CRUSADES
INTRODUCTION
Players lead rival bands of Crusaders in their efforts to conquer Palestine 1096-1271.
CHRISTENDOM
Players units never attack each others units or settlements.
They can only attack Turkish troops and Turkish controlled settlements.
The Turks are not controlled by any player.
Crusader nationalities include: German, French, English, Byzantine.
VICTORY
Be the player with the most Victory Points (VP) at the end of Turn 15.
VP’s are obtained by controlling settlements.
THE MAP
Use a hex map or a map with irregular spaces.
When making a map incorporate the 4 terrain types.
Include 30+ settlements.
Along the western and northern borders of the Holy Land several desert spaces
should be denoted as Invasion Points.
The western invasion points border the Mediterranean Sea.
Invasions by this route required costly passage on the ships of the
Italian Maritime Republics.
TERRAIN
There are 4 types of terrain
Type: Notes:
1. Sea Impassable
2. Desert ---
3. Mountains Impassable
4. Settlements 3 types
SETTLEMENT TABLE
There are 3 types of Settlements:
Type: VP Defense Troops Loot Supply Garrison
1. Village 1 0 1D6 1D6x25 3 1
2. Town 2 1 2D6 2D6x25 6 2
3. City 3 2 3D6 3D6x25 9 3
VP = Victory Points the player gets for controlling the settlement.
Troops = Number of Arab troops initially defending the settlement.
Supply = If controlled, the number of baggage the settlement provides per round.
Loot = Amount of Baggage received the first time the settlement is captured.
Defense = Modifies siege rolls.
COUNTERS
Military units are represented by counters.
Each player gets a set of counters of a unique color.
European Unit types include:
Leaders (Kings & Nobles), Knights, Bowmen (Includes Bows & Crossbows),
Heavy Infantry, Siege Engines.
Also required is a common set of Turkish counters:
Horse Archers (Includes Nomads & Camels), Cataphracts (Heavy Cavalry),
Spearmen, Archers.
Counters are also needed include:
Starvation Counters, Sapping Counters
UNIT STATS
Type: MP Attack Notes
Leaders 4 (+1)
Knights 4 +3 +3 In open Battle Phase
Bowmen 3 +1 +1 In Bombardment Phase
Heavy Infantry 2 +2
Siege Engines 1 -- +3 In Bombardment Phase
Horse Archers 5 --
Cataphracts 4 +3 +3 In open Battle Phase
Archers 3 --
Spearmen 2 +2 +1 In open Battle Phase
MP = Move Points
Attack = Attack Roll Modifier
DICE
Six sided dice are required.
RECORD KEEPING
Players record their baggage with pen and paper.
THE DECK
Players share a common deck.
SETUP
Each player starts with:
2D6 Leaders
3D6 Knights
4D6 Bowmen
6D6 Heavy Infantry
2D6 Siege Engines
2D6 x 50 Baggage
Players determine turn order by rolling high on 1D6. Reroll ties.
Shuffle the deck.
All settlements start out as Hostile and Unexplored.
(Hostile = Turkish-occupied Settlement)
(Unexplored = Have yet to be the subject of a scouting expedition)
In order each player places his army on one of the invasion points.
STACKING
Any number of units may occupy a single space.
TURN SEQUENCE
Each turn has 13 Phases:
1. Fate Phase
2. Supply Phase
3. Upkeep Phase
4. Movement Phase
5. Open Battle Phase
6. Bombardment Phase
7. Sapping Phase
8. Assault Phase
9. Breach Phase
10. Pillage Phase
11. Starvation Phase
12. Revolt Phase
13. End Phase
FATE PHASE
Each player draws 1 card from the deck.
Place the card in your hand.
If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
SUPPLY PHASE
Players gain Baggage from settlements they control equal to the
settlements supply value.
UPKEEP PHASE
All of units consume 1 Baggage each.
Leaders and Knights receive their baggage before other unit types.
