Hearts of Lions: Ongoing

[kronenblatt]

What's the interest among you FoG II:Medieval players to take part in a campaign covering the Third Crusade (and some of its prelude) over six year-long rounds (1187-1192). It'll be based on the Crusader Rex board game, at least its map and counters, and the rules also take inspiration from my version of Little Wars TV's Return to Magna Graecia campaign run on The Few Good Men forum.

Hearts of Lions is run at a dedicated Hearts of Lions server on Discord, with regular updating here, in this thread.

Hearts of Lions has rather complex rules (some would say complicated), involving two factions (Christians and Muslims) and their armies (in turn consisting of individual units, please see counters below), where the strategic campaign on a map is a game in itself, sometimes but not constantly leading to battles being played out in FoG II:Medieval with modded army lists (see my separate thread). It would work great for 2 or 4 players, divided up into the two factions. But it requires committed and reliable players, who like the board game part as well as the FoG battle part.

Christian faction

• dim30

• kronenblatt

Muslim faction

• Indibil

• Rosedelio

[kronenblatt]

[kronenblatt]

The first turn, like every turn, begins with a Planning Season, involving the two factions deploying armies on the campaign map and mustering units to those armies. Each faction can deploy up to three armies in any friendly Stronghold (whether controlled at start of the campaign or not), but all in different Strongholds (since several armies of the same faction can never be located in the same Space). If a faction does not deploy all its three armies during Planning Season, it may later deploy any remaining armies during Campaign Season, as part of a Muster Operation.

Every army can add units from those available in its Stronghold and in all friendly Strongholds one Space away. No more than six units can be added to an army. A unit can be added to only one army, even if it is available to several armies in its Stronghold.

The two factions alternate in openly deploying armies and adding units, with one faction doing its first army's deployment and adding of units and then the other faction doing that of its first army, and so on. The Muslim faction starts in uneven years (1187, 1189, 1191) and the Christian faction in even years (1188, 1190, 1192).

So please discuss within factions (Indibil and Rosedelio for Muslims, dim30 and kronenblatt for Christians) where to place up to three armies and which units to add for each army.

MUSLIM ARMIES

1. deploys in Egypt, with Saladin, Yuzpah, Qara-Qush, and the 3, 2, and 1-size Arabs.
2. deploys in Damascus, with al Adil, al Mashtub, Keukburi, Bahram, Qaimaz, and 1 size-3 Kurds.
3. deploys in Hama, with Al Aziz, Taqi Al Din, Zangi, Sanjar, and 2 size-3 Turks.

CHRISTIAN ARMIES

1. deploys in Acre, with Raymond, Conrad, Walter, Hospitallers, and 2 Turcopoles.
2. deploys in Nablus, with Templars, Hospitallers, King Guy, and Balian.
3. deploys in Tripoli, with Templars, Hospitallers, and Bohemond.

[kronenblatt]

Turn 1 was re-run after extensive changes rules to obtain some re-balancing.

(Alternating Operations, with Muslims going first with #1, then Christians with #1, and so on.)

MUSLIM OPERATIONS

1. MARCH: Army 3 from Hama to Homs. modified d10 roll = 10 => Complete move and continue.
   MARCH: Army 3 from Homs to Krak De Chevaliers. modified d10 roll = 3 => Complete move and end operation.
2. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Krak. modified d10 roll = 8 => Krak falls to the Muslims.
3. MARCH: Army 3 from Krak to Tripoli. modified d10 roll = 11 => Complete move and continue.
   Free SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Tripoli. modified d10 roll = 6 => Tripoli falls to the Muslims. => Muslims earn 1 Momentum point.
4. MARCH: Army 3 from Tripoli to Baalbek. modified d10 roll = 6 => Complete move and end operation.
   Christian Army 3 retreats to Lacum. modified d10 roll = 8 => 0 attrition.
5. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Baalbek. modified d10 roll = 0 => No effect.
6. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Baalbek. modified d10 roll = 1 => No effect.
7. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Baalbek. modified d10 roll = 11 => Baalbek falls (back) to the Muslims.
8. MARCH: Army 3 from Baalbek to Tripoli. modified d10 roll = 8 => Complete move and end operation.
   Christian Army 3 retreats to Botron. modified d10 roll = 10 => 0 attrition.
9. MARCH: Army 1 from Egypt to Gaza. modified d10 roll = 5 => Complete move and end operation.
10. SIEGE: Army 1 sieges Gaza. modified d10 roll = 8 => Gaza falls to the Muslims.

