Tactics in Napoleon in the Desert
By Doug McNair
December 2005

Having analyzed the fantasy campaign game Tears of the Dragon in one of my most recent articles, it seems appropriate to move quickly on to Napoleon in the Desert. To an uninformed observer, the Egyptian Campaign might seem just as much a work of fantasy as Tears of the Dragon. But this most unlikely of historical military campaigns provides players of Napoleon in the Desert with a fascinating array of real-life tactical situations. And, like Tears of the Dragon, each side in Napoleon in the Desert has greatly differing strengths and weaknesses, and must utilize its strengths to the fullest to win the game.

“The Pyramids” scenario presents one of the most interesting tactical situations offered by the game. The light and fast Mameluke army faces off against the French infantry divisions on the west bank of the Nile, with three Mameluke infantry divisions on the east bank waiting to cross. The factors which drive game play for each side in this game are as follows:

Napoleon directs his troops.

Napoleon

The Emperor-To-Be landed in Egypt with a small, tired army composed entirely of infantry divisions and light artillery. To do so in a land that was home to some of the most legendary cavalry in the world seems rather foolish — how could he hope to protect his flanks against such a fierce and mobile enemy? But Napoleon’s divisions were some of the best-trained in the world, and this is the root of their strengths in Napoleon in the Desert.

Elite Infantry: All of Napoleon’s infantry is Elite, meaning when it assaults it hits on all rolls of 5 or 6. So, Napoleon can attack the Mameluke infantry divisions aggressively, knowing that he’ll get the better of any engagements even though the Mameluke divisions have higher combat strengths.

Morale: Napoleon’s infantry divisions are outnumbered 6 to 5 in the “Pyramids” scenario, and their starting combat strengths are lower than the Mameluke divisions as well. But their average morale of 7 compensates, since armies with higher morale gain extra assault dice equal to the difference in morales between them and the enemy. Also, any division with a morale of 6 or more can automatically form square against a cavalry charge, so the fourteen Mameluke cavalry units can’t be counted on to break the French with charges.

Artillery: The French artillery is light and sparse, with only one step per unit and a combat strength per unit of 1. But it has greater range than the heavier but antiquated Mameluke artillery, so the French player can use it to soften up the Mamelukes before the French infantry closes to within Mameluke artillery range. Also, each French infantry division has its own artillery unit, and can count on the artillery to attach as needed to raise the division’s combat strength and morale.

Leadership: The French have three leaders in the battle at start, while the Mamelukes have only Murad with the main army and Ibrahim waiting to cross from the east bank of the Nile. This gives the French divisions the ability to move out of Napoleon’s command radius and attack independently as long as they have a leader with them. Each leader’s tactical rating also adds to the strength of the division he’s with, and since each division is Elite that’s doubly telling. Finally, the French are much better-organized overall than the Mamelukes, and this is reflected by the fact that all the French infantry divisions are in the same formation. This means that they can all activate and move and attack at once. The Mamelukes, on the other hand, have five different formations in just in the part of their army that starts on the west bank of the Nile. This means that each one has to activate and fight separately. And since Murad’s Initiative is only 2, it’s highly doubtful that all of them will be able to activate every turn.

Murad Bey, Mameluke lord.

The Mamelukes

Murad Bey and his compatriots have a huge numerical advantage over the infidels, but his army is split in half by the river, and his infantry, though strong, is badly disciplined and will break after just a few hits. Murad must therefore maximize the use of his strengths if he is to win:

Elite cavalry: Like Napoleon’s infantry, all Murad’s cavalry is Elite, so whenever it attacks it scores hits on rolls of 5 or 6. This means that Murad doesn’t have to rely on cavalry charges to inflict hits on the French. Instead, his cavalry can use its superior mobility to envelop and assault the unguarded French flanks, increasing its own combat strength and cutting French strength in half through Enfilade Combat. Thus, even though all cavalry has its combat strength halved in assault, French infantry combat strength is halved in this situation as well. And since the Mameluke cavalry vastly outnumbers the French infantry, and has a morale that is closer to that of the French (meaning the French won’t get much of a combat bonus for superior morale), it will inflict at least as many hits as it takes when it assaults in this way.

Hit and run: There is only one Mameluke leader on the west bank of the Nile at game-start: Murad Bey. He is therefore responsible for keeping the entire main Mameluke army of 14 Cavalry, 3 Infantry and 2 Artillery “in command,” all by himself. This isn’t easy, since his cavalry needs to utilize its full movement capabilities to envelop the French flanks. Indeed, Mameluke cavalry may often have to retreat out of Murad’s command radius in order to avoid hits from French infantry. So, Murad’s cavalry will need to use hit and run tactics on the French, riding out to hit them and then retreating back within Murad’s command range so he can order them to go out again. This works well, because Murad has two independent formations of cavalry on his two flanks, so one cavalry formation can always be hitting a French flank while the other is retreating back into command range.

