EMPIRES IN ARMS, a board game published by Avalon Hill, lets the player do almost all of the things that the leaders of Europe did. Players may make and break alliances; 90 to war, conquer or surrender. They can make the force structure decisions. They can make the guns or butter decisions with economic manipulation. Players can even create whole new nations. Yes, you can do almost everything that Napoleon did, except the thing that he did best, fight the field battle. By introducing NAPOLEON'S BATTLES (Napoleon Miniatures Rules by Avalon Hill) you can do it all. Will you be able to save your country in battle when your diplomacy or fate turns against you? Russian Hussars on patrol 25mm MiniFigs painted by Orv Banasik and photo by Orv Banasik. Note the great effect of Orv's sawdust terrain. BEFORE PLAY BEGINS Assign Leaders. Each player will assign leaders to each of his corps and to each of his leader counters that are in play. Even if the corps marker is not on the map, leaders are assigned to it. Leaders are assigned to a leader counter as soon as the leader counter comes into play. Up to the leader counter's tactical maximum may be assigned to the counter. Thus a player can assign three leaders to the Kushanz Ali counter. These leaders may come from Chart 3 of the Scenario Booklet of NAPOLEON'S BATTLES or they may be a generic temp corps commander with ratings A(5)+O 6". Dead and retired leaders may not be assigned. For example Kellerman I may not be used because he is retired before the game starts. T Kleber can not be used because he is dead before the game starts. Legrand can not be used after 1811 because he retires in 1812. Lannes may be used until he actually dies in the game you are playing. As an exception Charles (Karl) does not have to retire unless forced by a peace option. Leaders that will be available as counters later in the game may be assigned to a corps or to another leader up until that point. If the battle is not fought using NAPOLEON'S BATTLES, players must roll for leader casual ties for all leaders in a battle including those assigned to corps or counters. Leader counters that are added during the game assign leaders just the same as the initial leaders. Leaders may change assignment by removing them from the first leader c ounter during the reinforcement phase of a turn and adding them to another at some latter reinforcement phase. Leaders that are assigned to a leader counter may act as a division commander or a temporary corps commander. Leaders are also assigned to each corps that the player has. One leader is assigned as the corps commander and will be a permanent corps commander for an infantry corps and a cavalry corps commander for a cavalry corps. These leaders may come from Chart 3 of the Scenario Booklet or from the following generic leaders; for an infantry corps with a strategic rating of two use A(6)+l 7"; for an infantry corps with a strategic rating of one use A(5)+O 6"; for a cavalry corps with a strategic rating of two use A(6)+ 2 5"; for a cavalry corps with a strategic rating of one use A(5)+ 14". Corps also receive a number of division commanders. These leaders may also come from Chart 3 of the Scenario Booklet, or use the The generic value A(4)+O 3". The number that is allowed to be assigned to the corps is the number in brackets before the listing of corps artillery. For example the Austrian Light Corps may assign up to one leader as a division commander. Determine which battles will be fought with NAPOLEON'S BATTLES First players should not use NAPOLEON'S BATTLES for trivial combats or siege assault combats. Trivial combat will just slow you down and assaults are very tricky to fight with miniatures. One option would be to play every battle. This could take forever with a campaign game, but this option can work well with a short scenario. A second option is to play every battle that all players with units present agree to fight it out. This, too, works better with shorter scenarios. Another option is to play every battle that all players in the game agree should be fought out. This could result in almost no miniature battles if one player doesn't want to wait for the results. The method that I prefer most to decide what battles to fight is the use of national commanders. First, one of the leader counters is designated the national commander for each controlled power. That counter must remain the national commander until he loses a battle or he is forced to retire, then the player may replace him by designating another counter as the national commander. The exemptions are that Napoleon and the Grand Vizer must be the national leaders of France and Turkey as long as they are alive and not forced to retire. Also Alexander must be the national leader of Russia once his counter is added and as long as he is alive and not forced to retire. Battles are fought using the rules from NAPOLEON'S BATTLES, if a national leader is involved. Exclude any trivial combats and siege assault combats. Before the game begins the players choose from one of three commander options. Firstly, fight all battles using NAPOLEON'S BATTLES as long as a single national commander is involved. Secondly, fight all battles using NAPOLEON'S BATTLES as long as all powers involved in the battle have their national commander present. (Or powers without their national commander present consent to allow the power with a national commander present to be the overall leader for their side.) Finally, fight all battles using NAPOLEON'S BATTLES where Napoleon is present. This is a good option for players with mostly French figures. Determine Method For Setting Up Terrain The first option is to use all available atlases and documents