Dev Log: 1813--Napoleon's Last German Campaign

[bcgames]

If you like digital copies, both Petre and Maude are in the public domain.

Napoleon's Last Campaign in Germany, 1813

https://archive.org/details/napoleonsla ... r/mode/2up

The missing maps

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id= ... up&seq=424


The Leipzig campaign, 1813

https://archive.org/details/cu31924024321782

Nice.

[Agathosdaimon]

Oh wow, i am just seeing this Dev log for the first time.
I too was a great fan of the Empire Interactive Wargamer: Napoleon 1813 game, a flawed gem as most of Empire Interactives strategy games were! its tactical game was broken sadly - regularly crashes, but the operational campaign was good and i liked how the coalition AI would keep taunting my french forces to chase them, - continually eluding a direct confrontation all the the larger army coalesces, so that aspect is something i hope any game can depict

I have been yearning ever since then for a game like it but also something lke SSI's Battles of Napoleon - what scale is this to be at ? Operational level likke the Frank Hunter games

There was a also an old Frank Hunter game on Amiga called "Napoleon I" which had an 1813 campaign.

I am sure others have mentioned them, but i life very much the Nafziger books Napoleon at Leipzig and Napoleon at Dresden

[bcgames]

In Frank Hunter game the scale of the map is 9 kms per hex. Divisions, corps and armies, though the cavalry are probably brigades. 1 turn per day. And in your project?

Ground Scale: 5km per hex; movement is all about roads and adjacent terrain--cross-country-all-over-the-place wasn't THE THING back then...BUT...You can do big battles like Dresden and Leipzig. Depends on the terrain...

Time Scale: AM, PM, Night or 6 hours, 6 hours and 12 hours (3-turns per day).

Ground Scale: Infantry and Heavy Cavalry Divisions with brigade breakdown capability; Medium and Light Cavalry Brigades with regiment breakdowns. Current engine organization and supply rules will cause players to tend keep organizations "close to home"...but leave room for bold maneuvers.

[Agathosdaimon]

sounds awesome!

and will one also be able to blow bridges? as i believe there was a bit of that going on in 1813

[bcgames]

and will one also be able to blow bridges? as i believe there was a bit of that going on in 1813

Yes, and repair them as well. Also pontoons...

[ham17]

How is the development progressing?
I would love to play the Napoleonic game on the WEGO system.

[bcgames]

How is the development progressing?

It has taken a back seat to Market-Garden...which has taken a back seat to farming. This doesn't mean work has stopped; it means that good weather days = planting...wind and rain = game development. Right now the priority is getting things into the ground.

Onwards!

[bcgames]

Research continues. I think this will evolve to become Napoleon's Front Trilogy...1813, 1814, & 1815. LOTS of fun here. Looking forward to it.

[Nikel]

I wish you the best and success with those games

And that you can create even more Napoleonic campaigns, the campaigns in Italy and the Peninsular War are specially neglected.

[bcgames]

I wish you the best and success with those games

And that you can create even more Napoleonic campaigns, the campaigns in Italy and the Peninsular War are specially neglected.

Maybe another scenario designer will emerge to fulfill your dreams. I'm leaning towards the American Civil War after this brief excursion into the Napoleonic Era. Time will tell...

[Nikel]

ACW? That one is not specially neglected

Anyway 1813 and 1814 campaigns are, and good news you try to wargame them.

[bcgames]

WEGO is re-exploring old ground in the operational world.

[bcgames]

I think the ground scale for Napoleonic/American Civil War will be 2.5 miles/4 kilometers per hex. This coincides nicely with the average infantry march rate per hour on a road. Assuming an average day of march of eight hours and move plus (Move+) supply, it means an infantry unit could move 12 hexes along a road. In-game battlefields would have a frontage of one to four hexes depending on the size of the armies involved in the engagement. Ground Assets spin the operational/tactical flavor of any scenario. How would you design it?

[bcgames]

More Thoughts...

Attrition Model.

"March" Attrition is a thing in Napoleonic and American Civil War operational-level wargames. I put "march" in quotes because you don't have to march anywhere to suffer attrition through non-combat casualties.

Because the WEGO Engine is designed to be a multi-era wargame engine, we need a generic sub-system that allows the scenario designer to adjust the attrition model to suit his particular time period. For the sake of goalposts, we'll design an Attrition Model that spans the period from 1792 to 1992--from the beginning of the French Revolution to the end of Operation DESERT STORM. The attrition model must use/build on existing game systems. The attrition model must generalize era-specific variables into a single, universal attrition model. These variables include:

-Disease and Illness: Poor sanitary conditions, lack of clean water, and crowded living quarters can lead to the spread of diseases, which can significantly reduce the fighting capability of a military force.

-Exhaustion: Prolonged marches, lack of rest, and sleep deprivation can lead to physical and mental exhaustion among troops, reducing their combat effectiveness.

-Supply Shortages: Inadequate or disrupted supply lines can lead to shortages of food, ammunition, medical supplies, and other essentials, making it difficult for soldiers to sustain their operational readiness.

-Environmental Factors: Extreme weather conditions, such as cold, heat, rain, and snow, can impact troops' health and morale, leading to attrition.

-Desertion: Soldiers may choose to desert due to harsh conditions, lack of morale, disillusionment with the cause, or personal reasons.

-Inadequate Training and Experience: Insufficiently trained or inexperienced soldiers might struggle to effectively engage the enemy or handle the challenges of the campaign.

