The importance of the Crusades to European history is difficult to overstate. You can drawn links between this movement and the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Age of Exploration, and the collapse of the Byzantine Empire, among other things. But in the short run, at least, it’s fair to say they were a waste of lives and resources. They also showcase some pretty inept military leadership, especially on the European side and even in successful campaigns. Which brings us to the First Crusade’s 1098 capture of Antioch.
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The Foreign Exchanges Companion 
Your story of the Crusader sally brings to mind the Swedes at Poltava: discipline under fire wins battles, unless it gets your entire army slaughtered first.