Introduction These rules are designed for a fast tactical war game of the Napoleonic period. A game between two opposing corps will last on average two to three hours. These rules represent my own personal prejudices about Napoleonic war games. Many of the rules I have encountered are too complicated, have too much paper work, and produce games that take too long to play. I have developed these rules after war gaming for many years, mostly as a solo player. The purpose is to provide a fast, flexible, and simple game that represents Napoleonic warfare. Enjoy! Organization One can vary the composition of the various infantry battalions, cavalry regiments, and artillery batteries depending on choice. Generally I prefer using 15 mm figures with a ratio of 1:60 and this will serve as the basis for these rules. Players have the option of varying the numbers of figures per tactical unit and the numbers of figures per stand. These rules will work for all. I use three figures per stand for infantry, two figures per stand for cavalry, and four figures per stand for each gun. Therefore, twelve figures will make up an infantry battalion, eight figures a cavalry regiment (four squadrons per regiment) and an artillery battery/company of one gun and four figures. Hence an average infantry battalion will represent 720 men. Infantry consists of line and guard battalions. During the Napoleonic wars, at least in the French army, infantry could be deployed as skirmishers, in lines, or in columns. It was usual practice that one company per battalion be deployed as skirmishers, but all infantry could do so. Cavalry consists of light, medium, and heavy, and is divided between line and guard. Artillery consists of foot and horse and is divided between line and guard. Artillery consists of howitzers and guns of various ranges and calibers. For these rules all artillery is the same. Generally units are to fight and maneuver collectively as infantry battalions, cavalry regiments, and artillery batteries. This means that the splitting up of units by stands is discouraged. Game Sequence This is a move-counter move game with simultaneous firing and morale checks. The game consists of turns. One player moves and determines all combat results. The opposing player remains passive except when simultaneous firing and morale checks are needed. The first player announces his move is done, then it becomes the second players move who repeats the process. When his move is completed, that constitutes a completed turn. Movement Infantry: During a move period, infantry may fire and move or move and fire. Infantry may change formation and fire or the reverse. It may not move, fire, and change formation all in one move, except if a column or line deploys into skirmishers. Skirmishers, can combine moving in any direction and firing. Cavalry: Cavalry moves at standard distance and may change formation and move during the same movement period. However, a change of formation will reduce the move distance by a half. Artillery: Artillery may either move or fire during a game move, but not both. Movement of the guns takes a full turn. What that means is that if a gun is moved during a move phase, it may not fire back if shot at during the opposing players move of that turn. Guns can pivot on their axes and fire during the same move as long as the pivot does not exceed a 45 degree angle. Guns may not pivot if fired upon from the flank or rear during the opposing side's move. All retrograde movements - that is withdrawing but still facing the enemy for units in line, column, or skirmish order is done at half the allowed distance. Units in line or column may slide to their sides at half the allowed move distance and may still fire in that move. Type Line Col. Skirm Square Infantry 4" 6" 9" 2" Cavalry 12" 12" 12" - Artillery 9" 9" 9" - Roads +3" +3" +3" - Woods, Streams, Hills count 2" for each 1" traversed Move through formed Friends -2" for all Move through skirm. Friends No additional cost Retrograde movement is half distance Skirmishers One of my major complaints about many war game rules is the minimal use made of infantry as skirmishers. Skirmishers were used to harass enemy formations and screen the advance of other units. Entire battalions can be deployed as skirmishers. Enemy infantry and cavalry may not charge through a skirmish screen, nor can musket fire penetrate a skirmish screen to hit units behind the screen. Change of Formation: Squares, lines, or columns may break into skirmish formation, move a full 9" and fire at the beginning or end of a move. Skirmishers may move a full 9" and form into a line, column, or square at the end of a full move, but may not fire during that move. When changing formations between line, column, or square, units may fire but cannot move forward or back. Skirmishers may not charge enemy units unless the terrain allows no other type of formation such as heavy woods or is very rocky. Skirmishers may move through friendly units without any disruption or diminution of movement range. Friendly units may move through skirmishers without any diminution or disruption. Routed units may swerve past friendly units, and only move through friendly units as a last resort. Isolation: If an infantry battalion is reduced to a single stand or if a stand is separated from another by a distance greater than twice the width of an infantry