Napoleonic DBM (version 2)
All armies are classed as Regular, with the C-in-C rolling one PIP die for each of his commands, except allied commands (who throw their own die), an example is Napoleon's Polish Corp in 1812.
TROOP DEFINITIONS
Infantry
LINE INFANTRY: the majority of troops are of this type. Each base represents a battalion. Class as 'Blades'.
Superior (S): Guards, Russian Grenadier battalions, etc. Troops of morale A and B. Ordinary (O): Line battalions, etc. Troops of morale C. Inferior (I): poor quality Line battalions, certain foreign battalions, etc. Troops of morale D.
LIGHT INFANTRY: troops who can fight as skirmishers. Each base represents about half a battalion. Class as 'Psiloi'.
Superior (S): Elite skirmishers, British Rifle battalions, etc. Troops of morale A and B. Ordinary (O): standard Light battalions, etc. Troops of morale C. Inferior (I): poor quality Light battalions, etc. Troops of morale D.
Mounted Troops
CUIRASSIERS: heavy troops, usually armoured, who fought with sword. Each base represents a squadron. Class as 'Knights'.
Superior (S): Troops of morale A and B. Ordinary (O): Troops of morale C. Inferior (I): Troops of morale D.
DRAGOONS: not just Dragoons, but any medium/heavy troops who have firearms. Including Carabiniers, Household cavalry. Each base represents a squadron. Class as 'Cavalry'.
Superior (S): Troops of morale A and B. Ordinary (O): Troops of morale C. Inferior (I): Troops of morale D.
LIGHT HORSE: any light troops, including Hussars, Cossacks, light dragoons, chasseurs. Each base represents a squadron. Class as 'Light Horse'.
Superior (S): Troops of morale A and B. Ordinary (O): Troops of morale C. Inferior (I): Troops of morale D.
LANCERS: lance armed troops, Uhlans of various nations. Each base represents a squadron. Class as 'Light Horse'.
Superior (S): Troops of morale A and B. Ordinary (O): Troops of morale C. Inferior (I): Troops of morale D.
Artillery
ARTILLERY: Each figure represents 16 light guns (3-4lb), 8 light/medium guns, 4 medium guns, 2 heavy guns (12lb+). Use this to 'translate' historical mixed batteries. Class as 'Artillery'.
Superior (S): All guns on the base represent Heavy artillery. Ordinary (O): Mixed artillery. Inferior (I): All guns on the base represent Light artillery. Fast (F): Horse artillery. Exception (X): Rockets.
Troop types are given 'classed as' types to be used when translating rules for interpenetrating, etc.
ELEMENT BASING
40mm base width, depth (for 15mm and 2X 6mm)
| Depth | Strips for 2X 6mm | |
| Line Infantry - 2 deep | 15mm | 2 strips * |
| Line Infantry - 3 deep | 20mm | 3 strips * |
| Light Infantry | 20mm | 1 strip |
| Artillery | 40mm | 2 guns with crews + limbers |
| Cuirassiers | 30mm | 4 strips ** |
| Dragoons | 30mm | 4 strips ** |
| Light Horse | 30mm | 2 strips |
| Lancers | 30mm | 2 strips |
* Line Infantry have 3 strips per base if country fought in 3-deep lines, e.g. French, Russian, etc. Line Infantry have 2 strips per base if country fought in 2-deep lines, e.g. Britain, Portugal, American, some Brunswickers.
** If required, remove 1 strip to allow general to be based.
MOVING THROUGH FRIENDLY TROOPS (PAGE 20)
Mounted can pass through friendly Light Infantry who are facing in the same or opposite direction.
Light Infantry can pass through any friendly land troops who are facing in the same or opposite direction.
Line Infantry can pass through or be passed through by friendly Line Infantry who are facing in the same or opposite direction.
