is resolved immediately before going on to other units. The Moving modifier applies to all Shock combat associated with Feigned Retreat.

Missile Fire: The Simple GBoH Missile Range and Results Chart is not used. Instead use the corresponding chart and the Fire vs. Armor chart from the standard DH rules. All standard GBoH modifiers apply. Special Simple GBoH modifiers are listed on the table. In addition, the following changes to Simple GBoH rules apply to DH:

LOS: Composite Bow units may use either Arched or Direct Fire. Crossbows may use only Direct Fire. LOS is blocked by combat units when using Direct Fire. Exception: Friendly units adjacent to the firing unit never block LOS. LOS is never blocked by combat units when using Arched Fire. (Simple GBoH 7.�3.)

Shower Fire: Units capable of Shower Fire are so indicated on the counter. Units capable of Shower Fire cannot use Hit & Run Tactics.

dismounted Cavalry (at 2nd Homs): As designated in the scenario, certain cavalry units may dismount. These units may mount/dismount as their sole action when activated, provided



that they are not within four hexes of any enemy unit, or within range and LOS of an enemy missile unit.

Engaged: Units that begin a player turn in an enemy ZOC or have an enemy unit in their ZOC are considered Engaged. En-gaged units may not use missile fire of any kind; this includes Reaction Fire per 7.2�. Engaged units may not be the target of Missile Fire.

Horse Archers: All composite bow armed cavalry may fire at any time during movement and are an exception to 7.��.

Aggression: If a Formation containing mounted Knight units is activated, and one of the units is within six (6) Movements Points of an enemy unit (with no friendly mounted units in the intervening hexes), the owning player must roll a die before moving the activated units. Consult the Chivalry Aggression (C-A) Rating of the lowest rated KN/HC unit in the Formation as given in the scenario.• If the die roll is greater than the C-A Rating, each and every

Knight unit in the Formation must move up to its full Move-ment Allowance towards the enemy unit nearest to it and move adjacent to that unit. Out of Command units may move adjacent to enemy units. When there is more than one possible target for such a charge, the moving player determines the target. However, if there is more than one target, the target chosen must be a unit that is not already being attacked in this way, if possible.

• If the die roll is the same as or lower than the C-A Rating, the units may be moved normally.

If there are intervening friendly infantry units, the moving cavalry will move through them to the target. There is no cost in Cohesion Hits to the moving unit; however, the infantry unit must undergo an immediate TQ Check. If the DR is higher than the TQ, the unit takes a number of Hits equal to the difference.

MansourahEgypt, February 8, 1250 The Army of the Seventh Crusade, under King (Saint) Louis IX, vs. the Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt, under Emir Fakr-ed-din.

Historical Background The 7th Crusade tried to do what the 6th Crusade could not: take Egypt. What this had to do with any religious purpose, other than an opportunity to kill ‘infidels’, is beyond us, but the Crusad-ers were a stubborn, determined, and rather dense and bigoted lot. Under the aegis of Louis IX, King of France (subsequently dubbed Saint Louis for his attempts to ‘ethnically cleanse’ the Near East), the mostly French army landed in the Delta in Egypt and swiftly took a surrendering Damietta. Buoyed by this success, King Louis and his army quickly set off up the Nile seeking to destroy the fading Ayyubid Egyptians. They did fine until reaching the newly built city of Mansourah, which had to be taken if Louis were to maintain a line of com-munications … and supply. However, the Ayyubid army and its dying sultan remained in Mansourah, strengthened by the strong (if politically restless) Mamluk cavalry. The Ashmun canal was a formidable barrier, running due east from Mansourah and the Nile, and Louis let his army wait while he and his men decided what to do.They decided on a rather nice plan. His foot soldiers would build a causeway across the canal, while his heavy knights would sweep east, travel far downstream, and then cross in three ‘divisions’ before dashing westwards to catch the Egyptians napping. Which they did. The Egyptian foot soldiers were slaughtered in their tents by the vanguard, but these knights, led by Robert of Artois, felt that wasn’t enough and they sped off to take the city. It was all downhill from there.Once inside the city, the heavy cavalry was at the mercy of the light, missile-armed Mamluk men, and when the Sultan’s Guard of Mamluk heavies came up, they held off the rest of the Frank-ish cavalry and wasted a good effort by the French foot, which, led by its crossbowmen, had finally crossed the canal and was laying waste to the still disordered Egyptians. However, with his cavalry in disarray, Louis felt it best to with-draw. More Mamluks and Ayyubids arrived, the French started to starve, and Louis finally gave up and went home, his army much the worse for wear. In the meantime the sultan died and his son, ill-prepared to take over, reigned only briefly before the Mamluks moved in and seized power.

Terrain Notes This is the Delta Basin of the Nile. Flat and relatively featureless, except for the low-lying swamps off to the east and the city of Mansourah. There are several map-specific rules. See below.

The ScenariosThe Scenarios



Counter use The counters you use from the Devil’s Horsemen game are noted, below, with the letters dH; all others are supplied and noted with the letter M.

Crusader deployment 1. The portion of the army that remained north of the Ashmun Canal (as below) is placed, one unit per hex, in any Crusader Tent hex, as follows:• 30 Crusader Infantry: Crusader MI #�-20 [M] and Crusader

LI #�-�0 (Foot Crossbowmen [a] ) [M]; Humbert of Beaujeu (in command of all foot) [M] is placed with any unit within 3 hexes of the Causeway.

• Burgundy Knights #�-2, the duke of Burgundy [M]• The Causeway counter is placed, ‘unbuilt’, between hexes

4407 and 4408. See below for the specific rules on this.

