NAPOLEONIC CAMPAIGN RULES -- Using the Game of RISK 

Date: 1/7/21 

 

 INTRODUCTION 

Uses RISK rules and board as a campaign's strategic theater.  Battles are fought on your battle table or game board. They are Corps- and Division-level.  I use these battle rule sets for land: CORPS-sized battles: Pub Battles (from Command Post);  DIVISION-sized battles: One-Hour-Wargame (Neil Thomas) and Portable Napoleonic Wargame (Bob Cordery).  For sea battles, I use a simple ruleset (see APPENDIX).

One campaign scenario is described in the rules and other scenarios are provided in another post in this blog, but additional scenarios can be developed. These rules are designed to be used solo, but I am sure they can be adapted for multi-player use. Some, but not all, the RISK rules are the basis for strategic movement. What is described below is not a set of specific, "must use" rules, but rather a more general description of the process at that moment in the campaign. The reader most likely has various rules and mechanisms in his repertoire to be used. 

 

 BASIC DEFINITIONS 

Territory - one of the areas shown on the RISK board.

Country - Starts as 3 adjacent territories, one of which is the capital. Countries will grow in size as the campaign progresses. 

Continent - One of the continents on the RISK board. If one country occupies all territories in the continent, it can receive the continent bonus per RISK rules. 

Force - will be used to indicate the building blocks of the army and navy. 

Army: 

BRIGADES form DIVISIONS which can form CORPS 

GARRISONS are 1-4 brigades located in the main fort of each territory. Capital can contain 4, all others max is 2. These are defensive only. 

Navy: 

 SHIPS - TRANSPORT to move a brigade-sized force; it is unarmed, and WARSHIP - carries standard armament of a frigate 

 Block - in RISK, wooden blocks are used to represent a force in a territory's garrison. One block equals one brigade of infantry. 

CHANCE - a chance occurrence, or random event, which affects the actions of the force whose turn it is. Things such as confusion over orders (lose this turn), low supplies (lose multiple turns till resupplied), revolt occurred in an occupied territory. I include some that I use but I often change them. They are used to create the "fog of war" conditions of a campaign. Be creative and use your own. 

GOLD - This represents both currency in the treasury to be spent on armed forces, but also the total resources a territory produces for the country (e.g. agricultural products, minerals). 

 

 CAMPAIGN SCENARIO: 

 3-4 COUNTRIES located in any continent on the board. Each will have a specific objective (ex: establish secure trade route to an ocean port). All try to achieve their objective, doing battle as conflicts arise. 

 

ARMY AND NAVY ORGANIZATION 

Army 

 Corps: minimum of 2 divisions.

Division: 6 brigades each consisting of  1 C-in-C, 1 Skirmisher detachment,  4 Infantry Brigades,  1 Cavalry Brigade,  1 Artillery Battery

 note: This is the organization I prefer. Size of each brigade, as well as any other division or corps organization, is player's choice. 

Navy 

A collection of transport and/or warships. A country can have as many navies as it wishes to protect its ports and transport its armies. 

 

 SET UP on RISK board 

 1. Determine number of COUNTRIES and locations of their capital territory.

 2. Determine total number of adjacent territories including capital that are initially controlled. Min = 3 , max = 6. 

3. Determine size of treasury. Roll 5 D6 to generate GOLD units. 

4. Determine each country's objective (why it is waging this campaign) and its initial campaign strategy. (note: I use SCMR - Campaign Mobilization Rules by William Sylvester described in his book The Solo Wargaming Guide).

 5. From the treasury, buy and build initial army, navy, and garrison forces. Garrisons are placed in controlled territories; army/naval forces start in capital. 

 

TURN SEQUENCE 

 Each turn consists of 3 phases - RESOURCE, MOVEMENT, BATTLE. All countries get an opportunity to move in each PHASE, then play moves on to next PHASE. When all PHASES are completed, the turn is complete and a new one begins. Randomly choose the order of movement in each turn. 

