Waterloo 200 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Historical Background
• The Armies
  • The French
  • The Allies
• Unit Name Abbreviations
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Game Components
  • Stickering
• Scale
• Fog of War
• Two Sides - Three Factions
• How to Win the Game
• 1.0 Mapboard
  • 1.1 Terrain
  • 1.2 Movement Point Cost
  • 1.3 Stacking
  • 1.4 Black Areas
  • 1.5 Area Control
    • 1.5.1 Start Line
    • 1.5.2 Marking Area Control
  • 1.6 Victory Area
  • 1.7 Chemin Creux
• 2.0 Basic Definitions
  • 2.1 Side with Initiative
  • 2.2 Phasing/Non-Phasing Side
• 3.0 Units
  • 3.1 Unit Size and Name
  • 3.2 Strength
  • 3.3 Special Values
  • 3.4 Combat and Support Units
  • 3.5 Hits and Damage
  • 3.6 Eliminated Units - Morale
  • 3.7 Movement Allowance
    • 3.7.1 English Cavalry Enhanced Mobility
  • 3.8 Engaging and Disengaging
  • 3.9 Leaders
    • 3.9.1 Activating a Leader
    • 3.9.2 Deactivating a Leader
    • 3.9.3 Heart Level
    • 3.9.4 Strategic Leaders (SL)
    • 3.9.5 Tactical Leaders (TL)
      • 3.9.5.1 Tactical Range (TR)
      • 3.9.5.2 Uxbridge
      • 3.9.5.3 Movement Boosting
      • 3.9.5.4 Tactical Leader Commitment
  • 3.10 Artillery
    • 3.10.1 Artillery Committment
    • 3.10.2 Pawn Level
    • 3.10.3 French Artillery Saturation Fire
• 4.0 Setup
  • 4.1 Brunswick Units
• 5.0 Reinforcements
  • 5.1 Prussian Scheduled Arrivals
• 6.0 Sequence of Play
  • 6.1 Strategic Action
  • 6.2 Tactical Action
    • 6.2.1 Activation Phase
    • 6.2.2 Movement Phase
    • 6.2.3 Combat Phase
      • 6.2.3.1 Combat Sequence Summary
        • 6.2.3.1.1 Declaring Artillery Commitment
        • 6.2.3.1.2 Le Chemin Creux
        • 6.2.3.1.3 Showdown
        • 6.2.3.1.4 Firepower
        • 6.2.3.1.5 Determining the Winner (FR)
        • 6.2.3.1.6 Calculating Losses
        • 6.2.3.1.7 Applying Losses
        • 6.2.3.1.8 Allocating Excess Hits
        • 6.2.3.1.9 Eliminated Units
        • 6.2.3.1.10 Additional Combat Rounds
    • 6.2.4 Deactivation Phase
  • 6.3 Pass
  • 6.4 Reorganization Phase
    • 6.4.1 Line of Communication (LOC)
• Example: Battle in Area 27 (Chemin Creux)
• Optional Rules
  • OR 1.0 Free Setup
  • OR 2.0 Cavalry Charge
  • OR 3.0 Scouting
  • OR 4.0 Impetus
  • OR 5.0 Grande Batterie
  • OR 6.0 Languages
  • OR 7.0 Retreat
  • OR 8.0 Combined Attack
  • OR 9.0 Morale
  • OR 10.0 Prussian Arrivals

Historical Background

Since he crowned himself Emperor of the French in 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte's shadow (or radiance, depending on which side of the fence you sit) spread over Europe. In the ten years following his coronation, he found himself at war with nearly all the major powers at one time or another: Britain, Spain, Austria, Prussia and Russia.

Six Coalitions waged war on him with the support of Britain's gold. Britain, although having only a small army (but a mighty navy), turned out to be his most implacable foe and financed each of the Coalitions against him. As Metternich sarcastically remarked, "Britain is prepared to fight to the last Austrian." It was not until 1813, after the debacle of the previous year in Russia, that Napoleon's enemies finally had his measure. He was defeated at Leipzig in the three-day Battle of the Nations and forced back into France with many of his old allies changing sides.

In 1814 Napoleon was required to abdicate and was exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean, being replaced by King Louis XVIII of France.

This small island could not contain him and he escaped from there landing on the south coast of France on 1st March, 1815. He arrived in Paris on 20th to a triumphant reception and was once more proclaimed Emperor of the French. Louis XVIII had escaped the day before. What followed is now known as the "Hundred Days". The Emperor quickly reassembled an army as France was about to be invaded by the combined forces of the newly-formed Seventh Coalition. His strategy was to strike north into Belgium where a Prussian army under Blücher and a polyglot army consisting of British, Dutch, Belgians, Hanoverians, Brunswickers, Saxons and Nassauers under Wellington were bivouacked. Using the manoeuvre of the Central Position, Bonaparte would attempt to come between them and defeat each one in detail.

The campaign got off to a good start and he managed to interpose his forces betwixt the British and the Prussians by crossing the border at Charleroi on 15th June, 1815. On the 16th, Napoleon defeated Blücher at Ligny and Ney, the Commander of his left wing, attacked Wellington at Quatre Bras. Wellington fell back to a ridge astride the farm of Mont St Jean just south of the village Waterloo and, importantly, Blücher fell back to Wavre from where he could reinforce the Allied position. The stage was thus set on the 18th June for the climactic battle of the Napoleonic Wars at which the Emperor was finally defeated.

"…later, at 11.30, the Emperor looks at the lines of Allied troops facing him. He says to his entourage: "We have ninety chances in our favour and ten against." Napoleon then orders the signal guns to fire three shots. With this command, the struggle that would decide France and Europe's fate begins."

