Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Battle Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
  • Players and Playing Time
• 2.0 Components
  • 2.1 The Gameboard
  • 2.2 The Playing Pieces
  • 2.3 Game Turn Indicator
  • 2.4 The Cards
  • 2.5 Abbreviations
• 3.0 Starting Play
  • 3.1 Setting up the Combat Units and Commanders
  • 3.2 Distribute Cards
• 4.0 Course of Play
  • Dealing Out Cards
• 5.0 Reinforcements
• 6.0 The Cards
• 7.0 First Player
• 8.0 Movement
  • 8.1 Facing
  • 8.2 Stacking
  • 8.3 Terrain
  • 8.4 Cavalry Retreat
  • 8.5 Example of Movement
• 9.0 Battle
  • 9.1 Combat Units
  • 9.2 Attack
  • 9.3 Battle Points
  • 9.4 Resolving Battle
  • 9.5 Effects of Battle
  • 9.6 Cavalry Retreat before Battle
  • 9.7 An Example of a Battle
• 10.0 Chateaux
• 11.0 Actions
  • 11.1 Artillery Fire
  • 11.2 Command Benefit
  • 11.3 Elite Bonus
  • 11.4 Cavalry Charge
  • 11.5 Enemy Cavalry must Charge
  • 11.6 Rally
  • 11.7 Napoleon's Health
• 12.0 Commanders
• 13.0 Winning the Game
  • 13.1 The Scenarios
  • 13.2 Winning the Short Game
  • 13.3 Winning the Full Battle Game
• 14.0 Historical Overview

1.0 Introduction

Waterloo is an exciting boardgame that allows players to recreate one of the greatest battles of all time. Early on the 18th of June 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor, had assembled 72,000 men (49,000 infantry, 15,750 cavalry and 7,250 artillery) with 246 guns near Waterloo in Belgium. Opposing him were Wellington and 68,000 Allied troops (50,000 infantry, 12,500 cavalry, 5,500 artillery) with 156 guns. Blücher with 72,000 Prussians and 44 guns was not far away and moving towards the battlefield, hoping to reinforce Wellington in strength during the late afternoon.

Historically, the battle was a decisive Anglo-Allied/Prussian victory. Although they lost 22,000 men, the French lost 41,000, almost all of them irreplaceable veterans. Napoleon himself had to abdicate again and was exciled on St. Helena not much later.

While we have made every effort to give the players as much history as possible, Waterloo is a game. And while it may not be a history lesson, you, as players, can have a lot of fun trying to change the course of history.

Players win the game by amassing the most Victory Points. They gain Victory Points by:

• Occupying (having one of your units in) certain squares, as stated in Winning the Game (see 13.0).
• Removing enemy units.

Players and Playing Time

The game can be played with either two (Allies vs. French) or three (British/Allies, Prussian and French) players. The "short game" (4 game turns, only for 2 players!) should take about 60 minutes to complete, the full battle game (7 game turns) about 2 hours. The game will take about 50 % longer the first time you play it it so do not be concerned if it does take longer, the game has a lot of subtleties to learn.

2.0 Components

Each copy of Waterloo contains:

• 1 gameboard of the battlefield
• 55 Command cards
• 50 cardboard infantry and cavalry playing pieces
• 2 standup leader cardboard pieces (Napoleon and Wellington)
• 58 Disordered, Chateau Destruction Point, Moved, Rally and Victory Point cardboard markers
• 1 Player Aid card
• 1 wooden Game Turn Indicator
• 1 Rulesbooklet

If any of these parts are missing or damaged, we apologize for the inconvenience and ask that you contact us to receive any replacement parts needed.

2.1 The Gameboard

The gameboard is a map of the battlefield of Waterloo (although the town of Waterloo is several kilometers to the north). The map is covered by a grid of Squares, each Square covering about 350 meters from side to side. Each Square has a terrain type, with some Squares having terrain features running along their sides. The effects of the different types of terrain are discussed below, and listed on the Terrain Effects Chart on the Player Aid Card.

2.2 The Playing Pieces

Combat Units: The cardboard pieces are infantry and cavalry units. There are no artillery pieces in the game. Infantry units are divisions (for the French and British/Allies) and brigades (for the Prussians), cavalry units are divisions and brigades.

Infantry units include the divisional or brigade (top) and corps designation (right). Cavalry units in most cases include a regimental or brigade plus corps designation. All historical information is just for reference.

The cardboard pieces might also contain other pieces of information like their elite status or being heavy or light cavalry.

Commander: The French and the British/Allied armies have a standup piece for its commander – Napoleon and Wellington. There is no Prussian commander piece in the game.

Play Note: The Prussians do not get a Commander (Blücher) as his affect on the battle was not important enough to include him.

