Designed by Kevin Zucker & OSG

"They give you an appreciation for why the battles were fought where they were and how they developed. You can do your own thing and see what happens. You're not shoehorned into any historical deployment."  

—"A battlefield of Your Own Choosing," Wargame Design Magazine Vol III, Nr 3 Spring 2014

84 Battles

The Library is an ambitious project to present 84 Battles of the Napoleonic era (Napoleon was present at 70 of them). So far, 59 battles in the Library have been published, as well as several Expansion Kits. The complete plan is available for download (pdf).

By focusing on a particular timeframe, the series brings together 4 to 5 battles of one campaign, some well known, others lesser so, into one box. With detailed information about the battles and the campaign, these games create a great insight into the conflicts occurring and provide an overview for why they happened. The approach to battle scenarios are one area where this system really shines.

Optional Cards

Download TLNB PDF

1794

French Revolutionary Wars

Fleurus, 26 June—Jourdan 82,000 vs. Coburg 70,500

Image: Jourdan at Fleurus with the balloon l'Entreprenant in the background

1797 Battle of Rivoli

1796-1797

War of the 1st coalition

PART I:
BONAPARTE OVERRUNS PIEDMONT (214)

Montenotte, 11-12 April — Bonaparte 14,000 vs. Argenteau 9,000
Dego, 14-15 April — Bonaparte 12,000 vs. Argenteau 5,700
San Michele 19 April — Sérurier 15,000 vs. Colli 11,000
Mondovi, 22 April — Sérurier 15,000 vs. Colli 11,000

General Bonaparte’s first campaign broke two years of stalemate in the coastal mountains, and succeeded in detaching the Piedmontese from the Austrian alliance.

PART II:
BONAPARTE IN THE QUADRILATERAL (212)

Castiglione, 5 August — Bonaparte 35,000 vs. Wurmser 15,500
Arcole, 15-17 November — Bonaparte 20,000 vs. Alvintzy 18,500
Rivoli, 14-15 January — Bonaparte 22,000 vs. Alvintzy 28,000
Mantova, 16 January — Bonaparte 28,000 vs. Wurmser 14,000

Bonaparte parried four massive Austrian offensives in six months, marching quickly to gain local superiority. 

Image: Napoleon at the Battle of Rivoli, by Henri Félix Emmanuel Philippoteaux

1799-1800

war of the 2nd coalition

PART I:
Zurich I
, 4-7 June 1799 — Massena 30,000 vs. Charles 40,000
Novi, 15 August 1799 — Joubert 35,000 vs. Suvorov 35,000
Zurich II, 25-26 Sept. 1799 — Massena 33,500 vs. Korsakov 19,605
Hohenlinden, 3 Dec. 1800 — Moreau 76,407 vs. Johann 58,221

After first Zurich a stalemate ensued. Joubert’s force landed at Genoa and was defeated at Novi. At second Zurich Massena defeated Korsakov and drove Russia from the Second Coalition.

PART II:
Chivasso
, 26 May 1800 — Lannes 12,000 vs. Haddick 5,000
Turbigo, 31 May 1800 — Murat 12,000 vs. Vukassovich 5,346
Montebello, 9 June 1800 — Lannes 13,000 vs. Ott 18,000
Marengo, 14 June 1800 — Bonaparte 28,127 vs. Melas 29,096

Bonaparte led his army over the Alps in mid-May. Melas’s communications were cut with Ott’s defeat at Montebello. Melas launched a surprise attack at Marengo, catching Bonaparte off-guard. At 2:30 he arrived with the Reserve, and Desaix joined in at 5:30, clinching victory.

Image: General Moreau at the Battle of Hohenlinden

General Moreau at the Battle of Hohenlinden

1805

War of the 3rd Coalition

NAPOLEON'S WHEEL (210):

Ulm, 19 October — Napoleon 80,000 vs. Mack 23,273
Dürrenstein, 11 Nov. — Mortier 12,000 vs. Kutuzov 24,000
Schöngrabern, 16 Nov. — Murat 35,000 vs. Nostitz 7,000
Austerlitz, 2 December — Napoleon 65,000 vs. Kutuzov 86,025

Austria opened hostilities, seizing Venezia and Bavaria. Before Russian help could arrive, Napoleon marched his army from the Channel coast and surrounded Ulm. The swiftness of the collapse and the fall of Vienna stunned the world.