The Armies

The French

Armée du Nord (Napoleone) - 54 units

• 1st Corps - 12 units (D'Erlon) - Orange
• 2nd Corps - 10 units (Reille) - Green
• 6th Corps - 8 units (Lobeau) - Yellow
• 3rd Cav Corps - 6 units (Kellerman) - Pink
• 4th Cav Corps - 6 units (Milhaud) - Brown
• Imperial Guard - 11 units (Drout) - Blue

The Allies

British-Dutch Army (Wellington) - 42 units

• 1st Corps - 11 units (Prince of Orange) - Orange
• 2nd Corps - 6 units (Hill) - Green
• R Corps - 11 units (Picton) - Light Blue
• Cav Corps - 13 units (Uxbridge) - Red

Prussians (Blücher) - 20 units

• 1st Corps - 4 units (Ziethen) - Blue
• 2nd Corps - 6 units (Pirch) - Green
• 4th Corps - 9 units (Bülow) - Red

Unit Name Abbreviations

• G = Guard
• GG = Grenadiers Guard
• CG = Chasseurs Guard
• GMG = Grenadiers Middle Guard
• CMG = Chasseurs Middle Guard
• GJG = Grenadiers Jeune Guard
• CJG = Chasseurs Jeune Guard
• L = Light
• H = Heavy or Hanoverian
• Nsu = Nassau
• D = Dutch-Belgian
• KGL = King's German Legion

Abbreviations

• (X.Y) = See rule chapter X.Y
• CU = Combat Units
• AV = Artillery Value
• DF = Defensive Fire
• FR = Final Result
• |FR| = Final Result Absolute Value
• IL = Incurred Losses
• LOC = Line of Communication
• MP = Movement Point(s)
• OF = Offensive Fire
• OR = Optional Rules
• SA = Strategic Action
• SL = Strategic Leader
• SU = Support units
• SV = Strategic Value
• TA = Tactical Action
• TL = Tactical Leader
• TR = Tactical Range
• TV = Tactical Value
• VP = Victory Point(s)

Introduction

Waterloo 200 is a light wargame covering the last battle fought - and lost - by Napoleon on 18th June 1815, just before his second and ultimate abdication.

Units represent all the historical Infantry and Cavalry Brigades, Artillery and Major Leaders involved in the battle, from morning to evening in that 10-hour long carnage.

Although based on a historical event, the players in command of the two sides can modify the course of History in early 19th Century Europe.

The game is recommended for two or three players, but has excellent solitaire suitability.

Game Components

The following components are included for playing the game:

• 1x Mapboard 86 x 62 cm
• 1x 12 Page Rules Manual
• 121x PVC Stickers
• 116x Wooden Unit Blocks
• 30x Wooden Area Control Cubes
• 2x Rules Summary and Player Aids
• 1x Blue Wooden Initiative Disc
• 1x Yellow Wooden Turn Track Marker

A Mounted Map (which includes the Historical Guide and Designer's Notes) is available on request.

Stickering

Apply two stickers to each of the three Strategic Leaders and to the wooden blue Initiative Disc and one sticker each to the remaining 113 wooden Blocks:

French units: 55 stickers are applied to 54 blue blocks.

British units: 43 stickers are applied to 42 red blocks.

Prussian units: 21 stickers are applied to 20 black blocks.

Two circular stickers to the Initiative Disc.

Scale

In Waterloo 200, 1 cm is approximately 70 meters (1:7.000), a turn is 2 historical hours long, and a full-strength counter represents a major military formation, normally of brigade size, along with artillery batteries and leaders.

A game lasts for 5 turns, from 11.00 AM to 9.00 PM historical time, and is played in 1-2 hours.

Fog of War

Place the board in the centre of the table. The Allied Player sits at the Northern edge and the French Player sits opposite him at the Southern edge. The game is played with "Fog of War" on, so units are placed upright with the sticker facing the owning player. During the game - at certain points - some units may be revealed.

Two Sides - Three Factions

There are 2 Sides in the game:

• the French (Light Blue Stickers and Blue Blocks)

and

• the Allies (Light Red Stickers and Red Blocks for the British Faction; Yellow Stickers and Black Blocks for the Prussian Faction).

The two Allied Factions may be played by the same player (in the two-player game) or by two different players (in the three-player game). However they must choose to play the same kind of Action during the same Impulse (2.0 and example in 6.2.1).

The British and the Prussians are allies, thus they are considered friendly to each other in the game. However:

1. only Prussian units may enter Black Areas
2. British and Prussian units may never stack together in the same Area (but may cross that Area without stopping),
3. nor may they support each other in any way.

If a Prussian unit enters an empty British controlled Area, it becomes Prussian controlled and vice versa.

How to Win the Game

The game is won in one of the following ways, whichever happens first:

A. Sudden Death (this is a Decisive Victory and the game finishes immediately) if:

1. Wellington/Napoleon is killed or
2. ten units of the same Side (British/French not Prussians) have been eliminated or
3. a Side controls all 7 Victory Areas (Mont St. Jean, La Haie Sainte, Château de Goumont, Papelotte, La Belle Alliance, Plancenoit and Rossomme).

B. Alternatively, at the end of the game, the player controlling the most Victory Areas is the winner (Marginal Victory).

1.0 Mapboard

The map is divided into zones called Areas. Every Area is identified by a unique number (from 1 to 115) and by a large circle (green, yellow, red or black) with a shield and a number printed over which represents the Terrain Bonus (from 0 to 7).

1.1 Terrain

There are 4 different types (colours) of terrain, with Terrain Bonus values shown on the Area's circle (green, yellow, red, black).

