YARMUK 636
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 5:37 pm
As the exhausted Byzantine empire strained to recover from the Sassanid wars, a new menace emerged in the form of the Arabian tribes, newly united by Islam. Muslim incursions soon grew into full-blown invasions that overran local defenses. The Byzantine field army was finally called out after the fall of Damascus in 636. The Muslims retreated but south of the Golan heights, at Yarmuk, in August 636, they turned to fight.
Designer's notes:
Advancing after the retreating Muslim right wing, the Byzantine cavalry and infantry became separated and routed. The rest of the Byzantine army was then overwhelmed between three gorges.
The Byzantine player will need to exit safely as many units as possible from his left wing while his centre and right wing need to push ahead to take the objective points and win before the Muslim player can wheel his right wing and crush his centre.
The scenario is a condensation of events over the course of 2 or 3 days, or up to 6 according to some interpretations.
107 moving BGs, 14 turns
sources:
Walter Kaegi, 'Byzantium and the early Islamic Conquest', Cambridge U press, 1992.
Hugh Kennedy, 'The armies of the Caliphs', Routledge, 2001
John Haldon, 'The Byzantine Wars', The History Press, 2008
Designer's notes:
Advancing after the retreating Muslim right wing, the Byzantine cavalry and infantry became separated and routed. The rest of the Byzantine army was then overwhelmed between three gorges.
The Byzantine player will need to exit safely as many units as possible from his left wing while his centre and right wing need to push ahead to take the objective points and win before the Muslim player can wheel his right wing and crush his centre.
The scenario is a condensation of events over the course of 2 or 3 days, or up to 6 according to some interpretations.
107 moving BGs, 14 turns
sources:
Walter Kaegi, 'Byzantium and the early Islamic Conquest', Cambridge U press, 1992.
Hugh Kennedy, 'The armies of the Caliphs', Routledge, 2001
John Haldon, 'The Byzantine Wars', The History Press, 2008