1812: Napoleon's Fateful March Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Terms and Concepts
• Expanded Sequence of Play
  • The Resources Phase
  • Turns 1-5
    • 1. Draw a Card to your hand
    • 2. Play a Card for Additional Orders
    • 3. Order Selection
    • 4. Order Placement
    • 5. Execute FORCED MARCH Orders
    • 6. Execute CAVALRY PATROLS Orders
    • 7. Execute MARCH Orders
    • 8. Execute EVADE Orders
    • 9. Resolve Battles
    • 10. Execute RALLY Orders
    • 11. Execute COSSACK RAID Orders
    • 12. Execute PLACE DEPOT orders
    • 13. Attrition
    • 14. Lines of Communications
• End of Turn

Components

• 1 Board
• 2 Deck of cards, each deck 54 cards
• 1 French, 1 Russian, 1 General player aid
• 14 Leader screens
• 4 Countersheets
• 1 Stickersheet
• 1 Playbook
• 1 Rulebook
• 54 Wooden blocks
• 21 Supply cubes
• 2 Custom dice
• 1 Standard die
• 14 PVC Standee holders

Scenario rules, setup, victory conditions etc. are all detailed in the playbook.

Terms and Concepts

The game uses the following terms and concepts:

Month: Each month of real time consists of 1 Resource Phase and 5 turns, which are again subdivided into 14 distinct steps.

Control: All key cities and depot locations on the map are considered to be controlled by the Russians unless a French, and no Russian, SP (strength point) is present.

Dice: The game uses the following custom dice:

• 1 Weather Die: Used to determine the weather effect (as per the Weather Table on the Player aid) during the attrition step.
• 2 Battle dice: 1 blue and 1 green, used by the French and Russians respectively.
  • A "-1" result only applies during Winter months.
  • A "4" result only applies during Summer months.
  • A "1" result only applies if you are the defender in a battle.

Whenever a die result specifies a condition that does not apply, the result of the die roll is treated as a 0 instead.

EXAMPLE: The Russians are attacking in a battle and the green battle die roll result is a "+1 if defending". Since they are not defending in this battle, they treat the result as a 0.

EXAMPLE: During the Attrition Step in a summer month the result of the weather die is: "-1 if Russian". The weather die roll applies to both sides, but the Russians will treat it as a -1 result while the French will treat it as a 0 since they are not Russians.

SP: Strength Point represented by a counter. Each SP represents approximately 10,000 infantry or 5,000 cavalry. Green background SPs are Russian while blue background SPs are French. SP counters represent 1 SP each unless otherwise marked on the counter by a x2, x5 or x10 notation.

These should be treated as currency and can be exchanged at all times by the owning player by using SP counters from the Force Pool.

French-allied Prussian SPs are marked by a small black and white flag, while the French-allied Austrian SPs are marked by a small red and yellow flag.

A SP can be "fresh" (front-side of the counter) or "exhausted" (backside of the counter). Exhausted SPs are treated as a separate unit type regardless of their original unit type. They do not contribute anything in battle and are eliminated if they are ever in an area with enemy SPs and no fresh friendly SPs when resolving Evade Orders or Battle. Players may only look at the topmost enemy SP or Leader in each area. Any SPs under this as well as all SPs on a leader can only be inspected by using a Cavalry Patrols order. French SPs eliminated for any reason go into the French Casualties box (as they are important for victory points purposes) while eliminated Russian SPs are placed back in the Russian Force Pool.

Areas: An area is each place of the map where a SP or force may be placed and moved. See map legend. Some areas have special characteristics.

• OFF-MAP AREAS: The green and blue colored areas are the Russian and French Off-Map areas respectively. These may not be entered by the other side's SPs.
• SUPPLY SOURCES: The green and blue colored Supply symbol mark areas (typically Off-map Areas) that function as supply sources for their side.
• DEPOT TOWN AREAS: These are the only areas where Depot Markers can be setup or placed during play.
• KEY CITY AREAS: These are important for Victory Point purposes and affect Attrition.
• FORTRESS TOWN AREAS: These increase the attackers losses in battles in their area. Riga is a particularly strong Fortress Town and Russians defending there have their losses reduced by 1 in addition to the normal Fortress effects.

Road / Track Connections: Areas are connected by either Road or Track. They are identical for movement functions but not for Lines of Communications and Attrition purposes (and for certain event cards).

Some Connections cross rivers via bridges – This is important for Battle purposes. A Connection crossing a river with no bridge is treated as a normal Road/Track connection and has no river crossing penalties. The latter represents a part of the river line that is not easily defensible.

Depot Marker: Blue or green cube placed in the "Depot Town" icon next to certain areas to show the presence of magazines, stores and wagon parks etc. Not all areas are depot towns and have this icon. A depot town without this marker on its icon does not have any effect on supply and attrition.

If enemy SPs take control of an area containing one of your Depot Markers you must discard a card from your hand (your choice) and put the Depot Marker in the Force Pool (the opponent does not get to exchange it with one of their depots).

Losses: The process of SPs becoming exhausted or eliminated. Note that this process is handled differently in battle, pursuit after battle and attrition.

Force: Whenever a player executes an order they compose a Force of SPs in the area that will execute the order.

A "Force" is thus just a term for a temporary grouping of SPs, and possibly leaders, that execute an order together. SPs and leaders in the area that will not execute the order are not part of the Force, and once the order is executed the participating SPs are no longer considered a Force.

A Force without a leader can be composed of a maximum of 4 SPs (of any type), while a Force containing one or more leaders can be composed of any number of SPs.

As described on the following page SPs can be freely exchanged among leaders in the same area and players are thus free to assemble a Force containing SPs from several leaders when executing an order even if only some, or none, of the leaders are part of the force.

IMPORTANT: Force is a key concept and used throughout the rules and cards so read this section carefully.

NOTE: 4 SPs roughly represent a full-strength Corps – forces larger than this needs an army commander represented by a leader standee to operate.