Units in settlements they control receive their baggage before other units.
For each unit that does not recieve baggage roll 1D6 (Desertion Roll):
1-5 = no effect. 6 = a unit disbands.
Remove units in the desert first.
MOVEMENT PHASE
Players take turns moving their units.
Each player gets one turn to move some, all, or none of his units.
Determine turn order by rolling high on 1D6.
Your units may move a number of spaces up to their MP (Movement Point) rating.
Units must be stacked with a Leader to move.
Units may not enter Sea or Mountain spaces.
Units may not enter spaces occupied by opponents units.
If a stack enters a hostile settlement space, the settlement is considered
to be under siege.
RULE FOR SCOUTING
When a stack enters a space that is next to an Unexplored
settlement, roll to determine how many Turkish troops
are garrisoned in the settlement. (The Garrison Roll)
The number of troops is indicated on the Settlement Table.
Half of the troops will be Archers. The rest are spearmen.
Place the indicated Turkish counters onto the settlement.
OPEN BATTLE PHASE
Some cards cause a group of Turkish units to attack an opponent’s stack out in the open.
If there are fewer Crusaders than Turks at a siege, (Including
any that just arrived through card play) the Turks will
emerge from the settlement and attack on a roll of 1-4 on 1D6.
If the Turks are all killed, the Crusaders capture the settlement.
Battles proceed in Rounds.
Each Round has 3 Segments:
1. Missile Unit Attack Segment
2. Shock Unit Attack Segment
3. Morale Check Segment
***Missile Unit Attack Segment***
Missile Units (Horse Archers, Archers, Bowmen, and Siege
Engines) attack first simultaneously.
Units hit on a base roll of 10+ on 2D6.
If they hit, an opposing unit is killed (Defenders choice).
Your opponent chooses which Turkish units are lost.
Rolls are modified by a unit's attack stats.
Leaders do not get attack rolls but each may add a +1 to the roll of
any one unit in the same stack once per round.
A unit may receive only one Leader bonus per attack.
***Shock Unit Attack Segment***
All other non-missile unit types attack next simultaneously.
Otherwise, this segment proceedes exactly like Missile Phase.
***Morale Check Segment***
Skip this segment if neither side suffered any casualties during this battle round.
The side that suffered more casualties during this battle round must make a Morale Check.
If both sides lost the same number of units, the Turks must make the Check.
Roll 2D6:
4 or less The checking side breaks.
5 or more The checking side stands their ground. Proceed with the next battle round.
Roll Modifiers (applicable to both sides):
+2 If the checking side has a larger force
-1 If the checking side has a smaller force
Roll Modifiers (applicable to Crusaders only):
+1 If the Crusader force has a Great Leader
-1 If the Crusader force has no Leader
Roll Modifiers (applicable to Turks only):
-1 If the Crusader force has a Great Leader
+1 If both sides lost the same number of units during this battle round
-x If Turkish force has fewer than 5 units, x = (5 – total units)*
* This modifier only applies if the Turks are able to retreat into a Settlement.
***Battle Conclusion***
Repeat the Round cycle until one side is destroyed or breaks.
If the crusaders win they regain 1D6 casualties (Men who fled the field).
If a Turkish Force breaks all its units retreat to the settlement or
Flee if there is no Settlement.
If a Crusader stack breaks it retreats into an adjacent space.
If unable to retreat, due to impassible terrain or the presence of
opposing forces, the stack is destroyed.
Roll 1D6 for each retreating unit: On a roll of 1-2 it is slaughtered.
Victorious Turks become part of the Settlement’s forces, if there
is no settlement, the Turks ride off into the sunset.
BOMBARDMENT PHASE
Besieging Missile troops may attack units inside a city.
Units hit on a base roll of 11+ on 2D6. If they hit, an opposing unit
is killed (Defenders choice).
The last unit in a settlement cannot be destroyed this way.
If the Crusaders attack, the Archers in the city may simultaneously attack
back at +1 to their attack roll.
