Napoleonic Operations

Series Rulebook 2.3

Series Design & Graphics & Layout & Whatnot 1. The Components
Anders Fager 1.1 The Rules
Playtesting & Other Priceless Aid Every Napoleonic Operations game contains one series and
Robert – First to Fight - Hennes, Michael Waters, Mikael one game rulebook. The Series Rulebook (this book) con-
Rydfalk, Thomas Östreicher, Marcus Stumptner, Christian tains the rules applicable to all the games in the series as well
Diedler, Clair Conzelman, Jim Thomas, Björn Hansson & as the Series Tables needed for play. The Game Rulebook
Jonas Multing. gives the details needed for a specific game, such as special
Re-Animator rules and setup information. Included in the game book are
Dave Jones also the two Army Structure Tables that are used to keep
Barrel & Order track of how the opposing armies are organized and a Table
Mikael Rydfalk of Arrivals and Events that keep tracks of arriving Units and
Master of the Index other such things.
Robert Hennes
Website 1.2 The Map
As of may 2021 the game has no website of its own but is The map shows the area over which the campaign was fought.
made available on ConSimWorld. All terrain features are explained on the Terrain Effects
Chart in the Series Tables. The chart lists each terrain type’s
effect on movement and zones of control and also qualifies it
Introduction either as open, closed or fortified. Note that only groups of
Napoleonic Operations is about commanding 19th century buildings with their name in CAPITALS have any effect on
armies on an operational level. play.
2.1 Version Note
This is the sixth public version of these rules. It was put A hex numbering system is used to identify individual hexes
together for the “let’s get the stuff online-operation“. on the map. The first two numbers identifies the hex row and
the second two the exact hex along the given hexrow. If the
game uses more than one map, letters identify the map in
question (such as A10.10).

Example - Map
Den Helder on the left is located in hex 10.11. And since the
map says DEN HELDER the town of Den Helder affects play
while Zand in 20.11 does not.

The plan for NapOp once was to kill of the worst mistakes using the
Bailen kit and then move on to something a bit bigger. A strange
career change stopped that. But here is the game, anyway.

NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick 1

 1.3 The Turn Track Markers
There is a Turn Track printed on either the map or one of the This category includes all kinds of markers used to keep track
play aid sheets. It is used to keep track of time in the game. of functions or effects during play.
Place the turn record marker on the turn track to show the
current turn. These include the

1.4 Counters
There are three kinds of counters in the game.
Units
This category includes all kinds of combat troops and support Turn Record Marker Weather Marker
formations. Fighting units, regardless of type are called
Combat Units. Trains, HQ’s and Staffs that cannot attack but
can be attacked are called Non-Combat Units.

All Combat Units and Trains have a Strength Value and a Destination Marker Disorder Marker
Quality Rating. Combat Units furthermore have Ability
Icons indicating that the Unit has special skirmishing skills, a
small cavalry component or some supporting artillery. These
are known respectively as Skirmisher Icons, Cavalry Icons
and Artillery Icons. Units that are capable of acting on their Dummy Destination Marker Resting Marker
own accord have an Initiative Rating on the counter as well.
Units move using either foot or cart movement.

Staffs have Leadership and Initiative Ratings. Some Staffs

also have Ability Icons and can lend these abilities to their
subordinate Units.
Out of Supply Marker Spent Marker
Most Units’ can be flipped to show a weaker version of the
Note that any odd symbol or out of the normal-looking icon
same Unit. This is known as Reducing the Unit, or the Unit
on a counter indicates a special ability of one kind or the
takes a Step Loss. The weaker side is marked with a horizontal
other. Check the game rulebook for more details.
band.

For historical reference unit names are either regimental

names (Saxe-Coburg) or the nane of the brigadier (Saxe-
Coburg’s).
Individuals
These are individual messengers or small groups of officers.
These are referred together as Individuals and separately as
respectively Orders and Commanders. All individuals move
using foot movement. Commanders have Leadership and
Initiative Ratings. Supreme Commanders do not have an
Initiative Rating.

INDIVIDUALS UNITS
NON-COMBAT UNITS COMBAT UNITS
FORMATION FORMATION
COLOUR NAME
Commander

Artillery
Cavalry
Infantry
Trains
Order

Staff
HQ

LEADERSHIP STRENGTH INITIATIVE CAVALRY SKIRMISHER ARTILLERY QUALITY

RATING VALUE RATING ICON ICON ICON RATING

2 NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick

 3.2 Narrative Sequence of Play
2.0 Conventions Each player segment goes like this:
2.1 Game Scales Command Phase
1 hex = 1500 meters Roll for random events. The player then places new orders on
1 turn = Eight hours the map (not during night turns) and can place Destination
Two day turns & one night turn make up a day Markers.
1 Unit = One Division or Brigade
Movement Phase
One strength point equals between 500-1000 men or one battery Place any reinforcements on the map. The phasing player can
of guns. The median value would be that a strength point equals then move his Units by expending orders stacked with them.
an 800-man French infantry battalion, a 500-man regiment of Moving Units can conduct combat as part of their moves, as
dragoons or eight 8lb guns. In terms of quality a Quality Rating of 2 well as carry out forced marches. At anytime a phasing Unit
or 3 signifies fair regulars, a rating of 5 units of the absolute highest enters a hex in the ZoC of an enemy stack the enemy stack
quality, and a rating of 0 either civilian support units or raw levies. can attempt to react.

2.2 Cumulative Effects and Rounding Initiative Movement Phase

When values are subject to multiple modifiers, all the effects The player may roll for initiative to try to move Units without
are cumulative with any doubling or dividing done first. using orders. A stack getting initiative can then move,
Retain fractions until after applying all modifiers. Then round conduct combat and force march. At anytime a phasing Unit
fractions as per: .01 to .49 down, .50 to .99 up. This “round enters a hex in the ZoC of an enemy stack the enemy stack
last“ -rule holds true for odds as well. can attempt to react.
Enemy Tactical Phase
2.3 Set Up Notes Now all Good Order Non-Phasing Player Units that are part
Units can never start overstacked. Unless noted in the game
of a command that is adjacent to either an enemy Unit or
specific rules Units start at full strength and in Good Order.
the Non-Phasing Supreme Commander may move one hex
Headquarters are always set up Stationary.
(including into combat).
2.4 What Terrain? Friendly Tactical Phase
Little itty bits of terrain from adjacent hexes leaking into a hex Now all Good Order Phasing Player Units that are part of
do not affect its main type of terrain. If in doubt use the “easi- a command that is adjacent to either an enemy Unit or the
est” terrain type for movement and the “best” terrain type Phasing Supreme Commander may move one hex (includ-
when defending. ing into combat). If an order is expended disordered Phasing
Units may also move one hex.
3. Sequence of Play Recovery Phase
Each game day consists of two day turns and one night turn. On turns requiring a supply check the phasing player ensures
Each game turn consists of two similar Player Segments. that each of his Units are in supply. If not, mark them Out of
When both players have gone through their segments, ad- Supply. Units resting since previous turns recover strength.
vance the Game Turn Marker and begin the process again. Mark new Resting Units. Disordered Units may recover.
Remove Spent Markers from the Phasing Player’s own Units.
Players must strictly follow the Sequence of Play. The game
Check if the Phasing Player have won an automatic victory.
rulebook identifies who are the First and the Second Player.
The player currently taking his turn is the Phasing Player do-
Advance the turn marker one box each time both players has
ing things with friendly Units. The other player is the Non-
completed their segments.
Phasing Player doing things with enemy Units.
3.1 Outline Sequence of Play 4. Random Events
First Player Segment In all games events may take place for reasons outside of the
COMMAND PHASE player’s control. These are rolled for at the start of each player
MOVEMENT PHASE segment using the game’s unique tables found on the Table of
INITIATIVE MOVEMENT PHASE Arrivals and Events.
ENEMY TACTICAL PHASE
FRIENDLY TACTICAL PHASE Things go wrong in wars. Like in all human endeavours. People get
RECOVERY PHASE lost, orders are misunderstood and plans turns out to have been
based on faulty maps and old informartion. These random events
Second Player Segment will add a bit of friction to even your best plan. And perhaps save
Repeat the above with the players switching roles. you when everything else fails. Generals must be lucky.

NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick 3

 5.2 Staffs and Commanders Ratings
5. Chain of Command All Staffs have two ratings. The
All Units and commanders in an army fit together according Initiative Rating is the number
to the game rules. Each army’s Army Structure Table and printed in the top left circle on each
the particular Game Rulebook outlines who controls who, Staff Counter. This rating (from 2-12)
where new orders are placed and so on. is used when the player wants to
5.1 Terms move the Staff ’s Command without
using orders. The Leadership Rating
Supreme Commander
is the number printed in the star in the bottom right on
The commander in command of the entire army and his clos-
the counter. This rating (from 0-5) is used in combat.
est staff. The person who “writes“ (places on the map) orders
for the army, in effect the player.
Commanders have the same ratings as Staffs though, each
HQ (Head Quarters) side’s Supreme Commander does not have an Initiative
A non-combat Unit that represents the staff and aides of the Rating.
Supreme Commander. A HQ is not an “individual”. In game
terms a HQ helps the Commander “write“ more orders. A note on ratings. Though this era saw a some insanely gifted
officers, making them all into telepathic supermen would short-
Command
circut this system. Most “normal” officers will have a 10-11
A Unit or group of Units, a Corps or Division usually, bound Initiative and 1 or 2 rating for leadership. A excellent independent
to operate together. commander such as Davout can probably count on an initiative of
Subordinated Units 7 as he will be very good at guessing your intentions. Meanwhile
Units that are subordinated to a certain command. For a stellar tactician such as Lannes or a charismatic leader such as
instance Divisions of the same Corps or units of the same Bagration would rate a 4 for leadership.
Division.
5.3 Command Span
Subordinate Commander To function as part of a command a Unit must be either
A commander in charge of an army’s wing or other such sub- stacked with or adjacent to its command’s Staff. Units do not
division of an army. count as being adjacent if separated by impassable hexsides
Staff other than a major river crossed by a ford or bridge or a
A non-combat Unit that represents a lower level commander, mountain hexside crossed by a road. This is known as being In
such as a Corps or Divisonal Commander, and his staff as well Command. Units outside this “range” are Out of Command.
as the assets at his disposal. A staff is not an “individual”. In Units may deliberately move out of command.
the game a Staff serves as the hub of a Division or Corps.
A command using road movement may violate the above as
Independent Units long as all Units of the command are lined up in one long,
Units not belonging to any special command. The Army unbroken, chain, along one continuous path of road hexes.
Structure Tables and Game Rulebook describes how
these Units may interact with other Units. In some cases, Units starting a phase Out of Command need orders to move but
independent units may be attached to a division or corps. See will otherwise function normally (with one exception, see 14.1).
the Game Rulebook for more details. HQ’s and Trains units
are not independent units. Independent Units are never Out of Command.

How a small Army may be organized.

Three Commands Two Independent Units
(Divisions)

The Supreme
Commander 3rd Division’s
The HQ The Train
Staff

3rd Division’s Subordinated Units

4 NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick
 6.7 Stacked Orders
6. Commanders & Orders An order starting a movement phase stacked with a staff is
6.1 Commanders considered to “belong” to that staff and may not leave the staff
Commanders represent higher officers and move on its own again. This means that orders may never
and the Supreme Commander the be handled back and forth between different staffs.
player himself. A commander cannot be
As an exception to the above, the only time an order may
destroyed in any way.
leave a staff is when the order is sent to be instantly used by
6.2 Orders an out of command Unit of the staff ’s command.
Orders are used to make Units move and fight. Without or-
6.8 Using Orders
ders to expend a player must rely on initiative rolls. An order
Units must expend Orders in order to move and fight as well
cannot be destroyed in any way, but it can be returned to the
as other activities. To expend an order simply remove it from
Order Pool.
the map and return it to the Order Pool. If a Staff uses an or-
The orders represent not only couriers, ADC’s and such, but the der, all Units of the Staff ’s command may move, as long they
flow of orders also serve as a way to show how well or not different were all In Command when the order was expended. Once
parts of an army keep in touch . the Units ordered to move starts moving they may or may not
move in the same direction as the Staff that used the order.
6.3 Available orders and the Order Pool
Each army has a limited number of order counters available. The Supreme Commander never needs orders to move.
The Army Structure Tables specify how many orders are Independent Units may need separate orders to move. See
available during a given scenario. This number may be altered the Army Structure Table for details.
according to the Turn Track. Available orders not currently
on the map are kept stored in each side’s “Order Pool” printed Orders may also be used to place destination markers.
on the Army Structure Table. Placing a Destination marker cost two orders.
6.4 Getting New Orders 6.9 Getting Rid of Orders
In most cases the fresh Orders for the Order Pool are placed At the start of a Command Phase any commander can burn
where the Supreme Commander is. During his Command (return to the order pool) all orders he is stacked with.
Phase a player may take order counters from his Order Pool
and place them on the map in accordance with the game spe-
cific rules. Should the Order Pool be empty no new orders
can be placed.
6.5 Moving Individuals
All Individuals - Commaders and Orders - move during the
Movement Phase, counting MPs as Units do. All Individuals
have 8 MP and may always move unless they belong to a cer-
tain stack, see below.
Example - Orders
6.6 Individuals and the Enemy In his Command Phase, playing Bailen the French Player
Individuals moving on their own may never enter hexes rolls to place new orders on the map. Dupont is at his HQ
containing enemy Units. (+1DRM) and rolls a 5, for a total of 6. Consulting the New
Orders table, the result is three new orders. However, there
If an enemy Unit enters the hex of a commander not stacked are only two orders in the French Order Pool. The two or-
with a unit the commander (or commanders) will displace to ders are placed on the map stacked with Dupont, who will
any one adjacent hex free of enemy Units (save for the hex the have to live without the third order.
enemy Units entered from). Any orders with the commander
are lost and returned to the order pool. During the Movement Phase, the French player has Dupont
send one of the orders to Gobert at Bailén and the other to
If an enemy Unit enters a hex containing one or more orders Barbou at Arjonilla. The order for Gobert leaves Dupont’s
and nothing else, roll one die to see if the order has been stack in Andújar and moves its full 8 MPs (16 hexes) along
intercepted. If the enemy force has cavalry (even an icon) the the main road toward Bailén but cannot quite reach the
order will be intercepted on a roll of 3-6, if not on a roll of town, remaining on the road until next turn.
5-6. An intercepted order is returned to the order pool. An
unintercepted order will displace to any adjacent hex free of The other order can make it all the way to Arjonilla in the
enemy Units (save for the hex the enemy Units entered from). same phase and stacks with Barbou. The French player
An order trying to move through an EZoC without any chooses use the order to activate Barbou immediately. The
friendly Units is intercepted using the same method as above, order is removed from the map and returned to the French
but does not have to displace. Roll for each EZoC entered. Order Pool. Barbou’s command then moves down the road
toward Arjona.

NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick 5

7. Zones of Control 8. Stacking
Zones of Control (ZoCs) represent a The number of counters/units that may occupy a certain
Unit’s ability to affect enemy movement hex is known as stacking limit. Each game will have its own
around them. The ZoCs of enemy Units stacking limit. Stacking is enforced at the end of each stack’s
are called Enemy Zones of Control movement. The player can arrange the Units in his stacks any
(EZoCs). way he likes. Game markers never affect stacking.

Cavalry (including Units with Cavalry Icons) extend ZoC Regardless of game specific rules any number of individuals
into adjacent Open terrain hexes. Artillery Units (not icons) may stack in a hex, as well as one HQ.
extend ZoC into adjacent Clear terrain hexes (note the
difference: clear, not open). Infantry Units with skirmisher It is perfectly ok to use the “division images” on the Army
icons extend ZoC into adjacent Closed and Fortified terrain Structure Table as holding boxes for each division and just let
hexes only. See the Terrain Effects Table for more details on the Staff be on the map.
who has ZoC where.
Player’s may only examine a stack belonging to the other
Some hex edges block ZoC. With the exception of artillery players if he has a cavalry unit next to the stack. Looking
across rivers units cannot project ZoC across such features. under status markers and orders is always allowed, though.

Furthermore: See the road movement rules (10.4) for further stacking rules.
• A hex can be in both friendly ZoCs and EZoCs simultane-
ously. 9. Unit Status
• Multiple ZoCs have no additional effect. Units can be in one of four statuses. Units that are neither
• Friendly ZoCs or Units do not have any effect on EZoCs, Resting, Spent or Disordered are known as being in Good
except when tracing supply. Order and can for all purposes function normally. Note that
• Friendly ZoCs does not extend into hexes with Friendly being out of command or supply is not considered to be a
Units in. status.
7.1 ZoC Effects
• Units Pay +1 movement point to leave an EZoC. This Units in different statuses can co-exist in one hex.
includes when moving into combat. 9.1 Resting Units
• Non-combat Units may never enter EZoC unless Resting Units are busy recovering and reorganizing
accompanied by a combat Unit. Individuals may move into themselves. Units are marked as resting during the player’s
EZoC under the same premises as combat Units. Recovery Phase and the marker is removed during the player’s
• When entering EZoCs orders are subject to being next Recovery Phase. A resting Unit may not move or attack.
intercepted (see 6.6). Should it be attacked it ceases being Resting and is disordered
• EZoCs affect supply trace. before combat begins. Resting Units have no ZoC.
• Retreating Units take one extra step loss for each EZoC
hex retreated into after the first. 9.2 Spent Units
• Anytime a Unit enters an EZoC the enemy Unit may react Spent Units have reacted to enemy movement. Spent markers
(unless it is disordered or resting). are removed at the end of the player’s Recovery Phase (Roll
as for disordered units at night.). A spent Unit may not move
or attack. Should a Spent unit or stack be attacked it remains
Spent and suffers one extra hit during the combat regardless
of the outcome. Spent Units have ZoC.
9.3 Disordered Units
Disordered Units have suffered damage and are in disarray.
Units can recover from disorder at during a player’s Recovery
Phase if the player can roll equal or less than either the best
Quality Rating or Leadership Rating in the stack using one
die. Add one to the roll if in an enemy ZoC. A disordered
stack may only move one hex during the friendly tactical
movement phase but need to expend an order or succeed us-
ing initiative to do so. If it attacks or is attacked it fights with
halved strength and its Quality Rating reduced by one.

Disordered Units have no ZoC. Road movement is impossible

through a disordered Unit.
If an already disordered Unit suffers another disorder result it
remains just disordered.

6 NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick

 10.5 Fords and Bridges
10. Movement The system makes no difference between fords and bridges. A
During his movement phases, the phasing player can use unit crossing a major or minor river at a ford or bridge may
orders and initiative to move as many or as few stacks of take advantage of the ford or bridge regardless if using the
Units as he wants. He can move each moving Unit as far as road in the hex entered or not. A stack of units crossing a
he wants within the limits of each Unit’s movement points. major or minor river at a ford or bridge may take advantage of
Once a unit or stack of unts has started moving it must finish the bridge or ford but must must pay the full regular cost for
its move before any other stack or unit can start moving, entering the hex on the other side of the river.
(Exception:10.7 Entering Combat.)
10.6 Forced Marching
There are two movement classes in this system: foot and cart. Before a player starts moving a stack he may declare that the
Foot includes HQs, staffs, infantry and cavalry Units; Cart all stack or part of it will make a “forced march.” For each Forced
trains, and artillery Units. The Terrain Effects Chart shows March, roll one dice and add the marching Unit’s Quality Rat-
which terrain that affect what types in what way. ing. For each point rolles above five the Unit gains ½ move-
ment point. Do not round this roll as half points may be used
A stack or Unit marked as Disordered may only move in the
if the terrain (roads) permits it. If the force marcher is a cav-
Friendly Tactical Movement Phase and must expend an order
alry only Unit or stack add two to the die roll.
to do so. Resting and Spent Units may not move at all.
10.1 How to Move Units An entire formation may force march as one Unit using
For a Unit or a stack to move it must be given an order or act the highest Quality Rating of the formation. In that case all
under initiative. Once under orders or initiative the Units in Units of the formation (including its staff ) each gain the extra
a stack may be moved in different directions. All movement movement points. This means that a road moving command
must follow a contiguous path through the hex grid. The player strung out along a road only need to roll once for forced
moves his Units individually or as stacks and pays movement marching. No unit may move faster than the unit providing
points (MPs) to enter new hexes. The cost to cross a hexside the Quality Rating, though.
and enter a hex is shown in the Terrain Effects Table. Example - Forced Marches
Units must have the requisite MPs to enter a hex, but a Unit Massena’s division is rushing towards Castiligione. The best
under orders can always move one hex, regardless of the Unit in the division is the 14th with a Quality Rating of four.
movement point cost involved. Still, such movement cannot Rolling one dice the player rolls a five for a total of nine, four
be through impassable hexsides or into terrain the Unit may points higher than five. Two full MPs are added to the move-
not enter. ment rates of all Massena’s Units.

Unless specifically allowed in a given game, Units cannot 10.7 Entering Combat
conduct any sort of off-map movement. Units cannot enter enemy occupied hexes except to fight.
Entering the enemy stack’s hex costs nothing extra but may
10.2 Movement Rates not be done using road movement. If the defending Unit has
All Units move at fixed movement rates. A Unit cannot save
a ZoC the attacker must pay to leave the ZoC before entering
unused movement points or transfer them to another Unit.
the hex of the Unit. Resolve the combat the as soon as the
10.3 Leaving ZoC stack has entered the hex.
Units pay +1 movement point to leave an EZoC. This includes
when moving into combat. It is legal for a Unit to halt just before entering combat and
wait for other Units of the same Command to “catch up” -
10.4 Road Movement move into the unit’s hex so they can all attack together. The
A Unit following a road to enter a given hex pay the road
newly created stack will have the movement points of the unit
movement cost and ignore the MP costs of the hex entered
with the fewest remaining MPs.
or hexside crossed. Only one Unit using road movement may
end its move in any given hex, but a unit that has previously 10.8 Heroic Crossing
used road movement may pay normal “off road“ MP costs to Individuals may spend their entire movement allowance to
enter a hex of unit that has moved by road. Units may not use cross an otherwise impassable hexside, such as a major river.
road movement to enter a hex of a Unit that have used road
movement, or hexes with disordered Units in them.
Example - Road Column
Two units are lined up on a good road. Both have been given
orders to move. Knox moves first, spending half a movement 1/2
point to enter the wooded hex, using the road. Then Paget
moves down the road, paying one half movement point
to enter the first hex. To enter the wooded hex with Knox,

1/2 +2
Paget canot use the road. Hence Paget has to pay the two
movement point cost of entering a wooded hex.

NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick 7

11. Destination Markers 12. Initiative
Once all Movement by orders are done
Destination markers represent the fact that most people can
remember a destination and head for it for several days. One order Commands and Units wishing to move
can in effect last for days as long as nothing unexpected happens. without orders may try to do so by us-
ing initiative. Units and Commands that
Destination markers can only be used by Commands able to moved using orders may not move again
do so according to the Army Structure Table. in the same turn using initiative.

At the end of the command phase a commands’ Destination 12.1 Initiative Ratings
All Units capable of using Initiative have an Initiative Rating
Marker may be placed anywhere on the map provided two
printed in an orange circle on the counter. To successfully
orders are expended and the command is not out of supply.
act on initiative the player must roll equal or higher than the
The orders expended may be located either at the staff of the
number on the counter using two dice. If he succeeds the
Command involved or its Superior Commander.
commander or Unit may then move as if he had used an order
11.1 Placing Destination Markers to move.
Destination markers are always placed with the side showing
a national flag and “Destination” facing up on the table, hid- 12.2 Initiative Failure
Should an initiative-roll result in “doubles” AND a failed roll
ing who is supposed to go to the marker. When the marker
one order currently on the map (players’ choice) must be
is placed the player may also place a Dummy Destination
Marker anywhere else on the map in order to hide his true returned to the order-pool. If there are no orders on the map
the order pool is reduced by one order.
intentions. Note that Destination Markers may be placed in
what might be considered “enemy territory”. Furthermore, should a player roll “2” on an initiative roll
11.2 Marching the commander or Unit has misunderstood things and is
A command marching towards Destination Markers is known assumed to have come up with some idea of his own. Instead
as being on march. A command on the march is not required of making a normal move, the opposing player may move the
to expend any further orders to move as long as it continues commander and his Units during the phase. The opposing
to march towards its Destination marker. player may move the Units as he sees fit, but may not split
them up or move them adjacent to one of his own Units.
Starting the following movement phase and until the entire Example - Initiative Failure
command reaches the Destination Marker the command While rolling for initiative for Konstantin, the player rolls
must move towards the destination marker during both day- double-ones. Konstantin has blown it. One order is removed
turn movement phases. The command must take the shortest from the map and returned to the order pool. The other
route available via road (in hexes) without using forced player then gleefully decides to march Konstantin’s beloved
marches. A command on march may not attack, but might Guards back the way it just came instead of heading for the
use tactical “Hurry Up Boys“ moves. battle Konstantin’s player was trying to reach.
11.3 Removing Destination Markers
Destination Markers, real or otherwise, are never removed Why no straggling? Because in at this scale you don’t lose battalions
by the actions of enemy Units. A friendly Destination Marker worth of people. Instead you lose speed while you wait for people to
can only be removed by the command expending an order catch up. The problem is either somehow below the scale or above
in the Command Phase, or the instant the fiirst unit of the it. I’m considering adding a “fail” result on the forced march scale,
command reaches the Destination Marker. When this but that will have to wait. For now the system shows that good
happens one Dummy Destination Marker must be removed troops are faster. The regular slog will be slightly less than 20.000
as well. meters per day, a fair pace indeed. Most of the time it will be slower
thanks to traffic jams or the lack of orders.
A command on march that reacts (by initiative or by ceasing
moving) to enemy attacks or troops blocking its way instantly
has its Destination Marker removed from the map. When this
happens one Dummy Destination Marker must be removed
as well. The same hods true should the command become
marked out of supply.

Example - Destinations
Marmont expends two orders to get Clausel going. One
order used was stacked with Marmont himself and the
other with Clausel. He places Clausel’s destination marker
at Los Arapiles and, to keep the British player in the dark,
he places a dummy destination marker at Arapile Chico.

8 NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick

13. Reaction 14. Tactical Movement
During the movement phases, the instant a moving Phasing After regular movement and initiative movement first the
Unit enters the EZoC of a Good Order Non-Phasing enemy non-phasing and then the phasing player may make tactical
stack the enemy stack may react by expending an order or moves. Units or stacks making tactical moves may move
sucessfull rolling for initiative. A reacting stack may instantly one hex, into any kind of terrain it may enter during regular
move its full normal movement (including forced marches movement. If a stack enters a hex with enemy Units in a
and attacks) and is then marked as Spent. During a phase a combat will immediately ensue (The attack will count as being
given stack may only try to react once to the movement of any Hasty.). Tactical movement might take place at night.
one stack. If it fails an initiative roll it may ty again if another Enemy Tactical Phase
enemy stack moves near it. A Spent stack may not react again. All Good Order Non-Phasing Player Units that are part of a
command that has at least one Unit adjacent to either an en-
Reacting or retreating Units does not trigger reactions.
emy Unit or the Non-Phasing Supreme Commander (includ-
Example - Reaction ing the Commander himself ) may move one hex.
Another French unit move up next to Korff ’s cavalry (that Friendly Tactical Phase
has a ZoC) and Korff ’s player decide it is time to leave All Good Order Phasing Player Units that are part of a com-
before Korff is surrounded. He tells the French player he mand that has at least one Unit adjacent to either an enemy
wishes to react and expend an order Korff has saved for Unit or the Phasing Supreme Commander (including the
special occations. After Korffs troopers have moved clear Commander himself ) may move one hex.
out of the way and been marked as spent, the French units
resume moving. 14.1 Who may not make tactical moves?
None of the following may make tactical moves.
13.1 Cavalry Reaction • Stationary HQ units.
Regardless of phase, a stack made up of only Good Order cav- • Resting units.
alry units may react the instant it is attacked without using • Spent units.
orders or initiative. The reaction in this case may only be to
move one hex away from the attacker and the cavalry is not • Marching units (Exception, see below).
marked as Spent. All other reaction rules still apply. Should
a cavalry unit retreat away from the same stack a third time • Out of Command units unless they are adjacent to the
during the stacks move, the cavalry unit is marked as Spent. Phasing Supreme Commander.

• Disordered units. Note that if one order is spent a stack

of disordered phasing Units may move also move one hex
during the Friendly Tactical Phase, including into combat.
14.2 “Hurry Up Boys”
Instead of triggering any other tactical moves a Supreme
commander may make all Units moving along a road move
one hex provided he is stacked with one of them and they all
remain together in one long chain. This might include com-
mands marching towards Destination Markers.
14.3 Impassable Hexsides
Units separated by impassable hexsides do not count as adja-
cent for the purpose of triggering tactical moves, unless the
impassable hexside is crossed by a road, bridge or ford.

NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick 9

15. Combat A note on odds. You can get fairly good results attacking at 3-2
odds and that might strike people as odd. Wargames often rely on
Combat in this system is conducted during movement. One the 20th-century tactical notion that “four to one is a good ratio”
or more units enter the hex they wish to attack and conduct but there were no battles fought at such odds in the Napoleonic
combat. Attacks may be any time during movement, but a era. Because, if you bring 8000 men to fight 2000 you will push the
stack must end its movement (and its attacks) before the next other guy back by sheer numbers. The smaller force can simply be
stack can move or attack. A hex or stack of enemy units may outflanked in ways it can’t prevent and will be forced to fall back
be attacked any number of times during a turn. Units can to preserve itself. The best way for a good, small force to avoid this
move through other friendly units to attack. problem was often to counterattack the larger, lower quality force.

