Wallachia 20

Wallachia 20 Rulebook

Table of Contents

PART ONE: NAPOLEONIC 20 STANDARD RULES
PART TWO: WALLACHIA 20 EXCLUSIVE RULES
- Rousse 20: Battle on the Edge of a Scimitar

PART ONE: NAPOLEONIC 20 STANDARD RULES

[0.0] Using These Rules

New gaming terms, when initially defined, appear in dark red lettering for quick referencing.

The instructions for this game are organized into major "Rules" sections as shown in large green Caps font, and represented by the number to the left of the decimal point (e.g., Rule [4.0] is the fourth Rule). These Rules generally explain the game's subject matter, its components, the procedures for play, the game's core systems, how to set it up, and how to win.

With each Rule, there can be "Cases" that further explain a Rule's general concept or basic procedure. Cases might also restrict the application of a Rule by denoting exceptions to it. Cases (and Subcases) are an extension of a Rule shown in the way that they are numbered. For example, Rule [4.1] is the first Case of the fourth Rule; and Rule [4.1.2] is the second Subcase of the first Case of the fourth Rule.

Important information is in red text. Blue blocks are examples. Grey blocks are tips and designer notes.

[1.0] Introduction

Napoleonic 20 is a wargame series for recreating operational level campaigns during the Napoleonic Wars using about 20 pieces (often less) per side per game. This Standard Rules book explains the general mechanics and systems that apply to all games in this series. Each individual game (or set of games) also has its own Exclusive Rules book explaining how to set it up plus any special rules pertaining to the particular battle or campaign it covers.

Game Scale: Each unit represents a division to a corps of troops (roughly 8,000 to 20,000 men and their equipment). Each space on the map is approximately one-half to one mile across. The Exclusive Rules for each individual game may provide additional details.

Nationalities Key

The series uses units of the following nationalities: French, Spanish, Swedish, British, Russian, Prussian, Turkish, Austrian.

About the Napoleonic 20 Series

Designed around large scale formations (i.e., corps or divisions), the Napoleonic 20 system highlights key operational elements of the period. Movement rates are low to prevent players from conducting unrealistic flanking maneuvers, and to show the significance of using roads and forced-marches to enhance maneuverability. Combat values are also low, allowing the use of a Differential Combat Table that is both simple and provides a variety of results appropriate to battles at this time. Results range anywhere from indecisive, to Routing (with the die roll nicely simulating the varying distances units might flee before recovering), to Breaking (where a unit is not "completely destroyed," but is ineffective until Rallied).

The Napoleonic 20 system also emphasizes the vital importance of Morale during this period. In essence, Morale is a resource that must be carefully managed: once your Morale is reduced to zero, you lose! Morale is a vital asset that can be spent at critical moments to help you achieve decisive results on the battlefield through forced marches, committing reserves, or rallying troops.

Finally, the Napoleonic 20 system also includes random events to both help "tell the story" of the battle while adding an important element of uncertainty. Players need to think intuitively about what might happen, considering how the "friction of war" could impact which routes of march their forces should take, when their best forces should be committed, and where they want to fight the decisive battle.

[2.0] Game Equipment

The Game Map: The game board features a map portraying the area where that game's battle or campaign took place. Superimposed over it is a hexagonal grid that regularizes the movement and positioning of the game's pieces.

The Playing Pieces: The cardboard game pieces come in two basic types: units and markers. Units represent the actual military formations and leaders that participated in the campaign and maneuver around the map; read the information on each as shown:

Combat Strength is the value of that unit when fighting.
Movement Allowance is the speed and endurance of that unit; basically, it is the maximum number of open terrain hexes that unit can move through during a single Movement Phase.
Each unit shows its Type (e.g., Infantry) and nationality; the back of a unit is a Hidden Unit (of that nationality) used with the Fog of War rule.

There are also markers included to indicate a unit's current status (e.g., routed or fatigued), each army's morale level, the time of day, and other information matters.

The Event Cards: These have the title of their specific game at the top and the Event (common) or Events (specific by side) beneath.

Game Title (red titles set up in the Discard Pile).
Dual Events are specific to the player who drew that card. French Player events are the ones on top, Anti-French Player events are the ones on bottom.
Single Events affect whichever player drew that card.

Game Charts, Tables, and Tracks:

The Game Turn Record Track is on each game's map. It shows the passing of time, measured in Game Turns.
The Morale Track is on the Player Aid mat. It indicates the current number of Morale Points available to each army.
You use the Combat Results Table when resolving battles.
The Terrain Effects Chart explains how the map features impact movement and combat during play.
Other tables and reminders are also on the Player Aid mat.

[3.0] Setting up the Game

Determine who will play which side. The French Player controls all of the French units, the Anti-French Player (a.k.a., the "Allied" or "Coalition" player) controls the other (i.e., opposing) units.

Preparing the Cards: Sort through the cards and find those with the title of the specific game being played. From those cards, find the ones with red titles; these cards begin, face up, in the Discard Pile. (These do not enter play until after the first reshuffle.) Shuffle the remaining cards together to form the Draw Pile, placing it face down next to the Discard Pile.

Follow the game's Exclusive Rules for the remainder of the set up instructions.

[4.0] Sequence of Play

General Rule

Play proceeds in successive Game Turns, composed of alternating Player Turns. During your Game Turn, you maneuver your units (and your opponent's Cavalry units might move in reaction); you then resolve combat situations. At the conclusion of the last Game Turn, determine the winner (see [15.0]).

Game Turns

Each Game Turn consists of two Player Turns, a First Player Turn and a Second Player Turn (the game's Exclusive Rules will specify who the First Player is). Distinct Phases divide the activities of each Player Turn. The term "Phasing Player" describes the player who is currently the protagonist conducting activities during that Phase.

The First Player Turn

First Player Random Events Phase: The First Player reveals and enacts the top card's event [5.0].
First Player Movement Phase: The First Player may move all, some, or none of his units as desired within the limits of the rules for Movement [6.0], Zones of Control [7.0], and Terrain Effects [6.5, 6.6].
- Reinforcements Arrival: That side's reinforcements might also enter the map, if available [11.0].
Second Player Reaction Phase: The Second Player may have some, none, or all of his eligible Cavalry units conduct Reaction Maneuvers [8.0].
First Player Combat Phase: In any order the First Player desires, his units can attack enemy units [9.0].
- Recovery: After concluding every battle, eligible units recover from Rout [9.6.2] and Fatigue [16.8], and In Contact markers [8.2.4] are removed.
- Lull: If he did not Force March during his Movement Phase, and was not involved in any battles during the Reaction or Combat Phases, the First Player can, if eligible, receive a Morale Point from resting this turn during a "Lull" [13.0].
First Player Night Operations: Only if it is a Night Game Turn, the First Player may Rally eliminated units [10.0]; adjust his side's Morale based upon captured Line of Communication ("LOC") and Objective hexes; recover one Morale Point [14.0], then reconceal all of his units; and add his Dummy units to the map when using the Optional Fog of War Rule [16.1].

The Second Player Turn

Repeat Phases 1 through 5 above, reversing the roles of the First and Second Players.
If it is a Night Game Turn, reshuffle the Draw and Discard Piles together to create a refreshed Draw Pile.

Sudden Death Turns

Certain Game Turns, as indicated on the Game Turn track by a red "stop sign" symbol with a die face inside, present the possibility for an early conclusion to the battle. At the end of these turns, the Second Player rolls a die and, if the result is less than or equal to (≤) the number shown on the die face, the game ends immediately and the winner is determined. If the die roll is greater than the number shown, play continues on to the next Game Turn.

[5.0] Random Events

General Rule

Events represent the imponderables of war affecting campaigns.

At the beginning of your Player Turn, you reveal the top Event card from the Draw Pile and immediately perform that one event. If you draw a Dual Event card, perform only the color-coded event which applies to your side (e.g., blue if you are the French Player). Ignore the other player's event entirely.

Events ignored thus might still occur later on after reshuffling the discards back into the deck.

Reshuffle the Deck and Discard Pile together when specifically instructed by an event, and always at the end of each Night Game Turn.
Unless otherwise specified on the event itself, a specific event can occur multiple times per game.

Some Event cards instruct the player drawing that event to "Keep this card." Do so, retaining it face-up in front of you. Typically, its effect is usable on that or some future turn. It is usually discarded once used or at the end of a specified timeframe (e.g., the beginning of your next Night Turn), whichever occurs first.

[6.0] Movement

General Rule

During your Movement Phase, you may move as many or as few of your units as you desire. You can move units in any direction or combination of directions.

Procedure

Move your units one at a time, tracing a path of contiguous spaces along the map. As each unit enters a space (called a "hex"), the unit pays one or more Movement Points from its Movement Allowance to do so.

Restrictions and Prohibitions

6.1 Strict Sequence Movement never takes place out of sequence. You can only voluntarily move your units during your own (i.e., your "friendly") Movement or Reaction Phases (see [8.0] for the latter).

Units might also move as a result of combat, but that is not "movement," per se; it is "Retreating" or "Advancing," which have their own distinct rules different from normal movement.

6.2 Speed Limit A unit cannot exceed its Movement Allowance during a friendly Movement Phase, with the exception that a unit can always move 1 hex per friendly Movement Phase (as long as it does not move into prohibited terrain or across a prohibited hexside), even if it does not have sufficient Movement Points to pay the entire cost to enter that hex. A unit can expend all, some, or none of its Movement Points during its friendly Movement Phase. Unused Movement Points do not accumulate from turn to turn, nor are they transferrable between units. Unused Movement Points are lost.

6.3 Enemies A friendly unit cannot enter a hex containing an enemy unit.

6.4 No "Take Backs" All movement is final once a player's hand is withdrawn from the unit he is moving. Players may not change their minds and retrace a unit's movement after releasing it. Strictly enforce this rule!

During these campaigns, units often went in the wrong direction at decisive moments with disastrous results.

Terrain Effects

Normally, units pay one (1) Movement Point to enter each hex, regardless of its terrain type. However, the following Cases apply to define this further:

6.5 Rugged Terrain A unit that enters a Forest, Marsh, or Rough hex must immediately stop, forfeiting unspent Movement Points (even those awarded through Forced Marching; see [12.2.1]).

It can freely leave that hex at its next opportunity, but if it enters another such hex, it must again immediately stop.

6.6 Roads A unit using road movement (i.e., moving directly from one road hex to another, connected road hex) does not have to stop in Rugged Terrain (see [6.5]).

A unit which conducts its entire move along connected road hexes receives one additional (+1) Movement Point that turn.

For example, a Cavalry unit with a 3 Movement Allowance, moving entirely along connected road hexes, could spend up to 4 Movement Points that turn.

Zone of Control Effects

6.7 Stop A unit that enters an enemy Zone of Control (see [7.0], below) must stop immediately and forfeit its unspent Movement Points (even those awarded through Forced Marching; see [12.2.1]). Friendly units' Zones of Control do not affect the movement of other friendly units.

6.8 Stuck Units may voluntarily leave an enemy Zone of Control only through Disengagement (see [8.2]) or at Night (see [7.7]).

Typically, most units leave an enemy Zone of Control by Advancing or Retreating after a battle (see [9.7] and [9.8]).

Effects of Other Friendly Units

6.9 No Stacking A friendly unit can move through hexes occupied by other friendly units (at no extra Movement Point cost). However, a unit cannot end the Movement Phase stacked in the same hex with another friendly unit.

[7.0] Zones of Control

The six hexes immediately surrounding a unit constitute its "Zone of Control" (abbreviated "ZOC"). Those hexes adjacent to an enemy unit (where its ZOC extends) are called "Enemy Zone of Control" (abbreviated "EZOC") hexes.

General Rule

During Day Game Turns, your units that begin their Movement Phase in an EZOC cannot move during your Movement Phase, and units that enter an EZOC during your Movement Phase must immediately stop moving (see [6.7]).

All units exert a ZOC at all times, regardless of the current Phase or Player Turn. Markers do not exert ZOCs.
Other units, enemy or friendly, never affect the presence of ZOCs. That is, units never negate other units' ZOCs.
ZOCs extend into all types of terrain hexes except Fortified and Redoubt hexes. Additionally, ZOCs do not extend between adjacent Town / Fortified / Redoubt hexes (i.e., hexes in a "built-up" urban area).
ZOCs extend across all types of hexsides except Major Rivers.

Example (Waterloo 20 map): The ZOC of the French unit in La Haye Saint does not extend into the adjacent Town hex of Mont St. Jean (where the British unit is) because they are adjacent Town hexes; nor into the Fortified hex of Hougomont. However, the French unit's ZOC does extend out from its own Town hex into other adjacent hexes (without Towns), such as the one occupied by the Prussian unit.

[7.1] Major River Hexsides ZOCs do not extend across Major River hexsides, nor are units separated by a Major River hexside considered "adjacent" for the purposes of these Rules. The exception to this might occur where a bridge or ford crosses that Major River hexside (see below).

