Battle of Graus 1063 ?

After a series of WW2 battles I thought we would change things up a bit this week with a Reconquista battle. The battle of Graus took place between the states of Aragon and Zaragoza/Castile around 1063 apparently some source place the battle around 1069. Very little (almost nothing) seems to be known about the battle which means you can make it up.

What is known is the King of Aragon Ramiro I had invaded Zaragoza and was facing a force under the command of the Emir Al-Muktadir with supporting troops from Castile under Prince Sancho ‘the strong’. Given the very limited historical information perhaps the only reason the battle is known is because it is thought the Emir had employed the mercenary El Cid.

In our version of the battle which takes place outside the town of Graus itself, Al-Muktadir and his Castilian supporters have drawn up whilst the Aragon forces under the King are on the attack. The king has employed some Muslim mercenaries who have the potential to swop sides. The townsfolk of Graus have come out to defend their fields. El Cid with a small contingent of cavalry reinforcements has a randomised arrival time and location. Will he arrive in time to save the day ?

The Zaragozian forces mainly lighter spearmen and archers in two ranks

The Christian Knights on their right wing

The King in the centre with the bulk of his heavy infantry

A shot from the town, the levy townsfolk can be seen in their field protecting their goats

Mercenary Muslim forces on the Aragon left, if they waiver they run the risk of deserting to the other side  !

The bulk of the Aragonese force

Would you believe it, in almost the first action of the game the mercenary mounted crossbowmen move forward, fail their morale check when they take a single wound and desert to the enemy 😂😂😂 we laughed a lot here the only disappointing thing was the rest of the mercenaries then charged the deserting scum in the rear and wiped them out !

A general advance by the heavy Christian cavalry

Al-Muktadir sends in his heavy camel troops to block the Christian cavalry 

The Castilians face off the mercenaries

A swirling melee in the centre begins

Zaragosan Jinetes against heavy Christian knights 🙁

Sancho the strong is keeping the mercenaries at bay

A lucky roll on the reinforcements arrival and the Cid arrives, but a poor roll on the location brings him on close to Graus itself when he is needed on the left 

Advancing Castilians feeling more confident now that they know they have El Cid at their rear

The centre is now a mass of spear troops in melee 

The archers are having a limited effect

….and then the Christian cavalry breaks through !

Some fighting breaks out amongst the rocks

The locals determined to protect their goats throw stone, sticks and poo at the mercenaries keeping them away !

The Zaragosan left flank is turned as well

The centre is strongly contested by both sides

Christian cavalry break through in the centre….

It is touch and go, in the distance El Cid can be seen galloping between the rocky outcrops 

The king charges in to try and slay Al-Muktadir in single combat

Sancho the strong is driving the mercenaries back but his assault is faltering

…….and just as the battle is lost the Cid arrives to save the day.

At this point we finished the battle, on the Zaragosan left flank the spearmen had held the flank and sent the Christian heavy cavalry fleeing. On the right flank things were fairly equal and although the mercenaries have been pushed right back they have more reserves so we called it at best a draw. In the centre is was really too close to call so we had to play one more deciding combat round here. The various commanders failed to kill each other, the key combat was between the spearmen, the Aragonese failed to break the Muslims and with the Muslims getting the next turn El Cid would be charging into their rear. This would have left a single Aragonese spearmen unit in the centre but this was already heavily wounded so we called the battle for the Emir Al-Muktadir, Zaragoza and Castile taking the day. Hoorah !

As you can tell a close battle which nicely broke up into three quite distinct battles, very entertaining. By surprise we had produced a historical outcome, and that single wound on the King would be costly as historically he died a few months later potentially from a wound at the battle.

These Dark age/Al Andalus battles are so colourful and fun to play. It has of course got me thinking about what troops I have in the lead pile. I’m feeling I need more cavalry, Heavy knights and some more Jinetes types so we might see those getting into the queue amongst the current Napoleonics.

Thanks as always for checking in, no outdoor photos I have been out cycling but it always seems to be raining at the moment 

Matt