The Balkan League Matrix Game

Cards: The First Balkan War (1912)

by Bob Cordery

SERBIA

Background: Serbia is an independent kingdom which was formerly part of the Turkish Empire, and relations between the Serbs and their former rulers are very strained. Serbia enjoys the support of the Imperial Russian Government, and is seen as a bulwark against the increasing influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Balkans. The Serbian Army is reasonably well trained and equipped.

Aims:
1) To destroy the last vestiges of Turkish power in the Balkans.
2) To become the most important Balkan country.
3) To obtain an outlet to the Adriatic Sea.

Allies : Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro.

Armed Forces
1 Medium Army 50,000 men
1 Small Army 25.000 men
Total 75,000 men

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MATRIX CARDS PER MOVE =15

GREECE

Background : Greece is an independent kingdom which was formerly part of the Turkish Empire, and relations between the Greeks and the Turks remain strained. Both the Greek Army and the Greek Navy are reasonably well trained and equipped.

Aims:
1) To destroy the Last vestiges of Turkish power in the Balkans.
2) To unite Greece with Macedonia, Thrace, and the remaining Turkish Aegean Islands.

Allies : Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Serbia.

Armed Forces:
1 Medium Army 50,000 men
1 Small Navy

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MATRIX CARDS PER MOVE = 15

MONTENEGRO

Background : Montenegro is an independent and Somewhat underdeveloped mountainous kingdom. It was formerly part of the Turkish Empire, and relations between the two countries remain strained. In the past the country has received military aid from the Imperial Russian Government, but the Army remains poorly equipped. It has. however, a reputation for being tough and well-motivated, and particularly adept at mountain and guerrilla warfare.

Aims :
1) To destroy the Last vestiges of Turkish power in the Balkans.
2) To gain more local political power.

Allies : Bulgaria, Greece. and Serbia

Armed Forces :
1 Small Army 25,000 men

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MATRIX CARDS PER MOVE = 5

BULGARIA

Background : Bulgaria is an independent kingdom which was formerly pan of the Turkish Empire. and relations between the Bulgarians and their former rulers remain very strained. Bulgaria enjoys the support of the Imperial Russian Government, and the Bulgarian Army is modelled on the Imperial Russian Army. The Bulgarian Army is reasonably well trained and equipped.

Aims:
1) To destroy the last vestiges of Turkish power in the Balkans.
2) To become the most important Balkan country.
3) To obtain an outlet to the Aegean Sea by occupying Macedonia and/ or Thrace.

Allies : Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia.

Armed Forces
1 Large Army 100,000 me n
1 Medium Army 50,000 men
1 Small Army 25.000 men
Total 175,000 men

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MATRIX CARDS PER MOVE = 20

TURKEY

Background: For many years Turkey has been regarded by the other major European nations as being the 'Sick Man of Europe', and relations are very strained with Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, and Montenegro. Although Turkey is nominally ruled by the Sultan, the Government is controlled by a mixture of Religious leaders and Army Officers. The Turkish Army is reasonably well trained but ill-equipped, and the Turkish Navy is obsolete and in a poor state of repair.

Aims :
1) To retain as much power as possible in the Balkans.
2) To remain in control of Constantinople and the entrance to the Black Sea at all cost

Allies None.

Armed Forces:

In Albania, Epirus and Macedonia:
1 Large Army 100,000 men
1 Medium Army 50,000 me
Total 150,000 men

In Thrace:
1 Large Army 100,000 men

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MATRIX CARDS PER MOVE = 20

The Balkan League Matrix Game Rules for the First and Second Balkan Wars (1912-13)

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© Copyright 1991 by Chris Engle
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