1.2 Movement Point Cost

The colour of the circle affects the MP needed to enter the Area:

• Green: clear terrain, 1 MP
• Yellow/Red: rough terrain, 2 MP
• Black: prohibited - Prussian Deployment Areas

NB: Forest, hill and fortified farm Areas are considered rough.

1.3 Stacking

The colour of the circle affects the maximum number of units that may stack in the Area:

• Green: 4 units
• Yellow: 2 units
• Red (Area 52 - Château de Goumont): 1 unit
• Black: unlimited Prussians

This Stacking Limit is per Side, so a Green Area may contain 8 units maximum, 4 of each Side.

Prussian and British units may never stack together.

1.4 Black Areas

The three Black Areas (10, 50 and 79) on the eastern border of the mapboard are prohibited to the French/British and are the Areas where the Prussians are deployed from turn 3 onwards. Stacking is ignored in Black Areas. Once exited from a Black Area, Prussian units may not re-enter it.

1.5 Area Control

• A player controls an Area if he is the only player to have units in the Area.
• If the Area is empty, the player whose unit was the last to enter the Area controls that Area. Units need not stop in an Area in order to switch control.
• If an Area contains units of both sides, the Area is contested, but belongs to the original Defender.

1.5.1 Start Line

The blue/red Line (and the Ohain Stream) divides the map into two parts. When the game starts, all the Areas in the northern part are British controlled, all the Areas in the southern part are French controlled.

1.5.2 Marking Area Control

Place a cube of the appropriate colour when an Area switches control. If it reverts to its original owner, just remove the cube:

• blue for the French
• red for the British
• black for the Prussians

1.6 Victory Area

A Victory Area has a Star Icon and counts for determining the winner at the end of the game. Controlling all seven is a Sudden Death result.

1.7 Chemin Creux

Wellington deployed most of his units hidden behind the reverse slope of the so-called Chemin Creux, or Sunken Road.

These five Areas (38, 39, 27, 28 and 17) have a special red border and play a special function in the game (6.2.3.1.2).

2.0 Basic Definitions

The following terms are used throughout the different Impulses and Phases of a Turn. They are grouped here to avoid repetition and also mentioned in the Rules Summary and in the Player Aid.

The game is divided into Turns which roughly represent 2 hours of historical time. A Turn is divided into Impulses. During his own Impulse, a Side may choose one of the following options:

A. play a Tactical Action, B. play the Initiative Disc (Strategic Action) C. pass.

Then the other Side performs his own Impulse.

After 2 consecutive passes (one per each Side), players perform the Reorganization Phase, after which the Turn is finished (move forward by one space the Turn Track Marker). The game ends immediately if one of three conditions for Sudden Death occurs, or lasts until two consecutive passes in turn 5.

2.1 Side with Initiative

The Side which starts the turn with the Initiative Disc has the Initiative and thus plays the first Impulse.

2.2 Phasing/Non-Phasing Side

The Phasing Side is the Side currently performing the phases for his Side during his own Impulse.

Thus, the Allied player is the Phasing Side during the Allied phases of his impulse, and the French player is the Phasing Side during the French phases of his impulse. The other Side is the Non-Phasing Side.

3.0 Units

There are four types of units in the game: Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Leader.

Each unit has its historical name and a unique colour code identifying all units which belong to the same Army Corps and Tactical Leader.

In the above example, the French II Corps is led by Reille (R) and the Army Corps colour is green.

3.1 Unit Size and Name

Infantry and Cavalry are all Brigades, except the French 3rd and 5th Cavalry Divisions (which would not be large enough to be broken down into two brigades) and the Imperial Guard (was organized in Regiments).

Artillery represents a unit of roughly 30-80 guns. A Leader represents not only the Commander himself, but also the General staff and soldiers attached to him.

The Unit Name is the name of the General leading the unit. The numbers in the lower-right corner of the blocks are the units' designation (e.g., 1/20 is the 1st Brigade of the 20th Division). Both Unit Name and designation are given for historical purpose only - they have no effect at all on the game.

Note: a Prussian Infantry Brigade was the equivalent of a French or British Division; however, the Prussians reached the Waterloo battlefield after a long march, thus their strength has been adjusted to represent the accumulated fatigue.

3.2 Strength

The Strength of a unit depends on the number of dots, stars or cannonballs it has. The Pawn (Artillery) and the Heart (Leaders) count as "1".

E.g. the four units depicted in 3.0 have a strength of 4-3-2-1, 2-1, 3-2-1-1 and 4-3-2-1 respectively, thus the first and the last are the strongest units.

3.3 Special Values

Leaders and Artillery also have a special Value identified by stars and cannonballs respectively. The Leaders' special value is called Tactical Value or Strategic Value (3.9), while Artillery special value is called Artillery Value (3.10.1).

3.4 Combat and Support Units

All Units capable of attacking alone are Combat Units (CU): Infantry and Cavalry. Combat Units may fight only in the Area they occupy by totalling their Strengths.

Leaders and Artillery are Support Units (SU), and they can never attack (but can defend) without a CU. Support Units may:

A. fight in the Area they occupy by adding their Strength (including the Pawn and the Heart), B. support Combat in adjacent Areas by adding their Tactical Value and Artillery Value respectively (3.9 and 3.10.1).

3.5 Hits and Damage

For each Damage suffered in Combat, the unit's Strength is reduced by rotating the unit counter clockwise by 90°.

Some units have the ability to absorb hits without being damaged. Strength is colour coded:

• black dots, pawn, cannonballs: 1 hit = 1 Damage
• white dots: 2 hits = 1 Damage
• Red dots and Leader Heart: 3 hits = 1 Damage

3.6 Eliminated Units - Morale

If a unit that has already been reduced to minimum level suffers further damage, it is eliminated. Eliminated units are removed from the mapboard and cannot be rebuilt. French and British (but not Prussian) eliminated units affect their Side's respective Morale (6.2.3.1.9).

