For purpose of this GMT Website exposition to provide you a better idea of what KUTUZOV is all about, we’ve extracted two sections from the drafts of the game’s Play Book. Part One, an explanation of the differences between “KUTUZOV, THE NAPOLEONIC WARS and WELLINGTON and Part Two, a KUTUZOV replay Tutorial, which when matched with the rough map accompanying this material, should provide you a sense of how the game plays.

We’ve also provided copies of both the French Imperial and Russian Tsarist Camp’s Home Cards as well as the sixteen (16) “Must Play” KUTUZOV cards. The specially labeled “Must Play” card referenced Rule 14.62 are cards which are re-cycled during the Winter Game Turns to return as special “Must Play” Attrition Events inflicted on Napoleon’s forces.

Part One: What’s Different Between Kutuzov, The Napoleonic Wars and Wellington?

Introduction

Kutuzov is the third game in a series of Napoleonic wargames designed by Mark McLaughlin. The first title was The Napoleonic Wars (developed by Don Greenwood), and the second title was Wellington (developed by Fred Schachter, as was Kutuzov). Although the three games share many features, each game stands alone and has its own distinctive character. This overview provides players of The Napoleonic Wars and Wellington with a broad comparison of the three games currently in the series, and “sets the stage” for newcomers to gain a better understanding of the game system.

Veterans of the other two games will notice the Rulebook and Play Book to Kutuzov are longer than those of its sister games. Don’t panic! We have made great efforts to make the rules as clear and user-friendly as possible. For example, we repeat certain points to minimise rules-flipping and cross-referencing during play. The idea is to battle with your opponent, not the rulebook. The game itself is not significantly more complex than its predecessors; in some respects it is simpler.

All three games are ‘card-driven games’, in which the action chiefly depends on the play of cards held by the players. The cards in the three games have two basic uses: Events and Command Points. The Events feature historical events of the time with each card explaining the Event’s effect. Players use Command Points to move Soldiers and Leaders, build new pieces, and various other purposes depending on the individual game.

Movement across the map is from ‘point-to-point’, with each point – or ‘Duchy’ - connected by ‘Lines of March’ of various kinds. The different Lines of March reflect the different terrain across which Napoleon fought his various campaigns.

Players who are familiar with one or both of the previous titles will recognise much of the system in Kutuzov. This guided tour of the game highlights some of the important differences you should understand before plunging into action. Kutuzov adapts the system of Wellington to the circumstances of the Russian Campaign of 1812, just as Wellington adapted The Napoleonic Wars’ rules to suit the specific circumstances of the Peninsular War. The major differences include the introduction of Camp morale as a key part of the game. Also, attrition has a greater impact, reflecting the harsh nature of the Russian campaign due to climate, terrain and other factors.

Scale and game length

Kutuzov’s map and time scales, as well as the number of soldiers roughly represented by each Strength Point, are different from the other two titles. Each turn in The Napoleonic Wars represents two years and each turn in Wellington represents one year. In contrast, each turn in Kutuzov represents a campaign period of two to three months, with Turn One representing some of the initial positioning of forces before hostilities start. The winter campaign turns represent three months, as movement was more difficult at these times; the Imperial Camp may also incur more severe attrition if it makes Forced Marches during winter turns.

A Strength Point in Kutuzovrepresents about 10,000 soldiers, compared to about 15,000 per Strength Point in The Napoleonic Wars. (Design Note: Each piece’s depiction as Infantry, Cavalry, or Artillery is strictly as a memory aid for swiftly recognizing its Strength. It is a vestige of this game series considering use of miniature playing pieces. Risk pieces were used for Kutuzov play-testing. However, it is crucial to understand all Strength Points are the same regardless of the piece being used to represent them.)

Kutuzov can last up to four turns, representing less than a year of real time: summer 1812 to early 1813. This compares to Wellington’s three years in three turns (1812-14) and The Napoleonic Wars’ ten years in five turns (1805-15). The action of a whole game of Kutuzov would be a less than a single turn of The Napoleonic Wars!

Kutuzov features several ‘sudden-death’ endings that can happen any time after the second Round of the first Turn or as of Turn 2. Starting with Turn 2, there is also a Peace die roll that can end the game.

If the game enters the fourth and final Turn, the Imperials can choose to make a ‘Retreat from Moscow’, if they have played aggressively enough to earn the right to exercise this option. Such a retreat enables the Imperial camp to attempt an orderly withdrawal from Russia, and may reward them if they can obtain good starting positions for a hypothetical 1813 campaign. However, taking this option removes the possibility of conquering Russia and boosts Tsarist morale and Resources.

Players and Powers

You can play Kutuzov with 2, 3, or 4 players, representing Powers of two contending Camps – the Imperial French and the Tsarist Russians. Unlike The Napoleonic Wars, there is no diplomatic track; you cannot ‘buy’ the support of neutral nations or change a Power’s allegiance from one Camp to another. Note that unlike Wellington, in a three-player game, the two players teamed as a single Camp may look at each other’s card hands.

Kutuzov also introduces Allied Nations. Prussia and Austria begin as allies of the Imperial Camp, but their support may waver if the campaign goes badly for Napoleon.

Napoleon’s Imperial Camp consists of:

• the French Northern Army Power (with a Prussian Allied Army); and
• the French Southern Army Power (with an Austrian Allied Army).