to recreate the area as exactly as possible. This would be the most perfect and accurate method of setting up the battle scene. It would also be the most time consuming scene. It would also be the most time consuming method, as well as the method most likely to make the players argue and quit This method is also recommended for those people who are using the game as a vehicle for historical, educational, or research. Other people should use one of the other two methods to follow. The second option is to have pre-made terrain setups for each terrain. At least two setups should be made for each type of terrain. Before the battle, die players roll randomly to see which setup for that type of terrain will be used. This method has the advantage of being the quickest to set up. It also allows the players to gather all of the appropriate terrain features in the quantity they need before starting the game. This method does require a bit more preparation than the third method. It also will end up with a little less variety. (Unless the players make a large number of premade setups.) The third method is to place the terrain piece by piece as described in this article. This method allows for a great deal of variety. If playing with people that take their time with every decision, it could take a long time to get set up. Also the landscape could look rather strange, if the players choose to set it up that way. FOR EACH BATTLE A Set UpTerrain B. Convert Factors To Figures & Add Corps Artillery C. Organize Figures Into Units D. Assign Cornmand Structure E. Determine Where Attacker Will Enter F. Set Up Defending Units G. Roll For Starting Hour H. Set Up Attacking Units I. Play With NAPOLEON'S BATTLES Rules J. Convert figures to other figures K. Convert figures to factors L. Pay for Lost Corps Artillery Figures M. Return Factors To Corps and Depots N. Retreat Corps Set Up Terrain If the players don't want to do extensive research, and they don't want to use the same terrain all of the time, use these rules to set up the landscape. Use the standard 9 by 5 ft. map. For all areas, each player will place one terrain feature until each player has placed 10 terrain features. The defender will place the first feature. Options are: 48" of road, a 4" by 4" town, an 8" by 4" town, a 10" by 4" hill, a 10" by 10" hill, an 8" by 4" woods, and 8" by 8" woods, or a 4" by 4" lake. I do mean 4" by 4" and 8" by 4" towns, not buildings. If these were buildings as they are depicted in the game aids, they would be over 400 yards long. That's even a pretty large building for Donald Trump let alone some 18th century countryside. For woods areas, each player will place an additional 10 features after the normal features have been placed. 'Me options are: an 8" by 4" woods, an 8" by 8" woods, and 8" by 2" woods, a 10" by 10" woods, or a 2" by 2" woods. For mountain areas, each player will place an additional 10 features after the normal features have been placed. The options are: an 8" by 8" hill, a 10" by 10" hill, a 10" by 4" hill, a 4" by 4" hill, a 2" by 2" hill, or a 20" by 10" hill. If the defender is commanded by a Russian commander, he may place 2" of level one fortifications for each factor present. These fortifications may be placed on top of one another with each layer adding a level of strength up to level 4.If not commanded by a Russian commander, place only 1" per factor. Fortifications are Placed after the attacker's entry area is determined. When a player places a new terrain feature, he may have it ovelap the present feature, or have it attach to a similar feature, thus making a larger feature, or have it give way to the feature already present (in effect placing a smaller feature than allowed). Woods and lakes may not be placed over a town. Converting Factors To Figum & Corps Artillery Convert each factor from EMPIRES IN ARMS into the figures listed. Add the artillery batteries for each corps that is present. Unless noted all batteries are full. Organizing Figures Into Units Group the figures into groups no smaller than 16 figures for infantry and no smaller than 12 figures for cavalry. One unit of each type for each country may be smaller. The units may not be grouped any larger than 28 figures for infantry and 20 figures for cavalry. Assign Command Structure The command span of the overall leader is determined by the explanations to CHART 4 of the Scenario Booklet. Leaders that are represented by a counter at the time of the battle may be an army, wing or corps commanders. There may be no more than two wing commanders on a side. Leaders assigned to a leader counter may be temporary corps or division commanders. Leaders assigned as corps commanders must be commanders, and leaders assigned as division commanders must be division commanders. These leaders already have their command spans adjusted for rank. Within these guidelines the players can make up their own command structure. Determine Where Attacker Will Enter The player with the leader with the highest strategic value determines which map side the attacker will enter form. If the scores are equal the player that rolls higher determines the side. The middle 36" of the board side will be the initial entry area. The attacker may shift the entry area by x4 the leaders strategic value or increase its size by x2 the leaders strategic value in inches. If the area is shifted far enough, it is legal to be shifted to one of the corners. Set Up. Defending Units. Defending units may not be set up closer than 24" from any board edge. They may be set up with any facing or formation. Roll For Starting Hour. Roll 1 die. On a one start at 0700. On a two start at 0800. On a three start at 0900. On a four start at 