Each side in the siege only attacks once this phase.
SAPPING PHASE
Besieging troops may attempt to sap the settlement walls. Roll 1D6 (Sapping Roll):
1 Sappers Killed: Attacker loses one troop unit.
2 Counter Measures: Remove one Sapping Counter.
3-4 ---
5-6 Undermine the Walls: Put one Sapping Counter on the settlement.
ASSAULT PHASE
The Besieging troops may attempt to Storm the Castle. Roll 2D6 (Assault Roll):
4 or less Repulsed & Lose 2D6 troops
5-7 Repulsed & Lose 1D6 troops
8-9 Breach & Lose 2D6 troops
10+ Breach & Lose 1D6 troops
Add 1 to the roll per Sapping counter on the settlement.
Subtract the Defense stat of the settlement from the roll.
BREACH PHASE
If the Besieging troops breached the walls last phase, they enter the
settlement and combat proceeds as in Open Battle Phase.
Siege engines may not attack in Breach Phase.
PILLAGE PHASE
If all of the Turkish defenders are killed in Breach Phase, the crusaders
capture the city and Loot it.
Baggage gained by looting is equal to the Loot stat in the Settlement table.
A settlement may only be looted once per game.
The player gains control of the settlement.
The player must keep a garrison in the settlement with a number of troops
equal to its Garrison level.
STARVATION PHASE
If a settlement is under siege roll 1D6 (Starvation Roll):
1-5 Add one starvation counter to the settlement.
6 Attackers start fires or disease: Add two starvation counters
7 Add one starvation counter to the settlement.
8+ The settlement surrenders. Discard all defending units.
Add the number of starvation counters already present to the roll.
Subtract the settlements defense stat from the roll.
If a settlement is ever not under siege immediately remove all starvation counters.
If the city surrenders, the crusaders capture the city and Loot it.
REVOLT PHASE
If a garrison is undermanned the populace of the city will
revolt on a roll of 6+ on 1D6.
If there is a revolt, the garrison is automatically destroyed and
the city becomes hostile and 'unexplored'.
if Crusader forces intentionally abandon a Settlement, that
Settlement immediately becomes Hostile and Unexplored.
END PHASE
Hostile Turkish settlements not under siege will
replenish all of their troop losses.
Maximum hand size = 7 cards. Discard excess cards.
CARD LIST
Card Name: Notes:
Siege Tower Add 3 to target Assault roll this turn
Battering Ram Add 2 to target Assault roll this turn
Ladders Add 1 to target Assault roll this turn
Miners Add 2 to target Sapping roll this turn
Engineer Add 2 to target Sapping roll this turn
Traitor Target Sap, Starve, or Assault roll +1 this turn
Surrender Terms Add 2 to target Starvation Roll this turn
Desertions Target stack loses 1D3 troops in supply phase
Plague Target stack loses 1D6 troops in supply phase
Revolt Add 3 to target Revolt roll this turn
Uprising Add 3 to target Revolt roll this turn
Rebellion Add 3 to target Revolt roll this turn
Unrest Add 3 to target Revolt roll this turn
Sorties Opponent Loses 1D6 x 10 Baggage in supply phase
Raiders Opponent Loses 1D6 x 10 Baggage in supply phase
Spoilage Opponent Loses 1D6 x 10 Baggage in supply phase
Pilgrims Gain 1D6 x 10 Baggage in supply phase
Caravan Gain 1D6 x 10 Baggage in supply phase
Live off the Land Gain 1D6 x 10 Baggage in supply phase
Merchant Shipping Gain 1D6 x 10 Baggage in supply phase
Converts Add 1D6 Spearmen TYAISP
Holy War Add 1D6 Heavy Inf TYAISP
Reinforcements Add 1D6 Heavy Inf TYAISP
Knights Templar Add 1D6 Knights TYAISP
Knights Hospitaller Add 1D6 Knights TYAISP
Teutonic Knights Add 1D6 Knights TYAISP
Antioch Mercenaries Add 1D6 Cataphracts TYAISP
Saracens Add 1D6 Horse Archers TYAISP
Scythians Add 1D6 Horse Archers TYAISP
Byzantines Add 1D6 Archers TYAISP
Carpenters Add 1D3 Siege Engines TYAISP
Dervishes TSAB 2D6 Heavy Infantry.*
Counter Attack TSAB 2D6 Horse Archers & 1D6 Cataphracts.*
Mad Turks TSAB 3D6 Archers & 3D6 Spearmen.
