OPTIONAL RULES FOR WAR AND PEACE

By Mark G. MeLaughlin

A number of political and military events which occurred in Europe
affected the outcome of the campaigns and the wars of Napoleon. Several
scenarios are affected by these events and the following rules allow the
players more leeway and variety in playing the game. As with all
optional rules, all players should agree to them beforehand. 

Scenario Ill-Optional British Invasion 

The British army did not have to invade the marshy, disease-infested
Walcherin island group, it chose to do so. The non-French player need
not commit this blunder and may choose to land in any unoccupied coastal
hex on the board. Units are sup- plied while in a coastal hex and may
trace supplies inland from any major port city which is occupied by red
units. (This rule slightly favors the non-French player's chance for
victory). 

Scenario VIII & IX-Napoleon in Spain 

Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 severely handicapped his marshals
in Spain and doomed their campaign there to ultimate failure. The French
player may assume that Napoleon has not committed his greatest blunder
and use the following rules: In March, 1812, Napoleon, 6 GI and 1 GC
arrive at Bayonne. The French replacement rate is increased to four a
turn and no units or leaders are withdrawn from the French player's
forces, regardless of listings to that effect in the reinforcement
schedule. All other units listed as reinforcements arrive as scheduled. 

The presence of Napoleon in Spain greatly favors the French player and,
politically, would have placed a great strain on the French to maintain
themselves in the rest of Europe. Therefore, to balance the game and
reflect this, the French player must gain an automatic victory through
the conquest of Spain and Portugal by the end of his December, 1813
turn, or the non-French player wins the game. (Massive European
uprisings and the introduction of Russian and other armies would force
the French to retreat from most of the Peninsula and concentrate against
these threats). 

Scenario VIII & IX-No War of 1812 

The War of 1812 with America strained the British effort in the
Peninsula and robbed it of reinforcements and supplies. The non-French
player may assume there is no such war and continues to receive two
English replacement points a turn or the rest of the game. If this rule
is used, however, the non-French must achieve an automatic victory, by
the end of their December, 1813 turn or lose the game (for play-balance
reasons). 

The two options listed above may be combined, in which case the French
victory conditions listed in that option still apply for the French, the
non-French conditions apply to the non-French. any result other than the
automatic victories listed is considered a draw. 

Scenario VII-1815 Southern Front 

This option is listed purely for those who like to kick someone when
he's already down. As if Napoleon didn't have it tough enough there was
a royalist rebellion in the Vendee and threats of Spanish and Portuguese
armies invading France. 

To reflect the southern forces which might have been drawn into the
scenario (all of which were present but never fought due to the brevity
of the campaign) the following forces are added to the scenario.

France: At Tours: 11* At Bayonne: 11* At Toulouse: 21
England: Within one hex of Tours: 2P
English Satellite: At San Sebastian: Leader (0), 51, 1C (Portuguese)
Spanish: At Saragossa: Blake, Cuesta, 61, 2C
Replacements: Each turn 11 Portuguese at San Sebastian, 11 Spanish at 
Saragossa.

Allied Guards

Britain, Prussia and Spain possessed guard regiments of excellent
quality. These units, either due to their deployment in small groups or
to their lack of effect on a campaign have been excluded from the force
pool in WAR AND PEACE. The players may elect, for historical reasons, to
introduce these guards into the game. A Single strength point of each is
provided in this article. 

The British guards have a morale of three, the Prussian and Spanish a
morale of two. They do not use the Imperial Guard rule. They are
deployed in the capital city of their respective countries or with the
largest field army deployed in the setup for the scenario being played,
at the discretion of the owning player. A 11 of regular troops must then
be withdrawn from the game in their place. 

1805 Neutrals 

The Swedes and Neopolitans, listed in the scenario as neutral and
uncreated, respectively, were actually members of the anti-French Third
Coalition. Sweden, under Gustaf The Mad, refused to fight unless Prussia
entered the war, which Prussia refused to do until later on, and pulled
out of the coalition. Naples, a Bourbon kingdom, was conquered without a
fight as its army fled to Sicily. A British division did land and
attempt to contest the kingdom later in the war but, otherwise, the
country peaceably became a French satellite. The players may wish to
ignore the petty bickerings of history and place Naples and Sweden in
the war as anti-French states. Sweden is treated as a Russian satellite.

Naples is an Austrian satellite and receives 1L in fortress, besieged,
in Florence. Once conquered, it becomes the Kingdom of Naples and a
French satellite is created. 

Overland to Finland 

The Russians and Swedes were prepared for and fought over Finland, which
is off the map between St. Petersburg and Stockholm. Players who wish to
do so may traverse Finland between these two points. Units which begin
the turn in St. Petersburg may be removed, temporarily, from play and
placed off the map. They are considered in Finland. Units must remain in
Finland for two turns, after which they can either reappear adjacent to
St. Petersburg or in the Stockholm circle on board three. 

Units which begin the turn in Stockholm may be removed, temporarily,
from play and placed off the map. They are considered in Finland. Units
must remain in Finland for two turns, after which they can either
reappear in the Stockholm circle or in a hex adjacent to St. Petersburg.

Units in Finland take supply as if they were on board four, although the
Russians do not receive the benefit for being in a home country; Swedes
receive the home country attrition benefit. Units which are in Finland
can be considered as adjacent to each other for combat purposes; units
which are forced to retreat in combat in Finland retreat to the point
where they started their move into Finland. Units which traverse Finland
to Stockholm may enter the Stockholm box and fight either a field or
fortress battle, depending on the mode of the units which are already in
the circle. Units may not enter the Stockholm box if they are hostile to
the occupying units without fighting a battle or a siege. Units may be
supplied when they leave Finland by leaving two units behind, in
Finland, for a chain of supplies back to either Stockholm or St.
Petersburg. 

Holland 

The Batavian Republic became the Kingdom of Holland and was given to
Louis Bonaparte, the Emperor's brother, in 1806. It was formally annexed
as part of France in 1810. 

To simulate annexation, anytime in 1810 the French player may take off
all Holland satellite troops from the board and force pool and replace
them, in the force pool, with three regular French infantry strength
points. France can consider Amsterdam as a regular French production
city (instead of, but not in addition to, other French major cities) and
doesn't have to fear for the desertion of Holland to a non-French
player's conquest. 

If Holland is completely conquered (Brussels and Amsterdam) the English
player may form his Holland satellite force (1M, 2L, 51 and 2Q in the
force pool. No French units are removed from play. The French Holland
satellite units are never used again once Holland is annexed. 

NB submitted by John Kula ([email protected])
on behalf of the Strategy Gaming Society
(http://www.boardgamegeek.com/~sgs), 
originally collected by Andrew Webber 
([email protected])