The Tsarist Camp consists of:

• the Russian First Army (facing the French Northern Army); and
• the Russian Second Army (facing the French Southern Army).

The Map

There are no Passes in Kutuzov, as the Russian terrain covered by the map lacks major mountain ranges of the kind represented in The Napoleonic Wars and Wellington.

Kutuzov does feature Marsh Lines of March, which were absent in Wellington. These connect the nine Duchies of the Pripyet Marshes, i.e. Pinsk, ‘The Heart of the Pripyet’, and those Duchies connected to Pinsk by dashed Marsh connections. Imperial forces incur attrition when moving through Marsh, and they may not intercept across a Marsh. The Russians do not suffer these Marsh penalties. This is a major advantage, making the Pripyet Marshes a potential refuge for the Russians. In addition, the Tsarists gain more Battle dice than their opponents when defending across Marshes in Duchies they control. The different effects of Marsh on the two Camps are a change from The Napoleonic Wars, where Marsh affects all powers equally.

Unlike Wellington, Kutuzov does not distinguish between Major and Minor Ports. In Kutuzov all Ports are the same. Naval operations in Kutuzov have limits not found to the same degree in its predecessors. Only the Russian 1^st Army may conduct Convoys during an Impulse, and only that Army may carry out an Amphibious Assault, for which it needs “Hornblower”, Tsarist Home Card 21 (similar to the card required in Wellington).

Kutuzov adds a new type of Duchy: the Depot.A Depot produces a Resource for its owner during each Interphase, and reduces attrition. Six Key Duchies are labelled as Depots: Warsaw for the Imperials and five Key Duchies in Russia.

Fortresses in Kutuzov resemble those in The Napoleonic Wars more than those in Wellington. Most Fortresses have a defence strength of two (compared to three in Wellington). There are two exceptions in Kutuzov: Riga and Koenigsberg, each with a daunting defence strength of four. Riga, the “Gibraltar of the North”, located on a peninsula with support from the Russian (and occasionally British) fleets, halves Imperial Siege dice directed against it except for those derived from Events.

Zones are a new feature in Kutuzov. There are eleven Zones around the map. They function as Home Zones and the Power or Allied Army of that color always controls these Zones. There is one exception, Finland, which can defect to the Imperial Camp through play of the “Gustavus’ Revenge” Event (card 28). As Zones represent large areas, hostile Formations may under certain circumstances coexist in a Zone without having to Battle each other.

Kutuzov does not feature the ‘Occupied Duchies’ found in Wellington. All Duchies in Russia are green except for six yellow Keys; these are the Home Keys for the Second Army. All pieces brought into play as builds may only go in a Power’s controlled Home Keys or Zones. There are exceptions: the ‘Dual Control’ Duchies of Warsaw (which may be shared by both Imperial Powers), and Moscow (which may be shared by both Tsarist Powers).

In Kutuzov, a Power may bring pieces directly from the Regroup Box to an enemy Key if:(a) the Power has flagged that Key; and (b) the Power can to trace a line of friendly-Controlled Duchies/Zones back to a friendly map edge.

During a game, Duchies may be affected by Scorched Earth and Entrenchments, which are other new elements found exclusively in Kutuzov.

Scorched Earth

The Tsarists may place a Scorched Earth marker by spending a Resource or playing certain Events. Once marked, both Camps’ Formations entering the Scorched Earth Duchy immediately incur Attrition, making Scorched Earth tactics a double-edged sword. Also, a Scorched Earth Key Duchy may only have a single Strength Point (SP) or Leader built in it each Impulse.

Entrenchments

These give several advantages in Battle and decrease the likelihood of the defenders being routed. However, they remain in place only as long as the defenders retain four or more SPs or an Army/Army Group in the Entrenchment Duchy. Players create Entrenchments by spending Resources or playing the “Masked Batteries” Event (card 83).

Movement

Movement is slightly closer to the system in The Napoleonic Wars than Wellington. For example, artillery pieces (worth 4 SPs) do not need Leaders to move. The ability of artillery to move independently is due to the presence of leaders abstracted into the game who are not given individual Leader pieces.

Kutuzov adds a rule that the Allied nations (Prussian and Austrian) need an extra CP to enter a Russian Duchy or Zone that is not already controlled by that particular Allied nation. This reflects the unenthusiastic attitude of Napoleon’s allies regarding their participation in the invasion.

As in Wellington, there are several Battle cards, as well as one Imperial Response card, enabling two-Duchy interceptions.

In Kutuzov, unlike its predecessors, Forced March Attrition starts with the fourth (not fifth) Duchy entered during a single Impulse through CP expenditure. During Winter Turns, for the Imperials only, this worsens to Forced March Attrition on the third Duchy entered through CP expenditure.

Starting Cards & Resources

Card hands in Kutuzov are slightly different from the other games and may vary depending on the scenario being played.

Before Turn 4, which is the game’s second Winter Turn, each Tsarist Power increases its hand to three Home cards each, the same number of Home cards the Imperials initially enjoy.

Unlike The Napoleonic Wars, card draw is not based on Control of Keys. Card play in Kutuzov more closely resembles Wellington because there is a fixed number of cards dealt every Turn. There is also a higher proportion of Battle and Response cards, making card play more interactive than in The Napoleonic Wars.

Unique to Kutuzov is an optional “one Hand per Camp” two-player alternative version. This provides each Camp (not each Power) a Hand of cards that can be ‘fed’ by exchanging one card token at the end of each Impulse.

For the Turn One Game Start, Resources are distributed as follows:

Imperial Northern Power - 4

Imperial Southern Power - 3

Tsarist 1^st Army Power (North) - 3

Tsarist 2^nd Army Power (South) -2

Attrition Level, Morale Level, Morale Loss Markers

One of the abiding images of the 1812 campaign in Russia is that of Napoleon on horseback, leading a bedraggled column of survivors on their ill-fated retreat from Moscow. (Napoleon was soon warming his feet by the fire back in Paris, while thousands of his hapless soldiers froze or starved to death, or were picked off by marauding Cossacks.) The devastating effects of attrition and collapsing morale on the doomed Grand Army require special treatment in any game aiming to depict this epic campaign. Veterans of The Napoleonic Wars and Wellington should therefore read the rules on Attrition and Morale with particular attention.

The rules for Imperial Attrition and both Camps’ Morale Levels are unique to Kutuzov. Attrition and morale were a quintessential part of Napoleon’s 1812 Russian Campaign, and thus require detailed treatment in Kutuzov absent in its predecessors. The intention of these additional systems is to emphasise the difficulties faced by the Imperial Camp when campaigning in Russia’s inhospitable terrain, made worse by the bitter Russian winter.

Attritionfor the Imperials(not the Tsarists, who don’t have Attrition Levels associated with their Camp)can change with the play of Events, Command Points and Resources. Attrition Loss Markers accumulate for each Imperial piece eliminated by Attrition, Battle, or Siege. Accumulating Attrition Loss Markers can worsen the effects of Attrition on the Imperial Camp.

Both Camps can accumulate Morale Loss Markers when their Armies or Army Groups evade, retreat, rout, are overrun, or are eliminated in Battle. Camps also get Morale Loss Markers when the enemy captures a friendly Fortress or Depot, and through play of certain Events. Cumulative Morale Losses can trigger an automatic Camp Morale Check, which may result in a Camp’s morale worsening. Camp Morale is also checked when a Camp’s Army or Army Group is Routed or Overrun and the enemy earns one or more Loot Resources.

Loss Markers for Morale and Imperial Attrition may be removed through play of CPs, resources, and specific Events. If there are no Loss Markers in a Camp’s Holding Box, Morale Gain markers may be acquired. Accumulating Morale Gains can result in an improvement of a Camp’s overall Morale level if a triggering circumstance occurs, e.g. capturing an enemy Fortress or Depot. Morale Gain Markers can be acquired by capturing enemy Fortresses, and by seizing Loot after routing or overrunning an enemy Army or Army Group.

In a change from Wellington, specified used ‘Must Play’ Event Cards in Kutuzov return to the deck during Winter Turns, as Special Imperial Attrition ‘Must Play’ Events that can cause further Attrition losses to the Imperial Camp.

Furthermore, during Winter Turns the harsh Russian winter is reflected by an extra Attrition penalty: a Strength Point is eliminated by Attrition on a die roll of 5 or 6. However, a piece eliminated by a die roll of 5 is placed in the Regroup Box for easier return into play (which is some small comfort).

At the end of each Turn’s Impulses Phase, players perform the Attrition Segment before resolving Morale. Imperial Attrition levels may improve, worsen, or remain stable. If the Imperial Attrition Level worsens, their ability to keep high levels of Morale weakens. This enables the possibility of a mass disintegration of the Imperial Grand Army as happened historically during their disastrous retreat from Moscow.

Wellington players will note Kutuzov does not include special rules for Guerrillas. However, there are similar rules to represent the effects of Cossack activity on the Imperial Grand Army. This segment follows Attrition.

Resources

As in Wellington, there are more Resources available than in The Napoleonic Wars. Players have more options with Kutuzov Resources. Powers may save Resources as a half VP at game end, or use them to buy cards. (In Kutuzov, it costs two Resources to buy a card.) They may also use Resources to build Entrenchments, improve morale and Attrition levels, reduce the number of dice in an Attrition check and remove Morale or Imperial Attrition loss markers. The Tsarists may also use Resources to create Scorched Earth Duchies.

In Kutuzov,Resources earned from taking a Fortress mean that it has been ‘Sacked’ and cannot create Loot for the rest of the game. However, successfully sacking a Fortress produces two Resources. Loot for Battlefield Victory is the same as Wellington.

Reinforcements

Like The Napoleonic Wars, Kutuzov uses a Reinforcement schedule for each Power, but the amount of reinforcements can vary by Turn and the map situation. Unlike Wellington, Powers do not receive reinforcements according to adjusted die rolls and reinforcement tables.

Troop Deployment Magazines and Deployment Mobilization Centers

A Kutuzov Interphase does not use Leader-oriented Deployment moves like The Napoleonic Wars or Wellington. Rather, each Power receives one Troop Deployment Magazine, to place in any friendly controlled Home Key Duchy in which it could normally build new pieces. Each piece in that Duchy, regardless of how it got there, may move up to eight Duchies, like a Deployment in the other two games of the series. For the Interphase between Winter Turns 3 and 4, this is reduced to six Duchies for the Russians and four for the Imperials to avoid the possibility of Attrition occurring.

Beginning with the Interphase before Turn 2, each Power receives a Deployment Mobilization Centre (DMC). The Power may put the DMC in any friendly controlled Duchy on the map, including formerly enemy ones. DMCs halve Attrition like Depots. If captured by the enemy, there’s a chance they may provide Loot. Each Power receives two DMCs: one for the beginning of Turn 2 and the second for the beginning of Turn 3.

A DMC can serve as a friendly Key in either Home or formerly enemy territory, as a place to return pieces into play from the Regroup Box. However, there must be a line of friendly Duchies/Zones back to that Camp’s map edge. This special rule for Kutuzov gives great importance to DMCs, as well as strategically located Keys such as Moscow or Smolensk.

Victory Points (VPs)

The French Northern Army and Russian First Army Powers can gain bonus VPs for control of the ten Baltic Ports. They may also score Victory Points depending on whether the Prussians remain Allied to the Imperialists or Revolt to join the Tsarist Camp.

The French Southern Army and Russian Second Army Powers can gain bonus VPs for (a) control of the nine Duchies in and around the Pripyet Marshes (centred on Pinsk); and (b) whether the Austrians remain Allied to the Imperialists or revert to Neutrality.

Both Camps get victory points for keeping Keys and map-printed Depots. The French get Bonus Victory Points for controlling Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev. They may also receive bonus VPs by triggering the ‘Retreat from Moscow’ rules, and keeping the enemy out of the Imperial homeland (similar to the French in Wellington, who gain bonus VPs by preventing the Allies entering France as of the game’s final turn). Also, if they trigger the ‘Retreat from Moscow’ rules, the Imperials get a full VP (not just a ½ VP) for each Resource they still have in their possession when Turn Four finishes and Victory Points are calculated.

The preceding provides Players of The Napoleonic Wars and Wellington a broad overview comparison of the three games currently in the series and “sets the stage” for newcomers better appreciating the game system.

Part Two: How to Play Kutuzov.

The Die is Cast
Kutuzov Example/Tutorial of Play: The Invasion Turn

Please note that this is a DRAFT. The final KUTUZOV Play Book rendition of this text will be interspersed with Mark Simonitch’s fine illustrations of play ala WELLINGTON. For now you imagination will hopefully suffice.

Introduction

There are many opening moves available to the Imperial side in Kutuzov. The initial hand(s) of cards may provide the siege and Prussian-aid cards that make an advance on Riga - and from there, a march to St. Petersburg - an attractive option.

If the Austrian-aid and Pripyet Marsh cards are in the Imperial hand(s), a southern move can be very tempting – especially if the Imperials use Resources to buy cards later in the turn, and draw the Must Play Events that weaken the Russian Second Army in the south.

A broad front strategy may also present itself to players who have a combination of good move, Battle and Response cards, especially cards which prevent an enemy from evading or which allow distant reinforcements to come up to engage the foe (e.g. two-Duchy interceptions). Then there is always the narrow central front “leap frog” strategy (no pun intended in the use of the word “frog”), in which the two Imperial Powers work together in a concentrated drive up the main road, straight to Smolensk and then on to Moscow.

All of these strategies, and the many others available, begin with an opening move. What follows is a “Concentrate North of the Pripyet” opener – one that keeps numerous options available without initially giving away the Imperial plan. (The questions of strategy are further explored within the scenarios’ respective Players Notes.) It is not intended to be the recommended opening – far from it. It is one possible opening among many, and is presented with the primary intention of teaching players how the first move and its special rules work, namely First Impulse Pontoon Bridges and the “To the Bridges” Rule.

French Northern Army
The Imperial Northern Army player opens the game with the play of Card 46, “Racing Home to Paris”, which he plays (obviously!) for the CP value (6).

Napoleon takes the two artillery pieces that begin with him in the Prussia Zone and advances to Koenigsberg (1 CP) and then advances into Olita (1 CP). Constantine’s Army in Vilna could Intercept, but decides against it as the possible use of the French Army North Pontoon Bridge Marker negates the 3 dice Battle advantage the Russians would normally get from the river. Furthermore, Constantine’s 4 SP Army would be greatly outnumbered not just in Strength Points but in total Battle Dice (15 to 6).

Napoleon places the free Pontoon Bridge on the path between Koenigsberg and Olita. He could have waited until later during the Impulse to keep the Russians guessing, but the French Player thinks this placement is as good as any.
Unimpaired by Constantine, Napoleon flags Olita (1 CP) and marches on to attack Constantine at Vilna (1 CP). The Tsarists decide to try to offer Battle, as several Russian Armies could converge and concentrate there through successful Interceptions. However, a dice roll to bring in Wittgenstein on an interception from Schlavli fails, as does a roll to bring in Platov from Lida.

The Tsarist player decides not to even bother trying to bring in Barclay, who has but a single SP. Barclay’s paltry Army would have lost its Entrenchment in Dunaburg had the interception succeeded. He declares that Constantine will evade back to Barclay and into the entrenchments of Dunaburg – which he does successfully. This evasion, however, costs the Tsarists their first Morale Loss Marker, which is duly placed in the appropriate Holding Box on the map.

Napoleon, in uncontested possession ofVilna, flags it (1 CP). For his sixth and final CP on the card that was played, the Imperial Northern Army Player moves Davout and the remaining forces in the Prussia Zone (a cavalry and an infantry) to the Poland Zone. That CP could have been used to advance Napoleon’s Army another Duchy, but that would have risked Forced March Attrition for entering a fourth Duchy during a single Impulse, a risk the French would prefer to avoid at this early point of the game. Besides, a “To the Bridges” deployment can only be from a single Imperial controlled Duchy or Zone. By moving Davout’s Army into Poland, the coming “To the Bridges” deployment will involve more pieces.

