Napoleon in Spain

The Peninsular War 1808-09

Review by William Jaffe


Designed by Charles Gaenslen Historical, ' Concepts PO. Box 1502, Burlingame, CA 94010
Released: 1984
Catalog No. 210
Price: $14,95
Complexity:- Experience
Solitaire Suitability: low

Napoleon in Spain is an operational level game of the Napoleonic era. It fits between the detailed tactical systems like the Martial Enterprises games and the grand strategic levels of War and Peace from The Avalon Hill Game Company. The Spanish, Portuguese, and British fight Murat, Joseph Bonaparte or Napoleon. The French must balance proper force commitment against the intervention of the Austrians. There are scenarios as well for shorter play.

Above all, military tactics in this period emphasized maneuvering over any other aspect of warfare. The need to bring the right mix of forces to bear at exactly the right time was paramount. This game simuLaLK:;s a scale of warfare that allows the players the opportunity to maneuver their forces to obtain victory and succeeds admirably It takes a good sense of strategy and tactics to succeed. The outcome is always in doubt because there are no perfect maneuvers, unstoppable actions, or untakeable positions.

The game contains rules, a map, organization charts for the units, one page of charts, and 400 counters. Most of the counters are markers intended for use on the organizational display. Right off, I want to say that the components are the weakest part of this game. The map can best be described as a violent shade of yellow, and the legend at the side to explain terrain features seems to have been deliberately designed to confuse. The rulebook has charts on the back page, instead of on the separate chart provided (and why only one when two or more will play?). On the good side, the printing on the counters arid on the mapboard is clear and readable.

The design of the game is very good arid I intend to play again. The game succeeds in allowing the player to maneuver and be outmaneuvered. It is the best example of the type of decisions that Napoleonic Marshals faced simulated on a gameboard. The hidden movement system works, and the initiative system is quite reasonable.

This game will be fun to play only after You wade through the mechanics. It is difficult as a game system, despite having only a few pages of rules. The strategies and tactics of the game are not apparent at first.

Briefly, you attempt to have your army commander generate an order (a unit or division commander can move without rolling for initiative). Then, any sieges are resolved. Those with orders can move, all other units only move if they make their co- resident commander's or their initiative on a 2d6 roll. Units move, fight and are attritioned one at a time, so units moving first can clear the way for others moving later. Combat is percentage comparison. It is possible for smaller forces that are properly made up and have high morale to overwhelm larger, more poorly led troops.

This neat part of the game works well. Combat and pursuit by cavalry resolve by loss levels compared to strength points which yields strength points lost. This works well also. The chart markers are poorly explained, and the cavalry marker appears designed to confuse. It needs to be hand marked by the players to be useful. Finally attrition is determined, resulting in another loss level comparison.

Two other rules factors to mention are the Spanish guerillas and the use of sea movement by the Spanish and British. The guerillas appear able to stop movement just by wanting to do so. This gives the British and Spanish the ability to use seamobile artillery for assisting in sieges and battles. Overall, I'd say that the rules needed more explanation, and some editing. I'm still chuckling over my moral units, and other bloopers.

This game pioneers innovation by the combination of old standby systems. The initiative concept is an old one, as are the strength markers and backprinting. But the combination of concepts works so well that I would rate the system as innovative. it should set a standard for this scale in Napoleonic gaming.

I compliment the designer for including some references with the game, although doing so leaves one open to the problems that plagued The Avalon Hill Game Company's The Longest Day some years ago. So many references that everyone carped at the ones they had that weren't included ... you can't win. I will freely admit to being a game player and not a historian. Having played most of the Peninsular games over the years, the game is, I feel, authentic in its feel and play. That's what I look for anyway.

Finally, the game is up to general industry standards in terms of physical value for the price. in fact, there are lots of $25.00 games that don't do nearly as much and languish on my shelf. Overall, I liked this game, and after working at it for a while, I feel it's a good game to own, especially for Napoleonic fans.

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