Acre: The Third Crusade Opens

Write history on the battlefield before Acre. The year is 1189, on the coast of the Holy Land. After the heavy defeat at Hattin, the crusader states are crumbling and even Jerusalem is in foreign hands. Guy of Lusignan does not wait for the great armies on their way from Europe, but marches to Acre on his own. His siege draws out Saladin, who rides up with part of his army. On 4 October the two armies face each other, east of the city. In this game for two players you feel the difference between the two sides right away. The crusaders are heavy and strong, with masses of mounted knights and disciplined ranks of heavily armed soldiers. But their line is long, because they have to protect their siege works. The Arab player is fast and light and looks for weak spots, cutting off parts of the enemy army and beating them one by one. Around these large formations swarm archers on foot and on horseback, who try to break the heavy units. Acre uses the Battles of the Medieval World system, a variant of the well known Battles of the Ancient World. With the familiar combat table, fighting is short and fierce, until the courage of one side gives way. If a line breaks, you have to push on without mercy before the enemy regroups. Leaders give extra strength and rally broken units. Whoever uses their army best and exploits the enemy's weak spots wins the day.