Harald Haldrada's Armed Pilgrimage, game one

Harald is escorting a Byzantine dignitary to Jerusalem.  He brings along a strong Byzantine force, with Gregarius Phillipopoulous, (speedboats for hire very cheap, also kebabs) and the Varangian Guard as escort.

Hassan the Lord of Al-di, bandit, visionary and goat fancier, along with his minion, and shelf stacker Dave, decide to block the future King of Norway.

AMBUSH!

The campaign starts when Hassan plans an ambush to capture the Byzantine dignitary whom Harald is escorting, while they are travelling across a rural area. The defenders include an escort unit provided by loyalist Fatimid local authorities

SET UP

• This scenario takes place along a rural road that runs diagonally across the table. 

THE BYZANTINES

Harald

1 Elite Infantry (Leader) @ 6 points 

1 Light Infantry @ 4 points

1 Light Cavalry + bows @ 4 points Fatamid Escort

1 Foot Skirmishers @ 2 points

Gregarius force

1 Heavy Cavalry + bows @ 5 points

1 Heavy Cavalry @4 points

1 Heavy Infantry @ 4 points

1 Foot Archers @ 4 points

In retrospect Harald took the lighter elements whilst Gregarius took the heavier. 

The Moslem Warband

• 2 Heavy Cavalry, (Leader) @ 4

• 2 Light Cavalry with bow @ 4

• 2 Light Infantry with Javelins @ 4 

• 2 Archers @ 4

The battlefield.

The Byzantines deploy first.

And the Lord of Al-di with his minion in tow, comes on table.

The Byzantines just look menacing.

But those heavy Spearmen are vulnerable to arrows

And Harald loses men to shooting.  Lots of them 

The view down the Moslem arrow shafts as they snipe.

And Gregarious the speedboat salesman earns his pay. 
The Lord of Al-di falls, slain by a Greek dude..

The Byzantines spears guarding the flank are broken and routed 

And Moslem cavalry come sweeping in towards the diplomat.

With those guys on the hill blocking our exit.

Harald buys time sacrificing his skirmishers

And the Varangian Guard charge.  The Moslem cavalry is destroyed.

The diplomat creeps nearer to the edge.

I could be wrong but the diplomat seems to be a Fatamid.

He teaches the table edge as Harald charges again clearing the archers and throwing them back.

More cavalry threaten the Varangian s.  Harald charges for the third time. 

But the Moslems shoot at the diplomat, killing him.  Harald wins his fight but rolls a double 1 when he loses a figure.  

The end game.  Both sides have terrible losses, but the diplomat is dead and Harald is battered.

The Byzantines will be back!