At a bridged/forded (i.e., those hexsides intersected by a bridge or ford symbol) Major River hexside, the Phasing Player, on a case-by-case basis, determines whether ZOCs extend across them. Specifically, this means that...

During your Movement Phase, your units can ignore EZOCs from across that bridged/forded Major River, allowing your units to move past them without stopping [6.7], or to move away from them voluntarily [6.8].
During your Reaction Phase, your Cavalry units may still Countercharge [8.1] or Disengage from [8.2] enemy units across that bridged/forded Major River hexside.
During your opponent's Reaction Phase, your units may choose to Maintain Contact [8.2.4] with enemy units that Disengage while on the opposite side of a bridged/forded Major River hexside.
During your Combat Phase, your units may attack enemy units across that bridged/forded Major River hexside, but they are not obligated to do so.

[7.2] Multiple Zones of Control Both friendly and enemy units can exert their ZOCs upon the same hex. There is no additional effect if multiple units cast ZOCs over the same hex. Typically, if a given unit is in an enemy-controlled hex, that enemy unit is also in its controlled hex, and those two units are equally and mutually affected; they are "locked" into each other's ZOCs.

[7.3] Movement Cost Units do not pay any additional Movement Points to enter or exit an EZOC.

Effects on Combat

[7.4] Combat Obligation During your Combat Phase, all of your units that are in an EZOC must attack one or more adjacent enemy units, and all of your opponent's units exerting those EZOCs must be attacked (see [9.1]).

[7.5] Retreat Effect Units can Retreat into a hex containing an EZOC, but to do so requires them to check for a Hazardous Retreat (see [9.7.4]).

[7.6] Advance After Combat Effect EZOCs never affect Advance after Combat [9.8]. Units Advancing after Combat can freely enter and/or leave EZOCs.

Night Game Turns

[7.7] Night ZOC Effects During Night Game Turns, EZOCs work the opposite from the way they do during Day Turns. That is, units cannot enter hexes in an EZOC (such hexes are prohibited), but they can freely exit hexes in an EZOC – consequently, those units are no longer stuck (as per [6.8]) during a Night Turn.

[8.0] The Reaction Phase

General Rule

Your Reaction Phase takes place during your opponent's Player Turn. Any of your Cavalry units which begin the Reaction Phase adjacent to an enemy unit are eligible to either Countercharge or Disengage (or Penetrate, if using Optional Rule [16.2]). Reaction is voluntary; you are never compelled to React with your Cavalry units and you can simply have them stand in place and defend normally.

Countercharge

[8.1] Seizing the Initiative Non-Routed Cavalry units may make a special "Countercharge Attack" during your Reaction Phase (only; not during your normal Combat Phase) against enemy units already adjacent to your Countercharging Cavalry (i.e., your Cavalry unit does not get to move prior to initiating a Countercharge). The Reacting Player becomes the "Phasing Player" and is considered the "Attacker" in such battles.

[8.1.1] Good Order Requirement: A Cavalry unit that is Routed (i.e., has a Rout marker) cannot conduct a Countercharge.

[8.1.2] Unhinging the Enemy: A Countercharge Attack follows the normal rules of combat in most ways (see [9.0]), but because it is used to throw off the enemy's timing and coordination before battle, it receives the following modifications: [8.1.3] to [8.1.5]

[8.1.3] Selective Attacks: Unlike regular combat ([9.1] and [9.2]), units conducting a Countercharge Attack do not have to attack every unit in whose EZOC they are (per [7.4]). Instead, they may make a "Selective Attack" against only some, or even just one, adjacent enemy unit.

Some Event cards also grant this Selective Attack ability to certain units to recreate their extraordinary behavior.
Multiple Cavalry units can combine to conduct a Selective Attack against a single enemy unit if they are all adjacent to that unit.
Normal Advance after Combat [9.8], including the requirement to roll on the Controlled Advance table, follows a Countercharge attack.
Normal combat still occurs between the Countercharging unit and any enemy unit(s) to which it is adjacent during the ensuing enemy Combat Phase.

[8.1.4] Strength Bonus: The Combat Strength of units conducting a Countercharge is doubled except when Counter-charging enemy Cavalry units.

[8.1.5] Holding Fast: In a Countercharge Attack, victorious defending units cannot Advance after Combat [9.8]. They are too busy protecting their lives by taking cover or forming squares.

Disengagement

[8.2] Cavalry "Retreat Before Combat" A Cavalry unit, even a Routed one, that starts its Reaction Phase adjacent to an enemy unit can move away via "Disengagement."

[8.2.1] Timing: Disengagement can only occur during your Reaction Phase.

[8.2.2] Pinned: A Cavalry unit cannot disengage if it is in the ZOC of an enemy Cavalry unit.

[8.2.3] Procedure: A Cavalry unit performs disengagement by moving one hex to an adjacent, vacant, non-prohibited, non-enemy controlled hex. That ends its Disengagement movement. If no other route is available, it may move through friendly occupied hexes not in an EZOC to reach a vacant hex. If it does so, it goes one additional hex at a time until it is no longer stacked with a friendly unit.

[8.2.4] Maintaining Contact: One enemy unit that was adjacent to the disengaging unit may maintain contact with it. The enemy player moves the unit maintaining contact into the hex just vacated by the disengaging unit (similar to an Advance after Combat, see [9.8]) and places an In Contact marker on that unit.

Effects: While a unit has an In Contact marker on it, apply all of these effects:

It loses its ZOC.
Its Combat Strength is reduced by 50% (round fractions up), when attacking and defending. This does not modify any Terrain Strength benefits should this unit be defending.
It cannot Advance after Combat.

Combat while in Contact: Note that the unit maintaining contact typically must attack the Disengaging unit in the immediately following Combat Phase (due to the requirements of Rule [9.1]), and that attack will be at half strength (due to the second bullet, above). Consider carefully whether you need to occupy a vacated hex before you move to Maintain Contact.

Recovery: At the end of your Opponent's Combat Phase, automatically remove all the In Contact markers in play on your friendly units.

Cavalry Penetration

[8.3] Cavalry Penetration See Optional Rule [16.2] for this interesting additional Reaction Phase option.

[9.0] Combat

General Rule

During your Combat Phase, regardless of the overall strategic situation, you are the attacker and your opponent is the defender at each battle (i.e., the resolution of a single attack). You must declare all your battles for that Phase before conducting any of them. Then, each individual battle is resolved, one at a time, in any order you choose, by rolling a die and consulting the Combat Results Table to determine its outcome.

Procedure

At each battle, follow these Battle Sequence Steps in order:

A. Designate which of your units are attacking which adjacent enemy unit(s). B. Total the Combat Strength of all your attacking units in that battle. Check to see if they are in command if using Optional Rule [16.9.5]. You may now spend one Morale Point to commit reserve troops [12.2.3] to that battle and increase your strength total by one (+1). C. Total the Combat Strength of all the defending units that are the target of the attack. Add in the single best terrain effect benefit for the defender's location. Your opponent may now spend one Morale Point to commit reserves [12.2.3] and increase the strength total of the defense by one (+1). D. Check the Special Troop units participating in that battle: Elite and Unreliable, see Optional Rule 16.7.4. E. Subtract the total defending strength from the total attacking strength. The result is the Combat Differential, expressed as either a positive or negative number (or 0). F. Consult the Combat Results Table (CRT) and resolve the battle using the Differential Column from Step E. G. Roll one die. Cross index the die roll with the Differential Column to determine the result of that battle [9.6]. H. Apply this Combat Result immediately, including Retreats [9.7] and Advances [9.8] after Combat.

[9.1] Mandatory Combat During your Combat Phase, all of your units in an EZOC must make an attack. If you choose to have a unit which is not in an EZOC (e.g., a unit in a Redoubt hex) attack, then all enemy units in that unit's ZOC must be attacked.

[9.1.1] Attacker's Prerogative: You determine which of your attacking units will attack which defending enemy units, in any combination you desire, as long as: A) all your friendly units in an EZOC participate in an attack, and B) all enemy units in your friendly ZOCs are, themselves, attacked (see [9.2.1]).

[9.1.2] Limitations: No unit can attack more than once per Friendly Combat Phase, and no enemy unit can be attacked more than once per Friendly Combat Phase.

[9.2] Declare All Battles First At the beginning of your Combat Phase, you must declare which of your friendly units will be attacking which adjacent enemy units (to ensure that all adjacent units are attacked according to the Subcases below) before conducting any individual battles.

[9.2.1] Multiple Unit and Multi-Hex Battles: When one of your units is in the ZOCs of more than one enemy unit, it must attack all of those enemy units that you do not designate to battle some other friendly unit during your Combat Phase. Example: You have a lone unit adjacent to two enemy units; it must fight them both!

[9.2.2] Multi-Unit Battles: Attacking units in two or more hexes can combine their Combat Strengths in a single battle providing all of your attacking units are adjacent to all of your opponent's defending units. Battles can thus involve multiple attacking and/or defending units.

Diversionary Attacks: As you organize a series of battles, you may allocate your attacking units in such a way so as to conduct some battles at sacrificially poor differentials so that you can conduct other, adjacent battles at more advantageous differentials. This is a wargaming technique called "soaking off".

Example (Jena 20 map): The single French infantry unit must attack the Prussian Cavalry unit, and may attack the Prussian Infantry unit (see [9.1], the Prussian Infantry unit's ZOC does not extend across the bridged Major River hexside, so the Phasing French unit is not obligated to attack it). The French situation is desperate, so the French Player declares that he will attack both units, initiating a daring single Battle against them! The Prussian Cavalry unit is in Open terrain, so the Prussian Infantry unit's benefits will apply to the defenders' total strength [9.4.2]. The Prussian infantry is in Jena, a Town hex located across the Saale River at a Bridge hexside. Each of these terrain advantages for the defender (Town and Bridge) is worth one additional (+1) Combat Strength, but their benefits are not cumulative [9.4.1], so only the single best (i.e., a +1 defensive benefit) aids the defender's cause. Prior to commitment of Reserves by either side, this Battle stands at 4 attacking vs. 4 defending (2 + 1 + 1), and will be resolved on the "0" Differential column of the Combat Results Table (CRT).

[9.3] Combat Strength Unity A given unit's Combat Strength is always unitary; it is not divisible among multiple battles during a single Phase, either for attack or defense.

Artillery Bonus

Artillery units, when included in a game, represent large, unwieldy parks of cannons that were concentrated into Grand Batteries to blast a hole in the enemy's line.

Always double the Combat Strength of attacking Artillery units in a battle. Artillery units use their normal (printed) Combat Strength when defending in a battle.
Artillery units can never Advance after Combat (see [9.8]).

Terrain Effects on Combat

Defending units benefit from the terrain in the hex they occupy (i.e., that they are attacked in) or that hex's perimeter hexside(s) (i.e., that they are attacked across).

[9.4] Defender's Benefit Add the Combat Strength of the defender's hex or hexside, if any, to the defender's strength total as indicated on the Terrain Effects Chart.

[9.4.1] A Single Benefit: The terrain benefits for combat are not cumulative. A battle's defender receives only the single most advantageous terrain benefit (for the defender) available.

[9.4.2] Multiple Benefits: When two or more defending units are involved in a single battle, and they receive different terrain benefits (i.e., different effects on the Combat Differential), then modify the entire attack by the single most favorable benefit to the defender.

[9.4.3] Attacker's Terrain: Terrain in hexes occupied by the attacking unit(s) has no effect on combat with this important exception concerning EZOCs [7.0]: An attacking unit in a Fortified or Redoubt hex, OR in a Town hex that is adjacent to an enemy unit in a Town, Fortified, or Redoubt hex, OR across a Major River hexside (even at a bridge or ford) from an enemy unit, is not obligated to attack out of that hex or across that hexside. If a unit opts to attack from any of these positions, Rule [9.1] fully applies.

[9.4.4] Garrison Forces: Some Napoleonic 20 games feature hexes containing intrinsic Garrison forces. These positions, typically indicated on the map by a small flag representing the side controlling the Garrison, resist enemy efforts to enter them. Unless otherwise indicated in the Exclusive Rules, Garrison forces normally have an intrinsic Combat Strength of zero (0), meaning they contribute nothing to an attack, but their defense strength is modified for any terrain advantage inherent in their location! For example, a Garrison in a Town hex would have a strength of 1 when defending in a battle.

Garrison forces function as listed below when their hex is unoccupied, but while a friendly unit occupies their hex, ignore them completely!

[9.4.4.1] Garrison Force Abilities: Garrison Forces, when alone in their hex, have these abilities:

Garrison Forces exert a normal ZOC.
Garrison Forces cannot attack.
Garrison Forces do not move or Retreat.
You cannot commit reserves [12.2.3] to battles involving only your Garrison Forces.
Your units can freely move through and/or occupy the same hex as your Garrison Forces. That is, your units can "stack" in the same hex with your Garrison Forces.
Enemy units cannot enter your garrisoned hexes except by Advancing after Combat when those enemy units attack.

[9.4.4.2] Rearguards: When your attacking unit is displaced by combat from a hex including your intact Garrison Force, the victorious defending unit(s) cannot Advance after Combat. This overrides the usual Advance after Combat rules as your Garrison Force is, in effect, covering for your retreating unit after its failed attack.

