NAPOLEON AT WAR =============== Battle of Eylau Napoleon at War is a new wargame by the well-known wargamer Ken Wright, author of Austerlitz and Waterloo. The Battle of Eylau is a fast, one player game which uses a scrolling map. The player takes the role of Napoleon so put on your cocked hat, jump on your white charger and join your French Army at Eylau. The computer is stuck with the Russian and Prussian armies. The game uses a high level of computer intelligence both in the attacking and defending strategies of the Russian and Prussian troops and in the optional system of directing the player's French troops using the Corps Commanders. The Corps Commanders of the six corps can individually assess the situation in their section of the battle and can respond intelligently even suggesting alternative strategies to those given to them by Napoleon and make reports on the progress of the battle. Computer intelligence is also used for the Artillery Commanders who can select the best targets within their range. The computer intelligence within the program results in a challenging game with the computer playing a very strong game strategically with variety in which the player has the option of being assisted by his Corps Commanders in winning the battle. This simulates the original battle where Napoleon had to rely on his Corps Commanders making the tactical decisions. Napoleon needed a decisive victory at Eylau to crush the Russian forces once and for all. He did not get it and it was four months before he was to achieve his aim at Friedland and return to his beloved Josephine in Paris! 1. LOADING INSTRUCTIONS The procedure for loading a program into your Spectrum is given in your manual. Please follow these steps for loading the program. 1. Connect the ear socket of the computer to the ear socket of your tape recorder. 2. Set the volume control as per Sinclair manual. 3. Adjust the tone control to maximum. 4. Type LOAD "". 5. Start the tape recorder. The program will RUN automatically once loaded. 2. INTRODUCTION You play the role of Napoleon at the Battle of Eylau and command the French forces who are shown as blue and consist of 5 Infantry Corps, 1 Cavalry Corps of 3 Divisions each and 3 Artillery Batteries - 21 units in all. The computer plays the Russian and Prussian commanders. You may either control the battle by issuing orders to individual units or by issuing orders to your Corp Commanders who are programmed to either carry out your exact orders or, if you prefer, to act on their own initiative intelligently. Each game turn has 2 main phases - the issuing of army orders and the movement and combat which results from those orders. Information is available on strength and morale of your units and the strength of the enemy units, if they are in range. In the combat phase losses, retreats and routs for both sides are reported. Therefore, one has the benefit of computer intelligence being programmed not only for the Russian forces but also for the French Commanders if your require to use it. 3. DISPLAY The display can be scrolled up and down, left or right, by using the cursor keys. The total playing area is approximately 3 times the size of the screen which is displayed. The reported positions of both the French troops and the Russian troops are shown initially. Each unit displays its type and the Corps number and a “C" represents the Corps command unit of that Corps. A "U" shows that the unit is under direct unit command. There are 6 enemy Commanders each with 3 Divisions and the first letter of their names is shown on the units they command as follows:- L = Lestocq (Prussian ) - White units. T = Tutchkow ) E = Essen ) O = Ostermann ) - Yellow units. D = Docturow ) K = Kamenski ) The terrain symbols are shown in 4:8 below. At the foot of the screen the menu is displayed which shows the options and instructions available at each stage of each turn. 4. SEQUENCE OF PLAY 4:1. Game Level Select game level as follows:- 1 = Beginner. 2 = Standard. 3 = Advanced. 4:2. First Menu - Army order to commence or 0 to continue without giving any orders. - Move cursor onto unit you wish to give orders to and the 'main menu' options will be given. 4:3. Main Menu Order to access the order menu see 4:4., 4:5., and 4:6.below. Details give number of troops in unit and their morale and number of enemy troops if within range. Terrain exposes the terrain underneath a unit. Unit order deletion returns the unit to Corps Command. Exit allows exiting from order phase to next phase. 