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Thread: Fleur de Lis

  1. #1

    Default Fleur de Lis

    This is my attempt at an AAR. I have been a silent reader of AAR's (and TWC) for a while now, and I'd like to thank many AAR writers for inspiring me.
    Afternoon (Afty), and Ineptcmdr have been especially influential. Sorry if I spelled those wrong. Enjoy!

  2. #2

    Default Re: Fleur de Lis

    Here's the first chapter!
    France Summer 1700- It is a glorious dawn for the French Empire. King Louis XIV leads the nation, a monarch to be envied. France’s armies are the strongest in Europe and their overseas colonies are only matched by the colonies of Britain and Spain. Spain, France’s old enemy has in recent times become an ally. The two Catholic nations worry about the growing power and empires of the British and the Dutch. In June, Admiral Francois Louis de Rousselet, Grand Admiral of the French Royal Navy boarded the Northern French army under Camille d’Huston, and set sail for an unknown destination. The people of Paris rioted over the act, feeling vulnerable to attack, but King Louis promised to have 3 new regiments of line, and one of horse trained within half a year. To divert his people, Louis told them of new trade agreements with the two Empires of India, the Mughals, and the Marathas. All thought of the fleet disappeared as the French became infatuated with the far off land and its riches. Fictional and speculative books are written, and Dutch and Portuguese travel logs are translated and sold en masse. Eventually as they get used to foreign goods, the French peasants go back to their lives, as they know they will never see the continent, so it is about as useful to them as unicorns. The Southern French army begins patrolling the Savoy border as hostilities grew between the two nations. Government buildings are built up in the Americas.

    France Fall 1700- In September of 1700, the Dutch declare war on the French Empire. While Britain does not join them in war, they do provide funds for the treacherous Dutch, infusing thousands a year for the Dutch fleets to attack the sugar isles in the Caribbean. The Iriquois also declare war on France. They represented the biggest threat to the French Empire, a well-funded, European-armed Native American Nation with an agenda and a massive army. They don’t waste time, and in November the Iriquois attack Montreal.

    THE FIRST BATTLE OF MONTREAL (November 22, 1700):
    Forces: 60 Coureur de Bois, an artillery battery (18 men, 4 cannon), a regiment of pike (120 men), general’s bodyguard (24 men), the First Regiment of Militia (120 men), 2 regiments of firelock armed citizenry (120 men total)

    The Battle of Montreal should have been a wakeup call for the French Empire. The dreams of the domination of the North American continent was nearly ended that day; Yet, if you ask any French man today, the Battle of Montreal was a turning point in the Empire’s history! Only those veterans who fought at the battle know the truth, yet only a few remain alive today.
    - Boniface Travere; veteran, explorer, amateur historian, governor
    Excerpt from a letter of Boniface’s to Philip de Vaudreuil, dated May 26, 1733

