A Clash of Empires
~ The
Historical Overview
It is
The stage is set for
one of the bloodiest and most bitterly contested campaigns of the Napoleonic
era, as two mighty empires clash to decide the fate of central
~ The
CAMPAIGN RULES
FOREWORD
These rules are not designed to cover every situation that may arise throughout the course of playing the campaign. The main aim was to provide a simple way of linking together a series of battles. If a situation arises which the rules do not allow for then you will have to rely on those greatest of Hawk qualities: good sportsmanship and a resolve to put winning second to enjoyment. Any suggestions for improvement will be gladly received for possible future revisions.
HOW TO WIN THE CAMPAIGN
There are six battles to be fought. The main aim is to win those battles with a minimum loss of men and equipment. A record is kept of losses in much the same way as a record of shots is kept in a game of golf. At the conclusion of all six battles the winner of the campaign will be the player who overall lost the least amount of units.
Victory in certain battles will also give the winning player an advantage in a future battle. This can take the form of more troops or enemy reinforcements delayed for longer.
The battles must be played in chronological order as outlined below; there is no specific attacker / defender (this may be modified). Players must act as they think is best.
1. Sacile
2. Abensburg
3. Eckmuhl
4. Aspern Essling
5. Raab
6.
As noted above a victory in one of the battles will put you in a more advantageous position in one of the later engagements. The battles connect in the following way.
Sacile (The armies start with no advantage)
Abensburg (The armies start with no advantage)
Eckmuhl (The winner of Abensburg starts with an advantage)
Aspern Essling (The winner of Eckmuhl starts with an advantage)
Raab (The winner of Sacile starts with an advantage)
You should therefore have 10 maps downloaded to your maps folder:
- Sacile
- Abensburg
- Eckmuhl - Advantage France
- Eckmuhl
- Advantage
- Aspern
Essling - Advantage
- Aspern
Essling - Advantage
- Raab - Advantage France
- Raab
- Advantage
TIME LIMITS
Time
limits play an important part to the game.
Each map has specific rules regarding the arrival of
reinforcements. The time limit before
arrival is noted on the game map next to each contingent. Please note that time limits between
individual contingents on the same map vary so be careful. Players should use the in game clock and may
only move reinforcements once the relevant time period has expired. Reinforcements may move immediately if
attacked by the enemy. I hope that I
have positioned reinforcements in such a way that it easy to spot who can move
when. Contingents with no time limits
may move from the start.
MINIMUM TIME BEFORE WITHDRAWAL
Minimum
Time Before Withdrawal or MTBW is the minimum period of game time that must
expire before either side can withdraw their forces from the battlefield. The reason withdrawal is important is because
if you have lost a battle you need to minimise your casualties so that you can
hopefully recover in a later battle and go on to still be the player who
suffered the least losses and win the campaign.
MTBW varies from map to map and will be recorded on the map in one of
the corners so that both players can see what it is. Of course battle lengths vary and players may
continue long after the MTBW has expired.
To withdraw your troops a player must go to menu and select surrender which instantly stops the game and gives victory to the other player. At this point both players must check and agree the amount of units they have remaining on the field before quitting the screen back to the main menu.
RECORDING THE LOSSES AFTER EACH
Players should record both theirs and their opponents
overall campaign losses on the recording card provided. As you will see the recording card already
notes the starting troop numbers for each battle. Put the number of troops left in the appropriate
column then calculate the difference by subtracting troops remaining from the
starting troops number. There is also a
bonus if you win the battle. The winner
of the battle is the person who did not withdraw their troops first. Subtract the appropriate bonus from your
losses total for that battle. The size
of the bonus depends upon the importance of the battle just fought. Once all six battles are complete total up
the numbers in the total losses column to give an overall losses figure. The person with the least losses wins the
campaign.
~ The
CASUALTY RECORDING CARD
1. Sacile 3,765 - -
200 =
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Abensburg 4,155 - -
200 =
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Eckmuhl
Advantage
Eckmuhl
Advantage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Aspern Essling
Advantage
Aspern Essling
Advantage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Raab
Advantage
Raab
Advantage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.
