SUGGESTED RULES CHANGES FOR BORODINO

By Arthur Pigg
Moves Footnotes, Issue #11

I. ARTILLERY– effectively double. the loss of other

II. CAVALRY, when attacking
units. They count twice in
A. Has a three hex range. Its infantry–
determining victory points. If the
Combat Strength attenuates with
A. –is attacking at half Strength French "Old Guard" is eliminated,
increased range as follows:
when unsupported by any other class the French lose the benefit of rule #1.
1st hex – printed Strength + 1; of unit.
III. Victory conditions for the
2nd hex –printed Strength; B. –can co-operate with artillery Grand Battle game are based on the
according to rule 2-C. ratio of destroyed Strength Points as
3rd hex – ½ Strength (fractions
rounded upwards. e.g.: A 7-3 unit modified by rule # 2. The table is as
REASONS FOR SUGGESTED
becomes a 4-3 unit). follows:
RULES CHANGES FOR NAW
AND BORODINO
B. Can fire defensively–
I. Artillery was often the French Russian Victor Level and
1. – before other combat when Killed Killed Conditions
decisive weapon to a degree not
being attacked by a cavalry or
reflect in the current games. 2+ 1 Russian Decisive– if
infantry unit. The artillery bombards holding
with a doubled Strength. If the A. While its effectiveness was Borodino and
2 Redoubt
attacker survives, the artillery unit is considerably reduced, artillery hexes.
eliminated (by survival is meant the smoothbores could. and did engage
1-2 1 Russian Substantial–if
infantry or cavalry does not suffer an massed targets a kilometer away. holding Great
"Ae" or "Ar." An exchange would be Again, 400 meters was considered Redoubt.
computed with the artillery as point blank range. 1 1 Russian Marginal–if
defender). If more than one Cavalry holding Great
B. Artillery could literally blow Redoubt.
and/or infantry unit attacks, the
away a force advancing against it
defensive fire is concentrated against 1 1 French Marginal–if
with grape shot at close range. Also, holding
one hex only – the other unit(s)
black-powder cannon cannot conceal Borodino and
automatically eliminate the artillery. 3 Redoubt
its position once it has fired. Counter hexes.
The defender has the option of
battery work was a usual part of" a
defending only at normal odds in 1 2 French Substantial–if
heavily engaged battery's job. holding
which case the battle is resolved
Borodino and
without this rule. C. A battalion or brigade square all Redoubts
against cavalry presented a perfect
2. – when artillery bombards 1 3+ French Decisive–if
artillery target. Usually, only a few holding
artillery –
salvos were required to annihilate the Borodino and
all Redoubts.
a. at the defender's option after hex.
resolution of all other combat in that IV. French units exited off map
II. Against disciplined, trained
phase, on or between the two roads east
infantry under effective command
b. units surviving on the hex they (anything else is eliminated in these force the removal of double their
began that phase can return the fire game mechanics) cavalry, by itself is Combat Strength in Russian units.
(bombard) an artillery unit that impotent. The Russian units are counted as
attacked the defender's unit. lost.
SUGGESTED RULES
c. supporting a cavalry attack CHANGES FOR BORODINO V. Russian optional militia is
against infantry causes the odds used as 1-3 units unless Russian
I. French Infantry, when player is markedly inferior.
column to shift up one column in
attacking, receive a bonus of one
favor of the attacker. For example, a RATIONALES
Combat Strength Point per unit of
1 to 1 attack becomes a 2 to 1 attack.
infantry involved in the attack. I. French infantry was still at its
The Cavalry and artillery should
each be at least one third of the II. Guard Units may be peak of offensive training. This
infantry Strength. committed at will, but their loss is bonus helps restore the superior
strength for attack the French
actually possessed. In a historical
situation where France had half
again as many men, the game gives
the French 172 CSP and the Russians
144 CSP in their field force, plus 15
CSP in redoubts, plus an optional 33
CSP in the militia (a force which
historically would have been
shattered by half its numbers in
regulars). All this in a situation
where the Russian is often safe in
taking the offensive, makes a French
victory unlikely in the game.
II. I think that the considerations
leading to certain decisions should
be given preference over forcing the
player to accept someone else's
decision.
III. See comments on rule # 1.
IV. The thought of Napoleon
between them and holy Moscow
would have driven most Russian
units east as fast as possible –
without orders – at the time of the
battle.
V. Historical .variants should be
accurate possibilities or admitted
attempts to achieve play balance.
The strength given to the militia
(much of which was still mustering)
gives them better logistics,
leadership, and training than seems
possible.
–Arthur Pigg