Game Designers' Workshop strikes again! 1815 comes in a big 12" x 15 x 2", clear plastic, zip-lock bag and consists of: a 22" x 28" mapsheet, printed in brown, black, blue and green on ivory or cream coloredlight card stock; an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of GDW's usual high quality square unit counters (black on blue French line, white on blue French Imperial Guard, black on red British line, white on red British Guards, black on light red Hanoverian, black on green Nassau, white on black Brunswicker, black on grey Dutch- Belgian, black on blue-green Prussian, and red on white King's German Legion) printed on both sides; a 6" x 9" 12-page rule book; six 8 1/2" x 11" cards containing orders of appearance, combat results table, etc.; and a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" 4- page folder of errata and clarifications.

1815 is a division/brigade level game and the map covers the area from Waterloo and Wavre east to Fleurus and Gosselies, and slightly beyond, encompassing the historical battles of Ligny, Quatre Bras and Waterloo. It was designed by Frank Chadwick.

Each daylight turn represents 1 hour and each night turn two hours. There are 49 turns, from 11:00a.m. 16 June through 10:00p.m. 18 June. Victory is based on a point system based on casualties and the number of attack factors the French player can exit off the north edge of the map in a given area. It is a fairly conventional hex-grid board game, except: counters have a half-strength step on their reverse sides; units (except cavalry and horse artillery) may never leave an enemy zone of control except as a result of a retreat or advance after combat; most cavalry, plus the French Old Guard infantry have 1 or 2 "shock points" which can modify the die roll, or CRT results; Units in violation of stacking limits (voluntarily or involuntarily), or forced to retreat by the CRT, are "disrupted", meaning they may not attack and have their defense strengths and movement allowances temporarily halved (if the French Old Guard infantry division ever becomes disrupted all French units within 4 hexes must roll for morale!); artillery units may conduct bombardment attacks at a range of 1 or 2 hexes; cavalry and horse artillery may retreat to avoid combat with infantry; after combat cavalry are considered "blown" for 1 turn (similar to disrupted); during night turns units may not enter ZOCs or advance after combat; and an optional rule provides for movement off the board and back.

Unfortunately I'm not familiar with Avalon Hill's WATERLOO, so I can't compare 1815 with it for you. 1815 has, however, obviously adapted some Napoleonic miniatures techniques to the hex-grid board game, and done it well. Any board gamer interested in the Napoleonic era would not be disappointed with 1815, It sells for $8.75 and is available from Game Designers' Workshop, 203 North St. Dept E, Normal IL 61761.

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