Image: Napoléon at the Battle of Austerlitz, by François Pascal Simon, Baron Gérard

1806-1807

War of the 4th Coalition

THE COMING STORM (201):

Jena, 13-14 October — Napoleon 124,800 vs. Hohenlohe 51,800
Auerstädt, 13-14 October — Davout 28,867 vs. Brunswick 53,380
Pultusk, 25-26 December — Lannes 25,600 vs. Bennigsen 40,000
Golymin, 25-26 December — Murat, 38,000 vs. Galitzin 17,000
Eylau, 7-8 February — Napoleon 81,080 vs. Bennigsen 68,669
Friedland, 13-14 June—Napoleon 67,297 vs. Bennigsen 61,219

In 1806 and 1807 the French encountered the poorly-led Prussians in Saxony and then came chaotic winter battles against the Russians.

Image: The French Army entering Berlin in 1806

1808-1809

Peninsula War

PART I, NAPOLEON IN SPAIN (211):

Vimeiro, 21 August — Junot 16,662 vs. Wellesley 18,669
Espinosa, 10 Nov. — Victor 21,000 vs. Blake 24,000
Tudela, 23 November — Lannes 31,000 vs. Castaños 19,000
La Coruna, 16 January — Soult 20,000 vs. Moore 14,900

The disaster at Bailen and Joseph’s withdrawal from Madrid forced the Emperor to appear there in person. The British had a strong base in Portugal. Popular insurrections broke out and the French were nearly driven from the peninsula by the time Napoleon arrived in November. By January Madrid had been reconquered, but rumblings from the Danube interrupted the mopping up operations and forced Napoleon to depart on January 17.

PART II, NAPOLEON'S QUAGMIRE (207):

Medellin, 28 March — Victor 18,000 vs. Cuesta 26,000
Talavera, 27-28 July — Joseph 46,735 vs. Wellesley 54,569
Almonacid, 11 Aug. — Joseph 18,200 vs. Venegas 23,000
Ocaña, 18-19 Nov. — Joseph 29,000 vs. Aréizaga 54,939

Wellesley advanced against Victor, who withdrew onto reinforcements from Joseph and Sebastiani. Together they advanced on Talavera, suffering a tactical defeat. Venegas and then Aréizaga advanced on Madrid only to be defeated in turn. 

Image: Sir John Moore, British commander

1809

WAR AGAINST AUSTRIA

THE LAST SUCCESS (202):

Abensberg, 19-20 April — Napoleon 55,000 vs. Louis 34,000
Eckmühl, 21-22 April — Napoleon 60,000 vs. Charles 77,000
Aspern-Essling, 21-22 May — Napoleon 66,000 vs. Charles 95,800
Wagram, 5-6 July — Napoleon 160,000 vs. Charles 140,000

Napoleon and his Army of Germany met their first setback in the shadow of Vienna against a modernized Austrian Army.

Image: Napoleon at Wagram, painted by Horace Vernet

 

1810-1811

PENINSULAR WAR, PART III

THE STRUGGLE FOR PORTUGAL: 

Bussaco, 27 Sept 1810 — Massena 55,000 vs. Wellington 50,000
Fuentes de Oñoro, 3-5 May 1811 — Massena 48,452 vs. Wellington 36,946
La Albuera, 16 May 1811 — Soult 24,260 vs. Beresford & Blake 35,284

Wellington was forced to withdraw behind the lines of Torres Vedras to protect the approaches to Lisbon. Masséna's army was brought up short and eventually withdrew into Spain. In April 1811, Wellington besieged Almeida. When Soult gathered a new army and marched to relieve the siege of Badajoz, the opposing armies met at the village of Albuera.