[9.4.4.3] Routed and Broken: When a garrisoned hex has a friendly unit in it, and that unit is forced to retreat out of the hex due to an enemy's attack, those victorious enemy units can Advance after Combat normally into that garrisoned hex. In this case, consider the Garrison Force subsumed into the defending unit and will suffer that unit's fate. If, for any reason, a victorious attacking enemy unit does not immediately Advance into that garrisoned hex, its Garrison Force remains unaffected and intact.

[9.4.4.4] Elimination: Unless otherwise noted in the Exclusive Rules, Garrison Forces are permanently destroyed the instant an enemy unit occupies their hex.

[9.4.4.5] Impact on Morale: Because Garrisons are not actual units, they cause no Morale loss to their owner when they are Routed, become Broken, or are Permanently Eliminated. Friendly units stacked with Garrisons that Rout or Break, and enemy units which do so when they attack a Garrison, do cause normal Morale adjustments.

Other Combat Considerations

[9.5] Voluntary Differential Reduction When attacking, you may announce the voluntary reduction of the Combat Differential of that battle during Step F in the Battle Sequence, resolving it at a specified lower differential.

It can be nerve-wracking to commit a single strong unit to an attack against a much weaker unit and risk an Exchange result, as shown in the adjacent table.

Explanation of Combat Results

Once it is determined, immediately apply the combat result, including any Retreat and/or Advance after Combat, before resolving the next battle that Phase.

[9.6] Battle Outcomes Listed below are the different combat results and their effects on the units participating in that battle:

AB: Attacker Breaks. Break [9.6.1] all attacking units in this battle. The defender conducts any Advance after Combat [9.8].
AR: Attacker Routed. The defender rolls one die for each Routed unit, one at a time, and the attacker Retreats that Routed unit a number of hexes equal to its die roll and places a Routed! marker on it on the appropriate side (see [9.6.2]). The defender conducts any Advance after Combat [9.8].
AW: Attacker Withdraws. All attacking units in this battle are Retreated one hex [9.7] by the attacker. The defender conducts any Advance after Combat [9.8].
DB: Defender Breaks. Break [9.6.1] all defending units in this battle. The attacker conducts any Advance after Combat [9.8].
DR: Defender Routed. The attacker rolls one die for each Routed unit, one at a time, and the defender Retreats that Routed unit a number of hexes equal to its die roll and places a Routed! marker on it on the appropriate side (see [9.6.2]). The attacker conducts any Advance after Combat [9.8].
DW: Defender Withdraws. All defending units in this battle are Retreated one hex [9.7] by the defender. The attacker conducts any Advance after Combat [9.8].
EX: Exchange. First, Break [9.6.1] all defending units, and then the attacker must Break from among his units in that battle an amount of Combat Strength Points at least equal to the defender's Combat Strength total. Use only the printed Combat Strength values on the units, unmodified by terrain, events, etc. Note that if the defending side's morale was not reduced to "0" (i.e., the attacker did not just win the game, as per 15.0), the attacker may be forced to Break units whose strength is greater than the defender's if there is no other alternative – i.e., you cannot "make change." The attacker may also choose to Break a stronger unit than necessary if he so desires – this might occur if a weaker unit is deemed more valuable to the attacker. Afterward, if there are any surviving attacking units, the attacker conducts any Advance after Combat [9.8].

Broken and Routed Units

[9.6.1] Broken Units: Remove Broken units from the map and set them aside. You can attempt to Rally your Broken units later and get them back in play (see [10.0]).

[9.6.2] Routing Units: After surviving their Retreat [9.7], a Routed unit receives a Routed! marker showing the color matching the side whose Player Turn it currently isn't.

Example: During the Anti-French Player's turn (i.e., during the Anti-French Player's Events and Combat Phases, and the French Player's Reaction Phase), all Routed! markers placed on units from both sides would have the French (blue) color-side up. Conversely, during the French Player's turn, all Routed! markers placed would show their Anti-French (gold-colored) side.

Effects: While a unit has a Routed! marker on it, apply all of these effects:

It can only move in such a way as to continue its Retreat (denoted by the "R" on the marker in the Movement Point position). That is, any Movement Points it spends must be in accordance with Rule [9.7]. It can always not move and simply remain in place.
It loses its ZOCs.
If a Cavalry unit, it cannot conduct Countercharges or Penetrate during the Reaction Phase (but it can Disengage).
Its Combat Strength is reduced by 50% (round fractions up), both when attacking and defending. This does not modify any Terrain Strength benefits should this unit be defending.
If all of your units participating in a battle have Routed! markers on them, you cannot spend a Morale Point to commit reserves to that battle [12.2.3].
It cannot Advance after Combat.
It will Retreat and Rout again normally, if compelled to do so.

[9.6.2.1] Elite Unit Routing: When an Elite unit (i.e., one with a red Combat Strength) Routs, subtract two (-2) from the Rout die roll to reduce the number of hexes it must Retreat.

Defensible Positions: Units in a Fortified or Redoubt hex subtract one (-1) from the Rout die roll to reduce the number of hexes they must Retreat (and also see [9.7.2.2]). If the modified result is less than one (<1), the outcome is changed to "Withdraws" (This is cumulative with the Elite unit modifier).

Note: Thus, a unit in a Fortified or Redoubt hex can ignore Withdraw results entirely, and Retreat one hex fewer if it Routs. Note, however, that on a Rout die roll of 1, such a unit is not technically Routed (the Rout result is changed to Withdraws). It may opt to "hold its ground" and is not required to retreat from the Fortified/Redoubt hex. For Elite units, apply the Elite effects first (see rule [9.6.2.1]), subtracting two from the Rout die roll and then adjust for defending in a Fortified or Redoubt hex. Thus, if an Elite Force suffers a 1, 2 or 3 Rout result while defending in a Fortified or Redoubt hex, it would not receive a Rout marker and the player could choose to have it either "hold its ground" (remain in place) or retreat one hex.

[9.6.2.2] Recovery from Rout: At the end of your Combat Phase, automatically remove all Routed! markers in play whose colors match your side's color (blue-colored if you are the French Player or gold-bordered if you are not), and are not in an EZOC.

Rout Timing Reminder: The Game Turn marker flips between a blue-colored French Player Turn side and a gold-colored Anti-French Player Turn side to help you remember what color Rout! markers to place (opposite color) and remove (same color).

Example: You are the French Player and, on your turn, one of your units and two of your opponent's units are Routed. They each receive a gold-colored (i.e., opponent's colored) Routed! marker after surviving their Retreat. At the end of your opponent's Combat Phase, those Routed! markers are removed from each of these units, but only if they are not in an Enemy Zone of Control. Otherwise, they remain on those Routed units, with full effect, and are checked again for removal at the end of your opponent's next Combat Phase!

[9.7] Retreating After Combat "Retreat after Combat" occurs when the outcome of a Battle requires a player's unit(s) to Retreat, either by a Withdrawal (AW or DW) or Rout (AR or DR) result. The owning player must immediately move each such unit the indicated number of hexes away from the hex it occupied during the battle (i.e., its "battle hex").

[9.7.1] No Movement Cost: Retreat is not regular movement. Retreating units simply count the hexes Retreated through, one at a time, regardless of terrain (including Rough, Forest, etc., where retreating units do not stop during a Retreat).

[9.7.2] Retreat Restrictions: If a unit is unable to Retreat within the following restrictions, that unit is Broken instead:

[9.7.2.1] Terrain Effects: Units cannot Retreat off the map, into prohibited hexes, or across Major Rivers (except across Bridge or Ford hexsides).

[9.7.2.2] Defensible Positions: Units in a Fortified or Redoubt hex may always Retreat one fewer hex, at the owning player's option.

[9.7.3] Retreat Hex Priority: Whenever and wherever possible, you must Retreat units into and through vacant hexes not in an EZOC.

[9.7.4] Hazardous Retreat Path #1 – Enemy ZOCs: If the above [9.7.3] is not possible, you can Retreat a unit into/through an EZOC and even end its Retreat in an EZOC. If you do so, however, you must roll one die as that unit enters each EZOC hex. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3, the unit Breaks [9.6.1] in that EZOC hex; on a roll of 4, 5, or 6, it Retreats normally into that hex without Breaking.

Friendly units do not negate EZOCs for purposes of Retreat.

[9.7.5] Hazardous Retreat Path #2 – Crossing Rivers: When Retreating anywhere across a Minor River, or across a Major River via a Bridge or Ford hexside, your unit must roll one die in the hex before it crosses that River hexside. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3, the unit Breaks [9.6.1] in that hex before crossing; on a roll of 4, 5, or 6, it Retreats normally across it without Breaking.

When retreating into/across multiple hazards at a single hex, you must make a separate die roll for each of them!

[9.7.6] Friendly Units: If no other route is available, a Retreating unit may move through friendly-occupied hexes. If its Retreat would end in a friendly-occupied hex, it Retreats one additional hex at a time until it is no longer stacked with a friendly unit. This means additional die rolls if these hexes are also hazardous!

[9.7.7] Retreat Direction Priority: While always yielding to Rule [9.7.3] (Retreat Hex Priority), whenever and wherever possible, you must Retreat your units in such a way that, with each hex they Retreat, they move closer to a friendly Line of Communications (LOC) hex (see the Exclusive Rules) than the hex Retreated from.

You have the choice of which LOC hex to Retreat each unit toward if more than one is available (regardless of proximity to the Retreating unit).

Here is a prioritized list of criteria for each hex of the Retreat:

Is there a vacant hex without an EZOC available? If so, the unit must Retreat into that hex; if not...
Is there a vacant hex with an EZOC available? If so, the unit must conduct a Hazardous Retreat into that hex; if not...
Is there a hex occupied by a friendly unit available? If so, it must retreat into that hex (which could be Hazardous) and then continue its Retreat.

In all of the above situations, if there is more than a single hex available meeting that criteria, the unit must Retreat into the hex which moves it closer to a friendly LOC hex.

If none of the above situations exist and the unit is unable to retreat (typically because the Retreating unit is completely surrounded by enemy units and/or prohibited terrain), it Breaks [9.6.1] in its hex instead.

[9.7.8] Going the Distance: A Retreat path can zig-zag only to avoid self-destruction, but it must strive to maintain Rule [9.7.3]. The length of the Retreat path must be the full indicated number of hexes. If the unit reaches an LOC hex before reaching the full required distance, it Breaks in the LOC hex (i.e., it has Retreated "off the map").

[9.8] Advance After Combat Victorious attacking or defending units can usually Advance after Combat. Units must adhere to the following Cases when doing so:

[9.8.1] Immediacy: The decision to Advance after Combat or not must be made immediately after resolving the battle, before the next activity is resolved. If not exercised immediately, that opportunity to Advance is lost.

[9.8.2] Who is Eligible to Advance? With the following limitations, any or all victorious surviving units that participated in the battle can Advance after Combat.

Artillery and Routed (and see [16.8.2], "Spent") units can never Advance after Combat.
Infantry units can only Advance a single hex, into the hex originally occupied by the defeated unit(s) at the start of that Battle.
Cavalry units can Advance multiple hexes along the Retreat Path (see [9.8.5]), but never more hexes than their printed Movement Allowance.
Reluctant units with their Movement Allowance in yellow (see [16.7.5]) might decline to Advance after Combat.

[9.8.3] Units Which Must Advance: Normally, Advancing is made at the discretion of the victorious player. However, if that battle included one or more victorious Cavalry units, the victorious player must roll a die on the Controlled Advance Table (with a -1 die roll modifier if any of the victorious Cavalry units are "Heavy," i.e., have a Combat Strength of 2 or more).

If control of the advance is Kept, there is no effect and those units may advance normally or remain in place, as their owner sees fit.
If control of the advance is Lost by the Cavalry, then at least one victorious Cavalry unit must advance into the vacated hex.

[9.8.4] How to Advance: Advance after Combat is, essentially, a "free move" and, like Retreating, is not regular movement. Advancing units neither spend Movement Points nor stop for Rugged terrain [6.5], but they may not Advance into Prohibited hexes (i.e., hexes that they could not enter through normal movement) or across Major Rivers (except across Bridge or Ford hexsides). Units also ignore enemy Zones of Control when Advancing.

[9.8.5] Pursuit: When an enemy unit Retreats as a result of combat, it will leave a specific path of vacant hexes behind it called the "Retreat Path." If this path went through a hex containing another unit friendly to the Retreating unit [9.7.6], the Retreat Path ends at the hex just before the unit Retreated through. If a unit Breaks, then the hex it occupied at the instant it was Broken is the end point of its Retreat Path.

If a victorious Cavalry unit is the first unit to Advance into the vacated hex originally occupied by the defeated unit(s), it may continue to Advance along the Retreat Path (only) up to its printed Movement Allowance.

