Napoleon Returns 1815
Napoleon Returns 1815 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Napoleon Returns is a fast playing game of maneuver and combat where two to three players take control of the Allied / Prussian army or the French army during the Waterloo Campaign of 1815.
The system uses wooden rectangle pieces, each representing an army commander or corps. Army tracking sheets are used to keep record of the cohesion of the individual corps of each army.
Before the game begins the French player picks two objectives from a group of five. If the French player can achieve his two objectives before the end of the Allied / Prussian turn 15, he wins the game. If he cannot, the Allied / Prussian side wins.
The system uses movement points to allow maneuver of the corps on the map. Each army during the turn receives a set number of movement points to which a die roll adds a variable number of movement points. Each movement point allows a corps to move a location (or two locations for cavalry) on the board. For the expenditure of an extra movement point and a cohesion point an infantry corps may move a second location.
When corps of each opposing side end a move in a location together, combat occurs. Each opposing side receives a hand of combat cards, the size of the hand being determined by the cohesion of their respective corps, commanders present, and crossing of river by the attacker. Players then alternate playing the combat cards to determine a victor and cohesion losses.
Two or Three Players
There are two sides in the game. One side is the French player and is always controlled by 1 player. The other side is the Allied / Prussian side. In the two-player game the Allied / Prussian side is controlled by 1 player. In the three-player game one player controls the Allied army, and 1 player controls the Prussian army, but they are on the same side and may not attack each other and win or lose the game together.
2. Game Board
The game board is a map of the area of France and Belgium where the campaign took place. Shown are roads which allow movement of the corps between the connected towns (also called locations).
The game units when on the board are placed in the locations. When movement occurs, it is from town to town using a connecting road. If a river is crossed on a connecting road to enter an enemy occupied location, a combat modifier is applied adding two cards to the defender's hand in combat.
There are no other terrain effects. Any other terrain shown is for presentation purposes.
3. Game Playing Pieces
The rectangle wooden markers with embossed writing on them are the units of the armies which are placed on the board for play. Most infantry corps units in the armies represent a mixture of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. However, one French corps and one Allied corps are cavalry corps units allowing them to move two locations for one movement point. Each unit corresponds to the identical corps on the Army Tracking Sheet where it's cohesion (representing manpower, morale, fatigue, lower level leaders, firepower, etc.) points are tracked.
Also included are units for the commanders of the armies, Napoleon, Wellington, and Blucher. These units represent more than just the army commander and include reserve elements and units attached to the commander throughout the campaign.
The units are colored to show to which army they belong. The French army are blue units. The Allied army are red units. The Prussian army are grey units.
The Units
Shown on one of the sides of the units are the identifier of corps name or army commander name. During game play the side of the unit with the identifier should be positioned facing the controlling player. During play you may not look at your opponent's unit identifiers until combat occurs.
Army Commanders
Move up to two locations for zero movement points. Commanders must end movement with a friendly corps unit. If for some reason (after combat) a commander is in a location without a corps unit it is moved to the nearest friendly corps of their army. For this reason, commanders by themselves cannot stop enemy movement, capture objectives, or attack or defend by themselves. The commanders combat cards can only be used when they are in combat at a location with at least 1 corps from their army. Commanders do not take losses in combat.
For example, Wellington is at a combat location with 2 Prussian corps. Wellington does not get to add combat cards as there are no Allied corps present at the combat location. If during the combat Allied corps reinforced the location, Wellington, as well as the reinforcing Allied corps would add their combat cards.
Cavalry Corps
Move up to two locations for 1 movement point. Cavalry corps may not move more than 2 locations in a turn.
Infantry Corps
Move one location for 1 movement point. May move a maximum per player turn one extra location for 1 extra movement point and reduction of 1 cohesion point.
4. Army Tracking Sheets
Tracking sheets are provided for the Allied, Prussian, and two for the French armies. Each tracking sheet lists the corps for the army, its leader, and their cohesion point level. There is a corresponding embossed wooden unit for each corps in play representing movement and geographical location on the game board.
On each tracking sheet is the following information:
At the top of the tracking sheet is the army commander name, Blucher, Wellington, or Napoleon. Listed next to the commander name are two numbers in circles. One is the commander Tactical Rating which is used to determine reinforcement and counterattack success. The Combat Card rating is the amount of combat cards added to combat if the commander and a corps from his army is present at the location where the combat is occurring. There is a corresponding marker for each commander for play on the game board.