    Snow dusted the frozen ground. It was a cold, cold day. As preparations began for the upcoming battle, the native Coureur de Bois mocked the artillery regiment from France for being underdressed. The artillery shot back that the Coureur de Bois were just “white savages.” A scuffle broke out, and two Coureur de Bois and an artillery man went to the sick tent for broken limbs. Those with minor injuries were put at the front of the line. The two groups swore to outdo the other in the coming battle, despite attempts by General Philip to promote solidarity among his troops.
    At 5:00 AM Iriquois troops could be seen approaching the French position.
    The French led by General Philip de Vaudreuil and the Iriquois led by Chief Pontiac would face off in the first of many bloody battles.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg[/IMG]
    As soon as the Iriquois enter the range of the cannon, the French fire a salvo. None of the shots hit an Iriquois but one passed two feet by Chief Pontiac. Seeing it as an omen, he turned his bodyguard away.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg[/IMG]
    Suddenly out of the woods appeared more Indian savages. Terror filled French hearts as unearthly wailing and screeching came from the charging native warriors.
    Stand firm, Said Lt. Travere to his militia regiment, They will be screaming for a different reason soon. Shoot the savages in their open mouths.
    Many were shot down, but the natives that reached the line crashed violently into the French right flank. The pike and militia drew their swords.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg[/IMG]
    Soon even the artillery were embroiled in the vicious melee.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image008.jpg[/IMG]
    As the right flank is embroiled in a melee, the left flank, consisting of the two citizenry regiments comes under fire from the native bowmen. The obese mayor sat shocked as the miller fell onto him impaled by an arrow. The mayor squealed like a pig (an animal he bore a strange resemblance to), then ran towards the town. Soon the rest of the citizenry followed.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image010.jpg[/IMG]
    It fell on the Coureur De Bois to engage the bowmen. After minutes of back and forth fire, the smoke cleared, and the natives were fleeing. Miraculously, not a single Coureur de Bois fell. Veterans of the Coureur De Bois unit saw their fortune as a gift from god. In future battles, each would carry a Bible and a statue of the Virgin Mary into battle.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image012.jpg[/IMG]
    On the right flank, the savagery with which the natives had attacked at the beginning dwindled. Faced with with the pikes and swords of the French army they quickly routed.
    Pontiac, seeing his men fall, and filled with a bitter anger charged the French line. Too many of his people had died and he would try to insure General Philip died with them. Half his men fell to the cool and steady fire of the cannon. But soon his bodyguard clashed with General Philip’s.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image014.jpg[/IMG]
    For nearly two minutes the generals fought. Then the French pike rallied to the aid of their general. Many die on both sides. Then Pontiac falls not to the blade of a cavalryman, but to that of a lowly pikeman. His capture ends the battle, a French victory.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image016.jpg[/IMG]
    The Iriquois are pushed back, but the French have a 40% casualty rate, losing 202 of their 462 men. 286 of the 345 Iriquois die with them. The French are shocked that savages, uncultured, unchristian, savages managed to inflict 40% casualties on the highly trained French army. Other than the wake up call, the most important aspect of the battle for the French was the capture of the Iriquois Chief Pontiac, whose fall makes the other armies of the Iriquois hesitate to attack the weakened Montreal garrison. A month later Pontiac is put on a boat to France. After being awed by French culture, Pontiac pleads King Louis for his life. Moved, Louis grants him not only this, but gives him a post, Vice-Minister of Trade. Despite losing almost half his men, General Philip de Vaudreuil is lauded in the French newspapers. They proclaim the Battle of Montreal an overwhelming French victory. Philip’s men do not blame him for the death of their comrades, mainly because Philip’s sword was bloodied on four Iriquois. The French gain a wary respect of the savages and worryingly, two more armies of Iriquois are on the way under Chief Ogemaw, Pontiac’s childhood friend. Reports come that he swears to clean the soil of North America with French blood. There is talk of abandoning Montreal and retreating to Quebec to regroup. The Huron Wyandot, seeing the French as easy pickings decide to declare war as well, and now the French are facing a war on two sides. In Quebec a new army is being trained... The North American Legion, an army of both French citizens and Native American warriors recruited from warrior tribes. Back in Montreal the General Philip makes a controversial decision. They will sit just outside Montreal, on the road to Quebec. If the Iriquois assault before a army sufficiently large enough is raised, the veterans of the First Battle of Montreal will reinforce Quebec. Everyone hates the decision, believing it to be indecisive.

    Fall 1701- Philips decision is validated. The Iriquois burn all the land to the west of Montreal then besiege the city. This gives enough time for reinforcements to begin to arrive from Quebec. On a worse note, reports say Montreal will not last another three months.
    Meanwhile in Europe, Prussia conquers Saxony, breaking its alliance with Poland. France looks on concerned as more and more Catholic territories fall to the heathen Prussians.

