Napoléon 1815 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game Setup
• Rules of the Conscript
  • Glossary
  • Sequence of Play
    • Draw
    • Initiative
    • Operations
    • Recovery
  • Move
  • Combat
  • Determining Victory
• Rules of the Grognard
  • Fog of War
  • Cavalry Vedettes
• 3-Player Rules
  • Setup
  • Communication
  • Draw Phase
  • Initiative Phase
  • Operations Phase
  • Cards
• Details on Playing Cards

Components

• 1 rulebook
• 1 scenarios booklet
• 1 quickstart booklet
• 1 game board
• 3 player screens — 1 Anglo-Allied red screen, 1 Prussian grey screen and 1 French blue screen
• 3 players aid (Orders of Battle)
• 3 cloth bags — 1 blue, 1 red and 1 black
• 12 Prussian black blocks, 14 Anglo-Allied red blocks, 17 French blue blocks and 4 white blocks
• 2 sheets of 45 stickers to set on the blocks
• 104 wooden cubes strength point — blue (31), grey (28), orange (7), red (21), violet (6) and yellow (11)
• 22 wooden flags Control markers — 7 red, 5 black and 10 blue
• 2 decks of 36 cards + 5 replacement cards for the 3-player variant
• 5 Invasion cards
• 7 wooden arrows Axis of Retreat markers — 3 blue, 2 red and 2 black
• 15 combat dice — 5 blue, 5 red and 5 grey
• 2 wooden pawns — Turn and Victory points markers
• 3 white wooden cubes — Destroyed bridge markers
• 80 wooden cylinders — fatigue

Game Setup

The rules from page 4 to page 15 detail the 2-player game, a French player and a Coalition player. The specifics of the 3-player game are described separately.

Place the game board between you. This represents the "Theater of Military Operations" for the 1815 campaign. One of you takes the role of Napoléon and sits at the South end of the game board. Your opponent will play Wellington and Blücher and sits at the North end of the game board. Use the compass on the board for directional reference. Select a scenario and follow the instructions.

The wooden blocks represent the army corps and the commanders that participated in the campaign. The Coalition blocks are red for the Anglo-Allied and black for the Prussian. The French blocks are blue. They are laid flat on the game board or placed upright if you want to conceal their identities from your opponent. Before your first game, carefully peel off the stickers and place them on the large blocks as shown below.

Ensure that the stickers are aligned in the same direction: the top A on the flag must match the alignment of the portrait or illustration on the block.

To win in Napoléon 1815 you must:

• Eliminate opponent's strength points.
• Control some of the towns,
• fortified farms,
• and fortified towns.

The game features various pieces that are placed directly on the board according to the scenario's instructions:

• Turn marker
• Victory Points marker
• Reinforced Positions markers

You each have a player aid displaying your army's Order of Battle. This is where you place the strength points of your corps. These strength points are represented by small colored cubes: French infantry, French cavalry, Anglo-Allied infantry, Anglo-Allied cavalry, Prussian infantry, Prussian cavalry. Each cube equals 1 strength point.

During play, corps will suffer from fatigue, which is represented by placing orange cylinders on the Orders of Battle.

To conceal your Order of Battle from your opponent you can use your player screen. The screens also provide reminders for the main rules for the game.

Playing cards are used to move your corps and resolve combat. You have your own color-coded deck of cards. Cards 78, 79, 80, 81 and 82 are only used for the 3-player game. Cards 73 to 77 represent the evolution of the French invasion of Belgium; their use is described in the scenario booklet.

The game board is organized into areas linked by connections. A corps is always located and placed on an area, never on a connection. There are 5 kinds of areas: Clear, Wooded, Town, Fortified town, and Fortified farm.

The Terrain Effects Chart printed on the game board serves as a reminder for the terrain effects used in combat.

But when do you roll the dice? There is no mention of the use of dice in these rules. This is not a mistake, but a game option. In all combat, you may replace revealing cards with dice rolling. If a player has to reveal 3 cards, they will instead roll 3 dice. The probabilities are identical. Using dice instead of cards makes the game a little more random overall but does not favor one side more than the other (the probability of seeing a combat result is the same with a die or a card). However, the player's card deck will cycle less quickly, so a discarded event will reappear less often. Players are free to choose between cards or dice at the beginning of the game, but after choosing their option, they must stick with their choice for the duration of the game.

Rules of the Conscript

In order to understand key game concepts, players will need to be familiar with the following terms and definitions:

Glossary

Commanders and corps — Commanders and corps are represented by large blocks laid flat on the game board. If a block is face up, it means that it is still available to perform an operation. Its status is to be Activated. If it is placed flag up, it means that it has been Activated and can no longer perform any operation. You differentiate a commander block from a corps block with a star symbol.

A commander never moves alone. He must always accompany 1 or more corps. A commander who finds himself alone in an area due to the elimination of the corps he accompanies is also eliminated.

Stack — When 1 or more friendly corps blocks are located in the same area, possibly acting together with a commander, this is known as a stack.

