The 1859 Campaign

This campaign scenario has been developed by Bill Haggart.

This variant is a companion to the 1859 Campaign map and utilizes the rules for Columbia Games
NAPOLEON, but any specific rules below supercede them.  Otherwise, the NAPOLEON rules are in
force. The campaign map can be downloaded and is in .bmp format that has been compressed using
Winzip.

Units: We play with blocks as in NAPOLEON. Each block represents an entire infantry or cavalry
division, Corps and Army HQs with assets (usually artillery and cavalry),  bridging trains (two for the
Austrians and one each for the French and Italians.), and dummy units (three for the Austrians, two
each for the Allies).

Turns:  each turn represents three days, beginning with April 25, 1859 for those playing the entire
campaign.  Cavalry divisions may move three cities a turn and all other units two cities.

Terrain: The only terrain is either the roads, bridges, defiles or cities. The rest is for looks. . . . Units
travel through the first three. Units can only be placed in cities.  The color of the cities dictates the
terrain that will be fought in if opposing armies meet there.

 Minor Roads:  Up to 4 units can travel on any one length of a minor road during any one turn.
A length of road is that road between two cities.
 Major Roads:  Up to 6 units can travel on any one length of a major road.
 Bridges:  A bridge halves the number of units that can pass on that length of road.  It also
allows the defending player, if attacked across a bridge, to chose terrain requiring a river
crossing for a table top battle.
 Defiles:  A Mountain defile works exactly like a bridge, except that a defending player may
chose restricted “defile” terrain on the tabletop against an enemy which has attacked through
a defile.
 Fortresses:  This represents extensive fortifications.  There is no restriction on movement
other than units must stop for that turn if enemy units were the last to occupy the fortress city.
(This represents small, permanent garrisons.)  Battles fought in fortresses cities are more
elaborate.
 Ports: These cities may act as supply for French and Italian units. Three French units a turn
may land at Genoa.

Scouting: Because there was so little actual reconnaissance carried out by any of the three armies,
we decided that seeing where the enemy blocks were located probably was more knowledge of
enemy movements than the actual participants had.  Dummy units are included to add to the
guessing game.

Movement: While not quite like NAPOLEON, we have simultaneous movement if we have a referee. 
If so, both sides write down where they are moving and then the movement is carried out by the
referee.  Otherwise it is an alternative move basis.  We ignored forced marches as none of the
combatants seem to do that in the hot summer of ’59.

Bridging trains:  the presence of a bridging train among the group of units moving across a bridge the
first length of road in a turn’s movement allows two more units to cross the bridge that turn.  If the
bridging train has already moved through a city that turn, it may not be used to as a bridge.  

Army command: Any group that contains an Army CinC (one of the three Emperors--Napoleon III,
Emmanuel I or Franz Josef can move one span to an adjacent city regardless of the number of
blocks (units) in the group or road capacity. IF the road crosses a bridge or mountain defile, three
more units can cross than normal, but one of them must be the Emperor. Bridging units increase the
number of units as normal regardless.

This means that the maximum number of units that could cross a major road bridge with one bridging
unit would be 8 units, seven units and an emperor block.  Of course, no other units may use a road
crossed by a group using the "Army Command" rule during the turn regardless of the actual number
of units in the Army Command group.

Battles: This occurs when units enter enemy held cities.  At the end of the turn, the units that have
been committed to battle in a city are identified. We use the actual OOB of the opposing armies so
each division’s troops are already established.  Without a referee, then all battles have a Defender
battle. If refereed and both sides move into the same city during the turn, then it is an Encounter
battle.

Defender Battle:  We utilize the AGE OF REASON campaign map system, where there are pages of
maps divided up into table size parts, each with a die roll number from 00 to 99. Each type of terrain,
Mountainous, Foothills, and Valley, Bridges, and Defiles has several pages of maps, one hundred
variations (We took some actual maps and assorted made-up ones to complete this) The defender
rolls for three maps.  He then chooses which he will defend on and which side.  Some changes may
be made to match the strategic situation (more roads etc.).  Defender sets up first.

Encounter Battle: The map is rolled for and the referee adds any additional terrain.  He then divides
the map in half, marking the entry points on each map. Then holding it so the map doesn’t show, the
referee lets each player pick his half of the map.  They plot their entry points and which troops will be
coming on in what order.  The battle is then played.  

Reinforcements:  In NAPOLEON, units in adjoining cities may reinforce a battle up to the capacity of
the road.  We like this rule and assume that the troops are strung out on the 20 to 30 miles of road
each length usually  represents.  Each hour of the tabletop game, one unit from each adjoining city
may reinforce the battle.  However, a D6 is rolled.  A 4-6 means a delay of one hour. A unit may be
ultimately delayed the whole battle. We have modifiers for each Corps and Army officer who might be
present with the reinforcing units. For instance, the French and Austrian Emperors each are a –1
modifier, while the Piedmontese Emperor is a –2.  The VbnG road column rules work very well with
this, as a division reinforcing the battle down a particular road can not come on until the division
before is completely on the table. There can be traffic jams . . . .

