The Battle of Borodino: Napoleon in Russia 1812 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
  • Game scale
• Game Equipment
• Definition of Terms
• Setting Up the Game
• Game Length
• Game Charts and Tables
• Necessary Equipment Not Supplied with the Game
• Turns of Play
  • General Rule
  • Procedure
  • Cases
• Movement
  • General Rule
  • Procedure
  • Cases
• Zones of Control
  • General Rule
  • Cases
• Combat
  • General Rule
  • Example
  • Cases
• Combat Resolution Table
  • Explanation of Results
• Terrain Effects Chart
• Retreat and Advance as a Result of Combat
• Artillery
  • General Rule
  • Procedure
  • Cases
• Russian Redoubts
  • General Rule
  • Cases
  • Destroyed Marker
• How to Win: the Victory Conditions
• Scenarios
  • How to use the scenarios
  • 5 September, Battle Game
  • 6 September, Battle Game
  • 7 September, Battle Game
  • Grand Battle Game
    • Special Rule: Night Movement
• Optional Rule
  • Imperial Guard Rule
  • Additional Forces
• Turn Record and Reinforcement Scale
• Order of Battle (Initial Forces, in terms of game counters)
  • French, commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French
  • Russian, commanded by Marshal Kutusov
• Designer's Notes

Introduction

Borodino has four distinct games included in it. There are three daily battles, for each day that the battle raged: the 5, 6 or 7 September. There is also a Grand Battle game combining all three days into one large game.

Game scale

Each hexagon on the Borodino mapsheet represents 400 metres of ground from side to side. Each Game-Turn equals an hour real time. The units represent the actual divisions of infantry and cavalry, except for certain units which were too large or small to represent as divisions.

Game Equipment

The Map depicts the area around the Russian city of Borodino where the actual battle was fought. A hexagonal grid has been superimposed on the map to facilitate movement and positioning of the Playing Pieces. Movement and Combat are affected by the terrain on the map as outlined and explained on the Terrain Effects Chart. The individual hexagons will hereafter be referred to as "hexes".

Cases:

(A) The following types of terrain features appear on the map:

1. Woods-hexes (blocks movement of units);
2. Town-hexes (amplifies the defensive strength of occupying units);
3. Road-hexes (allow passage through otherwise impassable wood-hexes);
4. River-hexsides (blocks all Zones of Control and movement through them except at fords, bridges, and roads);
5. Bridge-hexsides (permit movement across rivers, reduces attacking Combat Strength);
6. Ford hexsides (permit movement across rivers at a penalty, reduces attacking Combat Strength);
7. Redoubt-hexes (increase defensive strength of occupying units, may also attack).
8. Stream-hexsides (may be crossed at a penalty, does not affect combat);

(B) A given hex is considered to be a specific type of terrain if any or all of a specific terrain symbol appears in the hex.

(C) The names on the map are provided for historical color and have no effect upon play.

The Playing Pieces represent the actual military units that took part in the actual battle. The numbers and symbols on the pieces represent the strength, movement-capability, and type of military unit simulated by that particular playing piece. Playing pieces will henceforth be referred to as "units".

A unit shows its Type symbol, a Historical Designation (does not affect the play of the game), a Combat Strength and a Movement Allowance (for example 6-4: Combat Strength 6, Movement Allowance 4).

Symbol Key: crossed lines = Infantry; diagonal line = Cavalry; dot = Artillery.

Definition of Terms

Combat Strength is the relative strength of a unit with regards to attack and defense, expressed in terms of Strength Points.

Movement Allowance is the maximum number of hexes which a unit may be moved in a single Movement Phase, expressed in terms of Movement Points; one Movement Point is expended for each hex entered.

Setting Up the Game

There are three Deployment maps which show the placement of units for the beginning of the game. All indicated units east of the Front Line are Russian, and all west of the Front Line are French. Players place their units on the properly marked hexes according to the Combat Strength, Movement Allowance and unit type. The unit designations of the units are not important, and they need not be placed on the Deployment sheets in any historical manner.

Game Length

The Game Length varies according to the particular battle you are playing; basically each day of battle is divided into the hours from 0600 (sun up) to 1900 (sundown).

Game Charts and Tables

Various visual aids are provided to simplify and illustrate certain game functions. These are the Combat Results Table, the Terrain Effects Chart, the Initial Forces chart, and the Turn Record/Reinforcement Chart. Explanations accompany the charts where they appear.

Necessary Equipment Not Supplied with the Game

In order to play Borodino, Players must supply their own die.

Turns of Play

General Rule

The game is played in turns. Each complete Game-Turn represents one hour of elapsed time. The game is ten Game-Turns in length. Each Game-Turn consists of two Player-Turns: (1) the French Player-Turn, (2) the Russian Player-Turn. Each Player-Turn is divided into two separate phases: (1) the Movement-Phase, (2) the Combat-Phase.

Procedure

The sequence of play is as follows:

• Step 1. The French Movement Phase: French Player moves his units as desired.
• Step 2. The French Combat Phase: French Player executes any and all attacks against the Allied Player's units.
• Step 3. The Russian Movement Phase: Russian Player moves his units as desired.
• Step 4. The Russian Combat Phase: Allied Player executes any and all attacks against the French Player's units.
• Step 5. The Players indicate the passage of one complete Game-Turn on the Time Record.

