Annexation of Chiraz - Game #1 - Battle of Petreville Set Up

…or my interpretation of it anyway….

As DG was down for the Colours weekend we were looking forward to a game. Having bought this at last years Colours I read the first chapter and scenario set up for the Chiraz linked series of scenarios, thought it sounded interesting, and suggested it with a view to fighting the campaign in the same way we did the St Michel Campaign.

DG agreed, so here we are...

I have to admit that the first game as described was not really suitable – it’s almost a large skirmish game as Charles Grant uses his big regimental organisations and this scenario was set at company level, it's also a siege game and in the scenario featured individual scaling ladders etc. It had possibilities though, so I have taken the premise, and the background to the campaign, and the scenario objectives, and modified it slightly with a view to fighting the campaign, but using the standalone versions of the scenario's rather than the fully linked versions…..


Background: 

Chiraz is an independent state’let that lies between the much larger states either side, which for our purposes, will be France (and their Bavarian allies), and the Allied maritime powers (comprising England/Holland/Austria) rather than those of Lorraine and the VFS.

Chiraz is a fairly prosperous state – agriculturally based – a wine making area – but their primary benefit is twofold:

1. The country is bounded on both sides by major rivers that provide much needed transportation opportunities to the French and the Allies – control of Chiraz by either major power could put this in doubt for the other power as they would have control of one bank of the river...

2. The north of the country is mountainous and provides a major source of saltpetre – the primary constituent of gunpowder…

After previous invasion attempts have led to bloody stalemate on each occasion, the major powers have agreed that Chiraz should remain neutral as a demilitarized zone. This state of restless peace has lasted for several years, but the French have now found out that the eldest son of the Dutch Staatholder has started to pay suit to the (only) daughter of the Duke of Chiraz – who is the sole heir to the throne. Further his attentions are returned in spades; clearly the danger is that the Allies would gain control of the country without a shot being fired.

This cannot be allowed to happen, and the French launch an invasion to protect their interests…

The campaign starts with the planned seizure of the gunpowder mill at Petreville…

A 6’ x 4’ table - looking length ways - Allies enter bottom left, Franco-Bavarian from top right, the powder mill is in the centre of the table - roughly equidistant from both corners...

The French as invaders have a free move - DG and I agreed that they would move, and then we would dice to see who moved next.

The powder mill is garrisoned by an understrength battalion of the Chiraz army who for the purposes of the campaign are allied with the Maritime Powers – the powder mill itself is a substantial walled enclosure with factory in the middle.

River only crossable at the bridges

Orders of Battle: 

NB. Neither side has artillery – you really don’t want stray cannon balls flying near one of the largest gunpowder mills in Western Europe!

Rules are my variation of Will McNally's SYW rules - check my Marlburian project page (link top left) for the details.

Allies (me):

Garrison:

Country	Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
Chiraz	Infantry	Heidebrecht Regiment	3	3

Main force:

Country	Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
British	Cavalry	Schomberg	5	5
British	Cavalry	Lumley	5	5
Dutch	Cavalry	Nassau Friesland	5	5
British	Infantry	Dering	5	5
British	Infantry	Lord North and Grey's Regiment	5	5
Dutch	Infantry	Beinheim	5	5
Dutch	Infantry	Sturler	5	5

Franco-Bavarian (DG):

Country	Unit Type	Unit Name	SP	MP
French	Cavalry	Orleans	5	5
French	Cavalry	Chartres	5	5
French	Cavalry	Souastre	5	5
Bavarian	Hvy. Cavalry	Weickel	5	5
Bavarian	Infantry	Lutzenberg	5	5
French	Infantry	Navarre	5	5
French	Infantry	Toulouse	5	5
French	Infantry	Royal Italien	5	5
French	Infantry	Lee (Irish)	5	6
French	Infantry	Dorrington (Irish)	5	6

Objective: 

Capture (or retain) the powder mill!