EXAMPLE: 6 SPs are in an area with a 'Forced March' order. When executing this order, the player designates 2 of the SPs as a Force and moves them to an area with 1 SP and an 'Evade' order. When executing the 'Evade' order later on all 3 SPs can then be designated as a Force. If desired the player could have chosen to leave some of the SPs out of the Force and left them behind while executing the order with the Force.

Note that it is perfectly okay to have more than 4 SPs without a leader in an area – they just cannot operate together using the same order and will thus require multiple orders to do so.

Order: Players place order blocks on areas with your side's SPs that allow the SPs there to do certain things. Place them upright so you can see the label while your opponent cannot. You are allowed to place as many orders as you wish in an area, including multiple orders of the same type, and may also place orders that might prove to be impossible to fulfill – But, if possible, an order must be fulfilled by at least 1 SP if any are still present in the area when that order type is being executed.

EXAMPLE, placing both 'Forced March' and 'Evade' orders on an area: When conducting the 'Forced March' order you MUST move at least 1 SP if you are not already pinned by an entering enemy force, and when conducting evade orders you must evade with at least 1 SP if they have not already forced march away earlier in the turn.

A single order only affects a single Force (with the exception of 'Defend' orders that always effect all the defending SPs in the battle).

The different types of orders and the sequence they are executed in are as follows (all this is described in further detail later in this rulebook):

1. FORCED MARCH Enable a force to move faster than normal, but fight with reduced effect.
2. CAVALRY PATROLS Allow the player to look at enemy orders and SPs in an area.
3. MARCH Enable a force to make a normal move.
4. EVADE Enable a force to avoid battle and retreat away from an attacking enemy force.
5. DEFEND Reduce your losses if attacked.
6. RALLY Improves the condition of exhausted SPs by flipping them to their fresh side again.
7. COSSACK RAID Prevent an enemy force in an area from foraging and eliminate an exhausted SP.
8. PLACE DEPOT Place depots that extend your logistical network.
9. FORAGE Reduce your losses from attrition.

All orders of the same type are executed before executing the next type of orders.

EXAMPLE: All 'Forced March' orders on both sides are executed before executing 'Cavalry Patrols', which again are all executed before any 'March' orders are executed.

Within each order type the Initiative player decides which player executes such an order first. Then players alternative revealing and executing one such order until they have all been executed. If the players have not placed the same number of orders of the same type, then the player who has more remaining orders of that type than the other player will execute them in a row after the opponent is done with his last order.

Leader: Standee that functions as a "container" for SPs and has certain abilities with orders and/or combat and allows for more than 4 SPs to execute an order together. There is no upper limit to the number of SPs a leader can command. Each leader has a matching screen that is placed next to the map. Place all SPs and/or other leaders under his command in the area behind this screen (hidden from the opponent). Leader abilities can only ever be used in his own area. When leaders have an ability that allow them to change an order to another order it must be done in either the present order's or their desired order's step on the sequence of play. This ability cannot be used on Dummy orders!

NOTE: Leaders represent commanders and their staffs with rank and authority to effectively coordinate an army of multiple Corps.

Leaders are eliminated if they are ever in an area with no friendly SPs. This will shift the VP marker a number of spaces in favor of the opponent as noted on the Leaderboard (and the Player Aid). Leaders may also be removed from play via event text.

NOTE: If players dislike standees the game comes with leader counters that can be used instead.

Seniority: Each leader has a number of seniority stars next to their name on the displays. The highest number of stars is the commander in that area and is the only one who can use his abilities – the others are ignored and their standees placed behind the senior leader's screen (their SPs still count).

If seniority is tied the owning player choose which one will be the commander by placing the other leaders behind his Leader screen – This can only be changed by moving one of them out of the area and back in a later turn.

IMPORTANT: Seniority is only important in terms of leader abilities. As the leader screens are simply a container SPs and/or Leaders are free to form their own Force to execute orders and move out of the commander's area. Players are also allowed to freely exchange SPs between leaders in the same area at all times. All SPs present in an area are counted for all purposes regardless of which leader's screen they are behind.

Devastation: Markers placed in areas to show where the local countryside has been ravaged by war and plunder and is less able to provide sustenance for soldiers. The markers represent progressive levels of devastation from 1 to 3 (with 3 being the highest level of devastation). The devastation level of an area is used as a modifier on attrition checks.

Cards: Each side has their own deck, which is divided into "Summer" (yellow icon), "Winter" (blue icon) and "all year" (no icon) cards. In addition each side has a special Dummy card which is technically not a card but just used to deceive the opponent (as detailed on the card itself).

Most cards have a number in a scroll: This is the card's OPS / Operations value, which is how many extra orders it gives to the player if played for this purpose.

Alternatively, a card can be used for its event, and the text on the card specifies when and how this works.

In both cases a card is placed in the discard pile after being played for its OPS value or its event.

Some cards are Must-Play cards that must be played for their (often negative) event immediately upon being drawn. As these cards must be played for their event, they have no OPS value.

IMPORTANT: Note that there is no maximum or minimum hand size.

To make it easier to see at a glance how the cards work, the following icons are used on them:

• The card is permanently removed from the game after being used for its event, but not if used for OPS.
• The event is used in battles.
• The event is used in response to specific enemy action (as detailed on the card).
• This card is a Must-Play event.
• This card is part of the deck only in summer months (June - September).
• This card is part of the deck only in winter months (October - November).
• This card is listed among the card options during the Resources Phase.
• This card is listed in the setup of one of the scenarios.

Initiative: Initiative is a crucial concept in this game that allows the Initiative player to manipulate the turn order within each order type, as well as win drawn combats under certain circumstances. This is described in detail in the sequence of play. If the Initiative marker is showing the French side, the French player has the Initiative and if the Russian side is showing the Russian player has the Initiative. If the Initiative marker is moved down from the "1" position flip it, so the opposing side holds the initiative, instead of moving the marker. There is no "0" (or draw) position for Initiative as either side will always hold the initiative at any one time.

IMPORTANT: Note that this is different from how the Victory Points Marker works.