4:4. Ordering a Unit Each unit, except Corps Commanders may be given a direct unit order and will move towards the objective position set regardless of the current Corps order. Move cursor to target position and confirm by keying Target. Move cursor onto next unit which you want to move or Exit. 4:5. Ordering a Corps Move - requests the unit to move and then the cursor must be moved to the target position and confirmed by keying Target and then Yes if you want the Corps to hold at this position. The other 2 Divisions of the Corps will ape the movement of the Corps Commander. Full Command - requests the Corps Commander to search up to 3 positions distant for enemy units and to engage any such unit. However, if a Division (unit) in the Corps is likely to sustain severe losses, then the Commander will not engage. Hold - requests all the units of a Corps to remain in position. Engage - requests the Corps Command unit to search up to 2 positions distant for enemy units (other than enemy artillery units) and to move next to those units if located, as will the other Divisions of the Corps if they are within 2 positions of the enemy. Withdraw - requests the Corps to move towards a new base position at a slow speed and will avoid enemy units during such movement. New Base Position is selected by moving cursor and confirming with Target. Regroup - requests Corps to move towards a new Base Position. In moving the enemy will not be engaged except by accident no matter how close the enemy units are. New Base Position is selected by moving cursor and confirming with Target. 4:6. Ordering Artillery Units Artillery units can only be accessed via the artillery menu which is accessed after exiting from the Infantry and Cavalry ordering phase. They can only be given unit orders and are never subject to Corps command. First move the cursor onto the Artillery unit which you wish to order. This results in the main menu i.e. 4:3. being accessed and the options are the same. Keying Order results in the Artillery Order menu being accessed as follows:- Movement - requests unit to move and the cursor must then be moved to the target position and confirmed by keying Target. Fire - requests artillery to fire either against Artillery or Infantry. The individual artillery Commanders will decide on the precise target unit if more than one unit of the type in question is in range. They have a bombardment range of 5 unit positions and may fire only once per game turn. The particular fire order will remain in effect until changed. Woods, towns, hills and other units block 'line of sight' and prevent artillery bombardment. Artillery fire that does not achieve significant results is not displayed. Exit - returns to cursor movement command or to exit to the Re-organisation Phase. 4:7. Re-Organisation Key Re-organisation and then move cursor to relevant unit and Key R to confirm, otherwise Exit. Units which have lost at least one third of their original strength may be re-organised. This simulates the rounding up of stragglers and deserters. On re-organisation a unit will have either 500 or 1,000 men returned to it. Any unit which re-organises whose morale is less than good, will have its morale restored to good. A unit can only re-organise once and must be more than 3 positions distant from an enemy unit at the moment of re-organisation. Artillery units cannot be re-organised. 4:8. Movement and Combat Keying 0 in the first menu activates the Movement Phase. Six Movement points are allocated each turn for the Infantry and Artillery and ten Movement points are allocated to the Cavalry and these are used up according to the terrain which is crossed as follows:- Movement Combat Terrain Colour Cost Adjustment Clear Green 2 None Town Black 2 Defender+2 Stream Blue 3 Attacker —1 Hill Black 3 Defender+2 Frozen lake White 3 Attacker—2 Rough ground Red 2 None Woods Red 3 Defender+2 N.B. Artillery take 2 Movement points to limber and unlimber. Infantry and Cavalry units exert a degree of control over adjacent positions. Therefore any unit next to an enemy Infantry or Cavalry unit may not move directly to a new position that is also next to an enemy unit, except as a result of combat. Combat occurs between all opposing units occupying adjacent positions. Each 500 men in a unit equals one Strength Point and these are increased by level of morale. See Section 5 below. They are also adjusted as shown above, according to the terrain occupied by the attacker. After French movement all French units are considered attacking units during combat. After Russian movement all French units are considered defending units during combat. One unit attacking 2 enemy units with no other friendly unit adjacent, attacks at half strength. An Artillery unit adjacent to at least 2 enemy Infantry/ Cavalry units, will rout. If a Corps command unit is eliminated then the next Division becomes the Corps commander if it is not subject to a unit order. 5. MORALE The morale level of a unit adds strength points to a unit as follows:- Excellent + 6 : Very Good + 5 : Good + 4 : Fair+ 3 : Low + 2 : Poor + 1 : Abysmal + 0 Half of the morale factor is made up of a fatigue value, fractions rounded down. e.g. very good morale = 3 morale points + 2 fatigue points. On every third occasion a unit attacks (not defends) a fatigue point is deducted thus reducing the overall morale level and effectiveness of the unit. 6. MOVEMENT RULE If the 2 positions are on the same line, column or diagonal then movement takes place along a straight line between the 2 positions. If not then the following diagram shows the method used. The rule that applies is that movement takes place along the diagonal until it is one line or column from the line or column of the target position. It then moves along the line or column with the last move along the diagonal. 