presents

Princes of the East is a political/military game of the period immediately after the
first crusade. Each nation strives for supremacy. Only the strongest, most cunning,
will leave a legacy of stabilty and survival for his people.

This game can be played face-to-face or by mail/e-mail. Included are the rules, counters,
sheets which allow control of a state, individual named leaders for use as councillors or as
generals, tables, expenditure charts and a map of Southern Asia Minor and Northern Syria.
All are available for download, free of charge.

Game in Progress!
If you wish to view a game in progress, there is one currently going on a
Yahoo Groups site using Cyberboard. Check it out! You can even get a
spectator file right HERE

Choose the principality your wish to rule...........
Click on each individual image to learn about the nation
in question, including background, territory, trade, special
characteristics and victory conditions.

     The game begins in the winter of 1100-1101. Each turn represent a season or part of a
season. Players write their turn's activities, first expenditures and skullduggery, then for
movement and combat. Each winter, taxes are collected and trade deals are made. Any
alliances must be thought out carefully, as once trade deals are organized, they can be
broken at any time, but not renegociated until winter.

A state can only run efficiently with an efficient civil service. A player must choose
councillors, promoting or dismissing them as the situation requires. Religious leaders,
First Citizens, Leading Nobles, and Chief Advisors are real enough, however, and
have their own allies and enemies. Attempt to throw out a popular one or keep an
unpopular one, and you risk a revolt which could see you killed by the mob.

Troops of all types are available. Native troops are inexpensive, but few. Mercenaries
are plentiful, but expensive. They are listed by the names they are called by contemporaries;
Light Horse are called Skyths by the Byzantines, Turcomen by Muslims, Turcopoles by
Christians. Alan Light Horse are also availabe to Byzantines. There is no qualitative
difference. The same goes for Cavalry; you have Ghulams and Cataphracts. Always
note the image rather than the name. You'll get used to it.

You will notice that our ruleset "Ironbow" has conversions for the forces shown.

For those of you interested in the historical aspects of the Crusades (and you better
be if you are using my rules!), I have included a select bibliography.

A HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES- Sir Steven Runciman, Cambridge Press
Truely THE work on this period. Unbiased, clear, full of detail.

THE ALEXIAD OF ANNA COMNENA- Penguin Books
Hardly unbiased, but a first-rate/first hand account of the passage of the Crusaders
through Byzantine territory and beyond.

A HISTORY OF THE EXPEDITION TO JERUSALEM
Fulcher of Chartres- University of Tennesee Press

CRUSADING WARFARE, 1097-1193- R.C. Smail, Cambridge Press

-Osprey Publishing-
Elite Series-
NORMANS
CRUSADES
MEDIEVAL SIEGE WARFARE

Warrior Series-
NORMAN KNIGHT
SARACEN FARIS
KNIGHT OF OUTREMER 1187-1344AD

Men-At-Arms Series-
BYZANTINE ARMIES, 886-1118
BYZANTINE ARMIES, 1118-1453
HUNGARY AND FALL OF EASTERN EUROPE 1000-1568
ARMIES OF ISLAM 7-11TH CENTURY
SALADIN & THE SARACENS
ARMIES OF THE CALIPHATES 862-1098

The list is virtually endless; first hand accounts by Usama, Joinville, William of Tyre,
books by Zoe Oldenberg, Mark Bartusis and J.J. Norwich touch on and around the
period we've chosen. START READING!!

The Downloads
All the files are available in one zipped file right here ----
Princes of the East Full Set

Enjoy yourselves. That's what
the perfect captain
is all about. Oh yeah, and learning too.
Please contact me with any questions or comments you may have.

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