Note: Use this text with the display on the opposite page. The actual historical cards were used for this sample game: 26 French cards -- 3 generals, 6 infantry, 4 artillery (2 horse), 4 cavalry, 3 terrain, 6 specials; 33 Allied cards -- 8 generals, 10 infantry, 4 artillery (1 horse), 2 cavalry, 3 terrain, 6 specials. The French have a big edge in cavalry. The Allies have the advantage in infantry and generals.

The French player shuffles and deals himself 10 of his 26 cards, putting the rest aside as Reinforcements. These will be brought into the game at the rate of one card per turn.

The Allied player shuffles and deals himself 9 cards. The other 24 cards are set aside as Reinforcements, to be brought into the game at the rate of one card per turn.

The Allied player deploys his cards as shown. Except for the Quatre Bras card, all Allied cards start face down. Two cards are placed in each position (left, center, right) since the French move first and could attack anywhere. Up to four cards (not including terrain/generals) could be placed in each position, however it's better to hold some cards in Reserve so they can be sent forward if needed. (Cards may not move laterally, i.e, from center to left or left to right. They must move back into the Reserve first before they may move forward into a new position.)

The French begin with a one card advantage, but time (reinforcements) favors the Allied player, so the French must try to win quickly.

After the Allied player deploys, the French player sets up his cards as shown. Except for the Bossu Wood card, all French cards start face down.

The French player starts by revealing his 3B foot artillery card and firing at one of the two cards on the Allied left. At long range, only a roll of "6" hits, and all three dice rolled failed to score a hit. (Foot artillery may not move forward to attack.)

Next, the French player moves the other three cards on his right forward to attack, plus adds one of the cavalry cards from his Reserve to this attack. During this move, the French infantry changes to column (note marker). All four French cards are revealed at this point, along with the two Allied cards. Generals and cavalry may move two positions, which is how the French cavalry got from the Reserve to the Allied left on turn one.

Horse artillery may move and fire in the same turn, so this 2B card rolls two dice which hit (F2 value) on a roll of "5" or "6" at close range (F1 value hits only on a "6", etc.). The French player selects the 3C Brunswick infantry as the target, and one hit is scored.

The French 5B infantry and 5B cavalry cards may not fire until next turn (except for horse artillery, a card may not move and fire in the same turn). Although he could have moved more cards, and even attacked all three Allied positions, the French player chooses to end his first turn by taking one card from the Reinforcement deck and adds it to his Reserve (cards from the Reinforcement deck must go into the Reserve; they may not move directly to the battleline). It was a terrain card (Malerne Pond), of no value in this sample game since it can only be played on the French right and would only restrict movement there rather than help the attack.

Before the Allied player may move or fire, he must make a morale roll for the 3C infantry that sustained a hit. A "C" level morale card must roll a "1" or "2" for each hit in order to pass its morale (only a 33% chance). The die roll is a "4" so the Brunswick infantry card is eliminated and immediately removed. (Note: If there were a general in the Allied left position, his morale value benefit could have been added to this die roll, giving the Brunswickers a better chance to survive.)

The Allied 3B artillery card in the left now fires at close range at the French 5B infantry in column, and receives a +1 fire benefit to its F3 value (at F4 a hit is scored on a roll of "3", "4", "5" or "6"). Two hits are inflicted on the French infantry.

The Allied player now moves his 3A infantry card from Reserve into his left, and plays the "Battle Confusion" card which allows this infantry to fire the same turn it moves. It fires (F3) at the French 5B cavalry, but the three dice rolled fail to produce any hits!

The Allied player now takes a risk and moves both the 4B infantry and 1/2 general from his right back into Reserve so they can move to the left on the next turn. Taking their place to hold the right is the 1/1 general card (face down) from Reserve. This is a big gamble: if the French player attacks from Bossu Wood, the general cannot hold this position by himself and the game will end in a French victory.

The Allied player ends his turn by drawing a card from his Reinforcement deck, but before he can do so, the French plays his "Late Reserves" card which means the Allies get no Reinforcement card this turn.

At the beginning of the next turn, the French player must roll for the hits on the 5B infantry card. Adding the +1 for his general (it would be +2 if the French were defending), only a "5" or "6" would eliminate the 5B infantry (33% chance on each die roll).

The French player decides to continue the attack on the right to keep up pressure, although without much chance of success against excellent infantry (morale "A"), the artillery, and, very likely, more cards from Reserve. He can then move one or both of the other two infantry cards forward from either the center or left, adding the 5B cavalry card from his Reserve to make a second attack.

Since the French cavalry card may only use its fire value (F1), not its more powerful shock value (S3), against the Allied card in Quatre Bras, the best attack would be on the left. In our sample game, this would result in a French victory on turn two (before the Allied player gets to move), since a general may not hold a position by himself. Bigger scenarios with more cards rarely end this quickly.

Game Turn: Card Layout and Moves (slow download 387K)

More Eagles:

Back to Eagles review
Eagles: Rules Questions and Answers
Eagles: Six Sample Cards (extremely slow download--650K)

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