Players repeat Steps 1 through 5 until one player wins or until the tenth turn is completed at which point the game is finished.

Cases

(A) No combat takes place during the Movement Phase of a Player-Turn.

(B) No movement takes place during the Combat Phase of a Player-Turn (except as directed by the Combat Resolution Table).

(C) No Russian movement or attacking takes place during the French Player-Turn and vice-versa.

Movement

General Rule

During the Movement Phase of his turn, a Player may move as many or as few of his units as he desires, moving them in any direction or combination of directions.

Procedure

Units are moved by counting each hex that the unit enters as the expenditure of one Movement Point out of that unit's total Movement (point) Allowance. For example, a unit with a Movement Allowance of FOUR, could move as much as four hexes in a single Movement Phase.

Cases

(A) No Enemy movement is allowed during Friendly movement.

(B) No attacks, Enemy or Friendly, take place during the Movement Phase of a Player's turn.

(C) Each hex moved into by a unit costs that unit Movement Points. A unit may not expend more Movement Points in any given Player-Turn than its total Movement Allowance. Basically, all hexes cost one Movement Point to enter. However, it costs a unit two additional Movement Points to cross a river through a ford hexside. Rivers may be crossed through bridge hexsides without penalty. Rivers may not be crossed at other than fords or bridges. (See the Terrain Effects Chart). Stream hexsides may be crossed anywhere; however, to move through a Stream hexside costs one additional Movement Point, except when crossing on a road.

(D) Movement from hex-to-hex must be consecutive, that is to say, a unit may not skip hexes.

(E) Units may move through hexes occupied by Friendly units. They may NOT move through or into hexes occupied by Enemy units.

(F) Units may NOT finish their Movement Phase in the same hex as other units (Enemy or Friendly). In other words, Players may NOT place more than one unit in a given hex.

(G) Units which enter the Zone of Control of an Enemy unit MUST STOP! They may NOT travel through an Enemy controlled hex nor may they leave an Enemy controlled hex once they enter it. Of course, once the Enemy unit(s) exerting the Zone of Control upon that hex is destroyed or retreated as a result of combat, the hex is no longer an "Enemy controlled hex", and the Friendly unit may leave.

(H) Units beginning their Movement Phase in an Enemy Zone of Control MAY NOT MOVE AT ALL during that Movement Phase.

(I) In any given turn a Player may choose to move NONE, SOME or ALL of his units (consistent with the rules regarding Zones of Control). Units may be moved LESS than their total Movement Allowance, but they may NEVER be moved MORE than their Movement Allowance in any one turn.

(J) The only Woods-hexes which may be entered by any units are those traversed by Roads. Such hexes may only be entered from the direction in which the road enters the Wood-hex: i.e. units must enter and exit Woods/Road-hexes by traveling along the road leading into and out of the Woods. Movement in non-road Woods hexes is not allowed.

(K) Once a unit has been moved, and the Player's hand is taken from the piece, it may not be moved any further during that Player-Turn, nor may it change its move without the consent of the opposing Player.

(L) Movement Points are NOT transferable from unit to unit, nor may they be accumulated from turn to turn.

Zones of Control

General Rule

Every unit "controls" the six hexagons directly adjacent to the one it occupies, with respect to enemy movement and combat.

Cases

(A) All units exert a Zone of Control at all times, whether or not it is that Player's turn.

(B) Friendly units are not inhibited in any way by the Zones of Control of other Friendly units.

(C) Friendly units may enter the Zone of Control of Enemy units (i.e. they may move adjacent to Enemy units) but they may NOT move through an Enemy controlled hex. In other words, they must stop upon entering the first Enemy controlled hex that they encounter.

(D) Once in an Enemy controlled hex, a Friendly unit may NOT move out of that hex until the Enemy unit is either destroyed or retreated as a result of combat, or until the Friendly unit itself is forced to retreat as a result of combat.

(E) More than one unit may exert a Zone of Control over the same hex.

(F) The overlapping of Zones of Control between nonadjacent units of opposing armies has no effect upon those units; only when the units themselves are actually in each other's Zones of Control does the Zone of Control rule apply.

(G) Zones of Control affect adjacent opposing units mutually. That is to say, neither unit can leave the presence of the other until one of the units is destroyed or retreated as a result of combat.

(H) Zones of Control do not extend through river hexsides but they do extend through Stream hexsides. Zones of Control also do not extend across bridges or fords crossing a river hexside.

Combat

General Rule

Combat is resolved by comparing the total Combat Strength of the attacking unit(s) to that of the adjacent defending unit(s). The comparison is stated as a probability ratio: Attacker's Combat Strength to Defender's Combat Strength. The ratio is simplified to conform to the odds given on the Combat Resolution Table (the ratio is always rounded off in favor of the defending unit(s) if it does not exactly conform to the ratios given in the table). A die is rolled (by the Attacking Player) and the result is read from the appropriate line of the table. The Attacking Player IMMEDIATELY takes the action indicated on the table before going on to resolve any other attacks he may be executing during that Combat Phase.