2. The Crusader Van Bataille (5 units) is placed, one unit per hex, in 5��3-5��5 and 52�4-�5.• Templar Knights [M]• Templar Mounted Crossbowmen [DH]• English (England) Knights [M]• Brittany Knights [M]• Artois Knights [M]• Robert of Artois [b] [M]

3. Crusader Center Bataille (4 units) is placed, one unit per hex, in 60�8-602�.• Anjou Knights [M]• Champenois Knights #�-2 [M]• � Hospitaller Mounted Crossbowmen [DH]• Charles of Anjou [b] [M]

Crusader Reinforcements The following units enter as reinforcements, when indicated. All units enter, one per hex, through any hex(es) between 69�8 and 6922, inclusive.

1. Crusader Rear Bataille (3 units), under King Louis IX [M], enters during the third game-turn.• Royal Guards Knights [M]• Flemish (Flanders) Knights [M]• Poitier Knights [M]

a = The number of crossbowmen in the royal army (most likely in addition to the contingents from the Templars and Hospitallers) is noted as 5000 in a letter from one of the king’s retainers, giving some indication of the importance placed on this dangerous weapon.

b = These were the King’s brothers.

Egyptian deployment All Egyptian units deploy in Tent hexes with any desired facing. All Units are Unalerted (see below for specifics).

Egyptian Infantry. Egypt MI #�-28 [M] and Egypt LI #�-6 [M] deploy, one to a tent hex, in any Tent within the area around 43�� (south of the Ashmun River/Canal). Infantry commander, Fakr-ed-din [M], plus a Contingent Commander, al-Malik az-Zahir

[a] [M], each in any one tent with an infantry unit.

Mamluk LC (7 units) all deploy each to a tent hex, in any Tent within the area around 27�8 (directly south of Mansourah):• Halqa LC #��-�4 [DH]• Turcomen LC #�-2 [DH]• Bedouin LN [DH]• al-Malik al-Amjad [a] [M]

Mamluk Reinforcements All Mamluk HC units (9 units, including the Sultan’s Bodyguard —Bahrian Mamluks), enter, when activated (in normal fashion; they are not unalerted or anything), any turn after the turn in which King Louis has entered the game-map. (Louis must enter the game when it is his time; he cannot delay.) The units enter though any hexes along the western edge of the game-map.

• Royal Mamluk HC #�-2 [DH]• Mamluk HC #�-7 [DH]• Baybars (with any above unit) [DH]

HISTORICAL NOTE: The Sultan, al-Malik as-Salih, has just died (ulcer of the groin ... ouch), but his (lead) wife is keeping that information secret from the army until the new sultan, Turan Shah, can arrive from Syria. He eventually showed up, after the battle, and lasted a few weeks until the Mamluks took over.

a = There is a plethora of al-Maliks hanging around Mansourah. As the sources note, Ayyubid names could be quite confusingly similar.

Line and Command Eligibility The Crusaders: • King Louis IX is the Overall Commander. He may issue

Orders and Line Commands to any unit. • Robert of Artois and Charles of Anjou may issue orders/Line

Commands to any Knights, mounted or otherwise, and the Templar and Hospitaller Crossbowmen.

• The duke of Burgundy may issue orders/Line Commands to the Burgundian knights and any Crusader Foot units.

• Humbert of Beaujeu may issue orders/Line Command to any Crusader Foot units.

NOTE: Dismounted/Unhorsed Knights and Dismounted Cross–bowmen are not considered Crusader Foot for orders/Line Command purposes.

Standards: All Crusader units use Louis’s royal standard as their Retreat Goal. There are two of these: one north of the Ashmun, one with Louis. The latter moves with Louis upon entering, but must be placed within two turns of entry.

Line Command Eligibility• Mounted Knights and Mounted Crossbowman• Dismounted and Unhorsed Knights; Dismounted Crossbow-

men • Crusader Foot (MI and LI)



Ayyubid Egyptians: • Baybars may issue orders/Line Command only to the Mamluk

HC units.• al-Malik al-Amjad may issue orders/Line Command to any

LC/LN units. • Fakr-ed-din may issue orders/Line Command to any Egyptian

Infantry units. • al-Malik az-Zahir is a Contingent Commander who may issue

orders only to Egyptian Infantry units.

Standards: The Egyptians have no Standards. (Meaning flags, not morals.)

DESIGN NOTE: This reflects the death of the Sultan, information about which had leaked out by the time of the battle.

Line Command Eligibility• Any Cavalry• Any Infantry

Replacement Leaders There are no replacement leaders available to either side.

Crusader SurpriseOn the first game turn (only), the Crusader player goes first by activating Robert of Artois rather than the lowest Initiative leader. Subtract two (–2) for all Momentum attempts by Robert of Artois during the first game turn.

Egyptian Readiness All Egyptians units start the game Unalerted.

unalerted Cavalry: The Cavalry will be Alerted the first time their Commander is activated. Alerting the cavalry takes an entire activation; they may not do anything that activation. They are free to do as they want next activation.

unalerted Infantry: The infantry will be Alerted the first time their Commander (Fakr-ed-din) is activated. Alerting the infantry takes an entire activation; they may not do anything that activa-tion. Upon being Alerted, an infantry unit is Disordered.

Unalerted units have no ZOC. If Shock attacked, there is no Posi-tion Superiority, but the Attacking Player does get a one column shift to the right on the Shock Resolution table. Unalerted units cannot use Pass-Thru Defense.

disordered Infantry:• have no ZOC• cannot use Pass-Thru Defense• when they are Shock Attacked, the Attacking Player gets a one

column shift to the right on the Shock Resolution table • add one (+�) to all Missile Fire rolls

All Disordered markers are removed automatically at the start of that unit’s next activation.

PLAY NOTE: The status of Disorder, for infantry, is brought about solely as a result of being initially Unalerted. It is not a combat result.

Unalerted and/or Disordered units that are fired upon by Crusader Crossbow units do not change status because of that enemy fire.

