17 GOALS TO TRANSFORM OUR WORLD

In the course of the Napoleonic wars many battles were fought. Wether by chance or design no two battles were ever the same. Each General tried to outwit his enemies in strategy, by leading his army by devious routes to cut off the enemy’s lines of supply and communication, or luring him into unfavourable positions.

By following the 7 steps below, you can randomly build a battle of evenly matched armies where the situation gives neither side a particular advantage.

1. Set up Battlefield

2. Roll for Battle

3. Dice off for defender and attacker

4. Roll for Victory conditions

5. Roll for deployment

6. Deploy armies

7. Fight the Battle

Now that you have selected your armies, the next thing to do is set up a suitable battlefield. A battlefield could be as simple as draping a green cloth of your dinning table to a fully sculpted purpose built gaming table. However battlefields are never wide open flat plains, so you will want to add scenery. A Napoleonic battle could happen anywhere, on the edge of a town such as Austerlitz or Waterloo, on the treacherous and frozen slopes of a mountain pass such as the battle of Rivoli or an assault over a river with

fords, bridges and other water crossings such as the battle of Borodino.

Players set up scenery in a mutually agreeable manner. There are no hard and fast rules about how you set up the battlefield. Remember that the objective of setting up a battlefield is to provide an interesting and entertaining battle, not to impede movement to the point where armies are unable to get to grips.

2. Roll for Battle

There are two ways to determine which type of battle to fight. The first is to pick randomly, by rolling a D6 and consulting the table below;

1-2 Pitched Battle 3-4 Surprise Attack 5-6 Flank Attack

The second method is to discuss the matter with your opponent and agree which battle you want to fight.

Each battle is described below. The details of battlefield layout including army deployment areas are detailed using a battle map.

Pitched Battle

In a pitched battle both Generals have decided to confront each other at this disputed piece of terrain. Both armies are fully prepared for battle and there is still plenty of time to manoeuvre units into an unyielding battleline before the battle starts.

Surprise Attack

In a surprise attack the attacking army has been able to move deep into the defenders territory without detection. Luckily for the defending General, his army occupy tactically advantageous ground. Each army has prepared a devastating surprise attack giving each other little time to respond.

Flank Attack

The attacking force has used speed and manoeuvrability to out flank the defenders position. The attackers are attempting to surround the defenders and annihilate them, while the defender must quickly react and counter attack their enemies own exposed flanks.

3. Dice off for Attacker and Defender

Both players roll a D6, The highest scoring player decides whether he will be the attacker or the defender.

There are advantages to either defending or attacking. The defender has the choice of the best ground to deploy his army, where the attacker

holds the initiative during the opening phases of the battle.

The defender always chooses which deployment zone he will deploy his army. The attacker always decides which player will take the first turn of the game. Defenders Deployment Zone Attackers Deployment Zone

Defenders Deployment Zone Attackers Deployment Zone

24cm Defenders Deployment Zone

Attackers Deployment Zone

4. Roll for victory conditions

There are many ways to determine the victor of a battle, was it the General who captured and held all his objectives, the army who annulated the opposition or was it the force that out fought their opponents before night fall called an end to hostilities.

There are two ways to determine what the victory condition of your battle will be. The first is to pick randomly, by

rolling a D6 and consulting the table below;

1-2 Victory Points 3-4 Objectives

5-6 Eagles and Colours

The second method is to discuss the matter with your opponent and agree which battle you want to fight. Each victory condition is described below.

Victory Points

Unless one player concedes beforehand the winner is the player who has accumulated the most victory points at the end of the game. Victory points are scored as follows;

• You receive a number of victory points equal to the points’ value of each enemy unit you have routed.

• You receive a number of victory points equal to half the point’s value (rounding up) of each enemy unit wavering at the end of the game. • If you routed the enemy general you receive 100 victory points in addition to the victory points scored for his point’s value.

Objectives

Each player has two objective markers which they place on the battlefield before they deploy their army but after the attacker and defender have been determined. The players must place one of their objectives in their deployment zone and the other in the “no mans land” area of the battlefield (i.e. not in theirs or the opponents deployment zones). It is encouraged that the objectives are placed on key terrain features such as a building, bridge or hill ect and not in the middle of an open field which has no tactical importance.

Unless one player concedes beforehand the winner is the player who has captured the most objectives at the end of the game. An objective is captured by the closest non wavering unit within 12cm of the objective. If it is unclear which of two opposing units has captured an objective, then that objective is considered contested and neither side can claim it.

In the event of both players having an equal number of objectives, use victory points to determine the winner.

Eagles and Colours

Unless one player concedes beforehand the winner is the player who breaks the enemy army first. An army breaks as soon as its courage value equals its break point.

An army’s break point is equal to a quarter of its starting courage value (rounding up).

An army’s courage value is equal to the current number of line infantry

units in the army plus two for the army’s general.

For example, an army with five line infantry units (5 courage points) and a general (2 courage points) has a starting courage value of 7and a break point of 2, meaning it will break once its courage value is reduced to 2.

5. Roll for deployment

There are two ways to determine the method the players will deploy their armies for battle. The first is to pick randomly, by rolling a D6 and consulting the table below;

1-2 Meeting Engagement 3-4 Hidden dispositions 5-6 Escalating Engagement

The second method is to discuss the matter with your opponent and agree which deployment method you want to use. Each deployment method is described below.

Meeting Engagement

You have encountered the enemy as they are deploying for battle, however there is still enough time to deploy and prepare your own forces before the enemy can initiate hostilities.

Starting with the defender, players take it in turns to deploy a single unit at a time in their deployment zones.

Hidden dispositions

Conditions have made scouting impossible; however the enemy’s battlefield intelligence is as bad as yours.

In order to keep deployment a secret, a screen is erected across the centre of

the battlefield. Both players deploy their entire army out of sight of the enemy behind the screen. Once deployment is complete the screen is removed to reveal both armies.

Escalating Engagement

Your forces are dispersed across the country side with your fast cavalry and skirmishers scouting for the enemies location. As soon as they are sighted your forces are to converge and engage them.

The defender deploys all of his fast cavalry and light infantry units within his deployment zone. Then the attacker

does the same. The players start the game with the attacker deciding who must play the first turn.

From the start of each players second turn, the players must roll a D6 for each non deployed unit. On a 4+ that unit must move onto the battlefield from any table edge within the players’ deployment zone.

6. Deploy Armies

Now, that both armies have been chosen and the battlefield has been set up, its time to put your forces on the table.

The defending player must always deploy first (except for when Hidden dispositions is being used). The

defender places his units or unit into his chosen deployment zone, then the attacker places his unit/s in the opposite deployment zone. Continue deploying both armies until the deployment instructions have been satisfied.

7. Fight the Battle First turn

Once deployment has finished, the attacking player determines who will play the first turn. There are advantages to going first, being the first to inflict damage on the enemy and capturing key terrain unopposed.

However, going second also has advantages, being able to react to your opponents’ manoeuvrers and using the last turn of the game to take objectives from the enemy who will not be able to

fight back.

Game Length

Unless one player concedes or his army breaks beforehand, the battle will last for 12 turns, at the end of which

the winner is determined by the victory conditions chosen for the battle.