-Friendly Fire: Accidental attacks from one's own forces can lead to casualties and damage, especially in chaotic or fast-paced situations.

-Terrain and Geography: Difficult terrain, natural obstacles, and unfamiliar geography can hinder movement, making troops more vulnerable to attacks.

-Psychological Factors: High stress, fear, and mental fatigue can negatively affect soldiers' decision-making and combat performance.

-Wear and Tear on Equipment: Continuous use of weapons, vehicles, and equipment can lead to wear and tear, reducing their operational efficiency.

-Guerrilla Warfare and Insurgency: Engaging in irregular warfare against local insurgents or guerrilla forces can expose troops to ambushes and surprise attacks, leading to attrition.

-Friendly Units' Actions: Accidental clashes or miscommunications between different units within the same military force can result in casualties and damage.

There's an Attrition Table hidden in here somewhere...


Thoughts?

[bcgames]

Just doing the napkin map math...the area of operations for the 1813 Campaign translates to 400 mile wide x 300+ miles high.



At 2500 meters per hex, that is map dimensions of 256 hexes by 192 hexes.

At 3200 meters per hex, this defines a map size of 200 hexes by 150 hexes.

[bcgames]

Anybody know this guy? BOLO...

[governato]

More Thoughts...

Attrition Model.

"March" Attrition is a thing in Napoleonic and American Civil War operational-level wargames. I put "march" in quotes because you don't have to march anywhere to suffer attrition through non-combat casualties.

Because the WEGO Engine is designed to be a multi-era wargame engine, we need a generic sub-system that allows the scenario designer to adjust the attrition model to suit his particular time period. For the sake of goalposts, we'll design an Attrition Model that spans the period from 1792 to 1992--from the beginning of the French Revolution to the end of Operation DESERT STORM. The attrition model must use/build on existing game systems. The attrition model must generalize era-specific variables into a single, universal attrition model. These variables include:

-Disease and Illness: Poor sanitary conditions, lack of clean water, and crowded living quarters can lead to the spread of diseases, which can significantly reduce the fighting capability of a military force.

-Exhaustion: Prolonged marches, lack of rest, and sleep deprivation can lead to physical and mental exhaustion among troops, reducing their combat effectiveness.

-Supply Shortages: Inadequate or disrupted supply lines can lead to shortages of food, ammunition, medical supplies, and other essentials, making it difficult for soldiers to sustain their operational readiness.

-Environmental Factors: Extreme weather conditions, such as cold, heat, rain, and snow, can impact troops' health and morale, leading to attrition.

-Desertion: Soldiers may choose to desert due to harsh conditions, lack of morale, disillusionment with the cause, or personal reasons.

-Inadequate Training and Experience: Insufficiently trained or inexperienced soldiers might struggle to effectively engage the enemy or handle the challenges of the campaign.

-Friendly Fire: Accidental attacks from one's own forces can lead to casualties and damage, especially in chaotic or fast-paced situations.

-Terrain and Geography: Difficult terrain, natural obstacles, and unfamiliar geography can hinder movement, making troops more vulnerable to attacks.

-Psychological Factors: High stress, fear, and mental fatigue can negatively affect soldiers' decision-making and combat performance.

-Wear and Tear on Equipment: Continuous use of weapons, vehicles, and equipment can lead to wear and tear, reducing their operational efficiency.

-Guerrilla Warfare and Insurgency: Engaging in irregular warfare against local insurgents or guerrilla forces can expose troops to ambushes and surprise attacks, leading to attrition.

-Friendly Units' Actions: Accidental clashes or miscommunications between different units within the same military force can result in casualties and damage.

There's an Attrition Table hidden in here somewhere...


Thoughts?

THE SOONER THE BETTER . Glad you convinced Brian. Breakdowns were 30% of tank losses in WW2 if remember. Battle of Dubno 1941 anyone?


- I 'd add "stacking values vs limits' as a relevant variable.

During the Napoleonic and the ACW era campaigns, generals could not keep too many soldiers in the same area for too long (depletion of food and water from nearby towns, spread of disease).

That'd be game changer in the way campaigns are planned/played

Once an army is "assembled" the pressure to fight sooner rather than later is greatly increased if 'attrition losses' become relevant.

Attrition 'd introduce a very realistic tension between 'keeping your units within communication range" and "keeping them fed and healthy".

Lee lost 50% of his men in 2 weeks of marching around to Antietam. Just sayin'.

[bcgames]

...Glad you convinced Brian...

No convincing was necessary. Brian included the idea in his original design. It is there every time you play WEGO WWII. The point of this thread is that attrition model needs to grow beyond a fixed, unchangeable system to a modifiable one.

The WEGO WWII Readiness and Recovery rules represent the current Attrition Model--these rules are already in the game engine. To wit, the farther a unit moves the lower the readiness--and thus the lower its combat capability. The longer a unit remains stationary, the faster it recovers combat capability.

By exposing the data relevant to readiness loss and recovery calculations--i.e., taking these factors from hard-coded values to scenario designer defined values--allows for a vast array of different attrition models that best reflect any particular historical period. Thus, the era and its relevant data factors rely on the knowledge of the scenario designer--enabled by the capabilities of the engine.

One engine to rule them all.

[scsfan]

At 2500 meters per hex, that is map dimensions of 256 hexes by 192 hexes.

At 3200 meters per hex, this defines a map size of 200 hexes by 150 hexes.

I would hope for a 256x192 map!

[ham17]

I have a question for the developer, have you ever played a war game (board game) called Atlantic Chase?
Or have you heard of it?