Connections and areas — The game board is organized into areas linked by connections. There are 5 kinds of areas (Clear, Wooded, Town, Fortified town, Fortified farm). A corps is always located and placed on an area, never on a connection.

Order of Battle — On the Order of Battle, the top track shows the strength of the corps. This value will change during the game depending on losses sustained and possible reinforcements gained (via card event). The bottom track shows the fatigue points accumulated by the corps. For example if 3 fatigue points are to be incurred, the player must assign 3 orange cylinders to the corps. As a corps loses strength points, remove the requisite strength point cubes and shift the remaining cubes to the left. If the corps suffers fatigue, add the fatigue cylinders from left to right. Whenever a corps recovers, remove the amount of fatigue cylinders and shift the remaining to the left.

Playing cards — Note: the description and use of the Invasion cards can be found in the scenario booklet. The following terms are used for cards play:

• Draw: Draw a card from your draw deck and add it to your hand.
• Reveal: Play the top card of your draw deck.
• Play: Play a card from your hand.

A card has different effects depending on when it is drawn or played:

• It can be drawn and kept in hand during the draw phase.
• It can be revealed during the initiative phase to indicate the initiative value of that side.
• It can be revealed during an operation to indicate the number of movement points of a stack.
• It can be played from the player's hand as an event during the phase indicated by the card.
• It can be revealed during combat to determine the outcome of a combat.
• It can be played from the player's hand during the recovery phase to remove 1 or more fatigue from a corps.

The background color of a card's event name gives information about its use:

• RAIN — Red background; the card must be played immediately for its event during the draw phase of the game turn.
• INTUITION — Blue background; the card can be played for its event during the initiative phase of the game turn.
• FORAGE — Green background; the card can be played for its event during the operations phase of the game turn.

For cards with a green background, an additional symbol indicates when the card can be played for its event:

• The card can only be played during the maneuver part of a Coalition player's operation. It cannot be played for combat or pursuit.
• The card can only be played during the maneuver part of a French player's operation. It cannot be played for combat or pursuit.
• The card can be played at the beginning of a combat.
• The card can be played during the retreat or pursuit after a combat.

There is no limit to the number of cards you can keep in your hand. Used cards are placed in the discard pile of the player. Players are not allowed to look at the discard piles. If the player's deck is empty, shuffle the cards from the discard pile and reform a new deck.

Contested and free areas — An area is said to be free for either side (French and Coalition) if corps of the opposing camp do not occupy it. An area is said to be contested if corps from both sides occupy it.

Reinforced positions — The 4 Reinforced Position markers are placed on the fortified farm areas as indicated in the scenarios. They offer bonuses to combat for the Coalition player only. They are removed if a French stack is alone in the area or if the French player wins a combat in such an area.

Sequence of Play

Each game turn goes according to the following sequence:

• Draw
• Initiative
• Operations
• Recovery

You must have completed 1 phase before proceeding to the next.

Draw

Each player draws 1 to 4 cards from their deck by following the instructions on the Invasion cards, and places them into their hand. There are no hand size limits and players may keep any cards they have left over from the previous turn. Cards with the name of the event on a red background must be played immediately during the draw phase and apply the effects of the event on the card. The player does not draw a replacement card, and the card is placed in the player's discard pile once the event is resolved.

There is a location on the game board for any mandatory card whose effects last the entire turn, like the Rain card, for example. If several mandatory cards are drawn, by the same player or not, all those cards are discarded without effects.

Example — Draw and Initiative

Draw — The Coalition player just drew their 3 cards. They must immediately play the Inactivity card for its event, because the name of that event is on a red background.

Initiative

Each player can play a single card from their hand with the name of the event on a blue background. The card is placed in the player's discard pile once the effect is resolved. The French player must declare first if they will play a card, then the Coalition player may also declare.

Then, each player reveals 1 card from their deck. The player with the highest value will play first during the operations phase. In the event of a tie, the French player will play first. These cards are then discarded.

Initiative — the Coalition player has only 2 cards left. They decide to play the Reinforcement card for its event, because the background of the event name is blue. They cannot play the Forced March card as the background of the event name is green. The players then reveal 1 card from their draw deck to determine the first player.

Both players revealed a number 4 card. It is a tie, and in this case, it is the French player who will begin the operations phase. Both cards are immediately discarded.

Operations

In turn, each player may:

• Pass: If a player passes, they can no longer perform operations, but can still play 1 card with its name on a green background in order to apply events to the operations of their opponent. The opponent continues operations until they also pass. If both players have passed, the operations phase is over. A player who has activated all their corps is forced to pass.
• Perform an operation: During an operation the active player selects a stack where each corps has to be Activated status – i.e., face up. The player is not required to select all the corps present in an area. Important – the Coalition player can't select a stack containing both Anglo-Allied and Prussian corps. Activated corps will be able to:
  • move,
  • initiate combat,
  • or both by performing a moving attack.

At the end of an operation, flip the activated corps flag up on its has been Activated side, even if the corps did not actually move. Also, activate all other corps that have participated in a combat, attacking or defending.

