Field of Glory II: Medieval - Swords and Scimitars

The Byzantine Empire began the 11th century in a strong position - they had pushed their frontier eastwards against the fragmented Muslim emirates, and had completely destroyed the Bulgars in the Balkans. All that was to change in 1071, when they suffered a catastrophic defeat at the hands of the Seljuq Turks at the Battle of Manzikert. These nomadic conquerors had recently converted to Islam, and had swiftly established a Sultanate ruling from Afghanistan to Palestine. Following Manzikert they took nearly all of Anatolia from the Byzantines.

As the Byzantine Emperor Alexios Komnenos struggled to stem the Seljuq advances, he appealed to the West for mercenaries. This request was seized upon by Pope Urban II, who possibly saw it as an opportunity to further his own aims. At the Council of Clermont in 1095 he called for a Crusade to save the eastern churches and recover the Holy Land from the Muslims.

The timing was fortuitously right, as the mighty Seljuq Empire had begun to fragment, the Sultanate of Rûm in Anatolia (modern Asiatic Turkey) having seceded from the Great Seljuk Empire in 1077, and the local Syrian atabegs being in practice semi-independent and disunited. The First Crusade eventually captured Jerusalem in 1099, and established a number of Crusader states in Palestine and Syria. In doing so they created bitter resentment between Muslims, Western Christians and the Byzantines that would lead to two centuries of conflict.

Several major Crusades were to follow the First, as the Crusader states fought for their existence against a succession of resurgent Islamic states: the Fatimids, Zangids, Ayyubids, and finally the Mamluks, who extinguished the last Crusader stronghold of Acre in 1291.

Meanwhile, further East, a far greater threat to Islamic civilisation was emerging. The rapidly expanding Mongols had destroyed the Khwarazmian Shahdom by 1231, the Christian kingdom of Georgia fell in 1239, and the Seljuqs were defeated and forced into vassaldom in 1243. By 1258 the Assassins of Alamut, and the vestigial remains of the once great Abbasid Caliphate, had also been conquered. Only the Mamluks of Egypt were able to finally bring the Mongol advance to an end, with their victory at Ain Jalut in 1260.

In the Balkans the Byzantine Empire remained strong until 1204, when Constantinople fell to the Fourth Crusade. Thereafter much of the old empire was taken over by the Western Crusaders and the Venetians, who had masterminded the whole sordid enterprise. The Byzantines held out in four fragments: the Empires of Trebizond and Nicaea, and the Despotates of Rhodes and Epirus. Eventually the Empire of Nicaea retook Constantinople in 1261, but the power of the Byzantines had been broken forever and they were now only a minor state.

FEATURES:

• 20 more nations and factions covering South Eastern Europe and the Middle East from 1040 AD to 1270 AD. These include Arabs (Syria/Iraq), Armenians (Cilician), Bulgarians, Byzantines (Main Empire, also Nikaia, Epiros and Trebizond), Crusaders, Cypriots (Lusignan Kingdom), Dailami, Fatimid Egyptians, Georgians, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, Indians (Rajput, other Hindu, Muslim), Khwarazmians, Latin States in Greece, Mamluk Egyptians, Mongols (Ilkhanids), Pechenegs, Seljuq Turks, Serbians and Syrian States. Each of these has their own historically accurate banner.
• 35 more units (11 brand new, 24 new to Medieval), allowing the troops of all of the new factions to be accurately represented.
• 41 more army lists allowing historically realistic armies for each of the above factions and their allies at different dates during the period, and bringing the total number of Medieval army lists to 146. In addition armies can include contingents from historical allies. This gives around one hundred thousand permutations. You will never run out of new matchups to try.
• 8 more historical scenarios covering key engagements of the period on an epic scale. These include Manzikert 1071, Dorylaeum 1097, Ascalon 1099, Sirmium 1167, Arsuf 1191, La Forbie 1244, Homs 1281 and Kili 1299.
• 53 more historical matchups added to Quick Battle mode, increasing the total to 150, playable from either side.
• 4 more historically-based campaigns covering major leaders and conflicts of the era: Alexios Komnenos, The First Crusade, Manuel Komnenos, Saladin.
• Sandbox campaign expanded to include all the new army lists, allowing you to lead any nation (and their historical allies) against any other nation (and their allies) – giving over twenty thousand permutations.
• Time Warp custom battles modules expanded to include all the new army lists.

Field of Glory II Medieval is a turn-based tactical game set in the High Middle Ages from 1040 AD to 1270 AD.

This was the heyday of the mounted knight. Armoured from head to toe by the later 12th century, European knights rode heavy horses in tight formation, and delivered a devastating charge with couched lances.