The CausewayThe Ashmun River/Canal is uncrossable (on the game-map ... it is crossable upstream, where the knights have gone). However, the Crusader plan depends on their infantry getting across the Ashmun to support the knights and keep the Egyptian foot em-ployed in lesser pursuits. To do this, Louis ordered a causeway built across the bridge, and, to protect its construction, he had several dozen pieces of medieval artillery—stone throwers and bolt shooters—placed in support.

Of course, the Egyptians immediately deployed their own artil-lery, in about the same numbers, and the engineering project became rather slow going, inching forward as the catapults, et al, spent most of their time trying to beat each other into submission.

Rather than make this construction project a gaming exercise in endless die rolling, we’ve reduced all of it to a single counter—the Crusader Causeway—and fewer dierolls, all of which are used to track its progress towards completion.

Each time the duke of Burgundy is activated, before doing anything else, the two players check to see how the Causeway is proceeding. Each player rolls one die.

• If the Crusader causeway dieroll is greater than that of the Egyptian, move the Causeway marker two boxes forward on the Causeway Construction Track.

• If the Crusader causeway dieroll is less than that of the Egyptian, move the Causeway marker one box back on the Causeway Construction Track.

• Tie? Nothing happens.

The Causeway Track starts at ‘0’. When it reaches ‘4’, the Causeway is built; place the Causeway marker across the hexes 4407-8. The players do not roll for the Causeway any more, and it remains in place regardless what the players do.

The Causeway Track may never be reduced below ‘0’.

PLAY NOTE: The Causeway is the only way for the Crusader infantry to get across the Ashmun; they may not leave the map to the east, as did their knights. Makes for some interesting go-ings on in this area . .

The City of Mansourah The recently built city of Mansourah, constructed to celebrate victory over an earlier Crusader army, is a victory objective.

There are two types of hexes in the city: Streets and Buildings.

• Street hexes may be entered directly from other Street hexes; e.g., from �7�5 to �6�5. A unit may not enter a street hex un-less it does so by using a street. A unit may not move directly from �7�5 to �7�4 (through the buildings).

• Building hexes. No unit may enter these hexes.



Mansourah, itself, may be entered only through the two gate hexes, �2�6 and 30�2.

Heavy cavalry (particularly the Crusader knights) is at a definite combat disadvantage inside the city. Regardless what the Clash of Spears Chart (�0.4) says, heavy cavalry is never Attacker Superior.

uncontrolled AggressionKnight units that fail their Chivalry Aggression die roll (see 9.3�) may move toward a Mansourah gate hex (�2�6 or 30�2) or a western map edge hex between �0�6 and �025 (inclusive), instead of the nearest enemy unit.

dismounted Knights Mounted Knights and Dismounted Knights have separate coun-ters (to be used as needed).• Disordered Mounted Knights simply flip the counter to the

reverse (disordered) side.• Mounted Knights that incur an ‘Unhorsed’ result (see below)

have their counter replaced by the Unhorsed (Dismounted) counter.

Crusader knights may never voluntarily Dismount. They can become ‘Dismounted’ only by becoming Unhorsed and then rallying to their Dismounted side. Once Dismounted, they may never Mount again.

Any Mounted Knight unit that incurs a Cohesion Hit result of ‘3’ or more changes that ‘3’ result into a ‘2’ plus Unhorsed. Replace the Mounted Knight counter with its Dismounted/Unhorsed counterpart, with the Unhorsed side face up. Once unhorsed, knights remain on foot for the rest of the battle.

Unhorsed/Dismounted Knights are treated as HI for Movement and when using the Clash of Spears and Swords Chart. In addi-tion, Unhorsed Knights:• may not Shock Attack• when they are Shock Attacked, the Attacking Player gets a one

column shift to the Right on the Shock Resolution table.

DESIGN NOTE: European knights were protected by heavy, chainmail armor, armor which provided excellent protection but rendered the knights reliant on their mounts for maneuverability.

When unhorsed, while still a formidable weapons system, their lack of mobility (combined with the rather dispiriting happen-stance of finding themselves on the ground rather suddenly) rendered them quite different, in terms of capabilities, from what they were when mounted.

Muslim Pass-Thru The Crusader mounted knight charge was a very effective tactic, and it was greatly feared and respected by the Muslims. However, by the time of this battle, they had adopted tactics to neutralize and avoid such an attack. Much as Alexander (apparently) did with his phalanx against Darius’ chariot attack at Gaugamela, the Muslim units would simply step aside, creating lanes for the charging knights to pass through, quickly re-close ranks, and then attack the knights from the rear.

The Crusaders never developed any changes in their charge to adapt to this defensive tactic.

Whenever a non-Engaged Egyptian unit in Clear terrain is the target of a Knight Charge/Shock through a Front hex, if its TQ Check die roll (per 9.�3[�] and 9.�4) is the same or lower than the unit’s TQ, it uses Pass-Thru Defense. Otherwise, the ef-fects of the rule apply. If there is more than one defender, each must make a successful roll. Only units attacked exclusively by Mounted Knights can use Pass-Thru Defense and if more than unit is the object of an attack, all must be eligible to use pass through or none can.

Pass-Thru defense: the Charging unit moves ‘through’ the Defender, without any effect on the latter, and is placed in the hex immediately ‘behind’ the target unit – adjacent to it, and in the path dictated by the charging unit’s facing. The Target unit immediately changes facing and Shock Attacks the originally charging Knight (if permitted to do so by the rules), usually from the rear.

If the hex ‘behind’ the target is occupied by a unit friendly to the defender, it also rolls for Pass-Thru, as above. If it fails, the original Pass-Thru attempt has failed, and play reverts to resolv-ing the original shock charge. The defender incurs no loss of TQ for TQ Checks. If the hex directly behind is occupied by an enemy unit, Pass-Thru Defense is not allowed.