During an operation, each player may play a single card from their hand with the name of the event on a green background. The card is placed in the player's discard pile once the effect is resolved.

Recovery

During the recovery phase, players perform the following actions in order:

1. Each corps that is still on its to be Activated side removes all its fatigue points.
2. For each of their other corps, the player can play 1 card from their hand, and only 1, and remove the number of fatigue points indicated in the recovery box located bottom right.
3. All corps that still have between 5 and 8 fatigue points then lose 1 strength point immediately.
4. Flip all corps face up to indicate that they are to be Activated for the next turn.
5. Advance the Turn marker and repeat the game sequence.

Very important: at any point in the game when a corps has no strength points or more than 8 fatigue points, it is immediately and permanently removed from the game. Remember that strength points lost due to fatigue award victory points to your opponent.

Example — Recovery

Both players have passed, so the recovery phase begins. The French player has no more cards, so they cannot do anything. The Coalition player has only 1 card left, which they play for the Uxbridge's corps: the Uxbridge's corps will, as a result, have only 4 fatigue points left.

The Vandamme's corps has more than 4 fatigue points and must therefore suffer the loss of 1 strength point. Victory points are increased by 1. The corps blocks are returned to their to be Activated side, the Turn marker is advanced, and a new turn can begin.

Move

The player can move their activated stack by following this procedure.

1. Determine Movement Points — Reveal 1 card. The value of the card corresponds to the movement points of the stack. The card is then discarded. This initial number of movement points is modified by:

   • A. Subtract 1 movement point per corps above the first.
   • B. Add or subtract movement points per the card played by each player, whose event name is on a green background and also has the move symbol.
   • C. Add 1 movement point if Napoléon accompanies the stack.
   • D. Add 1 movement point if a corps with the movement bonus symbol is alone in the actual moving stack, or is only accompanied by a commander. If the stack contains several corps, the movement bonus of such corps never applies.

   If the stack has 0 movement points or less it does not move and all selected blocks are turned immediately to their has been Activated side.

2. Move — Move the stack along a continuous path of connections up to the limits of its movement points. You cannot separate the stack during the move. Each connection crossed then counts for 1 movement point – a connection with a Destroyed bridge marker costs 3 movement points. It is permissible to spend less than a stack's total available movement points, but these lost points are not retained for a later operation. Once a stack has expended all its movement points or as soon as it enters an area occupied by a friendly or enemy stack, it must stop in that area. A stack that takes control of a fortified town during a move must stop and suffers 1 fatigue. If this additional fatigue causes the corps to be eliminated, the enemy Control marker is not replaced.

3. Determine fatigue — At the end of the march, add up fatigue points.

   • A. 1 fatigue point per corps for each movement point spent above the third.
   • B. 1 fatigue point for the stack if it begins its move in a contested area.
   • C. 1 fatigue point for the stack if it ends its move in a contested area.
   • D. The stack adds or subtracts fatigue points depending on the card either side plays, with the name of the event on a green background and with the fatigue symbol.
   • E. 1 less fatigue if Napoléon or Wellington accompanies the stack.

4. Allocate fatigue — Equally distribute the fatigue points received between the corps of the stack. Any balance is allocated freely by the player controlling the stack.

Axis of Retreat: When a stack enters an area occupied by an opposing stack, the area becomes contested. The stack is forced to stop its move. The player places 1 of their Axis of Retreat markers on the connection the stack has just crossed.

• If a new friendly stack enters the area, regardless of the connection used, its Axis of Retreat will be that of the friendly stack already present.
• If a new enemy stack enters the contested area, an Axis of Retreat marker is not placed. Thus, there can be only 1 Axis of Retreat per area.
• If a new enemy stack enters the area through the Axis of Retreat connection, the friendly stack present in the area suffers 2 fatigue points, to be evenly distributed. This loss of fatigue can only occur once per turn.
• If an area is no longer contested the Axis of Retreat marker is removed.

At the beginning of an operation, if the owning player decides to move a stack from a contested area, the following restrictions apply:

• A stack must follow a connection with an Axis of Retreat marker from its side - if there is one.
• A stack cannot use a connection with an opponent's Axis of Retreat marker.

Example — Movement

It's the French player turn to conduct an operation. The French player selects a stack in the Ligny area, where all the corps and their commander are on their to be Activated side. They get several options. They can activate the D'Erlon corps alone, or the Ney corps alone, or both corps together. It is not mandatory to activate the commander, but he cannot stay alone in the area. After revealing a card, the French player gets 4 movement points. Depending on their selection above, the stack will have the following movement points:

D'Erlon: No change, the stack has 4 movement points. Ney: The stack gets 1 more movement point thanks to the Ney symbol, and has 5 movement points. D'Erlon + Napoléon: The stack gets 1 more movement point thanks to the Napoléon symbol, and has 5 movement points. Ney + Napoléon: The stack gets 2 more movement points thanks to the Ney and Napoléon symbols, and has 6 movement points. D'Erlon + Ney + Napoléon: The stack does not get 1 more movement point thanks to the Ney symbol because he is not the only corps in the stack. However, the stack gets 1 more movement point thanks to the Napoléon symbol. The stack loses 1 movement point because it is made of 2 corps and has 4 movement points.