As noted on the track the Initiative Marker is adjusted when the initiative player loses any battle or wins a battle and inflicts more losses than the current initiative level, but only if the loser really suffered that many losses. Scenario special rules for winter as well as certain Event cards also affect the Initiative track.

EXAMPLE: The current Initiative level is France 2 and the French win a battle against a Russian force of 2 SPs. The French caused 7 Russian losses in the battle but since the Russians only have 2 to lose there is no Initiative shift as the number of actual losses caused (2) is not higher than the current French Initiative level (also 2).

VPs (Victory Points): Victory Point determines which side is currently doing best in the game. If the VP Marker is showing its French side, the French have the VP advantage and if the Russian side is showing the Russian player have the VP advantage. Card effects, battle results and conquest of cities will shift the VP marker up and down. To take the VP advantage from the enemy it is necessary to first shift the VP marker to the 0 space. When the VP marker is shifted from the 0 space it can be flipped to match the side with the advantage.

IMPORTANT: Note that this is different from how the Initiative Marker works.

The side with the VP advantage, and at least 1 VP, at the end of the game is the winner. A sudden death victory occurs instantly if a player manages to advance the VP marker to the "20" box.

NOTE: The scenarios start with one side having an (often significant) VP advantage. This is done to balance the game, as the situation on the ground often means that one side will find it far easier to score VPs in the given scenario.

Force Pool: Each player have a Force Pool box on the map. This is a holding area for all their SPs, Depot Markers and Leaders that are not currently on the map. Whenever orders, the replacement rules and cards tell players to place new SPs or Depot Markers on the map they are taken from the Force Pool.

French Casualties: The French player places all SPs that become eliminated during play for any reason (battle, attrition, events) in his French Casualties box. SPs can never be removed from the French Casualties box. Several scenarios award the Russian player victory points based on how many SPs are casualties at game end.

Expanded Sequence of Play

Each month (except June, as noted in the scenario special rules) starts with the Resources Phase and then has 5 identical turns each consisting of 14 steps.

The playbook clearly lists when each scenario starts and ends. Each scenario lists the number of cards each player starts with in their hand and give the players some choices for starting with specific cards. This is all listed in each scenario in the playbook.

As all scenarios start on a specific turn within a month the Resources Phase is skipped for the first month of a scenario.

The Resources Phase

The resource phase starts with players receiving replacement SPs and then receiving new cards.

Free Replacements: Receive replacement SPs at each relevant location you control.

These locations are marked on the map and are 1 infantry in Kovno (B2) for the French, and 1 infantry in each of Moscow (H2), Smolensk (E2), Kiev (D6) and Kaluga (G3) as well as 1 Cossack in Voronezh (H4) for the Russians.

Additional Replacements: In addition to these fixed and automatic replacements the players have the option of discarding any number of cards from their hand to receive additional replacements. For each card discarded they may choose to receive either 2 infantry SPs or 1 SP of another type (the chosen SPs must be currently available in their force pool). These additional replacements may be placed with any in-supply leader or any friendly-controlled and in-supply key city or Depot Marker.

In-supply means it is within 5 connections of a friendly Supply Source or Depot Marker, traced in the same manner as for attrition (as described in detail in 13. Attrition).

New Cards: Each player first combines their draw and discard piles into one (NOT those cards permanently removed from play) and then picks freely any ONE of the two cards listed for the current Month in the table below (also shown on the Player Aid) and place it in his hand, then they reshuffle their decks and randomly draw TWO additional cards to their hand.

If a player already has both of his designated cards for the month in his hand at the beginning of the "Resources Phase" he won't get to choose a card and instead draws 3, instead of 2, cards randomly.

Russian Card Options

Month	Option A	Option B
July	The Czar Leaves the Army (#19)	Scorched Earth (#10)
Aug	The Finland Corps (#17)	Kutuzov Appointed (#16)
Sept	The Treaty of Bucharest (#18)	Exhausting March (#26)
Oct	Pride and Hesitation (#15)	Disorderly March (#48)
Nov	Cossack Patrols (#49)	Exhausting March (#25)

French Card Options

Month	Option A	Option B
July	Davout Takes Command (#17)	Hard Marching (#2)
Aug	Infighting & Intrigue (#8)	Holy Mother Russia (#4)
Sept	Peace Offer (#15)	The IX Corps Arrives (#19)
Oct	The XI Corps Arrives (#20)	Lethargic Pursuit (#53)
Nov	Courage of Desperation (#50)	Ney's Escape (#52)

NOTE: To make it faster to find the above cards when flipping through the deck, their card numbers have been marked by a white circle.

Optional Rule: Once players gain familiarity with their decks, they may disregard the restrictions of the table above and chose any ONE card from among all the cards available in their deck. Note that this will likely increase playtime.

Turns 1-5

Repeat the following 14 steps in each turn.

1. Draw a Card to your hand

At the beginning of each new turn, each player draws a random card from their Draw Pile to their hand (Even in the first turn of a scenario and/or month).

2. Play a Card for Additional Orders

At the beginning of each new Turn, each player plays a card to increase the number of orders for that turn by its OPS value, putting the chosen card face down on the table. If a player doesn't want to use a card for extra orders, he uses his Dummy card to hide this intention from his opponent. Players then simultaneously flip their chosen card revealing it to the opponent.

Then the non-initiative player declares if he wants to play any events along with his OPS card and place the chosen event(s) face up on the table, and then the player with the Initiative does the same.

NOTE: As noted on the Dummy card this can be used if players does not want to play any card for OPS this turn, and doing so does not prevent the player from playing an event along with his 0 OPS.

3. Order Selection

Both players simultaneously, and without revealing it to the opponent, select which orders they want for this turn by picking up the chosen order blocks and putting them in their hand. In addition to any orders received by playing a card for OPS, players get 2 free orders of their choice. In addition the French (FR) gets a FORAGE while the Russians (RU) gets a CAVALRY PATROLS order.

Each player also receives 4 'DUMMY' orders each turn that have no effect other than to confuse your opponent.