Crossbow units Crossbow units are restricted as to when they may fire, because of the difficulty inherent in re-loading the weapon, especially on horseback. In essence, they may fire only twice in a single turn, whether it is when activated or as Reaction. Use the ‘Crossbow Fired’ markers to indicate their usage.

HISTORICAL NOTE: The crossbows being used here are wooden, a far less effective weapon than the metal crossbows of the 15th century et seq.

dismounting Cavalry Knights may not voluntary dismount but may be Unhorsed as described above. The Templar Crossbow units may dismount.



Crusader Aggression Ratings The Aggression rating of all Crusader Knights is ‘2’.

Harass and dispersal/Shower Fire Tactics The Turcomen LC have Shower Fire capability; see the counters. No units are eligible to use Harass and Dispersal.

Orderly Withdrawal Mamluk Heavy Cavalry cannot use Orderly Withdrawal against Mounted Knights.

Retreat Edge Units retreat to the following Edges, if required:• Mamluks – the city• Crusaders (if causeway incomplete) – own entry hexes• Crusaders (if causeway complete) – any Crusader tent hex.

Winning the Game Because of the unusual nature of this battle, and the knowledge that most players will be far smarter than the Franks, we have Victory Conditions different from the usual GBoH mantra.

The instant a player reaches 75 VP, that player wins. The Players receive VP as follows:

Crusaders VP Reason �0 Each City hex occupied by a non-Disordered Mounted

Crusader unit 5 Each non-Disordered Mounted Crusader unit that exits

the western map edge between hexes �0�6 and �025 inclusive. The unit may not return to the game, but is NOT considered eliminated

5 Each Mamluk cavalry unit eliminated � Each Egyptian infantry unit eliminated

DESIGN NOTE: The Sultan’s Palace is just off the map, to the southwest of the city, and was considered a target by some of the Crusader hierarchy.

Mamluks/Egyptians VP Reason 5 Each (originally) Mounted Crusader unit eliminated 2 Each Crusader foot unit eliminated

Play Balance The Crusaders have a slight edge, but much depends on how quickly the Crusaders cross the Canal and how well they do in the city fighting. Playing time is about 3 hours.

TQ Levels Player TQ Pts. Rout Ratio Avg. TQ Crusader 358 N/A 6.63 Mamluk 254 N/A 5.08

Simple GBoH Version

Mansourah(8 February, 1250)Deploy both armies as indicated in the standard rules. Stan-dards are not used. Playing Time: About 2 �/2 hoursBalance: Crusaders slightly favored

Mansourah Formation Charts Crusader Formation Chart Commander Formation Robert of Artois /2 Van Bataille [a]

Charles of Anjou /� Center Bataille [b]

King Louis IX [OC] / 2 Rear Bataille [c]

Humbart of Beaujeu Crusader Foot Duke of Burgundy Burgundy Knights and/or

Crusader Foot For all Formations, a contiguous line may have one interven-ing vacant hex between each unit.

a = The Crusader player may activate the Van Bataille and/or the Burgundy Knights if their respective commanders are within Robert of Artois’ Command Range. b = The Crusader player may activate the Center Bataille and/or the Burgundy Knights if their respective commanders are within Charles of Anjou’s Command Range. c = The Crusader player may activate the Rear Bataille, Center, and/or the Burgundy Knights if their respective commanders are within King Louis’s Command Range.

Crusader units with Reduced Side: None

Egyptian Formation Chart Commander Formation Baybars / � Mamluk HC al-Malik al-Amjad /2 Mamluk LC/LN Fakr-ed-din /� Egyptian Infantry al-Malik az-Zahir [a]

For all Formations, a contiguous line may have one interven-ing vacant hex between each unit.

a = az-Zahir activates with the Egyptian Infantry. All Egyptian Infantry within his Command Range are In Command, however, his range cannot be extended by 4.��

Egyptian units with Reduced Side: None

SPECIAL RuLESThe Crusader player goes first. There is no die roll.

Terrain: Use the Mamluk terrain effects chart. If there is a Cohesion cost for the unit type, treat as an (h).

Crusader Reinforcements: Use the standard scenario rule for the entry hexes. The Rear Bataille must activate and enter



play any time after the 5th Crusader activation, but before the �0th Crusader activation.

Mamluk Reinforcements: Use the standard scenario rule for the entry hexes. The Mamluk reinforcements enter play on any Egyptian activation after the Crusader Rear Bataille has entered play.

Crusader Surprise: Subtract two (–2) from Robert of Arois’ first Seizure attempt die roll

Egyptian Readiness: Use the standard rule for Unalerted Cavalry and Infantry. There is a +� DRM to any Shock attack against Unalerted infantry. Disordered infantry cannot use Missile Fire, have their Movement Allowance halved, and if involved in Shock suffer a +� DRM when attacked.

The Causeway: Use the standard rule with the exception that the Crusader player can roll whenever any Crusader formation is activated.

The City of Mansourah: Use the standard rule. In Shock combat, mounted Knights suffer –2 DRM when attacking and a +2 when defending.

uncontrolled Aggression: Use standard scenario rule.

dismounted Knights: Use the standard rule with the exception that a Mounted Knight unit is Unhorsed whenever it receives a Retreat result from Shock. Unhorsed Knights cannot Shock attack and are exempt from SGBoH 7.3�. Attacking LI and HI add +2 to the Shock DR for all Frontal attacks. Attacking HC, LC, and LN add +5 to the Shock DR for all Frontal attacks.

Muslim Pass-Thru: Any Alerted, non-Disordered Egyptian unit may attempt to use the Muslim Pass-Thru Defense when-ever a Knight unit conducts a moving Shock attack against it through a frontal hex. To do so, the Egyptian player rolls a die prior to resolving the Shock attack.

• If the DR is greater than the defender’s TQ, the Egyptian unit incurs Hits equal to the difference between the DR and its TQ. The Shock attack is then resolved as intended.