3.7 Movement Allowance

Every unit may move up to its Movement Allowance, which is expressed in Movement Points (MP). MP are printed on counters, as a reminder, as footprint/horseshoes:

• Foot Artillery, moves on foot, 1 MP
• Infantry, moves on foot, 2 MP
• Cavalry, Horse Artillery and Leader, all move at the mounted rate of 4 MP

3.7.1 English Cavalry Enhanced Mobility

The English army had better quality horses, thus the 6 English Cavalry - represented with the name of the General printed in black over a pink tag - and their 5 Leaders have +1 MP, thus 5 MP - marked in red - instead of 4 MP.

Note that only the 5 British Leaders and the 6 English Cavalry Brigades have 5 MP, while the Horse Artillery, the Dutch, the Hannoverian and the Brunswick Cavalry have 4 MP, as marked in black on the counters.

3.8 Engaging and Disengaging

Entering or exiting an Area occupied by enemy units (engaging/disengaging) costs +1 MP. When engaging, units must stop. When disengaging, units must enter a friendly-controlled Area. Cavalry (and Horse Artillery) may disengage to a friendly-controlled Area and then engage a contested Area or enter an enemy-controlled Area in the same Impulse, provided it has enough MP.

3.9 Leaders

Leaders are the nerve centre of every military force. They are mounted units and have 4 MP - 4 black horseshoes marked on the counters (British Leaders have 5 MP - and 5 red horseshoes).

Their Strength is called Strategic Value (for Strategic Leaders) and Tactical Value (for Tactical Leaders) and is represented with Stars (from 4 to 2) and a Heart (minimum Strength) instead of dots.

Each Faction has one Strategic Leader (SL):

• Napoleon for the French
• Wellington for the British
• Blücher for the Prussians

Additionally each Faction has a number of Tactical Leaders (TL), each commanding a Corps:

• the French have 6 Tactical Leaders
• the British have 4 Tactical Leaders
• the Prussians have 3 Tactical Leaders

3.9.1 Activating a Leader

Activating a Leader means that the controlling player may move it up to 3 MP (4 MP for the British) and then reveal it (lay the unit flat so it is visible for all the players). A Leader cannot be activated in an Area containing enemy units. Revealing a Leader costs 1 MP. Leaders may be activated only:

• in the Reorganization Phase (Strategic Leader) or
• in the Activation Phase (Tactical Leader).

While activating, a Leader must move first and then be revealed, not the other way around, but can be revealed without moving at all.

3.9.2 Deactivating a Leader

Activated Leaders must be deactivated:

• at the end of the Reorganization Phase (SL)
• in the Deactivation Phase (TL).

When deactivated, a Leader is reduced by rotating it counter clockwise by 90°.

3.9.3 Heart Level

At Heart Level, a Leader (TL and SL) may still be activated, but has restricted capability.

1. When deactivated, it is not reduced.
2. If attacked, the Heart has a Strength of "1" but needs three hits to be eliminated.
3. Strategic Leaders have a Strategic Value of 1.
4. Tactical Leaders have their Tactical Value (3.9) reduced to 0 and their Tactical Range (3.9.5.1) reduced by 1 (thus 1 for the French and 0 for the Allies - meaning that the Allies may command only units in the same Area a TL occupies once activated).

3.9.4 Strategic Leaders (SL)

The Strategic Leader is the supreme commander of the Faction. It has a sticker on both sides of the block (the one with the Personal Insignia facing the controlling player, the other one facing the enemy). At maximum strength, a SL has a Strategic Value (and a Strength) of 4, while at minimum strength (Hearth Level) the Strategic Value (and the Strength) is 1. SL may only be activated during the Reorganization Phase.

3.9.5 Tactical Leaders (TL)

A Tactical Leader has command only over the units of his Army Corps (colour), and only if they are in his Tactical Range. During a Tactical Action, a Faction may activate a number of Tactical Leaders up to its SL's Strategic Value. For each activated TL, one Battle may be resolved in the Combat Phase.

3.9.5.1 Tactical Range (TR)

The Tactical Range (TR) is the distance within which a Tactical Leader may give orders. The Tactical Range is 1 Area (thus the surrounding Areas) for the Allies and 2 Areas for the French. The Tactical Range is subject to the same restrictions as for Line of Communication (LOC) (6.4.1).

Thus a Tactical Leader - once activated - may command only units of his own Corps (same colour) and within his Tactical Range.

3.9.5.2 Uxbridge

Uxbridge (U) is the British Cavalry Leader. He has 5 MP and a special ability: unlike other Tactical Leaders, Uxbridge has a Tactical Range equal to his Tactical Value:

• 4 Areas at full strength
• 3 Areas at 3 stars
• 2 Areas at 2 stars
• 0 Areas at Heart Level - may command only units in the Area he occupies once activated.

3.9.5.3 Movement Boosting

All units belonging to the activated Tactical Leader and in his Tactical Range at the beginning of their movement gain 1 extra MP.

3.9.5.4 Tactical Leader Commitment

An activated Tactical Leader automatically adds his Tactical Value to any battle in adjacent Areas, while any Leader (Strategic or Tactical) adds his Strength to the Battle when it happens in the Area he occupies.

Final Notes on Tactical Leaders and Artillery

A Support Unit may add its Tactical Value - stars - (Tactical Leader) or its Artillery Value - cannonballs - (Artillery) to a Battle in an adjacent Area only if:

1. it is not in an Area with enemy units 2. it has been activated 3. it has been declared "committed" in the Combat Phase (Artillery only)

Tactical Leaders are activated during the Activation Phase, while Artillery is activated during the Movement Phase. Activation (revealing) costs 1 MP.