As Dummy orders have no effect, they are never executed, and are thus removed from the map at the end of each turn along with any other order blocks that were not executed during the turn. As Dummy orders aren't real orders they are not eligible for a leaders ability to change an order. Whenever an event text reduces your number of orders, this may not be fulfilled by taking fewer Dummy orders.

EXAMPLE: The French played a 4 OPS card so they get to pick 1 'Forage' and 6 orders of their choice plus 4 Dummy orders this turn.

The type and distribution of orders differs from France and Russia and the available orders is an upper limit on how many can be selected in a single turn.

NOTE: this is a crucial planning moment, so think ahead and consider picking an order that will allow you to react to any unexpected order placement by your opponent.

NOTE: The number of each type of order available to France and Russia is deliberately different and represent their historical abilities and behavior.

4. Order Placement

The players alternate placing an order, upright with the label facing the player (so the opponent cannot see the identity of the order), on the map with the player without initiative placing the first order. If players don't have an equal number of orders to place the one with the most orders will simply place his remaining orders after the other player is done.

Orders may ONLY be placed on areas containing friendly SPs, even if the SPs there are not able to fulfill that order – either because you hope to move SPs into the area that can use the order or because you are using the order to deceive your opponent. The latter purpose is the only use of each side's Dummy orders.

Optional Rule: To greatly speed up gameplay, both players may place their orders simultaneously. In case of any dispute, the player without initiative has to place his orders first.

EXAMPLE: let us assume that a 'Cavalry Patrol' order is placed on an area with only infantry strength points. As the order and its type is hidden from the opponent, such deception, may lead the opponent to waste orders responding to imagined threats. The side that placed the 'Cavalry Patrol' order may even be able to force march some cavalry to the location who would then be able to reveal the number of SPs in an adjacent area with an enemy leader.

IMPORTANT: An order MUST be executed by at least 1 SP if at all possible at the time of that order type's execution. It is however legal to move all SPs away from an order that would be executed in a later step, and thus making it impossible to execute it at that time.

As orders are technically placed on areas and not the SPs in it, a SP can be under multiple orders but must execute the first order it can, although an order doesn't need to be executed by all SPs in an area. Most orders only affect a single Force.

EXAMPLE: an area with a single SP with both 'March' and 'Evade' orders. If the SP is not pinned in battle before it gets to move it must use the 'March' order. But if pinned and thus unable to move, it must instead use the 'Evade' order.

EXAMPLE: an area with 10 SPs under both 'Forced March' and 'March' orders where some SPs use the first order while some use the second order.

As orders are placed on an area this also means that SPs may be forced away from orders. For example, retreat after battle may leave an area without a friendly force left to use an order placed in that area. Such orders have no effect and will be removed at the end of the turn.

Leader Abilities: As noted previously some leaders have the ability to either change an order for another order or to discard a card to place an order. These abilities can only ever be used in the same area as the leader.

The time for triggering such an ability is either at the beginning of the step matching the order you want to place / switch to, or the order you wish to switch from. The only restriction is that it is not possible to switch to, or place, an order whose type has already been resolved this turn and you must have the desired order available at the time of switching. As Dummy orders are not considered orders in any way they are also not eligible for this rule.

EXAMPLE: it is not legal to switch to a 'Forced March' order at the beginning of the 'March' step since 'Forced March' orders have already been resolved, and it's also not legal to change an order to 'Evade' if all of your 'Evade' orders are currently on the map and thus not available.

5. Execute FORCED MARCH Orders

During this step FORCED MARCH orders are executed.

REMINDER: For all order types, the Initiative player decides which player executes an order of that type first, and players then alternative revealing and executing one such order until they have all been executed.

Infantry, Imperial Guard and exhausted SPs of all types may move up to 2 areas, while Cavalry & Cossack SPs may move up to 3 areas. Leaders may move up to 3 areas and cannot move on their own, but only as part of a Force. A Force moves at the speed of its slowest SP. A given SP, and leader, may only move once per turn and thus cannot use multiple FORCED MARCH and/or MARCH orders.

A moving force must stop upon entering an enemy-occupied area and should be placed along the edge of the area on the connection used to enter the area as a reminder of this (as its important if the SPs have to retreat after battle).

Forced Marching SPs fight in battle at half-strength, and should be marked with a "x0,5" marker as a reminder.

SPs that cross a bridge to enter a battle as the attacker also fight in battle at half-strength, so such SPs should also be marked with "x0,5" markers (and thus 2 such markers for a cumulative effect of x0,25 if force marching across a bridge into battle). Other SPs in the same battle that did not move under 'Forced March' orders and/or cross bridges into battle are not affected and will fight with their normal combat value.

With one FORCED MARCH Order a player can move one Force (max 4 SPs without a leader/no SP limit with a leader) one direction.

They have to move and stay together (and thus cannot drop off SPs along the way). Moving another Force from the same area will require a separate 'Forced March'/'March' order.

Pinning SPs: If moving from an area containing enemy SPs, those enemy SPs pin down as many of your SPs as their number and prevent them from moving, but any remaining SPs in the area may move out with the only restriction being that they may not exit via connections used by the enemy to enter the area. Player's must announce how many SPs they have in an area the instant the opponent reveals they are going to execute a 'March'/'Forced March' order from the area (and only need reveal the total number of SPs - not their type or status). Players decide which of their own SPs are pinned, and may use exhausted SPs for this.

NOTE: As any pinned SPs don't get to move, they are also not penalized if they have a 'Forced March' order as they would not be able to execute it and will thus fight at normal strength instead of being x0,5.

Off-map Areas: The green or blue colored areas along the map edges may only ever be entered by that side's SPs.

6. Execute CAVALRY PATROLS Orders

During this step CAVALRY PATROLS orders are executed. Players designate their own, or an adjacent, area. The opponent must then reveal the number, type and status (fresh or exhausted) of the SPs currently in the area (including those behind a Leader's screen) as well as the identity of all orders in that area.