Major themes of the period include the struggles of the Kings of France against the Kings of England and the German Emperors, the English wars of conquest or attempted conquest against the Welsh, Scots and Irish, the Baltic Crusades and the Mongol invasion of Eastern Europe. With dynastic struggles and rebellions by powerful nobles thrown into the mix, Europe was in an almost constant state of war.

Field of Glory II Medieval allows you to take command of the armies of the Anglo-Saxons and Normans, post-conquest England, France, Germany, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, the Low Countries, the Free Cantons, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Bohemia, Poland, the Teutonic Knights, the pagan Old Prussians and Lithuanians, Russia, Hungary, the Cumans, Volga Bulgars and Mongols in an endless variety of battles and campaigns set in 11th-13th century North and Central Europe.

ARMIES
Lead your chosen army and its named generals to victory in set-piece historical battles or "what-if" custom battle situations against an AI or human opponent. Choose your forces from historically accurate orders of battle allowing all of the options and variations that would be available to a real general of that nation at any date during the era.

Field of Glory II Medieval has more than 100 beautiful and historically accurate fully animated troop units, each with multiple variations to bring out the colour and variety of the era. Watch the swords flash and the arrows fly! Count the cost of victory or defeat as bodies litter the battlefield.

BATTLES
Field of Glory II Medieval has a campaign system that concentrates on the battles, and allows real strategic decisions without time spent moving armies around a strategic map. Each battle is vital to your progress. Your army will gain experience and elan as it goes from victory to victory against your enemies and their allies.

There are four historically-based campaigns covering major conflicts of the era: The Angevin Empire, The Northern Crusades, Alexander Nevsky and the Mongol Invasions. There is also a sandbox campaign system that allows you to lead any nation (and their historical allies) against any other nation (and their allies) – giving thousands of permutations.

Victory will require determination and tactical mastery.

FEATURES:

• Accurate simulation of battle in the High Middle Ages.
• 29 nations and factions covering North and Central Europe from 1040 AD to 1270 AD.
• 57 different army lists allowing historically realistic armies for each of these factions at different dates during the period. In addition armies can include contingents from historical allies. This gives tens of thousands of permutations. You will never run out of new matchups to try.
• More than 100 historically accurate units, built from fully animated 3D troop models.
• Historical scenarios covering key engagements of the period on an epic scale. These include Hastings 1066, Tinchebrai 1106, Trutina 1110, Crug Mawr 1136, The Standard (Northallerton) 1138, Steppes 1213, Bouvines 1214, Otepää 1217, Kalka River 1223, Bornhöved 1227, Lake Peipus 1242 and Kressenbrunn 1260.
• Custom Battle system allows unlimited “what-if” scenarios using historically realistic armies from carefully researched army lists, on realistic computer generated terrain maps. Armies covered include Anglo-Saxons, Normans, post-conquest English, French, Imperial and Feudal German, Lowland Scottish, Highland/Isles Scottish, North and South Welsh, Irish, Anglo-Irish, Low Countries, Free Cantons, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Bohemian, Polish, Teutonic Knights, Old Prussians, Lithuanians, Russians, Hungarians, Cumans, Volga Bulgars and Mongols. 12 selectable scenarios include: Open Battle, Enemy expecting Reinforcements, Own side expecting Reinforcements, Flank March, Rearguard, Advance Guard, Kill the King, Escort Baggage Train, Own Side Defending, Enemy Defending, Relieve Besieged Fortress, Enemy Relieve Besieged Fortress.
• Quick Battle mode allows you to quickly select from 65 pre-set matchups between historical opponents.
• Campaign mode allows you to play through historically-based campaign scenarios or “what-if” campaigns between any two opposing nations with thousands of permutations. Each victory increases the experience and elan of your core units. You can give each of them its own unique unit name. Quick to resolve strategic decisions allow you to go straight from one battle to the next without any delay.
• Random map generator produces an infinite variety of historically realistic battlefield maps for custom battles and campaigns.
• Classic turn-based, tile based gameplay.
• Easy to use interface, hard to master gameplay.
• Battles can range from a few units to as many as 80 units per side.
• Named generals who can influence combat and morale of units under their command.
• Single player and multiplayer battle modes.
• Effective AI makes sound tactical decisions.
• 6 difficulty levels allow the challenge to increase as you develop your battlefield skills.
• Numerous different unit organisations, combat capabilities and tactical doctrines allow full representation of tactical differences and developments.
• Mod friendly game system with built-in map editor.
• Multiplayer mode allows historical scenarios and “what-if” scenarios to be played by two players using Slitherine’s easy to use PBEM server.