The French player chooses to move with both corps and Napoléon.

Case A – the stack uses 1 movement point per connection for a total of 4. Each corps suffers 1 fatigue for the 4th movement point used, but the French player ignores 1 of them thanks to the Napoléon symbol.

Case B – the stack uses 2 movement points and must stop, because it has entered an area occupied by a friendly stack.

Case C – the stack uses 2 movement points and must stop, because it has entered an area occupied by an enemy stack. The area becomes contested. The French stack suffers 1 fatigue because it has entered a contested area but ignores it thanks to the Napoléon symbol. The French player places their Axis of Retreat on the last connection crossed, pointing to Marbais.

At the end of the move, the corps and the commander are flipped flag up to their has been Activated side.

It's now the Coalition player's turn to perform an operation.

The French player placed an Axis of Retreat at the end of their move following Case C. If, during a subsequent operation, Picton wants to leave the area, he will only be permitted to use a connection with the red arrows as shown in the illustration. As an area can only have 1 Axis of Retreat, if a new French stack enters the area, its Axis of Retreat will be the same one, pointing to Marbais. If a Coalition stack enters the area, there is no Coalition Axis of Retreat added. If a Coalition stack enters the area using the connection coming from Marbais, the French stack suffers 2 fatigue immediately.

Combat

A player may initiate combat with their activated stack, providing it is in a contested area either at the beginning of its activation or following a move. The player who initiates the combat is called the attacker, their opponent the defender. The defender must defend with all corps present in the area, even if the Coalition player has both Anglo-Allied and Prussian corps in that area, whether on their to be Activated or has been Activated side.

A combat ensues using the following procedure.

1. Determine the number of combat cards — Each player must reveal:

   • A. First the attacking player and then the defender may play a card from their hand with the name of the event on a green background and with the combat symbol.
   • B. Add 1 or 2 cards based on the number of strength points of each corps: 1 card if it has between 1 and 4 strength points, 2 cards if it has between 5 and 8 strength points.
   • C. Subtract 1 card if the stack moved during this operation performing a moving attack.
   • D. Subtract 1 card per corps that has more than 4 fatigue points. If at this step the number of cards to reveal is 0 or less, then the attack is canceled. The attacking corps are returned to their has been Activated side. It is now the defender's turn to perform an operation.
   • E. Add 1 card to the defender, if the defender is in a wooded area.
   • F. Add 1 card to the defender, if the defender is in an area with a fortified town and the area has 1 of their Control markers.
   • G. Add 1 card to a defending Coalition stack which fights in a fortified farm area with a Reinforced Position marker.
   • H. Add the bonus(es) of the corps and the commander, if he is part of the stack. Unlike moving, all such bonuses apply even if the corps involved is not alone in the stack.
   • I. Add or subtract cards according to the events chosen by the players.

2. Reveal the number of cards counted simultaneously.

3. Determine the effects of combat — Each player consults the box, combat effect, at the bottom left of the cards. Each loss symbol corresponds to 1 loss inflicted on their opponent, and each fatigue symbol equals 1 fatigue point inflicted on their opponent. The defender in a town suffers 1 less fatigue. A defending Coalition stack in a fortified farm area with a Reinforced Position marker suffers 2 less fatigue.

4. Allocate the results of the combat — First fatigue and then losses, equally distributed between the corps in the stack. Any balance is allocated freely by the player controlling the stack. If a stack suffers more than 1 loss, at least 1 of them must be assigned to a cavalry strength point.

5. Determine the winner of the combat — The player who inflicted the highest number of losses is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, there is no winner or loser. If there is no winner, the 2 stacks remain in the combat area and there is no retreat and pursuit.

6. Retreat – The stack that lost the combat must retreat a number of connections equal to the difference in losses inflicted on the 2 sides. Exception: a Coalition stack may discard a Reinforced Position marker from an area to avoid retreat. If the losing stack has an Axis of Retreat marker of its color, the first retreat connection must be the one where its marker is located. The retreat direction is then freely determined, save that a stack cannot use the same connection twice and must move away from the combat area when retreating. If the losing stack does not have an Axis of Retreat marker in place, it is free to retreat in whichever direction at the player's discretion, except by using the Axis of Retreat marker of the winner if there is one. If, during retreat, it enters an area that is either solely occupied by an enemy stack or is contested, it must stop and undergo 2 additional fatigue points per opposing corps present. If it enters an area occupied by a friendly corps, it stops without suffering additional fatigue. A stack can retreat through a connection with a Destroyed Bridge marker but must suffer 2 additional fatigue points. All fatigue points suffered during retreat are cumulated and equally distributed by its owner.