Tactical and March Move Distances
| Tactical
and March Move Distances (for 6mm/15mm figures) |
Entirely along road | At least partly off-road in | ||
| Good | Rough | Difficult | ||
| Line Infantry | 4” | 2” | 2” | 2” |
| Light Infantry | 4” | 3” | 3” | 3” |
| Artillery (O)(I)(X) | 3” | 2” | 2” | 2” |
| Artillery (F) | 4” | 3” | 3” | 3” |
| Artillery (S) | 2” | 1” | 1” | NA |
| Cuirassiers | 4” | 3” | 2” | 1” |
| Dragoons | 4” | 3” | 2” | 1” |
| Light Horse | 5” | 5” | 4” | 2” |
| Lancers | 5” | 5” | 4” | 2” |
+1 PIP to units containing
the C-in-C of the army.
-1 PIP if unit contains artillery and unit has not moved its maximum distance.
A move by a single element can be in any direction.
Distance Shooting
See Fire Factor table for ranges. When reading the DBM rules on distant shooting (p21) replace "bowmen" with "attacker" and "bow" with "firearm".
Close Combat Factors Table
| Line Infantry | +3 v foot, +2 v mounted |
| Light Infantry | +2 v foot, +1 v mounted |
| Artillery | +2 v foot, +1 v mounted |
| Cuirassiers | +4 v foot, +2 v mounted |
| Dragoons | +3 v foot, +2 v mounted |
| Light Horse | +2 v foot, +1 v mounted |
| Lancers | +2 v foot, +1 v mounted |
In close combat (base-to-base), compare Close Combat factors; when firing, compare Fire Factors.
Rear Support Factors
Cuirassiers and Dragoons fighting other mounted troops to their front add +1 for a single supporting rank of Cuirassiers or Dragoons.
Infantry who are fighting mounted troops to their front add +1 for a single supporting rank of infantry.
Light Infantry who are fighting Light Infantry to their front add +1 for a single supporting rank of Light Infantry.
Tactical Factors
+2 If foot defending behind fortifications when shot at or in close combat, unless any of the following apply:
- they are behind permanent fortifications and being shot at by heavy artillery (i.e. S).
- they are behind temporary fortifications and being shot at by any artillery.
+1 If a general's element, and either in close combat or shot at.
+1 If Lancers, Dragoons or Cuirassiers who have moved into contact an enemy this bound.
+1 If in close combat and either upslope or defending a river bank other than at a road ford or bridge.
+1 Long range fire with Shrapnel's spherical case for British artillery (O) and (S) from 1808 onwards.
-1 For each flank overlapped, and/or each enemy element in frontal contact with flank or rear, and for each 2nd or 3rd element aiding a shooting enemy.
-1 If disadvantaged by the weather.
-1 If part of a demoralised command.
-2 If mounted troops who are in close combat while in, or in contact with the front edge of enemy who are in, rough or difficult going either on or off-road.
-2 If Line Infantry or Artillery who are shooting or in close combat while in rough or difficult going either on or off-road.
If an element's total is less than that of its opponent, but more than half:
| Line Infantry | Destroyed by Cuirassiers if in good going; otherwise recoil |
| Light Infantry | Destroyed by mounted if in good going; recoil if shot at, or if in rough or difficult going; otherwise recoil. |
| Artillery | Destroyed by any in contact; otherwise recoil. |
| Cuirassiers | Destroyed by Light Horse in close combat, or Artillery, or if in difficult going; otherwise recoil. |
| Dragoons | Destroyed by Artillery, or if in difficult going; otherwise recoil. |
| Light Horse | Destroyed by if in difficult going; otherwise recoil. |
| Lancers | Destroyed by if in difficult going; otherwise recoil. |
If an element's total is half or less than half that of the enemy:
| Light Infantry | Destroyed by mounted or Line Infantry in close combat if in good going, or by Light Infantry; otherwise flee. |
| Light Horse | Destroyed by mounted or Line Infantry in close combat, or if in close combat in difficult going; otherwise flee. |
| Others | Destroyed. |
Fleeing troops move tactical distance plus 1".