An attacker must pay normal movement costs to enter the

hex he wishes to attack. At no extra movement point cost, a 15.3 Modifiers to the Die Roll
stack can conduct a Hasty Attack. At a two movement point Quality
cost, a stack can conduct a Deliberate Attack. Compare the Quality Rating of each side’s leading Unit and
A unit or stack can always enter and attack a hex it starts its apply that difference as a modifier to the dice roll.
move next to, regardless of the movement point cost involved. Leadership
(This of course provided that the attacker is allowed to enter Compare the Leadership Rating of each side’s acting
the hex using regular movement.) commander and apply that difference as a modifier to the
dice roll. Units must be stacked with either their own Staff
15.1 Combat Procedure or the army’s Supreme Commander to count the Leadership
Once a stack has entered a hex first the attacking and then
Rating.
the defending player designates a leading Unit to provide a
Quality Rating for the combat. The attacker then determines Skirmishers
the combat’s odds and locates the correct odds column on the Compare the number of skirmisher icons on each side. The
Combat Results Table. Then he rolls one die and modifies side with the most icons add or subtracts one in his favour
the roll according to the tactical situation. The players then from the die roll.
read the result from the Combat Result Table and apply it. 15.4 Combat Results
15.2 Determine Odds The Combat Results Table gives results that affect the attacker
To determine the combat odds, compare the total modified (left of slash), the defender (right of slash), or both. The results
attacking strength with the total modified defending strength. show the number of hits suffered either as disorder, steps to
Neither Attacker nor Defender can withhold strength or lose or hexes to be retreated. Execute the results immediately,
Units from the combat. Divide both numbers by the smaller starting with the attacker’s result.
number of the two. Apply the rounding rule to the results
• A stack may only suffer disorder once (Including the
and express the two numbers as a ratio Attacker to Defender.
disorder caused by retreating more than one hex.).
(For instance: the attacker’s strength is 9 and the defender’s
• An attacker may only take his first hit as a retreat. All other
strength is 4. The odds round to 2 to 1.)
hits must be taken as steps lost, unless one hit is converted
A Unit defending in or attacking into a certain type of to a disorder result. Should the attacker chose to retreat
terrain might be “x2,”or such meaning in that case that Unit’s his stack is returned to the hex he came from and may
strength is multiplied by two. Normally only the terrain of the not continue moving. If the attacker retreats the defender
defender’s hex and the hexside between the attacker and the suffers one less hit.
defender affects combat. If both a hexside and a hex affect • The defender may take his hits as any mix of steps and
combat count both of them for strength calculation. If two retreats and one disorder. If the defender vacates the hex
terrain effects are in conflicting the defender choses which the attacker may keep on moving if it has MP’s left, once the
one to use. retreating is done.
• If both sides wish to remain in a hex another round of
Odds columns are limited to those printed on the Combat combat is fought.
Results Table. Resolve attacks at odds worse than the 1-3 15.5 Step Losses
column on that column. Resolve attacks at odds better than A hit may be taken as a step lost (by “flipping”) one of the
the 4-1 column on that column. Units involved in the combat. The first step lost must always
• If the combat takes place in close terrain shift the odds be taken from the leading Unit. The same Unit my not be
column one column to the left. “stepped twice” in a row but may take “every other hit”. Units
• If the combat takes place in fortified terrain shift the odds with only one step are obviously destroyed after taking one
column two column to the left. step loss.
• If the attack is Deliberate, shift the odds column one col-
umn to the right. Step losses are always suffered before any retreats.

The shifts are cumulative.

10 NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick

 15.6 Retreats 15.8 Combat Special Cases
Hits may be taken as hexes to retreat. The first hex retreated
into must be either (for an attacker) the hex which the at- • Units with zero strength value can attack together with
tacker entered the hex from, or (for the defender) one of the other non-zero strength Units. Such Units can help by add-
three hexes opposite from where the attacker entered the hex. ing leadership or icon effects, (but not Quality Rating) and
Further retreats must be carried out according to the follow- they can take step losses.
ing priorities: • Any orders left alone because all Units in their hex were
eliminated are returned to the order pool.
• Away from the attacker and any other enemy stacks.
• Along roads.
• Towards the stack’s trains or supply source. Combat Results Examples
“A Unit may not retreat more hexes than its normal move-
1/1 can for instance be resolved as:
ment rate (that is: infantry can retreat a maximum of three
• The attacker retreats one hex. The defender suffers no loss.
hexes). Excess hits must be taken as step losses. Slower parts
• The attacker suffers one step loss. The defender retreats.
of stacks may be killed off to allow other units to get away as
• The attacker is disordered. The defender suffers one step
long as rule 15.5 is observed.
loss. A new round must be fought.
• A retreating stack that enters a closed or fortified hex
1/2 can for instance be resolved as:
without following a road suffers one extra step loss for each
• The attacker retreats one hex. The defender is disorderd.
such hex entered.
• The attacker is disorderd. The defender retreats two hexes
• If your retreat crosses an unbridged minor river hexside
and is disordered.
all cart class units in the retreating stack must be destroyed.
• The attacker is disorderd. The defender is disordered and
• If your retreat runs through more than one EZoC you will
retreats one hex.
take one extra step loss for each EZCO hex entered after
• The attacker retreats one hex. The defender retreats one
the first.
hex.
• Stacks that retreats two or more hexes are disordered if
• The attacker suffers one step loss. The defender suffers one
they were not already disordered brefore the retreat.
step loss and is disordered. A new round must be fought.
Stacks may not split up during retreats. If all paths of retreat
are blocked, a stack may not retreat. 3/0 can for instance be resolved as:
• The attacker suffers one step loss, is disordered and retreats
Retreats may pass through friendly units without any ill one hex. The defender suffers no loss.
effects. • The attacker suffers three step losses. The defender suffers
no loss. A new round must be fought.
Yes, these rules allow players to choose long retreats before certain
destruction. Liberal as this might seem it shows that formations 2/2 can for instance be resolved as:
facing overwhelming odds usually have the sense to pull out before • The attacker suffers two step losses. The defender suffers
they are crushed. Not that there are any wars won by constantly two step losses. A new round must be fought.
pulling out and your units will get disordered, but yes, the option • The attacker retreats one hex and suffers one step loss. The
is there. defender suffers a step loss.

15.7 Crossing Rivers And Mountains 0/4 can for instance be resolved as:
Deliberate attacks crossing a Minor River (bridged or not) • The attacker suffers no loss. The defender suffers two step
only suffer the terrain effect of the Minor River during the losses, is disordered and retreats one hex.
first round of attack. On subsequent combat rounds of a • The attacker suffers no loss. The defender sufffers one step
deliberate attack the attacking units are assumed to have loss and retreats three hexes. He is then disordered, but the
crossed the river and ignore its effects. player wanted it that way

Deliberate attacks crossing a Bridged Major River only suffer

the terrain effect of the Major River during the first two
rounds of attack. On the third and subsequent combat rounds
of a deliberate attack the attacking units are assumed to have
crossed the river and ignore its effects.

Mountain hexsides can not normally be crossed, but if

crossed by a road they can be attacked across as if they were
a major river.

NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick 11

Combat Example - Raging Marines
Due to a sizzling six on the force march roll the Guard The French have a strength of 1+2 = 3 (The attacking cavalry
Marines and their cavalry friends have five and a half MP to is not doubled in hills.)
spend in teaching Felix Jones’ Division a lesson and opening The Spanish have a strength of 3 = 3 (The staff has no own
the Madrid Road as well. strength.)
3 to 3 equals 1-1 odds. The terrain is open, but thanks to
the deliberate attack the column get shifted one step to the
right to 3-2.
The French gets a +2 modifier for the superior quality of
the guardsmen (4 vs 2). The Spanish gets a -1 for having
Jones there to lead them and another -1 for having the most
skirmisher icons. The net modifer is 0.