Example — Combat

This is the beginning of a new turn. The French player won the initiative and decides to fight in a clear area. The Coalition player defends with its 2 corps, even if Picton is on his has been Activated side.

The French player, being the attacker, decides first to play 1 card for its event for this combat. This card must have its name on a green background with the combat symbol. They play Skirmishers, meaning the Coalition stack undergoes 1 fatigue point, which is assigned to the Picton's corps, so avoiding Perponcher going up to 5 fatigue points and losing 1 combat card. The Coalition player does not play a card.

The French player counts how many combat cards to reveal: 5 strength points on Drouot (2 cards), and a bonus from Drouot (1 card) for a total of 3 cards. The Coalition player counts how many combat cards to reveal: 3 strength points on Perponcher (1 card), 3 strength points on Picton (1 card) but 7 fatigue points (minus 1 card), and the bonus from Wellington (1 card), for a total of 2 cards. Both players reveal cards simultaneously from their draw pile and consult the box, combat effect, at the bottom left of the cards.

The Coalition stack suffers 2 losses and 3 fatigue points. The fatigue points are distributed as equally as possible: 1 for each corps and the last 1 to Perponcher. Since there is more than 1 loss, the Coalition player must remove at least 1 cavalry strength point from the stack. 1 infantry strength point is removed from Picton and 1 cavalry strength point from Perponcher. Victory points are decreased by 2.

Drouot suffers 4 fatigue points.

The Coalition stack loses the battle since it has suffered more losses than the French stack. It must therefore retreat 2 connections (2 losses suffered for 0 inflicted) while moving away from the combat area and without using the connection with the French Axis of Retreat. The Coalition stack has less cavalry strength points than Drouot, so there is pursuit. The French player reveals a card.

The fatigue points are distributed equally: 1 for Perponcher and 1 for Picton. The Picton's corps has more than 8 fatigue points, so it is eliminated and removed from the game board. Its 2 remaining strength points are lost and the victory points are decreased by 2. The corps of Drouot and Perponcher as well as the commander Wellington are flipped to their has been Activated side.

Note: If Drouot had moved before fighting, he would have revealed 1 less card (moving attack).

Determining Victory

Victory is determined by increasing or decreasing the number of victory points on the game board track. Every change in victory points is made immediately.

• 1 victory point per opponent strength point eliminated, either due to combat or excessive fatigue.
• Value in victory points when a player places a Control marker in certain areas: Maubeuge 2, Beaumont 1, Bruxelles 2, Namur 2, Ath 1, Alost 1, fortified farm 1. To change the Control marker of a victory area, you must cross or occupy the area with 1 of your stacks and the area must not be contested. Reminder - A stack that takes control of a fortified town during a move must stop and suffer 1 fatigue. If this additional fatigue causes the corps to be eliminated, the enemy Control marker is not replaced.
• 2 victory points for the French player if Wellington or Blücher is eliminated.
• 1 victory point at the end of each turn where the Coalition player has at least 7 Control markers on the game board.
• 3 victory points for the Coalition player if Napoléon participates in a battle and loses.

When the French player gains victory points, decrease the number of victory points on the track situated on the game board. When the Coalition player gains victory points, increase the number of victory points on the track situated on the game board.

If the number of victory points is equal to 20, the game ends immediately with a Coalition victory. If the number of victory points is equal to 0, the game ends immediately with a French victory. At the end of the game, if neither player has won the Coalition player wins the game. There is no tied game.

Special case: if Napoléon is eliminated, the Coalition player immediately wins the game. The elimination of a Coalition commander has no effect.

Rules of the Grognard

The Rules of the Grognard introduce new options for the players while adding a small amount of extra complexity. For this game mode to work as intended, both players must trust each other.

Fog of War

During play both players will keep the identity of their corps concealed by placing their blocks upright. These always move with their flag side presented to the opponent.

Corps' identities are only revealed when 1 of the 2 players initiates combat in an area, and this is prior to playing an eligible card for its event during that combat. The friendly and enemy corps in the area are then placed flat, face up. At the end of the combat, after resolving any pursuit, all participating corps are put back upright with their identities again concealed.

To indicate whether the corps status is to be Activated or has been Activated, the following procedure is used: if the A of the flag is at the top, the status is to be Activated; if the A of the flag is upside down, at the bottom, the status is has been Activated. Thus, there will no longer be a face up or face down status as in the Rules of the Conscript.

Cavalry Vedettes

To add uncertainty, players will now use cavalry vedettes. They represent patrols of light cavalry, such as the hussars of the period that armies employed to discover the whereabouts of the opposing army as well as screening the movement of friendly forces. Vedettes are large blocks presented in the color of the army to which they belong and have a Vedette sticker on one side and the usual Flag sticker on the other.

At the beginning of the game, the players place their corps, then add the number of vedettes as indicated by the scenario's instructions.

During an operation, the player can select 1 or more vedettes in an area and move them. The number of movement points available for a vedette, or a stack of vedettes, is the value of the revealed card plus 1. Fatigue points have no effect. To fool the opponent, each player must conceal part of the reserve of fatigue cylinders behind their screen and pretend to place them on 1 or more of their corps at the end of the vedette move. Vedettes cannot combine with corps for an operation. They must move alone.