• If the DR is the same or lower than the target units unit’s TQ, the Knight unit moves through the defender, without any effect on the latter, and is placed in the hex immediately ‘behind’ the target unit – adjacent to it, and in the path dictated by the charging unit’s facing. The Target unit immediately changes facing and Shock Attacks the originally charging Knight (if permitted to do so by the rules), usually from the rear.

• If the hex “behind” the target is occupied by a unit friendly to the defender, it too, rolls for Pass-Thru, as above. If it fails, the original Pass-Thru attempt has failed (proceed with the intended Shock attack) with no loss of TQ to the original defender. Pass-Thru defense is not allowed if the hex directly behind is enemy occupied.

dismounting Cavalry: Knights may not voluntarily dismount but may be Unhorsed as described above. The Templar Cross-bow units may dismount.

Crossbow units: These units may either move or fire when activated, not both.

Harassment and dispersal Tactics: No units are eligible to use Hit & Run.

Chivalry Aggression Ratings: Crusader Knights: 2

Orderly Withdrawal: Mamluk HC cannot use Retreat Before Shock when attacked by Mounted Knights.

Winning The Game: Use the standard rule.

Retreat Edge: Ignore.

Second Battle of Homs Syria, October 29, 1281 The Mongols of the Ilkhan Horde, under Mengu Temur, vs. the Mamluks, under Sultan Qalawun.

Historical Background The Mongols, specifically the Ilkhan Horde and its khan, Abagha, set out again to regain their hold on Syria. This time (as opposed to the first meeting at Ayn Jalut in �260) they brought a much larger army, probably close to 40,000 men. It was not a crack army, though. And it was (nominally) led by Mengu Temur, the brother of the khan, who was there because of nepotism, not ability.

The Mongol army swept south in a wide arc, so wide that the much larger right wing was far out of touch with the center and the left, where the two real field commanders were too busy with

their own local battles to exercise any control.

The Mamluk army, probably slightly smaller than that of the Mongols, also had problems with leadership. Sultan Qalawun was too young and inexperienced to exert any real command; wisely, he was kept in the rear.

The Mongol right, which outnumbered the opposing Mamluk left, had little trouble in driving it from the field. However, in very un-Mongol behavior, it then chased the fleeing Mamluks south, which allowed the Mamluk right to counter-attack the Mongol center while it held off their left.

After a massive, swirling battle of several hours, the failure of the Mongol right to return in time was the telling factor, as the rest of the Ilkhan army disintegrated. The Mamluks had yet another victory over the Mongols.

Mamluk: Warfare in the 13th Century Latin East�0


Numbers Sources vary, but not wildly, on the number of troops at 2nd Homs. They all agree that the Mongols had slightly more men than the Mamluks, and most (well, the majority) of modern sources give the Mongols c. 40,000 men (certainly not the �00,000 in one period source) ... leaving about 35,000 for the Mamluks, which was about the size of an army they could rea-sonably raise at this time.

Terrain Notes No one knows exactly where in Syria this battle took place, probably on flat, featureless terrain northeast of Homs. A se-ries of irrigation ditches, and the Orontes River, to the west, probably defined the Mamluk left, and there may have been some small hills to the rear of the Mamluk position, but these had no impact on the battle. These are the only features that descriptions of the battle report.

Game Maps Players use the terrain-free, West Kalka map.

Counter use The counters you use from the Devil’s Horsemen game are noted, below, with the letters dH; all others are supplied and noted with the letter M.

MONGOL dEPLOYMENT(All units face East)

The Mongol Right The Mongol Right consists of 44 counters, as follows: 20 Mongols: Tumen #7 [HC (non-Cat) #�-7 and LC # 6-�8]

[dH] � Hospitaller Knights #� Kn-HC [a] [DH] 6 Oirat Mongols [M] 3 Georgians: Georgia HC #� [DH], Georgia HC #2-3 [M] 6 Armenians: Armenia HC #� [DH], Armenia HC #2-6 [M] 8 Seljuks of Rum: Seljuks LC #� [DH], Seljuks LC #2-8 [M]

Leaders (and their commands) are:• Prince Huleju: all HC and Hospitallers • Bahadur: all LC• Samaghar (Contingent): Seljuks of Rum• dmitri (Contingent): Georgians• King Leon (Contingent): Armenians• Qara Bughur (Contingent): Oirat Mongols

a = The presence of the Hospitallers is arguable. Some sources say they were present, others say otherwise. While the various Knights of Christ were known to have dealings with the Mongols, and their participation herein would not be unlikely, it would be a small group.

All of these units deploy, as the Mongol player wishes, in any hexes ending with -04 through -�8, inclusive, and in the 4�00 row or higher (west); e.g. a unit can be deployed in 44�5, but not in 44�9. Leaders are deployed as desired.

The Mongol Center This consists of 44 units 27 Mongols: Tumen #5 [Cat HC #2-3, HC #�-7, LC #�-�8]

[DH] 17 Mongols: Tumen #8 [HC (non-Cat] #3-7, LC #8-�9] [DH]

under Tukna (HC), and dolobai (LC).

All of these units deploy, as the Mongol player wishes, in any hexes ending with #22 through #34, inclusive, and in the 4�00 row or higher (west); e.g., a unit can be deployed in 4425, but not in 4435. Leaders, except Mengu Temur, are deployed as desired.

Mengu Temur, and Tumen #5 [Cat HC #�] [DH] Cataphracted HC #�, plus the Mongol standard, deploy within � hex of 4628.

HISTORICAL NOTE: Spies had informed the Mamluks that the Mongols were approaching with a very heavy (numerically) cen-ter. However, given the relative inactivity of the Mongol center during the battle, it is most likely that as they deployed on the battlefield they transferred some of those ‘excess’ troops to the wings, probably to the right.