Example

Two French Infantry units (with a combined strength of EIGHT Combat Strength Points) attack one Russian Cavalry unit (Combat Strength of THREE). The odds of the attack are EIGHT-to-THREE which are then simplified (and rounded off in favor of the defender) to an odds-situation of TWO-to-ONE. The French Player rolls the die and looks at the results given under the "TWO to ONE" column on the line indicated by the die-roll number. The result indicated takes effect IMMEDIATELY.

Cases

(A) To engage an Enemy unit in combat, the attacking unit(s) must be adjacent to that Enemy unit during the Combat Phase of the Attacking Player's turn. (Exception: see ARTILLERY RULE);

(B) ALL Enemy units to which there are Friendly units adjacent MUST be attacked in the Combat Phase of those Friendly units. ALL Friendly units which are adjacent to Enemy units MUST participate in an attack during the Combat Phase of the Player's turn.

(C) The Attacking Player has the choice of resolving his attacks in any order he wishes as long as ALL adjacent Enemy units are attacked. The Attacking Player may choose which attacking units will attack which defending units as long as ALL of his units which are adjacent to Enemy units participate in an attack.

(D) No defending unit may be attacked more than once per turn, nor may any attacking unit attack more than once per turn.

(E) More than one attacking unit may participate in an attack against a single defending unit as long as all the attacking units are adjacent to the defender. The Combat Strengths of the attacking units are totaled into one combined Combat Strength and then compared to that of the defending unit in order to determine the odds.

(F) A single attacking unit may make an attack against two or more defending units to which it is adjacent. The Combat Strengths of the defenders are totalled into one combined Strength to which the attacking unit compares its Strength to determine the odds.

(G) Players may deliberately make attacks at poor odds in order that adjacent attacks against other defenders may be made at higher odds (by allotting most of the attacking force to the major objective). Such "suicidal" attacks are euphemistically called "diversionary attacks."

(H) Whenever, as a direct result of combat, an Enemy unit is thrown back (retreated) or removed from play (eliminated), the victorious unit may advance into the hex formerly occupied by the defeated force. The option to advance is exercised IMMEDIATELY. The advance may be made even if the advancing unit is still in an Enemy unit's Zone of Control. Retreating and advancing due to combat is not considered as part of regular Movement and is not counted as an expenditure of Movement Points.

(I) The Combat Strength of a unit must be used as an integral whole. That is, it may not be split in order to apply some Strength Points to one attack and some to another.

(J) Units defending in Towns DOUBLE their strength (on defense). Example: A unit with a basic strength of FOUR Combat Points would defend (in a Town-hex) as if it had a strength of EIGHT Combat Points.

(K) Units may attack across Fords or Bridges crossing River hexsides, but only at half their Combat Strength, as outlined on the Terrain Effects Chart. Stream hexsides have no effect on Combat. Units may attack through River hexsides only at Fords and Bridges. The exception is Artillery units; see "Artillery" rules.

Combat Resolution Table

Probability ratios (Odds): Attacker's Strength to Defender's Strength

Die roll	1 to 5	1 to 4	1 to 3	1 to 2	1 to 1	2 to 1	3 to 1	4 to 1	5 to 1	6 to 1
1	Ae	Ar	Ar	Dr	Dr	Dr	De	De	De	De
2	Ae	Ae	Ar	Ar	Dr	Dr	Dr	De	De

Attacks executed at greater than "6 to 1" are treated as "6 to 1"; attacks executed at worse than "1 to 5" are treated as "1 to 5".

Explanation of Results

Ae = Attacker Eliminated: The attacking unit(s) is eliminated (destroyed) and is immediately removed from the map.

Ar = Attacker Retreats: The attacking unit(s) is immediately moved back one hex.

Ex = Exchange: The defending unit(s) is eliminated and the attacking unit(s) suffer a loss AT LEAST equal (in terms of Strength Points) to that of the Defender. Only those attacking units directly involved in that particular attack may be used to make up this equal exchange of Strength Point losses. This will sometimes mean that the Attacker will be forced to lose more Combat Strength Points than the Defender. Both side's losses are immediately removed from the map. A surviving attacking unit may then exercise the option to advance into the hex formerly occupied by the Defender.

Dr = Defender Retreats: The defending unit(s) is immediately moved back one hex.

De = Defender Eliminated: The defending unit(s) is eliminated (destroyed) and is immediately removed from the map.

Terrain Effects Chart

If any portion of a hex includes a particular terrain type, the entire hex is considered to be that terrain type.

Terrain	Movement Effect	Effect on Combat
Clear terrain	costs one Movement Point to enter	None
Woods	entry prohibited	see Artillery, Case I
Towns	costs one Movement Point to enter	unit's Combat Strength is doubled for defensive purposes when in a town hex
Woods/Roads	costs one Movement Point to enter from another road hex	same as Town hexes
River hexsides	units may not move through a river hexside.	combat through river hexsides is forbidden; Zones of Control do not extend across river hexsides
Ford and Bridge hexsides	costs two additional Movement Points to cross a Ford hexside; costs nothing additional to cross a Bridge hexside.	units attacking across have their Combat Strengths halved; Zones of Control do not extend across Ford or Bridge hexsides.
Redoubts	see Redoubt rules

Retreat and Advance as a Result of Combat

When units are forced to retreat, the victorious player decides in which direction they will be retreated, within the following restrictions:

Units may not retreat into Enemy Zones of Control, off the map, into non-Road Woods, or into Enemy-occupied hexes. If no path of retreat is open to the retreating unit (aside from the forbidden hexes described above) then the retreating unit is ELIMINATED and immediately removed from the map.