After any Cavalry unit Advance after Combat (either mandatory or voluntary) and Pursuit is conducted, if the defeated unit's hex is still vacant, then one (other) attacking unit involved in that battle may (at the owning player's discretion) Advance after Combat into that hex (only), if otherwise allowed (see [9.8.2]).

[9.8.6] Exhaustion: After they have Advanced, units can neither attack nor be attacked again during that same Combat Phase, even if their Advance places them next to enemy units whose battles are yet to be resolved, or who were not involved in a battle.

Extended Combat Example

Three French units (the 4-strength Imperial Guard, 2-strength III Corps, and 1-strength IV Cavalry Corps) attack one Prussian unit (the 3-strength I Corps) which is defending in a Forest hex.

The attacker (French) has a total of 7 Strength Points. With that much strength already in the battle, the French player declines to spend a Morale Point to commit reserves.

The defender (Prussian) has a total of 4 Strength Points (3 for the unit +1 for the Forest hex it is defending in; the Minor River defense bonus does not apply because not all of the attacking units are across the river, but even if it did, it would also have provided a +1 strength modifier, and defensive terrain strength benefits do not combine). With that unit surrounded by EZOCs and with a Minor River at its back, and thus in grave danger should it need to Retreat, the Anti-French player opts to spend 1 Morale Point to commit reserves, increasing his total to 5 Strength.

Therefore, the Combat Differential is 7 – 5 = +2. The French player rolls a die. Looking at the Combat Results Table, the French player's die roll of 6 is cross-indexed with the +2 Column to yield a result of DR (Defender Routs). The Anti-French player is disappointed and considerably more "anti-French" after this defeat in battle!

The French player rolls another die to determine the Rout distance. A result of 2 isn't so bad for the Anti-French player; it requires the Prussian unit to Retreat only two hexes back toward its Line of Communication (LOC) off to the right – and there is no loss of Morale for Routing more hexes than this unit's Movement Allowance!

Unfortunately, the first hex it must Retreat through is both across a Minor River hexside and into an EZOC hex (i.e., there are two Hazardous Retreat situations to deal with), so another die roll must first be made in the defender's hex to cross the Minor River, this time by the Anti-French player (who owns that unit) to see if the Retreating Prussians Break (as per [9.7.4]). With a die roll of 4 on the Hazardous Retreat table, the Prussians make it across the river to the first hex of Retreat and now must roll again, this time for the Hazard of the EZOC present in that hex. Luck is still with the Prussians, as the Anti-French player rolls a 5 this time, so the Prussian unit Passes again and survives to continue its Retreat along its Retreat Path as shown.

The Retreating done, the French player now considers Advance after Combat options. With a victorious French Cavalry unit among the attackers, a die roll is required on the Controlled Advanced Table (unmodified, as it is a "Light" Cavalry unit with only 1 Combat Strength), but a result of 3 means that the Cavalry unit is "off to the races" and must Advance into the Forest hex. The French player then exercises his option to continue to Advance his Cavalry unit along the Retreat Path, moving it a second hex (which, in this case, is where the Retreat Path ends).

Finally, the French player also exercises his option to Advance an Infantry unit into the defender's vacated hex, moving the 2-strength III Corps into the Forest hex.

[10.0] Rallying

General Rule

At certain times (e.g., Night turns or due to the effects of specific Event cards), you can attempt to "Rally" your Broken units.

Important: Rallying has nothing to do with removing Rout! Markers; that process occurs automatically (see [9.6.2.2]).

Procedure

For each Broken unit attempting to Rally, roll one die and apply all appropriate die roll modifiers as listed on the Rally Table on the Player Aid mat. Note that if at any point you make the decision to spend one Morale Point [12.0] to increase your Rally chances, you must do so before rolling the die, but it also then applies to all of your Rally rolls during that specific occasion (e.g., spending one Morale Point will provide you its benefit for all your Rally attempts that Night). Consult the Rally Table and apply the result immediately. Also see the Unit Reduction Optional Rule, [16.5].

Placement of Rallied Units

Place a newly Rallied unit on any empty friendly Line of Communications (LOC) hex. If none are available, or you do not desire to place it at this time, then that Rallied unit simply remains Broken; you may try to Rally it again at a later time. (Also see Optional Rule [16.4] for additional Rally locations.)

[11.0] Reinforcements

General Rule

You might receive additional units over the course of play – these are called "reinforcements." Your reinforcements appear at any time during your Movement Phase on the Game Turn, and at the location indicated by the set up instructions in the Exclusive Rules.

Variable Reinforcements

Some games list "Variable Reinforcements" in their set up instructions or there are units that enter play via Event cards. Each of your Variable Reinforcement units requires you to make a separate die roll for it on its scheduled arrival turn. If your die roll succeeds, it enters play that turn normally. If it fails, advance that unit ahead one turn on the Game Turn track, where you can roll for it again during your Movement Phase next turn (and so on until it finally arrives, or the game ends).

Procedure

When reinforcements arrive, place them next to their specified map edge hexsides (color-coded for your side) as indicated in the Exclusive Rules.

[11.1] Initial Movement Arriving reinforcements are poised next to the map edge. When entering its first hex, a reinforcing unit expends its Movement Points normally according to the Terrain Effects Chart. Units entering along a Road can benefit from the Road movement bonus.

[11.2] March Order When you have more than one reinforcement unit appearing at the same hex during the same Movement Phase, line them all up off map, one behind the other, with the "lead" unit poised next to the map entry hex itself. To simulate a "march order" column of troops, each such unit spends one more Movement Point than its predecessor did to enter the map on the same turn.

[11.3] Timing Arriving reinforcements can enter the map at any time during your Movement Phase. Once on the map, treat them as normal units in play for all purposes.

[11.4] Blocked Entry A reinforcement unit cannot enter a hex occupied by an enemy unit; it may enter a hex in an EZOC, but then must cease movement there as per the EZOC Rules (see [7.0]).

[11.5] Delaying Arrival You may voluntarily delay your reinforcements' arrival from Game Turn to Game Turn, bringing them into play on some later turn (or not at all). This is what a player must do when a reinforcement's entry area is blocked by enemy units. Whenever you bring a reinforcement unit into play, it must appear at its scheduled entry area.

Important: The notion of reinforcements being poised directly at the map's edge is strictly a concept. Until they enter the map, reinforcement units have no effect on gameplay (i.e., off-map units have no ZOCs, cannot attack enemy units, etc.).

[12.0] Army Morale

General Rule

Each side begins with a number of Morale Points as indicated in the Exclusive Rules' set up instructions. Morale Points represent that side's level of motivation and command skill during the campaign. Players expend Morale Points to enhance their movement, combat, and rally operations.

Keeping Track of Morale Points

Use the Morale markers to record Morale Points on the Morale track located at the bottom of the Player Aid mat.

[12.1] Gaining / Losing Morale Points See the Morale Chart (on the right side of the Player Aid mat) for specific in-game events that raise and lower Morale Points. Generally, your army loses morale when your units Rout more hexes than their Movement Allowance or, worse, are Broken and removed from the map (if a Routing unit also Breaks, you only lose 1 Morale Point total). Breaking enemy units is a great way to gain Morale Points.

If two or more morale-changing events occur simultaneously, first add and then subtract all the Morale Point changes that apply.

[12.1.1] Maximum Morale: A side's Morale Value cannot exceed ten (10); any excess is lost.

[12.1.2] Morale Destroyed: If a side's Morale Value ever reaches zero (0), then that side immediately loses the game. If this occurs simultaneously to both sides, the game is a draw.

[12.2] Spending Morale Points You can only spend a single Morale Point at a time (i.e., nothing "costs" two or more Morale Points) and only for these purposes at the appropriate time:

[12.2.1] Forced Marching: During your Movement Phase, you may spend one Morale Point to increase the Movement Allowances of all your units by one (+1).

[12.2.2] To Rally: When you attempt to Rally units, you may spend one Morale Point for a plus one (+1) die roll modifier to all your Rally die rolls (should there be more than one) conducted on that occasion.

[12.2.3] Committing Reserve Troops to Battle: During a Battle's Steps B and C, the attacker and defender, respectively, may each spend one Morale Point to add one (+1) to their side's total strength in that particular Battle.

[12.2.4] Committing the Guard: During your Movement Phase, before moving your Guard unit into a hex from which it can attack an adjacent enemy unit, you must spend a Morale Point unless either side is down to 1 Morale Point (see [12.3.1], below).

Example: The French Guard unit pays 1 Morale Point allowing it to move adjacent to an enemy unit that is across a Bridged Major River hexside, setting up a very important attack. It Routs (DR) that enemy unit 6 hexes! Those bearskin hats really work! The enemy suffers 1 Morale Point loss for Routing more hexes than that unit's Movement Allowance. The attacking Guard unit avoids the Le Garde Recule penalty [12.3.2] because it is able to Advance after Combat, even if it does not exercise that option. Unfortunately for it, that Routing unit also Breaks along the way when it reaches its Line of Communication hex and still has more hexes to Retreat (i.e., it Retreats "off the map"). There is no further Morale Point loss, however, as a Routed unit that also Breaks only costs a total of 1 Morale Point, not 1 for each of these two circumstances when combined. The French side gains 1 Morale Point (for Super Routing / Breaking the enemy unit).

[12.3] Guard Units Certain units, often referred to as "Guards" (i.e., units with a red Movement Allowance) were typically held back and committed only at critical times.

[12.3.1] Committing the Guard: You must spend one Morale Point before moving your Guard unit into a hex from which it can attack an adjacent enemy unit (i.e., to "commit the Guard"). You must make this expenditure each and every time you move a Guard unit into such a hex.

Exceptions:

There is no cost to commit a Guard unit if it is already in an EZOC at the start of the Movement Phase. The Guard is considered already committed.
There is no Morale cost for a Guard unit to Advance after Combat [9.9]. Again, the Guard is already considered committed.
There is no cost to commit a Guard unit if either side has only 1 Morale Point remaining. The Guard serves to join the fray at such critical junctures.

[12.3.2] Le Garde Recule: If an attacking Guard unit in a battle could not conceivably Advance after Combat (i.e., it was not victorious or did not survive an EX outcome, see [9.6]), that side loses one (-1) Morale Point. That Guard unit does not have to actually Advance, it simply must be victorious and capable of doing so to avoid this penalty.

This Guard unit morale adjustment is in addition to other morale-adjusting factors from that battle.

[13.0] Passing ("Lulls")

General Rule

After the first Night Game Turn occurs, during any subsequent Day Turn IF you have units on the map, AND if you do not Force March your army, nor do any battle die rolls [9.0] occur during your opponent's Reaction Phase or your own Combat Phase, THEN your side gains one (+1) Morale Point at the end of your Player Turn if either of these applies: A. Your side has fewer than 6 Morale Points, – OR – B. Your side does not have more Morale Points than your opponent's side.

[14.0] Night Turns

General Rule

After conducting your Random Event Phase, during your Night Game Turns, the following rules apply:

Speed Limit: Reduce all Movement Allowances to one (1) Movement Point. You can still increase this, as usual, by using Roads and/or Forced Marching. Reminder: Unless specifically prohibited from doing so (e.g., by a card event), a unit can always move at least one hex (as per Rule [6.2]) even if reductions might otherwise combine to reduce its Movement Allowance to zero or less.
ZOC Effects: At night, EZOCs work the opposite way as they do during Day Turns. That is, units cannot enter hexes in an EZOC (such hexes are prohibited), but they can freely exit hexes in an EZOC – consequently, those units are no longer Stuck (as per [6.8]) during a Night Game Turn. This is a great way to exit enemy ZOCs. In effect, units can disengage from each other at night.
No Battles: Skip the Reaction Phase, and no combat occurs during a Night Turn's Combat Phase.

Additional Activities

The following "Night Operations" are skipped during Day (i.e., non-Night) Turns. You only perform them, in order, during the Night Operations Phase of your Night Game Turn.

Rally: You may attempt to Rally your Broken units (see [10.0]).
Enemy Morale Loss due to Captured Terrain: If you have units physically occupying enemy LOC and/or Objective hexes (i.e., ones in the opposing side's color), apply their morale loss effect at this time according to the Morale Chart.
Morale Recovery from Rest: Your side increases its Morale Value by one (+1) point from a night's recuperation.
Reconcealment: When using the Optional Fog of War Rule, you now reconceal (i.e., flip face-down) and place your side's Dummy units on the map (see [16.1.3]).
Reshuffle: At the end of the Second Player's Night Turn, reshuffle the cards to refresh the Draw Pile.

[15.0] How to Win

General Rule

Each side has its own victory conditions based upon Morale values:

The French player wins a Decisive Victory if, at any time, the Anti-French side's Morale is reduced to zero (0) and French Morale is one (1) or more.
The Anti-French player wins a Decisive Victory if, at any time, the French side's Morale is reduced to zero (0) and Anti-French Morale is one (1) or more.
The Anti-French player wins a Marginal Victory if, at the end of the game (i.e., at the conclusion of the last Game Turn), the Anti-French side's Morale Value is at least 1 higher than the French side's Morale Value.
A Draw occurs with any other result.