Chateau Destruction Point Markers: These cardboard markers are used to keep track of what shape each of the three chateaux are in, in terms of defensive benefits they offer (see 10.0). The lower the number of the Chateau Destruction Point Marker the less effective are the defences of the chateau.

Disorder Markers: These markers are used to note which units are Disordered (see 9.5).

Moved Markers: Units that move in a player round (see 4.0) receive a Moved Marker on top after completition of movement to indicate that they may not move again during that player round.

Rally Markers: Units that are Rallied (see 11.6) receive a Rally Marker on top to indicate that they may not move or attack during that player round.

Victory Point Markers: These markers show which side owns a Victory location (see 13.2 and 13.3). If the marker is on the French side, the French player occupies and owns the location, if it is on the British/Allied side, the British/Allied player owns it. When ownership changes during a game, flip over the marker.

2.3 Game Turn Indicator

Before the start of the game, you place the wooden game turn indicator marker in the box for game turn 1. After completion of each game turn, advance it to the next game turn till the game is over.

2.4 The Cards

There are three decks of cards, one for the French Army (26 cards), one for the British/Allied Army (19 cards), and one for the Prussian Army (10 cards). The backside of each card spots a distinct color to let you know if it is French, British/Allies or Prussian.

The three decks are always kept separately, even when one player is playing both the British/Allies and Prussians.

The cards use symbols for its game functions. A number next to a symbol is the value of the card in this respect. The following symbols are in use:

• Movement
• Battle
• Elite Bonus
• Rally
• Artillery Fire
• Command Benefit
• Cavalry Charge
• Cavalry Counter Charge
• Napoleon's Health

Players get to use some – not all – of their cards each game turn.

2.5 Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are used throughout the rules:

Abbr	Meaning
BP	Battle Point
CDP	Chateux Destruction Point
MP	Movement Point
VP	Victory Point

3.0 Starting Play

3.1 Setting up the Combat Units and Commanders

The following illustration of the gameboard shows the starting positions of the units and commanders. Set them up as shown and make sure that the facing is correct (see 8.1).

Note: Unless indicated differently, all British units face towards the southern side of the Square. All French units face towards the northern side of the Square. See also the compass on the map).

British units/game pieces:

• 1/I Corps Infantry (facing East)
• 3/I Corps Infantry
• Jäger/I Corps Infantry
• Infantry//I Corps Infantry
• Militie/I Corps Infantry
• 2/II Corps Infantry
• 4/II Corps Infantry
• (1) 5/Reserve Infantry (facing East)
• (2) 5/Reserve Infantry
• 6/Reserve Infantry
• Braunschweig/Reserve Infantry
• Hannover Husaren/Cavalry Corps
• Nassau/ Reserve Infantry
• Wellington; Life Guards/Cavalry Corps
• Dragons/Cavalry Corps
• Hussars/Cavalry Corps
• Dragons Belge/Cavalry Corps

French units/game pieces:

• Grenadiers/Garde Imperiale Infantry
• Napoleon; Chasseurs/Garde Imperiale Infantry
• Jeune Garde/Garde Imperiale Infantry
• Lanciers Rouge/Garde Imperiale Cavalry
• Dragons/Garde Imperiale Cavalry
• 1/I Corps Infantry
• 2/I Corps Infantry
• 3/I Corps Infantry
• 4/I Corps Infantry
• Hussards/I Corps Cavalry
• 5/II Corps Infantry
• 6/II Corps Infantry
• 9/II Corps Infantry
• Dragons/II Corps Cavalry
• Chasseurs/III Corps Cavalry
• 19/VI Corps Infantry
• 20/VI Corps Infantry
• Lanciers/III Corps Cavalry
• Hussards/IV Corps Cavalry

Place Victory Point Markers, all British/Allied side face up, in the following Squares: Hougoumont, La Haye Sainte, Frischermont, and Mt. St Jean (for 13.2), or in: Hougoumont, La Haye Sainte, Mt. St Jean, and each of the three Plancenoit Squares (for 13.3).

Prussian units are set aside, all of them enter the game later as reinforcements (see 5.0) only.

3.2 Distribute Cards

Each Player shuffles his Deck(s).

The French player randomly draws fifteen (15) cards from his deck for game turn 1, setting the rest of the cards aside. He keeps his 15 cards secret until played.

The British/Allied player draws twelve (12) cards from his deck for game turn 1, setting the rest of the cards aside. He keeps his 12 cards secret until played.

No Prussian cards are available for game turn 1.

Play now begins with the French player undertaking a player round.

4.0 Course of Play

Waterloo consists of a fixed number of game turns, with each game turn representing about 90 minutes of real time. The full battle game has 7 game turns, the short game, 4 game turns.

Each game turn consists of any number of player rounds depending on how the players play their cards. In each player round, the player whose round it is, plays from 1 to 5 of his cards (5 cards is the maximum for the player whose round it is). The cards are used to move the player's units and for special actions. After the playing of each card for movement or action the player may conduct one battle.