stand, that unit is considered isolated. The isolated unit may fire only in defense as skirmishers, but it cannot initiate fire. If physically attacked it fights and fires as skirmishers. It may continue to serve as a screen. A skirmish screen will cover twice the width of a stand. The isolation ends when the lone stand reinforces or is reinforced. This amalgamation will take a full move to restore combat effectiveness. Single cavalry stands can be used as skirmishers. In this case, cavalry in skirmish order must be separated from another cavalry stand by a distance greater than twice the width of a cavalry stand. Cavalry does not shoot. Cavalry in skirmish order may not charge an enemy but it defends itself normally in a melee if attacked. Fire Combat Infantry volley fire is by single rank only. For example: only the lead stands of an infantry battalion in column can fire a volley. A battalion in line must be within one half the width of an infantry stand to fire a volley. If farther apart, they are considered in skirmish order and fire as skirmishers. All infantry stands must fire only to their front. If any stand (company) of an infantry battalion receives fire, then all companies return fire so long as there is a target to shoot at. During musket fire infantry stands must shoot at units immediately to their front, and cannot fire on an angle. If there are no enemy units immediately in front, then the infantry may fire vollies at a 30 degree angle without any movement. Volley fire is determined by rolling a D6, multiplying it by the number of soldiers firing and divide this number by ten (discount fractions) to determined the number of hits. [1] Ranges Muskets: 6" Artillery Round Shot: 18" Artillery Cannister: 6" (triangular blast pattern measuring 60 degrees from the muzzle) Modifiers Target Uphill or in Wood: -1 from "to hit" Target Uphill Greater than 1 contour or in breastwork: -2 from "to hit" Example: a full battalion in line, 12 figures, is to fire a volley. A 4 is rolled on the die. 12x4=48, 48/10=4.8 so 4 kills are scored on the opposing unit. The number of troops included in a single volley action are unlimited, but it is recommended that volleys be fired by battalions. Skirmish fire: The same method as volley fire is used except that two points are deducted from each die roll. Artillery: For long range artillery fire, i.e. from 6"-18", an artillery stick is used to designate the route of shot. The target is identified as anything that is touched by the stick up to a penetration of four ranks. One D6 is rolled for each target. 1-3 is a hit, 4-6 a miss. Four hits by artillery on a building will cause it to burn andany units in the building must evacuate. Artillery cannot fire through their own troops unless the units in front of the guns are in skirmish order and there is a clear path for round shot. Artillery cannot fire through formed troops (line or columns). Artillery can only fire over the heads of their own troops if the gun is firing on an elevated target, and its own troops are at least 6" from the muzzle of the gun. Artillery fire cannot knock out guns. Hits are recorded on the gun crews. A minimum of three figures are needed to move or fire a gun. If the gun crew is reduced below three men, the crew can either reinforce another gun crew or be reinforced in turn. However, the movement of gunners will take a full move, and another turn is needed to integrate the new arrivals so guns that are not properly manned cannot be fired or moved until reinforced to the minimum, and if usually takes two turns. Canister's maximum range is 6". A D6 is rolled for each figure within the canister blast pattern. 1-3 is a hit. If the target is in a defended position, such as within a wood or on an higher elevation than the unit that is firing, then only a roll of 1 or 2 will score a hit. If on an elevation of 2" or more, or behind breastworks, or in some other type of very strong position, then only a roll of 1 will score a hit. If an artillery crew routs for any reason, the gun is lost. Melee Combat A melee is hand to hand combat.. There must by physical contact between the two sides for a melee to occur. Units up to a depth of four ranks can be included in a melee so long as the stands are touching each other. The procedure is for one unit to physically charge another. Attacks are made by battalions or squadrons. If one stand comes into contact with another stand during that charge, then the rest of the infantry battalion or cavalry regiment of both sides takes part in the melee, so long as the balance of the respective units are not isolated. The unit receiving the charge must roll 2 D6 to determine its morale - whether if holds or routs. If it breaks, the unit retires the maximum distance allowed and must retreat immediately to its rear. It the full move distance is blocked by an enemy unit the beaten unit is eliminated. If the unit receiving the charge is charged from the front, and that unit is either infantry or artillery, and its morale holds, it may immediately fire into the attacking unit so long as it has not yet fired during that move. During combat when a battalion or regiment holds a section of the line, and part of that unit is eliminated by fire and a hole is made in the line, enemy units cannot charge through the breech during that move until the entire infantry battalion or cavalry