[16.0] Optional Rules

Players can use these Optional Rules in any combination desired.

[16.1] Fog of War: Hidden Units

Players place their units face-down at all times (including during set up). You can freely inspect your own units, but not your opponent's pieces until they are "revealed." Face-down units function normally in all other respects.

[16.1.1] Revealing Hidden Units: You reveal a face-down unit...

Whenever you desire to reveal your own unit.
When you pay a Morale Point to "Commit the Guard" [12.3.1]; at that time, that Guard unit, if hidden, must be revealed.
At the end of each non-Night Turn's Movement Phase, if you have a face-up Cavalry unit adjacent to a hex containing face-down enemy units, reveal all of those face-down units.
When an enemy Cavalry unit attempts to move during its Reaction Phase via Disengagement [8.2] or Penetration [16.2], and you wish to prevent that maneuver with a hidden friendly Cavalry unit, your hidden friendly Cavalry unit is revealed.
After all battles are declared during a Combat Phase (i.e., which friendly units are designated to attack which other, possibly hidden, enemy units), all units involved are revealed.
No Advance after Combat is permitted when only a hidden Dummy unit is revealed in Battle. (There was no actual combat, so there is no Advance.)

[16.1.2] Reconcealing Units: Face-up units remain revealed until the end of your Night Turn, at which time turn all of your face-up units face-down to begin the new day.

[16.1.3] Dummy Units: Each side's mix of pieces includes one or more "Dummy" units.

Unless specified, do not set up any Dummy units on the map prior to starting the game.
You may add to the map one hidden friendly Dummy unit per turn, if available, with the arrival of either your newly Rallied or new Reinforcement units (these units are also hidden). They arrive stacked together (like a "shell game") and you must move at least one of them during your Movement Phase so that they do not remain stacked [6.9].
You can also place in play all of your available (i.e., those not currently hidden on the map) Dummy units when your units are reconcealed (usually at Night, see [14.0]). Place them in hexes containing a friendly unit that is not adjacent to an enemy unit and then immediately relocate one of those two stacked units (i.e., the real unit or the Dummy) to an adjacent hex that is also not adjacent to an enemy unit.
A Dummy moves like a Cavalry unit (with a Movement Allowance of 3). But moving them only 2 will help conceal them among your Infantry units!
The instant you reveal your Dummy unit, it is removed from the map (with no Morale loss). Dummy units can be removed and re-enter play any number of times.
When declaring battles [9.2], include hidden Dummy units! Their declared battles do fulfill the attacker's mandatory combat requirement [9.1]. That is, you can use unrevealed Dummy units as "feints" to create diversionary attacks!
When revealing units as per [16.1.1], Dummy units do cause enemy units to be revealed. In this capacity, they are "scouting."
Until revealed, a Dummy unit functions in all ways as a normal unit and does control the hex it occupies (e.g., an enemy Objective or LOC hex).

[16.2] Cavalry Penetration During your Reaction Phase, your Cavalry units can move through EZOCs under certain circumstances.

Procedure: Cavalry Penetration occurs during your Reaction Phase (only) as that non-Routed Cavalry unit's single action. Your Cavalry unit must begin its Reaction Phase adjacent to an enemy unit. It can then move into another hex that is also adjacent to an enemy unit (even moving from one hex in an EZOC to another hex in an EZOC belonging to that same unit, if desired), but it must then cease its movement for that Phase and cannot also conduct a Countercharge attack.

The Penetrating cavalry unit cannot have a Routed marker on it, nor begin in, or enter, an enemy Cavalry unit's EZOC.

This move is, in effect, the opposite of Disengagement [8.2].

[16.3] Artillery Support Individual artillery batteries were often detached from "parks" for nearby formations to help shore up threatened parts of the line.

[16.3.1] Defensive Support: If no attack has been declared [9.2] against an Artillery unit, it adds one (+1) to the strength of all friendly defending units in its ZOC (if it currently has one). This benefit has no Morale Point cost and applies during the enemy's Combat and Reaction Phases.

[16.3.2] Bombardment: Artillery units can attack across a Major River or other prohibited terrain hexside by Bombardment. A bombarding Artillery unit can attack, either alone or in concert with other friendly attacking units, using its normal (printed; not doubled as per [9.3]) Combat Strength.

When bombarding, Artillery units enjoy a limited immunity to adverse combat results: Treat all AB or AR results as AW. If an EX result occurs, bombarding artillery cannot be Broken to satisfy any losses (see [9.6]); if the Artillery unit is attacking alone via bombardment, treat EX results as eNgaged instead.

[16.4] Additional Rally Locations In addition to vacant LOC hexes, you can also place Rallied units [10.0] in a "Rally hex" that meets all of these conditions:

It must be an empty Town, Fortified, Redoubt OR your side's Objective hex. That is, a "natural rallying point."
It must be "a safe distance" of at least 4 hexes away from the nearest enemy unit AND closer to your nearest LOC hex than the nearest enemy unit is. That is, it must be "safely behind your lines."
It must be able to trace a path of hexes to your closest LOC hex that is unoccupied by an enemy unit. This path can be of any length, but cannot pass through any hex containing or adjacent to an enemy unit, or across impassable Major River hexsides (i.e., ones without a bridge or ford). In other words, that hex is not "isolated behind enemy lines."

[16.5] Unit Reduction Broken units can return to play as smaller formation, reduced-strength units called "Cadres."

[16.5.1] Partial Rallying: When you conduct a Rally Check for an Infantry unit (only) and roll a "Cadre?" result, you have the option to partially Rally that unit thus: Eliminate the Infantry unit you were rolling for (i.e., it is permanently removed from play), and Receive ("Rally") one of the generic, 1-strength Cadre units instead.

[16.5.2] Cadre Units: Cadre units function as normal Infantry units except, if they are ever Broken, they themselves cannot be Rallied. When Broken, they return to your pile of available Cadre units instead, ready for future reuse.

[16.6] Unit Breakdown and Buildup Before it moves during your Movement Phase, your "large" (i.e., having a Combat Strength of 2 or more) Infantry-type unit (only; other types are not eligible) can be exchanged for (i.e., "broken down into") two Cadre units, if available, at the cost of 1 Morale Point. Conversely, at the end of your Movement Phase, you can stack two Cadre units together and exchange them for (i.e., "combined them into") an eliminated large Infantry unit and recover 1 Morale Point.

[16.6.1] Breaking Down: A player must have two available Cadre units in order to break down a large Infantry unit. Remove the large Infantry-type unit being broken down from the map and place it among your eliminated units (i.e., it cannot be Rallied). Replace it in its hex with two Cadre units. These newly-placed Cadre units are free to move and engage in combat this turn.

There is a minus one (-1) Morale Point cost to break down a unit thus.
If an unrevealed large Infantry unit breaks down, one Dummy unit (if available and Rule [16.1] is in effect) can also be added to that stack of two (also unrevealed) Cadre units when it is formed.

[16.6.2] Combining: Any two Cadre units of the same nationality can end their owner's Movement Phase stacked together (an exception to Rule [6.9]). When they do so, remove them from the map and replace them in that hex with your weakest eliminated large Infantry unit of that same nationality; that unit is then free to participate in combat that turn. There is a plus one (+1) Morale Point gain when building up a large Infantry unit thus.

[16.7] Special Troop Units Some games include special unit types with unique capabilities identifiable by their Combat Strength and/or Movement Allowance in a different (non-black) color.

These Cases are already part of the Standard Rules:

All units with their Movement Allowance in red are Guard units (they must be "committed" to attack with them, 12.3).
Infantry units with their Combat Strength in red are Elite units (-2 for Rout rolls, and +1 for Rally rolls).

Note that not all Guard units are Elite, nor are all Elite units Guards.

This Optional Rule introduces these new Cases:

[16.7.1] Elite Unit Élan! Bonus: Whenever any of your Elite units participate in an attack, you roll a die for each to see if it benefits from "Élan!" Make this roll during Step D of the Battle Sequence. Apply the following plus one (+1) die roll modifiers for each criteria which is applicable:

If the unit is also a Guard unit.
If you spent a Morale Point to Commit the Guard to this unit prior to this attack (see [12.3.1]).
If you spent a Morale Point to Commit Reserves to this battle (see [12.2.3]).
If either your or your opponent's Morale level is currently at one.

If the modified result is six or more, that Elite unit receives an Élan! bonus of +1 to its Combat Strength for that Battle; if the modified result is less than six, there is no effect. If you have several Elite units participating in a given Battle, it is possible to receive more than one Élan! bonus. However, it is important to note that you never check for Élan! when your units are defending, only when they are attacking.

[16.7.2] Light Infantry: Infantry units with their Movement Allowance in green are Light Infantry. They function as normal Infantry units in all respects except as follows: They can also Disengage, exactly as per Case 8.2 (i.e., not if in an enemy Cavalry unit's ZOC). As an exception to Case [6.5], Light Infantry units need not stop in Rugged hexes (e.g., Forest, Rough, and Swamp). Instead, they may simply spend one Movement Point to enter each of these hexes and can continue moving.

[16.7.3] Cossacks: Cavalry units with their Movement Allowance in green are Cossacks. They function as normal Cavalry units except as follows: As an exception to Case [6.5], Cossack units need not stop in Rugged hexes (e.g. Forest, Rough, and Swamp). Instead, they may simply spend two Movement Points to enter those hexes and can continue moving. If one enters a Rugged hex when it has only one Movement Point, it can enter and must stop as usual. During the Reaction Phase, Cossack units cannot Countercharge [8.1] or Penetrate [16.2]. During the Reaction Phase, Cossack units can Disengage from the ZOCs of enemy Cavalry units (an exception to Case [8.2.2]).

[16.7.4] Unreliable Troops: Units with their Combat Strength in yellow are Unreliable. When your Unreliable unit participates in a Battle, you must roll a die to see if it Wavers. Make this roll during Step D of the Battle Sequence. Subtract one (-1) from this die roll if your side's Morale level is currently less than your opponent's Morale level. If the modified result is greater than one (>1), that Unreliable unit is Steady and there is no effect. If the modified result is less than or equal to one (≤1), that Unreliable unit Wavers and its Combat Strength is reduced by one (-1) for that Battle only.

[16.7.5] Reluctant Troops: Units with their Movement Allowance in yellow are Reluctant. As an adjunct to Case [9.8.3], if you wish to Advance after Combat with your victorious Reluctant units, you must first roll a die for them (individually) on the Controlled Advance Table. If control of the advance is Kept, there is no effect and that unit can advance at your discretion. If control of the advance is Lost by that Reluctant unit, it cannot advance, even if you desire it to (but your other victorious units can, if able).

[16.7.6] Road-bound Units: Units with their Movement Allowance in white are Road-bound (e.g., wagon trains and supply convoys) and must occupy and move along Road hexes only. If ever forced to Retreat off a Road hex, a Road-bound unit is permanently destroyed. Note that Road-bound units are eligible for both the Road Movement and Forced March bonuses.

[16.7.7] Irregular Units: Units with their Combat Strength in white are Irregular (e.g., militia, guerrillas, feudal levies, etc.). The Exclusive Rules for those games that feature them define their special characteristics and how you use them during play.

[16.7.8] Other Special Units: Units with their Combat Strength in blue are Scenario-Defined Special Units. The Exclusive Rules for those games that feature them define their special circumstances and how you use them during play.

[16.8] Fatigue Sustained combat exhausts troops and degrades their performance over time. You can show this using the round Fatigue markers and this Optional Rule.

Fatigue Levels: Here is the list of the five levels of Fatigue: 0. Fresh (no marker)

Ready (green marker)
Tired (yellow marker)
Weary (orange marker)
Spent (red marker)

Procedure:

[16.8.1] Exhaustion: Each unit participating in a battle (attacking and defending) has its Fatigue Level increased by one (e.g., from having no Fatigue marker to placing a Ready marker on it; or flipping a Ready marker over to show its Tired side; or replacing a Tired marker with a Weary marker; or flipping a Weary marker to show its Spent side). If the unit is already Spent, there is no additional effect; it simply remains Spent.

[16.8.2] Effects of Fatigue: While Fatigued (i.e., marked with a Fatigue marker), that unit is affected thus:

Ready: That unit is unaffected.
Tired: That unit receives no movement benefit if its side conducts a Forced March [12.2.1].
Weary: That unit suffers the Tired penalty AND a -1 penalty to its Movement Allowance (e.g., if it is an Infantry unit, its Movement Allowance is reduced to "1", and a Cavalry unit would be reduced to "2").
Spent: That unit suffers the Tired AND Weary penalties, AND cannot voluntarily enter EZOCs, including during Advance after Combat.

[16.8.3] Recovery: At the end of your Combat Phase, each of your units with a Fatigue marker on it that is not adjacent to an enemy unit has its Fatigue Level reduced by one level (even during a Night Game Turn). A unit with a Ready marker on it simply removes it to symbolize that it is again Fresh.

[16.9] Leaders The smaller units with their "Combat Strength" in purple are Leaders. Leader units represent the command structure needed to coordinate offensive action across a sprawling battlefield. These units do not have a "Combat Strength;" instead that purple value in the Combat Strength's position is called its Command Span rating.

