Tournament Scenario (1757-59)

The British called 1759 the “Year of Miracles” (in Latin, Annus Mirabilis) because the victory bells in London that year seemed never to cease ringing. The British in 1759 captured French forts Carillon, St-Frédéric, and Niagara. In Germany, they and their Hanoverian allies defeated a French army at the Battle of Minden. Most importantly, General Wolfe took Québec while Admiral Hawke broke the French fleet at Quiberon Bay—these last events all but sealing the fate of Canada.

This scenario focuses in on the period of transition (historically) from French to British ascendancy. It begins at the British low-point in the war, 1757, and continues through the end of 1759, when (historically) British victory was all but ensured.

This scenario involves just six hands of cards and can be completed in two to three hours.

NOTE: For balance this scenario has been modified to start VP at French 2.

This variant of the Annus Mirabilis scenario uses the WBC tournament rules:

1) Starting with the Late Season 1757, immediately after dealing and examining cards, the British player may randomly discard a card to add any one British Regulars or Highlanders card in the discard pile to his hand.

2) The French Marine Detachment (1-4) units only have one step. Whenever one of these units takes a step loss it is permanently removed from play instead of being flipped to its 0-4 side. When taking losses as a result of battle, assault, attrition or events, whenever a French stack includes both 3-4 Regulars and 1-4 Marine Detachments, all 3-4 units in the stack must be reduced before any MD units are eliminated. When taking losses for winter attrition, the Marine Detachments are considered to be reduced units.

3) French start at 3 VP.

Intermediate Scenario One (1755-59)

This scenario uses the same victory conditions as Annus Mirabilis but begins with the landing at Alexandria of two British regiments from Ireland and the arrival of six French army battalions at Louisbourg and Québec. These regular reinforcements signalled the onset in 1755 of direct conflict in America between British and French crown.

The formal, European war has not yet begun and fewer forces are available than in the 1757 scenarios. Montcalm has yet to arrive, for example, and Pennsylvania and Virginia have not yet constructed their border defenses.

It should take (at most) five hours to complete.

Intermediate Scenario Two (1757-62)

This scenario begins with the North American conflict in full gear (as in Annus Mirabilis), but allows play to extend beyond the date of Canada’s historical surrender (late 1760). The presumption is that—without Britain’s spectacular victories in 1759 and 1760— fighting could have continued until a European peace came within sight in late 1762.

This scenario could take as long as five hours to complete if it goes all the way to 1762.

Extended Scenario (1755-62)

This scenario covers the full period of general conflict in North America.

If it goes the full distance, it may take as long as eight hours.

Optional rules: 14.1 If one of the cards William Pitt or Diplomatic Revolution has been played as an event and the other is in the discard pile, the side that could play the unplayed event automatically receives that card as part of its next deal. 14.2 An enemy raid marker placed within a Department immediately causes a step loss to one militia unit in that Department (owner's choice). 14.3 Whenever a side plays a British Regulars or French Regulars event in 1755 and 1756, it suffers -1 VP. 14.4 Either the sieging or besieged side may play Surrender! 14.5 Either side may play Acadians Expelled (the effects are the same). 14.6 Each turn after 1756, immediately after dealing and examining cards, the British player may randomly discard a card to add any one British Regulars or Highlanders card in the discard pile to his hand.