Any vedette in an area with an enemy stack is eliminated instantly regardless of the situation:

• A vedette that enters an area occupied by an enemy stack is eliminated, even if the area is contested.
• A stack that enters an area with an enemy vedette, irrespective of whether it is alone or not, eliminates the vedette unit(s) present. If the vedette is alone (or just with other vedettes) the active stack does not receive fatigue points to enter the area and can continue to move.
• A retreating stack that enters an area with an enemy vedette, alone or not, eliminates it. If the vedette is alone, the retreating stack can continue its retreat if necessary.
• When 2 opposing vedettes end up in the same area, they eliminate each other.

As a result, a vedette entering an area occupied by an opposing stack cannot determine the exact composition of that stack but does reveal whether the area contains 1 or more corps and/or opposing vedettes. Any vedettes from either side are eliminated by this reconnaissance.

Special cases:

• Vedettes may occupy town or fortified farm areas with an opposing Control marker and place them under control of their side.
• Vedettes may never enter a fortified town area with an opposing Control marker.
• A friendly vedette does not prevent the move or retreat of a friendly stack. Likewise, a friendly stack does not prevent the move of a friendly vedette.
• A vedette that enters a contested area from a connection with an enemy Axis of Retreat marker has no effect. The enemy stack does not receive fatigue points.

3-Player Rules

The 3-player rules are compatible with the Rules of the Conscript and the Rules of the Grognard. The Coalition side is split between 2 players, an Anglo-Allied player and a Prussian player. The rules do not change for the French player but are slightly modified for the other 2 and are described in this chapter.

Setup

Replace cards 25, 42, 61, 67 and 70 with cards 78, 79, 80, 81, and 82 respectively.

The Prussian player controls the Prussian commander Blücher and his corps/vedettes. The Anglo-Allied player takes charge of the Anglo-Allied commander Wellington and his corps/vedettes. The front of the Anglo-Allied player's blocks should not be visible to the Prussian player and vice versa.

Communication

The Coalition players may not communicate, show or exchange their cards, unless the card Aide-de-Camp is played during the initiative phase or if the 2 commanders, Blücher and Wellington, are in the same or adjacent areas (linked by a connection).

Draw Phase

The deck of Coalition cards and its discard pile are common to both Coalition players. Each player draws the number of cards indicated on the current Invasion card and has their own hand of cards.

Initiative Phase

After the French player, starting with the Prussian player and then the Anglo-Allied player, each player can play 1 card from their hand with the name of the event on a blue background. Then, if no Intuition card has been played, each player reveals 1 card to see who will have the initiative for the next turn. Winning the initiative permits playing first in the operations phase. This draw also determines who, among the 2 Coalition players, will be the leader of the Coalition during the operations phase. If an Intuition card has been played, the 2 Coalition players each reveal a card to determine who will be the leader.

In case of a tie between the 2 opposing sides, the initiative is given to the French player. In the event of a tie between the Coalition players, the Anglo-Allied player is the leader.

Operations Phase

In turn, each side performs an operation starting with the side who won the initiative. When it is the Coalition's turn to play, one of the 2 players performs an operation. The leader decides which of the Coalition players performs that operation.

Example — all 3 players have revealed a card of value 2 during the Initiative phase. The French player performs the first operation. Then the Anglo-Allied player decides who, between themselves and the Prussian player, will perform an operation. After this operation it is again the French player's turn to play, with the Anglo-Allied player then deciding who, between themselves and the Prussian player, will perform an operation, ... and so on.

The Coalition player conducting an operation may not use their partner's corps/vedettes. As with the 2-player rules, Prussian and Anglo-Allied corps/vedettes may not be combined in the same operation. If the designated player passes, they may not activate any more corps during that turn. Their partner may continue to play until they also pass.

In the event of a dispute, the Coalition leader always makes the decision.

Example — the Anglo-Allied player is the leader. If an Anglo-Allied corps and a Prussian corps have lost a battle and must retreat, the Anglo-Allied player will decide where the 2 corps retreat to.

Cards

The Coalition players can only play 1 card for their event during a given operation. It is always the leader who decides whether they play a card or not. If the event applies to Coalition corps/vedettes, it can only affect the corps/vedettes of the player who played the card. During the recovery phase, the cards played by a player allow them to remove fatigue from their corps only.

Examples

(1) The Prussian player plays the Cannon Sounds card. They may not move an Anglo-Allied corps. (2) The Anglo-Allied player cannot play the Forced March card to give 1 additional movement point to a Prussian stack. (3) The Prussian player has the Frederick card. They may not play it for its event. (4) The Anglo-Allied player may not play a card to remove fatigue from Prussian corps during the recovery phase.

Details on Playing Cards

Reminder - Each player may play only 1 card with a green background to apply its event during an operation. This means, for example, that players making a moving attack and using a card while moving their stack will not be able to use cards during the following combat. Another example is that if the defending player uses a card during a move by an opposing stack, he will not be able to play a card in an ensuing combat.