A typical player round could look like this: The French player is playing one card for movement purposes, he moves two of his units. After that, he declares that he will initiate a battle. For that battle he plays another card. After the battle has been finished he plays his third card for movement. He declares a second battle and plays two more cards for it. Now he has played five cards (his maximum). The British/Alliied player is now conducting a player round.

Everything is described in detail below.

Exception: If one player has no cards left to play, the other player plays all of his remaining cards (or as many as he wishes) in as many (last) player rounds as he wants for that game turn.

When a player has finished his round, remove all Moved and Rally Markers on top of the units. Play passes to the opponent, who then undergoes a player round and plays 1 to 5 cards. In a three-player-game the sides exchange player rounds, not the individual players. Example: The French player starts with a player round, followed by the British player, followed by the French player, followed by the Prussian player, followed by the French player etc.

Play passes back and forth, as above, until both or all players have played all the cards they had for that game turn. When that happens, the game turn is over and the game turn marker is advanced to the next game turn box on the gameboard to indicate the start of a new game turn.

A player may always choose not to play any of his cards; if he does so (or has no cards left), he passes. If both sides (French and Anglo-Prussian) pass consecutively, the game turn is over, even if cards remain in hand.

Dealing Out Cards

At the beginning of each game turn, each player shuffles all of his cards, and then deals to himself, cards as follows:

Army	Cards dealt
France	15 cards
British/Allies	12 cards
Prussian, game turn 2	1 card
Prussian, game turn 3	3 cards
Prussian, game turn 4	4 cards
Prussian, game turn 5	6 cards
Prussian, game turn 6	7 cards
Prussian, game turn 7	8 cards

Note: Prussian units and cards are only used in the full battle game, see below.

5.0 Reinforcements

The British/Allied (or Prussian) player receives new units - all Prussian - during the course of the full battle game. There are no Prussian reinforcements in the short game. The Prussian player also gets to use more Prussian cards each game turn in the full battle game, as the game progresses.

Prussian reinforcements are eligible to enter the gameboard in the full battle game according to the schedule on the Player Aid Card. They enter the map into the Square indicated, using the Prussian Card(s) as Movement cards, as below. The first Square entered already costs a Movement Point. The Allied/Prussian player decides on the facing of the arriving Prussian units (see 8.1).

The Square through which a Prussian reinforcement will enter is chosen the moment the unit in question actually enters the gameboard. However, when there is a choice ("B or C", see the Player Aid Card), all units of a group appearing in a game turn must enter through the same Square.

If some units are unable to enter the gameboard during the stated game turn, they may enter it during later game turns.

6.0 The Cards

Each card allows the player who plays that card to do (only) one of the two or three things listed on it. Once the card is played, it is placed back onto the unused portion of his card deck. The entire deck is shuffled and used for the new deal, as above, the next game turn.

Each card contains at least two, and for some, three pieces of information.

Movement Point #: This rating is the number of Movement Points that that card, when played for Movement purposes, provides for the units of that army.

Battle Point #: This rating is the number of additonal Battle Points that that card, when played for Battle purposes, provides for the units of that army involved in that battle.

Action: Some cards also contain a specific action which is used when the player plays that card for Action purposes. Example: A card that contains the symbol for "Artillery Fire" may be played to Disorder enemy units.

When a card is used, first the purpose (movement, battle or action) must be declared. That card may then be used only for that purpose. That player may not play any other card until that purpose is completed.

Some cards may be played, for action purposes, during an opponent's round (see 11.7). Such play does not count against the number of cards a player may play in his round. However, the card is considered used, and thus placed back onto the unused portion of his card deck for that game turn.

Important: In any one round, the British/Prussian players may play either British/Allied cards, or Prussian cards. They may not play both in the same player round. If they cannot agree on which cards to play, the British player decides which cards will be played in the next player round.

If there is only one Allied player he may user either British/Allied cards or Prussian cards in a given round. He may not mix the two.

7.0 First Player

In game turn 1, the French automatically is the first player (and starts with a player round). After that, the players/sides alternate conducting player rounds.

For all other game-turns, players may "bid" who becomes the first player and starts with a player round. (They do not have to do this, see below.) They bid by selecting one card from their card hand (this is best done below the table top). Both players then simultaneously reveal their card or show their empty hand. A revealed card is considered used and placed back onto the unused portion of the card deck, but is not part of the 5-card player round maximum. The higher MP # wins – the owner of that card is the first player for the game turn. If one player did not bid (by not playing a card), the other player automatically is the first player.

If a British card is played for a bid, only British cards may be used for that first player round. If a Prussian card is played, only Prussian cards may be used that first player round.