Advantage
Advantage
TOTAL
CASUALTIES FOR CAMPAIGN = _____________________
~ The
CASUALTY RECORDING CARD
1. Sacile 4,065 - -
200 =
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Abensburg 4,207 - -
200 =
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Eckmuhl
Advantage
Eckmuhl
Advantage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Aspern Essling
Advantage
Aspern Essling
Advantage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Raab
Advantage
Raab
Advantage
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.
Advantage
Advantage
TOTAL CASUALTIES FOR CAMPAIGN =
_____________________
WORKED EXAMPLE
The players in this example have played 1 out of the 6
battles. At Sacile the French player was
left with 1,456 units and the Austrian player with 987 units.
The two figures are recorded in red on the score cards. The French player withdrew their forces first
giving the Austrian player the victory for this battle. The Austrian player is therefore entitled to
the -200 bonus and deducts this from their total.
The workings for the Austrian player are:
4,065 starting troops – 987 troops
remaining = 3078 lost troops – 200 victory bonus = 2878 troops lost
The workings for
3,765 starting troops – 1456 troops
remaining = 2309 troops lost
~ The
CASUALTY RECORDING CARD
1. Sacile 4,065 987 -
200 2878
~ The
CASUALTY RECORDING CARD
1. Sacile 3,765 1456 -
200 2309
~ The
THE
Historical Overview
The invasion of
The Austrian
Situation
Your forces are
deployed in strength along a low ridge line behind rough terrain. You have a large number of infantry
formations and artillery available to you.
Your principle weakness lies in a lack of heavy cavalry and a number of
volunteer units that account for your numerical superiority over the French.
The French
Situation
You have less troops
then your Austrian opponent but they are all of good quality. The enemy has control of a number of villages
that will be hard to capture without sustaining heavy casualties. The reinforcements that you expected will not
arrive in time to affect the outcome of the battle. A division of the Royal Italian guard is
within marching distance and these crack troops will be crucial to winning the
battle.
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 20 mins
~ The
THE
Historical Overview
Whilst the campaign
in
The Austrian
Situation
You control two Corps
of Austrian troops and therefore have large numbers of infantry, cavalry and
artillery. You also control the town of
The French
Situation
You are advancing on
three fronts against a numerically superior enemy. Your troops are of good quality and you have
a number of heavy cavalry divisions available to you. Heavily defended villages will prove costly
to capture and should be avoided.
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 20 mins
~ The
THE
ADVANTAGE
Historical Overview
French victory at
Abensburg has pushed the Austrian forces back towards the
The Austrian
Situation
You are in a strong
defensive position with towns that can be garrisoned and fortified on either
flank. You have superiority in numbers
until the French reinforcements arrive.
The cautiousness of Archduke Charles means that you will not receive any
reinforcements, yet you control thousands of bayonets and the ability to win a
victory and seize back the initiative.
The French
Situation
You have pinned the
enemy to a defensive position and now need to destroy them utterly. Reinforcements are en route including some
divisions of the Imperial Guard. Until
they arrive however you are facing a stronger enemy in a good defensive
position. If you wait to long before
attacking the enemy, however, you may find that they slip away with minimal
casualties.
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 25 mins
~ The
THE
ADVANTAGE
Historical Overview
Napoleon has failed
to seize the initiative by losing the battle of Abensburg. The Austrian forces have converged on Eckmuhl
where the over cautious Archduke Charles has adopted a defensive position with
a large contingent of the Austrian army. Marshal Davout has pursued the retreating
Austrians but poor intelligence and scouting has allowed him to become isolated
from the bulk of the French army.
The Austrian Situation
You are in a strong
defensive position with towns that can be garrisoned and fortified on either
flank. You have superiority in numbers and
an isolated French corps deployed in front of your position. Your scouts report that French reinforcements
are en route but some distance away yet.
The French
Situation
You must hold your
position until reinforcements are available.
Although precarious at present your situation is still strong. Your troops are of good quality and if you
can wear down the Austrians your reinforcements can sweep them from the
field.
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 25 mins
~ The
THE
ADVANTAGE
Historical Overview
Victory at Eckmuhl
has forced the Austrian army to withdraw en masse behind the river
The Austrian Situation
You are in command of
the entire Austrian army and have a wonderful opportunity to smash a vastly
inferior French force led by Napoleon himself.