None of the troops of this period are impetuous.
FIRE FACTORS TABLE
| Properties of Firer | Modifiers based on Type of Target | |||||
| Troop Types | Range | Rapid | Dense | Normal | Dispersed | Covered |
| Line infantry | 2” 4" |
+2 NA |
+3 +2 |
+3 +2 |
+2 NA |
+2 NA |
| Light infantry (muskets) | 2" 4" |
+1 NA |
+2 +1 |
+2 +1 |
+2 NA |
+2 NA |
| Light infantry (rifles) | 2” 8” |
+1 NA |
+2 +1 |
+2 +1 |
+2 NA |
+2 NA |
| Mounted (firearms) | 1” | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +1 |
| Mounted (bows) | 2” | +1 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +2 |
| Light or Horse Artillery (I) (F) | 5” 11” |
+3 +2 |
+3 +3 |
+3 +2 |
+2 +1 |
+1 +2 |
| Medium Artillery (O) | 7” 14” |
+3 +2 |
+3 +3 |
+3 +2 |
+2 +1 |
+1 +2 |
| Heavy Artillery (S) | 10” 15” |
+3 +2 |
+3 +3 |
+3 +2 |
+2 +1 |
+1 +2 |
| Rockets | 10” 20” |
+1 NA |
+4 NA |
+2 NA |
+1 NA |
+2 +3 |
Key: NA = Not allowed (cannot fire on/or hit that target at that range).
TARGET TYPES
Rapid = mounted in good going or on road, horse artillery in good going or on road.
Dense = enfiladed (up to 45°) land units of all types, land units (not light infantry, light horse or lancers) in difficult going.
Normal = line infantry and artillery, mounted not in good going, horse artillery not in good going or on road.
Dispersed = light infantry, light horse, lancers.
Covered = among buildings, in woods, dead ground, etc, where units can not be seen, but area is fired on.
TERRAIN
The 2 sides each dice in turn. If the table is not more than 25" wide or 15" deep, they throw one dice each, if larger, two dice.
Each terrain type is run through in sequence.
Highest score places first, roll a separate dice if scores are even (but don't reroll terrain).
The terrain can only be placed within the opponent's side of the table.
| 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Difficult hills | Peninsular hill | Finger hill | Broken ridge | Wooded ridge | Steep knoll | - |
| Gentle hills | Long ridge | Kidney ridge & Short ridge | Kidney ridge | Short ridge | Low knoll | - |
| Watercourses | River | Straight stream | Crooked stream | - | - | - |
| + Marshy | Marsh | Marsh | - | - | - | - |
| BUA | Hamlet | Farm + hamlet | 2 Hamlets | Farm | Hamlet | - |
| Woods | 2 small | 1 large | 1 small | - | - | - |
Each side can now place 30" of roads, with or without bridges, and are not restricted to the opponent's side of the table; dice for priority. Roads must start and end at a table edge or another road, or end at a built-up area.
Difficult Hills
Peninsular Hill: T-shaped hill extending in from table edge.
Finger Hill: extending in from table edge, this hill splits into 3 'fingers'.
Broken Ridge: stands clear of the table edge, rocky along the crest and down one side, gentle on other side. It has 2 gentle saddles.
Wooded Ridge: stands clear of the table edge, densely wooded along the crest and both sides, except at its one gentle saddle.
Steep Knoll: stands clear of the table edge, bare, rounded crest with rocky slopes.
Gentle Hills
All stand clear of the table edge, have rounded crests and smooth slopes.
Kidney ridge: slight bend in the middle.
Watercourses
Rivers: entering the table from the edge and leaving it across an adjacent edge.
Straight Stream: entering the table from the edge and leaving it across an adjacent edge or joining another watercourse.
Crooked Stream: as above, but with an overall half-way bend of about 45°.
Some watercourses have marshy banks: can be positioned with marsh on one or both sides of the watercourse.
