Horse Raiders (Preview)

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The Extension

 
HORSE RAIDERS (or CHEVAUCHEES in French) will be a campaign rule to fill the gap between the strategic rules of CROISADES and the tactical rules. In my honest opinion, the scale of the strategic game is way too big for a skirmish game like Cry Havoc. A campaign for HORSE RAIDERS will take place on a 20 x 20 kilometers (12 x 12 miles) map only, and will see limited sets of troops fighting between a few castles and villages. The rule has been thought as a tactical scenario generator, which results will influence the reach of a campaign goal.

HORSE RAIDERS should be ready in 2006.

Note : The side color plate has been illustrated by Florent Vincent and are extracted from the book "Varey 1325" which is an account of a battle opposing troops from Savoy, Dauphiné and Geneva.

The Counters (last update: June 27, 2006)


> Knights

 > 2 counters
> JPEG View 
 


> Knights

 > 2 counters
> JPEG View 
 		 The first campaign for HORSE RAIDERS will simulate the fierce fights between Dauphinois and Savoyards in the first half of the 14th century. I therefore asked Florent Vincent to design original counters for this period.


> Knights

 > 2 counters
> JPEG View  
 


> Men-at-Arms

 > 6 counters
> JPEG View  
 		 These new characters will of course be useable for scenarios set during the first half of the Hundred Years War (Sluys, Crecy, Poitiers/ Maupertuis, etc.). You will find here the first views of colorized counters. Florent tried and find original poses not yet seen in the printed boxes.

The Maps (Step 3/6)
These pictures display the progress of the dual map representing a fortified village as of Sept 4, 2005. After drawing the hex grid (Step 1) and drafting all elements with a pencil (Step 2), you can now view the dual-map after colorization (Step 3). 3 long steps remain prior to complete this work: Redrawing everything with an ultra-thin marker (Step 4); Scanning the maps and reassembling them (Step 5). Finally, digital enhancements and numerous edits will be made prior to add the texts. Keep in mind that the actual Cry Havoc flavor will be given by the next step and not by colors only !
> The Fortified Village
Set of 2 maps using the standard format displaying a village protected by a wooden palisade, with a round castle. It is loosely based on the actual medieval village of Avalon (Isère, France), between Grenoble and Chambéry in the Alps.

Clik on the images to get a full screen view (PS: do not be scared by the distorted hexes on the edges. It is just the result of editing the files to correct the picture taking angle).

> The keep

> The walls

> The Aula
The tower is reached through a wooden staircase with an intermediate drawbridge. A turret has been built on top of the tower. The cistern at its bottom can be an important target to destroy by besiegers. Castles of the region were typically guarder by very few men-at-arms. For this reasons, crenellations were very long (typically 3 to 4 meters - 9 to 12 feet). Shooting holes are all protected by wooden mantlets. The Main Hall (also called Aula), like the other buildings of the castle were built against the walls. The Aula was topped by a turret facing the village.

> Castle Entrance

> One Village Fortified Gate

> The Mansion
The only access to the castle was through the village. The entrance was equipped with murder holes and mantlets. Stairs led to the inner bailey, were horsemen could not access. The village boasts 2 fortified gates, each of them being equipped with murder holes and mantlets. The mansion is built against the walls of the village to strengthen its defense. The gate of the mansion is protected by two turrets.

> Gardens

> Shops

> The Pond
Most houses had an attached garden. These ones, as well as the vineyard located outside the walls, are key targets when you want to weaken the wealth potential of your foe. 3 merchants live in the village. Apart from the cosmetic aspect (still in progress), the tactical importance of these shops is still under evaluation... This pond was filled with fish to serve 2 functions: provide a good source of food to the castle and enhance its defense on one of its sides.

Campaign Rules

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Finding simple rules, yet with an historical background, is the challenge. The first concepts have been discussed on the French forum already.

Campaigns

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Dolphin & Cross: This first campaign for HORSE RAIDERS will take place during the 70 years of fights between the rival states of Dauphine and Savoy, in the French Alps. Apart from 2 field battles, the entire war was just a series of raids to destroy watermills, capture cattle, burn crops and villages, or take castles by surprise. This restricted area and type of warfare is ideally suited to the Cry Havoc skirmish game play.