regiment is eliminated or routed. For this reason, consider that each infantry or cavalry stand covers twice the width of its stand. Single infantry and cavalry stands will be considered in skirmish order in such situations. If the hole is greater than twice the width of a stand, then units can charge through the breech. Except for fighting in buildings, no unit may fight more than one melee per move or fire more than once per move. Flank and Rear Attacks: For a unit to be attacked from the flank it must be attacked on an angle 45 degrees or greater from its front. A unit attacked from the flank or rear may not fire into the attacking unit. The defender must check its morale and 3 points are subtracted from the total. If the unit stands and a melee occurs, 3 points are added to the value of each attacking figure for the ensuing melee. A unit may wheel to attack an enemy's flank, but may not swerve back and fourth. Infantry cannot charge cavalry. Skirmishers cannot charge artillery or formed infantry unless there are special terrain requirements. If the unit being charged is infantry in line or column and it holds upon checking its morale, it may form square at the defending commander's option. If the charging unit is fired upon during the charge, it must check its own morale to determine if it charges home or routs. If the charging unit's morale holds and the charge is pressed home, the actual melee occurs. The attacker and defender each roll a D6. The number rolled is then multiplied by the number of points for the figures in each unit. The highest product of this equation determine victory. The loser will remove a quarter the number of points as casualties and the remainder routs. Fractions are rounded up for the loser. The winner of the melee loses a half the number of the loser's points with fractions rounded down in the winner's favor. Return Fire: Any unit, infantry or artillery, if fired upon, may return fire during the opponent's move. A unit issuing return fire may not move. A unit issuing return fire may only return fire once during the opponent's move. The commander, whose unit is receiving fire may at his option hold fire preferring to wait for an enemy to charge him during that move and then fire. Example: It is force A's move. He has a full battalion deployed 4" from a full force B battalion. A fires a volley. B has the option to fire a volley but declines to fire. A has rolled a 3 so 3x12=36 so B loses 3 figures as casualties. Since A has not yet moved his battalion he then charges B's battalion. B is a line battalion and rolls two die totaling an 8. B's morale holds. Since he has withheld fire, he now fires a volley. B rolls a 4, so 4x9=36 so A loses 3 figures. In addition A must roll for morale. A is a line battalion and rolls an eight so the charge continues. (If a seven had been rolled A would have routed). Both sides roll a die. A rolls a 5. With 9 figures at 2 pts each that makes a total of 18. 18X5=90. B rolls a 6. B with 9 figures also has 18 points. 6x18=108. B wins the melee. The result is that A loses a quarter of his points i.e. 4.5, rounding up this means that three figures are removed as casualties. B rounds down by half, loses 2 points or one figure. A then routs. If B had returned fire when fired upon then A would not have needed to roll for morale during the charge. The same sequence can be applied to artillery or skirmishers. The melee rules apply for cavalry, except cavalry does not shoot, so a charging unit does not have to check its morale unless fired upon by the unit receiving the charge. Morale and Point Table Type of Unit Points Per Figure Morale Die to Hold Artillery 1 8 Skirm: Inf 1 9 Skirm: Cav 2 9 Line Inf 2 8 Guard Inf 3 6 Line Cav 3 7 Guard or Hvy Cav 4 6 Inf in Square +1 pt. 4 Attacking enemy in flank or rear +3 pts - Attacking frontally uphill or defending wood, stream +1pt. +1 to roll Higher than 1 contour behind works or wide stream +2 pts. +2 to roll The Cascading Attack The combat and movement rules allow for a cascading attack. This means that different combat actions can be conducted in succession rather than the usual sequence of move, fire, and melee. The major requirement is that units have not yet been moved during the same move period, nor have engaged in any combat action during that move period. This rule favors offensive tactics. However, no unit may fire or melee more than once during a move period. Example: Two opposing cavalry brigades face each other. The left regiment of side A charges the right regiment of side B. he right hand regiment of side A can, after the combat results are known from the first melee and at his option can then charge the left hand regiment of side B so long as A has not moved or engaged in combat during that move period. Then another melee is determined between the right hand regiment A and the left hand B regiment. Assuming A wins again, and there is another unit behind or beside A's cavalry brigade, that unit, if it has not yet moved, may attack another enemy unit by fire or melee. However, if one of B's cavalry regiments hand won the melee, it cannot be attacked for a melee by another unit during that move period. It can however be fired upon. Remember-the move period is only over after the side executing the move period has moved any, all, or none of his units. then the opposing side may do the same. Rout, Disruption, and