BADR - v1.0
March 15, 624
by Chris Jackson
SYMBOL SET REQUIRED: Master 1


HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The traditional beginning of the Islamic Era is July 16, 622 when Mohammed is 
forced to leave Mecca and move to Yathrib-Medina. Several years after his vision
in 610 he was preaching in the wealthy pilgramage city of Mecca against the idols of 
the Arab religion, and for conversion to the ways of one god, Allah. This did not
endear him to the wealthy Meccans and eventually it was considered dangerous
enough for him and his followers to leave and establish a community.

In March 624, Mohammed led some Muslims to attack a rich Meccan caravan returning
from Syria. The caravan eluded them but Makhzum leader Abu Jahl, who had opposed
Mohammed for a number of years, decided to teach the Muslims a lesson.

The Muslims numbered no more than 315, with only 2 horses. Abu Jahl had two to
three times as many men and 100 horses, plus armour. Mohammed chose the best 
water reservoir and destroyed the rest. A battle would be fought near Badr, the
first between Muslims and their enemies, and it would decide if Islam would 
continue or perish.

The Muslims held ground that sloped down behind them, to conceal their small number. 
They were encouraged to use their arrows sparingly and not use their swords, until
they let the Meccans came to them. The Meccans fought with the sun in their eyes, and
a sandstorm also hindered their advance. The Muslims withstood their offensive and 
then counter-attacked, killing 70 Meccans including Abu Jahr, and taking 70 prisoners.
The Muslims lost just 14. Although it was a tiny event, it would loom large in 
history as the Muslim faith would have died right there if its few followers had on
the battlefield. Instead it survived its first test that was seen as divine approval
from Allah, and there are stories of other supernatural events that aided them in
this battle. 



SOURCES

Akram, A.I. "The Sword of Allah". Dacca: National Publishing House, Ltd., 1970.

Donner, Fred. "The Early Islamic Conquests". Princeton: Princeton University Press,
     1981.

Islaam.com

"Islam". Encyclopedia Brittanica. www.britannica.com


BATTLE NOTES

This scenario is probably better played as the Muslims. A human playing the Meccans
could probably win in just a few turns. Even cranking up morale to the absolute
maximum and not classifying their skill as "peasant", the Muslims are just really
outnumbered here and that morale drops fast. I fudged a bit already by giving the
Meccans lower starting morale than my customary 80, I could have fudged more by 
changing the weapons around but I didn't. Most sources say the Meccans had 1000 
men rather than 800, but the smaller number works better. The Meccans had to fight
with the sun in their eyes but I wasn't sure how to model that (except drop morale
to dip their ratings a bit). Playing against the computer, the Muslims can win 
because the computer never really does get around to attacking the objective.

Chris Jackson, April 11, 2000
chrisbjackson@hotmail.com