Below the army commander is a list of the corps in the army. Each corps is listed by the corps name and its leader name. Shown for each corps is the number of combat cards that corps adds to combat if present, which may be reduced based on its current cohesion point number. Each corps has a tactical rating that determines its ability to reinforce combat at an adjacent location and its ability to counterattack during combat if no army commander is present and if its Tactical Rating is used.
Each corps has a set amount of cohesion points showing how many cohesion reductions that corps can take in movement, combat, and retreat before it is eliminated from game play. Track cohesion by placing one of the yellow cubes at the highest cohesion level for that corps to begin the game. When a corps takes cohesion point reductions, move the yellow cube the appropriate number of spaces down the corps cohesion point track. If a corps reaches cohesion point below 1, it is eliminated and remove the corps unit from the game board. Shown at the approximate halfway point on the cohesion track for each corps is a mark that shows when the corps reaches this level, any combat that it participates in, will draw that reduced number of combat cards.
Optional: Players can hide their tracking sheet information from their opponent by placing the game box top and bottom as a screen to block view between the players tracking sheets.
During the course of the game cohesion is reduced for various operations. The reductions in cohesion points are as follows for both sides:
- Combat losses
- Extra movement by infantry corps
- Retreats
Additionally, for the Allied / Prussian side, reductions in cohesion points occur as follows:
- A one time 2-point cohesion loss for each Allied corps anytime a French corps (not a commander) occupies Ghent at the end of a game turn.
- A one time 1-point cohesion loss for each Allied and Prussian corps anytime a French corps (not a commander) occupies Brussels at the end of a game turn.
- A one time 1-point cohesion loss for each Allied and Prussian corps anytime a French corps (not a commander) occupies Antwerp at the end of a game turn.
- A one time 2-point cohesion loss for each Prussian corps anytime a French corps (not a commander) occupies Liege at the end of a game turn.
Note: These one time cohesion losses occur regardless of whether the location is an objective or not.
For example, during the French player turn the French player occupies Ghent with the I and II corps. During the Allied/Prussian player turn he attacks and wins a combat at Ghent causing the French I and II corps to retreat. Because the French player did not occupy Ghent at the of the game turn, there is no Allied cohesion point loss. If the French player had won the combat, each Allied corps (Reserve, I, II, and Cavalry corps) would have reduced their cohesion points by 2.
5. French Objective Cards
There is a deck of 5 French objective cards. At the start of the game the French player randomly picks his objectives without looking at them until they are drawn. He should not show these to the Allied / Prussian player(s). These are his objectives to win the game.
The Five French Objective Cards Are
- Antwerp: Occupy Antwerp with a corps (not a commander) at the end of a game turn. Further, maintain control of that objective by being the last side to occupy.
- Ghent: Occupy Ghent with a corps (not a commander) at the end of a game turn. Further, maintain control of that objective by being the last side to occupy.
- Brussels: Occupy Brussels with a corps (not a commander) at the end of a game turn. Further, maintain control of that objective by being the last side to occupy.
- Liege: Occupy Liege with a corps (not a commander) at the end of a game turn. Further, maintain control of that objective by being the last side to occupy.
- Eliminate 3 Corps: Eliminate any combination of 3 Allied / Prussian corps by driving their cohesion points to zero.
Both objectives must be achieved (location occupied / controlled; 3 corps eliminated) by the French player simultaneously at the end of a game turn for him to win. Objective cards are only revealed if the French player wins the game before turn 15 or at the end of turn 15.
For example, the French player's objective cards drawn at the beginning of the game were Liege, and Brussels. On game turn 5, the French player occupied Liege at the end of a game turn. The French player does not reveal to the Allied/Prussian player that it was an objective yet. On game turn 8 the French player attacks and occupies Brussels. The French player again, does not reveal that Brussels was an objective. During the Allied/Prussian half of turn 8, the Prussian player moves the II corps into Liege and leaves the unit there. Because of this the French player does not win as he does not control Brussels and Liege simultaneously at the end of the turn.
Optional: At the start of the game the French player may choose his two objectives.