Image: Marshal Beresford disarming a Polish lancer at the Battle of Albuera, Thomas Sutherland

1811-1813

PENINSULAR WAR, PART IV

THE SPANISH ULCER:

Sagunto, 25 October 1811—Suchet 20,000 vs. Blake 28,000
Salamanca, 22 July 1812 — Marmont 49,652 vs. Wellington 51,939
Vitoria, 21 June 1813 — Joseph 57,300 vs. Wellington 88,276

Wellington’s renewed offensive led to the defeat of Marmont at Salamanca. Madrid and Andalusia fell in quick succession.

Image: General Joaquín Blake

1812

From Smolensk to Moscow

NAPOLEON AGAINST RUSSIA (205):

Smolensk, 16-17 Aug. — Napoleon 140,000 vs. Barclay 30,000
Valutino, 18-19 Aug.— Ney 30,000 vs. Barclay 40,000
Shevardino, 5-6 Sept. — Napoleon 35,000 vs. Bagration 25,000
Borodino, 7-8 Sept. — Napoleon 134,300 vs. Kutuzov 130,300
Maloyaroslavets, 23-24 Oct. — Napoleon 24,000 vs. Kutuzov 97,012

The Russian Army finally gave Napoleon the decisive battles he so greatly desired. His first maneuver started out well—with the French poised to slip into Smolensk behind the Russians. However, the opportunity to bring an end to the campaign remained unfulfilled. After that, Moscow became the default destination.

Image: Napoleon before burning Smolensk. Oil on canvas by Albrecht Adam

1813

WAR OF LIBERATION, PART I

NAPOLEON'S RESURGENCE (208):

Lützen, 2 May — Napoleon 144,000 vs. Wittgenstein 93,000
Bautzen, 20-21 May — Napoleon 167,410 vs. Wittgenstein 97,000
Luckau, 5 June — Oudinot 20,000 vs. Bülow 15,000

Napoleon arrived with a fresh army at the end of April and drove the Coalition out of Saxony by the end of May. He left Oudinot to defend his communications against an advance from Berlin. The Armistice had been declared days before Oudinot’s loss at Luckau.

Image: Battle of Lützen

1813

WAR OF LIBERATION, PART II

NAPOLEON'S COUNTERSTRIKE (216)

Löwenberg, 21 Aug. — Napoleon 23,000 vs. Blücher 37,700
Dresden, 26-27 Aug. — Napoleon 155,000 vs. Schwarzenberg 200,000
Wartenburg, 3 Oct. — Bertrand 14,000 vs. Yorck 16,000

At the conclusion of the armistice the Emperor advanced into Silesia and caught up with Blücher at Löwenberg, but Blücher retreated to safety. Napoleon returned to Dresden to repulse the onslaught of the main enemy force in the plain of Dresden. After several lost battles, Napoleon abandoned the right bank of the Elbe, and Yorck’s crossing could not be stopped.

Image: Battle of Dresden

1813

WAR OF LIBERATION, PART III

FOUR LOST BATTLES (213):

Grossbeeren, 23 August — Oudinot 22,000 vs. Bülow 35,000
Katzbach, 26 August — Macdonald 84,000 vs. Blücher 63,000
Kulm, 29-30 August — Vandamme 37,000 vs. Barclay 70,000
Dennewitz, 6 September—Ney 58,000 vs. Bülow 100,000

Napoleon was outnumbered and strategically surrounded by three large armies: Bernadotte’s Army of the North, Blücher’s Army of Silesia, and Schwarzenberg’s Army of Bohemia. The Trachtenberg Plan required any one of these armies to retreat when faced by Napoleon in person, coordinated with an advance by the other two Armies. This plan was the undoing of Napoleon.

