Introduction

AUSTERLITZ is the third game to use the NAPOLEON AT WATERLOO game system, recreating the battle fought between forces under Napoleon and Tsar Alexander of Russia, on a tactical level. There are thirteen game turns, each representing one hour of real time, and each hex represents 400 meters of ground. There are minor deviations from the prototype, NAPOLEON AT WATERLOO. Firstly all unit's zone of control. While infantry and artillery are locked into combat after entering an enemy zone of control, awaiting elimination or retreat, cavalry units may leave an enemy controlled hex by using up two movement points.

It is also possible for the cavalry units to move directly from one zone of control to another zone of control of the same enemy unit. Secondly, stack up to three units, but the combined combat strength in the hex cannot exceed fifteen points. The Allies can have as many units in a hex as they wish, as long as the combat strength in the hex does not exceed ten points. Thus, after combat, the displacement rule takes effect only after stacking limitations would be exceeded by retreating units. Thirdly, demoralization is somewhat more drastic in this game. Demoralized units lose their own zone of control, but must observe enemy zones of control. Also these demoralized units' combat strengths are reduced by one half in attack, defense, and exchange.

Lastly, there are new terrain features introduced, and some old ones modified to reflect the winter conditions, as the battle was fought in December. Lakes are frozen over and treated as clear terrain, but streams and swamps still retain additional movement costs because of the inhibiting effect of snow and banks in that terrain. Units in towns are tripled on defense, again with the effect of snow, on the approaches to the towns. New terrain features include a castle and an abbey where defenders are quadrupled on defense.

The victory conditions call for three levels of victory for each side, decisive, substantive, and marginal. The criterion for victory is a point system. The Allies receive three points for units which exit via certain hexes on the west edge of the mapsheet, and one point if via certain hexes on the eastern edge. However, the Allies receive the points for only one edge or the other, whichever edge had the greater number of strength points exit. They also receive a point for each enemy combat strength point eliminated as a result of combat.

The French receive points for Allied strength points eliminated, and at the end of the game, those Allied units who cannot trace an uninterrupted (by French units or their zones of control) path of hexes to certain hexes on the map edges, are considered eliminated, those points being counted in victory considerations. For our purposes, we need only be concerned with simple victory and defeat, the French marginal victory level is, Allied to French victory points, less than two to three, while the Allied marginal victory is less than one to one.

Allied Stategy and Tactics

In AUSTERLITZ, as in few other wargames, a player can drastically alter the historical course of a battle. As one can see from the initial placement of the forces on the map, the Allies have gathered their strength to attack the weak right French flank. The allied objective being to advance, overcome those forces, and cut Napoleon off from his supplies and Vienna in the rear. The victory conditions reflect these objectives by offering the Allied plaver a tempting three victory points per combat strength point moved off the west edge of the map. However tempting the weakness of the French right flank is initially, it is reinforced on turn two by the arrival of the six brigades (28 combat factors) of Davout's III Corps. This force is more than enough to hold off the Allies until the bulk of the French army moves across the battlefield to overwhelm the Allied right flank, resulting in the ultimate destruction of the Allied army.

This is what happened in 1805. The situation and the name provide the Allied player an alternative. The Allies could have retreated to the east, preserving their army, for the burden of attack was on the French. In 1805, the Prussians were ready to join the Allies, Austria and Russia, against Napoleon. Napoleon needed a quick decisive victory against Tsar Alexander's forces, or he would be caught between Alexander and the Prussians in his rear. The game gives the Allied player the opportunity to follow this strategy, for the Allied player receives one victory point per combat strength point retreated off the east edge of the map. I believe this is the only viable plan of battle open to the Allies, and it is quite an easy matter to implement.

On turn one, the Allies, moving first, begin to withdraw their army. Bagration's Corps, located at the town of Holubitz and the Poseritz Post House, consists of six brigades constituting 41 combat factors. Twenty-seven of these can be exited at once, the rest taking up positions where they would be able to exit on turn two. Kutusov's Corps, half Austrian and half Russian, is located due north of Klein Hostjeradek. It consists of six brigades and constitutes 51 combat factors. This force should also withdraw toward the exit hexes.

While a few brigades of this force may be able to leave the battlefield, the rest in all probability will not be able to, they must act as the rear guard, to hold off the French, allowing the others to exit freely. Because of the massive size of the Allied brigades, and their relative immobility, the rest of the Allied army, Graf Buxhowden's Corps and Lichtenstein's Cavalry Corps, stand virtually no chance of being able to reach the east exit hexes before being annihilated. The objective of those corps must be to advance and threated the French right flank, and inflict as many casualties on the French as possible.

For without the advance toward the west exit hexes, the French may just try to bottle up the Allies, cutting them off from the map edges at the end of the game. Thus the French would have eliminated the Allied army without loss to themselves. The Allies must threaten to exit units off the west, possible to gain victory points , to prevent the destruction of those units which would give the French victory points, and lastly to bring the French to battle in order to gain victory points by the elimination of French units.