The Mongol Left The Left has 37 units 28 Mongols: Tumen #6 [Cat HC #�-3, HC #�-7, LC #�-�8]

[DH] 9 Mongols: Tumen #4 [HC (non-Cat) #4-6, LC #�3-�8] [DH]

led by Mazuq Agha (HC), and Hinduqur (LC).

All of these units deploy, as the Mongol player wishes, in any hexes ending with —38 through —47, inclusive, and in the 4�00 row or higher (west); e.g., a unit can be deployed in 4445, but not in 4436. Leaders are deployed as desired.

Mongol Overall Command Mengu Temur is the Overall Commander ... sort of. As the brother of Abagha, khan of the Ilkhanid Horde, he attained this position by family ties, not capability. Mengu was young, inexpe-rienced, and not overly sure of himself. The real OCs were Tukna and Dolobai, but they were way too involved in on-field com-mand during the battle to exercise any higher level leadership. Consequently, the Mongols had no real Overall Command.

Therefore, Mengu is simply a figurehead. The only abilities listed in 4.3� that he has available are #s 4 and 5. In addition, you have to activate Mengu simply to move him (and his guard, the HC deployed with him).

Given this situation, Mongol Subordinates may automatically issue Line Commands (as per 4.32 [�]) even if not in Mengu’s Command Range, but never when activated by Momentum.

Mongol Line Commands Subordinate Commanders for the Mongol tumen issue Line Commands, when they can, to the troops of their specific com-

Mamluk: Warfare in the 13th Century Latin East ��


mand. (E.g., Tukna commands the HC of Tumen #5.. The non-Mongol leaders—Samaghar, Dmitri, Leon and Qara—may issue Line Commands solely to their contingents, as if they were full Subordinates.

Replacement Leaders Mengu Temur may not be replaced as Overall Commander. If he is killed, the Mongols have no OC.

Hospitallers KnightsThe Chivalry Aggression Rating for the Hospitallers is 5. The Hospitallers may Dismount.

Mongol Fatigue According to the sources, the Mongol army deployed from an ex-tended march, and so it was somewhat tired. To represent this fact, we have used the units from the ‘lesser’ tumen. In addition, • when using Recovery (��.�4), Mongol cavalry may only

remove one (�) Cohesion hit at a time.• Removal of Disordered markers (��.63) is not automatic.

The Mongol player must roll the die; if that DR is the same as or less than the unit’s printed TQ it removes the Disorder. If higher, it remains Disordered.

Balance Note: If players find that this puts the Mongols at too much of a game disadvantage they may agree to ignore either or both of the above.

MAMLuK dEPLOYMENT(All units face West)

The Mamluk deployment was a bit unusual, with each of the wings split into two sections, with one, apparently, deployed slightly in front of the other. There is some specific information on numbers—mostly of small units (like there being 800 Royal Mamluks)—but overall numbers are not specified.

The Mamluk Far Left Flank These were mostly Turcomen plus ‘regulars’ from Hisn al-Akrid., as follows: �0 Turcomen: Turcomen #�-2 [DH], Turcomen #3-�0 [M] 4 Mamluken: Mamluken HC #2�-24 [M]

Their leader is Balaban al-Tabbakhi. He may command both HC and LC.

All of these units deploy, as the Mamluk player wishes, in the following hexes:• 2�05-9• 2005-9• �905-8

The Mamluk Left FlankThe Mamluk Left Flank has: 20 Halqa: Halqa LC #��-20 [DH], Halqa LC #2�-30 [M]

led by Sunqur al-Ashqar (Sunqur is actually overall commander for all troops on the left and may command any of these units).

All of these units deploy, as the Mamluk player wishes, in any hexes ending with —�0 through —�7, inclusive, and in the �700 row or lower (east); e.g., a unit can be deployed in �6�5, but not in �6�8. Leaders are deployed as desired.

The Mamluk Center (Jalish) This Mamluk Center has 34 units: 2 Royal Mamluks (Mansuryya): Royal HC #�-2 [DH] 20 Mamluken: Mamluken HC #�-�0 [DH], Mamluken #��-20

[M] �2 Halqa: Halqa LC #�-�0 [DH], Halqa #3�-32 [M]

Their leaders are Turantay (HC) and Abaji (LC).

All of these units deploy as the Mamluk player wishes in any hexes ending with —22 through —34, inclusive, and in the �700 row or lower (east); e.g., a unit can be deployed in �625, but not in �635. Leaders are deployed as desired.

The Mamluk Center/Rear (Qalb) This small command appears to be comprised of Sultan Qala-wun—too young and inexperienced to actually lead—and the troops guarding him, all recently hand-picked by him ... and very inexperienced. 3 Halqa LC #33-35 [M] � Guard [DH]

The Mamluk StandardTheir leader is Sultan Qalawun, who commands both LC and the Guard. He may also command the 2 Royal Mamluk HC with the Center/Jalish (above).

These units deploy within � hex of ��28.

The Mamluk Right Flank The Mamluk Right has 22 units, as follows: �2 Mamluken HC #25-36 [M] (the troops of Hama and Damas-

cus, mostly) 8 Syrians: Syrian LC #�-2 [DH], Syrian LC #3-8 [M] 2 Kurds: Kurds HC [DH], Kurd HC #2 [M]

Their Leader is Aybeg al-Afram (for the HC) and Taybars (for the LC). Aybeg may command all units on the Right, including the Far Right.

All of these units deploy, as the Mamluk player wishes, in any hexes ending with —38 through —43, inclusive, and in the �700 row or lower (east); e.g., a unit can be deployed in �539, but not in �544. Leaders are deployed as desired.

The Mamluk Far Right Flank This command consists of 8 Syrian Bedouins: Bedouins: Bedouin LN [DH], Bedouin LN #2-8 [M]Their Leader is Isa bin Muhanna.