The French are deployed around their bridgehead at Aspern Essling and
have the benefit of two villages to defend.
Your army is arriving piecemeal a due to the speed with the French
forded the river. Delay, however, may
allow the bridge to be repaired and the French to withdraw.
The French
Situation
You must hold the
bridge head at all costs. Your advantage
lies in the fact that you have at your disposal some of your best troops and
two villages that can be garrisoned and defended. Your lightning crossing of the
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 30 mins
~ The
THE
ADVANTAGE
Historical Overview
Even though they won
a victory at Eckmuhl the Austrians decide to withdraw en masse behind the river
The Austrian Situation
You are in command of
the entire Austrian army and have a wonderful opportunity to smash a vastly
inferior French force led by Napoleon himself.
The French are deployed around their bridgehead at Aspern Essling and
have the benefit of two villages to defend.
Thanks to your orderly retreat the army is arriving en masse and it will
not belong before all your troops are available with which to drive the French
into the river.
The French
Situation
You must hold the
bridge head at all costs. Your advantage
lies in the fact that you have at your disposal some of your best troops and
two villages that can be garrisoned and defended. The Austrians orderly retreat from Eckmuhl
means that they have been able to concentrate their army rapidly and you can
not rely on delays to the Austrian reinforcements.
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 30 mins
~ The
THE
ADVANTAGE
Historical Overview
Viceroy Eugene’s
stunning victory over the French at Sacile leaves the Austrians in full
retreat. Archduke John crosses back over
the border and into
The Austrian Situation
You are deployed in a
strong defensive position along a ridge behind a marshy river. You are not immune to a flanking manoeuvre
however and should be careful of your flanks.
Your troops are of questionable quality with at least half of your force
consisting of Hungarian insurrectionary troops.
The French
Situation
You have been reinforced
with Grouchy’s cavalry division and must beat the Austrian troops so that you
can march to aid your Father-in-law Napoleon.
You are weaker in numbers but the Austrian position is open to a
flanking manoeuvre. Beware fortified
farmsteads that could cost you dearly in casualties.
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 20 mins
~ The
THE
ADVANTAGE
Historical Overview
Although victorious
at Sacile the Austrian advance has become strung out and has stalled. This slowdown has turned into a retreat and
Archduke John crosses back over the border and into
The Austrian Situation
You are deployed in a
strong defensive position along a ridge behind a marshy river. You are not immune to a flanking manoeuvre
however and should be careful of your flanks.
Your troops are of questionable quality with at least half of your force
consisting of Hungarian insurrectionary troops.
Victory at Sacile however has seen Hungarians swell to the Austrian
banner and Archduke Palatine the commander of the Hungarian troops will arrive
with reinforcements.
The French
Situation
You have been
reinforced with Grouchy’s cavalry division and must beat the Austrian troops so
that you can march to aid your Father-in-law Napoleon. You are far weaker in numbers but the
Austrian position is open to a flanking manoeuvre. Beware fortified farmsteads that could cost
you dearly in casualties.
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 20 mins
~ The
THE
ADVANTAGE
Historical Overview
Napoleon’s setback at
Aspern Essling sees the Emperor spurred into a frenzy of activity. Concentrating every available man including
the victorious forces of Viceroy Eugene the Emperor builds a series of new
bridges from the Lobau to the northern bank of the
The Austrian Situation
You are deployed along
the Rossbach Plateau with the bulk of your infantry drawn up on either
flank. Although the French have
surprised you in bringing across their entire army your position is
strong. Towns line the plateau which can
be garrisoned and fortified and the large amounts of infantry under your
control gives you the option of a counter attack that will cut the French of
from their lines of retreat and crush them utterly.
The French
Situation
You have been
reinforced with
MAP RULES (All recorded on the map itself)
The MTBW is 35 mins
~ The Danube Campaign 1809 ~
THE
ADVANTAGE
Historical Overview
Napoleon’s setback at
Aspern Essling sees the Emperor spurred into a frenzy of activity. Concentrating every available man the Emperor
builds a series of new bridges from the Lobau to the northern bank of the