If neither player's card is higher than the other or noone bids, each player blindly draws a card from the unused portion of their card deck. Again, the higher MP # is the first player. If tied, repeat this process until one higher MP # card is drawn. In a three-player game, only one player bids for the Anglo-Prussian side; either the British or the Prussian player. If they cannot decide who shall bid, the British player decides who bids.

8.0 Movement

When a card is played and the player states he is using that card for movement purposes, he may use the number of Movement Points listed - e.g., MP 6 means he has 6 Movement Points from that card - to move one or more of his units and his Commander in any combination of available movement options as long as he is not using more than the indicated MPs. It is not mandatory to use all available MPs of a card, however, unused MPs may not be saved for a later player round.

Example: The French player plays an MP 4 card. He gives 2 MPs to his 3/I Corps Infantry, 1 MP to the 2/I Corps Infantry, and uses the last MP to move Napoleon one Square.

It costs an individual unit the number of MPs to move into a Square as listed on the Terrain Effects Chart on the Player Aid Card. Certain sides of Squares have additional terrain costs, and it may cost extra MPs to cross that side/edge and enter that Square. A unit may not enter a Square unless it has the MP to cross the edge and enter the Square.

Important: Units move only across the sides of the Squares; they may never move across the corners.

Important: Once a unit stops movement and another unit starts movement, it may not be moved again that player round. Each unit may move only once per player round, although the number of MPs it uses is limited only by the value of the cards played. To indicate which unit has already been moved, place a Moved Marker on top of the unit. A unit may attack more than once during each player round.

Commander units also need MPs from the cards to move. However, commanders pay 1 MP for each Square, regardless of the terrain in that Square or along a squareside. In addition, they may move more than once per player round. See also 12.0.

8.1 Facing

The "top of the unit" is the side which determines facing. The direction in which the tip of the arrow on a playing piece is faced is called its front. The Squares to each side are its flank; the Square to its back is its rear.

A unit uses 1 MP to change the direction in which it is faced (or pointed). The 1 MP cost applies regardless how many sides a unit changes it facing. A unit must always face one of the sides of the Square it is in; never the corner. It may only move in the direction it is faced.

A unit may change facing even if it is in a Square adjacent to an enemy-occupied Square.

Note: A unit that only changes facing without moving, still receives a Moved Marker.

8.2 Stacking

Only one unit may be in a Square at any one time. A unit may not move into a Square occupied by another unit, friendly or enemy. Units may attack into an enemy-occupied Square. However, after that attack is resolved, only one unit will be in that Square.

Exception: A Commander may be in a Square together with one other unit.

8.3 Terrain

The types of Squares are:

• Clear: Nothing that slows movement in the Square; 1 MP to enter.
• Woods: Woods inside the Square; 2 MPs to enter.
• Village: Houses inside the Square; 2 MPs to enter.
• Chateau: Chateau inside the Square, a border surrounding it. Chateaux have special defensive capabilities, the number in the Chateau Square (see 10.0). It costs 2 MPs to enter.
• Hill: Hilly, rough terrain inside the Square; 2 MPs to enter if entering from a non-Hill Square. Otherwise, 1 MP if entering directly from another Hill Square.

The type of Square Sides are:

• Ridge: 1 MP to cross; in addition to what is in the Square.
• Stream: 1 MP to cross, in addition to what is in the Square. Note: If there is a Bridge, there is no extra cost to cross.
• Roads: These have no effect, except that if a unit enters either Mt. St Jean or La Haye Sainte by crossing a road side, it costs only 1 MP to enter that Square.
• Ponds: No unit, not even a Commander, may cross (or attack across) a Pond side.

Play Note: Remember, moving Commanders pay only 1 MP per Square, regardless of terrain entered or crossed.

8.4 Cavalry Retreat

See 8.4 for Cavalry retreat before battle. (See also 9.6.)

8.5 Example of Movement

The French 1/I Corps Infantry faces West. It expends 3 MPs to move straight ahead into the village, 1 to cross the stream, and 2 to enter the village Square. It then uses 1 MP to change facing so that it is facing South. It then expends 1 more MP to move across the stream. (The bridge allows the unit to not have to pay the cost of crossing the stream). It has used a total of 5 MPs. If there are any MP left from the card, that player may continue to move that unit, or move another unit.

Note: The printed draft contained an earlier version of this example ("The French 1/I Corps Infantry is in G-16, facing West. It expends 3 MPs to move into G-15; 1 to cross the stream, and 2 to enter the village Square. It then uses 1 MP to change facing so that it is facing South. It then expends 1 more MP to move into H-15.") introduced by a German-language note saying the text was to be replaced by the current rules text. Only the current English example is transcribed above.