Rally When a unit routs it retires immediately to the its rear. Routed units will swerve past friendly units and only move through friendly units as a last resort. If the retreating units run through a formed unit, then that unit is considered disrupted. Disrupted units may not advance for one turn. If attacked, one die point is reduced for morale checks and melees. Disrupted units may fire, but one die point is reduced when determining fire. Routed units fall back the maximum distance allowed for its type. Infantry, for example would run 9". During the next move, the routed unit halts. A marker is placed next to the unit signifying the halt. On the following move the halted unit is turned toward the enemy, but the marker remains. The unit is considered to be reforming. On the succeeding move, the unit is considered combat effective. The marker is removed and the unit may return normally to the fight in any formation that the player so desires. NOTE: The halt and reforming stages must not be interrupted by any enemy action or any movement. If fired upon before it is combat effective, the unit must retreat and the entire halt and reform process begins again. If the unit is pursued by infantry or cavalry, the retreat must continue. If charged by any enemy unit before the unit regains combat effectiveness, 50% of the unit is removed as casualties after the first assault, and the remainder is eliminated if there is a second assault before combat effectiveness is restored. If the unit is halted and must be moved for any reason, the two stages of halt and reforming must be repeated. Infantry Squares Infantry adopts a square formation as the best defense against a cavalry charge. Infantry my fire and form square or form square and fire during a single move. If charged by a cavalry unit the defending square rolls two D6. It routs only if a 2 or 3 is rolled. Squares may move at 2" per turn. In a melee with cavalry, a point is added for each type of figure. A line figure counts as 3 points while guard figures count as 4 points. All the units in the square are counted in the melee. If the square loses its morale or the melee, it routs. If a square is attacked by infantry, it is determined as a regular infantry melee, with no increments added on die rolls. If fired upon, and one side of the square is eliminated and the open sides are attacked, then the battalion receiving the attack is considered as being attacked in the rear or the flank. Only the side being attacked may fire. If so, it fires in volley. Fighting in Buildings Only one defending stand can occupy a house or other building. (However, some variation is allowed for size, since some buildings could hold a battalion rather than a company). Only one stand of figures can attack or shoot at one side of the building. Firing: The defending unit can fire once during a move period. To determine casualties 2 D6 are rolled. A total of 8 or over scores a hit. A die point is deducted from this roll for each existing casualty on the firing stand. Each attacking stand firing into a building must roll a 9 or more to score a hit on the defending unit. A die point is deducted for each existing casualty. Melee: The unit holding the house is always considered the defending unit. Except in special circumstances, only one infantry stand can attack per building side. Therefore a total of four stands can attack the four sides of a building. During an attack, one must roll two dice for each attacking stand. Results are as follows: Building Melee Results Die Roll Defender Attacker 12 elim - 11 -2 fig routs -2 fig 10 -2 fig routs -1 fig 9 -1 fig -1 fig 8 - elim 7 - -2 fig routs 6 - -1 fig routs 5 or less - routs For ea. additional stand attacking: +1 to attacker die For ea. defender casualty: +1 to defender die Command Figures One or several figures can be designated as commander figure. If used in the game, any stand within 4" of a command figure, one die point is added for all morale checks and one die point is added to a die roll to determine a melee, and a point is added to the value of each figure to determine melees. A command figure can be killed by fire or direct assault. In all cases the attacking unit must roll a 12 with the dice. Commanders will have no influence in morale or melee for units in skirmish order. They have no influence for combat in buildings Optional Rules Control: To represent the varying qualities of troop control, one can dice to determine move distances. Individual units of entire armies are to be classified as A, B, or C. Units or armies listed as A can move full distances at all times. For those listed as B one D6 is rolled for every other turn. If 1-3 is rolled, there is no penalty. If 4-6 is rolled, all movement is at one half distance. C troops are considered to be green troops and must roll to see if they can move their full distance for every turn. If 1-3 is rolled, no reduction. If 4-6 is rolled, then movement is reduced by half. Green Troops: For troops designated as levies, militia, or landwehr, or of poor morale, one point is deducted from all morale, melee, and fire die rolls. 1. The firing system is a variation from John C. Chandler's, Du Temps de Napoleon (1964). ED NOTE: The author wrote the highly acclaimed Napoleon's Last victory, published by the Universtiy Press of Kansas. 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