1200. On a five start at 1300. On a six start at 1600. Use the chart from section 17.3.1.3 of the Rule Booklet of NAPOLEON'S BATTLES to determine nightfall and sunrise. Roll randomly to determine the exact day. The battle automatically starts at sunrise on any further days of battle past the first (Unless the players wish to use the optional night turns rules). Set Up Attacking Units Attacking units set up by performing a move from the entry edge area. The units may come in any legal formation, but on this entry move they only receive 1/2 the normal movement allowance. They may not be moved closer than 12" to any enemy unit. Units may be kept off board and entered on a later turn of the attacker's choice. Play NAPOLEON'S BATTLES. If one side breaks or withdraws check for pursuit losses, and then follow the rules 21.1.2 and 21.2 from NAPOLEON'S BATTLES. If both sides remain at the end of the day, follow all of the rules from section 21 NAPOLEON'S BATTLES. There are no pursuit losses if a player decides to withdraw one turn after sundown. Pursuit losses are one cavalry figure for each opposing cavalry unit that has at least 12 figures left, is on the map, is not disordered and is not routed at the time of the withdraw times the number of day turns that are left. A cavalry leaders presence adds 50% more figures. A player may substitute three infantry figures or six militia figures for each cavalry figure. A side is considered to withdraw the moment its morale breaks or the last unit leaves from an edge of the board. For example, the side that did not withdraw has 10 cavalry units with 12 or more figures that are in good order. 'Me date is 10 June and the time is 1800. 'Me victorious player has a cavalry leader present. Thus there are three day turns left. The result is (10 x 3) + 50% = 45 cavalry figures eliminated. The loser decides that he will lose 15 cavalry figures, 30 infantry figures and 120 Militia figures to satisfy the loss. Convert Figures to Figures Any four cavalry figures may be converted into any other cavalry figure of the same nationality. Any eight infantry figures may be converted into any other infantry figure of the same nationality. Convert Figures To Factors All figures must now be reconverted to factors at the same ratios that they were converted into figures. The last unit of each type of each nation only needs to have at least 50% strength of all types of figures. For example the last factor of French infantry must have at least two figures of LN, two figures of IT and two figures of VIN. For example the last Russian artillery factor must have two G12# figures and one G6# figures. Pay For Lost Corps Artillery Figures For corps artillery, the player must pay 2$ for each figure of artillery short of those required for the corps. The major power may go into debt to pay, but must repay the debt as soon as it gets any money. The major power must pay for any losses that its controlled minor country suffers. There is no corps artillery for the artillery corps. Return Factors To Corps And Depots Figures may be returned to any corps that was present at the start of the battle or to a surviving depot or to a city if one is in the area. Retreat Corps Use rules from 7.5.2.10.3 from EMPIRES IN ARMS. ODDS AND ENDS Leaders values are not reduced when playing the battle out using NAPOLEON'S BATTLES because they are commanding more corps than their tactical maximum allows. The overall commander of a side determines how many free rolls that side may have. The number is equal to the commander's (tactical rating + tactical maximum) x 2. Turkish Leaders Use the following values for leaders when fighting using NAPOLEON'S BATTLES rules. The Grand Vizer uses the same ratings as Alexander I of Russia. Kushanz Ali uses the same ratings as Murat Pechlivan Khan uses the same ratings as Moore. Turkish commanders may, once per turn, use an extra free roll. The extra free rolls may not be accumulated. The extra free roll may only be used for combat rolls. Special Leaders Definitely use the special general rules from section 20.1. In this case Blucher must add Gneisenau as one of his country's leaders, but he functions as in the special leaders' rule. Competing Generals Sometimes generals performed poorly when they did not consider their commander their superior. If a leader has an equal rank letter as the commanding general, his response number is lowered by two. If a leader has a higher rank letter than the commanding general his response rating is lowered by four. A response number may not b e lower than two after all modifiers. Using these rules will definitely lengthen any EMPIRES IN ARMS game. Some changes in strategy will be needed. First, players will try to have as many corps present at a battle for the leaders and artillery that they provide. Also corps will not be eliminated just so the factors can be stuffed into the larger corps at the expense of the smaller corps. Players may find that over the course of a long campaign, that leader losses are very crucial. It will be very evident how expensive it will be to retreat in poor order and lose their artillery. Overall the balance of the game should stay the same because factors with the same oral value were given approximately equal unit values. Spain does get less artillery than the other players, but it gets a lot more than it ever really had. The Turkish regular forces take on new value because now they can be combined witha large feudal army without all of their benefit eroded. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier # 59 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1992 by The Courier Publishing Company. 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