Displacement: if the only safe hex (i.e., not blocked as above) available to the retreating unit is one which is already occupied by another, uninvolved, Friendly unit, then the uninvolved unit is displaced (pushed out of its hex) by the retreating unit. The uninvolved unit is moved back (by the victorious Player) as if it were retreating, and its position is taken by the retreating unit. The displaced unit itself may not be forced into Enemy units or Zones of Control or woods. If the displacement would cause the uninvolved unit to be eliminated in this fashion, the retreating unit is instead eliminated and no displacement takes place. Displaced units can themselves displace other Friendly units in a sort of chain reaction of displacement, if that is the only safe path of displacement open to them. Artillery units which are displaced, and have not yet engaged in combat during that Combat Phase, may not fire in that Combat Phase. Units may not be forced to displace other Friendly units if they have other paths of retreat open to them.

Optional Advance: Whenever a hex is vacated as a result of combat, the victorious unit responsible for the Enemy elimination or retreat may advance into the vacated hex. This may be done even if the victorious unit is still in an Enemy Zone of Control and/or if the vacated hex is in an Enemy Zone of Control. The option to advance must be exercised immediately. A unit is never forced to advance. A unit may never advance more than one hex as a result of combat. Advances are not counted as regular Movement and therefore expend no Movement Points.

Advances are useful in cutting off the line of retreat of Enemy units whose combat has yet to be resolved. Advancing units may not participate in another attack or defense in the Combat Phase in which they advance, even if their advance places them next to Enemy units whose battles are yet to be resolved.

Artillery

General Rule

Unlike Infantry and Cavalry units, Artillery units may participate in attacks by bombarding the defending unit. Artillery bombards a unit from two hexes distance. Artillery units must participate in combat when adjacent to opposing units. In other words, artillery may participate in two types of attack, depending on their distance from the defending unit (adjacent or two hexes distant). Unlike other units, Artillery units are never destroyed or forced to retreat when bombarding a unit, although they are affected by all combat results when they are adjacent to the unit being attacked.

Procedure

Determine the odds of the attack in exactly the same fashion as any other attack. All results are applied in the same fashion, except that bombarding Artillery units (i.e., units firing from a range of two hexes) are not affected by combat results. Thus, if an "Exchange" were the result in an attack solely by bombarding artillery, the defending unit would be eliminated, but the bombarding units would not be affected. Of course, other units cooperating with the bombarding Artillery units from an adjacent position (including adjacent artillery units) would be affected by combat results, and they would suffer the effects of an "Exchange" result.

Cases

(A) Artillery units may attack Enemy units which are two hexes away, but they are never forced to attack an Enemy unit merely because it is within two hexes. Artillery units must participate in an attack if they are adjacent to an Enemy unit, although they would not necessarily have to attack the adjacent unit: some other Friendly unit could attack the adjacent Enemy unit, while the Artillery unit would be free to bombard another Enemy unit two hexes away. This might only be done if there were another Enemy unit within two hexes.

(B) Artillery units may attack alone, in concert with other Artillery units, or in concert with Infantry and/or Cavalry units. Artillery units may combine attacks from adjacent positions, and in the bombardment role of two hexes distant.

(C) When an attack fails, bombarding artillery (i.e., attacking from two hexes distant) suffer no ill effects: they are never destroyed or retreated as a result of their own failed attacks. Artillery units attacking from an adjacent position must suffer all the combat results of their attacks. Bombarding Artillery units may voluntarily elect to suffer an "Attacker Retreat" combat result. When cooperating with other, non-artillery units, these other units always suffer all combat results, no matter what the distance of the attacking artillery.

(D) Artillery units may only attack a single unit when bombarding; when attacking from an adjacent position, artillery units may attack as many units as they are adjacent to.

(E) When artillery units themselves are attacked, they suffer all combat results as do all other units. Artillery units may not use their two-hex range in a defensive situation.

(F) Artillery units may fire over other intervening units (Enemy or Friendly) and Town hexes in order to attack from two hexes distant. Artillery may not fire over Woods hexes to attack Enemy units two hexes away.

(G) When a unit is destroyed or retreated by attacking artillery which is not adjacent to the defender, the attacking artillery may not advance.

(H) Artillery may fire through all types of River hexsides.

(I) Artillery units may not fire, at any range, into or through woods or woods/road hexes. The woods are considered to block the artillery from firing into or through them. However, if the artillery, when firing at two hexes range, has two equi-distant, alternate paths of hexes to fire through, one of which is blocked, and the other not, it may fire at the target hex. (A diagram on the sheet illustrates "Fire not blocked".)