9.0 Battle

A Battle occurs when one player attacks another player's unit. After a player plays a card – either for Movement or Action purposes - he may launch one attack with any unit, not just the one moved or subject to the Action. He cannot attack unless he has played a card for movement or action purposes and only one attack per play of card is allowed. The attack may take place anywhere on the gameboard between eligible units.

British/Allied and Prussian units may never attack together.

Play Note: Play of a Cavalry Charge card still allows that player to make another Attack, in addition to the one engendered by the Charge.

"One Attack" is defined by the player attacking one enemy (defending) unit. More than one friendly unit may attack that unit, all of which must be adjacent to it, but only one defending unit may be the object of an attack.

9.1 Combat Units

Most combat units have two sides: their Full Strength side (higher Battle Point Rating) and a Reduced Strength side (smaller rating). Units that have a Full Strength of '1' (e.g., the British 4/II Corps Infantry) have no Reduced side.

A combat unit's Battle Rating is the base number of Battle Points it has to contribute to a Battle. Those BPs may be increased (see 9.3).

Some combat units are Elite; they have asterisks (*) next to their BP Rating. See 11.3 for their use.

Cavalry units are either heavy or light; see 11.4 for effects in battle.

9.2 Attack

Combat units may Attack any enemy unit in an adjacent Square, as long as the attacking unit is facing towards that Square. Units attack only with their Frontal side of the unit.

A player may Attack an enemy unit with as many units as he has (frontally) adjacent to that target/defending enemy unit. Thus, a possible 4 friendly units may attack one enemy unit.

Example: The French unit 9/II Corps Infantry is under attack, it is facing north. The British player has 1/I Corps Infantry north of it, facing south, 3/I Corps Infantry west of the French unit, facing east, and 4/II Corps Infantry east of the French infantry, facing south. The first two units can attack French 9/II Corps Infantry, the third one cannot, as it is not facing into the French Square.

9.3 Battle Points

Battles are resolved by having the Attacker compare his Battle Points to those of the Defender. Each player receives BPs for each battle from some (or all) of the following sources.

Unit BP Rating: The number of Battle Points on the unit's piece. These BPs may be increased or decreased.

Increases to BP:

• Attack Position: This applies only to attacking units. If a unit is attacking into an enemy unit's Flank side (see 8.1), it doubles (2x) its BPs (after applying Elite or Cavalry Charge bonus). If a unit is attacking into an enemy unit's Rear side, it triples (3x) its BPs (after Elite or Cavalry Charge bonus). The Position bonus applies to individual units that meet the conditions, not to all attackers.
• Defense Terrain Benefits: These bonuses apply only to defending units. Defending units in a village or woods, or on a hill Square and being attacked by all attacking units from a non-hill square (if any attacking units are also on a hill, the bonus does not apply), double (2x) their printed BPs, before any other bonuses.
• Use of Cards as BPs: The attacking and defending players may play as many cards as they wish (within the parameters that follow) as Battle Cards. The number of BPs on each card is added, at the end, to the total BPs for the sides. All cards played for BPs are revealed simultaneously and all at once.

The following Battle card play rule applies to all battles:

• The attacker must stay within his 5 card per player round maximum.
• The defender has no such limit, and the cards he plays do not count against the 5-card limit of his next player round.
• Players select cards to be used in battle secretely, usually best done below the table top. They are revealed simultaneously and placed back onto the unused portion of the card decks after the battle. There use in Battle means they are not available for later that game turn.
• Command Benefit: See 11.2 for the use of this bonus.
• Elite Bonus. See 11.3 for the use of this bonus.
• Cavalry Charge: See 11.4 for the use of this bonus.

Decreases to Attacking BP: These apply only to attacking units, and only arise from units attacking across a ridge or stream Squareside. Such units subtract one (-1) from their total (bonused) BPs. This decrease is done after all bonuses, including Command Benefit, are computed.

9.4 Resolving Battle

Each Player totals his BPs (as above). The high total wins. If there is a tie, the defender wins.

Attacker is Winner: He must advance one of the attacking units into the Square if it is vacated, whether it is vacated by Retreat or unit elimination. The choice is up to him, except that if he used an Elite unit that received an Elite Bonus, that unit must be the one that advances. Advancing units may change facing when they enter the square, at no cost in MP. A Commander never advances.

Play Note: Advancing is not movement per se – therefore a unit does not get a Moved Marker just for advancing. In addition, units under a Moved Marker may advance.

Defender is Loser: The losing Defender (usually) has a choice. He may either stay in his Square and flip the unit to its Reduced Strength (back) side, or he may Retreat (see below) the unit. However, if the attacker had more than twice as many BPs as the defender, the defender must be Reduced and must Retreat.

Play Note: Retreating is not movement per se – therefore a unit does not get a Moved Marker just for retreating.