7. HIDDEN MOVEMENT Only those Russian or Prussian units whose position has been reported to you by your corps commanders will appear on the map. This stimulates the difficulties of communication and means that your corps commanders may react to enemy units that are not visible to you. Generally the closer enemy units are to a French unit the more likely their position will be displayed. 8. CORPS RULES 8:1. Base Position A corps commanders base position is initially the position the unit starts the game on. While a corps commander is on his base position the following rules apply :- A corps commander will never search more than two positions distant for engage movement purposes. Any division under corps command more than one position from its corps commander will move towards its corps command unit. The base position of each corps must be maintained in a sensible position throughout the game so that when a corps commander requests a retreat, he will have a realistic base to retreat to. To change a corps base position for this purpose, issue a regroup order to the corps and then immediately issue the same corps with another type of order you wish it to carry out. 8:2. Corps Integrity Units which become separated from their corps commander by more than one position will move towards their corps commander if the corps as a whole is subject to a move order. During engage movement any division of a corps not in close proximity to the enemy will move towards its corps commander. 8:3. Artillery Attack A corps commander will not attack an enemy artillery unit as a direct result of corps intelligence. (Full Command.) If you want a corps to attack artillery you must use a corps move order or one or more unit orders. 9. RESERVES MARSHAL NEY 6th CORPS Initially the positions occupied by 6th corps only show where this corps will enter the map. This occurs on game turn four when the letter C appears on the corps command unit. Lestocq's Prussians (white units) will therefore ignore these units until game turn four. 10. VICTORY CONDITIONS The battle is deemed over when Russian units occupy Eylau and no French unit is on an Eylau position. OR when more than 7500 French troops occupy Kutschitten (K on map) or adjacent positions. OR when either army is reduced to 6 units or less. OR when either army is reduced to less than 20000 men. It should be noted that the above conditions only signal the termination of the game, they do not of themselves indicate who is the victor. At the end of the battle if you wish to play again you will have to reload from cassette. Press enter and start recorder. This is due to the fact that there is insufficient memory to hold a copy of all initial data. If you wish to continue the present battle enter Y. Because more than one check is made to determine that the battle is over you may have to enter Y more than once. 11. GENERAL NOTES Napoleon at War is designed to be both a Napoleonic simulation and a playable game: a game of decision making, in which forces are balanced and the computer has no hidden advantages. The unit order allows the player total control over each of his units and whilst some people express their preference for this detailed control it is not a realistic method of commanding an Army. In reality no army commander had this kind of control over every individual unit. The main aim of this simulation is to provide the player with the means of command and its inherent problems, that existed historically. Commanding the army via the six corps commanders simulates the lack of perfect control the general experienced in reality. Minimal use of unit orders alongside corps orders will produce an accurate simulation of the problems faced in reality. The other significant feature of the game is the quality of your computer opponent (Charlie Oscar). It is sufficiently sophisticated to present a challenge to the player's intelligence, his strategic and tactical sense. It is complex enough to be largely unpredictable and to present different problems and different situations, so that it remains a challenge after repeated playings. The range and flexibility of its responses will only become apparent when the player has become expert in the deployment of his own forces. On a more detailed level the player must be aware of the importance of morale on a units effectiveness. Regardless of numerical strength a unit will not perform effectively unless its morale is high. Morale is progressively reduced on an individual unit basis throughout the simulation by artillery bombardment, high numerical losses, retreat as a result of combat and by fatigue. It is important to remember that Charlie Oscars units suffer in exactly the same way as your own, so that if, for example, you are faced with a very successful attack that may