Leader Set Up: Listed in the game's set up instructions you will find the optional Leader units included and highlighted in purple.

[16.9.1] Command Span: A Leader unit's Command Span is the radius in hexes over which it exerts control over friendly attacking units, reflecting its command authority. Terrain features and/or the presence of enemy units or enemy ZOCs have no impact on a Leader's Command Span radius.

[16.9.2] Leader Movement: Leader units move like Cavalry units, with the following exceptions:

Leader units move through all Rugged Terrain [6.5] hexes as if they were Clear terrain.
Leader units can voluntarily leave EZOCs [6.8] providing they do not move from one hex in an EZOC directly into another.
As an exception to Rule [6.9], a Leader unit can end the Movement Phase stacked in the same hex with a friendly unit and/or any number of other friendly Leader units (i.e., Leader units are "stack free").

[16.9.3] Leaders and ZOCs: Leaders do not exert ZOCs, nor are they obligated to attack enemy units [7.4]. A Leader not stacked with a friendly unit which is in an EZOC must immediately Retreat one hex; if it is still in an EZOC and not stacked with a friendly unit after executing that mandatory retreat, the Leader is then Broken [16.9.6].

[16.9.4] Leader Reaction Movement: Leaders, themselves, do not perform Reaction Movement [8.0]. A Leader unit can accompany the friendly unit it is stacked with that performs Reaction Movement. Leaders do not affect the Combat Strength of countercharging Cavalry units.

[16.9.5] Leaders in Combat: During your Combat Phase, your Leader units "coordinate attacks" by providing Command to your units that are within their Command Span. Units within their Command Span are In Command, while those that are not are Out of Command.

Procedure: When calculating your total attack strength during Step B of the Battle Sequence [9.0], check to see if your attacking units (only) are "In Command."

Your attacking units are In Command, and your total attack strength is unaffected, if any of your attacking units are within the Command Span of one of your Leader units.
Your attacking units are Out of Command, and your total attack differential is reduced by one (-1), if none of your attacking units are within the Command Span of one of your Leader units.

There is no benefit to having more than one (or even all) of your attacking units In Command, or having multiple Leader units exerting their Command Spans over your attacking units.

Command has no effect on units' ability to defend. Command only affects the attacking units in a Battle.

A Leader unit can provide Command to multiple Battles within their Command Span in the same Combat Phase.
Whether a unit is In Command or not (its "command status") is determined at the instant each Battle is resolved. Should an adverse combat result cause your Leader unit to Break or Retreat in such a way that its Command Span is no longer exerted over your unit involved in a subsequent Battle, then that attack is conducted Out of Command.
A Leader unit stacked with a friendly unit that Advances after Combat [9.8] may accompany that unit (or not).
A Leader unit stacked with a friendly unit that is forced to Retreat must accompany that unit for the duration of the unit's entire Retreat. If that unit Breaks during that Retreat due to a failed Hazardous Retreat roll [9.7.5] and [9.7.6] or upon reaching an LOC [9.7.8], then that Leader unit also Breaks (see below).
Leader units never suffer from Fatigue (see [16.8]).

[16.9.6] Broken Leader Units: Unlike other units, there is no Morale penalty when a Leader unit is Broken, with this one exception: If the French Leader unit Napoleon is Broken (for whatever reason), the French Player must immediately roll a die and consult the Breaking Napoleon Table and apply its result.

[16.9.7] "Rallying" Broken Leaders: Unlike other Broken units, at the beginning of your Movement Phase each turn, you automatically Rally (i.e., no die roll is required) your Broken Leader units. Place Rallied Leader units in the same way as other units (see [10.0] and [16.4], if that Rule is used).

[16.9.8] Rallying On a Leader: Some Event card titles state that your units are "Rallying on" a specific leader. If you draw that Event, are using Optional Rule 16.4, and your Leader unit named in that event's title is on the map, then vacant hexes with or adjacent to that Leader unit and not in an EZOC can serve as additional Rally locations (without any other restrictions) for the duration of that Event only.

PART TWO: WALLACHIA 20 EXCLUSIVE RULES

Note: The Wallachia 20 Exclusive Rules contain two games, Rousse 20 and Slobozia 20, which use the Napoleonic 20 Standard Rules (Part One above). When combined, these two documents form the entirety of the rules needed to play these games. These Exclusive Rules supersede the Standard Rules when there is a conflict. Rule numbers below refer to the Standard Rules numbering. In the printed Exclusive Rules the colored-icon markers next to special unit types (Irregular, Reluctant, Cossack, Light Infantry) are small symbols; they are not reproduced here and the unit types are named in words.

Rousse 20: Battle on the Edge of a Scimitar

[1.0] Introduction

Rousse 20 simulates the earlier of the two major battles of the Russo-Turkish war of 1806-1812, both fought on the Bulgarian-Romanian frontier near the fortified town of Rousse. One player leads the Russian Army under the command of General-in-Chief Kutuzov, while the other player commands the Ottoman army under Grand Vizier Ahmed Pasha.

The first battle, Rousse, occurred on 22 June 1811, and while the Russians managed to eke out a marginal victory, Kutuzov chose to yield the key town of Rousse to the Ottomans, convincing them they had won a great victory.

[2.0] Game Equipment

The Game Map: The 17" x 22" game board, when assembled, features a map portraying that part of Wallachia along the Danube River where the campaign took place.

The Playing Pieces: The burnt orange units are Ottomans. The green units are Russian.

Important: In Wallachia 20, the Ottomans are considered the "French" side (represented by the blue face of the Routed markers), and the Russians remain intractably on the "Anti-French" side (represented by the gold face of the Routed markers).

Special Unit Types: There are no Elite or Guard units in this game. If you are using Optional Rule [16.7], which is highly recommended in Wallachia 20, you will find a cavalcade of special unit types which define the Ottoman army (in particular).

Unit Abbreviations:

Chass = Chasseur
Huss = Hussars
(-) = Reduced strength version of that unit; used only when playing the Campaign Game (see [17.0]).

Who's Who: The Ottoman Army has many interesting unit types further defined below:

Ottoman Turks

Akinji = Irregular, Reluctant horse archers
Boluk = Provincial Janissaries
Djellis = Irregular, Cossack light horse scouts
Djemaat = Anatolian Janissaries
Derbert = Irregular frontier guards
Garipler = Anatolian Cavalry
Kirjali = Light Infantry Bulgarian skirmishers
Haiduk = Irregular Wallachian mercenaries
Sekhan = Irregular, Reluctant Turkic archers
Sipahi = Heavy Cavalry
Skipetar = Irregular, Light Infantry Albanian sharpshooters
Tufkeji = Reluctant Anatolian musketeers
Youruk = Irregular Turcoman lancers

[3.0] Setting Up The Game

After sides have been determined, set up as follows:

Place the Game Turn marker on the June 22 Morning (Turn 1) space showing its French (i.e., Ottoman) side.
Place the Russian Morale marker on the "8" space and the Ottoman Morale marker on the "6" space of the Morale track.
As per the Standard Rules ([3.0], Preparing the Cards), use the Rousse 20 cards to form the initial Draw Pile. Optionally, you can set up the Napoleonic 20 Event card (#13, Protect the Colors!) in the Discard Pile (as if it were a red-titled card).

Russian Deployment The Russian player sets up these units (hex: unit):

Hex	Unit
0708	REDOUBT MARKER
1204	COSSACK (1-4)
1303	1 CHASS (1-2)
1304	XXII (3-2)
1305	ARTILLERY (2-2) + KUTUZOV (2-5)
1405	IX (4-2)
1507	2 CHASS (1-2)

Russian Force Pool Set aside the three Russian CADRE and three Russian DUMMY units. The XV (3-2) unit is also set aside; it might arrive as a reinforcement via an Event card.

The HUSS Cavalry (1-3) and DANUBE FLOTILLA (1-*) units, and the reduced strength "(-)" versions of the IX, XV, XXII, ARTILLERY units are not used in this scenario.

Ottoman Deployment The Ottoman player sets up these units:

Hex	Unit
1703	DJELLIS (1-4)
1704	AKINJI (1-4)
1801	GARIPLER (1-3)
1802	SIPAHI (2-3)
1803	AGIR TOP (1-1)
1804	YOURUK (1-3)
1901	DEREBERT (2-2)
1902	BOLUK (3-2) + A. PASHA (1-5)
1903	DJEMAAT (2-2)
1904	HAIDUK (2-2)
1905	TUFKEJI (2-2)

Ottoman Force Pool Set aside the five Ottoman CADRE and three Ottoman DUMMY units. The KIRJALI (1-2) unit is also set aside; it might arrive as a reinforcement via an Event card.

The SKIPETAR (2-2) and SEKHAN (2-2) units, and the reduced strength "(-)" versions of the BOLUK and SIPAHI units are not used in this scenario.

[4.0] Sequence Of Play

The Ottoman player is the First player.

4.1 Ottoman Movement Restrictions The first thing the Ottoman player must do to begin each Ottoman Movement Phase is either: A. Immediately spend 1 Morale Point to be able to move all the Ottoman units that turn (this does not also cover the cost to Force March them!), OR B. Roll a die and consult the Command Hierarchy Chart to determine the maximum number of Ottoman units that can be moved (plus the Ahmed Pasha Leader unit, if in play) during that Ottoman Movement Phase.

Command Hierarchy Chart

Die Roll	1	2	3-4	5	6
# of Units (Max.)	5	6	7	8	9

[5.0] Random Events

Skip the Ottoman player's Random Events Phase on the first Game Turn.

[6.0] Movement

6.10 New Terrain Types In the area where the battle occurred, the Danube River is nearly a mile across and is a major impediment to the movement of ground troops. In this game, the Danube is represented by Wide Major River hexes.

Units do not project ZOCs into or out of Wide Major River hexes. Additionally, ground units can only cross Wide Major River hexes at Fords.
Some Wide Major River hexes contain Estuarial Islets (depicted as grayish-brown colored strips of land). Regular ground units can occupy these hexes and their ZOCs do project into other contiguous Estuarial Islet hexes, but not across the Danube to mainland hexes and vice-versa.

[9.0] Combat

9.4.4 Garrison Forces: The Russian Redoubt in the town hex of Rousse (0708) contains a Russian Garrison with an intrinsic zero (0) strength, as denoted by the small national flag inside it.

9.7.7 Retreat Direction Priority:

Russian units must retreat towards the Russian LOC hex located on the Northern map edge (hex 0105).
Ottoman units must retreat towards the Ottoman LOC hex, located on the Southern map edge (hex 1902).

[11.0] Reinforcements

11.6 Unit Arrival Locations

Events might see the Russians receive the XV (3-2) division as a reinforcement. If and when it arrives, it enters along the Northern map edge at Area A.
Events might see the Ottomans receive the KIRJALI (1-2) detachment as a reinforcement. If and when it arrives, it enters along the Western map edge at Area Z.

[14.0] Night Turns

Russian Objective Hex: Rousse (hex 0708). There are no Ottoman Objective hexes.

14.1 Captured LOC Morale Loss In Rousse 20, the loss of LOCs for both sides causes a reduction of Morale Points by 1 each (instead of being required to occupy two for the loss of a single Morale Point, as per the Morale Chart).

14.2 The Second Day of Battle The game ends at the conclusion of Game Turn 6 unless the Ottoman player wishes to press the fight into a second day.

Procedure: At the beginning of the Ottoman Night Turn 6, the Ottoman player may declare that the fighting will continue through the next day. Doing so means forgoing Step C of that Night Turn (the Morale Recovery Step); that is, the Ottoman player must give up that night's morale recovery to press the fight into the next day.

Historically, Kutuzov elected to end the battle at the end of the first day, but the Ottomans might have pressed on. Ottoman logistical arrangements, however, were haphazard and re-supplying their troops for a prolonged engagement would have meant a night's work instead of a night's rest.

[15.0] How To Win

Due to the unusual strategic conditions in Wallachia during this campaign, modify the standard victory conditions as follows:

The Russian player wins a Decisive Victory if, at any time, the Ottoman side's Morale Value is reduced to zero (0) and the Russian Morale Value is one (1) or more.
The Russian player wins a Marginal Victory if, at the end of the game, the Russian side's Morale Value is at least one higher than the Ottoman side's Morale Value AND an Ottoman unit does not occupy the town of Rousse (hex 0708). This is the historical outcome.
The Ottoman player wins a Marginal Victory if, at the end of the game, the Ottoman Morale Value is at least one higher than the Russian Morale Value AND the town of Rousse (hex 0708) is occupied by an Ottoman unit.
The Ottoman player wins a Decisive Victory if, at any time, the Russian side's Morale Value is reduced to zero (0) and the Ottoman Morale Value is one (1) or more.
A Draw occurs with any other result.