Attacker is Loser: Nothing happens; unless the Defender had more than double the BPs of the Attacker. In that case, one attacking unit - the one with the most BPs on its counter (if ties, the attacker decides) - is flipped to its Reduced (back) side.

Defender is Winner: Nothing happens with the defender; he does not advance.

Multiplying of Battle Points: If a unit doubles its BPs because it is attacking into the flank of an enemy unit and is able to double its BPs because of the playing of an Elite Bonus card (see 11.3), its BPs are quadrupled ("2 x 2").

9.5 Effects of Battle

Reducing a unit means flipping the counter to its lower-rated side (if it has one). A unit that is already Reduced, or has no Reduced side, and suffers another Reduced result is, instead, eliminated and removed from the game.

A unit that Retreats moves into any vacant Square to its Rear or Flank sides. It may not Retreat forward (frontally). Exception: A unit attacked solely from the Rear and/or Flank may "retreat" forward into its frontal Square.

Once moved, the Retreating unit may change its facing at no cost in MP.

No Square for Retreat: If a unit cannot Retreat, it is Reduced, instead. If already Reduced, it is eliminated instead.

Disorder. This is a result only from play of an Artillery Fire card, or the after effects of a Cavalry Charge. A Disordered unit is limited only that it may not attack, may not fire artillery (see 11.1), and may not conduct a Cavalry Charge (see 11.4 and 11.5). A Disordered unit that suffers an additional Disorder result is Reduced (and no longer Disordered). You cannot eliminate a unit by playing an Artillery Fire card. Therefore a reduced unit (or a unit with a blank backside) that is also Disordered is not reduced again and eliminated when it is the target of Artillery Fire – nothing happens in this case.

9.6 Cavalry Retreat before Battle

Any time an enemy infantry unit moves into a square adjacent to a cavalry unit (even if the cavalry units is already adjacent to another infantry unit), that cavalry unit, before anything else happens, may Retreat, as per the retreat rules, above. The moving infantry may move into the vacated Square (if it has MPs remaining to do so), but, at that point, the unit´s movement for that player round is over. The cavalry may continue to Retreat in reaction to any further enemy movement. Retreat costs no MP and does not give the unit a Moved Marker.

Cavalry retreat is not allowed when an enemy infantry unit advances or retreats into an adjacent Square after a battle.

9.7 An Example of a Battle

The British 3/I Corps Infantry, with a full strength of 4 is under attack. It is facing south. Wellington is nearby.

The French 4/I Corps Infantry with a Battle Rating of 3, facing west, and 9/II Corps Infantry with a Battle Rating of 4, facing north, are attacking.

4/I Corps Infantry is attacking into the British unit's flank, so its BPs are doubled, to 6. However, both French units are attacking across a ridge side, so they are each reduced by 1, to 5 and 3, for total base BPs of 8 to the base British total BPs of 4.

Both players now reveal/play the Action and Battle Cards they have selected.

The French player plays two cards as Battle Cards, one with BP=2 and one with BP=4, for a total of 6 BPs added to his base 8, giving him a grand total for that battle of 14.

The British 3/I Corps Infantry is adjacent to Wellington, and he plays his Command Benefit card, which gives him 4 BPs (the defensive benefit bestowed by Wellington). He also plays another card for BPs, with a BP=3. That means he gets to add 7 BPs to his 4, for a total of 11.

The French 14 is higher than the British 11 - but not more than double - so the French wins. The British player chooses to Retreat his 3/I Corps Infantry unit to the north, maintaining its southerly facing. French 4/I Corps Infantry is advancing into the vacted Square.

Had the British played an Artillery Fire card against the 9/II Corps Infantry, it would have Disordered the unit, rendering it unable to attack. That would have reduced the French BP total to 11 – resulting in a tie and a British win, and nothing else would have happened.

10.0 Chateaux

There are three chateaux on the battefield, all of which are excellent defensive positions. A unit may enter an unoccupied chateau like any other Square. Chateaux, however, provide defensive benefits to a unit inside somewhat different from all other terrain.

An infantry unit inside a chateau doubles its printed BPs (before any other bonus). In addition, it is considered to be facing frontally to all sides; it has no Flank or Rear. This does not apply to cavalry, which receives neither benefit.

Each chateau is rated for Chateau Destruction Points (CDP), printed in that Square. These CDP are not added to the BP total for any attack on that chateau. However, they are used to absorb "losses".

Instead of incurring a Reduced effect, or a Retreat, a losing unit inside removes one CDP (use the CDP Markers to keep track) for each such Reduction and/or Retreat (if it wishes). Only when a chateau has no CDP remaining must the defending unit take a Reduction (or Retreat).

Defending cavalry units treat a chateau as if it were a village. They get no CDP benefit.

The playing of a Artillery Fire card has no effect on units inside a chateau – even if the chateau has no CDP remaining.

