Crusades: Book I Released!

Another aspect that has been completely redone and which adds a good amount of immersion is the audio. We have updated and new:

• Background sounds.
• Unit movement sounds.
• Weapon sounds.
• Music (22 tracks included).

As with our other game series, there is a variety of modules included:

• Main program (single battles)
• Campaign system (linked series of battles)
• Scenario Editor
• Campaign Editor
• Submap Editor

(All images can be clicked for full-sized viewing.)

Crusades: Book I ships with 65 stand alone scenarios. These include a Getting Started tutorial scenario, five training scenarios to help teach you how to use the various unit types present in the game, and then 59 battles. The vast majority of the scenarios are for play against the AI, by one side or the other, and sometimes both. PBEM is of course an option as well. You will have a choice to play either side —Crusaders or Islamic Allies— in a wide range of situations. Despite the name of the series, there are plenty of full battles that do not involve sieges. Note: It is generally suggested that you allow the AI to play the Defender in siege-type scenarios.

Additionally, 2 campaigns are included, yielding another 24 scenarios. 

Here is a sampling of the included battles:

Nicaea
Dorylaeum
Antioch
Ma'arat al-Numan
Jerusalem
Ascalon
Heraclea
Ramla
Acre
Harran
Tripoli
Tyre
Aleppo
Edessa
Ephesus
Damascus

Probably the biggest single factor that sets this new series apart is the introduction of Fortresses. While we had various types of "walls" in the system, previously they were simply a hexside feature. Now we have a more robust model to represent the castles and strong points that dotted the landscape during these time periods. And, unlike later times that would often bypass them, control of these fortresses was imperative to control of the region. 

Three attributes make up a Fortress: Walls, Gates & Towers. All three have a Strength factor, so they may be attacked and reduced to rubble enabling the attacking army to gain entrance to the fortress. Units may be On Top of each of these elements and Towers may be traversed, allowing units to ascend onto a Wall or descend into the interior of the fortress. 

Further, Gates must be controlled in order to be passed through. So, if you come up to a Fortress Gate and the opposing side owns it (this is designated with an Objective hex) then you must attack the Gate. If no unit physically occupies the lower gate hex, the Gate is considered Closed—you must attack it with a Battering Ram or ranged fire from a Siege Engine to gain access. If an opposing unit does occupy it then you can melee attack them, and if successful you will capture the Gate and your units will then be able to pass through.

Each component of the Fortress will have a strength value that must be reduced to zero in order to create a breach. Once a wall is breached, only Infantry in Column or Leaders are able to pass through. Then the focus will shift to securing the gate from the inside, so the balance of the attacking force can join the fight.

To get a fuller picture of what the project covers, including historical background, unit specifics and a list of all the battles, check out the Design Notes.

The above image is one of two maps included with the game. This depicts the situation at the beginning of the First Crusade. The other depicts the situations at the beginning of the 2nd Crusade.

Now we'll share some resources to get you going on the topic, in case you aren't familiar with it.

Here's some suggested reading to get yourself acquainted with this time period: