Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion 7: The Grand Battles is the seventh expansion for GMT’s Commands & Colors: Napoleonics game system. The expansion features as many as 10 Grand Battle scenarios, 10 EPIC engagements, and a number of standard-sized battles. The Grand Battles battlefield is a whopping 11 hexes deep by 26 hexes wide, and there are two Grand Battle mounted map boards (left and right) included in the expansion. The EPIC battlefield is 11 hexes deep by 20 hexes wide, which is almost double the size of the standard scenario battlefield of 9 hexes deep by 13 hexes wide. Two EPIC battlefield map sheets (left and right) are also included.
Special Bonus: There are two Grand Battle extended size scenarios on a double-sided preprinted paper map, Waterloo 18 June 1815 and Borodino 7 September 1812. These two battles are 11 hexes deep by 29 hexes wide and because the battlefield is already printed with all the terrain and unit deployments, the time it takes to set up these battles is minimal.
Players will find a number of new units, including Polish French allies, British highlanders, KGL infantry and cavalry, plus all the unit blocks and rules needed when fielding these units in a battle.
The expansion also includes a number of Leader of Honor blocks. Leader of Honor blocks have a portrait of the Napoleonic leader and were first mentioned in the Generals, Marshals, & Tacticians expansion. A Leader of Honor orders more units when a “Take Command” Command card is played. Please note, the number of Leader of Honor blocks for the various Napoleonic nations will vary and are determined in scale with each Napoleonic Army’s field commander status history.
This expansion also presents new rules for Iconic Commanders that are recommended for all EPIC and Grand Battle scenarios. For example: When Napoleon is in command, because of his excellent grasp and flow of a battle, after the play of a Scout Command card, the French player, when drawing two new Command cards, can keep both cards and discard one Command card from his hand. When Wellington is in command, because of his keen eye for terrain, the British player prior to the battle may redeploy up to 4 hexes of units. For example: One unit could redeploy up to 4 hexes or two units 2 hexes each or four units 1 hex each, etc. Other Napoleonic nations also have their own unique Iconic Commander rules.
Knowing that it is not always easy to muster eight players, you will find that a scenario of EPIC Napoleonics will play out very well with just two players. It is highly recommended players give the EPIC scenarios a try, playing one on one. While a Grand Battle game is best played with eight players (four players taking command on each side). Grand Battle rules found in this expansion, however, have be slightly modified from Grand Battle rules originally presented in EPIC Napoleonics. Basically, we found after playing through these larger battle scenarios a number of times, that the updated rules will allow each player to be more involved and have greater control during the entire battle.
To experience the maximum enjoyment with these two Napoleonic game formats, both EPIC and Grand Battle scenarios are best played using the Command card and Tactician card decks that were part of the Generals, Marshals, & Tacticians expansion.
It is important to also note in order to play most EPIC Napoleonics scenarios, players will need a copy of the Commands & Colors: Napoleonics core game and many of its expansions (The Spanish Army, The Russian Army, The Austrian Army, The Prussian Army, Generals, Marshals, & Tacticians, EPIC Napoleonics, and The Grand Battles).
Again, as I stated previously in the EPIC Napoleonics expansion, it is not the intention of GMT or myself, to require a player to buy multiple copies of the Napoleonic game to play a Grand Battle scenario. I would truly hope that two friends, both who own copies of the Napoleonic game and expansions, could come together with their games, set up a Grand Battle scenario and share in the fun with six more of their friends.
Although the scope and scale of our Commands & Colors: Napoleonics game has increased two fold again, the basic rules of play, for the most part, have remained the same. Welcome to the fun!
- Richard Borg