All of these units deploy, as the Mamluk player wishes, in the following hexes:• 2�46-49• 2047-49

Replacement Leaders Sultan Qalawun may not be replaced as Overall Commander. If he is killed, the Mamluks have no OC.

Special Activation Rules Because of the size of the battle, and the large number of indi-vidual commands, we will use a somewhat different Activation mechanic for 2nd Homs.

In this battle, Activation and Momentum is by Wing, not indi-vidual leader. Each army has three ‘wings’ each with a special marker. On the marker is an Activation Rating, which is used to determine the order of activation (akin to using the Initiative Rating). Once a wing is activated, the separate commands—LC or HC—get to activate, move and fight, separately. Thus the individual, named leaders do not use their Initiative ratings for Activation or Momentum.

Players must use individual leaders and their commands for Trumping; they may not use their Wings. To use an active player Trump, the trumping leader’s Initiative Rating must be greater than the Wing Activation Rating of the active player’s Wing that is next to go. That individual command activates, not the Wing. A Momentum Trump can be attempted after a successful Wing

Momentum roll, or prior to each leader’s activation in that Wing. In the former case, the trumping leader’s Initiative must be the same or greater than the Wing Activation rating, in the latter case, the Initiative Rating of the individual leader about to activate is used. A successful Momentum Trump Finishes the Wing or the individual leader, depending on what was Trumped.

Leader Bypass is determined by individual leader. The active player can continue to roll for Momentum with the Wing as long as the Wing isn’t trumped and there is a leader in the Wing that is not Finished or Bypassed.

EXAMPLE: The Mongol has just gone with his Center. He chooses to attempt Momentum to continue to activate the lead-ers in the wing. He rolls the die, getting a ‘3’, which is within the Center’s Activation Rating of ‘4’. The Mongol player now activates his LC, under Dolobai, without a die roll. When the Mongol LC has finished all its moving and fighting, he now activates the HC, under Tukna, again with a dieroll. The Mam-luk player can attempt to Trump the Mongol Center after its successful Momentum roll, and/or either (or both) Dolobai and Tukna when they activate with one of his individual commands, say, Sunqur’s Left Flank LC.

Harass and dispersal/Shower Fire Tactics Mongol (including the Oirat Mongols) and Syrian LC can use the Harass and Dispersal tactic. The Turcomen LC and some Halqa LC have Shower Fire capability; see the counters.

Continued on page 15

Seco

nd B

attle

of H

oms S

et U

p

Mamluk: Warfare in the 13th Century Latin East �3


Simple GBoH Version 2nd Homs (29 October, 1281)Deploy both armies as indicated in the standard rules. Standards are not used. Playing Time: About 4 hrsBalance: Even

2nd Homs Formation Charts Mongol Formation Chart Commander Formation Mengu Temur [OC] Guard Right Wing [a]

Prince Huleju /2 RW HC Bahadur /� RW LC Samaghar /� Seljuks of Rum Dmitri /� Georgians King Leon /� Armenians Qara Bughur /� Oirat Mongols Center [b] Tukna /2 Center HC Dolobai /2 Center LC Left Wing [c]

Mazuq Agha /2 Left HC Hinduqur /� Left LC

For all Formations, a contiguous line may have one intervening vacant hex between each unit.

a = The Mongol player may activate any/all Right Wing formations si-multaneously. The In Command status of units is determined separately for each formation.

b = The Mongol player may activate any/all Center formations simul-taneously. The In Command status of units is determined separately for each formation.

c = The Mongol player may activate any/all Left Wing formations simul-taneously. The In Command status of units is determined separately for each formation.

A leader that conducts a successful Seizure attempt may activate only his formation. And yes, Mengu Temur has no Seizure rating.

Mongol units with Reduced Side: None

Mamluk Formation Chart Commander Formation Left Wing [a]

Balaban /� Far Left HC and LC Sunqur /2 Left HC and LC Center [b]

Turantay /2 Center HC Abaji /2 Center LC Sultan Qalawun [OC] /2 Center Rear HC and LC

Right Wing [c]

Aybeg al-Afram /2 Right HC Taybars /� Right LC Isa bin Muhanna /� Far Right Flank

For all Formations, a contiguous line may have one intervening vacant hex between each unit.

a = The Mamluk player may activate any/all Left Wing formations simul-taneously. The In Command status of units is determined separately for each formation, with the exception that any unit of the wing may trace command to Sunqur. b = The Mamluk player may activate any/all Center formations simul-taneously. The In Command status of units is determined separately for each formation, with the exception that any unit of the wing may trace command to Sultan Qalawun.c = The Mamluk player may activate any/all Right Wing formations si-multaneously. The In Command status of units is determined separately for each formation, with the exception that any unit of the wing may trace command to Aybeg al-Afram.

A leader that conducts a successful Seizure attempt may activate only his formation.

Mamluk units with Reduced Side: None

Army Withdrawal LevelsMongols: 2�5 Rout Points Mamluks: 225 Rout Points

Special RulesReplacement Leaders: Sultan Qalawun and Mengu Temur cannot be replaced. The Mamluk units that were under the Sultan may activate only if the entire Center formation is acti-vated, and may be placed in command only if stacked with or adjacent to a Center formation leader for its type. The Mongol Guard cannot activate if Mengu Temur is eliminated.

Hospitaller Knights: The Chivalry Aggression Rating for the Hospitallers is 5. The Hospitallers may Dismount.

Mongol Fatigue: Ignore

Special Activation: Ignore

H&d/Shower Fire: Mongol (including the Oirat Mongols) and Syrian LC can use H&R The Turcomen LC and some Halqa LC have Shower Fire capability; see the counters.

Feigned Retreat Reaction Ratings: All Heavy Cavalry: 5 All Light Cavalry: 7 Lancers: 7Only Mongol LC may use Feigned Retreat.