Cards are listed alphabetically.

AIDE-DE-CAMP – with 2 players, the Coalition player looks at their opponent's hand of cards. With 3 players, the 2 Coalition players can communicate and exchange cards freely.

AMBUSH – the French stack immediately suffers 1 fatigue point, to be assigned by the French player.

AN AILING EMPEROR - event must be played as soon as it is drawn and is valid for the whole turn. Napoléon does not provide any bonuses (additional combat card, additional movement point and fatigue bonus) to the stack he accompanies.

ANTICIPATION – choose a card from the deck and place it in your hand without revealing it to your opponent. A card with the name of the event on a red background cannot be selected. Mix the remaining cards and replenish the deck.

APPROACH MARCH – event is valid for the whole turn. Every moving French stack gets 3 movement points without revealing a card. All bonuses and penalties apply normally (stack comprising more than 1 corps, commander accompanying a stack, event play…). Entering an area occupied by a Coalition stack is forbidden.

AUDACITY – event can only be played in combat when a French stack is attacking. The Coalition stack does not earn an extra combat card by defending in a wooded area, a fortified town area, or a fortified farm area with a Reinforced Position marker.

CAMBRONNE – this event can be played when a French stack must retreat. There is no pursuit.

CANNON SOUNDS – a single corps, previously activated or not, in an uncontested area adjacent to a declared combat – i.e., separated by a single connection from the area where the combat is taking place, even with a Destroyed bridge marker – is moved to the combat area and takes part in either the attack or defense. Commanders can accompany the aforementioned corps. The corps does not suffer fatigue. If it enters through a connection with an opposing Axis of Retreat, the enemy stack suffers 2 fatigue points immediately, to be evenly distributed.

CHARGE – in a combat, a French stack which includes the corps of Ney or Grouchy, or a Coalition stack which includes the corps of Uxbridge or Gneisenau, reveals 1 additional combat card. The relevant corps suffer 1 fatigue point immediately.

CONFUSION – event can only be played when an opposing stack enters a free area with at least 3 connections. The stack must stop moving regardless of the number of movement points it has left, and is flipped to its has been Activated side.

COORDINATION – event can only be played at the end of a French operation. The French player immediately performs a new operation with another stack.

COUNTER ORDER – event can only be played after the opposing player has played a card for its event. The opposing player's event is canceled. This event cannot cancel a combat, retreat, or pursuit event.

DEFEND BRUXELLES! – event is valid for the entire turn. Each time a Coalition stack moves, it receives 1 additional movement point if it moves closer to Bruxelles. Moving closer means having fewer connections separating it from the Bruxelles area at the end of its move than at the beginning.

DELAYED TROOPS - event must be played as soon as it is drawn. A Prussian corps in reinforcement, at the choice of the Coalition player, is delayed 1 turn. If there is no Prussian corps left in reinforcement, the Coalition player cannot play cards during the recovery phase.

DESTROYED BRIDGE – at any time during its move, if a Coalition stack (except vedettes) is in a free area adjacent to a connection with a bridge, it can place a Destroyed bridge marker on that connection. The Coalition stack spends 1 movement point to destroy the bridge and can continue its move. If the Coalition stack does not have a movement point at the beginning of its move, the stack can still destroy an adjacent bridge. In any case, the stack is then turned to its has been Activated side. It will be necessary to spend 2 additional movement points to cross a connection with a Destroyed bridge marker over a river, thus 3 in total. You can only destroy 1 bridge per event played.

EFFICIENT COALITION – the Coalition player can activate a stack containing both Anglo-Allied and Prussian corps to perform an operation.

ELAN – event can only be played during a combat where a French stack is the attacker. The French stack receives 1 additional combat card.

FATIGUE – event can only be played at the end of a move by an opposing stack. The opposing stack, per the card's instructions, suffers 1 additional fatigue point. If the stack is composed only of vedettes, the event has no effect.

FREDERICK – the Coalition Frederick army corps is placed immediately on its to be Activated side in Alost. Add 1 vedette when playing with the Rules of the Grognard. If this area is occupied solely by a French stack, the card cannot be played for its event. If the corps of Frederick is already in play, play this event as the Reinforcement event. With 3 players, only the Anglo-Allied player can play this card for its event.

FORCED MARCH – card played during a friendly stack's move. The stack receives 1 additional movement point. A stack that otherwise has negative or 0 movement points can always move 1 connection with this card even if there is a Destroyed bridge marker.

GRAND BATTERY – event can only be played during a combat if the French stack has at least 3 army corps. The Coalition stack will lose 1 additional strength point at the end of the combat. Every French corps in the French stack suffers 1 fatigue immediately.

GROUCHY – event can be played after a card has been revealed to move a stack which includes the corps of Grouchy. The French player can discard it and reveal another card.

HOLD – event can be played when a Coalition stack loses a combat. The stack suffers 1 additional strength point loss, but 3 less fatigue points loss. Retreat is not mandatory.