Although the Imperial Player could play a plus card to continue his move, he decides against it, thus keeping his advantage in cards. Not only that, Army North spends two Resources to buy a card from the Draw Pile, declares card play complete, and takes the free “To the Bridges” deployment. This allows him to take ALL of the forces from ONE Zone or Duchy to the Duchy next to the bridge on the IMPERIAL side of the border. He therefore relocates Davout, Ney and all of the troops in the Poland Zone to Fortress Koenigsberg .

Tsarist First Army
Unsure as to where Napoleon is planning to march next, the Tsarist First Army decides caution is best. He plays Card 45, “Off to Sunny Italy”, for its CP value (3) and moves the Cavalry in Tilsit to Schlavli (1 CP), Wittgenstein with 4 SPs from Schlavli to Riga (1 CP), and finally, after substituting two infantry pieces for the 2 SP cavalry which begins the game in St. Petersburg, a Baltic Convoy of 1 SP from the port of St. Petersburg to Narva (1 CP).

The Russian Player then plays a plus card, “Not a Crumb Remains” (Card 79), to place a “Scorched Earth” Marker in Dunaburg as a discouragement to French attack. To enter it will now cause Attrition. The second “Scorched Earth” Marker is placed in Lepel, to impede one of the direct routes to Smolensk.

This is followed by expenditure of a Resource to place yet another “Scorched Earth” Marker on Jacobstadt. This is a Duchy into which neither Wittgenstein in Riga, nor Barclay in Dunaburg, can intercept into due to River Lines of March. The prospect of Attrition may cause the French to pause if they’re considering an advance into the Baltic Region while bypassing Fortress Riga.

French Southern Army
The Imperial Southern Army Player plays Card 59, “Bickering Generals”, for the CP value (4). He moves the Artillery from Galicia to Warsaw (1 CP). Leaving a cavalry piece behind, he then moves Murat and Eugene from Warsaw to Grodno as an Army Group (2CPs), with a total of 8 Strength Points between them, not even waiting to place the Southern Army Pontoon Bridge Marker on the intervening River Line of March. Platov wisely decides not to intercept.

Murat conducts a siege with his Army only (sieges may only be conducted by a single Army, not an Army Group). He rolls 8 dice, scores two sixes and takes the Fortress in a single stroke. The defending Russians roll their two dice for the Fortress’s guns, but miss. The Imperials place a Southern Army Flag on Grodno and roll for Loot, but do not succeed. A Morale Gain Marker is placed in the Imperial Morale Box and two more Morale Loss Markers go into the Tsarist Morale Box for loss of the Fortress.

As Fortress Grodno fell in fewer rounds than its defense rating, the siege is an Overrun. The Imperials there may continue to move if they wish. Unfortunately, the Imperials have only a single CP remaining; however, by playing Card 80, “The Plunder of Moscow”, as a Plus Card and for its CP value (2), those 2 CP may be added to the 1 CP remaining from Card 59. The Imperial Southern Army Player advances Murat and Eugene as a Grand Army (2 CP), intending to hit Platov at Lida.

Platov fails to evade, and in the ensuing Battle (14 Imperial Dice vs. 5 for the Tsarists) he is annihilated in a Flag Overrun: the Imperials causing one more casualty than the Tsarists have SPs and Leaders to lose. Although victorious, the French do lose a single Strength Point and an Attrition Loss Marker is placed in the Imperial Attrition Loss Marker Box. The Battle of Lida results in the Tsarists taking a total of FOUR Morale Loss Markers (1 for the attempt to Evade and 3 for the elimination of an Army). The Tsarists now have seven (7) Morale Loss Markers in total.

The annihilation of Platov’s Army provides the French an opportunity to gain Battlefield Loot. They roll a die, adding three for the Tsarists’ loss of Platov and his 2 SPs. A Loot Marker as well as a second Imperial Morale Gain Marker are obtained, but the fortunate Russians roll high and do not suffer a reduction in Morale from “Vive L’Empereur” to “Marchez-Vous”.

As the Battle is a Flag Overrun, the Imperials place a Southern Army Flag in Lida for free. The Imperial Southern Power still has a CP remaining. He could advance either Murat or Eugene, but not both together with that single CP, so instead he uses it to move the Imperial cavalry in the Galicia Zone to the Austria Zone. The South Army Pontoon Bridge is then placed to signify its effect on the River Line of March between Warsaw and Grodno.

He then declares his card play complete and takes his free “To the Bridges” deployment,by taking all of the forces now in Austria (the Imperial cavalry he moved there, and the Imperial and Austrian cavalry pieces which began there) and places them in Warsaw, on the Imperial side of the border from the Pontoon Bridge. He then trades in the two Imperial cavalry for an Army South artillery, which will facilitate moving them on his next Impulse.

Tsarist Second Army
In hopes of inflicting Attrition losses on Napoleon and blunting his drive east, now seemingly more menacing than ever with a full 8 SP-strong Army under the emperor in Vilna and another powerful 7 SP Army Group under Murat (with Eugene) in adjacent Lida, the Russian Second Army Player begins the Impulse with Must Play Card 33, “Pay the Devil His Due”.

