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AUST Rulebook RULEBOOK Design by David Fox Great Battles of the Napoleonic Wars — Volume I Austerlitz System Rules Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION . 2 5.0 MOVEMENT . 8 9.2 Morale Effects . 20 2.0 COMPONENTS . 2 5.1 Regular Movement . 8 9.3 Artillery Morale . 20 2.1 Game Scale . 2 5.2 Strategic Movement . 8 10.0 RETREATS . 20 2.2 Definitions & Abbreviations . 2 5.3 Road Movement . 8 10.1 Retreat Procedure . 20 2.3 Playing Pieces . 2 5.4 Leader Movement . 9 11.0 BREAKPOINT . 21 2.4 Status Markers . 3 6.0 FACING AND FORMATION 9 11.1 Unit Breakpoint . 21 3.0 THE TURN . 3 6.1 Facing . 9 11.2 Division Breakpoint . 21 4.0 THE COMMAND SYSTEM . 4 6.2 Reaction Zones . 9 11.3 Corps Breakpoint . 21 4.1 Command Counters . 4 6.3 Formations . 10 12.0 RALLY . 21 4.2 Command Change . 4 6.4 Involuntary Formations . 12 12.1 Rally Procedure . 21 4.3 In/Out of Command . 5 6.5 Multi-Hex Counters . 13 12.2 Rallied Routed Units . 21 4.4 Initiative Determination . 5 7.0 STACKING . 14 12.3 Recovering Cavalry . 21 4.5 Leader Activation . 5 7.1 Stacking Restrictions . 14 12.4 Rout Loss . 21 4.6 Activations . 6 7.2 Stacking Order . 14 13.0 FATIGUE . 21 4.7 Command Breakdown Results 7 7.3 Stacking and Combat . 14 13.1 Increasing Fatigue . 22 4.8 Using the Command Card . 7 8.0 COMBAT . 14 13.2 Decreasing Fatigue . 22 8.1 Fire Combat . 15 13.3 Fatigue Effects . 22 8.2 Bayonet Combat . 16 14.0 REINFORCEMENTS . 22 8.3 Assault Combat . 16 14.1 Reinforcement Entry . 22 8.4 Charge Combat . 17 14.2 Reinforcement Delay . 23 8.5 Combat Results . 18 14.3 Enemy Presence . 23 GMT 9.0 MORALE . 19 14.4 Subsequent Activation . 23 GAMES 9.1 Morale Checks . 19 CREDITS . 23 AUSTERLITZ 1.0 INTRODUCTION show the decline of the Napoleonic the unit. Loss of SPs will determine French army and the improvement of when a unit reaches Breakpoint. Napoleon’s enemies as they adapted to, December 2, 1805. The Third and often copied, his tactical model. Coalition, a loose alliance of nations 2.3 Playing Pieces organized by England to oppose Napoleon Bonaparte’s imperial 2.0 COMPONENTS Infantry Battalion (Front) ambitions, is already in trouble. Of the Unit Name Corps Affiliation many grandiose planned invasions and (Battalion/Regiment) (Color Band) Division Affiliation combined operations, only the Austrian A complete game of AUSTERLITZ 1805 Strength Points Morale invasion of Bavaria actually took place. contains: Movement Points This met disaster when Napoleon, 4 Maps (34” x 22” sheets) Firepower 1 reacting with shocking speed, 3 /2 Sheets of counters surrounded and destroyed the Austrian 1 Rulebook Infantry Battalion (Back) army at Ulm on October 20. A sluggish 1 Playbook Nationality Color: Russian army, that had set out in 1 Four-page playing aid of charts Disordered Blue: French September to link up with the 1 Command Card White: Austrian Austrians, finally arrived in November. 1 Ten-sided die (0 is treated as 0, Green: Russian The Russians joined with the shattered not 10) remnant of the Austrian army, and Cavalry Regiment (Front) Corps Affiliation advanced to meet the French in battle at If you are missing any components, please Unit Name Austerlitz in eastern Bohemia. By the contact us for replacements: (Color Band) Division Affiliation time the Battle of Austerlitz was Cavalry Type Morale finished, Napoleon had won the greatest GMT Games Strength Points Movement Points victory of his career, shattering the P.O. Box 1308 Allied army and decisively ruining the Hanford, CA 93232-1308 Third Coalition. Cossacks Regiment (One Side Only) Corps Affiliation www.gmtgames.com Unit Name AUSTERLITZ is the first game in (800) 523-6111 (Color Band) Division Affiliation GMT’s Great Battles of the Napoleonic Disordered Morale Wars series that simulates the battles of Cavalry Type Movement Points the Napoleonic Wars on a detailed 2.1 Game Scale Strength Points tactical level. A variety of systems are at work here to show the most important Each hex represents 150 yards from side Artillery Battery (Unlimbered) Corps Affiliation elements of Napoleonic tactics. to side. Elevations equal 20 feet per Unit Designation (Color Band) Command uses a chit-draw mechanism elevation level. Units represent infantry (Battery i.d./Corps) to reflect the chaotic nature of unit Division Affiliation battalions, cavalry regiments and artillery Morale operations on the battlefield. The Strength Points batteries. Unit scales are: Gun Size combat system reflects the interaction of 1 Strength Point of Infantry = 100 men Firepower infantry, cavalry and artillery, 1 Strength Point of Cavalry = 50 men Horse Artillery Reaction particularly emphasizing the various 1 Strength Point of Artillery = 2 guns combat formations—column for rapid Artillery Battery (Limbered) movement, line