Rout: Ignore

Off Map Pursuit: Use the standard rule.

Mamluk: Warfare in the 13th Century Latin East �5


SOuRCESThe main source for the 2nd Homs scenario is Reuven Amitai-Preiss’s Mongols and Mamluks, The Mamluk-Ilkhanid War, 1260-1281 (Cambridge University Press; �995)

Gabrielli, Francesco (trans.), Arab Historians of the Crusades (Ibn Wasil, Chapter 3) (Barnes & Nobles Books, NY, �993)

Glubb, Sir John, Soldiers of Fortune (Dorset Press NY, �973)

Hooper, Nicholas and Bennett, Michael, Cambridge Il-lustrated Atlas of Warfare, The Middle Ages 768-1487 (pp ��-��3) (Cambridge Univ Press, �996)

Joinville, Jean, Sire de, ‘Chronicle of the Crusade of St. Louis’ in Memoirs of the Crusades, translated by Sir Frank Marzials (Everyman Library, Dent, London, �965)

Marshall, Christopher, Warfare in the Latin East, 1192-1291 (Cambridge University Press, �992)

Nicolle, David, The Mamluks, 1250-1517 (Osprey Publish-ing, Oxford, �993)

Oman, Sir Charles, The Art of War in the Middle Ages (vol. �, pp 340-352) (Greenhill Books, London, �99�)

Payne-Gallwey, Ralph, The Book of the Crossbow (Dover Publications, NY, �995)

Game CreditsDEVIL’S HORSEMEN DESIGN: Richard Berg and Mark Her-man

‘MAMLUK’ MODULE DESIGN: Richard Berg

MODULE DEVELOPMENT: Alan Ray

ART DIRECTOR: Rodger MacGowan

BOX ART AND PACKAGE DESIGN: Rodger MacGowan

MAP: Mark Simonitch and Knut Grunitz

COUNTERS: Rodger MacGowan, Mark Simonitch and Mike Lemick

RULES LAYOUT: Mark Simonitch

PLAYTESTING: Elias Nordling, Giancarlo Ceccoli, Danny Secary, Arrigo Velicogna, Jack Polonka, Dan Cooper, and John Nebauer

PROOFREADING: Kevin Duke, Tom Wilde

PRODUCTION COORDINATION: Tony Curtis

PRODUCERS: Tony Curtis, Rodger MacGowan, Andy Lewis, Gene Billingsley and Mark Simonitch

Feigned Retreat Reaction Ratings All Heavy Cavalry (HC): 5 All Light Cavalry (LC): 7 Lancers (LN): 7

Rout When a unit Routs, the player for that unit rolls one die:• If the die roll is lower than its printed TQ, the unit Routs to

its Standard. Simply pick up the unit and place it as close to the standard as possible. There is no Rout Movement. (A bit of friendly traffic control here.)

• If that dieroll is the same as or higher than its TQ it Routs off the map and is eliminated, incurring Rout Points.

• If the affected unit is not within range of its immediate com-mander at the instant it Routs, add two (+2) to the dieroll.

Off-map Pursuit The Mongol right wing was initially quite successful in driving off and shattering the Mamluk left; however, it kept galloping, much of it to the walls of Homs, denuding the Mongols of a large number of troops. To simulate this and other possibilities, the following Pursuit rule is in effect:

Any cavalry unit that causes an enemy unit to Rout off the map (as above)—even if by Fire—checks for Pursuit:• If the dieroll is lower than its printed TQ, the unit does nothing,

other than the usual possible Advance.• If the dieroll is the same as or higher than its TQ, it Pursues

off the map and is eliminated. However, although it may not return, it does not incur Rout Points.

• If the affected unit is not within range of its immediate com-mander at the instant it Routs, add two (+2) to the dieroll.

DESIGN NOTE: Aha! Thought we’d gotten rid of those pesky Pursuit rules, didn’t ya? Nope, they were just hiding in a dark corner, waiting for the right battle to return, in full panoply.

Withdrawal Levels The Mongols will initiate Mongol Withdrawal Reaction (�2.2) when they reach 2�5 Rout Points. The Mamluks will Withdraw when they reach 225 Rout Points.

Play Balance This is a fairly balanced battle. The Mamluks, who won histori-cally (as at Ayn Jalut), have a slight edge, mostly because they have slightly better troops and a higher Rout Level (they’re fighting on their own land).

Playing time is around 6 hours.

TQ Levels Player TQ Pts. Rout Ratio Avg. TQ Mongol 682 32% 5.4� Mamluk 629 36% 6.�7

Continued from page 13



Terrain Effects Chart (Both Battles) Cohesion Penalties [a] to Enter/Cross

Terrain Type MP Cost to Enter/cross LI HI/MI Cavalry Blocks LOS?

Clear � 0 0 0 No

Gardens/Groves 3 0 � � No

Tents � � � � No

River Hexes Not Allowed - - - No

Canal Hexsides May not Cross - - - No

Stream Hexsides +2 0 � 0 No

Bridge/Causeway +0 0 0 0 No

City Street 2 0 0 0 No

City Buildings Not Allowed - - - Yes

City Walls Not Allowed - - - Yes

City Gates 2 0 0 0 Yes

Change Facing (per vertex) PLUS � [b] 0 0 0

Change Facing in City Street 2 0 � � (per vertex)

COL = The Cohesion costs listed also apply to units In Column (See 6.7). Units In Column do NOT pay Cohesion costs for those terrain effects without the COL designation.

Notesa = Units not listed never suffer Cohesion penalties from movement. b= All HI and MI pay a cost of one movement point for each vertex shifted. Cavalry pays a cost of one movement point to change facing in any direction, regardless of the number of vertices shifted.

GMT Games, LLCP.O. Box �308, Hanford, CA 93232-�308

www.GMTGames.com

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