appear unstoppable, fatigue alone could well ensure that the enemies units run out of steam and ultimately fail. Because the emphasis has been on producing a credible opponent, ft is a game that becomes more interesting as its subtleties are mastered. Historically the outcome of Eylau was very much a draw with both Napoleon and Bennigsen claiming victory. The fact that Napoleon needed a significant victory, indeed the destruction of Bennigsen's army, in order to end the war lends credence to Bennigsen's claim. To achieve in the simulation that which Napoleon failed to achieve in reality the player must have patience. Initially a generally defensive attitude is probably best, wait for your opponent to make mistakes and then exploit them. Careful analysis of Charlie Oscar's play will show a use of reserve units, committing fresh troops to the front line only when necessary. The player should be aware of the effectiveness of this tactic in that fresh troops committed at the right time can have a dramatic effect. In the battle itself, the initiative constantly changed hands and after early reverses, it was only Napoleon's flexibility of mind that avoided defeat for the French army. In the simulation the player must be capable of constant change of strategy as the situation develops. Sticking rigidly to a predetermined strategy will normally end in defeat. When in doubt remember that the mechanics of the game have been designed to give the best results to the player capable of thinking about the reality of any situation he finds himself in and acting in a way he thinks realistic. 12. HISTORICAL NOTES - 8th FEBRUARY 1807 After the defeat of the Prussian army at Jena and Auerstadt, the only significant force opposing Napoleon was the Russian army under Bennigsen and one Prussian corps commanded by Lestocq. The political situation was still fluid but Napoleon believed that a quick significant victory over Bennigsen would result in the collapse of the current allied coalition opposing him. What followed was a lengthy campaign throughout Poland culminating in the Battle of Preussisch-Eylau. It was a campaign which taught Napoleon the difficulties of conducting operations in Eastern Europe. The French army reached Eylau without having completed its concentration, so Napoleon's choice of action was somewhat limited. He decided to defend Eylau while using Davout's third corps and St. Hilaire's division of fourth corps to turn and roll up the Russian left flank. When Ney's sixth corps arrived it could be used to protect his own left flank or against the enemy rear. Whilst Davout managed to push the Russian left flank back, eventually all the way to Kutschitten, elsewhere the French did not fare too well. At Eylau, Soults fourth corps came under severe artillery bombardment and took considerable losses. To relieve the pressure on Soult and to attempt a quick victory Napoleon ordered Augereau's seventh corps forward. Unfortunately a sudden flurry of snow obscured the position and seventh corps blundered into the Russian artillery batteries and was promptly demolished. The French cavalry reserve under Murat was ordered forward to extricate Augereau's shattered corps and achieved this though it then required the commitment of the Guard cavalry to extricate Murat. Murat's driving attack had cost the French cavalry heavily, but it had also disorganised much of the Russian centre and shaken Bennigsen's nerve. Had Ney been in position Napoleon may well have achieved his victory there and then. As it was, with Davout's position still fluid and Lestocq's Prussians uncommitted he remained at Eylau depending on Davout to win the battle. Davout eventually occupied Kutschitten but Russian reserves and part of Lestocq's corps pushed him out again. Fighting continued on the Russian left flank after dark and with Ney beginning to threaten his right flank. Bennigsen decided to withdraw. The fighting gradually petered out with the Russians withdrawing at midnight and the Prussians at 0200. The French held the field and so claimed victory but it had resulted in very heavy losses. After Austerlitz and Jena, Eylau appeared almost a French defeat and allied propaganda made the most of this. Decisive victory had eluded Napoleon, reorganisation and rest were now essential. The allies might take heart at this but it would also restore the morale and condition of the Grande Armee. Four months later, at Friedland, victory would not elude him a second time. GUARANTEE This software is guaranteed against the tape being faulty. If it is faulty return the tape only to CCS Ltd., 14 Langton Way, London SE3 7TL. TEL: 01-858 0763 and it will be replaced immediately. This guarantee is in addition to any statutory rights. Illustration - 'Napoleon at Eylau' 1807 by Mauzaine after Gros. Reproduced by permission of Ets. J. E. Bulloz, Paris. Published by Cases Computer Simulations Ltd., 14 Langton Way, London SE3 7TL. ©1986 K. Wright. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, lending or resale by any means strictly prohibited.