Acentian Colonial Zouaves

Battlecry

"αίμα! αίμα! αίμα!"

Soldiers song

(tune of Prussian glory) **Verse 1:**
On the fields of Acentia,
Our banners flying high,
March the brave Zouaves,
With courage in their eyes.
Through the battles and the storm,
Our spirits never fall,
For the pride of Acentia,
We answer duty's call.
---
**Chorus:**
Zouaves, Zouaves,
We march with heads held high,
For the land of Acentia,
Our foes we'll defy.
With valor and with honor,
We conquer or we die,
Zouaves, Zouaves,
Our spirits touch the sky.
---
**Verse 2:**
In the heart of every soldier,
Burns the flame of liberty,
We defend our homeland's glory,
With strength and unity.
On the mountains, in the valleys,
Our legacy will remain,
Colonial Zouaves will triumph,
Acentia's proud refrain.
---
**Chorus:**
Zouaves, Zouaves,
We march with heads held high,
For the land of Acentia,
Our foes we'll defy.
With valor and with honor,
We conquer or we die,
Zouaves, Zouaves,
Our spirits touch the sky.
---
**Verse 3:**
When the drums of war are silent,
And peace reigns once again,
We'll remember all our brothers,
Who fought through wind and rain.
In the annals of our history,
Their names will shine so bright,
Colonial Zouaves, forever,
Defenders of the light.
---
**Chorus:**
Zouaves, Zouaves,
We march with heads held high,
For the land of Acentia,
Our foes we'll defy.
With valor and with honor,
We conquer or we die,
Zouaves, Zouaves,
Our spirits touch the sky.

Uniforms

ACZ Private c.1866

ACZ Lieutenant c.1866

"There goes the boys in blue,Howling like mad dogs! dashing fellows they are!"

General Marain Dupont, Battle of Charan, 1866

Composition

Manpower

TO&E for a Regiment ACZ

A Co. - 100 men
B Co. - 100 men
C Co. - 100 men
D Co. - 100 men
E Co. - 100 men
F Co. - 100 men

Order of Battle

1st Regiment ACZ "Kormenia Guards"
2nd Regiment ACZ "Dardens Rangers"
3rd Regiment ACZ "Tiger Guards"
1st Battery ACZ

(Right to left: Men of the 3rd Regiment, Pvt. Kolobe Inwe, Pvt. Malakwe Ubu, and Pvt. Ubuntu Nwale c. 1868)

Equipment

Artillery

in the 1820s when the unit was first formed they were given a battery of three 12pdr cast iron guns from the Royal Artillery Foundries in Acentia City. These guns were used until around 1851 when they were breifly replaced with a battery of 3in howitzers before being replaced yet again in 1854 with 12pdr cast iron rifled pieces. These new guns served with the unit until around 1870 when they were swapped out with new 10pdr Breech loading pieces.After the unit was sent to garrison frontier forts they became less important and so they kept this last batch of guns until finally, After many years, at the start of the war of nine Emperors they were given a battery of m1910 75mm field guns aswell as 22x M1901 Medium Machine guns which they used throughout the war until their disbanding in 1922.

Vehicles

For most of the units lifetime they were issued wagons and cassino to carry their supplies but in 1899 they were first issued trucks to carry their equipment. During the War of nine Emperors they unit fielded around 80 trucks at any time.

Weaponry

When the unit was first raised, they were equipped with mostly m1790 smoothbore Flintlock muskets however soon after their birth the unit received all new m1832 Cap and ball smoothbore muskets which were used until 1858 when they were replaced by the m1851 Rifled cap and ball musket which served until 1876 when the Tydon M74 Trapdoor was issued. Then two years later it was replaced again by the more reliable Tydon M77 Trapdoor which served until 1880 when the Kolenburg Armory M80, 3 shot, rifled bolt action was adopted and used throught the War of Nine Emperors until in 1921 The 5 shot M1917 was adopted and used until the units disbanding a year later.

Structure

Regimental commander is given to a Major or Colonel usually Acentian born Caucasian due to army segregation at the time. lower officers such as Captains and Lieutenants could however be colored. each company was commanded by a captain and three Lieutenants with 10 Corporals and 6 Seargents including the company First Seargent.

(above: A group of unidentified Zouaves of the 1st Regiment, Co. D c.1890)

Tactics

At the begining of the units history they followed the dated Sturgian Military Organization as did the rest of the army until around 1845 when the new Stilton Manual was adopted. This new system brought a regiment to 6 companies of 100 men each not including officers. these companies would be formed up into two lines that are two ranks deep with 25 yards between them. These companies were also trained to operate as skirmishers or independently as a smaller unit. this allowed for more flexibility and maneuverability during combat. This system was never changed and is still used by the modern acentian military with some amendments naturally. during the early 1870s the military began to abolish the old rank and file style of fighting due to technological advances in weaponry and soldiers began to fight in open order. this proved extremely helpful in the War of Nine Emperors and this system was used until the disbanding of the unit.

Training

All Colonial Zouave recruits go through the same training as normal acentian troops, the only difference being that their training I conducted within the colonies as opposed to the home islands.

Logistics

Logistical Support

The ACZ are kept supplied by their own branch of the Acentian Royal Logistics Corp (ARLC) which were normally equipped with Wagons and Slaves from the colonies.

Auxilia

The ACZ always had a smaller company of older veterans tasked with recruiting and conscription in the colonies. This formation was normally kept around 60 to 70 men known as "TOBs"

History

The unit was first raised as a garrison unit for several forts within the colonies, these being Ft. Kitts, Ft. Stone, and Ft. St.Helena in the eastern colonies (Hence the three regiments). The unit preformed this roll for six years until 1829 when they were mustered into the "Army of Northern defense" and shipped off to Acentias Northern border with Grabenheim due to rising tensions in the region. they stayed there in the city of Kolmen for around a year before departing to occupy the colony of Saint Frederick's point in 1830 just after another small rebellion in the area. In 1834 they were once again moved back to Acentias Northern border for a short time before being moved to Citadel Island in the latter part of the same year. The unit stayed on Citadel Island garrisoning several forts on the island until around 1865 when the Sejuk Civil War started and the unit was shipped off with the rest of the acentian forces to intervene where in the end of 1865 they partook in the Battle of Hostergratz taking 67 casualties. At Hostergratz the unit is credited with charging an enemy held redoubt and taking their colors in the process. Then in the spring of 1866 they took part in the battle of Charan where they famously charged down the hill straight into the enemy center and broke through, routing the army. in this battle the unit lost 347 men killed and woumded. After Charan the war ended almost instantly and the Zouaves were sent back to the east colonies to garrison their now four forts, which they did until 1879 when they put down the colonial rebellion of that year, losing 12 men.

Type

Infantry

Founding

11/04/1820

Dissolution

5/16/1922

Overall training Level

Professional

Assumed Veterancy

Experienced

Used by

• The Acentian Kingdom