Battles of Napoleon Volume II : Quatre bras 1815/Wartenburg 1813

Battles of Napoleon Vol. II – Quatre Bras 1815 / Wartenburg 1813 is a tactical wargame covering two major engagements of the Napoleonic Wars: Quatre Bras 1815 and Wartenburg 1813.

Designed by Uwe Walentin, the second volume of the Battles of Napoleon series uses the same elegant and cohesive tactical system as the other games in the series. The rules focus on the difficulties of Napoleonic battlefield command, especially the coordination and timing of infantry, cavalry and artillery formations.

The heart of the system is an innovative chit-based activation mechanism. When an activation chit is drawn, the player decides which formation will be activated. A formation may be activated several times during a turn, but each additional activation makes it progressively less effective.

Players must therefore constantly decide whether to exploit a tactical opportunity immediately or preserve a formation for later in the battle.

Orders are assigned to formations at the beginning of each turn. More aggressive orders offer greater opportunities to seize the initiative, but also increase the risk of fatigue and eventual army collapse. This creates a constant tension between aggression and conservation of combat power.

QUATRE BRAS 1815

Quatre Bras recreates the battle of June 16, 1815, when French forces under Marshal Ney attempted to seize the strategically important crossroads before the Allied forces could fully reinforce their position.

The battle highlights the difficulties of French command coordination, Ney's hesitation and the potential intervention of d'Erlon's I Corps.

Special rules give Quatre Bras its own distinctive character, including the possible activation of the French light cavalry brigade, the defence of special structures and the possible arrival of d'Erlon's I Corps.

WARTENBURG 1813

The game also includes Wartenburg 1813, a less familiar but highly interesting tactical engagement.

The French player must defend a difficult position with Marshal Bertrand's corps, which is outnumbered by the Coalition forces attempting to cross the Elbe.

Wartenburg provides a different tactical challenge from Quatre Bras, with river crossings, Landwehr formations and terrain playing an important role in the battle.

THE BATTLES OF NAPOLEON SYSTEM

The series uses a scale of approximately 150 metres per hex. Infantry units represent battalions, artillery represents batteries, and cavalry is represented by regiments.

The system places particular emphasis on the interaction between the three major arms:

• Infantry is the main component of Napoleonic armies and can adopt different formations depending on its tactical role.

• Cavalry provides reconnaissance and shock power, particularly against infantry caught before it can form square.

• Artillery is highly effective against concentrated formations and squares, but is vulnerable when directly attacked.

The game also incorporates an element of fog of war, as players do not always know the exact strength of enemy units. Combat gradually reduces unit strength as formations become engaged.

The game supports solitaire play as well as two-player games. Sound of Drums gives an average playing time of approximately 180 minutes, with a complexity rating of 5/10 and a solitaire rating of 7/10. 

According to the publisher's current detailed component list:

• 2 maps, each 88 × 56 cm
• 700 15 mm counters
• 107 coloured wooden cubes
• 4 army charts
• 4 player aids
• 2 dice
• 1 rulebook
• 1 playbook

  Eylau 1807 Upgrade Kit, including:

• 560 counters on 3 counter sheets

• 2 player aids

• 3 customised cotton bags
• 1 playbook
• 1 rulebook
• Upgraded charts and tables printed on 2 mm grey cardboard.

The maps and counters feature artwork by Marc von Martial, whose work gives the game an attractive period-inspired visual style.

GAME INFORMATION

Publisher: Sound of Drums Games
Designer: Uwe Walentin
Developer: Mark Trowbridge
Artist: Marc von Martial
Historical period: Napoleonic Wars
Scale: approximately 150 metres per hex
Units: battalions, batteries and regiments
Players: 1–2
Playing time: approximately 180 minutes
BGG playing time: 120–360 minutes
Age: 14+
Publisher complexity: 5/10
Solitaire: yes – 7/10 according to the publisher
Language: English