The Study folder for LEIPZIG will contain situation maps for October 14, 16, and 18 which will show how to set up the game for each of the three battle days [the 15th, 17th and 19th were lull days, during which combat on a large scale was not feasible]. A complete Order of Battle provided in the study, which researcher John Wladis turned us on to, and which runs to 7 printed pages, lists the regiments of all the armies as well as the brigades and divisions (the game is on the brigade level).
LEIPZIG involves massive armies, indeed. No other Napoleonic battle is like it. The game is on the same scale as NAPOLEON'S LAST BATTLES (480 meters per hex) and the two-map battlefield is almost as large as the entire area of the Waterloo Campaign. Leipzig was really two battlefields; and at these distances. of course, the northern field had to be entrusted to the Emperor's subordinates. And this is the French Player's weaknessÄthe quality of the subordinate marshals controlling the secondary battlefields.
Personality profiles of all the major commanders show how they will react to any given command. Depending upon the command given (General Offensive, Local Offensive, Consolidation, Desperate Defense, Tactical Withdrawal, General Retreat), and a die roll, each commander has a limit on the number of units under his command which may be moved, the number of hexes per move, the number of attacks and the minimum odds.
For instance, if commanded to conduct a desperate defense, perhaps only one or two units under a given commander could move, though the number of attacks might be quite high and the minimum odds might be very low. Depending upon the opposing commander, such a command might even given him an advantage. However, humans being what they are [little multi-faceted objects], their reactions to a given order cannot be predicted. They may disooey, or may simply be stunned into incompetence. Ney might be commanded to make a tactical withdrawal, yet the die roll might not yield enough moves to disengage, forcing the Player to make the best of the situation by attacking instead.
Thus, whereas in NAPOLEON'S LAST BATTLES a Commander's Command Capacity was fixed, in NAPOLEON AT LEIPZIG it fluctuates depending upon the command he is givenÄand commands may only be issued on the turn previous to that on which they take effect (so tape your fingernails).
We're trying some reserve nules, though they may make the game too complicated in their present form. Briefly, one corps or any part thereof may be placed in reserve with each commander. These units are removed from the map. On following turns, the reserve units may be moved to any other commander (that can mean some quick marching). However, things can go wrong, this also depends upon what the commander's current command is (remember this command was given in the previous turn), and the die roll.
For example, if a commander had been given "Desperate Defense" it would be tough to transfer reserve units away from him. More likely his reserve corps would have to be recommitted to the map and from there it could move only if the commander's current capacity permitted.
The basic Movement and Combat System will remain, though some refinements are in order. Artillery attacking at a range of one hex is doubled. In addition, for attacks involving artillery, if there are two defending units in the hex, the combat odds is shifted one column to the right. Cavalry units will have extended advances. A new terrain type of slope will be added, which modifies artillery fire against troops therein. Special rules include Artillery opportunity fire and British Congreve Rockets! All of the existing rules on Leaders, Command Reorganization and Demoralization will be carried over as basic rules into the new design.
Back to Wargame Design Vol. 1 Nr. 1 Table of Contents
Back to Wargame Design List of Issues
Back to Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1978 by Operational Studies Group.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com