"Arsuf 1191 - Terrain?" Topic

I am planing for a convention game of Arsuf 1191 in the Third Crusades.

After looking on many films with the reenacting of the battle, some games plays of computer games and also some pictures of miniature games i noticed a big difference to photos of the real Arsuf today. If Arsuf in 1191 would have looked like today, we would have:
- no desert, but green ground,
- no palms, but maybe cypresses,
- no shallow beach, but a steep coast (bit like normandy).

Do you have any informations, that agree or disagree?

Early Crusades period (modern) Israel had a lot more trees than later, when they were cleared by Sultan Baibars to make it less hospitable to the Crusaders.
If I remember, the forces of Saladin were screened by trees and rising ground as they paralleled the Crusaders march on the coastal plain. The coastal plain was open enough for horse archers to operate effectively.
I reckon modern Cyprus is a good way of thinking about Medieval coastal conditions there.

Just my thoughts though.

Yup. Arsuf was light forest, bordering a lower, narrow coastal plain. And yes, it would likely be cypress trees and green grasses and plants. Then and now, the Mediterranean coast is not desert.