The Nile: Murad has an unbeatable anchor for his flank and rear: The Nile. This is very fortunate for him, because his Initiative rating is only 2, so he will only be able to activate one of his formations at a time when he can activate one at all (he will fail his activation roll 2/3 of the time). Napoleon, on the other hand, has an Initiative rating of 6, so he can always activate a formation, and most of the time can activate multiple formations. This, plus the ability of leaders in Napoleon in the Desert to command units on their own without having to be part of their specific formation, would mean that in most circumstances Napoleon could envelop Murad’s flanks with ease. But the Nile makes this impossible. Murad can pull his forces east and form a defensive perimeter with his back to the Nile, letting his superior artillery pound the French as they advance, while his cavalry rides out to hit the approaching French flanks.

Victory conditions: The Mamelukes win “The Pyramids” merely by inflicting 15 (Marginal Victory) or 25 (Decisive Victory) step losses on the French. But the French have to either wipe out the Mameluke cavalry completely, or inflict 40 step losses on the Mameluke army and control both areas in the town of Imbaba. This gives Murad options that Napoleon doesn’t have. He can have his divisions try to hold Imbaba while his cavalry does damage to the French, or he can simply throw his divisions at the French aggressively and not worry about Imbaba. It’s highly unlikely that the French will be able to eliminate all the Mameluke cavalry, and even inflicting 40 step losses will be difficult, simply because cavalry moves faster than infantry. The Mameluke cavalry can inflict its 15 or 25 step losses on the French and ride off to the Pyramids and beyond. The French will be left holding Imbaba, but holding it with a battered, thirsty, depleted army that will surely fall victim to Bedouins later.

Game Summary

The following summary of a recent game illustrates how the factors above shape French and Mameluke tactics in “The Pyramids,” and affect their chances for victory.

8:00 a.m.: Per scenario rules, the Mameluke army battle plan was to charge the French at first light, so all Mameluke cavalry can activate together at the start of the first turn (before players roll for Order of Battle). But instead of charging (and suffering first fire from French divisions that will form square), the Mameluke Faqariya cavalry formation rides forward to envelop the relatively weak Vial division toward the French left. This has the added benefit of attacking the area containing the only French artillery currently in range of the Mamelukes.

Meanwhile, the Mameluke Qasimiya cavalry formation pulls in from the west, still protecting the flank of the Mameluke and Albanian infantry, but getting closer to Murad Bey so that they’ll be within his command radius next turn if he moves to put his back to the Nile. The Faqariya cavalry score three hits on the Vial Division, and Vial decides to take them all rather than retreating, because retreating would cause his independent artillery to be eliminated (if it had been attached it would be able to retreat with the infantry). The French score two hits on the Faqariya, but they retreat and thereby reduce the hits to 1.

It’s hard to activate all your formations.

Players roll for Order of Battle (a formality, since Napoleon with his Initiative of 6 will always get initiative), and Napoleon’s activation roll lets him activate all three of his formations (the infantry, his HQ, and the French gunboat on the Nile). Vial attaches his artillery to his division so it can increase his strength and morale, and so that it can retreat with him if necessary.

Since the French left flank has been weakened somewhat by the Faqariya attack, Napoleon decides not to march on the riverside town of Imbaba with weakened units, but instead have his untouched right flank (with Desaix in command at the extreme right) hit the Mameluke left flank hard. The entire French army shuffles left, and Desaix’s division advances out of line to hit the Qasimiya cavalry on the Mameluke left. Desaix scores five hits on them (which they reduce to three by retreating), but the Elite Mameluke cavalry scores three hits in return. Desaix, eager to advance and hit the now-exposed left flank of the Mameluke 1-Derbent Infantry division, stands and takes the three hits. The Mameluke player rolls to see if the hits kill Desaix, and he rolls a 10, killing him! Killing a French leader counts as 4 French steps lost, meaning the Mamelukes have now inflicted 10 hits (with only 15 needed for a Marginal Victory). To top it all off, both of Desaix’s division’s flanks are exposed since it advanced out of line, and will be Out of Command if Napoleon doesn’t move in its direction!

The three divisions of the French center inflict five more hits on the Faqariya cavalry who hit Vial earlier, but the cavalry retreats and reduces the hits to three. In return, the Faqariya score two hits on Bon’s division. The French have been hurt, so Bon decides to retreat and reduce the hits on him to one. This also takes them out of range of a possible Faqariya charge next turn.

Napoleon then activates his HQ and assigns his staff officer Murat to Vial’s damaged division, to increase its morale and combat strength. Napoleon then moves to his right to put Desaix’s division back in his command radius. Finally, the French gunboat moves down the Nile toward the Mameluke gunboat protecting Ibrahim Bey’s intended river crossing.