This order can ONLY be executed by fresh cavalry and Cossack SPs (reveal at least one such SP when executing the order). If no such SP is present in the area at this time, ignore the order (do not remove it from the map, it will be removed for no effect at the end of the turn).

7. Execute MARCH Orders

During this step MARCH orders are executed. The rules and restrictions for MARCH orders are identical to the ones for 'Forced March' in every way with two exceptions: SPs fight at normal strength (and not x0,5) and use the following movement rates:

• Infantry, Imperial Guard & exhausted SPs of all types may move up to 1 area
• Cavalry & Cossack SPs may move up to 2 areas
• Leaders may move up to 2 areas and cannot move on their own, but only as part of a Force

REMINDER: Forces move at the speed of their slowest SP and must stay together.

8. Execute EVADE Orders

During this step EVADE orders are executed, but only in areas containing enemy SPs. If no enemy SP is present in the area at this time, ignore the order (do not remove it from the map, it will be removed for no effect at the end of the turn). A Force executing EVADE orders automatically retreats to an adjacent area towards it's nearest Depot Marker (not counting a Depot Marker in the same area if one is present), but not into an area containing enemy SPs and not across a connection used by the enemy to enter the area. If no valid connection exist to retreat across, the EVADE order has no effect.

This can result in forces evading to areas that are just as far away or even further away from the nearest depot if all other directions are blocked by enemy SPs. Retreating to an adjacent area while under an 'Evade' order does not count as a move for purposes of cards text that prohibit moving.

Each EVADE order affects a single Force, and it is thus possible to have a situation where there are too many SPs in an area to evade with a single order (as a Force without a Leader cannot be larger than 4 SPs). In these cases the EVADE order allow 1-4 SPs to leave the area while the rest of the SPs there are left behind and will defend in battle as normal.

NOTE that it is perfectly legal for SPs who moved into the area using Forced March or March orders to participate in an evasion from the area, as forces are composed at the instant of executing and order and only lasts for the duration of that order.

If multiple EVADE orders are in an area the SPs there can use each such order to evade to a different location if they are all the same distance to the nearest Depot Marker.

If no SP is left behind when executing an EVADE order each player reveals and counts the number of fresh Cavalry SPs and twice the number of fresh Cossack SPs they have present in the area and announce their side's total (that is: 1x Cavalry SPs + 2x Cossack SPs). 1 SP among the Evading SPs is exhausted if the attacker's total is equal or higher than the evader's total.

EXAMPLE: 3 French Infantry and 1 Cavalry SP are under 'Evade' orders are attacked by 10 Russian Infantry, 1 Cavalry and 1 Cossack SP. The French decide to evade with all his SPs and thus leave no SP behind as a rearguard. The French player announce that his Cavalry total is 1 (as he has 1 Cavalry SP). The Russian player announces that his total is 3 (as he has 1 Cavalry and 1 Cossack and the latter are doubled). The attackers total is thus higher than the evaders total and the evading French force has to flip one of his SPs to its exhausted side.

This represents how a determined rearguard can allow the rest of the army to safely disengage (although likely at great cost to themselves when resolving battles). It also shows the importance of cavalry in general in both the screening and pursuit roles as well as the unique qualities of the light Cossack cavalry in particular in these situations.

IMPORTANT: Note that this exhaustion takes effect before the retreat, and thus the SPs are eliminated if they are now all exhausted.

Depending on the number of eliminated SPs this may shift the VP marker as noted on the Victory Point Shifts table on the Player Aid (same procedure as after a battle).

Increase the Devastation Level by 1 for each 'Evade' order that is executed in an area (unless it is already at level 3).

EXAMPLE: 7 Russian SPs, a Depot Marker and a single 'Evade' order are in Vilna and French SPs have entered the area from Kovno. As there are enemy SPs present the 'Evade' order will be executed. The nearest Russian Depot Marker is in Minsk (as you don't count one in the area you are evading from). A force without a leader cannot consist of more than 4 SPs so the Russians must leave some of their SPs behind in Vilna and evade with up to 4 SPs. This evading force must go to either Molodechno or Volozhin as they are equally close to the Depot Marker in Minsk. As some of the Russian SPs in Vilna stayed behind there is no check to see if one of the evading SPs become exhausted. A Devastation Level 1 Marker is then placed in Vilna.

EXAMPLE: The situation is the same as above but with 2 Russian 'Evade' orders present in Vilna. This would allow the Russian player to get all his SPs out of Vilna as he could form 2 forces and either evade with both of them to Molodechno or Volozhin or one force to each to cover the approaches to Minsk. If no SP is left behind to act as a rearguard when executing the last of the 2 'Evade' orders in Vilna both players compare their Cavalry/Cossack totals to see if a Russian SP becomes exhausted. As the Devastation Level is increased by 1 whenever an 'Evade' orders is executed, the Devastation Level in Vilna would thus be increased by 2.

9. Resolve Battles

Players resolve battles in each area containing SPs from both sides. Battles are resolved in order of the (roughly) smallest to the largest in the following way: First resolve all battles where neither side have any leaders present, then resolve battles where only one side have a leader present, and finally resolve those battles where both sides have leaders. Within each of these categories the Initiative player decides the order they are resolved in, if there are more than one such battle.

CLARIFICATION: The Sequence of Play on the Player Aids wrongly state to resolve in order of combined SPs – the rulebook is correct here.

Any DEFEND order (max 1 per area) in areas containing defending SPs will be executed in this step and will reduce the defender's losses by 1 in that battle. (As with 'Evade' orders any 'Defend' orders not in areas containing SPs of both sides are simply ignored for now and removed at the end of the turn).

The "defender" in each battle is the player whose SPs were the last to be in sole occupation of that area (even if some of his SPs entered after the arrival of enemy SPs).

EXAMPLE: French SPs enter Vitebsk which is vacant so the French are now in sole control of Vitebsk. Russian SPs then move into the area, and thus become the attackers. Then French SPs enter Vitebsk across the river to reinforce the upcoming battle. These SPs will fight at normal strength since they did not "attack" across the bridge as the defender is assumed to control the river crossings.