Tactical Leaders and Artillery are not reduced if they are in the Area where Battle occurs.

Committed Artillery is reduced after firing into an adjacent Area. Artillery may be committed to more than 1 Battle, being reduced at the end of every Battle, as long as it has an Artillery Value (above Pawn Level).

Tactical Leaders may add their Tactical Value (above Heart Level) into adjacent Areas and are reduced during the Deactivation Phase.

3.10 Artillery

There are two types of Artillery:

• Foot Artillery - usually stronger but slower (1 MP)
• Horse Artillery - faster (4 MP) but usually weaker

Artillery may receive Movement Boosting (3.9.5.3).

Artillery automatically adds its Strength if a Battle occurs in the Area it occupies. In this case Artillery will not be reduced for firing.

3.10.1 Artillery Committment

Alternatively, Artillery may be activated in the Movement Phase by revealing it (1 MP) and committed in the Combat Phase (1 MP) to add its Artillery Value (AV) to battles in adjacent Areas.

Committed Artillery will be reduced after combat by rotating it counter clockwise by 90°.

Thus Foot Artillery, if its Tactical Leader has been activated and is within Tactical Range, has 1+1 MP (Movement Boosting - 3.9.5.3), but still cannot move into a Yellow Area (2 MP) and be revealed (1 MP) in order to fire into an adjacent Area, though it can:

A. move into an empty Green Area (1 MP) and be activated (1 MP) to fire into an adjacent Area by adding its AV (it is then reduced after combat) or B. engage a contested Green Area (cannot attack alone) from an adjacent Area (1+1 MP), by adding its Strength (even at minimum strength - Pawn Level) without being reduced after combat.

Only Horse Artillery can engage a contested Yellow Area, as it costs 3 MP.

3.10.2 Pawn Level

At Pawn Level, Artillery cannot fire into adjacent Areas. If a Combat occurs in the Area it occupies, it has a Strength of "1", and it is eliminated if it receives 1 hit.

3.10.3 French Artillery Saturation Fire

French Artillery may be committed to the same Battle without any limit. British and Prussians may commit a maximum of 1 Artillery to each Battle.

4.0 Setup

When the game starts, the British control all the Areas north of the Red Line and of the Ohain Stream.

The three Black Areas are Prussian controlled and no other player may enter them.

The French control all the Areas south of the Red Line and of the Ohain Stream.

Setup is performed simultaneously by the French and the British. Units are first grouped by block colour, then by Corps Colour, then randomly selected and deployed onto the map in Areas with the appropriate colour and type of icon, 1 unit per icon.

Example: British Light Blue units (R Corps) are deployed as follows:

• the Leader (Picton) in Area 15
• the Artillery and 1 Infantry in Area 27
• an Infantry in Area 28
• an Infantry in Area 17
• an Infantry in Area 3
• the Brunswick Cavalry and 1 Brunswick Infantry (light blue/black icon) in Area 13

while the remaining 2 Light Blue and the Bruswick Infantry are added to the British Reserve Pool.

Wellington is deployed in Area 3. In total, 33 Allied (all British) units are deployed at full strength, while the 9 remaining units are deployed face down in the British Reserve Pool (keep them in the game box).

Napoleon is deployed in Area 100. A total of 35 French units are deployed at full strength, while the 19 remaining units (18 Infantry and 1 Guard Artillery) are deployed face down in the French Reserve Pool (keep them in the game box lid).

The Yellow Cylinder (Turn Track marker) is placed in Box "1" of the Turn Track.

The French start the game with the Initiative Disc and play the First Impulse.

Note that Prussian units arrive from turn 3 on.

4.1 Brunswick Units

During the game setup, the Brunswick Cavalry and 1 Infantry - randomly chosen out of 2 - must be deployed in Area 13, while the other Infantry is added to the British Reserve Pool. This unit may enter the game as a Reinforcement, but only in Area 13 (not in the Chemin Creux).

5.0 Reinforcements

Units may arrive as Reinforcements during any turn, but only if the Strategic Leader is in the General HQ Area and not embattled with enemy units, in either one or the other of the two following ways:

A. during the Reorganization Phase by activating the Strategic Leader (6.4) B. by playing the Initiative Disc during a turn (6.1)

Reinforcements are selected randomly from the appropriate Reserve Pool in a number equal to the Faction Leader's Strategic Value. Prussian Reinforcements are deployed in the specific Black Area. British and French Reinforcements enter the game in a controlled Area with a matching symbol and Corps Colour, 1 unit per icon, without overstacking.

If a Reinforcement may not be deployed because it has not met one of the above conditions, then it must be returned to the Reserve Pool (no other is selected).

5.1 Prussian Scheduled Arrivals

At the beginning of the 3rd, 4th and 5th turn respectively, the Allied player freely deploys the Prussian Scheduled Arrivals as follows:

3rd Turn - IV Corps: Blücher, Bülow (B), the Red Artillery, 1 Red Cavalry and 1 Red Infantry (the last two randomly chosen) into Area 50; the other Prussian Red Units become part of the Prussian Reserve Pool.

4th Turn - II Corps: Pirch (P), the Green Artillery plus 1 Green Cavalry and 1 Green Infantry (the last two are randomly chosen) into Area 79; the other Green Prussian Units become part of the Prussian Reserve Pool.

5th Turn - I Corps: Ziethen (Z) and the three Blue Units into Area 10.