Rather than roll nine dice, the French Northern Army Player pays a Resource to reduce the dice roll by half, leaving just four dice. Not a single six is rolled among the four dice and Napoleon’s Army remains intact. This is not a bad deal for the French North Army as “Pay the Devil His Due” provides them with a Resource after the Attrition roll. The Russian Player draws another card from the deck and raises the Tsarist Morale Level to “Elan du Guerre” (equal to the French: both Camps now get two extra Battle dice).

A Must Play Card allows the Second Army to play another card. With Platov gone, and two large Imperial Formations close by each other in the center, the Second Army Player has a tough choice to make. The Tsarist forces have been split and cannot support each other. In addition, for Bagration to stay put in Mir means he will most likely be trapped,or at best forced to retire south through the Pripyet Marshes.

Bagration is currently the best Russian Leader on the map (a 3-6), so the Tsarist Second Army Player decides to move him where he can forestall an Imperial advance. As moving through Minsk risks Interception by the Imperial South Army Group led by Murat; Bagration will have to take a more roundabout route – south to Pinsk, then to Bobruisk and finally to Borisov. He plays Card 74 (A Wasted Day) for the 3CP he needs to do this.

Although this means giving up Minsk without a fight (losing a Key and thus a Victory Point), it does allow Bagration the possibility of Intercepting into Volozhin together with Barclay’s Army Group out of Dunaburg, should Imperial forces try to move along that route toward Smolensk and Moscow.

He also plays a Resource to roll eight dice, in hopes of reducing the number of Tsarist Morale Loss Markers in the Holding Box. This results in two Loss Markers being removed, getting the Russians a bit of breathing space to preserve their new “Elan du Guerre” Morale. Five Morale Loss Markers remain.

French Northern Army

The second Round of Scheduled Impulses of Kutuzov allows Pre-emptions to take place, but at this point no Power has more cards than Army North so the Imperial Northern Army Player goes next.

The French play Card 58, “Imperial Largesse”, not for the Event (which is a good one) but for the 8 CPs. Big plans are afoot! First, Davout’s Army Group with Ney and Yorck (consisting of 10 French and 3 Prussian Strength Points) conducts a Prussian Flag placement in adjacent Kovno (1 CP), and then marches into the Duchy for 3 more CPs. Yorck and his 3 Prussians would have paid 2CPs for their move into Russia had they not first Flagged the Kovno Duchy as Prussian controlled.

Napoleon takes 7 SPs into Schlavli (1 CP), leaving 1 SP behind in Vilna as a garrison. The Russian Cavalry piece there successfully Evades into Riga. The French then Flag the Duchy (1 CP) and move into Riga (1 CP) to attack Wittgenstein’s Army. A single CP remains.

The Russians attempt Evasion with Wittgenstein, gaining them another Morale Loss Marker. The roll is a dice result of 10, allowing them to successfully Evade into Parnu, but the French Southern Player holds up his hand and announces “wait a moment there bud!” (he needs to practice his French), and plays Response Card 82, “Army Encumbered”. This reduces the Russian dice roll result by three, voiding the Evasion. Wittgenstein’s Army is forced to remain in Riga.

Battle will be joined, so the French Northern Player plays Battle Card 66, “Call for Reinforcements”, which allows Davout’s Army Group in Kovno to “Offensively Intercept” two Duchies. The Russians must decide whether to play any defensive Battle Card before knowing the result of the French interception dice roll. But with Davout (4-6) in command, the Tsarist First Army Player believes the odds are against him and chooses not to “throw good money after bad”.

Those fears are realized when Davout with 6 French SPs and Yorck with 3 Prussian SPs successfully Intercept as an Army Group into Riga to join Napoleon. Ney’s Army of 4 SPs is left in Kovno to provide rear and flank security… as well as the possibility of linking up with Murat’s Army Group to the South.

The French roll 26 Battle dice versus 9 Russian. The Failed Evasion cost the Russians the Rough Line of March Battle die bonus and gives the Imperials an additional Battle die. Wittgenstein’s Army is annihilated, but the French, through some remarkable Russian dice rolling, lose three SPs, two French and one Prussian. Three Attrition Loss Markers are added into their Holding Box, which now contains four.

The French roll for Battlefield Loot and with a +7 to the die roll, get a 12 and TWO Loot Markers. Worse yet for the Russians is the French Northern Army’s play of Response card 53, “Loot & Pillage”, which gains an additional Resource and a pick from the Draw Pile. Yes, the Northern Player could have played this card to provide his Southern compatriot its benefits when Grodno fell… but he wanted to hold on to it for reasons of his own (after all, only a single Player can win the game). The French get a Morale Gain Marker for each Loot received and now have four such Markers in their Holding Box.

Three Morale Loss Markers are added to the 6 already within the Tsarist Holding Box resulting in accumulation of nine and triggering a Morale Check. This time the Russian dice roll results in a loss of Morale Level from “Elan du Guerre” to “Vive L’Empereur”. All nine Morale Loss Markers are removed from the Holding Box. Accruing nine Morale Markers would trigger a Morale Check even if the French had not received Loot. However, the Morale Check precipitated by Imperial Receipt of Resources as Battlefield Loot is moot since there are no accumulated Tsarist Morale Loss Markers to make a dice roll against.

As the Battle was an Overrun, the Imperial Northern Army, after transferring an SP from Davout’s to Napoleon’s Army (this does not cost any CP as both Formations occupy the same Duchy) conducts a Siege Resolution for Riga with Napoleon and 8 SPs. Each Siege Resolution Round has Nappy’s dice reduced by half due to Riga’s special properties as “The Gibraltar of the North”. Consequently, Napoleon’s Army gets 7 dice to roll for the first Siege Round.

