Battlegame Book 2: Knights at War (1975)

Overview

Battlegame Book 2. The second half of this book has 4 games with full colour A3 size boards, and monocolour pieces to cutout and assemble (most pieces are designed to standup - some fit into others pieces - such as the Knights in Tournament who may be on (in) their horses or on foot).

The four games are:

Arsouf. 2 players. Recreate the famous battle between Richard and Saladin on September 7, 1191. The crusaders must use their powerful knight squadrons, especially the Templars and Hospitallers, to protect their slow infantry and baggage trains. Saladin must skilfully deploy his mamelukes, horse-archers and skirmishers to wear down the crusaders and prevent them reaching Arsouf.

Siege. 2 players. Nineteen attacking knights must take a castle in 40 days. Arrayed against them are not only 10 knights, but boiling oil, Greek fire, and rocks. Luckily the attackers have the know how to build ladders, rams, mines, catapults and towers to help them break in.

Border Raiders. 2 players. Border clashes in 13th century Germany. Karl the Black must loot and plunder the villages of his neighbour Duke Conrad. Clever use of archers and knights to protect the levies laden down with plunder is necessary to win this game.

Tournament. 2-4 players. Three days of jousting where knights can increase their prowess is followed by the grand melee which mixes those unhorsed with those still on horseback. Jousting involves secret choice of target and simultaneous revealing. The grand melee rewards speed for the mounted knights and swarming for the unhorsed knights on a team.