Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

One thing that has never been explored to my knowledge is to use a Token/Chit system of play for our games. While meaning many more emails for the smaller actions it would be fun.

Here is how it works:

1. Each BRIGADE for BOTH sides has its own chit. The chits are held by each commander for his troops. The players will alternate drawing chits.

2. The TURNS in a game are multiplied by the number of BRIGADES per side and that number of TURNS is ADDED to the number and then add in a number such as 10 to give the game some additional action. Use an alternate PDT file and change the number of mins./turn to be a 15/x where x is the number of brigades. If you have over 15 brigades (unlikely but possible) then just use 1 but look the reinforcements over and change their arrival time if needed.

Example: in a short game you have 3 brigades per side. The game is 10 turns long. Thus 6 x 10 is 60 turns.

3. A token/chit is drawn by the FIRST player at the beginning of the game. That Brigade will now move. He does his move, fires, melees, etc. Then he ENDS the player phase. Now the SECOND player responds to this move. This goes on until all tokens have been drawn.

4. As an alternate style of play ... add in more tokens for well known REGIMENTS such as the 57th Ligne or perhaps the Scot's Greys. Be creative.

5. Leader moves: The CinC can move as many times per turn as his COMMAND rating allows but only a total of 5 hexes each time.

6. Supply wagons and any other unit not in a brigade: pick a Brigade that will be the "catch all" brigade. All units not in a brigade move when this brigade moves.

7. Reaction Choice: in lieu of drawing a token the player may decide to PICK a brigade to REACT to the move of his opponent. When that brigade is done moving note it down and then when its token comes up toss it out. This rule can only be invoked ONE time in a turn.

(or you can toss out the entire chit draw and just alternate moving brigades but use the chits to remember which units have moved)

8. For bigger games ... Corps leaders may be used ONE time per round of brigades (basically the one big turn of all units having moved) to move entire divisions. This is called a Division Move. The division must not come to within 10 hexes of a KNOWN enemy unit by that formation. Thus if it cant see a unit 3 hexes away that is spotted by another unit of its army from afar then that unit then the division can perform the Division Move. The sole purpose of this is to MANEUVER. Not attack or come within 10 hexes of a known enemy unit. Use common sense where it has to do with skirmishers and one cav squadron for sake of those that would try and milk the rule. I am assuming that the guys that might want to try this format out are those that like historical play anyway.

I tried to figure out a way to invoke a Interruption rule whereby the moves of a player could be cancelled out but the only way that this can happen is if you play a LAN game, have a simple rule to allow for Interruptions and thus the phasing player would end his move (cavalry counter charges for instance) and the other guy would move his units to intercept the advancing units.

Yes, not many will play this format but I would like to try it out. Contact me if you are interested.

(added by edit):

I noted that of course there will be the Command pre-phase for each turn therefore I may have to lower command ratings to stop the units from reordering every turn. Morale values might also have to be lowered too as a result of this format. All in a alternate OB file of course.

Bill Peters
HPS Napoleonic Scenario Designer (Eckmuhl, Wagram and ... more to come)

[url="http://www.fireandmelee.net"]Fire and Melee Wargame site[/url]

You should check out the Hex game Campaigns on the Danube 1805 & 1809, it is the first Napoleonic era game I have ever played that seems to emulate the vagaries of Unit travel.

Over the course of several games (PBEM and vs AI) units will wander off for no apparant reason, Corps commanders will launch attacks or withdraw without orders, and they will, quite often, completely ignore your orders all together and do nothing. SOmething that is hard to duplicate in our games where a reinforcement % arrival is the only way to emulate the indecisiveness or lack of initiative of a Corps Co. That is not a complaint, just an observation.

It is pretty basic game, but I found that aspect of it enjoyable.


Marechal Mitchell
Duc de Rivoli
Comte de Bordeaux
1er Regiment de Grenadiers a Pied, Veille Garde
1er Division D'Infanterie, I Corps AdN