Russian Redoubts

General Rule

Redoubt hexes have an intrinsic Combat Strength which may only be used when attacking the three hexes adjacent to the Front hexsides (the "front" as represented by the "teeth"), or when being attacked from those hexes. Additionally, a Friendly unit in a redoubt hex is doubled for defensive purposes when attacked solely through these Front hexsides.

Cases

(A) Only Russian units may benefit from being in a redoubt. French units never receive any benefit from these hexes.

(B) French units may only move through a Front hexside of a redoubt hex as a result of combat. They may never move through them during a Movement Phase.

(C) Redoubts have a Zone of Control (the same as any combat unit) which extends solely to the three hexes adjacent to the Front hexsides. French units must stop movement when entering these hexes, may not move out of them voluntarily, and must attack a unit or redoubt when in this Zone of Control.

(D) Redoubts may freely be entered by the French Player from the rear (if no Russian unit is in the redoubt), i.e., through the non-Front hexsides. The redoubt hexes have no Combat Strength oriented towards the rear.

(E) Russian units defending in the redoubt when attacked solely through the Front hexsides of the redoubt, have their Combat Strength for defensive purposes doubled. In addition to this, the intrinsic Combat Strength of the redoubt is added onto the doubled Combat Strength of the unit in the redoubt. This is a unitary Strength, which may not be split, i.e., the combined strength must be attacked in total.

(F) When a redoubt with a unit in it is attacked solely from the rear, i.e., exclusively through the non-Front hexsides, the unit is not doubled, nor is the intrinsic Combat Strength of the redoubt added in.

(G) When a unit in a redoubt is being attacked both through a Front hexside and a non-Front hexside in combination, the unit is not doubled, but the intrinsic Combat Strength of the redoubt IS added onto that of the unit in the redoubt.

(H) Artillery attacks against units in a redoubt or the redoubt itself are handled in the same fashion as attacks by infantry and cavalry, whether firing at a distance of one or two hexes. If the artillery unit is firing through a Front hexside, any Russian unit in the redoubt is doubled for defensive purposes. If it is firing through the rear, the unit in the redoubt is not doubled. If the path of fire bisects two hexes (see diagram) and passes through a hex corner joining a Front and non-Front hexside, the unit is considered to be firing through a Front hexside. The only different way that an artillery unit functions is that it may attack a redoubt hex without a Russian unit in it through a non-Front hexside; this will occasionally be useful for making a diversionary attack.

(I) Whenever the redoubt's intrinsic Combat Strength may be used, it must be attacked in combination with any unit in the redoubt, i.e., it may not be attacked separately. Redoubts may only be attacked by themselves when no Russian unit is in them.

(J) How To Destroy Redoubts: Redoubts are never affected by any combat results. They may not "retreat", nor may they "advance" after combat. They are not destroyed in the same manner that units are eliminated. However, when a combat result is inflicted on the redoubt which, if it were a unit, would result in permitting the attacker to advance, the attacker may advance after combat into the redoubt hex, even through a Front hexside.

Destroyed Marker

If at the end of any Russian Player-Turn, there is a French unit in a redoubt hex, that redoubt is considered destroyed. Place a Destroyed marker on that hex to indicate this. Thereafter the redoubt hex is treated as any other clear terrain hex. If recaptured by the Russian Player after being destroyed by a French unit, the redoubt is still considered destroyed. Once destroyed, this effect is permanent (Exception: see Night Movement rule for Grand Battle Game).

How to Win: the Victory Conditions

Each of the daily battle games and the Grand Battle Game have their own conditions for winning. See the particular scenario to discover how to win.

Scenarios

How to use the scenarios

Each of the four scenarios detail which Set-up Map to use, what period of the Reinforcement Chart to use, and the Victory Conditions for the particular scenario, as well as the Game-Length. There is also a brief historical commentary.

5 September, Battle Game

The combined Russian armies had rendezvoused in front of Moscow, 120,000 men strong, to block Napoleon's advance on the ancient capital of Russia. They were under the old war hero's command: General Kutusov, recently recalled from retirement. The Russian armies began to turn an already excellent defensive position into an impregnable one by the construction of strong redoubts, i.e., fortified positions of logs, trenches, and dug-in artillery pieces. About noon the French vanguard under the command of Marshal Murat moved onto the map, and began assaulting the most forward redoubt at Schevardino. For unknown reasons, Kutusov thought that the French main assault would come across the steep banked Kalotchka river, where he tied up the bulk of his troops before slowly realizing the danger to his left flank. Too late, for the advanced position at Schevardino had fallen, and the rest of the French army was advancing. Kutusov had missed his sole chance to defeat the French army in detail.

• Initial Set-up Map: 5 Sept., 1812. Only Russian units are depicted, as no French have arrived.
• Reinforcement Chart: 5 Sept., Game-Turns 1 through 8.
• Victory Conditions: the Player who occupies the Schevardino redoubt hex at the end of the game is the winner.
• Special rules: the Russian Player may not move any of the units north of the Great Redoubt until 1500. Beginning on 1500, the Russian Player may begin moving one unit per Game-Turn. Once a unit has begun moving, it may continue. Thus on 1500, the Russian Player may move one of the frozen units, on 1600 he may move that one plus another one, etc.

