As Napoleon's Grande Armee moves on toward Moscow, YOU command the 14th Regiment of Cuirassiers. The 3rd Heavy Division, of whom you are part, has been attached to Eugene's Army Corps, given the task of intercepting a Russian column as it advances across the Balathaya River. On the 7th of August, the two armies meet and the battlelines are drawn. The object of the game is to survive the battle and gain what glory and prestige you can. Roll one average dice. This gives you your initial number of Battle Factors (BF). The Battle Factor of a unit is a combination of moral, melee ability, strength and, in some cases, situation. Combat 1) Throw 1D6 for your group and add your present BF. 2) Throw 1D6 for the enemy unit and add their present BF. 3) The unit with the higher total is the winner. If the totals are the same, then both sides deduct 1 BF and steps 1) and 2) are repeated. Reckless Bravery When your unit is fighting, and before throwing the dice, you may choose to inspire your men by being recklessly brave. This allows you to add 1 to your dice roll. However, after the melee, and before proceeding to the next step, roll 1D6. A score of 5 or 6 means you have been killed and so the game is over. Now you are ready; go to No. 32. Good luck, mon petite! 1. The Russians flee. Go to 44. 2. Casualties are very high. You are wounded; your regiment has to retire and can take no further part in the battle. 3. The infantry are inspired by your men and take heart. They regroup and are ready to advance. Go to 48. 4. Roll 1D6. Compare score to your present BF. If more than BF - go to 12. If equal or less than BF - go to 45. 5. They form square and so there is little you can do. It would be better to quickly move on. Go to 47. 6. The uhlans are routed! Do you follow up and pursue? Go to 29. Do you stand and reform? Go to 3. 7. The Russian cavalry charge you. There is no time to counter-charge. Russian cuirassier BF is 5. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 1. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 36. 8. A battery of horse artillery arrives and chases away the Cossacks with a few rounds of case shot. Go to 50. 9. You retreat tired and unformed. A unit of Cossacks appears. With a blood-curdling scream they tear into your unit. A savage melee takes place. Cossacks BF is 3. If victorious, add 1 BF and go to 24. If defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 2. 10. The enemy have beaten you to it. Four squadrons of dragoons, two companies of yaegers, and a detachment of pioneers hold the bridge. However, in the distance you can see reinforcements moving to join you. Do you charge the enemy cavalry? Go to 37. Wait for reinforcements? Go to 13. 11. New orders arrive: You are to advance in support of the 53rd Infantry, which is moving to take Eturitzsch farmhouse. Go to 54. 12. You have just become a dead hero. You'll be remembered for your great deeds of this day. With a bit of luck, the unfortunate attack on the Guard Cuirassiers will be credited to enthusiasm and love of the Emperor, rather than to poor judgment. 13. This gives the Russian pioneers time to blow the bridge, and so the chance to follow up today's advantage is lost. You'd better keep a low profile if the Emperor is about. 14. The Infantry has been forced to retreat and the enemy guns turn on you. Lose 1 BF. Do you stand fast? Go to 2. Charge the guns? Go to 33. 15. The uhlans crash into your unit! Uhlans BF is 4. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 6. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 18. 16. The Cossacks evade and you are counter-charged by Russian cuirassiers that have been waiting out of sight behind the wood. Russian cuirassiers' BF is 5. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 57. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 4. 17. The enemy cavalry counter-charge. Oh no! You discover they are a regiment of Russian guard cuirassiers! Guard BF is 7. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 57. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 4. 18. You fall back in disorder, but help arrives. Your rivals, the 4th Cuirassiers, hit the enemy in the flank and the Russians are routed. Lose another 1 BF because of the indignity of it all and go to 35. 19. As you advance, you see the remnants of a Russian infantry regiment, some 200 yards away. They see you and attempt to form square. Do you attack? Go to 34. Do you hold back? Go to 5. 20. You are forced to retreat. The Cossacks appear and attack your regiment. Cossacks' BF is 3. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 38. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 42. 21. Your regiment smashes into the uhlans. They are unable to use their lances effectively, but still fight with courage. Uhlans' BF is 4. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 6. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 18. 22. You are pursued by four squadrons of Russian heavy cavalry. If you turn and fight, go to 7. If you try to get away, go to 36. 23. Russian yaegers have been positioned in the woods, as you approach you come under fire. Unable to advance further, your regiment must fall back to its original position. Lose 1 BF and go to 52. 24. Having rested, you now find yourself positioned between your regiment's rivals, the 4th Cuirassiers, and a foot battery of 8 pounders. Ahead on a rise is a regiment of Russian infantry supported by two horse guns. Your artillery knocks out the enemy guns and their infantry begins to retreat. The 4th Cuirassiers charge the infantry, hoping to turn a retreat into a rout. Do you stand and see what happens? If so, go to 30. If you charge with them, go to 41. 25. Orders arrive for you to take up position on the heights overlooking the battlefield. Go to 46. 26. You retreat giving the infantry time to escape. Let us hope nobody hears of this shameful beating! Go to 47. 