6. Combat Cards
The combat cards are used when combat occurs. The combat cards have a title, and some cards have instructions which must be followed. The Skirmish and Cavalry Charge card instruction only apply if used to win the combat. The combat card deck should be shuffled thoroughly before each combat.
The six combat cards are Skirmish, Counter Attack, Combined Arms, Grand Battery, Cavalry Charge, and Infantry Assault — see Section 11, Combat, for the effect of each.
7. Game Setup
Each player sets up their units as given below:
French Army:
- I Corps: Maubeuge
- II Corps: Maubeuge
- III Corps: Beaumont
- IV Corps: Philippeville
- VI Corps: Beaumont
- Imperial Guard (GD): Beaumont
- Cavalry: Philippeville
- Napoleon: Beaumont
Allied Army:
- I Corps: Braine Le Comte
- II Corps: Ath
- Reserve: Brussels
- Cavalry: Ninove
- Wellington: Brussels
Prussian Army:
- I Corps: Charleroi
- II Corps: Namur
- III Corps: Ciney
- IV Corps: Liege
- Blucher: Liege
A yellow cube is placed on the 1 space of the Turn Track on the game board.
A yellow cube is placed in the Clear box of the Weather Track on the game board.
A yellow cube is placed on 0 on each armies Movement Point Track on the game board.
Each player should place their respective army tracking sheets in front of them and place one of the yellow cubes at the highest cohesion level for each corps.
The combat cards should be shuffled and placed face down next to the game board.
Optional: The French player sets up first, placing his markers anywhere in France except Condé (note the France/Belgium boundary line on the south side of the game board). The Allied player sets his markers in any way he wishes using his original set up locations (for example he could put all his Allied corps in Braine Le Comte, etc). The Prussian player sets up all his markers in any way he wishes using his original set up locations.
8. Sequence of Play
Players should follow the sequence given below in order.
A. Determine Weather
B. French player movement (French is the active player)
C. French player combat (French is the active player)
D. Allied / Prussian player movement (Allied/Prussian is the active player)
E. Allied / Prussian player combat (Allied/Prussian is the active player)
F. Determine Victory / End turn and advance turn cube and begin the next turn
9. Determine Weather
The Allied player rolls a die to determine weather. A result of 1-5 is good weather and has no effect. A roll of 6 is Rain. Mark the weather status with the yellow cube.
On rain turns infantry corps units may only move 1 location, they may not move an extra location. The cavalry corps and army commander units may move two locations in rain. Furthermore add a minus 1 modifier to the variable movement points die roll.
10. Movement
The active player is the only player moving units during his player turn.
The game uses movement points to allow movement of the corps units.
During his side's turn, each of his armies receives a base number of movement points: French 4, Allied 2, and Prussian 2 (highlighted on that armies Movement Point Track), to which it adds a variable number of movement points each turn.
To add the variable movement points, the active army(s) rolls a die. The results of the die roll are compared to the variable movement point chart (denoted on the game board below each armies Movement Point Track) for that army giving a variable number of movement points to its base movement points.
The variable number of movement points for each army added in its turn is determined as follows:
- French player die roll of 1–2 adds 1 variable movement point, 3–4 adds 2 variable movement points, 5–6 adds 3 variable movement points.
- Allied player die roll of 1–4 adds 1 variable movement point, 5–6 adds 2 variable movement points.
- Prussian player die roll of 1–4 adds 1 variable movement point, 5–6 adds 2 variable movement points.
The base movement point number plus the variable movement point number determines the total number of movement points available for that army for that turn.
For example, during the French player turn he receives 4 base movement points. The French player rolls a die, the result of which is a 3, yielding 2 variable movement points. The French player has 6 total movement points (4 + 2 = 6).
The Allied and Prussian armies have separate movement points and tracks. The Allied army can only use the Allied movements from the Allied movement point track. The Prussian army can only use the movement points from the Prussian movement point track. Neither army may use movement points from the other army to move.
In the two-player game, one player controls both Allied and Prussian armies, while one player controls the French army. In the three-player game, one player controls the Allied army, another player controls the Prussian army, while a third player controls the French army. In the three-player game, the Allied and Prussian players move their armies separately but may end their move in the same location.