Image: Battle of Kulm; painting by Alexander Kotzebue

1813

WAR OF LIBERATION, PART IV

NAPOLEON AT LEIPZIG (203):

Liebertwolkwitz, 14 Oct. — Murat 18,000 vs. Schwarzenberg 26,000
Wachau, 16 Oct. — Napoleon 98,700 vs. Schwarzenberg 203,000
Moeckern, 16 Oct.  — Marmont 40,500 vs Blücher 43,700
Leipzig, 14-19 Oct. — Napoleon 196,550 vs. Schwarzenberg 279,030
Hanau, 30-31 Oct. — Napoleon 50,000 vs. Wrede 42,392

Napoleon at Leipzig is a comprehensive game with a proven track record of excellent re-playability, among the most popular Napoleonic wargames of all time, with 20,000 copies in print across the first four editions. Now it has a bigger playing area and more manpower for both sides. Completely revised order of battle; all new unit set-ups; revised and expanded maps.

Image:  The Red Lancers after the charge at the battle of Hanau

1814

campaign in france

PART I, LA PATRIE EN DANGER (204):

Brienne, 29 January — Napoleon 36,000 vs. Blücher 28,000
La Rothière, 1 February — Napoleon 45,000 vs. Blücher 120,000
Champaubert, 10 February — Napoleon 15,000 vs. Olsufief 3,700
Montmirail, 11 February — Napoleon 25,000 vs. Yorck 32,000
Vauchamps, 14 February — Napoleon 11,000 vs. Blücher 8,000

Napoleon arrived at the front and surprised Blucher's Prussians and Russians during a snowstorm. Just two days later the Prussians triumphed at La Rothiere and wrote-off the enemy as a spent force, advancing hell-for-leather across the Marne and onto the highway to Paris. Ten days later Napoleon seized his opportunity when Marshal Vorwarts got his dispersed columns defeated in detail, in rapid succession in three short sharp combats.

Image: Prussian Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher

 

1814

CAMPAIGN IN FRANCE

PART II, NAPOLEON RETREATS (209):

Craonne, 7 March — Napoleon 39,000 vs. Winzingerode 23,000
Laon, 9-10 March — Napoleon 39,000 vs. Blücher 70,000
Reims, 12-13 March — Napoleon 18,000 vs. St. Priest 13,400

Blücher withdrew from the Ourcq when he heard of Napoleon's advance. At Soissons he linked up with reinforcements that brought his total force to 100,000. On 7 March, Napoleon attacked westwards along the Chemin des Dames. The Prussians were forced to withdraw towards Laon.

Image: General Emmanuel de St-Priest

1814

Campaign in France

PART III, NAPOLEON'S END (215):

Mormant, 17 March — Napoleon 19,000 vs. Pahlen 4,300
Montereau, 18 March — Napoleon 30,000 vs. Eugen 15,000
Arcis-sur-Aube, 21 March — Napoleon 30,000 vs. Schwarzenberg 100,000
La Fère Champenois, 25 March — Marmont 21,000 vs. Eugen 28,000

With the Coalition armies converging on Paris, Napoleon and his Marshals were unable to stem the flood tide of history. Elba, and the Hundred Days, were to follow.

Image: Duke Eugen von Württemberg

1815

CAMPAIGN OF THE 100 DAYS

NAPOLEON'S LAST GAMBLE (206):

Quatre-Bras, 16 June — Ney 26,695 vs. Wellington 36,000
Ligny, 16 June — Napoleon 80,000 vs. Blücher 86,569
Wavre, 18 June — Grouchy 33,000 vs. Thielemann 17,000
Waterloo, 18 June — Napoleon 71,947 vs. Wellington & Blücher 191,461
La Souffel, 28 June — Rapp 21,100 vs. Württemberg 30,000

Napoleon began by moving on the central position between the Prussian and British Armies. On June 15th the Grande Armée was unleashed across the Sambre River. As the 16th dawned, troops of both sides still converged on the battlefields. After withdrawing from the Rhine, General Rapp turned to oppose an Austrian crossing of the river line. The Württembergers moved to intercept. Rapp pulled back toward Strasbourg and fought the last pitched battle of the Napoleonic Wars.

Image: Scotland Forever!, the charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo painted by Elizabeth Thompson