First Attack The roll is a four, meaning a 1 / 2 result. The French player,
The Marines and cavalry spend two MP (one MP for the who must decide first, decides to take his hit as a Step Loss
hex, one MP for leaving the Santiago Cavalry’s ZOC) to and since the Marines brought their Quality Rating to bear,
enter the clear hex of the Guadix Militia and the Santiago they must suffer. But with a smirk the player reveals that the
Cavalry. The Spanish player can not react to leave the hex reduced Marines have the same ratings as the fresh ones.
becase the stack need an order to do so. (Had the cavalry The Spanish player then takes two hits by flipping Jones and
been alone it could have had auto-reacted out of harm’s retreating both his units across the river.
way.) Battle is joined.
The French player cannot do anything with his remaining
The French have a strength of 1+(2x2) = 5 (cavlary doubled half movement point so the move is over.
in clear terrain.)
The Spanish have a strength of 1+1 = 2
5 to 2 rounds up to 3-1 odds. The terrain is open and
therefore there is no shift to the odds column.
The French gets a +3 modifier for the superior quality of the
guardsmen (Guardsmen 4 vs Santiago 1). The net modifer
is +3.

The French player rolls a two and adds three giving a total of Enemy (Spanish) Tactical Phase
five reading - / 3 on the Combat Results Table. The Spanish The Spanish player contemplates his chances of striking
player elects to takes his three hits by becoming disordered back across the stream. As much as he wants the French
(one hit) and retreats two hexes (two hits). The retreat takes dead, he doesn´t feel too comfortable about the 1-2 attack
both the units into the hill/rough hex across the Escobar (3 halved over minor river to 1,5 vs 3) at +/-0. On a roll of
stream. Jones’ stack is not affected by the retreat through his six he would cause a hit on the French. And be forced to take
hex, but as there are disordered units in the hill/rough hex at least one hit himself. If Spanish player had been able to
the road there is not usable for road movement. order the Guadix and the cavalry to join in the attack would
hit at 2 vs 3 giving the Spanish player is a fifty-fifty chance
of hurting the French.

The Spanish player decides to let the French come to him.

He is on the Frenchman’s road, after all.

Friendly (French) Tactical Phase

The French player badly needs to open the road. He
Second Attack contemplates his chances.
The Marines and the Horsemen spend three more MP
to enter Jones’ hill hex (one MP for the hex and two for a The French have a strength of (1/2)+(1(/6) = 0,883 (Both
deliberate attack - these guys are playing it safe and there is halved for the river, the cavalry further reduced by rough.)
no way they can get into the hex of the disordered units for The Spanish have a strength of 3+(1/2)+(1/6) = 3,66 (The
a third attack, anyway). The stack has now spent five out of disordered units are halved, the cavalry further reduced by
five and a half MP. Jones cannot react as he has no orders rough.)
to spend and for that matter he wants this fight and will not At 1-4 odds, shifted to 1-5 for rough but still resolved on 1-3
even try using his initiative. Again, battle is joined. due to the lack of columns in the table, the French player
decides not to attack. The road is still closed.

12 NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick

16. Reinforcements 17. Resting and Rebuilding
Reinforcements are Units that enter after play begins. They Units may recover from step losses or from being eliminated
are placed on or next to the map at the beginning of the by using Recovery Points. Recovery Points are either received
movement phase according to the Table of Arrivals and on certain turns or by random events.
Events. Reinforcements always enter supplied.
17.1 Resting Procedure
Reinforcements entering the map are under orders and are In order to recover a step loss a unit must start the Recovery
assumed to have already spent enough orders for all Units Phase not disordered and in command (or next to it’s proper
to enter the map, and may move and attack as in any regular train unit) and it may not be out of supply or in an EZoC.
move. Reinforcements that enter from a road hex may use
road movement. If they do so imagine the road extending off During your Recovery Phase place a Rest Marker on the
the map, if you need to handle any resulting queues. If enemy stack that is to rest. The Recovery Point is spent at this point,
Units block the reinforcement’s entry hexes, the reinforce- though the Unit does not recover immediately. At the start of
ments arrive in any hex within 5 hexes along the map edge. your next Recovery Phase remove the Rest Marker and flip
the Unit to its full strength side.
Reinforcements listed as appearing in a hex just materialize
17.2 Rebuilding Procedure
there. They have no orders to do anything. Reinforcements
Destroyed Units may be rebuilt by using Recovery Points. One
are lost if the hex were the reinforcement was supposed to
Recovery Points rebuilds one eliminated Unit to its reduced
appear is occupied by an enemy unit
side (if any). Place the Unit you wish to rebuild on the next
turn of the turn track and place a rest marker on either the
When the Turn Track tells a player to add or remove a certain
Staff of the Unit’s command or it’s command’s train.
number of Orders from the Order Pool, this is done before
rolling for new orders. If there is no order in the Order Pool
The Staff or train must start the Recovery Phase not being
when an order is called for to be removed, remove one order
out of supply, disordered, or in EZoC. A Staff or Train may
of the player’s choice from the map.
rebuild several units at the same time. The train or Staff may
not move while rebuilding.
17.3 Rest and Combat
Should any unit, staff or tran with a rest marker be attacked it
is disordered before combat begins. The Recovery Point is lost
and the Unit will not recover its lost step.

Tactical Hints
Keep Units Under Orders Move After Combat
Every unit that you intentionally move out of command will Combat never ends movement unless you retreat. Your stack
usually cost at least one order to get back in command. Never can enter the hex it started next to and then move on. Or
forget that. Ever. perhaps enter a new hex to fight another battle, even with the
units you just forced to retreat.
Use Destination Markers
As soon as you know a formation will plow on in the same React - a Lot
direction for more than two turns, place a destination marker. Reaction movement is a good way to interrupt enemy move-
That will save you at least one precious order. ment. Either by simply walking away from an intended target
hex or by striking back. There is nothing stopping you from
Keep Up The Daily Routine reacting by attacking the unit triggering the reaction. And you
As a commander you must start the day at HQ. Then you can will surprise the bejeezus out of your opponent. Just be sure
go touring the battlefield. Make sure you place yourself to get not to get caught Spent in the middle of the enemy army.
those extra moves out of your boys. Then return to the HQ
during the night turn. You don’t want to miss the morning Don’t Panic...
meeting. ...just because you are out of supply. It takes a while before it
hurts. And if he is behind you, you must be behind the guys
Force March behind you!
Force march every time and with everyone that can do it. It
is free and it can’t backfire. It will give an edge to your good
units. They will move faster, be able to attack deliberately and
be able to push on after combat.

NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick 13

 18.3 Train Units
18. Special Units Trains can never attack on their own, but may move along
18.1 HQ Units with an attacking stack.
An HQ can never attack on its own, but may move along with A train defending alone uses its printed strength and quality
an attacking stack. rating.
An HQ defending alone has a Strength of one and a Quality Trains need orders every time they move. They may never
Rating of one. force march, but may carry out tactical moves.
An HQ can only take one hit. A defending HQ that retreats is Destroyed Combat Units may be rebuilt at the train of its
instantly flipped to its moving side. parent command, provided that the train is in supply.
HQ’s have one stationary and one moving side. While
stationary, a HQ need one order to start moving. It is flipped A command that has lost its train can never be in supply.
to its Moving side and can move about freely until the player Train Units represent a formation’s supply trains. They should
decides to park it somewhere by flipping it over to its stationary be thought of as showing the general direction of a formation’s
side at the end of any Friendly Movement or Tactical Phase. logistical trail.