If a unit moves out of a chateau, the owning player freely determines its facing (at no MP cost).

Empty chateaux can be freely entered.

11.0 Actions

A Player may use a card for Action purposes, if an Action is given on the card. If used as an Action, it may not be used for anything else. Use as an Action counts against a player's 5-card maximum for his player round.

11.1 Artillery Fire

This card may be played by either side, even the side that currently is not undertaking a player round. The Attacker plays it as part of his player round. The Defender plays it at any time he wants during an opponent's player round, even during a battle.

When an Artillery Fire card is played, the player designates one of his infantry units that is not Disordered as firing artillery. The enemy unit frontally adjacent to that firing unit is then automatically Disordered (see 9.5). You cannot eliminate a unit by playing an Artillery Fire card.

11.2 Command Benefit

This card may be played by either/both players in a battle. The bonus is BPs applied to each unit that is in a Square in which the Commander is in, or which is in any of the four Squares surrounding the one the Commander is in, depending on whether it is attacking or defending (and who the Commander is, as per the card), after all other bonuses have been applied. A Commander cannot give his benefit diagonically to squares that are only adjacent via the "corners". Example: Wellington will give 4 BPs to any defending unit, while Napoleon would give 2 BPs to all/each eligible attacking units.

There is no Prussian Command Benefit card.

11.3 Elite Bonus

This card may be played by either/both players in a battle. By playing a card that says Elite in a Battle as an Action, that player doubles (2x) the BPs of any of his Elite units in that battle. For the unit to receive the Elite Bonus, the card must be played. Both Attacker and Defender my play this card in the same battle. The bonus is applied before any other effect.

There is no Prussian Elite Bonus card, as there are no elite Prussian units.

11.4 Cavalry Charge

The attacker plays this card as an Action during his player round. The play of the card allows any one cavalry unit, without using any other card by either side, to move one or two Squares without changing facing, and attacking an enemy unit that it moves adjacent to. The charging unit may not start adjacent to its target, and it must attack. The card may not be used against target units in woods, villages or chateaux, and the charging unit may not move across ridge or stream sides, although it may attack across such sides.

The unit conducting the Cavalry Charge receives a Moved Marker afterwards. However, a cavalry unit that already has a Moved Marker may conduct a Cavalry Charge! Disordered cavalry units may not charge.

A Cavalry Charge uses only that one cavalry unit. It may not combine its attack with any other units.

A Heavy Cavalry Attacker undertaking a Cavalry Charge triples (3x) its BPs. A Light Cavalry Attacker undertaking a Cavalry Charge doubles (2x) its BP.

Exceptions: The Cavalry Charge bonus does not apply to cavalry attacking into infantry's frontal sides, although it may use the Charge card to launch that Attack. It just does not get the bonus. The bonus does apply against enemy cavalry!

The only cards both players may play in the resulting battle are Elite Bonus cards, no other cards count – othwerwise the battle is conducted "normally" (see above)!

Regardless of the results of the Charge, the charging cavalry unit is always Disordered after the Charge.

11.5 Enemy Cavalry must Charge

When this card is played, the player undertaking his player round designates any enemy cavalry unit that is in position to launch a charge (see 11.4 above for the conditions for a Cavalry Charge) against one of his units, and states that it must do so designating both charger and target. The targetted player then undertakes a regular Cavalry Charge against the designated target.

Disordered enemy cavalry units may not be chosen for this type of cavalry charge. However, the British/Allied player can choose a French unit to attack a Prussian one, and the Prussian player can choose a French unit to charge a British/Allied one.

Play Note: This is best done when such a charge would be disadvantageous, such as against a large infantry unit behind a ridge, etc. Of course, the Prussian player cannot use it to have a charge launched against a British unit, etc.

11.6 Rally

Play of the card allows the player to either:

• remove Disorder markers from any two (2) units, regardless where they are located; or
• flip one (1) Reduced unit that is not adjacent to an enemy unit (by Square side; diagonal is ok), to its front (full strength) side.

Note:

• A unit that has moved or attacked that player round may not be Rallied.
• A unit that has been Rallied may not move or attack that player round.
• Place a Rally Marker on a unit that has rallied as a reminder.

11.7 Napoleon's Health

Historical Note: Whatever was bothering him - and opinions are many and varied - Napoleon was definitely not at the top of his game on June 18th.

When the British/Allied player uses this card as an Action in his player round, he randomly draws two cards from the French player's hand and, without seeing what they are, places them onto the unused portion of the French card deck. They are gone for that game turn.

There is no Prussian card for Napoleon's Health.

12.0 Commanders

Commanders are the standup cardboard pieces. They are the only units that may be in the same Square as a combat (infantry or cavalry) unit, or be in a Square alone.

If an enemy unit moves adjacent to a Square that a Commander is in alone, immediately place that Commander in the nearest Square in which there is a friendly combat unit (player's choice, if there are 2 or more Squares equidistant).