How to Move Units
The active player is the only player moving units during his player turn. During the active players movement turn, the active player uses the movement points for the turn to move his units. The players units are moved from town to connected adjacent town by a road. As the units are moved on the board, the player should reduce the available number of movement points available on the Movement Point Track for that army. Once the number of movement points reaches 0, that player may move no further corps units that turn. The player could still move his army commander, if the commander has not moved yet this turn, as their movement cost 0 movement points.
The only units moved on the game board are the corps unit markers and army commanders. Each movement point allows a corps to move one location and a cavalry corps to move two locations. Army commanders may move freely at no movement point cost but must end the movement in a location with a friendly corps.
Movement Example: For example, on turn 1 the French player has 5 total movement points. The French player moves the Imperial Guard and VI corps one location from Beaumont to Thuin, and moves the cube on the French Movement Point Track down one space for each corps movement, from 5 to 3.
The French player then moves the Imperial Guard and VI corps one additional location to Charleroi. This again spends one movement point per corps reducing the available French movement points from 3 to 1. The Imperial Guard and VI corps must each reduce 1 cohesion point each for moving one additional location.
The French cavalry unit use the last movement point to move to two locations to Charleroi.
Napoleon moves two location to Charleroi expending zero movement points. When French movement ends combat will occur at Charleroi.
An infantry corps may move a second location for the expenditure of an extra movement point and a reduction of 1 cohesion point on its armies tracking sheet. The Allied and French cavalry corps do not increase their cohesion for moving to a second town.
All units may only move once per player turn. Retreat is not considered movement.
Any number of units may occupy a location at the same time.
A unit must stop its movement for the turn if it enters a town with an opponent's corps units in it. The Active player entering a town occupied only by enemy units is considered the attacker in combat for the first round.
An army does not have to spend all or any of its movement points in a turn, but unused movement points may not be carried forward to future turns.
11. Combat
All movement for the active side must be completed before combat starts. In the case of the Allied / Prussian side, both armies must have their movement completed before their side's combat begins.
Combat is caused when corps units of the active side ends the movement portion of their player turn in a town occupied by opposing units.
The active side determines order of combat when more than one combat occurs in various locations during a player turn.
Each location's combat is fully resolved (including retreat) before the next location's combat begins. A unit may not participate in more than one combat per player turn.
Combat Cards
The combat card deck should be shuffled thoroughly before combat in each location.
There are 6 types of combat cards:
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Infantry Assault
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Grand Battery
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Skirmish: Reduce 1 total battle round cohesion loss to the loser if it wins the combat by being unmatched.
For example, if the total battle round cohesion loss was 5 rounds, the loser of the combat would only take 4 total cohesion point losses (5-1=4), the winner 2 cohesion point losses (4÷2=2).
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Cavalry Charge: Add 1 total battle round cohesion loss to the loser based on rounds if it wins the combat by being unmatched.
For example, if the total battle round cohesion loss was 5 rounds, the loser of the combat would take 6 total cohesion point losses (5+1=6) the winner 3 cohesion point losses (6÷2=2).
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Combined Arms: Matches any card.
For example, if the attacker plays an Infantry Assault combat card, the defender could match it with an Infantry Assault or Combined Arms card. If the attacker plays a Combined Arms card the defender can only match it with a Combined Arms card.
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Counter Attack: Provides an automatic counter attack when matched by a Counter Attack only.
For example, if the attacker plays a Counter Attack card, if the defender matches the counter attack card, he is automatically the attacker for the next round of combat.
How to Do Combat in a Location
First, shuffle the combat card deck. Then each side is dealt combat cards from the combat card deck based on the following:
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A number of combat cards equal to the combat card rating for each corps present in the battle as shown on the army tracking sheet.
For example, the Prussian player has the I, II, and III corps present at a combat location. The Prussian player receives 9 combat cards for his corps. This can be reduced per corps based on its current cohesion level.
For example, from the Allied army Hill's corps is in a combat location. Hill receives 2 combat cards for his combat card rating. If Hill's cohesion points are at 4 or less, Hill would only receive 1 combat card.
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Add a number of combat cards equal to the combat card rating of the army commander if present. The army commander must have corps units from their army in the combat location to add their combat cards to the combat. If both Wellington and Blucher are present for the Allied / Prussian side, and corps from each of their armies are present, both are used. For an army commander combat cards or tactical rating to be used, he must have at least 1 corps of his army present at the combat location.