6 September, Battle Game

On this day, the remainder of the French armies arrived on the battlefield, bringing their total strength up to 135,000 men. The Russian Kutusov was still slow to realize the peril of his left flank for his concern with the Kalotchka front. But the French too were slow to realize what was happening in the Russian minds, and Napoleon preferred to assemble all of his troops and reconnoitre the Russian positions. Thus the day passed without any serious fighting. Meanwhile Napoleon planned.

• Initial Set-up map: 6 September, 1812
• Reinforcement Chart: 6 Sept., Game Turns 11 through 24.
• Victory Conditions: the Player who at the end of the game holds three or more of the redoubts on the map, whether destroyed or not, is the winner.

7 September, Battle Game

On this day the battle reached its climax. Finally realizing his danger, Kutusov began shifting his forces to his left. Napoleon opened the day with a poorly coordinated frontal assault on the Russian fortifications which was slaughtered. All day long, from 0600 on, he threw his troops against the Russian redoubts, gaining them several times, but never for long enough to destroy them before Russian counterattacks drove his troops out. Finally the Russians ran out of men, and refused to commit their Imperial Guard. They fell back from the French assaults, as nightfall approached. But the darkness ended the fighting, and the Russians stole away the following morning before the French closed with them. The exhausted French could not pursue.

• Initial Set-Up map: 7 September, 1812
• Reinforcement Chart: there are no reinforcements on 7 Sept. Use Game-Turns 27 through 40.
• Victory Conditions: each Player has a number of degrees of victory that he may win, as follows:
  • French Decisive victory: move 60 Combat Points of units off the east edge of the map between the two roads inclusive before the game ends. Once units are exited they may not return.
  • French Substantial victory: Russians must have twice as many or more Combat Point losses as the French, with a minimum of 40 Combat points.
  • French Marginal Victory: occupy all redoubt hexes on the map at the end of the game.
  • Russian Marginal victory: occupy all redoubt hexes at the end of the game that were on the east side of the Front Line at the beginning of the game.
  • Russian Substantial victory: French must have more Combat Point losses than the Russians at the end of the game.
  • Russian Decisive victory: fulfill requirements of both Russian Marginal and Substantial victories.

Grand Battle Game

This game ties all three days of the battle together, so that Players may fight using all of the alternatives open to the original commanders rather than be restricted to a particular day.

• Initial Set-Up Map: 5 Sept., 1812. Only Russian units are depicted, as no French have arrived yet.
• Reinforcement Chart: Game-Turns 1 through 40. See also Special Rules for Night Movement.
• Victory Conditions: the same as September 7 Battle Game.

Special Rule: Night Movement

General Rule: between each day of battle, there are two Game-Turns of "night". Units may not engage in combat during these night periods, and are restricted in movement.

Procedure: each Player continues moving in the same sequence as during the days of battle, except that movement is restricted, and combat is forbidden.

Cases:

(A) During the night Movement Phases, no unit may move to within three hexes of an Enemy unit. Any unit which begins the Movement Phase within three hexes or less of an Enemy unit may only move into hexes which are further from any Enemy unit than its starting hex. Thus units may not move closer, nor even maintain their three-hex or less distance from Enemy units.

(B) Units adjacent to enemy units at the end of the 1900 turn may move out of that adjacent hex during either of the two night movement phases. If they do not move out of the hex they are not required to attack.

(C) If Russian units occupy a "destroyed" Redoubt hex at the end of the last night Movement Phase the "destroyed" marker is removed at the beginning of the 0600 (sun-up) Turn. The redoubt has been rebuilt.

Optional Rule

An optional rule is one which would be considered bothersome by most Players, but that has considerable "realistic" merit. Basically it is not necessary, nor even desirable to interfere with the smooth flow of the Standard game with a relatively complicated rule, but it is included for those who may wish to further simulate the actual restrictions of the battle. The rule is, of course, purely optional, and Players are encouraged to play the game both with and without the optional rule.

Imperial Guard Rule

Commentary: during the battle of Borodino, both the French and the Russians were very reluctant to commit their respective Imperial Guards into battle. Both sides regarded (and quite rightly so) these troops as a corps d'elite. The Russians desired to maintain theirs as a reserve to block French pursuit in case of defeat. Napoleon envisioned his Guard as his life insurance in case of a defeat in the midst of Russia. Both sides had roughly one-fourth of all their strength tied up in these massive elite formations. These Guards had suffered the least in the campaign up to that point. Only very few of the Guard units were actually engaged in the battle.

General Rule: The Guard units of each Player, as indicated on the Set up sheets and the Turn Record/Reinforcement Chart, are restricted in their ability to move by the nearness of Enemy units.

Cases:

(A) No Guard unit, whether French or Russian, may deliberately move within four hexes of an opposing Player's unit, unless it has been released.

(B) Guard units may gain their freedom to move with respect to the Enemy by being released. They may be released in either of two ways:

[1] If an Enemy unit moves to within three hexes of a Guard unit, that Guard unit is considered to have been released, i.e., it is thereafter free to move anywhere on the map that the Player wishes, regardless of the distance of Enemy units.