    Winter 1701- Bolstered by 240 men from Quebec, Philips assaults the army besieging Montreal.
    THE SECOND BATTLE OF MONTREAL: (January 28, 1701)
    What a day, what a day!
    -King Louis on hearing of the Second Battle of Montreal
    Forces: 1 Regiment of Coureur de Bois (60 men), 1 regiment of pike (81 men), 1 battery of artillery (4 cannon, 14 men), the 1rst Regiment of Militia (1 experience, 43 men), the 6th Regiment of Militia (120 men), the 7th Regiment of Militia (120 men), and two units of firelock armed citizenry (120 men total), 1 Regiment of Foot, Native Warrior Auxillary (120 men total), General’s bodyguard (14 men)
    Natives/ Militia on right entrance, Coureur de Bois and pike on the left entrance, artillery on hill in middle
    The Second Battle of Montreal began much like the first; on a frozen, clear day, with the French being led by Philip de Vaudreuil. The North American Legion arrived to this view of the city....
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image018.jpg[/IMG]
    Ogemaw swore to avenge Pontiac, believing his friend dead as he rides at the front of his army.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image020.jpg[/IMG]
    However, the French have the better position by far. They command the hill southwest of the town, and the French artillery can fire almost completely across Montreal.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image022.jpg[/IMG]
    Impatient, Ogemaw will not retreat or wait. Rather, he attacks. But to get to the French position first he needs to fight through Montreal. The cities’ citizens are armed and will not let the feet of savages touch the cobbles of their city without a fight. Ogemaw, seeing the French peasants standing just before the city thinks they will be easy victims and charges. 10 of his men die in the first volley, and another 15 in the melee that ensues. As one group fights Ogemaw with their hands and fists, the other fires at him from behind. Not a foolish man, he retreats.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image024.jpg[/IMG]
    These men are led by a new mayor. The old leader of Montreal was shot by his own men, and the new mayor John Kerrot, a Virginian, has whipped the locals into shape.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image026.jpg[/IMG]
    But soon the bulk of the Iriquois army could be seen by John. His men were almost in range of their bows. John gave the order to fall back to the cliffs the town of Montreal sits on. When the Iriquois came within twenty feet of their position John yelled:
    Frenchmen, this is your town and your land! Your children should wear good leather shoes, not moccasins! CHARGE!
    Inspired, the people of Montreal jumped from their position and charged the long Iriquois line. They knew they would not survive, but their swords would be bloodied!
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image028.jpg[/IMG]
    After minutes of fighting, John Kerrot lay on the snowy ground, along with eighty of his 120 men.
    For Frenchmen, you are good men. He said to the last of his men, You’ve done what you could. Run back to your cheries.
    They fired one last salvo for John’s memory, then, tears running down their faces, retreated. They left exactly a hundred Iriquois corpses with him. Due to John’s efforts, not a single citizen remains in the city when the Iriquois enter. The success of the citizenry embarrasses and enrages Ogemaw further. Before personally entering the city, he chops John’s head off his corpse, then allows his men to defile the headless body. The battle enters its second stage, as Ogemaw orders his bowmen to approach the French right.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image030.jpg[/IMG]
    What looked like it would be a long back and forth fire is shortened when natives loyal to France charge down the hill to slaughter Ogemaw’s men.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image032.jpg[/IMG]
    The bowmen are routed, and the natives loyal to France move to engage Ogemaw’s men approaching the French position from the left. Seeing eachother at the same time, the two groups charge.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image034.jpg[/IMG]
    Meanwhile back on the right, hordes of natives are climbing the hill, but the militia cooly pick them off one by one. Eventually, the lines do crash.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image036.jpg[/IMG]
    The 6th performs especially admirably. Like a wall they stand firm against the assault. Every Iriquois soon retreats, on the left and right. Consumed by rage and going mad, Ogemaw charges the natives loyal to the French, and is cut down.
    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/DL19C3~1.NOO/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image038.jpg[/IMG]
    The Iriquois army is routed. This was the battle the French had expected at the First Battle of Montreal. Only 67 of the 572 professional French soldiers, compared to 481 of the 525 Iriquois. A two day memorial and funeral is held for John Kerrot, whose sacrifice allowed Ogemaw to be defeated. His head and body are sent back to Virginia and his wife, but his heart is buried outside of Montreal. General Philip personally throws the first shovel of dirt on the box. For his brilliant but quiet leadership in the battle, Philip is given another star, but more importantly regains his reputation among his men. Back in France many Frenchmen become angry as plates of Philips image are made. Their wives sigh over them to much. After the battle the Iriquois lands are ripe for plucking, and Philip swears they will be conquered. Seeing the growing power of the Empire, Württemberg and Westphalia agree to a trade agreement that is much more beneficial for the French than the Germans. With Iriquois power waning, hundreds of native tribes decide to wear the Fleur de Lise. It is a good time to be French.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 2015-08-18_00039.jpg  

  3. #3

    Default Re: Fleur de Lis

    A moderator needs to review it before it can be posted. Sorry!

  4. #4

    Default Re: Fleur de Lis

    Anyone know how long it usually takes?

  5. #5

    Default Re: Fleur de Lis

    Took me a while but I got it up in a different forum. If you're still interested follow the link at the bottom, then scroll to my post at the bottom of the thread. (The first didn't have pics)
    Thanks to Merchant Of Venice for helping me out!
    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...6-Fleur-de-Lis

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