27. The Russians retreat. You have saved the bridge and reinforcements arrive in support. Orders are for you to pursue the retreating enemy forces until dusk. Go to 19. 28. The enemy cuirassiers retreat in dismay. Go to 25. 29. They outdistance you, so the chase was to no avail. It has brought you within range of Russian guns. Throw 1D6. Score 5 or 6, you take casualties and lose 1 BF. Your men fall back to reform. Go to 48. 30. Time passes. Suddenly the 4th Cuirassiers re-appear pursued by Russian heavy cavalry. Do you hold your ground? Go to 7. If you charge the enemy, go to 51. 31. You arrive at the bridge. The Russians have sent a regiment of dragoons and light infantry against you. The dragoons attack. Dragoons' BF is 3. If you win, add 1 BF and go to 27. If defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 13. 32. You are positioned on the left of the army, facing north-wards. Ahead of you, to the northeast, is a large dense wood. If you hold your position, go to 52. If you advance to take the wood, go to 23. 33. Despite some losses, the regiment reaches the guns. Some resistance is offered by those gunners that have not fled. Gunners' BF is 2. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 40. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 9. 34. They are caught unformed. Russians' BF is 2. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 55. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 26. 35. Your present position is forward of the farmhouse, on the extreme left flank. The battle is seen to go well and the enemy begins to fall back across the Balatkaya River. A battery of Russian howitzers fires a parting salvo at your regiment. Throw 1D6. Score 5 or 6 and you lose 1 BF because of casualties. Go to 53. 36. Throw 1D6. If score is equal to or less than your present BF, you outdistance the pursuers. Go to 44. If score is over your BF, the retreat becomes a rout. Your regiment disgraces itself by fleeing the field, and takes no further part in the battle. A dice score of 6 is always a rout. 37. Lose 1 BF from the accurate fires of the yaegers as you charge the dragoons. Dragoons BF is 4. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 27. If defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 13. 38. The regiment is able to regroup and reform. Go to 25. 39. Phew! A lucky escape. Those cavalry turned out to be a regiment of Russian guard cuirassiers. Do you take your life in your hands and charge? Go to 56. Call it a day; go to 45. 40. New orders arrive: "You are congratulated on your initiative and sent to a new position." Go to 24. 41. You charge over the rise to find that the infantry has formed square. Your regiment gallops aimlessly round as volley after volley of musket fire rips into your men. Lose 1 BF. You are forced to retreat back to your lines. Go to 22. 42. You are chased from the field, and take no further part in the battle. The regiment is disgraced. 43. One of the Marshal's aides rides up: "You are to take the bridge and deny it to the enemy." Go to 10. 44. Your regiment regroups and reforms. Go to 11. 45. The Russian army has now faded away, and night falls. You are alive and have come through the battle with credit. It is a great life in the Grande Armee! 46. Ahead of your new position is a battery of Russian guns. They are firing round shot into the flanks of the French infantry advancing down the valley. Do you stand fast and wait for more orders? Go to 14. Charge the guns? Go to 33. 47. As you continue to advance, you see through a cloud of smoke, a unit of enemy horse. Do you charge them? Go to 17. Wait and see what they do? Go to 39. 48. More infantry arrives and a second assault takes the farmhouse. Go to 35. 49. The infantry attempt to form square but are charged by the uhlans and broken. The infantry stream into your troops. Throw 1D6. If over your BF, go to 18. If score is equal to or less than your BF, go to 15. 50. A regiment of Russian cuirassiers appears from behind the wood where they have been waiting out of sight. They charge you but suffer casualties from the horse guns as they do so. Russian cuirassiers' BF is 3. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 38. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 42. 51. The Russians collide with your charge. They are a regiment of cuirassiers. Russian cuirassiers BF is 4. If you are victorious, add 1 BF and go to 1. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 22. 52. A regiment of Russian Cossacks appear from behind the wood and halts some two hundred yards away. Do you charge them? Go to 16. Stand and wait developments? Go to 8. 53. You hear two huge explosions. The enemy has blown two of the bridges across the river to cover their retreat. The remaining bridge is five hundred yards away and there are no friendly units nearby. The enemy is some way from the bridge on the other side of the river. Do you move to the bridge? Go to 31. Wait and see if there is a danger of the bridge exploding? Go to 43. 54. The infantry comes under skirmish fire and they appear shaken. A unit of uhlans moves against them. Do you charge the uhlans? Go to 21. Await developments? Go to 49. 55. The enemy is routed and scattered. Go to 47. 56. The guard regiment counter-charges. Guard BF is 7. If you are victorious, ad 1 BF and go to 57. If you are defeated, deduct 1 BF and go to 4. 57. Remnants of the scattered guard cuirassiers stream away. Night is approaching. All around your men are cheering and the pain and heaviness of today's battle are lifted. The captured guards' colors are brought forward and word arrives that the emperor himself will be told of your great deeds. I bet there is a promotion on its way! PLACINGS: If you got to ... number 12, not bad. 3rd place. ...number 45, 2d place. ...number 57, 1st Class Hero! This article first appeared in LONE WARRIOR 64 in March 1986 - the 10th Anniversary Edition. 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