[2] After the first fifteen Combat Points of losses suffered by a Player, he may voluntarily release any one of his Guard units, which is thereafter free to move anywhere on the map. For every ten Combat Point losses suffered by a Player after the initial fifteen, another Guard unit may be released. This applies to both Players with respect to their own unit losses and Guards.

(C) In the case of the French Guard, there is one exception to the rule that the priority of which units are released first is at the discretion of the Player: The 11-4 French unit (the Old Guard) must be the LAST French Guard unit released. In no other way are either of the Players inhibited as to the order of releasing Guard units.

Additional Forces

Commentary: The Russians were mobilizing city militias at the time of the battle. The first of these contingents, the Moscow Militia, was present for the battle. There were an additional 68,000 men coming from Moscow. Though poorly-armed (some carried pikes), and ill-trained, they would have been of some use.

Cases:

(A) This rule may only be used when playing the Grand Battle Game.

(B) Beginning on Game-Turn 11, and for every Game-Turn up to and including 21, the Russians receive one 3-3 infantry unit each Game-Turn from the east side of the map. There are a total of eleven of these.

Turn Record and Reinforcement Scale

Each scenario that the Players have chosen dictates which portion of this scale that they will use. At the beginning of the game, place the Turn Record Marker on the track in the space for the first Game-Turn. At the end of each Game-Turn one Player should advance the marker into the next Game-Turn space. Thus the marker always represents the Game-Turn in progress.

As the marker is moved into a space with a unit's picture below it, this indicates that reinforcements are received by the French Player in that Game-Turn. A picture of the unit is provided to demonstrate unit type, and Combat Strength and Movement Allowance; the unit designation depicted is not necessarily the historical unit. Under the unit is a code: "X" followed by a numeral, indicates that this number of the type of units depicted may be brought onto the map. This is followed by a direction code, which limits where the unit may move onto the map. On the map there are hexes marked with these codes (A, B, and C). These hexes are the only hexes where a particular unit may be brought onto the map.

Reinforcements (strength-movement, number, entry code; Cav = cavalry, Inf = infantry, Art = artillery; read from the chart's unit pictures):

September 5

Game-Turn (time)	Reinforcements
1 (1200)	Cav 2-5 x5B; Cav 1-5 x1B
2 (1300)	Inf 4-4 x1B; Cav 2-5 x1B
3 (1400)	Inf 7-4 x1B; Inf 5-4 x1B
4 (1500)	Art 7-3 x1B; Inf 7-4 x1B; Inf 5-4 x1B
5 (1600)	Inf 6-4 x2B; Cav 2-5 x1B
6 (1700)	Inf 3-4 x1B; Art 5-3 x1B
7 (1800)	none
8 (1900)	Cav 2-5 x1A; Inf 2-4 x2B; Art 4-3 x1C
9 (night)	Cav 1-5 x1B; Inf 4-4 x2C
10 (night)	Art 2-3 x1B; Cav 2-5 x1C

September 6 (Game-Turns 11 to 26: 0600 to 1900, then two night turns 25-26; no reinforcements at 11, 12, 14 or 22 to 26)

Game-Turn (time)	Reinforcements
13 (0800)	Cav 1-5 x1B; Cav 2-5 x2B
15 (1000)	Cav 2-5 x2B; Inf 6-4 x2B
16 (1100)	Inf 7-4 x1A; Inf 7-4 x1B
17 (1200)	Inf 5-4 x2A
18 (1300)	Art 7-3 x1A
19 (1400)	Cav 4-5 x2B
20 (1500)	Inf 11-4 x1B
21 (1600)	Art 8-3 x1B

September 7 (Game-Turns 27 to 40, 0600 to 1900, then night turns 41-42): no reinforcements.

Note: the Moscow Militia counters (3-3, one unit per Game-Turn, Optional rule) are shown on the map sheet.

Order of Battle (Initial Forces, in terms of game counters)

Entries are Combat Strength-Movement Allowance.

French, commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French

I Corps: Marshal Davout - 2: 7-4; 4: 5-4; 5: 4-4; Cavalry 2-5; Artillery 7-3

III Corps: Marshal Ney - 10: 6-4; 11: 6-4; 25: 3-4; Cavalry 2-5; Artillery 5-3

IV Corps: Prince Eugene de Beauharnais - 1*: 7-4; 3*: 5-4; 13: 5-4; 14: 5-4; Italian Guards 7-4; Cavalry 2-5; Artillery 7-3 (*detached from I Corps)

VIII Corps: General Junot - 23: 2-4; 24: 2-4; Cavalry 1-5; Artillery 2-3

V Corps: Prince Poniatowski - 16: 4-4; 18: 4-4; Cavalry 2-5; Artillery 4-3

Imperial Guard: Marshals Lefebvre and Mortier - Old Guard 11-4; Middle Guard 6-4; Young Guard 7-4; Hessian Guard/Legion of the Vistula 6-4; Guard Cavalry-Heavy 4-5; Guard Cavalry 4-5; Artillery 8-3

I Reserve Cavalry Corps: General Nansouty - 1 Light 2-5; 1 Heavy 2-5; 5 Heavy 2-5