Each battle is resolved by following these steps in order:

Step 1: Play Battle Events

Each player (attacker first) places the Battle Event card(s) he wishes to use on the table face down, and then players simultaneously flip them to reveal them. The Dummy Card can be used instead of a real card if a player doesn't want use a Battle Event Card at all or want to feign commitment of more Battle Event cards than he is actually playing.

A Force (which is all of their sides SPs in the battle) can play a maximum of 1 Battle event card if they have no leader present. If a leader is present that side may be able to play more than one Battle event card if allowed by their senior leader in the area (as seen on the off-map leader displays). If one side in the battle have no fresh SPs at this point all their SPs will be automatically eliminated (for being with fresh enemy SPs with no fresh SPs of your own), and players can skip steps 2-5 and go directly to Step 6 of the battle resolution.

Step 2: Calculate Combat Value

Each side then calculates their combined Combat Value. Each side announce their combat value to the opponent, but do no have to reveal the actual number of SPs nor the exhausted/fresh status of them.

This is done by totaling their number of SPs and modifying them as listed on the Battle Table and/or by the card text of any played Battle Events Cards.

NOTE: Modifiers and multipliers are cumulative so 4 SPs x0,5 and x2 = 4, while 4 SPs x0,5 and x0,5 = 1.

IMPORTANT: Use common mathematical practices when calculating Combat Value and round the final number down if any fractions remain. So multiply/divide before adding/subtracting.

Then each player rolls their Battle Die (blue for the French and green for the Russians) and adds the result to their total.

NOTE: Some of the Battle Die results are negative numbers.

EXAMPLE: A force of 14 French SPs composed of 2 Imperial Guard, 4 Infantry, 3 Cavalry and 6 exhausted SPs are attacking in Smolensk (a fortress) and entered it from Orsha (so across a bridge). The French Battle die result was 2. The French combined Combat Value is thus: 2 for the die roll + 1,5 for the Guards (2 SPs x1,5 for being Guards x0,5 for the bridge) + 2 for the infantry (4 SPs x0,5 for the bridge) + 0,75 for the cavalry (3 SPs x0,5 for being cavalry in a fortress and x0,5 for the bridge) + 0 for the exhausted (6 SPs x0 for being exhausted) for a total of 6,25 rounded down which puts them in the 6-9 column on Battle Table and therefore inflict 2 losses on the Russians.

This example was made to be fiddly so as to include as many modifiers as possible. Most battles in the game will be far easier to calculate than this.

Step 3: Check Battle Table

Each player then references his total in the Battle Table to see how many losses he inflicts on the enemy and announces that. This is done simultaneously.

Step 4: Assign Losses

Each player then assigns his losses freely among his fresh SPs in the battle area by alternate between exhausting a fresh SP and eliminating a fresh SP, starting with exhausting.

EXAMPLE: The French inflict 4 losses in battle against the Russians. The Russians take their losses in the following manner: The 1st loss is taken by a fresh SP becoming Exhausted, the 2nd loss eliminates a fresh SP, the 3rd loss causes a fresh SP to become exhausted, the 4th loss eliminates a fresh SP.

IMPORTANT: Note that this is different from how losses from attrition works.

The attacker's losses are increased by 1 if attacking a fortress defended by fresh infantry/imperial guard. The defender's losses are reduced by 1 if under 'Defend' orders with infantry/imperial guard.

When taking losses, at least 1 in 3 (rounded down) of the affected SPs must be fresh cavalry becoming exhausted or eliminated if possible. The rest can be taken among the player's fresh infantry, cossack and imperial guard SPs as the player sees fit and can be taken from fresh SPs that contributed 0 to the combat value (due to card effects and/or SP type).

Exhausted SPs do not take losses in battle, but remember that if there are not enough fresh SPs to satisfy all the losses then all the exhausted SPs are eliminated for being alone with fresh enemy SPs as normal.

EXAMPLE: A Russian force of 4 fresh SPs suffer 3 losses in a battle. The first loss exhausts a SP, the second loss eliminates a fresh SP and the third loss exhaust a SP. The Russian force now consists of 1 fresh and 2 exhausted SPs. Had the Russian force included cavalry at least 1 of the exhaustion or elimination results would have been taken by a cavalry SP.

Remember that eliminated French SPs go into the "French Casualties" box (as they are important for victory points purposes) while Russian losses are placed back in the Russian Force Pool.

Step 5: Battle Victory & Pursuit

If one side inflicted more losses on the other then it has won the battle, and now has the opportunity to cause even more losses and/or shift the VP Marker. If losses were even skip step 5-7 and go to Step 8: Tied Battles.

EXCEPTION: battles where one side is eliminated are always considered won by the other side regardless of losses.

Each side counts and announces how many SPs combined it has remaining in the area of fresh Cavalry & Cossacks, with Cossack SPs counting double (just like with the Evade procedure, so Cavalry SPs x1 + Cossack SPs x2). If the winner has more than the loser, then the loser must eliminate a number of his SPs equivalent to the difference. The SPs to be eliminated are freely chosen by the loser and MAY be applied to exhausted SPs.

IMPORTANT: Note that this is different from how losses otherwise work as every loss here is an elimination, and Exhausted SPs can also take losses.

EXAMPLE: A French force has just won a battle. After taking battle losses the respective cavalry strengths are 3 fresh and 1 exhausted Cavalry SPs for the French while the Russians have 1 fresh Cossack SP and 3 exhausted Cavalry SPs (infantry SPs are ignored for this purpose). Only fresh SPs are counted so the difference is 3 fresh French cavalry SPs x1 minus 1 fresh Russian Cossack x2 = 1, so the Russians must eliminate 1 SP, which can be taken by any SPs involved in the battle. The Russian player chooses to eliminate an exhausted infantry SP, which was part of the defeated force in the battle.

If, at this point, either side in the battle consists entirely of exhausted SPs these SPs are eliminated if the opposing side has at least 1 fresh SP present.

