Slitherine

In 1244 the delicate balance of power between the Ayyubids of Egypt, the Ayyubids of Syria and the Crusader states was shattered by the invasion of the Khwarazmians whose own state had been destroyed by the Mongols. The Egyptian Ayyubids, feeling threatened by the rapprochement between the Syrians and the Franks, enlisted the newcomers. A trial of strength was inevitable. It came on 18 October 1244 at La Forbie, near Gaza. It was to be the last hurrah of the kingdom of Jerusalem.

Designer's notes:

The narrative of La Forbie is straightforward: by a massive attack, the Khwarazmians destroyed the Syrian contingent, then outflanked the Frankish army which was annihilated in a reapeat of Hattin. The scenario was designed to offer the Egyptian player the challenge of breaking the Syrians as quickly as possible and then submerge the Latin infantry before the mighty Latin knights could wreck the mamluk battle line and gain the numerous victory points there. Both sides need to attack forcefully on their right. The Latin infantry meanwhile is discouraged from breaking formation and as a result is fairly static but can be dangerous in the crucial later stages.

72 mobile units, 15 turns.

Sources: miscellaneous; a good overview is to be found in: Shlomo Lotan - The Battle of La Forbie (1244) and its Aftermath, Ordines Militares. Yearbook for the Study of the Military Orders, Vol. 17, 2012, pp. 53-67.

Thank you.