Borodino 2002

Saturday Lecture:
Glenn Drover:
Napoleonic Game Design and Production

by Russ Lockwood


Drover's Eagle Games just released a game called Napoleon in Europe. Like his other two, War: Age of Imperialism (British Victorian colonial era) and American Civil War, they contain big colorful mounted boards, hundreds of soft plastic soldiers (1/72 or 20mm scale), and three sets of rules--basic, standard, and advanced. Eagle Games is next producing Civilization, a boardgame treatment of the computer game. -- RL

Napoleon in Europe took about four years to develop and is meant to play a full campaign in a weekend. It features a 46"x36" map and over 600 figures.

The Napoleonic era marked some significant changes in warfare: mass conscription, increased ideology of nationalism, and increasing industrialization. It is also a coloful period where professional armies began to arise, the uniforms were varied, and three distinct arms worked in close concert and at close range.

Drover believes Napoleon intended to create a unified Europe and had mostly succeeded except for England and Russia. The invasion of Russia was meant to remove the last major adversary that could challenge on land.

Yet, even after defeating Napoleon, the Allies soon fell victim to "Power Politics." France may be the enemy, but the powers did not want to see any other power replace the French as the dominent force on the continent.

The game is more about strategic maneuvers by the seven major powers followed by quick tactical battles on an off board battlefield. The players pick up power points which they can spend later. All wars end in a "Congress" where players spend Political Action Points to further their nation.

The game includes historical scenarios, national strengths and weaknesses, various cards to influence campaigns, and so on.

Drover will produce 15,000 copies of Napoleon in Europe. Eagle Games had produced 25,000 copies of his other two and will produce 35,000 copies of Civilization. When asked about expansions, he noted there are some on the way, but that these are about a year away as he is using capital to produce another two more games after Civilization. The first is Age of Mythology, an adaptation of Microsoft's compyuter game. The second, well, I know what it is, but was told off the record, so I am afraid I cannot let you in on the secret. However, I will say that I am exceptionally pleased with his next choice, that it is another computer game, and that I have previously praised this game in national computer magazines.

After the lecture, Drover proceeded to go back into the ballroom to give a demonstration of the "Battle of Borodino" using NiE rules.

Photo at right shows Drover setting up the demo area long before his lecture. Notice the "battle board" leaning up against the cover of the box at right--that's where the NiE version of Borodino would be played out.

More Borodino 2002 Napoleonic Conference

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