Napoleonic Wargame Rules

 

1. What You Need

• Miniatures or tokens (about 6–12 units per side)

• A table (around 4×4 ft)

• 1–2 six-sided dice (d6)

• Ruler or measuring tape

Unit Types

Each unit represents roughly 400–800 soldiers.

Unit	Move	Fire	Melee	Morale
Line Infantry	4"	4+	4+	4+
Column Infantry	6"	5+	3+	4+
Light Infantry	5"	3+	4+	4+
Cavalry	8"	–	3+	4+
Artillery	2"	3+	5+	4+

Numbers are the dice roll needed on d6.

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2. Turn Sequence

Each turn follows this order:

Initiative

• Both players roll 1d6

• High roll chooses who goes first

Movement

Units move up to their move distance.

Formation effects:

Formation	Effect
Line	Best firing
Column	Faster movement
Square	Cannot move, strong vs cavalry

Squares may only be formed at start of movement.

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Shooting

Units within 12" may fire.

Procedure:

• Roll 1d6

• If equal or higher than the Fire value → hit

Modifiers:

Situation	Modifier
Target in cover	−1
Artillery long range (12–24")	−1
Target in column	+1
Target in square	+1

Each hit causes 1 casualty marker.

Units with 3 hits are destroyed.

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Melee Combat

Units touching bases fight.

Each side rolls 1d6.

Add modifiers:

Situation	Modifier
Column charging	+1
Cavalry charge	+2
Attacking flank/rear	+2
Defending square vs cavalry	+3

Higher result wins.

Loser:

• takes 1 casualty

• retreats 6"

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Morale

If a unit:

• takes a casualty

• loses melee

• sees friendly unit destroyed within 6"

Roll 1d6

If roll below morale value → rout

Routed units immediately move 12" toward table edge.

If they reach the edge, they are removed.

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3. Cavalry vs Infantry

Special rules:

• Infantry in square cannot be charged effectively

• Cavalry attacking a square gets −2

Infantry not in square suffers +2 bonus to cavalry attack

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4. Terrain

Simple effects:

Terrain	Effect
Hill	+1 firing
Woods	−1 firing, half movement
Town	+2 defense

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5. Winning the Game

An army breaks when:

• Half its units are destroyed or routed

Opponent wins the battle.

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Example Scenario

Inspired by the battles of Battle of Austerlitz during the Napoleonic Wars.

Each side:

• 4 Line Infantry

• 1 Light Infantry

• 2 Cavalry

• 1 Artillery

Deploy within 12" of table edge.

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Play time: ~45–60 minutes
Players: 2
Units: 8 per side

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