Round 3 of my continuing refights of Zallaqah. Rather than stage managing four or five players as in the previous two games, this time I face off against one opponent as an active combatant. Richard chose to command the Christian Army under Alfonso VI.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZ1Ii8w4aPgTZVVkyYe7uN3Xh-c4kUF5JoX_S6hHU6AMzKzDGthgioKPCDRwCyBOpDpL4OCtgbYyr2ya8YHmPQgzX4PhVYdfPwa_tUhTDBXQXM2d1M2X_VupTgR2cokyqJwHskYLm7YadJRGDrSCclTeUx5oLgpc_FgCNkvIxhWcoeHf56gzH1HLk_E-0t=s400)
Very Brief Summary
In this refight of Zallaqah using opposing Christian and Muslim armies, Richard's Christians under Alfonso VI open with a ferocious cavalry assault that shatters Muslim horse on one flank and drives back tercios on both wings, leaving Yusuf ibn Tashfin's line seemingly on the verge of collapse. Yusuf counters in the left-center by pushing up the Sevilla tercio and coordinating medium cavalry and camelry attacks that finally destroy overextended Christian units, including the red knights, and briefly stabilize the situation. As both breakpoint clocks near exhaustion, Fanez's infantry assault on the Badajoz tercio fails, but Alfonso personally leads his heavy infantry into the Sevilla tercio, grinding it down in a decisive melee that breaks Yusuf's army by a single breakpoint, making the game effectively a draw decided on the last combat roll after about two hours of play.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK95P3Cv-67EBAMblf0qk47Yh8HuP6eyRi-gEkckRP3EEQWE2eInvb5m7sa2C92qjvzOvDit9lLuo2ZRmtLD28sqV-8dtWxc9hye6xvGP6rUjkacJsz6bXSgz78RrJ0Us6-se3EBsKxihGvsN8aPrGOzhu6siqwml486PXtJuXUbXtwtt4TcXK-2uiDejb/w400-h300/Zallaqah_20251117_29.JPG)
To read my full account of battle with lots of game photos, please visit Zallaqah, Round 3 (https://palousewargamingjournal.blogspot.com/2025/11/zallaqah-round-3.html).
To read Richard's (my opponent) battle account, please visit Battle of Zallaqah. (https://mywargaminghabit.blogspot.com/2025/11/battle-of-zallaqah-1086-aar.html)
Quote from: Jon Freitag on Nov 29, 2025, 01:48 PM"... Richard's Christians under Alfonso VI open with a ferocious cavalry assault that shatters Muslim horse on one flank and drives back tercios on both wings..."
I am intrigued to see the term 'tercio' being used for this early date. I thought it was of early modern origin with the reforms of the Spanish army under Cordoba? Are you using it as a convenient term for a large body of infantry?
Kim, I saw the term "tercio" used in an English translation of a Spanish account of the battle. I use the term as a convenience to denote a large body of infantry having both spear and bow elements.
Quote from: Jon Freitag on Dec 01, 2025, 12:57 PMKim, I saw the term "tercio" used in an English translation of a Spanish account of the battle. I use the term as a convenience to denote a large body of infantry having both spear and bow elements.
Beware translation, particularly of a term like Tercio which has many possible meanings/derivations. Not long ago I came across a machine translation of a Portuguese battle account that had "four thirds of the Spanish" advancing in the centre ;D
I agree that caution is required but "Tercio" was the term used in the Spanish account.
Quote from: Jon Freitag on Dec 01, 2025, 01:59 PMI agree that caution is required but "Tercio" was the term used in the Spanish account.
When was the Spanish account written? If it was near the time of the battle then this is a most interesting find.