The Riga Siege Resolution lasts three Rounds and involves the use of Home Battle Card 14, “Heavy Artillery”, for the Russians. The Imperials play South Army’s Home Response Card 2, “My Children” (The Young Guard), along with Army North’s Home Battle Card 7, “Twelve Pounders”. These Battle & Response Cards, whose dice are not halved by Riga’s special properties, along with good die rolling, carry the day for the French.

Losses to Napoleon’s Army are severe, four SPs, but each time a Strength Point is lost, it’s replaced by a French SP from Davout’s Army (the advantage of having extra SPs beyond the Besieging Army’s strength when conducting a Siege). Davout ends the Siege with no SPs remaining. Yorck with his two surviving Prussian SP can take no role in the Siege.

Riga falls to the Imperial Northern Player, who adds one to his Loot die roll, since the Siege took one Round fewer than its allowed maximum of four Rounds. A five is rolled. Two more Loot are received and a “Sacked” Marker is placed on Riga along with an Army North Flag. Another Imperial Gain Marker is placed within the Holding Box for capturing an enemy Fortress, bringing the Imperial total to five Morale Gain Markers.

For the Tsarists, five Morale Loss Markers are placed in their Holding Box: four for the loss of Riga and the fifth for Riga’s Depot.

The Imperial North Army Player then returns to the one CP remaining of the original eight made available through play of the “Imperial Largesse” Card. He realizes his grand Turn One plan needs one more push to bring the Russians closer to the brink of utter ruin. The French North Army Player therefore plays a non-Home plus card for its Event, Card 92 (“The General Staff”).

The Imperial North Player chooses to randomly select a Home Card from the deck. The “General Staff” Event also provides 2 more CP for a total of 3. Ney’s Army in Kovno moves to Olita (1 CP), Vilna (1 CP), and then into Dunaburg (1 CP) to attack Barclay’s Entrenched Army Group with Constantine as Staff Officer and their 5 SPs.

The Russians choose not to Evade, for this appears an excellent opportunity to provide the French a richly deserved bloody nose for an apparently foolhardy attack. This is the fourth Duchy Ney’s Army has entered during the Impulse (Kovno was the first), and this precipitates a Forced March Attrition dice roll as well as an Attrition dice roll for entering Dunaburg, a “Scorched Earth” Duchy.

Before commencing the Battle, the French Northern Army Player must resolve this Attrition by rolling ten dice. The daring Ney, to the Russians’ chagrin, avoids the worst by only rolling a single six to eliminate one SP. Loss of this SP, however, brings the total number of Imperial Attrition Loss Markers to nine. All nine Markers are immediately removed from the Holding Box and Imperial Attrition worsens from “Normal” to “Problematic”. Furthermore, due to the change in Imperial Attrition Level, two Imperial Morale Gain Markers are removed from the Holding Box, leaving three.

The Northern Player, having expended so many cards for Riga earlier during the Impulse, chooses not to play any Battle Cards. Not so the Russian First Army Player, sensing victory, who plays Home Battle Card 24, “Militia Levies”. It looks grim for Ney who’ll have 7 dice versus 11 Russian dice. Before rolling any Battle dice, the North Army Player cries “stop!” and plays Home Response Card 5, “March to the Guns”, which enables Offensive Interceptions from up to two Duchies away. The leaderless French North SP in Vilna, now considered to be under a 2-4 Leader, successfully intercepts into Dunaburg and does not roll a 6 for its “Scorched Earth” condition.

With a successful interception dice roll, the Army South Player splits up his Grand Army in Lida, sending Eugene and 4 SPs via Vilna into Dunaburg. Due to the “Problematic” Imperial Attrition Level, six dice are rolled for “Scorched Earth” and, in a horrendous display of bad dice rolling, four 6s result! These are immediately negated through Army South’s play of Response Card 73, “Train des Equipages”.

It’s now time to resolve Battle. In this Tutorial’s final example, more details than previously conveyed will be provided in order to demonstrate particular game mechanisms.

The French Army Group under Ney consists of 4 Army North SPs and Eugene with 4 Army South SPs under “Elan Du Guerre” Morale (2 Battle Dice Bonus), less one Battle die for attacking an Entrenchment, with 2 Leadership, 1 Staff Officer and 8 SPs. This results in the Imperials having 12 Battle dice. The Russian Army Group with “Vive L’Empereur” Morale (1 Battle Die Bonus) under Barclay (1 Leadership) consists of Constantine (1 Staff Officer), 5 SPs and a one Round Bonus of 4 Battle dice for the “Militia” card for 12 Battle dice.

The first Round of Battle dice rolling results in the Imperials scoring two 6s (Kills), and one 5 (Disrupt) which becomes two 5 (Disrupt) results due to the “Militia” Card’s provision: a total of four Casualties. For their part, the Tsarists roll one 6 (Kill) and two 5 (Disrupt) Results, inflicting three Casualties. However, Dunaburg’s Entrenchment allows the Russians to ignore one Casualty. A French 6 die roll result is ignored, creating a tie at three Casualties each. Another Round of Battle must be fought.