Saladin TSAB 2D6 Horse Archers & 2D6 Cataphracts.*
Mohammedeans TSAB 1D6 Horse Archers & 1D6 Cataphracts.*
Infidels TSAB 2D6 Spearmen.
Jihad TSAB 2D6 Horse Archers & 1D6 Cataphracts.*
Bandits TSAB 2D6 Horse Archers & 1D6 Archers.*
Bedouin Nomads TSAB 3D6 Horse Archers.*
Egyptian Army TSAB 2D6 Spearmen & 2D6 Cataphracts.*
Mamlukes TSAB 2D6 Spearmen & 1D6 Cataphracts.*
Relief Force TSAB 2D6 Spearmen & 1D6 Cataphracts.*
Arabs Add 1D6 to Target Garrison Roll
Ghulams Add 1D6 to Target Garrison Roll
Auxilia Add 1D6 to Target Garrison Roll
Leader dies Target Leader killed.
Assassination Target Leader killed.
Troops demand Pay Target player must repeat his upkeep phase.
Fatigue Target stack may not move or Assault this turn.
Demoralized Target stack may not move or Assault this turn.
Skirmishing Turks OB: Turks are –1 to be hit this Battle
Separate Horse & Foot OB: Turks get +1 to hit this Battle
Disciplined Ranks OB: Crusaders get +1 to hit this Battle
Narrow Plain OB: Crusaders get +1 to hit this Battle
Rally Troops Gain back 1D6 troops lost this turn.
Find Stragglers Add 1D6 Heavy Inf to your Army in supply phase
Gambesons Negate 1 Crusader casualty. (Coat of Leather)
Chain Mail Negate 1 Crusader casualty.
Plate Mail Negate 1 Crusader casualty.
Late Arrival Gain 1 Leader counter at your Invasion Point
Battle Hardened Target Leader becomes a Great leader.
Surprise Add or Subtract 1 from target morale check.
TSAB = Target stack attacked by...
OB = Open Battle Phase
* = Play in Open Battle Phase.
TYAISP = to your army in supply phase
CARD NOTES
***Any units a player receives by virtue of cards like
‘Holy War’ and ‘Reinforcements’ remain with the player; they do
not disappear after one battle.
***Bonuses are cumulative: For example, a player plays ‘Siege
Tower’, ‘Ladders’, ‘Battering Ram’, and ‘Traitor’ all at once.
***There is a limit of 1 OB & 1 TSAB card that can be played against
a given stack per turn.
***For cards that target a stack, only a Crusader stack may be targeted.
***Some reinforcement cards provide ‘Turkish’ units to a player.
Turkish type troops that have been recruited into a player’s army
cannot be left without at least one of the player’s ‘regular’ units
to accompany them.
***A victim of Desertions & Plague is allowed to choose which units he
must lose. If the result exceeds the number of units in the target
stack, the stack is destroyed but the difference is not directed
to another stack.
GREAT LEADERS
Designate some Leaders (1D3 per Player at setup) as Great leaders.
If any Great Leaders are present in a stack, all units get +1MP.
A Great leader gives his +1 bonus to up to 3 troop units.
Some Great Crusader Leaders include:
Richard Coeur de Lion, Philip Augustus, Emperor Frederic Barbarossa, King Louis VII,
Gilbert the Templar, Garin the Hospitaller, Baldwin I.