Step 6: VP Shifts

The winner of the battle shifts the VP marker depending on the total number of eliminated SPs suffered by the loser in this battle, as noted on the Victory Points Shifts table on the Player Aid.

IMPORTANT: This total includes SPs eliminated from the Battle Table, Battle Event Cards, Cavalry Pursuit after the battle and also exhausted SPs eliminated due to the lack of friendly fresh SPs.

NOTE: only losses actually taken are counted, so if 8 losses are inflicted but only 1 SP could be eliminated (e.g. no SPs are left), then only the 1 eliminated SP counts. Likewise only those battle losses that resulted in eliminations counts while surviving SPs that were only exhausted are not counted for VP purposes.

If the losing side included the Napoléon or Alexander leaders, the winner of the battle gains an additional VP shift in his favor. (this represents the additional loss of prestige from having the monarch being personally responsible for a military failure).

Step 7: Initiative Shifts

The Initiative Marker is shifted 1 space in favor of the initiative player if he wins a battle where the loser suffered more losses than the current initiative level. The Initiative Marker is shifted 1 space in favor of the non-Initiative player whenever the Initiative player loses a battle regardless of the number of losses suffered. It is possible for neither of these conditions to be fulfilled in which case there is no effect on the Initiative Marker.

Step 8: Tied Battles

If losses are even the battle is a draw.

Draws are considered won by the defender IF the battle takes place in a Fortress Town area or if ALL the attacking SPs moved into the area directly across bridges.

(Definition: The "defender" in a battle is the player whose SPs were the last to be in sole occupation of that area). If none of these conditions apply draws are won by the side currently holding the Initiative.

One exception is that battles where one side is eliminated are always considered won by the other side regardless of losses.

There is NO cavalry pursuit by the winner of a drawn battle and no VPs or Initiative shifts for the winner.

Step 9: Retreat

The surviving losing SPs retreat to an adjacent area.

• A defeated attacker can only retreat along connection(s) used to enter the battle and choose the one(s) that brings him closer to the nearest friendly Depot Marker (not counting a Depot Marker in the area of the battle). He may split up his SPs into several areas if all of them are equally distant to the nearest Depot Marker.

A retreating force without a leader may contain more than 4 SPs, but all SPs beyond the first 4 will become exhausted (retreating player's choice).

• A defeated defender has to retreat towards the nearest friendly Depot Marker (not counting a Depot Marker in the area of the battle) but CANNOT use connections used by the attacker to enter the battle, unless that connection was also used by the defender to enter the battle. He may split up his SPs into several areas if all of them are the same areas away from the nearest Depot Marker (counting only the shortest route).

A retreating force without a leader may contain more than 4 SPs, but all SPs beyond the first 4 will become exhausted (retreating player's choice).

NOTE that the retreat rules mean that a SP is allowed to enter a battle from one connection and retreat through another in many cases – this is true for both the attacker and the defender.

CLARIFICATION: When calculating the distance to the nearest depot do not count through areas containing enemy SPs. Likewise, a retreat into an area containing enemy SPs is not a valid retreat path. Retreating into enemy occupied areas may thus only be done if no valid retreat path exists (as noted below).

As the directions used to enter battle areas are of vital importance during retreats players are advised to place forces entering battle on the connections right next to the battle area as a reminder.

EXAMPLE: The Russians have just been defeated in battle and have to retreat to an adjacent area. Their nearest depot is in adjacent Borisov, and since the connection between these 2 areas have not been used by the French to enter the battle they can retreat to Borisov.

Had Borisov been occupied by French SPs they would have had no valid retreat path, as all connections would either lead to French-occupied areas or have been used by the attacker to enter the battle. They would therefore suffer exhaustion penalties before retreating into the French-occupied area towards their nearest depot as described below.

EXAMPLE: Same map situation but here the French attackers lost the battle and have to retreat. The French SPs entered the battle from 2 connections and have to retreat back across one of these. They have to choose the one that brings them closer to their nearest depot marker. The nearest depot marker is in Minsk (which is 2 areas away from Pleschenitsy while the depot marker in Svencionys is 3 areas away), so the French retreat back to Molodechno with their entire force, including the SPs that entered the battle from Lepel. Had the Russian defenders been reinforced by a force moving into the battle across one of the connections used by the French to enter the battle it would not have affected the French retreat considerations as that is only important for a retreating defender.

A defeated force with no valid retreat path, as detailed above, immediately suffers exhaustion on half its fresh SPs (rounded up & retreating players choice of SPs) and retreats towards the nearest friendly depot. If more than one area qualify, the retreating player chooses where to retreat. If this retreat is made by a force without a leader and containing more than 4 SPs then all SPs beyond the first 4 will become exhausted (retreating player's choice) in addition to the other exhaustion penalties for being unable to retreat. Already exhausted SPs becoming exhausted again due to this simply remain exhausted and suffer no additional penalties. This retreat may enter an enemy-occupied area (including a yet to be resolved battle). If so, resolve the battle in this area as the next one.

IMPORTANT: Remember that exhausted SPs and leaders who find themselves in an area with fresh enemy SPs and no fresh friendly SPs are eliminated. This is checked after cavalry pursuit but before losing SPs retreat after battle, so you may find an entire army of exhausted SPs eliminated as a result of an ill-fated battle.

NOTE: This represents a tired and demoralized force losing all cohesion, and was one of Napoléon's signature moves prior to 1812. It is also what nearly happened to the Grande Armée itself during the retreat from Moscow.

IMPORTANT: Remember that if any of your side's Depot Markers find themselves in an area with fresh enemy SPs and no friendly SPs you must select and discard a card from your hand and remove the Depot Marker from the map and put it in your Force Pool. If the player has no cards in his hand, there is no penalty (This represents the loss of supplies, wagons and horses as the depot is overrun by the enemy).

Step 10: Draw a Card

Each player who played one or more Battle Event card(s) AND has a leader present now draw a card to their hand (only 1 card is drawn no matter how many Battle events were played or how many leaders were present).