CHRISTIAN OPERATIONS

1. MARCH: Army 1 from Acre to Tyre. modified d10 roll = 9 => Complete move and continue.
   MARCH: Army 1 from Tyre to Beaufort. modified d10 roll = 5 => Complete move and end operation.
2. MARCH: Army 3 from Tripoli to Baalbek. modified d10 roll = 9 => Complete move and continue.
   Free SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Baalbek. modified d10 roll = 4 => No effect.
3. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Baalbek. modified d10 roll = 9 => Baalbek falls to the Christians.
4. MARCH: Army 3 from Lacum to Krak. modified d10 roll = 8 => Complete move and end operation.
5. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Krak. modified d10 roll = 9 => Krak falls (back) to the Christians.
6. MARCH: Army 3 from Krak to Tripoli. modified d10 roll = 3 => Complete move and end operation.
7. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Tripoli. modified d10 roll = 4 => No effect.
8. MARCH: Army 2 from Nablus to Jerusalem. modified d10 roll = 7 => Complete move and end operation.
9. MARCH: Army 2 from Jerusalem to Ramallah. modified d10 roll = 4 => Complete move and end operation.
10. MARCH: Army 1 from Beaufort to Banyas. modified d10 roll = 1 => No movement.

[Rosedelio]

...

[kronenblatt]

...

[kronenblatt]

[kronenblatt]

The turn begins with a Planning Season, involving the two factions deploying armies on the campaign map and mustering units to those armies. Each faction can deploy up to three armies in any friendly Stronghold (whether controlled at start of the campaign or not), but all in different Strongholds (since several armies of the same faction can never be located in the same Space). If a faction does not deploy all its three armies during Planning Season, it may later deploy any remaining armies during Campaign Season, as part of a Muster Operation.

Every army can add units from those available in its Stronghold and in all friendly Strongholds one Space away for Christian armies and up to two Spaces away for Muslim armies. No more than six units can be added to an army. A unit can be added to only one army, even if it is available to several armies in its Stronghold.

The two factions alternate in openly deploying armies and adding units, with one faction doing its first army's deployment and adding of units and then the other faction doing that of its first army, and so on. The Muslim faction starts in uneven years (1187, 1189, 1191) and the Christian faction in even years (1188, 1190, 1192).

CHRISTIAN ARMIES

1. deploys in Acre, with Raymond, size 2 Hospitallers, 2 Turcopole, Conrad, and Walter.
2. deploys in Nablus, with Balian, King Guy, Hospitallers, and Templars.
3. deploys in Latakia, with Joselin, Bohemond, and Hospitallers.

MUSLIM ARMIES

1. deploys in Gaza, with Saladin, Yuzpah, Qara-Qush, and 3, 2, and 1-size Arabs.
2. deploys in Damascus, with Al Adil, Al Mashtub, Keukburi, Bahram, Qaimaz, and 3-size Kurds.
3. deploys in Artah, with Al Aziz, Taqi Al Din, Zangi, Sanjar, and 2 size-3 Turks.

[kronenblatt]

(Alternating Operations, with Christians going first with #1, then Muslims with #1, and so on.)

CHRISTIAN OPERATIONS

1. Crusader Arrival Roll => 10 => One Crusader (German) unit (first).
   MARCH: Army 3 from Latakia to Kassab => 2 => Complete move and end operation.
2. Crusader Arrival => 2 => No arrival.
   MARCH: Army 3 from Kassab (back) to Latakia => 7 => Complete move and end operation.
3. Crusader Arrival => 1 => No arrival.
   MARCH: Army 3 from Latakia to Margat => 11 => Complete move and continue.
   MARCH: Army 3 from Margat to Tartus => 8 => Complete move and end operation.
4. Crusader Arrival => 5 => One Crusader (English) unit (first).
   MARCH: Army 3 from Tartus to Tripoli => 10 => Complete move and continue.
   Free SIEGE for Tripoli => -1 => No effect.
5. Crusader Arrival => 5 => One Crusader (English) unit (second)
   SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Tripoli => 8 => Tripoli falls to the Christians => 1 Momentum gained.
6. Crusader Arrival => 7 => One Crusader (French) unit (first)
   MARCH: Army 1 from Acre to Caesarea => 6 => Complete move and end operation.
7. Crusader Arrival => 1 => No arrival.
   MARCH: Army 2 from Nablus to Baisan => 7 => Complete move and end operation.
8. Crusader Arrival => 5 => One Crusader (English) unit (third). => Crusader (English) units available.
   MARCH: Army 3 from Tripoli to Krak => 12 => Complete move and continue.
   MARCH: Army 3 from Krak to Homs ==> 2 => Complete move and end operation.
9. Crusader Arrival => 2 => No arrival.
   MARCH: Army 3 from Homs to Hama => 5 => Complete move and end operation.
10. Crusader Arrival => 2 => No arrival.
    MARCH: Army 3 from Albara to Saone => 9 => Complete move and continue.
    MARCH: Army 3 from Saone to Latakia => 11 => Complete move and continue.
    MARCH: Army 3 from Latakia to Margat => 6 => Complete move and end operation.