6.0 Sequence of Play

A turn is made of a variable number of Impulses, from 2 up to unlimited. The Side with the Initiative plays the first Impulse, followed by the other Side and so on. In its Impulse, a Side may:

1. perform a Strategic Action (SA) - only by playing the Initiative Disc if it has it - or
2. perform a Tactical Action (TA) or
3. Pass.

After 2 consecutive Passes (by the two Sides, one per Side), the Reorganization Phase occurs, wherein players may restore Tactical Leaders and call for reinforcements. The turn then ends.

Scheduled Prussian Arrivals (turn 3, 4 and 5)

Impulses (Side with the Initiative first)

1. Activation Phase (TA only)
2. Movement Phase
3. Combat Phase (TA and SA only)
4. Deactivation Phase (TA and SA only)

Reorganization Phase

6.1 Strategic Action

If the Phasing Side has the Initiative Disc, instead of activating a Tactical Leader, it can declare a Strategic Action by playing the Initiative Disc.

Then it may:

A. move a number of units up to its Faction Leader's Strategic Value - provided these units have a valid LOC to the Strategic Leader and without making more than 1 new engagement - and then resolve a maximum of 1 Battle per Faction in the Combat Phase.

or

B. call for Reinforcements, by randomly selecting a number of units from its Reserve Pool up to its Faction's Strategic Value and deploy them (all at full strength) in Areas it controls and onto the specific coloured icon on the map (1 unit per icon), without overstacking. No Battle may be resolved.

No Leader need be activated to perform this action.

Afterwards, the Initiative Disc goes to the other Side.

6.2 Tactical Action

To perform a Tactical Action, the Phasing Side must activate at least 1 Tactical Leader with a Tactical Value greater than "0".

Thus the Phasing Side cannot perform a Tactical Action by activating only Tactical Leaders at the Heart Level.

6.2.1 Activation Phase

The Phasing Side activates a number of Tactical Leaders who are not Isolated (6.4.1), up to the Faction's Strategic Value (including those at the Heart Level - but at least one of which must have a Tactical Value greater than "0").

Example: Wellington is at Heart Level, Blücher is at 2. Thus if the Allied Side decides to perform a Tactical Action, they may activate up to 1 British Tactical Leader and up to 2 Prussian Tactical Leaders, but at least one of those three Tactical Leaders must have a Tactical Value greater than "0".

Leaders cannot overstack, nor be revealed into an Area containing enemy units.

6.2.2 Movement Phase

Units can move if they are not Isolated (6.4.1):

A. 1 unit in a Pass (no Movement Boosting) B. a number of units up to the SV in a SA (no Movement Boosting) C. any unit in the TR of their activated TL in a TA

When a unit is moved, it must spend MP for each Area it enters (1 for Green, 2 for Yellow/Red). Entering or exiting an Area occupied by enemy units (engaging/disengaging) costs +1 MP. All the modifiers are cumulative. Revealing Artillery costs +1 MP. If a unit doesn't have enough MP to perform a movement, it may not do so. Units cannot overstack during movement, but not at the end.

In the example above, the French declares a Tactical Action. As Napoleon is at full strength (4 stars), he has a Strategic Value of 4 and up to 4 Tactical Leaders may be activated. However he decides to activate (1) only Reille (commander of the 2nd Corps) and Kellerman (3rd Cavalry Corps). They may move up to 3 MP and then activate (1 MP): they spend 2 MP respectively and activate in Area 67. From Area 67, all the French units of the two Corps are within Tactical Range of their respective Leaders and can move (and receive Movement Boosting), except the Infantry in Area 71 (9), out of the TR. The Cavalry (5 MP) in Area 80 moves and engages (2) a Green Area (2+1 MP) together with the Horse Artillery (5 MP) from Area 81 (3) and the Infantry (3 MP) from Area 67 (5). The other Cavalry in Area 81 (4) engages Area 68 (3+1 MP) together with the Infantry (6) from Area 70 (2+1 MP). The Artillery in Area 70 moves and activates (7) in Area 69 (1+1 MP). The two Infantry (8) move in Area 53 (2 MP).

The maximum number of new engagements and of new Battles the Attacker may resolve in an Impulse is:

• 1 (if he has chosen to play the Initiative Disc)
• 1 (for each activated Tactical Leader)

Therefore, during the Movement Phase, the Phasing Side cannot contest more new Areas than the maximum number of new Battles it is allowed to resolve in the Combat Phase.

When multiple Battles occur, players do not have to reveal units until the Showdown. In the Combat Phase the attacker chooses the order in which Battles must be resolved, Area by Area. Then, first the Attacker declares if any of his Activated Artillery in adjacent Areas - if any - is firing into the Area (Artillery Commitment), and then both players simultaneously reveal their units in the Area.

6.2.3 Combat Phase

Battles occur when an Area contains units of both Sides (contested) and are resolved in the Combat Phase. A Battle is mandatory only when an area is newly contested (new engagement) in the current Impulse. It is at the Phasing Side's discretion whether to resolve the Battle or not if the Area was already contested at the beginning of the Impulse. Units cannot attack if they are Isolated (6.4.1).

6.2.3.1 Combat Sequence Summary

1. Declaring Artillery Commitment
2. Chemin Creux Effect
3. Showdown
4. Calculate Final Result
5. Apply Losses

6.2.3.1.1 Declaring Artillery Commitment

The Attacker declares which (if any) of his activated Artillery in adjacent Areas is firing (committed) into the Area. The Allies may only commit one Artillery, the French may commit more than one (3.10.3).

6.2.3.1.2 Le Chemin Creux

If the French player declares a Battle into one of the five Chemin Creux Areas - and if this Area was British controlled and not contested at the beginning of the Impulse - the British may randomly choose 1 unit from the British Reserve Pool - if it does not overstack and it is available in the right colour (orange for Areas 38 and 39; light blue for Areas 27, 28 and 17) - and deploy it in the Area before Showdown.