 1. RESOURCE PHASE  

At a COUNTRY'S turn: Roll D6: 1 = cannot receive RISK continent bonus this turn. 2 = can only collect 1/2 total gold 3 = can only collect 2/3 total gold 4-6 = can collect ALL gold Roll a 2nd D6. If it matches the first, a territory has revolted. Randomly choose which territory revolted (not capital, and not adjacent to capital). A DIVISION must move to it during the MOVEMENT PHASE (following rules of movement) to quell the revolt. Once the DIVISION enters the territory, the revolt is over and it can return to battle, again following rules of movement.

 a) Collect the allowed amount of GOLD and add to treasury. 

b) Maintain all current forces (see APPENDIX for costs). 

c) Place new garrison brigades in any territory up to the max; move any number of existing blocks to an adjacent territory. 

 d) Build new army or navy forces 

  2. MOVEMENT PHASE 

 At a COUNTRY's turn: 

 1) Roll 2 D6:

 2-7 = all forces can move 

8-9 = 1/2 forces can move only 

10 = lose this turn

11 = Revolt has occurred 

12 = Sickness in "n" randomly-chosen divisions (roll D6 to determine number) - lose 20% of forces if doubles thrown; else 10%. 

2) Move forces & attack, or, reorganize divisions in the same territory to transfer troops or form a corps. note: army movement is straight-forward, just move to an adjacent territory. Naval movement for purpose of attacking over a sea route or along the coast has specific rules (see APPENDIX) 

  3. BATTLE PHASE 

Conduct all battles, including sieges of garrisons (see APPENDIX for siege rules). 

 

ATTACKING 

 1. ON LAND

 note: if 2 DIVISIONS are joining together to form a CORPS for attack, they do so in their controlled territory first. This counts as 1 move for each. An army attacks by entering enemy territory. General combat rules

 1. Defending force may retreat. Attacking force can move into the territory uncontested and control it. 2. Defending force can engage in battle. 

3. Defending force can move into garrison. Attacker then must conduct SIEGE (see APPENDIX), or retreat from territory. 

4. If battle is lopsided (e.g. attacking with twice the force), defender usually retreats unless desperate. 

Types of battles: 

 a. One unit vs. one unit (division or corps). Conduct a battle as per the ruleset being used. Loser must retreat from territory. 

b. Multiple corps each side Attacker moves all corps into the enemy territory. One corps attacks firsts. Defender chooses a corps to defend. Battle is conducted. Loser retreats from territory. Next remaining corps then battle. Again loser retreats. If all enemy forces are gone, and there is a garrison, it surrenders and attacker controls the territory. If the battle has not been decisive, the remaining attacking force leaves the territory. After the resource phase, attacker decides whether or not to try again. 

c. SIEGE 

Use RISK battle dice rules. Count all attacker's foot brigades vs. all garrison's brigades. Multiply each by 2 or to conduct the battle; divide by same amount at end to determine losses. 

 

2. AT SEA 

Only navy warships engage in battle (not transport ships). If an attacking force with transports loses its warships and is threatened by naval force with warships, it must retreat back to safe port. See APPENDIX for quick battle rules. At end of battle, all losses are permanent. Can only reinforce during RESOURCE PHASE. 

 

 OCCUPYING UNOCCUPIED OR CONQUERED TERRITORY 

 Place 1-2 block(s) as garrison. Deduct cost from Treasury. 

 

SUPPLY CHAIN 

All forces must be in contiguous territories or unthreatened sea routes. If a force becomes isolated out of chain, it cannot be reinforced, and cannot attack. It must move to a friendly territory ASAP. At end of the next turn after it became OOS, if still in that state, it loses 1 brigade, and 1 more each turn afterward until it is destroyed.

 

 ------------------- APPENDIX ----------------- 

 

 COST OF FORCES 

a. New: army brigade = 1 GOLD, navy transport ship = 1 GOLD ,  navy warship = 2 GOLD 

b. Maintenance: 1 GOLD per 4 units (brigades and/or ships) note: costs of both new and maintained forces is raised periodically as campaign progresses. No arbitrary rule for this. Matter of player choice of timing and amount. 

 

NAVAL MOVEMENT AND BATTLE

 To move an army over a sea route (as shown by parallel lines on the Risk game board) and land on an enemy shore, a navy is needed. 6 transport ships (i.e. 1 per brigade) as a minimum. If enemy navy is expected, attacking navy should include warships as well. A NAVY move is one move shore-to-shore over the sea route. Open sea sailing is not allowed. However, a naval force can move along a controlled territory's coasts (up to 2 coasts per turn). 

Quick Naval Battle Rules

Each side rolls 1 D6: Loser loses 1 warship. If double score, loser loses 2 ships. If tie, each loses 1 ship Then roll again. 

 Attacker or defender can quit any time and retreat to safe port. Note: there are many naval battle rulesets available. I like to keep these battles simple.