For example, if Wellington was present at a combat location where Allied army corps were present, he would add 3 combat cards.
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The non-active player receives 2 combat cards (maximum of 2 whether one or two rivers are crossed) for the locations defense if all the active player's corps used roads to cross a river to enter the combat location.
For example, three Prussian corps at Charleroi with a total of 9 combat cards, that were attacked by 3 French corps from Thuin, would receive 2 additional combat cards because of the river on the road between Thuin and Charleroi. This gives the Prussian a total of 11 combat cards.
Players may look at their own combat card hand, but not their opponents.
Rounds of combat are played until a winner of the combat is determined.
A round of combat is the attacker playing a combat card from their hand, followed by the defender attempting to play a combat card from their hand that matches the attacker's card. The defender does not have to match the combat card played by the attacker and can instead accept defeat in the combat.
For example, the attacker plays an Infantry Assault combat card, and the defender matches it with an Infantry Assault combat card, this is one round of combat.
Further, if the defender chooses not to match (has an Infantry Assault card that he chooses not to play it) or cannot match the Infantry Assault card (no Infantry Assault or Combined Arms in his hand), this is 1 round of combat.
The active moving player side is the attacker for the first round of combat. The non-active player is the defender for the first round of combat.
Combat Example: The Imperial Guard moves into Waterloo, which is occupied by Allied units and combat occurs. Each side draws five combat cards.
The French player is the attacker on round one and plays a Skirmish card. The Allied player matches with a Skirmish card.
The Allied side with Wellington successfully counter attacks on a die roll of 2. Now as the attacker he plays Combined Arms.
The French cannot match and loses the battle. The French player must take two cohesion point losses for the two battle rounds and they must retreat and take one cohesion point loss for the retreat. The Imperial Guard reduces it cohesion by 3.
The Allied player takes one cohesion point loss for combat losses (half of the French combat round losses) and applies the 1 cohesion loss to II Corps.
The attacker chooses one of the combat cards in his hand and plays it on the table revealing it. The defender then plays a card from his hand that matches the card played by the attacker. This completes a round of combat.
After a round of combat, if the defender matches the combat card, he can attempt to counterattack to become the attacker in the next round of combat. This is the current defender's choice; it is not mandatory.
Counterattack is done by rolling a die and comparing the die roll to his unit with the highest tactical rating present in the town where the combat is occurring. This can be the army commander (Napoleon, Wellington, or Blucher) or using the highest rated corps leader's tactical rating present. If the die roll is equal to or less than the tactical rating being used by the defending counter attack, then the defender becomes the attacker for the next round of combat.
Further, he will remain the attacker until a successful counterattack is done by the current defending player.
The current defender can attempt to become the attacker once each round until he is successful, as long as the combat continues. In essence, which side is attacker and defender can reverse at the end of each combat round, as long as combat continues.
Reinforcement
After a round of combat and before the next combat round begins, a reinforcement attempt may be made by both sides. A reinforcement attempt allows any units in adjacent locations to reinforce the combat location, if they are not in a combat location or have been in a combat during the active players turn.
Units can only be in combat once per a side's active turn.
The attacker for the upcoming round makes his attempts first, followed by the defender. To do a reinforcement attempt a side rolls a die and compares it to the tactical rating of the unit (corps or commander) attempting the reinforcement. If the die roll is equal to or less than the tactical rating of the unit, the reinforcement is successful and move the unit into the combat location.
Add to the players hand from the combat card draw deck the number of combat cards for that unit that was successful at reinforcing. The winning side of a combat may attempt to reinforce at the end of the combat round that wins the combat for his side.
For example, there is a combat in Brussels. After a round of combat the French has the I corps and the Napoleon commander located in Waterloo. To reinforce with them the French player rolls a die for each unit. For the I corps the die result is 3 which is higher than the 2 tactical rating of the I corps, it is unsuccessful, and the unit remains in place in Waterloo.
For the Napoleon commander unit, the die result is a 3 which is equal to Napoleon's tactical rating, it is successful. The French player moves the Napoleon unit from Waterloo to Brussels and adds the 3 combat cards from the combat draw deck to the French player hand for Napoleon's combat card rating. The French I corps can attempt again after the next round of combat.