Step 11: Increase Devastation

Lastly the Devastation Level in the area where the battle took place is increased by 1 (unless it is already at level 3).

10. Execute RALLY Orders

During this step RALLY orders are executed. To perform a RALLY Order simply flip back 1 exhausted SP of any type to its fresh side. If executed in an area containing a Depot Marker or your side's supply source the player may flip back 2 exhausted SPs to their fresh side instead of 1, but only if both SPs are Infantry. A RALLY order doesn't have to be used on a SP present in the area when the order was placed but can be used on a SP that moved into the RALLY order's area during the turn. (But no more than 1 SP can be rallied per order (or 2 infantry SPs on a Depot Marker).

Optional Rule: If players desire a less forgiving game remove one 'Rally' orders block from each side from the game.

11. Execute COSSACK RAID Orders

Only the Russian player executes this order. If a Cossack SP is present in the order's area, reveal it and designate one adjacent area as the target of the raid. The French player must then remove any FORAGE order he has placed there (if any) and eliminate 1 exhausted SP in it (if any).

Multiple COSSACK RAID orders may be placed and executed in the same area, but an individual Cossack SP can only execute one such order per turn, so this would require a Cossack SP for each such order.

This order can ONLY be executed by Cossack SPs and is simply ignored for now and will be removed again for no effect at the end of the turn if no such SP is present at this time.

12. Execute PLACE DEPOT orders

During this step PLACE DEPOT orders are executed. The order places a Depot Marker in the area if it still contains at least 1 friendly SP and can trace a line of up to 4 Road (not track) connections in length to at least one other friendly depot. This line must not cross enemy-occupied areas. This order can only be executed in Depot Town Areas and have no effect elsewhere.

During this step, both sides may also remove any of their Depot Markers from the map and place them in their side's Force Pool. This removal of Depots does not require an order (this represents an organized transfer of the supplies, wagons, and horses to other depots).

13. Attrition

After resolving 'Place Depot' orders, ATTRITION takes place. When resolving attrition, FORAGE orders are also executed. One of the players roll the weather die and check the result on the Weather Table (found on the Player Aid) using the appropriate line (summer or winter) for the current month. Then both players simultaneously check across the entire map to see where and how much attrition is suffered by their armies using that weather result as a modifier to their number of SPs in each area (along with a few other modifiers as listed on the table).

Each player checks for each area occupied by his SPs to see if any attrition is suffered by referencing the relative size of the force in the area with their distance to the nearest Depot Marker or Supply Source on the Attrition Table.

NOTE: It is recommended to use the "Attrition Checked" markers as you go from area to area to speed up process while avoiding mistakes.

Comforting NOTE: When players get familiar with the table, they will be able to quickly determine where they don't need to check for attrition at all that turn and thus cut down on playtime.

Less comforting NOTE: Exposure to the weather, disease and lack of food killed far more soldiers in 1812 than muskets and sabers did. Keep the upcoming attrition step in mind when you make your plans, and try to make it more painful for the enemy than it is for you.

The distance to the nearest depot is simply the number of connections you would have to cross before reaching the nearest friendly Depot Marker or Supply Source. Track Connections count double when counting this distance. Areas containing enemy SPs cannot be traced through. If the distance is more than 5 then the area is considered to be out of supply and use the rightmost column on the table (which means it is unable to receive any supplies from the depots and has to live entirely off the land).

The results given by the Attrition Table is the number of Attrition losses suffered in the area and how much the Devastation Level is increased in the area.

If it is not possible to increase the Devastation Level by the full amount indicated on the table (as the maximum Devastation Level in an area is 3) then place up to the level 3 and increase the Attrition losses by 1 in total. For each attrition loss suffered the player must either exhaust 1 fresh SP OR eliminate 2 exhausted SPs.

At least 1 in 3 (rounded down) of the affected SPs must be cavalry or cossack if possible. The rest can be taken among the players infantry and imperial guard SPs as the player sees fit.

IMPORTANT: Note that this is different from how losses from battle works.

FORAGE orders are executed during this step. Each FORAGE Order in an area reduces the attrition losses by 2.

Remember that eliminated French SPs go into the "French Casualties" box (as they are important for victory points purposes) while Russian losses are placed back in the Russian Force Pool.

EXAMPLE: This turn's weather effect was a "1". 6 fresh and 2 exhausted SPs are in a Key City Area with a Level 3 Devastation marker. The area is 3 areas away from the nearest Depot Marker. The modified size in the area is: 8 (total SPs) -3 (key city) +3 (Devastation Level 3) +1 (weather effect) = 9.

The attrition suffered is thus "1D" so the Devastation Level is increased by 1 and the player must either exhaust 1 of the fresh SPs or eliminate both exhausted SPs in the area. However, as the area is already at Devastation Level 3 it is not possible to increase it further, and thus the attrition losses are increased by 1, to a total of 2.

14. Lines of Communications

Both players simultaneously check their Depot Markers' Lines of Communication. Each of their Depot Markers can trace a Line of Communication up to 4 connections in length, free of enemy SPs, along Roads connections only (NOT Tracks), to another friendly Depot Marker. This Depot Marker must itself be able to trace such a line to another Depot Marker, till one of the supply sources is reached. The supply sources for the French player are areas along the western map edge with a blue supply depot symbol, while the supply sources for the Russian player are areas along the eastern, northern and southern map edges with a green supply depot symbol.

Depot Markers unable to do this are removed from the map and placed in their side's Force Pool.

End of Turn

At the end of the turn both players remove any unresolved orders they may have on the map without revealing their identity to the enemy.

• If this turn was the last turn of the scenario (marked by the "Last Turn" marker on the Time Track) the game is over, and the winner is the player with the VP advantage. If neither player has the VP advantage the game ends in a draw.
• If this was not the last turn of the scenario, move the Time Marker to the next space and continue with the next turn. If the just-finished turn was the 5th turn the month is over and players start with the Resources Phase for the next month.

Scenario rules, setup, victory conditions etc. are all detailed in the playbook.