[16.0] Optional Rules

16.5 and 16.6 Ottoman Cadres When using these Optional Rules, only Ottoman Janissary Infantry units (i.e., BOLUK and DJEMAAT) can be Partially Rallied, broken down into, and built up using the two Janissary Cadre units (i.e., the ones with a normal Combat Strength and Movement Allowance). The three Irregular, Reluctant Cadre units are only used in the Campaign Game (see Rule [17.0]).

16.7.2 Light Infantry: The two Russian CHASS(EUR) units and the Ottoman SKIPETAR and KIRJALI units are considered Light Infantry units. They can Disengage (as per Rule [8.2]) and need not stop in Rugged Terrain.

16.7.3 Cossacks: Both the Russian COSSACK and Ottoman DJELLIS units are considered Cossack units. They pay 2 Movement Points to move through Rugged Terrain, are prohibited from countercharging or penetrating, and can disengage from enemy Cavalry.

16.7.4 Unreliable Troops: The Russian XXII Division unit is Unreliable. It requires a check before every battle it participates in to see if those troops Waver and have their Combat Strength temporarily reduced. The Russians raised the XXII Division just a few months prior to the battle and its training was incomplete.

16.7.5 Reluctant Troops: The Ottoman SEKHAN, TUFKEJI, and three Cadre Infantry, plus the AKINJI Cavalry unit, are Reluctant Troops. They require a die roll check to see if they can Advance after Combat. Note that the Reluctant trait supersedes the Cavalry Controlled Advance Rule; that is, after participating in combat, roll only to see if the AKINJI Cavalry unit can advance, not whether it must advance.

16.7.7 Irregular Troops: The Ottoman DERBERT, HAIDUK, SEKHAN, SKIPETAR, and three Cadre Infantry units, plus the AKINJI, DJELLIS, and YOURUK Cavalry units, are Irregular Troops. Undisciplined and poorly led, these formations often lost cohesion and became disorganized in battle.

To simulate this, they function as normal units in all respects with the following exceptions:

They are treated as Unreliable (see [16.7.4], above).
Irregular Cavalry units cannot conduct either Countercharges [8.1] or Penetration [16.2] during the Reaction Phase; they can only Disengage [8.2].
Whenever an Irregular unit Breaks, it is permanently eliminated instead; it cannot be Rallied [10.0].
Whenever an Irregular unit Routs, add two (+2) to its Rout die roll (they are effectively the "opposite" of Elite Forces in this regard).
When an Irregular unit suffers a Withdraw result (AW or DW), place a Routed marker on it [9.6.2]. Note that this is not an actual "Rout," and so causes no Morale loss. Irregular units require extra time to regain their cohesion.
Irregular units break down into Irregular Cadres when using Optional Rule [16.6].

Slobozia 20: Trap, Talk, and Truce

[1.0] Introduction

Slobozia 20 depicts the final major battle of the Russo-Turkish war of 1806-1812. It was fought on the Bulgarian-Romanian frontier near the fortified town of Rousse. One player leads the Russian Army under the command of General-in-Chief Kutuzov, while the other player commands the Ottoman army under Grand Vizier Ahmed Pasha.

Slobozia 20 focuses on the battle of 2 October 1811, in which Kutuzov cut off and surrounded the bulk of the Ottoman army, trapping it on the northern (Bulgarian) shore of the Danube. The result was a decisive Russian victory that permitted negotiations to end the war. This had the dual advantage of allowing Russia to transfer key reserves to oppose Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, and also prevented Austria from contributing more forces to support the French invasion.

[2.0] Game Equipment

The Game Map: The 17" x 22" game board, when assembled, features a map portraying that part of Wallachia along the Danube River where the campaign took place.

The Playing Pieces: The burnt orange units are Ottomans. The green units are Russian.

Unit Abbreviations:

Chass = Chasseur
Huss = Hussars
(-) = Reduced strength version of that unit; used only when playing the Campaign Game (see [17.0]).

Who's Who: The Ottoman Army has many interesting unit types further defined below:

Ottoman Turks

Akinji = Irregular, Reluctant horse archers
Boluk = Provincial Janissaries
Djellis = Irregular, Cossack light horse scouts
Djemaat = Anatolian Janissaries
Derbert = Irregular frontier guards
Garipler = Anatolian Cavalry
Kirjali = Light Infantry Bulgarian skirmishers
Haiduk = Irregular Wallachian mercenaries
Sekhan = Irregular, Reluctant Turkic archers
Sipahi = Heavy Cavalry
Skipetar = Irregular, Light Infantry Albanian sharpshooters
Tufkeji = Reluctant Anatolian musketeers
Youruk = Irregular Turcoman lancers

[3.0] Setting Up The Game

After sides have been determined, set up as follows:

Place the Game Turn marker on the Pre-Dawn turn of 2 October Morning (Turn 0) space showing its Allied (i.e., Russian) side.
Place the Russian Morale marker on the "6" space and the Ottoman Morale marker on the "5" space of the Morale track.
As per the Standard Rules ([3.0], Preparing the Cards), set up the red-titled Event card (#14, Sandbar) face up in the Discard Pile and use the remainder to form the initial Draw Pile. Optionally, you can set up the Napoleonic 20 Event card (#13, Protect the Colors!) in the Discard Pile (as if it were a red-titled card).

Ottoman Deployment Important: Place all Ottoman units on the map face down (i.e., with their hidden sides showing), even if the optional Fog of War Rule [16.1] is not being used.

The Ottoman player sets up these units: 0609: ARTILLERY CITADEL; 0708: REDOUBT.

Then the Ottoman player sets up these units as indicated below:

TUFKEJI (2-2)
HAIDUK (2-2)
DEREBERT (2-2)
SEKHAN (2-2)
BOLUK (3-2)
DJEMAAT (2-2)
SKIPETAR (2-2)
SIPAHI (2-3)
GARIPLER (1-3)
DJELLIS (1-4)
YOURUK (1-3)
AKINJI (1-4)
A. PASHA (1-5)
TWO DUMMY UNITS (*-3)

A. Place the Ottoman Garrisoned Artillery Citadel in Slobozia (hex 0609) and the Ottoman Garrisoned Redoubt in Rousse (hex 0708). B. Place both Janissary units (i.e., BOLUK and DJEMAAT) plus two Infantry and/or Dummy units (for a total of four units) as desired on each of the hexes inside the Slobozia Bridgehead (hexes 0509, 0510, 0609, 0610, and 0710; one space will be left empty). C. Place the five remaining Infantry and/or DUMMY units as desired on the south shore of the Danube River (i.e., on the Rousse side of the river), between hexrows 05xx and 11xx (inclusive) and east of the Lom River (i.e., the Major River), such that each unit is not adjacent to any other Ottoman unit (including the Garrisoned Redoubt in hex 0707). D. Place all five Cavalry units south of hexrow 12xx (inclusive) and east of the Lom River, such that each unit is not adjacent to any other Ottoman unit. You must set up one Cavalry unit (at least) within one hex of each of the fords across the Lom River (hexes 1407 and 1806). E. If using the Optional Leader Rule [16.9], set up Ahmed Pasha stacked with any Ottoman unit from C or D, above.

Ottoman Force Pool Set aside the five Ottoman CADRE and remaining Ottoman DUMMY units.

Remove the KIRJALI (1-2) and AGIR TOP (1-1) units; they are not used in this game. The Artillery unit has been "incorporated" into the Artillery Citadel unit.

The reduced strength "(-)" versions of the BOLUK and SIPAHI units are also not used in this scenario. These units are only used in the Campaign Game (see [17.1]).

Russian Deployment Important: Place all Russian units on the map face down (i.e., with their hidden sides showing), even if the optional Fog of War Rule [16.1] is not being used.

The Russian player sets up these units as indicated below:

IX (4-2)
XV (3-2)
XXII (3-2)
COSSACK (1-4)
HUSS (1-3)
ARTILLERY (2-2)
KUTUZOV (2-5)
TWO DUMMY UNITS (*-3)
DANUBE FLOTILLA (1-*)
TWO REDOUBT MARKERS

A. Place the two Garrisoned Redoubts anywhere on the north shore of the Danube River (i.e., the Slobozia side of the river), west of the xx10 hexrows (inclusive) and not in an EZOC. B. Place one Cavalry OR Dummy unit each in hexes 0303 and 1311. C. Place one Cavalry, Infantry, or DUMMY unit each in hexes 0304 and 1211. D. Place one of the four remaining Russian units in Malaya Slobozia (hex 0309). E. Place the remaining three units anywhere on the north shore of the Danube River (i.e., the Slobozia side of the river), not in an EZOC. F. If using the Optional Leader Rule [16.9], set up Kutuzov stacked with any Russian unit from B, C, D, or E above. G. Place the Danube Flotilla near the map as a reminder of its availability (see Rule [9.4.5]).

Russian Force Pool Set aside the three Russian CADRES and the remaining Russian DUMMY unit.

The two CHASS (1-2) units and the reduced strength "(-)" versions of the IX, XV, XXII, ARTILLERY units are not used in this scenario.

If not using the Optional Fog of War Rule [16.1], reveal all units and remove all Dummy units from the map before commencing play.

[4.0] Sequence Of Play

The Russian player is the First player.

4.1 Game Turn 0 and the Russian Night March Begin the game with a special "Pre-dawn" Game Turn 0. The only Phase conducted that turn is a Russian Movement Phase. All other activities, including the entire Ottoman Player Turn, are skipped on Game Turn 0.

At the start of Turn 0, the Russian player rolls a die and consults the Russian Turn 0 Night March table below to determine the number of his units (plus the Kutuzov Leader unit, if in play) that can move that turn as if it were a Day turn (i.e., no Night restrictions [14.0] apply to those units):

Russian Turn 0 Night March table

Die Roll	1	2	3-4	5	6
# of Units	1	2	3	4	5

Units conducting this special Pre-Dawn march can also benefit from Force March [12.2.1] if the Russian player elects to spend one Morale Point to do so as usual.

4.2 Russian Surprise Until a Battle actually occurs, Ottoman movement is constrained:

Ottoman units on the north side of the Danube River (i.e., the Slobozia side of the river) cannot move at all.
Apply a minus two (-2) die roll modifier when using the Ottoman Command Hierarchy table (see below).

These restrictions are lifted the instant the first Battle occurs.

4.3 Ottoman Movement Restrictions At the very start of the Ottoman Movement Phase the Russian player decides whether to commit his Danube Flotilla marker (if it is available for use) in either a Harassment or Interdiction capacity (see [9.4.5] for details).

After the Russian player has committed (or not) the Danube Flotilla, then the Ottoman player must either: A. Immediately spend 1 Morale Point to be able to move all the Ottoman units that turn with these exceptions:

This does not also cover the cost to Force March them.
If Russian Surprise ([4.2], above) is in effect, it takes precedence and Ottoman units on the north side of the Danube River (i.e., the Slobozia side of the river) cannot move, even if you choose this option.

– OR – B. Roll a modified die and consult the Ottoman Command Hierarchy table to determine the maximum number of Ottoman units that can be moved (plus the Ahmed Pasha Leader unit, if in play) during that Ottoman Movement Phase.

Ottoman Command Hierarchy table

Modified Die Roll	1 or less	2	3	4	5	6	7	8+
# of Units (Max.)	None	1	2	3	4	5	6	7

Modifiers:

-2 If the restrictions of Russian Surprise [4.2] are in effect.
+1 for each Russian unit on the south bank of the Danube River (i.e., the Rousse side), hidden or revealed.

[5.0] Random Events

Skip the Russian player's Random Events Phases on Game Turns 0 and 1 (i.e., the Pre-Dawn and Morning turns).

[6.0] Movement

Units do not project ZOCs into or out of Wide Major River hexes. Additionally, ground units can only cross Wide Major River hexes at Fords.
Some Wide Major River hexes contain Estuarial Islets (depicted as grayish-brown colored strips of land). Regular ground units can occupy these hexes and their ZOCs do project into other contiguous Estuarial Islet hexes, but not across the Danube to mainland hexes and vice-versa.

[9.0] Combat

9.4.4 Garrison Forces: The Ottoman Redoubt and the two Russian Redoubt markers contain intrinsic zero (0) strength Garrisons, as denoted by the small national flags inside them.

9.4.4.1 Ottoman Citadel Battery Abilities: The Ottoman Citadel Battery that starts in Slobozia (hex 0609) functions similarly to standard Garrisons, but with the following adjustments:

The Citadel Battery is an immobile Artillery Garrison with a Combat Strength of 1. When attacking into an adjacent hex, double its Combat Strength per the normal Artillery rules [9.3].
If an Ottoman unit defends in the Citadel Battery's hex, add one (+1) to that defending unit's Combat Strength (before any defensive terrain adjustments).
When using the Optional Artillery Support Rule [16.3], the Citadel Battery does project defensive support to adjacent friendly units in its ZOC and can Bombard across Wide Major River hexsides into hex 0608. It cannot attack the Russian Danube Flotilla unit, however.

9.4.4.2 Slobozia Bridgehead: The Perimeter Redoubts in hexes 0509, 0510, 0610, and 0710 form a defensive line around the Ottoman bridgehead on the northern bank of the Danube.