The V&B campaign rules for regaining loses after a battle and multiple day battles are used.

Supply: This is simple for the most part.  Each army has a LOC off the East edge of the map (for the
Austrians) and West edge (for the Allies). The French also may trace a Line of Communication to
Genoa, and the Italians, Turin. 

If a unit or units cannot establish a LOC through cities free of enemy units, they are out of supply. 
The second turn the units remain out of supply, they lose 5% of their strength in SPs and every turn
after that they remain out of supply. The loses stop the turn the unit gains a viable LOC. None of the
losses can be reclaimed.  A record of the losses are kept and actual SPs are removed only when
there is a battle.

Fortresses and Supply:  At the beginning of the game, each side gets a number of supply points: 120
for the Austrians, 90 for the Italians.   The Austrian divides the points up among his fortresses any
way he desires.(All fortresses on the map are Austrian held except for Turin, Alessandria, and
Genoa, which are Italian.) Each supply point represent supplies for one unit for one turn.  The only 
times these will be needed is:

 If units are out of supply but can trace a LOC to a friendly fortress with supply points. Then
they may remain in supply at the cost of 1 supply point each turn until the points are used up
or the units have regained a viable supply line.
 If the fortress is under siege.  The supply points can be used to supply the unit in the fortress.
If there are 40 points and 4 units that means the units can remain in supply for 10 turns, or 8
units for 5 turns.  Units that are under siege and without supplies lose 10% of their force each
turn, starting with the second turn they are out of supplies.  This represents the inability of
troops to forage while besieged.

Fortresses and Sieges:  When an enemy force moves into a fortress city, the defender has the choice
of meeting them outside the city or enter the city, or a combination.  Battles outside the city are
resolved normally, except retreating armies may enter the Fortress IF they were able to retreat in the
right direction.  If all the friendly forces in a city are considered in the fortress, then units from both
sides may occupy a the fortress city square at the end of a turn.  This is the only time this can occur. 
If besieged, the following procedures are followed.

The units on one side are considered besieged (inside the city walls) and may not move until the
other side, considered the besieger (outside the city walls) is no longer in the city square.

Supply may not be traced through the fortress city by either side, but the supply may run into the city
to supply the besiegers only.

The besieger may attempt to storm the city, in which case the battle is resolved on the game table
with fortifications developed by the players.

The besieged may attempt a breakout, in which case it is resolved on the game table.

As long as neither of these options are chosen during a turn, the city remains besieged until the
besiegers are out of supplies and have all but 30% of their sp strength. (starved into surrendering), or
the besiegers give up and leave.

Note: Besieged units are considered to be at 100% strength when they are initially besieged
regardless of their actual strength.  Actual SP strength points lost through such attrition are calculated
only when the units are involved in a battle. A record is kept of the actual percentages lost.

Victory:  For the campaign, we calculate by points at the end of the campaign: 

 For each 10 sp points lost:  1 point

 For each CC lost:  1 point
 For each Austrian AC lost:  2 points
 For each Fortress won by siege:  3 points

For the Austrian, holding:

 Turin:  25 points (15 if captured at all, 10 if held until the end of the game.)
 Alessandria:  10 points
 Genoa:  10 points
 Susa and Nice:  5 points

For the Allies, holding:

 Any Austrian Fortress:  5 points

 Milan, an additional:  5 points
 Mantua an additional:  10 points
 All Austrian fortresses:  30 points (in addition to the above)

While terrain is important, destroying the enemy army will be the only sure way of obtaining victory.  If
at any time one side has twice the points of the other or one of the emperors is killed or captured, the
campaign ends. The side with double the points or the one to have dispatched the enemy’s emperor
is declared the winner.

We are having fun with the campaign so far and hope to adapt it to the 1796 campaign at some point
in the future. (as well as 1799, 1800, 1809, 1813, 1866 and the Punic wars . . .)

The April 25, 1859 setup for the 1859 campaign is as follows:

Austria along the Piedmont border:

 Magenta:  Cavalry Division

 Lodi:          II Corps
 Milan:        VII Corps
  Pavia:       III and V Corps
 Piazenza:  VIII Corps     
 Army HQ and 1 Bridging unit , and three dummy units with any corps. 

The Austrians will gain one Corps every three turns beginning with the second turn. They will appear
automatically in Mantua or any fortress east of it at the Austrian player’s discretion.  The 1st Army HQ
first, then later the Supreme HQ may come on at any time with the corps reinforcements.

Piedmont:

 Alessandria:  2nd Division

 Casale:  4th and 5th Divisions
 Vercelli:  Cavalry Division
 Valenza:  3rd Division
 Asti:  Army HQ, 1st Division and Bridging equipment.
 2 dummy units with any army units.

French:

The III and IV Corps move from the boarder to Priancon, two units a turn.

The rest of the French army arrives at Genoa three units a turn.  Army units in Genoa may move the
next turn after the Army HQ and the entire Guard Corps has been landed.  The V Corps and Guard
Cavalry Division may also be brought in through Priancon or Modane if desired.  The dummy units
may be brought on at any time anywhere as long as they enter with army units.

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