Game Design and Concepts: Didier Rouy Game Graphics: Bruno de Scorailles Game Map: Severine Pineau English Translation: Jean Forget Number of Players: Two Playing Time: Three to six hours Complexity Level: Basic to Advanced, depending upon the optional rules used. Scale: Division/ Battery Each counter represents one infantry or cavalry regiment or two artillery batteries. Each hex is about 250 meters across. A game turn equals 30 minutes of real time. Each loss step is 300 men or one artillery battery (about 6 guns). Map and Playing Pieces: The game includes a standard sized map, done with period style artwork. Unlike American wargames, the hexes are not numbered, but setup locations are indicated with letters. The counters are visually very pleasing, with combat units represented by double-sized counters that flip to indicate line or column. Rule Book: There are two rule books. The standard rules are version 2.1, and are 36 pages long. The various player aids, combat charts, leader cards, terrain effects chart, random events, and strength charts are in the exclusive rule book of 28 pages. Scenarios: Essentially two: the historical setup and a variant using an optional rule. There are also numerous "battle options" which add or subtract units and leaders, etc., which enable the players to significantly alter the historical battle. Publisher: Azure Wish Edition, 71 Rue Lafayette, Paris, email: Azure.Wish@wanadoo.fr. Publication Date: 1997 List Price: $49.00 Summary: Friedland is actually several different games. By providing a series of multi-layered advanced rules, the game can be quite sophisticated. In spite of the lopsided historical outcome (Napoleon crushed Bennigsen's army in June 1807 when the Russian commander deployed his forces with their backs to a river), this game is truly challenging for both players. The components are among Friedland's strongest points. However, early copies of the game had a significant problem with errata. Azure Wish, to their credit, responded quickly. New copies of the game should include all the proper components and updates. The unit counters are excellent. Combat units are doubled-sized and double-sided, providing a large amount of information. Units are rated for step strength, range, fire value, melee value, arm (infantry, etc.), name, division/corps subordination, morale, movement, and facing. In one of the most enjoyable aspect of the game's mechanics, unit formation such as line and column is represented by simply flipping the counter. One side is line and the other is colunm. Going into square is represented by adding a marker to the back of a line formation. All of these effects give a strong visual representation of Napoleonic formations and not only assist in game play, but greatly increase player appreciation of period tactics. Leaders are represented by small, circular counters and are rated for combat, morale modifiers and movement. Formations and stacking, as noted above, reflect state of the art in Napoleonic gaming. The formation rules do reflect history and permit players to explore the tactics of the period. Fire and melee combat are also modeled well. Melee rules represent close-in combat, fire fights, and actual hand-to-hand combat. Cavalry is a powerful but vulnerable weapon, which reflects historical battlefield practice. Losses can be recorded using step markers under the unit or the unit roster from the exclusive rules. There are numerous occasions for checking morale, as noted above. Leaders have a significant impact on morale checks. Army demoralization rules can cause morale "chain reactions," reflecting the historical result of bad morale cascading to adjacent, weakened units. Lines of communication (LOC), a factor overlooked in many games, are indicated on the map. Those units which leave the map via their LOC provide no victory points to the enemy. At the advanced levels, players write secret orders down the chain of command. Orders are transmitted by aides, and once these couriers arrive, leaders then check for "obedience." The French army commander can issue three orders per turn to the Russian's one, thus reflecting superior leadership, doctrine, and training. Leaders can also attempt to act on their own initiative. Other rules permit players to alter the setup through "strategical deployment" by placing corps in specific deployment areas. Timed turns, and use of semi-concealed reserves and decoys also provide a fog of war factor, and force players to act in more historically realistic ways. The interactive turn sequence has players alternate moving corps until all their forces are done with movement and combat. Random events also add a degree of uncertainty to the game. Friedland is a much more challenging game than the historical situation, since the Russian player will most likely strive to make maximum advantage of hindsight and avoid being driven into the river. Despite some unpolished edges, Friedland is an excellent Napoleonic board game. Hopefully, Azure Wish will continue to improve their analysis, production, and quality control. Back to Table of Contents -- Napoleon #14 Back to Napoleon List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Napoleon LLC. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. The full text and graphics from other military history magazines and gaming magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com Order Napoleon magazine direct