for maximum striking Unit Designation Corps Affiliation power, skirmish to disorder the enemy, 2.2 Definitions and Abbreviations (Battery i.d./Corps) (Color Band) and infantry square as a protection [Cannot Fire] Division Affiliation against charging cavalry. Fatigue plays a Movement Points LIM: Leader Initiative Marker—These Horse Artillery Reaction part as well, simulating the decline of markers are used to activate various unit efficiency from fatigue and friction, combat formations. They dictate the thus encouraging players to keep Multi-Hex sequencing of game play. Counter reserves ready to replace exhausted MP: Movement Point—The cost of formations or take advantage of a moving, changing formation and sudden enemy breakdown. changing facing is expressed in movement points. A unit’s movement Austerlitz is our starting point because Division Commanders. Many leaders are allowance is the number of movement rated as division commanders for the it shows Napoleon’s tactical system at its points it may expend in an activation. finest. Future games in the series will purpose of fulfilling certain game SP: Strength Point—The melee size of functions (essentially because they are Page 2 Rulebook Great Battles of the Napoleonic Wars, Volume I next in line below corps commanders), 3.0 THE TURN Limited Activation. Only though they nominally were Divisions or lone units may commanders of a “brigade.” activate during this segment, Historically, many nations lacked true Each turn consists of a sequence of play Corps may not. distinctions between divisions and that must be followed in the order 2. Non-Initiative Non-LIM brigades. One of France’s command presented below. When all phases of the Activation Segment: The Non- advantages was that the use of two Sequence of Play are finished, so is the Initiative Player performs the distinct levels of command in between turn. same activities as the Initiative the regiment and corps levels. This is Player in C.1. Repeat steps C.1 reflected in game terms by the A. Pool Placement Phase and C.2, with Players alternating existence of special rules for “Brigade Activations until all eligible 1. Command Change Segment: Commanders” in some scenarios. The Divisions have had an Players who wish to attempt a important distinction for players to opportunity to be activated. If Command Change must roll and remember is the star-rating on one player runs out of eligible check the Command Change the counter and what that Divisions before the other player Table for the result [4.2]. allows the leader to do in the does, that other player may 2. Initiative Determination game (not his unit’s historical continue performing activations Segment: Players determine who designation). until all of his commands have has the Initiative for that turn Corps had the opportunity to be (Cavalry Reserve) [4.4]. Corps Commander activated. At this point proceed 3. Initiative Choice Segment: The to the LIM Removal Segment. Rank (# of Stars) Player with the Initiative for the 3. LIM Removal Segment: Both turn chooses one LIM with which players may remove any of their he will begin the turn. Overall Commander own LIMs from the Command 4. Pool Placement Segment: All Pool. Removal is mostly voluntary remaining available LIMs are and is performed to prevent a placed in an opaque container command from gaining fatigue. from which they can be picked Leader Initiative Markers However, Divisions at Breakpoint blindly. This container is called (LIMs) must be removed [11.0]. the Command Pool. Corps Division and Symbol D. Rally Phase B. LIM Activation Phase Activation Rating 1. Rally Segment: All units that 1. Initiative Activation Segment: have a Morale Level worse than The LIM that was chosen by the 2.4 Status Markers Good may attempt to Rally Initiative Player is now [12.0]. revealed—that command may 2. Rout Loss Segment: Any units Numbered (for SP now attempt to activate [4.5]. that are still Routed retreat one Loss or Fatigue): 2. LIM Selection Segment: Either hex and lose 1 SP. Player now blindly selects one 3. Cavalry Reform Segment: All Morale LIM from the Command Pool. cavalry currently under a Blown Level: The command that corresponds marker which have a Recovery to that LIM may now attempt to marker may decrease their Blown activate. Activation of a command Cavalry level by one, removing the Blown allows individual units to move, Blown & marker if required. fire and melee [see rules 5.0- Recovery: 4. Fatigue Segment: Flip all 10.0]. Repeat step B.2 until all Finished Leaders to their front Others: LIMs have been drawn from the side. Increase and decrease Command Pool. At that point, Fatigue levels as described in the proceed to the Non-LIM Phase. Fatigue rules [13.0]. C. Non-LIM Phase 1.
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