Second Turn

On the second turn, the rest of Bagration's Corps can be exited without interference. The advance elements of the French army even when diverted to the east to prevent Allied withdrawal, are still out of range on turn two. The second turn Allied reinforcements, the Imperial Russian Guard, commanded by the Grand Duke Constantine, three brigades strong, constitute 31 combat factors. These units should enter and take up position to exit on the third turn.

By this time, Kutusov's retreating Corps is also nearing the exit hexes and the 9-4 Austrian infantry brigade should also be in position to exit on the third turn. One unit should be on the southern most of the east exit hexes at all times. The rest of the Allied army should have advanced and be attacking or preparing to storm the Sokolnitz Castle, and the towns of Sokolnitz and Telnitz.

During the French player's segment of the turn, he will find that only one unit, the 1-6 cavalry brigade, is able to reach that particular exit hex mentioned. Since entering the zone of control of an enemy unit on that hex would result certainly in a one to five or worse attack (automatic elimination) the exit hex will be free for the third turn.

On the third turn, The Imperial Russian Guard, and the 9-4 Austrian infantry brigade should be exited. The remaining elements of Kutusov's Corps should take up positions to exit, but by this time the French will be arriving in force, making it unlikely that any more Allied units will be able to fight their way off the east edge.

By the careful withdrawal of those units previously indicated, the Allied player will have exited 81 combat strength points on the first three turns of the game, off the east edge, gaining one victory point per combat factor. The Allied force remaining on the battlefield comorise 181 combat factors. With the overwhelming number and mobility of the French forces, it is a strong probability that the Allies will see their force destroyed to the last man in the ensuing ten turns of the game. Assuming this to be the case, the French will have 181 victory points.

The Allies, having already gained 81 victory points, must eliminate at least 40 French combat factors in combat-during the rest of the game to gain victory, giving them 121 total compared to 181 for the French. This ratio is more than two to three and less that one to one, and the victory conditions give the Allies a marginal victory. A competent Allied player should be able to destroy the required 40 French combat factors necessary, provided he uses the proper tactics.

Allied tactics are dictated by the massive, unwieldy formations they used in combat. Most of the infantry brigades are of over ten combat factors in strength and only have a movement capability of three To make matters worse, there is a distinct lack of cavalry and artillery. Stacking is rendered generally impossible, and usually inappropriate. The Allied infantry in mass should carefully seek out the weaker but more mobile units of the French, especially those unstacked.

The might of the Allied infantry should be able to gain automatic eliminations (six to one odds or better) on any unfortunate unstacked French unit. Allied infantry must be extremely wary of French cavalry. Exposed infantry will find itself quickly surrounded, the superior French organization and attacking ability reducing the unit to dust. As stated, the Allied player should be able to gain automatic eliminations. This is inperative, as at other, lower odds attacks, disasterous exchanges could develop. While the infantry is employed in the center of the line, the little cavalry on hand must keep the French from collapsing the Allied right flank. They can do this by their ability to withdraw from zones of control. When engaged by superior numbers they must retreat, and form again. The Allied player is advised to use the swamps in the southeast to help cover his flank and rear from sweeping French cavalry.

French Strategy and Tactics

The preceding strategy when followed by the Allied player leaves very few alternatives for the French. Since the French can do nothing but watch 81 Allied combat factors leave the map, the player must make sure no other allied units escape. It is critical that enough strength is dispatched to the eastern exit hexes to stop the remnants of Kutusov's Corps. The arrival of Davout's III Corps on turn two will preclude the possibility of any Allied units exiting on the west.

All that remains to do is to roll up the Allied right flank, and the Allied army will be caught in a pocket around Sokonitz Castle, to be crushed at leisure. The only catch is that in these actions, the French cannot lose more than 39 strength points through combat losses, This is a fairly difficult task, but again we must refer to the proper tactics necessary to achieve success.

French tactics revolve around their superior mobility and attacking ability. First, when dealing with the remnants of Kutusov's Corps in the east, it is advisable to pin those units to the east edge of the map. They may not retreat off the map as a result of combat, they are eliminated if forced to do so. Second, in order to reduce losses, the French player must be careful to keep units stacked together, preferably at a hex strength of at least ten.

This will preclude high odds attacks by the Allied infantry, and automatic elimination. Third, the French should at all times seek to surround the enemy with cavalry, and attack at odds between one to one and three to one, to avoid costly exchanges with such units as the 17-3 Russian brigade. Fourth, they must seek demoralization as soon as possible, for then exchanges are made at only half factor, and Allied strength is nil.

Lastly, the French can capitalize on the very poor movement ability of the Allied units by setting up their own units one hex behind rivers not directly behind the rivers. This causes the Allied infantry a great problem, for they must stop at the river before they will be able to cross it to engage the enemy, as the cost to cross a river and enter a zone of control is three, which is the total movement factor of most Allied infantry.

Conclusion

Using the suggested strategy seems to make for a rather stereotyped game, but it at least gives the Allied player a better than average chance for victory. After the initial withdrawals, the game becomes an exciting tactical exercise, as the Allies pound away at the French, seeking the destruction of French units, and the French desparately trying to hold down casualties while refusing exit to any more Allied units.