We played 1st Ramla twice. The first game the Crusader knights hit the Fatimid center as the scenario would lead you to do... But to my utter dismay, my heavy knight cavalry units were decimated by battle backs and offensive attacks beautifully executed by the Egyptian and Sudanese forces holding the line. My knights were able to weaken the Fatimid units, but I had a rough time trying to score some actual victory banners. I had one entire heavy knight cavalry unit wiped out in one blow by Saad el-Dowleh's vicious heavy cavalry. Essentially, all my frontline heavy knights were eliminated in the first few turns. Not good. Bill then moved the Fatimid forces forward and, turn by turn, I was lucky to score some kills with my backup cavalry and medium/heavy foot troops. The Crusaders won, but just barely. In the second game we switched sides, and Bill's Crusaders busted up the Fatimid center handily and I had to bring in medium horse to shore up the line. But the Fatimid line was too broken to hold and the Crusaders won again (and far more quickly) with their powerful knights. Fun scenario!
BTW, we're still learning the little differences and changes in this new expansion. For example, one thing I kept forgetting was that the Fatimids get to add two (2) additional dice when using the Battle Bonus Battlefield Action. That could have made a difference although the Fatimids only have two inspired action tokens at the start of the battle.
