The Crusades have always held a particular fascination to me. I am reminded of last week’s debate on the flying of the battle-flag of the Confederacy when people ‘discuss’ the period. Some weak minded individuals will trot out the usual line of murderous  Westerners careering through peace loving Moslem lands. Some people will make a stand against the flag that thousands saw as a flag that flew against the crushing of state’s rights and yet ignore that many murders and suicide bombs could be avoided, if we examined the link between drug use and these homicidal rages. All the lands occupied by the Turks and Arabs were of course once part of the Christian Roman Empire. Obama may well want to consign a flag to history but we will have to wait to see the consequences of one of the biggest ever transfers of population the world has ever seen, from South to North America. Countries can’t exist without a shared sense of what has passed…..

( Note to self: This introduction should get me some comments!)

Of course I fell for it! Grizzly’s Italian crossbowmen were skewered but it wasn’t long before the mounted Knights sent the heretics to their longed for paradise. Amazingly the Moslem archers and hillmen held in the centre. Thankfully Chris El Jackson outnumbered and out shot the advancing Franks on the right?….

Skillfully splitting his force, and relying on scimitars rather than archery, Chris’ Ghulams were literally run through by the ferocious charge. Once again, L’art de la Guerre scoring highly for period flavour. Historically the close order cavalry of the Fatimids was always less successful against the Crusaders than the skirmishing tactics of the Turk. Thanks to Grizzly and Chris for a good game. This is definitely going to get me to add more knights to my competition list!

Thanks for reading, ACW batrep tomorrow! Apologies to any reader who finds any of Mark’s views on geopolitics offensive!😜