From: kzucker@charm.net (Kevin Zucker)
Subject: article for Web Grognards

PLAYERS NOTES: 1806 
1806 is a game of sweeping maneuvers and only a few big battles - short,
sharp and decisive.  Where the Prussians elect to fight is where the
campaign will be decided.  They should not allow themselves to be drawn in
to a battle on ground they don't like; better to sacrifice some units left
behind.

The Prussians are fighting a kind of strategic withdrawal in the face of a
more-mobile enemy.  With the regular Reinforcement Schedule the Prussians's
best chance is to slowly withdraw East, covering all the Saale River
bridges they can reach to establish a strong position along the Saale.  It
is very difficult to reach the bridge at Naumburg ahead of the French,
however.  

The Prussian must use a mix of real units and vedettes to delay the French
advance on the south map.  A skillful rear-guard is difficult to create
since the French are so much quicker: defend at the defiles to cause
traffic jams. If you can sacrifice one unit each turn on the road through
Auma you can delay the French just enough. 

In the Napoleonic Wars, there was no continuous front across the map - in
1806, as in NAB, you have to think in terms of "task forces."  You can
"screen" with vedettes and delay, but they cannot hold territory.  The
challenge for the player is to learn to use the vedettes well: throw them
at the enemy; they come right back unless surrounded.  


Kevin Zucker
Operational Studies Group
PO Box 50207   Baltimore, MD 21211
ORDERS: 1(805)534-9723  Fax: 1(805)534-9127 
http://www.charm.net/~kzucker/hq/html/tour_1998.html