Outremer: Encounter at al-Hindar

Keen to use my new Outremer figs and terrain, this week we played Scenario 3: Capture the Flag.

My newly finished Mud brick house was the key terrain of the hamlet of al-Hindar, with my Templar Warband facing off against Saracens under Alan’s command.

Our forces entered from opposite directions with the Templars rushing towards the cover that the ramshackle house offered from Saracen arrows. Brother Michael provided covering fire with his crossbow, dropping one of the Arab bowmen, but was taken  down in turn by an enemy archer.  However, he had bought enough time for the Templars, weighed down as they were by their arms and armour, to get to the structure and take cover.  

The Saracen swordsmen approached from the other side and the combat got up close and personal. 

The first to cross blades with the enemy was Brother d'Avesnes, storming around to engage the closest enemy.  The enemy Arif ran to join the fray and Brother d'Avesnes was sorely pressed to Defend himself against both attackers. Some enemy strikes cut through his guard but he was armoured with the True faith and his protection held strong.

With the sun glinting brightly from his menacing two handed Sword, Serjeant Albrecht rushed to join the fray but was intercepted by a Saracen en route (actually the Serjeant failed the faith test for the charge and was then intercepted). They clashed blades briefly before the Albrecht struck him down and then moved to attack the Arif, the large blade slicing through the enemy commander’s armour to wound him.  Taking advantage of this distraction, Brother d'Avesnes rallied, striking down his opponent and then turning to finish off the Arif with righteous fury.  The remaining Saracen archer scuttled away rather than continue to face the wrath of the Templars.

(Those wondering what part Templar Commander Wulfred van Gistel played in the battle, will be bemused to know that he failed 3 faith tests in a row (despite his the Loner rerolls) and spend the entire battle either observing his team or fleeing as Saracens arrows pinged off his armour without penetrating)

Aftermath — The Martyrdom of Serjeant Michael

When the dust had settled and the cries of the wounded faded into stillness, the Templars turned to their dead. Among them, Serjeant Michael was found where he had fallen—his crossbow at his side, a Saracen shaft driven deep into his chest. The bolt that felled him had struck true, denying him even the chance to reload.

He had stood firm when it mattered most, buying precious seconds with his life so that his brothers might find cover and press the attack. His sacrifice had not been in vain—but it had been final. (he rolled a 1 on a d20 for effects of being Taken Down!)

Wulfred van Gistel knelt by the fallen serjeant, resting a mailed hand on his breastplate. No words were spoken—none were needed. The brothers formed a circle of prayer, dust clinging to their tabards, voices solemn in Latin.

“Grant unto him eternal rest, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.”

His remains were borne from the field with honour, wrapped in his banner, to be laid in sanctified earth. The Mud Brick House stood silent behind them—a place forever marked by both valor and sacrifice.

Game notes: 

·         Shield bash as a second attack – second roll made at the same time? If conducted as a second attack with opposed die rolls, then the defender has another chance to hit in return. We played that the Attacker rolls the two attack die at the same time, to the defender’s single defence dice.

·         Multiple Combats: a 2 v 1 matchup is well documented in the rules, but what happens when a reinforcement joins to make it a 2 v 2 combat? We just split the engagement into two separate 1 v1 melee actions.