Murad then rolls and activates a formation. This is a moment made for heroes! The Albanian Sekhan infantry division breaks ranks and swings left to hit the Desaix division’s left flank (exposing its own rear to the French center), while the 1-Derbent division turns left and assaults it frontally. Unfortunately, they only inflict two hits on the French (it’s tough when you’re not Elite . . . ), which Desaix reduces by retreating west. Desaix inflicts two hits on the Derbent Infantry that’s with Murad Bey, but doesn’t kill him. The infantry stands its ground, and the Albanians advance into the area Desaix vacated and change facing to face the French center.

Napoleon has activated all his formations, so Murad rolls again to activate, but rolls more than his Initiative of 2 and fails. The turn ends.

9:00 a.m.: Napoleon rolls and gets 1 activation. He activates his infantry, which detaches all its artillery so it can move faster toward the Mameluke left. Reynier and Dugua’s divisions rush forward and into line with Desaix, and all three of them attack the Albanian division. They annihilate it, taking no hits in return.

On the French left, the Vial and Bon divisions advance and attack the Faqariya cavalry of the Mameluke right. They inflict three hits, which the cavalry reduces to two by retreating. Bon takes a hit but retreats and negates it.

Murat then activates the Qasimiya cavalry, and has half of them charge Vial’s weakened division on the French left (with Murat in command). Vial’s division forms square, but is half-strength because of the charge and gets no hits. The cavalry is also half-strength because of the division forming square, so they attack with a strength of 3. They roll two 5s and a 6, and since they’re Elite that’s three hits! Infantry can’t retreat from a charge to reduce hits, so Vial’s division is wiped out, and to top it off the Mameluke player rolls another 10 and kills Murat ("God is great!"). The remaining Qasimiya cavalry stay in place to hold the Mameluke left.

Don’t count out the Qasimiya.

Napoleon rolls and gets 1 activation again. He is now the only French Leader left on the field, and all that lies between him and the numerous remaining Mameluke cavalry are the artillery units that detached and were left behind by the infantry that advanced and killed the Albanians. Napoleon therefore pulls himself and his HQ back to the village in area 294 for protection.

Murad then rolls and fails to activate, so Napoleon rolls and activates his remaining the formation, the gunboat. It moves to Nile area 3 and engages the Mameluke gunboat, scoring one hit. The gunboat does not retreat so Ibrahim can try to cross later.

Murat rolls for activation again and succeeds, activating 1 formation. He pulls back with his remaining infantry division toward the Nile, while his artillery bombards Dugua’s infantry division and scores one hit.

Murat rolls for activation and succeeds again ("God is great!"). The Fellahin infantry division advances out of the Nile village of Imbaba, closing in on the only remaining division of the French left, Bon’s. The Fellahin are stronger than Bon’s division, and each Fellahin step loss counts as only half a loss for victory point purposes, so Bon’s division is fair game for the farmers.

Murat rolls for activation and succeeds again ("God is really great!"). The Faqariya cavalry on the Mameluke right advance and envelop Bon’s division on the front and flank. Both sides score hits and retreat.

Murat rolls for activation and succeeds again ("God is great and generous!"). Ibrahim Bey makes a roll to see if one of his divisions can cross the Nile, but the roll fails.

Murat rolls for activation and succeeds again ("God, the Merciful, the Just, is great and generous and super-fantastic!"). The Nile gunboat holds its position but does not engage, since it’s weaker than the French gunboat now and might be sunk.

All formations on both sides have now activated, so the turn ends.

10:00 a.m.: Napoleon rolls and gets to activate all three of his formations. At this point he would love to advance his three infantry divisions on his right and crush the one remaining, weakened Mameluke division, but doing so would be suicide for his artillery, which would be overrun by Mameluke cavalry which would then ride on to hit Napoleon’s HQ in the village. He therefore has his divisions shuffle left, and has one of them hit the Mameluke division, with a couple of hits on either side that are reduced by retreats. Bonaparte himself then activates and advances to join Reynier’s division in the center, along with the French Band and an artillery unit. He puts Guides’ light infantry unit on his left to guard his flank.

Murad then rolls for activation and succeeds ("God is beyond all description . . . "). Half the Qasimiya cavalry charges Guides’ light infantry on Napoleon’s flank and destroys it. The other half of the Qasimiya cavalry charges the French artillery in the next area beyond where Guides was, and eliminates that as well.

Murad rolls again and fails, but it’s OK, because God has given him all he needs. The French have now taken 24 step losses. Murad needs to inflict only one more step loss on the French to get a Decisive Victory. The French have inflicted enough losses on the Mamelukes for a Marginal Victory, but they’re nowhere near 40. The French are depleted, can’t guard their flanks against envelopment, are vulnerable to Mameluke artillery and have much of their own artillery in exposed positions where it can be mowed down by Mameluke cavalry. Napoleon has no choice but to withdraw, hoping he can find a ship to take him back to France quick (probably leaving his army to starve like he did in actual historical fact).

The Mamelukes win!