Any units that fail to reinforce a combat remain in their location. They may attempt to reinforce again at the end of the next combat round.
Allied corps units may reinforce Prussian army combat locations, and Prussian corps may reinforce Allied army combat locations. Wellington and Blucher commander units may only reinforce a combat location once one of their army corps units is in the combat location.
Combat continues with each round of card play, followed by a counterattack attempt, and attempted reinforcement from adjacent locations until a winner is determined.
Three Player Combat
In the three-player game, the Allied and Prussian players do combat separately when their armies are separate. In the cases where both armies are in the same combat location, they receive their combat cards separately based on their units present, but they perform combat jointly. In joint combat they must decide on which army commander or corps to use for their tactical rating based on the highest tactical rating present between the two armies (pick the highest).
In the case of a tie the army with the most units present will be chosen. If there is a tie between the number of units, then it is the Allied players choice.
During combat, the Allied and Prussian players confer on the best card to play from between their two hands in a combat round. If there is disagreement on the best card to play, the player associated with the army commander or corps counterattack rating being used chooses.
For distribution of combat round losses in the three player game, the Allied / Prussian players distribute the combat losses as follows:
- Agree between themselves.
- If players cannot decide between themselves, then distribute combat losses evenly, giving any extra losses to the side with the most corps units present.
Winning Combat
When the defender cannot or does not match the combat card played by the attacker, the attacker wins the combat and remains in the location, and the defender must retreat.
OR
If the defender matched the last combat card played by the attacker and the attacker no longer has any combat cards to play the defender wins the battle, and the attacker must retreat.
Results of Combat and Cohesion Losses
Battle Round Cohesion Losses: The loser of combat takes 1 cohesion point loss for each round(s) of combat. This total is distributed by the owning player among his side's corps present at the combat location. The winner of the combat distributes, owning players choice, half of the cohesion point total losses that the loser took, rounded down.
Retreat Cohesion Losses: Each corps of the losing side takes 1 cohesion point loss for retreating, this is in addition to any battle round cohesion losses distributed among corps.
For example, the French player has lost a combat of 5 rounds to an unmatched Grand Battery card played by the Allied player. The French player has 3 corps and Napoleon present at the battle location. The French player has 5 battle round losses to distribute among the 3 French corps because the combat went 5 rounds.
The French player distributes the battle round losses with 2 on one corps, 2 on a second, and 1 on the third corps. The French player retreats the 3 French corps and Napoleon to one location. Each French corps also receives 1 cohesion point loss for the retreat. The Allied player must distribute 2 battle round cohesion losses between his corps present at the combat. (5 divided in half rounded down = 2). The Allied player has no retreat cohesion losses because he won the combat.
General Rules for Loser Retreats
The loser of combat must retreat all units present at the combat location. All retreating units must retreat to the same location.
Order of Retreat: Units should retreat to a location occupied by only friendly units, next to a location that has no units of either side present, next would be an unresolved combat location, and last would be through a location solely occupied by the opposing side's units in which case each corps retreating takes an additional 1 cohesion point reduction and retreats beyond to a friendly or unoccupied location.
If possible, all retreats should be using roads towards his side of the board. For the French towards the French border. The Prussians towards Liege or Antwerp; and the Allied towards Ghent or Antwerp.
Active Player Retreats: If the loser of the battle was the active player, he must retreat using one of the roads he used to enter or reinforce the combat location.
Non-Active Player Retreats: If the loser of the battle was the non-active player, he must retreat using roads the active player did not use to enter the combat location.
If the only roads available for retreat were roads used by the active player, he may retreat using those roads, but each retreating corps takes 1 additional cohesion point loss.
The loser may retreat to an unresolved combat location but may not participate in the combat. However, if their side loses that combat, they then retreat with the units from that combat, and take the same retreat losses as the retreating units in addition to those already received.
If all retreat locations are blocked by opposing units, the non-active player may retreat through an enemy occupied location to the next open location beyond. In this case each retreating corps must take 1 additional cohesion point loss.
Winning the Game
The French player wins the game if at the end of any game turn, he has obtained both of his objectives.
The Allied/Prussian player side wins the game if at the end of turn 15, the French player has not obtained his two objectives.
At the instant either side eliminates 4 corps of the opposing side, they win an automatic victory. In the case of a tie the Allied/Prussian side wins.