II Reserve Cavalry Corps: General Montbrun - 2 Light 1-5; 2 Heavy 2-5; 4 Heavy 2-5

III Reserve Cavalry Corps: General Grouchy - 3 Light 1-5; 5 Heavy 2-5; 6 Heavy 2-5

IV Reserve Cavalry Corps: General Latour-Maubourg - 4 Light 2-5; 7 Heavy 2-5

Russian, commanded by Marshal Kutusov

• 1, 2, 3 Cossacks: 1-6 each
• Uvarov Cavalry Corps 2-5; Platov Cavalry Corps 2-5; Korf Cavalry Corps 2-5
• III Corps: General Tutchkov - 1 Grenadier 6-4; 3 5-4; Artillery 4-3
• II Corps: General Bagavout - 4 5-4; 17 5-4; Artillery 3-3
• IV Corps: General Ostermann - 22 4-4; 23 4-4; Artillery 3-3; Cavalry (Pahlen) 2-5
• VI Corps: General Doctorov - 7 5-4; 24 4-4; Artillery 3-3; Cavalry (Siewers) 2-5
• VII Corps: General Raevski - 26 4-4; 27 (Sept. 5) 5-4; 27 (Sept. 6 and 7) 3-4; Artillery 2-3
• VIII Corps: General Borozdin - 2 Grenadier 6-4; Combined Grenadier 7-4; 12 5-4; Artillery 5-3; Cavalry (Wassitchkof) 1-5
• Imperial Guard: Grand Duke Constantine - 1 Guard 10-4; 2 Guard 10-4; 3 Guard 2-4; 1 Guard Cavalry 4-5; 2 Guard Cavalry 3-5; Artillery 7-3
• 1 Moscow Militia 3-3; 2 Moscow Militia 3-3

Designer's Notes

When Napoleon crossed into Russia in June, 1812, he had mobilized 650,000 men who eventually were to enter the country. The Russians had 175,000 men divided into two armies under Barclay de Tolly and Bagration on the border. These were the largest forces ever assembled in modern times up to that point to engage in war. Napoleon drove a wedge between the two armies, and they rapidly retreated in attempts to regain contact with each other. All through July and August, the Russians fell back, with the French desperately force marching in attempts to destroy one or the other armies. The Russians also began transferring troops from other theaters, and training new ones; this eventually gained them some 350,000 additional men. Finally the Russians reunited near Smolensk, and after a sharp fight there, and a further retreat, turned and stood under the recalled General Kutusov, only eighty miles from Moscow, the ancient capital.

The position was nearly perfect from a defensive view point. The left was covered by the steep-banked Kalotchka river, while the right was lightly wooded in a fashion to channel all attacks. The north of the battle field was rendered secure by the steeply banked Moskva river; the south was protected by thick woods. However, the Russians had a number of problems. For unknown reasons, Kutusov believed that the French would attack along the virtually impassable Kalotchka instead of along the two roads of advance leading onto the map. Thus he dangerously weakened his left flank to reinforce his right. Even after the French came onto the battlefield, he persisted in retaining the forces there. Another problem was the overly complex command structure. Corps were lumped together under a command, some commands were lumped together into a section of the front (and some were not), while the two army Headquarters were retained as well as an overall command post for Kutusov. Thus a major decision might have to be carried through four levels of command above the division.

The French had their own problems. Since crossing into Russia, the units that fought at Borodino had lost 55 percent of all cavalry, 45 percent of all infantry and 5 percent of all guns from the original forces. Still Napoleon assembled 100,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry and 587 guns to face the Russians' 83,000 regular infantry, 10,000 Moscow militia, 20,000 regular cavalry, 7,000 cossacks and 640 guns. In trained manpower, Napoleon had an overall advantage of 25 percent. He needed a victory and very badly; his only reason for not stopping at Smolensk and wintering there was his fears concerning France and/or Europe rising against him while trapped deep in Russia. Additionally, Napoleon had never returned from a particular campaigning season without a major victory. To survive was not enough; he required a quick knock-out blow to end the war. He thought occupation of Moscow would give him that victory.

The battle was clumsy, and followed a late-life trend of Napoleon's to avoid fancy tactical maneuvers in favor of crushing blows, even though these were more expensive in casualties. Turning aside any suggestions of maneuvering, he merely observed the Russians on September 6, which was probably the best time to defeat the Russians, since their left flank was virtually wide open. Instead he launched clumsy massive assaults against the Russians on September 7. These were slaughtered. Still he threw more and more troops against the Redoubts, taking them several times, but always losing them again. Finally the Russians were permanently forced out of their positions about 1600, despite their attempt at an outflanking movement to the west of the Kalotchka river. Both sides were too exhausted to pursue the matter further, and the Russians retreated the following day without a French pursuit.

At first appearances, Napoleon may have thought that this was the victory he wanted. After all, although French losses had been 30-35,000 men, the Russians had probably been in excess of 40,000 men. Also, he gained Moscow. But the Russians hung on, and gradually Napoleon realized that he had not crushed the Russians; he had merely pushed them back. Borodino was his last chance to control Europe. After that, because of his own inabilities, and the mood of Europe, he slid inexorably to Waterloo.