The Avalon Hill board game, 1809, is a simulation of Napoleon's campaign on the Danube in the year 1809. The board game is part of series of Napoleonic campaign games designed by Kevin Zucker for various game publishers. The components to the game provide the basics for a miniatures campaign. The game map allows players to maneuver their forces up and down the Danube River valley from Ratisbon, Bavaria to Vienna, Austria. The cardboard counters represent army, corps, and division leaders. The game mechanics cover supply, attrition, sieges and combat for those confrontations which the players feel are too small to setup as a miniatures battle.

The campaign should be controlled by a referee who has a copy of the board game. Two opposing teams of players will have need one army commander and any number of wing or corps commanders. Each member of the team should have a copy of the game map or a hand- drawn version and a rudimentary understanding of the game sequence.

Movement orders may be written or otherwise communicated to the referee, who then moves the forces on the campaign map, resolves attrition, and advises the commanders of the results. Messages and dispatches sent between players will be sent through the referee, unless they are within direct communication distance (10 miles).

The rudimentary rules of the board game are summarized below.

Game Scale

Each hex is two miles across. Each strength point is 1000 men. Each game-tum is two days.

Markers

Only leader markers and center of operations markers move on the map. Leaders represent the force under that leaders direct comman4d The center of operations is the administrative hub of the army. Replacements and supply come from the center of operations.

Weather

The weather will be fair, muddy or rainy. Mud and rain increase the likelihood Of attrition during movement. Rain affects visibility and therefore reconnaissance.

Supply

All forces should draw supply from their center of operations or suffer greater risk of attrition from living of the land." The center of operations must be able to trace supply toa supply source. The French supply sources are on the west end of the map. Passau, Bavaria may become a French Supply Source once the French Center of Operations has spent 5 consecutive turns in the town to establish a depot. The Austrian supply sources are on the north and east edges of the map. It is important to note that the lose of the northern map edge may have negative impacts on the Austrian supply situation. Only major roads may be used for tracing supply lines from centers of operations to supply sources.

Movement

Movement will be simultaneous. All players will submit their moves before any movement takes place. If enemy forces are encountered or new information is received after the move has commenced commander's may attempt to alter their move at the risk of additional attrition or movement loss due to confusion.

There are two types of movement for all forces: regular and extended. A unit in regular movement is at full combat strength and moves at the regular movement rate. A unit in extended movement is at half strength and moves at double the regular movement rate. Cavalry in extended mode may not perform reconnaissance or screening activities. (See Reconnaissance)

IMPORTANT NOTE: A unit in extended mode is expending the same number of movement points as it would in regular movement for attrition determination.

Regular Movement Rates are: Infantry - 5 clear hexes (10 miles) per turn. Cavalry - 7 clear hexes (14 miles) per turn.

There are differing terrain costs for each type of unit. The referee will be using these costs to move the units. Movement orders will specify the mode of movement and the path of hexes the units are to follow. The actual route and distance the forces achieve may not meet with the commander's expectations. There is a provision for forced marches which adds 8 miles to a force's movement allowance. The penalty is higher attrition.

Bridges

Bridges, trestles and pontoons are the only way across major rivers and save 2 miles of movement for forces crossing minor rivers. Bridges are located where roads are shown on the map as crossing a river. They may be damaged but not destroyed. Repairs are required to allow use of a damaged bridge.

Trestles may be constructed at bridging sites shown on the map. They may be damaged and destroyed. Pontoons may be placed across any river. They may not be damaged or destroyed but they may be captured.

Attrition

All forces may suffer a loss of strength from fatigue and stragglers. The amount of the loss is affected by the amount of movement, the weather and the total strength of the force. The charts and tables required for determining attrition are in the board game and it is the referee's task to determine attrition.

Zones of Control

Movement stops when a force moves adjacent to an enemy force of at least 2000 men. Zones of control do not extend across rivers or into fortresses. Leaving a zone of control will hinder you movement.

Reconnaissance

All forces see into adjacent hexes (2 miles) at all times. Cavalry forces in regular movement mode have special abilities. In addition to normal and extended movement modes, light cavalry may be on reconnaissance or screen duty. When on recon, a single light cavalry strength point may see all forces within three hexes (6 miles). When on screen, a single light cavalry strength point may see all forces within two hexes (4 miles) and prohibit enemy recon from seeing beyond adjacent hexes (normal sight distance). Rain limits visibility to adjacent hexes (2 miles).

Battles

Encounters between enemy forces of sufficient strength can be fought with any rules system. At this time, a battle of at least 20,000 (French & Austrians combined) men will be considered sufficient. Any forces in extended movement mode will enter the miniatures battle disordered. All small engagements and sieges will be resolved by board game methods.

Redoubts

Redoubts may be constructed by forces of 12,000 men or greater which remain stationary for at least 6 game turns.

Victory

Victory is measured by the morale in Vienna. Vienna morale is effected positively by the loss of Napoleon, Davout, Lannes, or Massena. Vienna morale is effected negatively by the loss of Charles, Hiller, Lichtenstein or Bellegarde. The loss of 7000 or more men by one side in a single battle will affect the morale up or down depending upon which side took the loss. The morale will go up if Austria captures Regensburg and/or moves Charles with 20,000 men off the west map edge. The morale will go down if France recaptures Regensburg, comes within 7 hexes of Vienna, and/or captures Vienna.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Really good Vienna morale will cause French Allies to desert. Really bad morale will cause the Austrian landwehr forces to desert.

The campaign starting forces and the reinforcement schedule will be presented in the next edition of the Citadel.