The second Battle Round has 9 Imperial versus just 4 Tsarist Battle dice. The French and Russians each roll a single 6 (Kill), leaving the Battle tied. Unless the Imperials do something, an ignominious one Duchy Imperial Army Group Retreat out of Dunaburg back into Vilna will result.

But the Imperials can do something. The French South Player plays his last non-Home Card in hand, Response Card 50, “The Thunder of Hooves”. Since two 6 (Kill) results were inflicted on the Tsarists, this gives the Imperials four more Battle dice. These dice inflict one more 6 (Kill) and two more 5 (Disrupt) Casualties. Usually this would be a Rout, but since an Entrenchment requires a Casualty differential of five rather than three, Barclay’s Army Group, after eliminating 3 SPs, retreats to Polotsk. The French lose one North and one South SP and add two Attrition Loss Markers to their Holding Box.

The Tsarists add two Morale Loss Markers due to the Imperials rolling a 6 using “The Thunder of Hooves” Card, and another two Morale Loss Markers for an Army Group’s retreat. This brings the total number of Tsarist Morale Loss Markers back to nine.

The “Thunder of Hooves” Card gives the Imperials an opportunity to force an immediate Tsarist Morale Check. The Russians pass with a dice roll of 9. However, reaching nine Morale Loss Markers also causes a Tsarist Morale Check and this time the dice roll is 5. A Tsarist Morale Loss from “Vive L’Empereur” to “Marchez-Vous” is precipitated.

Since this was the second Morale worsening in a single Impulse, the Tsarists may attempt to “Emergency Recover”. A Tsarist First Army Resource is spent for eight dice rolls. Three Markers are removed leaving 6… but with a dice roll of 5 this is insufficient to stop the Morale worsening. The remaining 6 Tsarist Morale Loss Markers are removed from the Holding Box and Tsarist Morale adjusted to “Marchez-Vous”.

Alas, both Russian Players bemoan… A wasted Resource, and if there’s another Morale Level worsening to “Les Grognards” (‘The Grumblers’), there’s a risk of the game being instantly lost by triggering an Army Mutiny through a “Tsarist Will To Fight” resolution! While the Tsarist Camp, either Player, could have played another Resource or any card as a Response card to again attempt to reduce the number of Morale Loss Markers in the Tsarist Holding Box, there’s no guarantee of success (the dice certainly seem fickle). Russian Resources and CPs would seem better retained in hopes of containing the onrushing Imperials.

Things are looking good for Napoleon! What happens next is a matter for the next Impulse….

Epilogue

The game is far from over. Despite the apparently grim Tsarist situation, all is not lost. The Russians have considerable recuperative powers and it will take many more CP for the Imperials to further advance into the depths of Russia. Furthermore, the Imperials have made no great effort to place 1 SP garrisons in a number of the Russian Duchies they’ve captured. This could cost them dearly when the “Cossack Phase” takes place.

A remarkable nineteen (19) cards have been played during the game thus far, with but five Impulses completed… a significant testament to the ferocity and intensity of play.

For readers who would like to continue this Tutorial’s example, simply follow the action previously described with a copy of the game, moving pieces as described. Note that with six (6) cards, the Russian Second Army can Pre-empt the next Scheduled Impulse, that of their Ally, the Russian First Army.

Deal each Power the indicated number of cards from the decks after removing those cards indicated as having been played during the preceding Impulses. Resources and Markers are distributed as shown in the Tutorial Continuance Set-Up.

KUTUZOV TUTORIAL CONTINUANCE SET-UP

When the Imperial Northern Army concluded its second Impulse of the game, each Power had:

Imperial Camp: Three (3) Morale Gain Markers in the Holding Box

Two (2) Attrition Loss Markers in the Holding Box

Morale at “Elan Du Guerre”, Attrition Level at “Problematic”

Imperial Northern Army: Six (6) Resources, Home Card 1, “My Old Moustaches” (The Old Guard), one other Home Card, and one regular card (3 cards total).

Imperial Southern Army: Four (4) Resources, Home Card 9, “Battalions du Marche” and one other Home Card (2 cards total)

Tsarist Camp: Zero (0) Morale Markers in the Holding Box.

Morale at “Marchez-Vous” Level

Tsarist First Army: Two (2) Resources and three Regular Cards

(Wittgenstein, a 1-4 Leader, is replaceable)

Tsarist Second Army: One (1) Resource, two Home and Four Regular Cards (6 cards total)

(Platov, a 2-4 Leader, is replaceable)

Played Cards:

Card No.	Title	Card No.	Title
2	My Children (The Young Guard)	58	Imperial Largesse
5	March to the Guns	59	Bickering Generals
7	Twelve Pounders	66	Call for Reinforcements
14	Heavy Artillery	73	Train des Equipages
24	Militia Levies	74	A Wasted Day
33	Pay the Devil His Due	79	Not a Crumb Remains
45	Off to Sunny Italy	80	The Plunder of Moscow
46	Racing Home to Paris	82	Army Encumbered
50	The Thunder of Hooves	92	The General Staff
53	Loot & Pillage

NOTE FROM THE GAME DEVELOPER: This is a hypothetical Kutuzov Scenario and players should not feel constrained by its set-up parameters. If adjusting the number of strength points available to one side or another or Morale/Attrition Markers will make for what you and your opponent(s) believe is a more interesting and/or balanced game situation…feel free! As Designer Mark McLaughlin often says when asked about options or “House Rules” for those playing his designs at home, “Hey, it’s your game!”