Perimeter Redoubt hexsides only provide their +1 defensive terrain bonus and their -1 retreat distance reduction to Ottoman units (i.e., Russian units can never receive these bonuses), and only then if all attacking Russian units are attacking across Redoubt hexsides.
Each Perimeter hex begins the game occupied by a zero (0) strength Ottoman Garrison. If Russian units occupy any Perimeter hex and are subsequently driven out, that hex's Garrison is restored providing the Citadel Battery is still in play (an exception to [9.4.4.4]). This can occur any number of times to any of the Perimeter hexes. To destroy permanently a Perimeter Garrison, the Citadel Battery must first be eliminated.

9.4.5 The Danube Flotilla: The Russian player can use the Danube Flotilla marker to perform any one of the following functions each Game Turn. After the Danube Flotilla marker has been used a Game Turn (i.e., after it participates in a Battle, or at the end of the Ottoman Movement Phase), place it one turn ahead on the Game Turn track; it will be available for use again at the start of the next Game Turn.

Support a Russian Attack: If an Ottoman unit is defending in a hex adjacent to any Wide Major River hex, the Flotilla can be committed during Step B of the Battle Sequence, increasing the Russian's strength total by one (+1). This can be used in conjunction with Committing Russian Reserves [12.2.3].
Interdict a Danube River Ford: At the start of the Ottoman Movement Phase, before the Ottoman player decides how to deal with Ottoman Movement Restrictions [4.3], place the Flotilla next to any one Danube River Ford; that Ford is "interdicted" and thus unusable during that Ottoman Movement Phase (only).
Harass Ottoman Movement: At the start of the Ottoman Movement Phase, before the Ottoman player decides how to deal with Ottoman Movement Restrictions [4.3], place the Flotilla in any all-water Wide Major River hex (i.e., not an Estuarial Islet hex) to cause any Ottoman unit(s) which move adjacent to it to immediately stop and forfeit any unspent Movement Points during that Ottoman Movement Phase (only); effectively, all hexes adjacent to the Flotilla are treated by Ottoman units as if they were Rugged Terrain [6.5]. The Danube Flotilla marker itself does not exert a ZOC, so an Ottoman unit that begins its Movement Phase adjacent to the Danube Flotilla marker can still move – indeed, it may even move directly from one hex adjacent to the Flotilla to another (which would be its entire move).
Support a Russian Defense: If a Russian unit is defending in a hex adjacent to any Wide Major River hex, the Flotilla can be committed during Step C of the Battle Sequence, increasing the Russian's strength total by one (+1). This can be used in conjunction with Committing Russian Reserves [12.2.3].

Flotilla Facts: Please note about the Flotilla marker...

It cannot support Battles during either Player's Reaction Phase.
It cannot conduct its own Attack; it can only support Battles.
It is not a unit; it is a marker.

9.7.7 Retreat Direction Priority:

Russian units must retreat towards the Russian LOC hex located on the Northern map edge (hex 0105). Important: Russian units on the south side of the Danube (i.e., the Rousse side) can always retreat towards the nearest Ford hex over the Danube River that is not occupied by an Ottoman unit (even if this does not move them closer to the Russian LOC hex).
Ottoman units must retreat towards the Ottoman LOC hex, located on the Southern map edge (hex 1902).

[14.0] Night Turns

Ottoman Objective Hexes: Rousse (hex 0708) and Slobozia (hex 0609). There are no Russian Objective hexes.

14.1 Captured LOC Morale Loss In Slobozia 20, the loss of LOCs for both sides causes a reduction of Morale Points by one (1) each (instead of being required to occupy two for the loss of a single Morale Point, as per the Morale Chart).

14.2 The Second Day of Battle The game ends at the conclusion of Game Turn 6 unless the Ottoman player wishes to press the fight into a second day. (As printed; the procedure below refers to the Russian player.)

Procedure: At the beginning of the Russian Night Turn 6, the Russian player may declare that the fighting will continue through the next day. Doing so means forgoing Step C of that Night Turn (the Morale Recovery Step); that is, the Russian player must give up that night's morale recovery to press the fight into the next day.

The rapid advance of their attack strained the Russian's logistical capacity and made it difficult for them to re-supply their forces.

[15.0] How To Win

Due to the unusual strategic conditions in Wallachia during this campaign, modify the standard victory conditions as follows:

The Russian player wins a Decisive Victory if, at any time, the Ottoman side's Morale Value is reduced to zero (0) and the Russian Morale Value is one (1) or more. This is the historical outcome.
The Russian player wins a Marginal Victory if, at the end of the game, the Russian side's Morale Value is at least one higher than the Ottoman side's Morale Value AND a Russian unit occupies the town of Rousse (hex 0708) – OR – if there is a Russian unit adjacent to the town of Rousse AND the Russian side's Morale Value is at least two higher than the Ottoman side's Morale Value.
The Ottoman player wins a Marginal Victory if, at the end of the game, the Ottoman Morale Value is at least one higher than the Russian Morale Value AND the town of Rousse (hex 0708) is not occupied by a Russian unit.
The Ottoman player wins a Decisive Victory if, at any time, the Russian side's Morale Value is reduced to zero (0) and the Ottoman Morale Value is one (1) or more.
A Draw occurs with any other result.

[16.0] Optional Rules

16.7.2 Light Infantry: The Ottoman SKIPETAR unit is considered a Light Infantry unit. It can Disengage (as per Rule [8.2]) and need not stop in Rugged Terrain.

To simulate this, they function as normal units in all respects with the following exceptions:

They are treated as Unreliable (see [16.7.4], above).
Irregular Cavalry units cannot conduct either Countercharges [8.1] or Penetration [16.2] during the Reaction Phase; they can only Disengage [8.2].
Whenever an Irregular unit Breaks, it is permanently eliminated instead; it cannot be Rallied [10.0].
Whenever an Irregular unit Routs, add two (+2) to its Rout die roll (they are effectively the "opposites" of Elite Forces in this regard).
When an Irregular unit suffers a Withdraw result (AW or DW), place a Routed marker on it [9.6.2]. Note that this is not an actual "Rout," and so causes no Morale loss. Irregular units require extra time to regain their cohesion.
Irregular units break down into Irregular Cadres when using Optional Rule [16.6].

16.9.8 Cowardice: When using the Optional Leaders rule [16.9], if the Ottoman Leader unit Ahmed Pasha is ever Broken or Routs, it is permanently eliminated instead.

[17.0] The Wallachian Campaign

These Rules allow you to play these two games together as a linked campaign covering the 1811 battles on the Wallachian frontier.

First, set up and play Rousse 20 through to its conclusion.
- If that game ends in a Decisive Victory for either side, the campaign is over and that side has won.
- If that game ends in a Marginal Victory for either side or a Draw, write down the final outcome including the final Morale Values and which units (of both sides) were Broken or Permanently Eliminated.
Next, conduct a Campaign Interphase to determine the availability of forces and the state of the armies' morale for the upcoming Slobozia 20 battle. Follow this procedure: A. Place both sides' Morale markers to "7." If one side achieved a Marginal Victory in Rousse 20, reduce the other side's starting Morale Value to "6." B. Determine the fate of each unit that ended the Rousse 20 game in either a Broken or Permanently Eliminated state by rolling one die for each such unit and consulting the Rally table. During this Campaign Interphase, players cannot spend Morale to improve these Rally die rolls [12.2.2].

The following special die roll modifiers are applicable:
- -1 If the unit was Permanently Eliminated.
- +1 If the outcome of the battle was a Draw OR a Marginal Victory for that unit's side.
The Rally table results are different during this Campaign Interphase, also:
- If the result is "Rally," that unit is available to participate in the Slobozia 20 game at full strength.
- If the result is " – ," that unit is available to participate in the Slobozia 20 game at full strength if its owning player reduces that side's starting Morale by 1 point (-1); otherwise, that unit participates at reduced strength (see below) or as a Cadre.
- If the result is "Elim" the unit participates in the Slobozia 20 game at reduced strength (see below) or as a Cadre.
Reduced Strength: A handful of units (all Russian Infantry divisions, the Russian Artillery reserve, and the Ottoman BOLUK Janissary Infantry and SIPAHI Cavalry) have unique versions of those units with lower Combat Strength ratings and denoted by a "(-)" after their names. Use these reduced strength units during the Slobozia 20 game only if their full-strength version fails to successfully Rally during the Campaign Interphase.

Although he stopped the Ottomans from taking Rousse on 22 June 1811, Kutuzov deliberately abandoned the town after the battle. The Czar was furious when he learned what Kutuzov had done, but the wily old general knew that in yielding the river crossing to the Ottomans they would cross the Danube, splitting their army on the opposite bank, and set the stage for a war-ending knockout blow by his reinforced army a few months later – and that's exactly how it happened!

Designer's Notes

By 1811, the inconclusive Russo-Turkish war had already lasted five years. It was becoming clear to the Czar's government that another confrontation with France was coming, and the struggle with the Ottomans was a distraction they could ill-afford; the Russians needed to bring this war to a conclusion, and quickly.

In March of 1811, the Czar sent General Kutuzov to the Danube frontier with orders to break the Ottoman army and compel the Turks to sign a treaty. However, before Kutuzov could finish assembling his forces, the Ottoman army under Ahmed Pasha left its assembly area near Shumla and advanced on Rousse, a key river port and crossing point across the Danube.

The Opposing Forces

Kutuzov's small corps consisted of roughly 17,000 troops, but his men were mostly long-term professional soldiers, many of whom were veterans of campaigns against the French and Swedes. The Russians also enjoyed an overwhelming superiority in artillery (which was a notable Ottoman weakness).

By contrast, Ahmed Pasha's force of 60,000 was more an armed mob than an army; the majority of his troops were ill-trained provincial militias who in many cases had never served with the officers appointed over them. Drawn from all across the Sultan's vast empire, less than half were ethnic Turks, perhaps one third were not even Muslim, and this army spoke a dozen different languages. Even the vaunted Janissaries had, by this time, devolved into part-time soldiers who often resented orders taking them away from their lucrative jobs in Constantinople to go on campaign. Still, even the Russians admitted that individually, the Ottoman troops were fierce warriors (even if their tactics were outdated).

Rousse 20 in History

Relying on his more than three-to-one numerical superiority, Ahmed Pasha's strategy was unsubtle: he simply marched directly on Rousse. The Russians blocked his advance, anchoring their flanks on the Lom River and in the dense thickets of the high ground to the west. Repeated Ottoman charges on 22 June 1811 against the Russian line failed to gain ground. After suffering heavy casualties, Ahmed Pasha was compelled to call off the assault; the Russians, on the other hand, had lost less than 500 men.

The reason for what happened next is unclear: Kutuzov withdrew, abandoning Rousse to the Ottomans. Though he later claimed giving Rousse up was deliberate, part of a plan to lure the Turks into a trap, in reality Kutuzov probably realized that although he had fought the Ottoman army to a standstill, he lacked the strength to continue an open field battle against such a large force. Regardless, the Czar was furious, threatening to strip Kutuzov of his command if he did not rectify the situation.

The Campaign Interphase in History

For the next three months the front stabilized. Both sides brought up reinforcements, and the Ottomans entrenched themselves into a sprawling encampment on the Bulgarian shore of the Danube River around a small Russian settlement called Slobozia.

Slobozia 20 in History

On 2 October 1811 Kutuzov made his move. He used a daring night march to put a strong assault force across the Danube near the village of Petrushany, and then advanced up the coast road to attack Rousse from the rear. Simultaneously, he used a flotilla of gunboats to block the main river crossing, stranding much of the Ottoman infantry on the northern shore. Repeated attempts by Ottoman irregular cavalry to break the encirclement failed. Finally, Ahmed Pasha panicked and fled the field, leaving his army to its fate. Over the next two months, before the Treaty of Bucharest was signed, more than 35,000 Ottoman troops died from starvation and disease in the besieged Slobozia bridgehead.

The Historical Aftermath

Thanks to Kutuzov's victory, the Russians secured their southern flank and these forces were made available to help stem the upcoming French invasion. Additionally, with the Ottomans no longer engaged against the Russians, the Austrian contribution to the French invasion of Russia was considerably scaled back to ensure there were enough troops available to watch the Austro-Turkish border. In annals of Russian military history, these battles are often called "the Little Borodino" as recognition for the important contribution they made in influencing the outcome of Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia.

Designer's Challenges

Designing a game on these two important (but little known outside of Russia) battles was a challenge. My research uncovered little source material, and often what I found was contradicted by another source! Information on the Ottoman forces, in particular, is sketchy at best and much of their game order of battle is intelligent conjecture.

To model the unique nature of the forces in these battles, we had to ratchet up the complexity level a bit. Almost every unit in the Ottoman army has some special characteristic, and the interaction of the multitude of different types reflects the problems the Turks had in coordinating their unusual host. Capturing the vital impact of the gunboat flotilla also required us to go through several iterations of its rules.

I hope that these efforts serve to give you a better awareness of these obscure battles, provide some insight into this unique campaign, and give everyone a couple of enjoyable little games to play.