A stationary HQ may not make Tactical Moves. 18.4 Artillery Units

Artillery units function for all purposes as normal combat
A moving or spent HQ never gives any bonuses when rolling
units except that artillery units not stacked with any other
for new orders.
kind of Combat Unit may not attack. During combat the
18.2 Staff Units combat strength of artillery units is added to the combat
A Staff can never attack on its own, but may move along with strength of the stack as were it any other combat unit.
an attacking stack.
During combat both Artillery Icons and Artillery Units may
While defending on its own a staff have a Strength of one and also fire to try to cause additional hits on the enemy. Roll for
a Quality Rating of one. A staff does not add its strength when these hits after rolling for the combat result and add the hits
stacked with other units. Reduced combat staffs still have caused by the guns to each side’s total hits suffered. Check
strength of one. on the artillery table to see what you need to roll to hit with
each firer.
The icons on combat staffs can support – lend their icons - to
any stack of the staff ’s command, provided that that stack is in Artillery may not fire while carrying out a Hasty Attack.
command. Any given icon may only be used once per phase.
Should the supported stack take a hit the staff can suffer the Before firing the firing player may add up the strength of sev-
hit even though it is not in the hex. eral firers to increase his chances of a hit. He may never split
up the strength of unit to get more rolls.
Icons supporting other stacks than the stack the Staff is in do
not get a ZoC because of a supporting icon. Artillery Units have ZoC in Clear terrain. Artillery ZoC’s
extend across both minor and major rivers, even though
major rivers are otherwise considered impassable.
Example - Staff
A command has a Staff with one artillery and one skrimisher Example - Gunnery
icon and has its Units deployed in two hexes. During an A stack with a one-point artillery unit in it makes an
enemy movement phase one of the hexes is attackad and the Deliberate Attack on a stack that has one two-point artilley
controling player decides to use the skirmisher icon to aid unit and two artllery icons. As the defender is in closed
his defense. The artilery icon is saved for now should more terrain the attacker needs to roll a six to hit. A roll of four
attacks materialize during the turn. is a miss. The defender then fires back. As the attack came
from open terrain the artillery hits on four or more and each
There is no horse artillery in the system, as these guns will be icon on six or more. The defender elects to add the to icons
working as icons with cavalry Units. Also I am not sure how to together in one fire. A roll of two fives means two hits and a
handle 100% heavy shock cavalry formations such as the French lot of hurt for the attacker.
Heavy Cavalry Divisions. Those guys did not dart around as scouts
at any rate. We will see when they show up.

14 NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick

19. Supply 20. Night
On turns marked with a barrel (full of grain or brandy) on Night turns carry several penalties.
the turn track a supply check must be made. Mark every
stack that cannot trace a line of supply with an out of supply • No orders are placed.
marker. Units that can trace supply are referred to as being • Units making any movement except tactical moves become
in supply. spent.
• Spent units must roll as if they were disordered in order to
If a stack marked out of supply is still out of supply the next remove the Spent Marker.
supply check, one Unit per command in the stack must be • Cavalry and Artillery have no ZoC.
reduced, i.e. lose one step. Independent Units in a stack may • Artillery may not fire except when defending in fortified
be reduced to satisfy these requirements. This reduction will terrain or firing at an attacker crossing a major river at a
be repeated the next supply check unless the Unit is in supply bridge or ford.
by then. • Night combat is always resolved on the Night Column of
the Combat Results Table. (And yes, that table is a stupid
A marching Command that is marked out of supply instantly
and dangerous lottery. Deal with it.)
loses its Destination Marker (one dummy destination marker
• Retreats at night must follow a continous road starting in
is removed too).
the hex in which the battle was fought. For each hex entered
Each supply check that a HQ finds itself out of supply, one that does not satify this requirement, the retreating stack
Order is permanently removed from its order pool. If there is sufferes one extra step loss.
no order in the Order Pool, remove one order of the player’s • Cavalry Units may not attack.
choice from the map.

A line of supply is traced from a Unit adjacent to a road 21. Victory

or adjacent to a staff adjacent to a road and along that Each game specifies who needs to do what in order to win.
uninterrupted road to the army’s supply source. The road may When computing victory requirements a division is
be of any length. A road cannot be used for supply trace if it destroyed when only one or none of its Units remain on
runs through an enemy unit or an enemy ZoC (unless voided the board. It is still considered destroyed should it later be
by a friendly units in the hex). rebuilt and it does not count as a new destruction should it
A command that has lost its train can never be in supply. be destroyed again. Independent units currently attached to a
division do not matter in these calculations.
The worst problem for units within a four or five-day operation will
be to feed the horses. Unlike men horses cannot be told to hang on In order to capture a hex the player needs to have been the
another day. And feeding horses calls for a lot of sideways movement last player who passed through it with a Combat Unit.
to graze, something that will affect speed. Also ammunition will
not be that much of an issue. One cart can re-supply a battalion.
I recall reading about some cut-off French Unit in Italy that sent - My business is to succeed, and I’m good at it. -
a message to Berthier along the lines of “have biscuits and bullets,
please send some brandy.” Don’t know what to make out of that at
the moment.

The ealiest period this system is suited for is probably around each other. What the purist from one camp or the other may say
when higher formations were invented. For instance, the otherwise about that is another thing, but I don’t care. I know as little about
murderous Swedish army of the early 18th century had no the Franco-Prussian War or the American War of Independence,
organization at all above battalion, something that will make the but they might be doable too. And perhaps Wellesley in India?
order thing here a bit tricky to use. It also makes for dull games as Some other colonial thing? Some bloodbath in 19th century Latin
you will mostly have two stacks chasing each other. And in most America? The Seventh Year War?
cases it will be only one side doing the chasing. But the trick might
be to pick the right campaigns. The latest period is probably when A problem ahead is army size. This system will work nicely for fluid
sheer numbers makes the whole thing a bore. My rough guess is situations with small armies. Arguably that will be fine. We can
that you can make the Boer War interesting, but not the Russo- do Napoleon in Italy or Jackson in the Valley. Great military porn.
Japanese war of 1905. But there are bigger, just as interesting things. A scale-shift might
do the trick, as doing 1813 with brigades sounds pretty scary. Also
I don’t see much of a problem using this system for the American the combat system might be overtaxed and the multiple levels of
Civil War. There will be no skirmishers in 1865, as everybody has command will make things complicated. 1813 saw army groups
them and cavalry will be worthless, but that is about it. Hordes of fighting, and that might be a bit heavy.
infantry with tons of guns. A bit like Russian armies of 1812 fighting

NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick 15

 Index Disordered L R Supply 19.0
combat result 15.4 Leadership ratings 5.2 Random events 4.0 reinforcements and 16.0
A retreats and 15.6 combat and 15.3 Reaction 13.0–13.1 Supply checks 19.0
Ability icons Displacement of individuals 6.6 disordered units 9.3 cavalry 13.1 Supporting icons 18.2
supporting 18.2 Divisions Leading units 15.1, 15.5 Rebuilding 17.2 Supreme commander
types of 1.4 destroyed 21.0 Lines of supply 19.0 out of command units and 5.3 And orders 6.4
Adjacent units Dummy destination markers 11.1, Recovering from disorder 9.3 definition 5.1
ombat and 15.0 11.3 M Recovering from spent 9.2 destination markers and 11.0
impassable terrain and 14.3 Map 1.2 Recovery phase 3.2, 17.0–17.3 Movement 6.8
Army Structure Table 5.0 E Markers 1.4 unit status and 9.1–9.3 tactical movement and 14.0
destination markers and 11.0 Eliminated units 17.2 stacking and 8.0 Recovery points 17.0–17.3
Artillery 18.4 Enemy tactical phase 3.2, 14.0 Minimum move 10.1 Reinforcements 16.0
T
movement 10.0 Enemy units Mountains Tables 1.1
Removing destination markers 11.3
ZoCs 7.0 ines of supply and 19.0 combat and 15.7 Tactical movement 14.0–14.3
Rest markers 17.1–17.2
Artillery fire reinforcements and 16.0 Movement 10.0–10.8 disordered units 9.3
Resting 9.1
night-time 20.0 Examing enemy stacks 8.0 after combat 15.4 Tactical phase 3.2, 14.0
recovering steps 17.1
EZoCs (Enemy Zones of Control) combat and 15.0 Terrain 1.2
Retreats 15.6
B 7.0–7.1 destination markers and 11.2 combat and 15.2
combat results and 15.4–15.6
Blocked reinforcement entry hexes disordered units and 9.3 disordered units 9.3 movement and 10.1
HQs and 18.1
16.0 lines of supply and 19.0 HQs 18.1 mulitple types in single hex 2.4
night-time 20.0
Blocking terrain 7.0 movement cost 7.1 into combat 10.7 retreats and 15.6
reaction and 13.0
Bridges movement into combat and 10.7 minimum 10.1 victory and 21.0
Rivers
adjacent units and 14.3 order interception and 6.6 night-time 20.0 ZoCs and 7.0
artillery fire and 20.0
artillery fire and 20.0 reaction and 13.0 off-map 10.1 Terrain Effects Chart 1.2
combat and 15.7
combat and 15.7 recovery and 17.1 reacting to 13.0 Trains 18.3
command span and 5.3
command span and 5.3 retreats and 15.6 resting units 9.1 movement 10.0
movement and 10.5
movement and 10.5 supply and 7.0 spent units 9.2 rebuilding and 5.3, 17.2
retreats and 15.6
tactical movement and 14.3 stacking and 8.0 supply and 19.0
F ZoCs and 7.0, 18.4
through friendly units 15.0 Turn marker 3.2
C Foot movement 10.0 Road movement 10.4
Turn track 1.3
trains 18.3 combat and 10.7
Captured reinforcement entry hexes Forced march 10.6 orders and 16.0
Movement phase 3.2 command span and 5.3
16.0 trains 18.3 rebuilding units and 17.2
Movement points 10.1 disordered units and 9.3
Capturing a hex 21.0 Fortified terrain supply checks and 19.0
Moving HQs 18.1 reinforcements and 16.0
Cart movement 10.0 combat modifier 15.2
Multiple attacks per hex 15.0 stacking and 10.4
retreats and 15.6 retreats and 15.6
Multiple combat modifiers 15.2
U
Cavalry Friendly tactical phase 3.2, 14.0 Roads Unit status 9.0–9.3
Multiple combat rounds 15.4 lines of supply and 19.0
at night 20.0 disordered unit movement 9.3 multiple statuses in one stack 9.0
and terrain 15.7 night retreats and 20.0
examining enemy stacks and 8.0 Units
G Multiple disorder results 9.3 Rounding 2.2
forced marching 10.6 initial setup 2.3
Game scale 2.1 Multiple modifiers 2.2 Rulebooks 1.1
movement 10.0 types of 1.4
Good order 9.0 Multiple unit statuses in one hex 9.0
order interception and 6.6
ZoCs 7.0
Multiple ZoCs 7.0 S V
H Sequence of play 3.0–3.2 Victory 21.0
Cavalry reaction 13.1
Hasty attacks N Setup of units 2.3
Chain of command 5.0 Night 20.0
Closed terrain
artillery fire and 18.4 Skirmisher icons Z
movement cost 15.0 Non-combat units combat and 15.3 Zero strength units 15.8
combat modifier 15.2 definition 1.4
tactical movement and 14.0 ZoCs 7.0 ZoCs (Zones of Control) 7.0–7.1
retreats and 15.6 EZoCs and 7.1
Heroic crossing 10.8 Spent 9.2 ability icons and 18.2
Combat 15.0–15.8 Non-phasing player 3.0
Hex numbering 1.2 at night 20.0 at night 20.0
artillery and 18.4
Holding boxes 8.0 cavalry reaction and 13.1 disordered units 9.3
disorderd units 9.3 O
HQs 18.1 reaction and 13.0 resting units 9.1
HQs and 18.1 Odds determination 15.2
definition 5.1 Stacking 8.0 spent units 9.2
mountains and 15.7 Off-map movement 10.1
initial setup 2.3 on setup 2.3 See also EZoCs.
movement and 15.0 On march 11.2–11.3
movement 10.0 Orders 6.7
movement into 10.7 Order pool 6.2–6.4, 6.6, 6.8–6.9
stacking and 8.0 road movement and 10.4
multiple attacks per hex 15.0 changes in number of orders
supply and 19.0 unit status and 9.0
night-time 20.0 16.0
tactical movement 14.1 Stacks
recovery and 17.3 initiative rolls and 12.2
“Hurry Up Boys” (tactical move) 14.2 examing opponent’s 8.0
resting units 9.1 insufficient orders in 6.4
destination markers and 11.2 Staffs 18.2
rivers and 15.7 supply and 19.0
ability icons 18.2
spent units 9.2 I Orders 6.1–6.9
And orders 6.7, 6.8
trains and 18.3 Icons, see Ability icons. at night 20.0
combat and 18.2
Combat modifiers 15.2 Impassable terrain 10.1, 14.3 discarding 6.9
definition 5.1
Combat odds 15.2 artillery fire and 18.4 enemy units and 6.2, 6.6, 15.8
destination markers and 11.0
Combat results 15.4 command span and 5.3 HQs and 18.1
lines of supply and 19.0
Combat Results Table 15.2, 15.4, 20.0 individuals crossing 10.8 interception of 6.6
movement 10.0
Combat units In command 5.3, 6.8 movement 6.5
ratings 5.2
definition 1.4 Independent units out of command units and 6.7
rebuilding and 17.2
Command command span and 5.3 reinforcements and 16.0
Stationary HQs 18.1
definition 5.1 definition 5.1 supply and 19.0
Step losses 15.5
Command phase 3.2, 6.9 destroyed divisions and 21.0 Out of command 5.3
combat results and 15.4–15.5
Command span 5.3 orders and 6.8 orders and 6.7
definition 1.4
Commanders 6.1–6.9 supply and 19.0 tactical movement and 14.1
HQs 18.1
enemy units and 6.1, 6.6 Individuals Out of supply 19.0
recovering 17.0–17.3
movement 6.5 enemy units and 6.6 destination markers and 11.0,
staffs 18.2
ratings 5.2 EZoCs and 7.1 11.3
supply and 19.0
Concentrating for combat 10.7 impassable terrain and 10.8 recovery and 17.1
Strength values
Counters 1.4 movement 6.5
P average value 2.1
stacking and 8.0
D Phasing player 3.0 combat and 15.2
types of 1.4 disordered units 9.3
Deliberate attacks Player segment 3.0
Infantry HQs 18.1
combat modifier 15.2
mountains and 15.7
movement 10.0 Q staffs 18.2
Initiative 12.0–12.2 Quality ratings Subordinate commanders
movement cost 15.0
Initiative movement phase 3.2, 12.0 average value 2.1 definition 5.1
rivers and 15.7
Initiative ratings 5.2, 12.1 combat and 15.3 initiative and 5.2
Destination markers 6.8, 11.0–11.3
Initiative roll failures 12.2 disordered units 9.3 Subordinated units
combat and 11.2–11.3
Interception forced marching and 10.6 definition 5.1
enemy units and 11.3
orders 6.6 HQs 18.1
removing 11.3
Destroyed divisions 21.0 staffs 18.2

16 NAPOLEONIC OPERATIONS 2.3 © 2021 By Anders Fager & Gottick