HUSSARS – with 2 players, the French player randomly draws a card from their opponent's hand and discards it. With 3 players, the French player must choose one of the Coalition players.

INACTIVITY – event must be played as soon as it is drawn. The player selects an area where 1 of their stacks is located. All corps and vedettes of the stack occupying the area are flipped to their has been Activated side. A friendly corps must be present in the chosen stack. Stacks containing only vedettes cannot be selected.

INTUITION – event must be played before the initiative is determined. That player wins the initiative automatically without revealing a card. If the opposing player also plays this event, both cards are discarded without effect and the initiative is determined normally.

LAMARQUE – the French Lamarque army corps is placed immediately on its to be Activated side in a town area in France or in Maubeuge. Add 1 vedette when playing with the Rules of the Grognard. If these areas are occupied solely by Coalition stacks, the card cannot be played for its event. If the corps of Lamarque is already in play, the French player can add 1 strength point to any French corps, except Drouot.

LAST EFFORT – event can only be played at the beginning of your opponent's operation after they select their stack but before they reveal their card. A Coalition stack on its has been Activated side may move from a free area to a free or contested area, even if there is a Destroyed bridge marker on the connection. All the corps of the stack suffer 2 fatigue points immediately. The stack does not suffer 1 fatigue point if entering a contested area. If the Coalition stack enters a contested area using a connection with a French Axis of Retreat, the French stack suffers 2 fatigue immediately.

OBSTRUCTION – event must be played after your opponent revealed a card to move a stack. This stack immediately loses 1 movement point. If a Forced March card is played afterwards by your opponent, their stack can always move 1 connection.

ORDERLY RETREAT – event can only be played if the retreating stack still has at least 1 cavalry strength point. In this case, it cannot be pursued.

ORGANIZATION – event can only be played when a French stack enters an uncontested area with another French stack. The moving stack is not required to stop.

PANIC – event can only be played following a combat lost by a French stack, after its retreat. The French stack must retreat through an additional connection and suffer 2 fatigue points, to be allocated evenly by the French player.

QUICK DEPLOYMENT – the relevant French stack does not lose 1 card during combat owing to a moving attack.

RAIN – event must be played as soon as it is drawn, and is valid for the whole turn. Whenever a player activates 1 of their stacks, it suffers 1 fatigue point immediately, to be allocated freely. Exception: a stack that is turned to its has been Activated side because it was attacked does not experience this fatigue. If the stack moves, it loses 1 movement point.

REACTION – event must be played at the beginning of your opponent's operation, after they select their stack, but before they reveal their card. Whether previously activated or not, a friendly stack can then move from a free area to another adjacent free area. It is possible to cross a connection with a Destroyed bridge marker.

REAR GUARD – event can only be played during a combat when a Coalition corps is alone in defense. The Coalition corps retreats 2 connections immediately. It loses 1 strength point and suffers 1 fatigue point. There is no pursuit. The Coalition corps and the attacking French stack are flipped to their has been Activated side.

REINFORCEMENT – the Coalition player adds 1 infantry strength point to any corps on the board. A previously eliminated corps cannot be recreated via this reinforcement. This strength point does not add victory point.

RESERVE – the player draws 2 cards and adds them to their hand. Cards drawn with the name of the event on a red background are discarded without effect. Do not draw a replacement card in this case.

SCOUTS – with 2 players, the French player can look at their opponent's hand. With 3 players, they must choose 1 of the Coalition players, and can look at this player's hand.

SKIRMISHERS – the Coalition stack immediately suffers 1 fatigue point, to be freely allocated by the Coalition player.

SQUARE – the Coalition stack receives 2 less fatigue points in the combat results if the French stack it is in combat with has at least 1 cavalry strength point at the beginning of that combat.

SUPPLY – the Coalition player chooses a Coalition stack and removes 2 fatigue points in total from any corps at the player's choice.

THE GUARD – event can only be played in a combat where the corps of Drouot is part of the French stack engaged. The French stack receives 1 additional combat card. If the French player loses the combat, each corps of this stack suffers 1 extra fatigue point in the combat results.

THE RED LINE – event can only be played if a defending Coalition stack includes 1 of the following corps: Picton, Orange, or Hill. The Coalition stack reveals 1 additional combat card.

THE «ROUGEAUD» – event can only be played if the corps of Ney is engaged in a combat. The French player reveals a card. If the value of the card is 1, 2 or 3, Ney's corps suffer 2 fatigue points immediately. If the value is 4 or 5, Ney reveals 1 additional combat card.

TREASON – during a French operation, the Coalition player may designate 1 French stack comprising 1 corps - except if Drouot or Napoléon is present. This corps is flipped immediately to its has been Activated side. With the Rules of the Grognard, if the designated corps is Drouot, it is revealed but not activated. If it is a vedette, it is removed.

VIVE L'EMPEREUR – the French player immediately removes 1 fatigue point from all the corps in a stack with Napoléon.