MUSLIM OPERATIONS

1. MARCH: Army 3 from Artah to Harim => 10 => Complete move and continue.
   MARCH: Army 3 from Harim to Antioch => 11 => Complete move and continue.
   Free SIEGE for Antioch => 2 => no effect.
2. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Antioch => 4 => no effect.
3. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Antioch => 8 => Antioch falls to the Muslims => 1 Momentum gained.
4. MARCH: Army 1 from Gaza to Ascalon => 6 => Complete move and end operation.
5. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Ascalon => 8 => Ascalon falls to the Muslims.
6. MARCH: Army 3 from Ascalon to Jaffa => 7 => Complete move and end operation.
7. SIEGE: Army 3 sieges Jaffa => 9 => Jaffa falls to the Muslims.
8. MARCH: Army 2 from Damascus to Qaddas => 7 => Complete move and end operation.
9. MARCH: Army 2 from Qaddas to Homs => 12 => Complete move and continue.
   MARCH: Army 2 from Homs to Hama => 6 => Complete move and end operation.
   Christian Army 3 attempts to retreat to Albara => 3 => Muslims decide to prevent retreat and enforce battle.
   Battle at Hama
   Muslim Army 2 (1600 FP, Rosedelio, Ayyubid) versus Christian Army 3 (1360 FP, kronenblatt , Outremer), Middle Eastern Agricultural => Muslims win 49-22 => 1 Momentum gained.
   Muslim Army 2 => -2 size incurred casualties, removing Bahram.
   Christian Army 3 => -5 size incurred casualties, removing Josselin and Bohemond.
   Christian Army 3 retreats to Albara.
10. MARCH: Army 2 from Hama to Homs => 5 => Complete move and end operation.
    Stratagem used to re-roll => 13 => Complete move and continue.
    MARCH: Army 2 from Homs to Krak => 4 => Complete move and end operation.

[kronenblatt]

[kronenblatt]

Starting Points
This third turn and year of 1189 starts with the following aspects:

• Muslims have 2 Momentum points, to be translated into 2 Stratagems at the beginning of the Campaign Season.

• Christians have 1 Momentum point and thus 1 Stratagem.

• The three Crusader (English) units Richard (size 4), Robert (2), and Walkelin (2) are now available to the Christians. (So far one each of Crusader (French) and Crusader (German) have been rolled.)

Planning Season
The turn begins with a Planning Season, involving the two factions deploying armies on the campaign map and mustering units to those armies. Each faction can deploy up to three armies in any friendly Stronghold (whether controlled at start of the campaign or not), but all in different Strongholds (since several armies of the same faction can never be located in the same Space). If a faction does not deploy all its three armies during Planning Season, it may later deploy any remaining armies during Campaign Season, as part of a Muster Operation.

Every army can add units from those available in its Stronghold and in all friendly Strongholds one Space away for Christian armies and up to two Spaces away for Muslim armies. No more than six units can be added to an army. A unit can be added to only one army, even if it is available to several armies in its Stronghold.

The two factions alternate in openly deploying armies and adding units, with one faction doing its first army's deployment and adding of units and then the other faction doing that of its first army, and so on. The Muslim faction starts in uneven years (1187, 1189, 1191) and the Christian faction in even years (1188, 1190, 1192).

Since it is 1189, the Muslim faction starts.

MUSLIM ARMIES

1. deploys in Ascalon with Saladin, Yuzpah, Qara-Qush, and the size 3, 2, and 1 Arabs.
2. deploys in Banyas with Al Adil, Al Mashtub, Keukburi, Bahram, Qaimaz, and size 3 Kurds.
3. deploys in Hama with Al Aziz, Taqi Al Din, Zangi, Sanjar, and both size-3 Turks.

CHRISTIAN ARMIES

1. deploys in Nablus with King Guy, Balian, Walther, size-3 Hospitallers, size-2 Templars, and Walkelin.
2. deploys in Acre with Reynald, Conrad, Richard (the Lion Heart!), Turcopole, size-2 Hospitallers.
3. deploys in Krak with size-2 Templars, size-1 Hospitallers, Robert, Bohemond, Raymond.

[kronenblatt]