Any Commander that is in a Square with a losing unit that is retreated, retreats with that unit. If the combat unit is eliminated, simply pick up the Commander and place him with the nearest friendly unit, player's choice. You cannot eliminate Commanders.

Commanders may move more than once per player round. Commanders pay only 1 MP per Square. Commanders may never advance after a battle.

13.0 Winning the Game

13.1 The Scenarios

There are two scenarios: The Short Game (4 game turns - 1 through 4), and the Full Battle Game (all 7 game turns). Both scenarios use the same initial set-up for units (see 3.1). However, the Short Game excludes any/all Prussian units and cards.

13.2 Winning the Short Game

The French Player wins if, at the end of game turn 4, he occupies, or was the last player to occupy:

• Hougoumont, La Haye Sainte, and Frischermont (all three chateaux), or
• Any two of the above three chateaux plus Mt. St Jean.

If he does not satisfy the requirements, the British/Allied Player wins.

13.3 Winning the Full Battle Game

Players get Victory Points for eliminating - removing from play - enemy units and occupying specific Squares at the end of the game. To "occupy" a Square it is sufficient to be last player who has entered it.

Historical Note: Napoleon is trying to push his way through the British army, up the road to Brussels. Wellington is there to stop him.

A player gets VPs worth the full-strength Battle Points of each enemy unit he eliminates (set the eliminated units aside). Reduced units do not count.

Example: The British 3/I Corps Infantry unit is eliminated. The French Player gains 4 VP.

Each Player gains the listed VPs for occupying the following Squares at game's end, depending on the player.

Square	French VPs	Allied VPs
Mt. St Jean	15	0
Hougoumont	5	10
La Haye Sainte	5	5
Each Plancenoit Square (there are three)	0	2

Both players/sides total their VPs. The player/side with the most VPs wins the game. If both players/sides have the same amount of VPs, the game is a draw.

Note: Even in a 3-player game, only one side may win; e.g., the British/Allied and the Prussian player win or lose together.

14.0 Historical Overview

When Napoleon escaped from his exile on Elba to launch "The Hundred Days" (of his attempt to regain the French throne and his power base in Europe), several military problems confronted him, the worst of which was the threat of a combining of a large Prussian army under Blücher with the quickly despatched British force, heavily reinforced by Dutch/Belgian allies, under Wellington. Napoleon's plan, following his usual course given this type of situation, was to march his army north, towards The Netherlands/Belgium, with the intent to come between the two armies and, thereby, defeat each piecemeal.

The first step in this plan took place on June 16, 1815. Napoleon's left wing attacked part of Wellington's Allied force at Quatre Bras (Belgium) with little positive result (from the French point of view). However, several miles to the east, his main force met and mauled the Prussian army at Ligny, sending it in full retreat north and, because Napoleon now outflanked Wellington, forced the latter to also retreat towards Brussels.

With a tired army, and in heavy, wet weather, Napoleon gave chase, detaching Grouchy to keep an eye on the Prussians to make sure they were still hors de combat.

Two days later, on June 18, just south of the village of Waterloo, Napoleon, with about 72,000 men and nearly 250 guns, encountered a defensively deployed Allied army of some 68,000 men and 156 guns under Wellington. Wellington had put most of his men atop a small rise just below the village of Mt. St Jean, with his flanks "anchored" by two chateaux/farms: Chateau de Goumont (more commonly known as Hougoumont) and a weaker farm, Frischermont on his left. In the center of the Allied line, and just to its front, were the formidable buildings of La Haye Sainte.

After a somewhat late start - the roads and ground were deep mud, and Napoleon was, yet again, suffering from that peculiar lethargy that one finds in his later battles - the French army attacked in a straight ahead push, with lots of artillery bombardment. Much of the action focused on the chateaux, Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte, with the former holding out for most of the battle, depriving Napoleon of a full corps.

While the Allied line wavered, held, wavered, and held, bad things were about to happen on the French right flank. Grouchy had lost contact with much of the Prussian army to the east, despite the attempt to pin them at Wavre, and by mid-afternoon, Blücher's 30,000 remaining effectives began to appear, in dribs and drabs, to threaten the French right. By late afternoon, much of the French army was now fighting off heavy Prussian attacks to its right and rear and, after a valiant assault by The Old Guard failed to move Wellington, Napoleon was forced to order a retreat, much of which, except for the Old Guard, was rather hasty and undisciplined.

The Battle of Waterloo was Napoleon's last gasp. Shortly thereafter he was captured and sent to the desolate island of St. Helena off the African coast and forced to eat English food. The political aftermath was to set the somewhat reactionary tone that held Europe in an iron grip, leading to the revolutions of 1830, 1848 and subsequent upheavals.