6.2.3.1.3 Showdown

During Showdown, all units involved in the Battle must be revealed by placing them face up.

6.2.3.1.4 Firepower

The Offensive Firepower (OF) of the Attacker in a battle is calculated by adding up:

• the Strength of his units in the Area
• the Tactical Value of his Activated Tactical Leaders and the Artillery Value of his Committed Artillery from adjacent Areas.

The Defensive Firepower (DF) of the Defender is calculated by adding up:

• the Strength of his units in the Area
• the Terrain Bonus of the Area.

6.2.3.1.5 Determining the Winner (FR)

Subtract DF from OF to obtain the Final Result (FR).

FR=0 the combat is a Tie, no losses.

FR>0 the Attacker Wins.

FR<0 the Defender Wins.

6.2.3.1.6 Calculating Losses

The Losing Side of a Battle suffers an amount of losses (hits) called Incurred Losses (IL) equal to the Final Result Absolute Value: |FR|.

The amount of hits is limited to the amount of hits the Side can absorb with the total of all its unit Strengths (dots/stars/heart/pawn) inside the Area.

The Winning Side suffers an amount of losses (hits) depending on the Incurred Losses (IL) suffered by the Losing Side and by the |FR|. Fractions are rounded up.

|FR| = 1 to 5 (Marginal Victory) the winner loses IL/2

|FR| = 6 to 10 (Decisive Victory) the winner loses IL/4

|FR| > 10 (Brilliant Victory) the winner suffers 1 hit

6.2.3.1.7 Applying Losses

First the Losing Side, and then the Winning Side must immediately apply Losses. The controlling player chooses how to apply Losses to his own units (hits) by reducing them, according to the table below:

Black (Dots/Pawn/Cannonballs/Stars): 1 hit White (Dots): 2 hits Red (Dots/Leader Heart): 3 hits

The strongest unit(s) must be reduced first.

The Leader's Heart and White/Red Dots may be used to "shield" other units of the same strength.

6.2.3.1.8 Allocating Excess Hits

If all the Side's units engaged in the Area have been eliminated and not all hits have been placed, any excess hits are not applied and are ignored.

6.2.3.1.9 Eliminated Units

Eliminated French and British units are removed from play and placed face up onto the respective Morale Track, starting from the "10" box.

Once 10 French or 10 British units have been eliminated, either French or British Morale is respectively reduced to "0" and the game ends immediately with a Decisive Victory for the other Side. Eliminated Prussian units are simply eliminated from the game and do not affect British Morale.

6.2.3.1.10 Additional Combat Rounds

Battle lasts for 1 round only. Conceal all defending units in the Area when the Combat is over. If the Area is still contested, then attacking units remain visible. The Attacker's committed Artillery is reduced, but not concealed yet (as it may provide artillery fire to another adjacent Area). Leaders and Artillery inside the combat Area are not reduced.

6.2.4 Deactivation Phase

When all combats have been resolved:

• every activated Tactical Leader must be reduced (rotate it counter clockwise by 90°) and deactivated by turning it upright in order to conceal it and
• every activated Artillery unit must be deactivated by turning it upright in order to conceal it.

6.3 Pass

When a Side passes, it may move a maximum of 1 unit (up to the unit's maximum Movement Allowance, but without Movement Boosting - 3.9.5.3). This unit cannot engage (may disengage) and no Combat is allowed. A Turn ends after 2 consecutive Passes (6.0).

6.4 Reorganization Phase

The Reorganization Phase is performed at the end of every turn (after two consecutive Passes).

During this phase, the Side without the Initiative Disc first, may decide if it wishes to reorganize its Army by restoring Tactical Leaders and deploying Reinforcements. To accomplish this, it must activate its Strategic Leader - in the General HQ Area, which must be friendly-controlled and free of enemy units:

• Rossomme for Napoleon (Area 100)
• Mont St. Jean for Wellington (Area 3)
• Bois de Paris for Blücher (Area 50)

If the Strategic Leader is not in the General Headquarters Area, he may be moved up to 3 MP (4 for Wellington) to reach it and spend 1 MP to be revealed.

Once the Strategic Leader is activated during the Reorganization Phase in the General HQ Area, he can:

1. restore his Tactical Leaders up to his Strategic Value

and then

2. call for Reinforcements (5.0 and 6.1.B).

A Tactical Leader is restored (only if in LOC - 6.4.1) by rotating the counter clockwise - the total number of rotations available is equal to the Strategic Value.

After, the Strategic Leader is deactivated (reduced and placed upright).

At Heart Level a Strategic Leader has a Strategic Value of 1, but he is not reduced once deactivated.

E.g. The French player has the Initiative, so the Allied player must reorganize first.

He decides to activate Blücher (SV 3) and reorganizes one Prussian TL - from Heart Level to 4 stars - and Wellington (SV 2) to reorganize two British TL from 3 to 4 stars, and from 2 to 3 stars respectively.

Additionally Blücher may deploy 3 units randomly selected from his Reserve Pool, and Wellington only 2.

Then the French player decides not to activate Napoleon, thus he cannot reorganize any Tactical Leader nor deploy Reinforcements.

6.4.1 Line of Communication (LOC)

A Line of Communication (LOC) is a path of unlimited length, traceable through friendly-controlled and uncontested Areas, from a unit to its Strategic Leader. A LOC may start and/or end in - but not cross - a Contested Area (either friendly or enemy-controlled).

Units unable to trace a LOC are Isolated. Isolated units cannot move/attack/be activated/be restored.

