From Daniel Claude Thank you for the new version of the rules. Difficulties arise because I play many games at the same time. With Empereur Returns, pursuer has no obligation to stop in EZOC; With NAB, pursuer must stop; With BII, he can attempt to repulse during normal move or pursuit but not forced march. With the latest version pursuer can repulse during all phases. I think it comes from numerous propositions and add-ons. It's difficult to fix definitive rules but I generally follow your last proposition, except for Vedette rules - I don't like at all. With my opponent, we have choosen not to use them in the first turn, then give opportunity to create vedettes with deduction of 1 SP among present units. But this vedette is handled as a normal force with an initiative of 4. Only restriction is that it must stay in a radius of 9 PM from a normal force. Thank you for your work. [Ed sez: Daniel, that's a fine idea, but may I suggest TWO vedettes per SP.] From Dr. Mark Diehl If you would like to add photos of reenactors from Brigade Napoleon in authentic Napoleonic uniforms to your products, let me know. Visit some of our websites like www.3rdCuirassiers.org and www.LaCavalerieFrancaise.org to get an idea. The cavalry units 7th Hussars and 3rd Cuirassiers provide the most authentic recreations of Napoleonic Cavalry in the World. From Jonathan S. Reid Southern Maine Wargamers Association I realize that this might be a difficult request but many years ago OSG published a game, "The 20th Maine". Somehow, somewhere, I have mislaid my ruleset and was wondering what I may have to do to get a suitable replacement. If you have any information that could help me, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and effort. [Editor sez: Can somebody help with the above request?] From: Glen Johnson I just bought a copy of Highway to the Kremlin from another gamer. As it's my first OSG game, I have to pretty basic questions. 1) Highways looks most impressive and the campaign is one that has always interested me. But it also looks pretty huge. Is there another game in your series that is better for learning the system? 2) How are these games for solo or solitaire play? [Ed sez] I forwarded your questions to two specialists in the Campaigns of Napoleon series. Bonaparte in Italy or Napoleon at Bay would be better introductory games to the series. The battle scenarios in HtK are intended to be playable using just the Standard rules and about half the charts. If you have no problem forgetting who is where when you make the opposing side's moves you can solitaire it successfully. Taking a couple of days between moves helps. From: David Schubert Bonaparte in Italy is an excellent game to play for someone new to the system. The armies are small enough that they aren't too much for a new person to handle. The battle scenarios are excellent. OSG's soon to be released Sun of Austerlitz is a real gem of an intro to the system. The campaign game itself is fantastic as it can be played from 8-10 hours. From: Christopher Moeller Bonaparte in Italy is my choice for introducing new CoN players to the system. It's beautiful to look at, fairly small, playable in a short amount of time, and has a great variety of scenarios. 2) How are these games for solo or solitaire play? I think they're quite good, actually. I've done a lot of solitaire play with each of the games. You lose the hidden movement and bluffing that face-to-face play provides, but on the plus side, there's no rush. You can take your time looking up rules, figuring out attrition and battle rules, etc... The rules are quite straightforward, but there are a number of revolutionary mechanics that you'll need to wrap your mind around (impressive for a system that's been around for decades!). Solitaire play is excellent for that. In my view, played alone or competitively, there is no more evocative and accurate look at the Napoleonic art of war. [Ed sez] If you can get hold of a copy of David G. Chandler's book, 'The Campaigns of Napoleon,' part three is devoted to 'Napoleon's Art of War.' It will serve as a wonderful introduction to the system, for many of Chandler's considerations are taken up by the design. From: Glen Johnson The library where I work just happens to have Chandler's book on Napoleon's Campaigns which you recommended. Having the background information in chapter three will enhance my understanding of this time in military history as well as well as giving me additional insight into those parts of the campaigns that have been abstracted in the game. I remember laughing while first playing Paths of Glory; not out of derision but out of the pleasure at seeing the slick way major events and factors of the war had been so smoothly blended into the game's mechanics through the use of the card deck and other abstractions. The same thing was true in For the People. Thanks again for the good advice and the good reference work. Where could I find the features of Six Days of Glory system and the differences between SDoG and CoN systems? Try http://talk.consimworld.com There is a board for the Six Days series as well as Campaigns of Napoleon. Somewhere on the Six Days board I have explained the differences in detail. Basically, the Six Days Series is 'intermediate' in terms of both scale and complexity between Campaigns of Napoleon Series (complex) and Nap's Last Battles series (easy). The scale is 1 mile per hex and the turns are 6 hours. The CRT and Leadership rules are similar to NLB. From the Campaigns series we have introduced hidden movement and vedettes. Are there updates for those games above from AH or VG? No updates from the publisher (AH/Victory was bought out by Hasbro) but you might try http://grognard.com listings by title. I have heard that System 5X will be used for a game about the Napoleonic war in Spain, is this information correct? I have seen nothing in prepub page. Yes it is true. It should be added soon to the pre-pubs. Some Spanish friends are helping me with the research & design of this proposed game. Napoleonic Trade Routes Do you know the trade routes during the Napoleonic War? I have a homework assignment due---I am in 6th grade and need that info. [Ed sez] The critical factor to be considered in the Napoleonic Wars was the existence of the blockade upon maritime trade with the continent. This resulted in a lot of major ports (where goods would normally arrive in Europe) being idled. Overland trade routes during Napoleonic times remained as they were throughout European history up to that point, and they did not change substantially until the advent of the railroad in the 1830s. You will have to find a map in a good Atlas of European History. One of the first and most important trade routes was established for bringing salt into Europe from the middle east, from which the Austrian city of Salzburg got its name. Napoleon had a lot of new roads built and old ones paved and widened. He built hundreds of bridges and miles of canals in France. Canals were important to trade in those days since goods could be carried on barges for about one tenth the cost per mile. You can read about the economic implications of the Napoleonic Wars at OSG's website (listed in the footer below); go there and click on 'Napoleonic History.' There is a book on my shelf called 'France: A History of National Economics, 1789-1939.' Read Chapter 3. See also the Bibliography and notes for this chapter. A trip to the library will be necessary to research this. Back to OSG News April 2003 Table of Contents Back to OSG News List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2003 by Operational Studies Group This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com