New player unit list question

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Ant
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New player unit list question

Post by Ant »

Hi

I've just received my copy of Sharp Practice, which I intend to use for the French Indian war and, while going through the force lists for such, I've come across a couple of peculiarities that I can't see an answer for in the FAQs nor in a forum search.

Page 88 for the British forces lists: Provincial rangers 1775. That puts then in the American war of independence timeframe. Is this a misplacement for them or is it a typo and should read 1755?

Also, for the French forces page 90 lists French Chasseurs, as both line and skirmish troops, yet there were no chasseurs in North America during the FIW. Are they included as a 'what if' scenario or do they represent something else?

Thanks for your feedback.
Archdukek
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Re: New player unit list question

Post by Archdukek »

Yes the entry for the Provincial Rangers is a typo and should be 1755.

I believe Chasseurs in this case is a reference to the men of the Light or Piquet Company in a regular French battalion who can either fight in Line or as Skirmish troops.

John
Ant
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Re: New player unit list question

Post by Ant »

Archdukek wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 8:50 pm Yes the entry for the Provincial Rangers is a typo and should be 1755.
Thanks. I suspected but wanted to be sure a unit hadn't got put in the wrong place.
I believe Chasseurs in this case is a reference to the men of the Light or Piquet Company in a regular French battalion who can either fight in Line or as Skirmish troops.
These didn't exist during the time of the FIW/SYW

French line battalions of the period only consisted of fusilier and grenadier companies. The light companies weren't introduced until the reforms after the war. I guess their inclusion must be an error.
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Captain Reid
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Re: New player unit list question

Post by Captain Reid »

It's possible that Rich intended them to represent the Volontaires de l'Armée, who were drawn from line regiments on an ad hoc basis for use mainly as outpost troops.
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Archdukek
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Re: New player unit list question

Post by Archdukek »

Ant wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:06 am
I believe Chasseurs in this case is a reference to the men of the Light or Piquet Company in a regular French battalion who can either fight in Line or as Skirmish troops.
These didn't exist during the time of the FIW/SYW

French line battalions of the period only consisted of fusilier and grenadier companies. The light companies weren't introduced until the reforms after the war. I guess their inclusion must be an error.
Interesting. My copy of Brent Nosworthy’s “Anatomy of Victory”, which I checked before replying, contains diagrams showing the layout of a French regiment as of 29 June 1753 as containing a Picquet company at that point in time which pre-dates the start of the French & Indian or Seven Years War. For what it’s worth the original French FIW lists for “Muskets and Tomahawks” rules also contains an entry for Chasseurs so Rich is not alone in providing stats for them.

The author has always said that he is not an expert in every period covered by the Sharp Practice rules and if your own research suggests something different then feel free to amend the Army lists accordingly. Captain Reid has done that to good effect for his campaigns while he and I both treat the Native Indians differently from what’s shown in the core rules list.

So if your research says the Chasseurs shouldn’t be there then just ignore that entry. :)

John
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Captain Reid
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Re: New player unit list question

Post by Captain Reid »

French line bns did have a piquet company in the 50s (and earlier). And when the Grenadier Company was detached, as was often the case, a second piquet company was formed by taking men from the line companies.
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Ant
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Re: New player unit list question

Post by Ant »

Thanks. I've not read 'Anatomy of victory' and all other references I've seen mention only fusilier and grenadier companies, certainly my edition of 'Montcalm's Army' has no chasseurs. The original M&T rules do have chasseurs but it specifically says American revolution only. The recent 2nd edition of the rules also states this - although in the FAQ, so they seem to think there are no chasseurs either.

No great problem though, I guess it's better that they're there than not.
Ant
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Re: New player unit list question

Post by Ant »

Captain Reid wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 6:38 pm French line bns did have a piquet company in the 50s (and earlier). And when the Grenadier Company was detached, as was often the case, a second piquet company was formed by taking men from the line companies.
Yes,I think that's where my confusion might be. The piquet companies were made up of fusiliers. My understanding of 'chasseurs' are the specifically trained light infantry of the chasseur regiments and the, later introduced, chasseur companies in line infantry battalions.
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BaronVonWreckedoften
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Re: New player unit list question

Post by BaronVonWreckedoften »

Technically, the British Army of this period also didn't have a "light company" just grenadiers and "hat men"; however, they - like the French - formed a picquet company in each battalion from the best shots and most physically (and mentally) agile men. To all intents and purposes these were the antecedents of the "light bobs" (and chasseurs) and performed pretty much the same functions.
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