Example: Battle in Area 27 (Chemin Creux)

The Defender (British) has two units, while the Attacker (French) has four units in the Area plus two activated Leaders and one activated Artillery in adjacent Areas. The Attacker declares that he is committing the 2nd Corps Artillery from the adjacent Area.

This is one of the 5 Chemin Creux Areas and it was not contested at the beginning of the Impulse. Thus, before Showdown - as the Defender has two light blue infantry available in the British Reserve Pool - (the Brunswickers may NOT appear in the Chemin Creux), he decides to add one of them selecting it randomly.

Showdown now occurs:

The French have 4 units in the Combat Area: a 2-strength cavalry, two 4-strength infantry and one 1-cannonball artillery: total 11 Strength Points. Additionally he has activated 2 Leaders (but one is at Heart Level, thus only 2 Stars may be added) and 1 Artillery (2 cannonballs) in adjacent Areas. The OF is 15.

The British have 3 units: one 4-strength infantry, one 3-strength infantry and one 3-cannonball artillery, totalling 10 Strength Points. Additionally he adds the Terrain Bonus (3) for total 13 DF.

The FR is +2: a Marginal Victory for the Attacker.

The Defender must suffer 2 hits (IL = |FR|); reducing the strongest unit's white level is enough.

The Attacker suffers half the IL of the Defender (because of the Marginal Victory), but since his strongest unit can absorb 1 hit without being reduced, he suffers no losses.

Artillery in the Battle Area is not reduced after firing, while committed artillery outside of the Area must be reduced (from 2 to 1).

The Defender remains the owner of the Area, thus his units are concealed after Combat, while the Attacker's units remain visible.

In the Deactivation Phase the Attacker must conceal the 2nd Corps Green Artillery (without reducing it again), must conceal the Green Leader (Reille) - without reducing it as it is already at Heart Level - and must reduce (from 2 stars to the Heart Level) and conceal the Pink Leader (Kellerman).

Optional Rules

Optional Rules (OR) add realism and historical flavour; however, players should be confident with the basic game mechanisms before adding some or all of the Optional Rules.

OR 1.0 Free Setup

Instead of randomly choosing units for setup, players may select the units at their own convenience. This includes Prussian Scheduled Arrivals and Reinforcements.

This Rule may be also adjusted by players in such a way that it balances the game, e.g. an experienced player must randomly select his units, while his opponent may choose them.

OR 2.0 Cavalry Charge

Cavalry Charge DOUBLES the Cavalry Units' Attacking Firepower if the following two conditions are met:

1. the Battle takes place in a Green Area
2. the Attacker has at least one Cavalry unit and the Defender has none.

Leaders and Horse Artillery do not count when applying this optional rule.

OR 3.0 Scouting

During the Movement Phase a Cavalry Unit, instead of participating in a Battle, may move up to 3 MP (4 MP for the English Cavalry) into an Area not containing enemy units and then be activated (as a Leader does - spending 1 MP) to scout a number of enemy units in an adjacent Green Area equal to its dots.

Scouted units are randomly selected by the Phasing Side and must be immediately placed face up. A scouting cavalry unit may not attack in this impulse and it is deactivated during the Deactivation Phase.

OR 4.0 Impetus

If a Cavalry Unit has participated in a Battle and the Area has been completely cleared of enemy units, then the Cavalry may immediately move up to 1 MP before any other Battle is resolved.

OR 5.0 Grande Batterie

The French player may play the Initiative Disc to bombard a single uncontested enemy Area with all the in range Artillery he wishes, up to his Strategic Value. Every Artillery must:

1. have a LOC to Napoleon
2. be activated (revealed) without moving
3. be within a range of two Areas of the target Area.

As an exception to normal rules, this Battle is resolved as usual, but the Attacker does not suffer any losses and the Defender may not add the Terrain Bonus. All firing Artillery are then not reduced.

OR 6.0 Languages

The British Army was extremely heterogeneous, comprising not only English-speaking soldiers (pink tag), but also German (black tag) and Dutch (blue tag).

If units speaking different langauages are present in the same Battle, then the British player suffers a -1 to his Firepower for each different language (maximum is -2).

British Leaders and Artillery are English-speaking.

OR 7.0 Retreat

If the Defender has the Initiative Disc, he can play it to retreat ALL of his units from an Area if a Combat is declared in that Area.

The Initiative Disc must be played (and spent) before Showdown. Retreating units must retreat into adjacent controlled Areas already occupied by units of the same Faction (British cannot retreat into Prussian controlled Areas and vice versa) without overstacking. Retreat may be conducted in more than one adjacent Area, at Defender choice. Units unable to retreat are eliminated, at Defender choice.

OR 8.0 Combined Attack

If the Attacker has declared an attack into an Area and has at least one unit of each type participating (Leader, Artillery, Infantry and Cavalry), then the Attacker Incurred Loss is decreased by 1.

Additionally, if the Defender has played the Initiative Disc (OR 7.0), then the disc is spent but the Retreat is denied.

OR 9.0 Morale

When a Combat is resolved, the Attacker adds his Morale to his OF and the Defender adds his Morale to DF. Prussians are considered British for this rule only.

Demoralization

Additionally, during the Reorganization Phase, any embattled unit with enemy units and unable to trace a LOC to the Strategic Leader (Isolated - 6.4.1), suffers a step loss, by rotating the unit counter clockwise 90°.

OR 10.0 Prussian Arrivals

Prussian Scheduled Arrivals may vary. Starting from Turn 3, the Allied player randomly selects one of the three Prussian Tactical Leaders and deploys his forces in the specific Area: Bülow in Area 50, Pirch in 79, Zhieten in 10.

Blücher always arrives on Turn 3 in Area 50.