Everyone who ordered should have their copy of Bonaparte in Italy by now. If you have not, please get in touch. Exception: If we had problems processing your credit card, or if you live overseas and requested surface mail, your game might still be on its way.

Note: The die cutter was instructed to strike the back of the counter sheet so that he would be lining-up on the flags. In this way there is less chance that you can tell certain leaders by looking at their flag side.

Wanted: Bonaparte in Italy Replay for the Web. Please send us a detailed replay of your experience with the Castiglione, Bassano, Arcole, and Rivoli scenarios. We'd like to post replays on the website.

We have added two new titles in our pre-advanced line-up. Please see the Order Form at the end of this message and please send in your pre-advanced orders to help us accelerate our production cycles.

Napoleon's Game

Napoleonic Strategic game. 1804 - 1817. For 2 players Components: One 30" x 40" full-color map sheet showing Europe; 380 counters; Rules, Historical, What if Scenario and designer notes, 24 pages. 200 Cards: Each player has his own card deck divided in 6 series. Each card can be used to perform Operational Land and Naval operation, accumulate replacement or introduce Political and Diplomatic events. Time scale: 3 months per turn. Map Scale: Point-to-Point. Complexity: low to medium. Solitary suitability: medium. For more about this title, see below.

1813 Quad: Four Battles of the Leipzig Campaign Grossbeeren, Dennewitz, Katzbach and Bautzen.

Uses the Napoleon's Last Battles/Napoleon at Leipzig System. Components: Four 17 x 22" maps, 560 Counters.

Design Objective in Napoleon's Game
by Guillaume Bertrand, (billber@attcanada.net)

From 1805 to 1812, France built armies ceaselessly. Never was France stronger than after Tilsit, but this too great force finally led to the fall of the Empire. A game only based on conquest doesn't present a realistic explanation of the Napoleonic period. The goal must be more a political domination in a period of great change with the rise of nationalism, and the first real economic war. By the way, the 1805 casus belli was not exactly the same as in 1812/1813. Playing Time: I have fixed an objective of 10 minutes per turn. To achieve that the mechanisms must be simple, but neither simplistic nor unrealistic. The entire design must restrict itself to the essential.

Through the Naval rules, only sea logistics and naval transport are treated. The battle system is very simple but also decisive. With forces equalized, especially at the beginning of the game, the French will be likely to destroy the opposing army almost completely. On the other hand, with the progressive increase in manpower and arrival of the best allied Generals, the battles will become more disputed. Wars must be short and close by, at a risk of general attenuation. Attrition is very high, especially in Spain and Russia, where Imperial armies melted like snows in the sun even in the absence of significant battles.

To simulate the political aspect of the game, a card system is the core of the game. Each player has his own deck, and through the cards all events are thereŃwar, peace, and reinforcement. We have begun real testing on 17 April, so far more than 20 games, and the results look great. Playtester reactions are unanimous. The system is smooth. The turns are relatively fast. Every historical event is there and plays an important part in the game. There are lots of possibilities and you never know what is going to happen. So far, the game looks very balanced and historical.

Pre-Publication Offers

Forthcoming products will be published at a rate of three or four per year. The selected games are ahead in the overall order standings and are well along in development. For a complete listing of ALL the pre-advanced titles please go to www.NapoleonGames.com/pre_adv_games.htm We will NOT debit your card for any game until it is at the printers.

Napoleon's Game, 1804-1817 Pre-advanced price only $40
1813 Quad (Four Battles) Pre-advanced price only $38
CD-ROM "Napoleon and Waterloo" $38
Highway to the Kremlin Pre-advanced price only $38
The Sun Of Austerlitz Pre-advanced price only $29
Abensberg/Eckmuhl Pre-advanced price only $38
Bonaparte in Italy Marengo Expansion Set pre-advanced price only $36

Available Now

Wargame Design Magazine
Regular Four-issue Sub: $17.96; Scholar Subscription: $48.96
Sample Issue (WDM #5) (incl. postage & handling): $7.50

Bonaparte in Italy The Quadrilateral, 1796-1797 $39
Last Days of the Grande ArmŽe Waterloo $36
La Guerre de l'Empereur The Napoleonic Wars, 1805-1815 (inc. 2nd Ed Rules) $48
1806 Rossbach Avenged Jena Campaign. $48
All Four Games Above Save $35-20% off $136
Napoleon at Bay 1814: Campaigns in France $48
All Five Games Above Save $55 -25% off $164

Guarantee: 100% refund if not 100% satisfied.

[Ed. note: If you missed Kevin at Origins, that's because he was busy running this year's Napoleonic Tours in Europe.]

Operational Studies Group P.O. Box 50207 Baltimore, MD 21211 U.S.A. 1(410)367-4004