Marching Eagles Tips by PAUL B. - Part 1

1 - See screenshot below. When you only have a small force defending a building / chateau - do not let them attack in the Combat Phase - this is bad news - they are effectively leaving the building and moving into the open to face superior enemy numbers. Place the "Hold" command on the unit. Click the unit information box and then go to menu - Units - Unit Hold.

2 - On the right of the map, my French infantry columns attacked your infantry in square and routed one of your units. See below. The Napoleonic tactic used was - move in your cavalry into an enemy area containing infantry only and the infantry will automatically form square. Then move in your infantry in Attack Column formation and hit the enemy squares who are only able to shoot a quarter of their muskets. Once the enemy are in square - use artillery in adjacent areas to bombard their squares. This significantly reduces the enemy unit order making it more vulnerable to attack from infantry and if the square routs the enemy is exposed to a cavalry attack.

Marching Eagles Tips by Paul B. - Part 2

Cavalry attacks. There are a number of points to be aware of in this example -

1 - A Napoleonic unit used to move as a group of battalions (for infantry) and squadrons (for cavalry). If the cavalry unit contained a large number of squadrons it was difficult to move in a coordinated manner. In fact most Napoleonic armies only had 3 or 4 squadrons in a Regiment and 2 Regiments in a Brigade. On the battlefield, cavalry would move as Regiments. Only 3 or 4 squadrons would be involved in a single attack. So if your unit has a strength of 9 squadrons, half of them are held back and combat will only allow a maximum of 4 squadrons to combat in one round.

This tells the player he is best to split a Cavalry Brigade into 2 units (Regiments) and use them to create 2 rounds of combat in one turn. In fact, a typical tactic used in Napoleonic times was to throw in cavalry in attack waves recognising that it will often take more than one wave to cause the collapse of an enemy cavalry unit. This was performed by the French in the example below - two units went in, one after the other. The second charge disrupted the British cavalry Brigade and at the Combat Phase (once all movement / charging is complete), the French Heavy Cavalry routed the British Cavalry Brigade. A routed unit is shown by the red coloured Health bar on the left side of the unit.

2 - When moving a cavalry unit forward (scouting / probing) to see the enemy position, always have a group of cavalry units to the rear in case the forward cavalry unit is hit by enemy cavalry. A player can then charge in his own units and drive off the enemy cavalry, hopefully in the process protecting the forward unit.

3 - Napoleonic forces moved in coordination with other friendly brigades and regiments. If you move a unit such that there are no friendly units in adjacent areas, that unit is considered isolated and its combat effectiveness is significantly reduced leaving it open to enemy attack (ambush / flanking attack etc).

4 - Once a unit is routed, the game allows the player one or two action points to get the routed unit out of the frontline and towards safety. Do not move a routed unit into an area containing enemy units as it is the routed unit that will take the losses in the Combat Phase (even when there are other friendly non-routing units in the same area). Routed units always loose two Strength points when attacked, reducing a strong unit to nothing in a matter of one or two turns.

Marching Eagles Tips by Paul B. - Part 3

1 - How to split a cavalry brigade into two regiments - Only one unit - the one you want to split can be in the area at the time the unit is split. This rule reflects the fact that once you detach a formation to operate independently it needs more space, no longer can a large mass of horsemen be squeezed together, a clear and distinct gap is needed to ensure the different groups do not collide.

This highlights the next part of playing Marching Eagles - this game is not just about getting the troops into combat but it includes the need to manage the movement of units. In this case, so that a cavalry brigade can be in the area alone and allow the brigade to split into two regiments. The optimum number of squadrons in a unit is 4; if you want to allow for loss of one Strength Point in the early rounds of a combat then maybe 5. If you have a Strength of 6 look to break the unit into two.

Go to the menu - Units - Detach Formation and a pop-up dialog box will appear allowing the player to choose the size (Strength) of the detachment within the limits seen during the Napoleonic period.

2 - Impulsive cavalry. Many gamers will remember the Scots Greys' charge into the French infantry columns at Waterloo. As the French infantry routed and ran back to the Grand Battery, the Scots Greys continued the charge down the ridge after them and lost many men in the French cavalry counter attack. In the picture below we see the same happen to 4 squadrons of Cuirassiers. The French moved into an area containing a routed enemy infantry unit - those men immediately ran to the adjacent rear area and the Cuirassiers followed. Nothing the player (commander) could do to stop them. As the French cavalry chased these men the Cuirassiers went straight into an area containing 2 brigades of British cavalry. The result was a loss of 1 Strength Point and loss of unit order. The Cuirassiers will not get out of that area without further loss.

Marching Eagles Tips by Paul B. - Part 4

1 - Formations - Historically infantry battalions would move around the battlefield in Column formation. This would typically be one or two companies wide. A unit of more than one battalion would have a much deeper column. Such a formation had little to recommend it other than rapid movement of the unit, particularly when confined to a path or roadway. In Marching Eagles, this formation is referred to as 'March Column' and can vary from 4 men wide on a path to 2 companies wide in an open field. When in a company-wide formation the unit would have large gaps between one company and the next company following, enabling the second company to swing out and deploy into line or square. This is referred to as Open columns. Not to be confused with Closed columns used for an assault.

Open columns are not suitable for close combat having none of the compactness and cohesion of a Closed column nor the fire power of a line. So it is, a player needs to change a unit in 'March Column' to Line or Attack Column before the unit reaches the front line. Below we can see the Scottish infantry (middle of picture) is caught in March Column (yellow icon on green square) by French cavalry (highlighted in white box) and could be ripped to pieces. The French cavalry seen in the Unit Information Box on the right is in Line formation.

2 - Use of Artillery - When combat occurs in an area containing more than 1 friendly unit, assuming they are not low on ammunition and the unit order is not shaken (orange health bar), a Tactical Play Box will appear (if the Tactical Option is ticked at the start of the game). The Tactical Play box will give the player multiple options on how to attack the enemy in the area. If you have an artillery unit in the area, it is best to use the artillery as they can fire canister and reap havoc among the enemy units. If the artillery are not committed or run out of ammo, the infantry may find it a much more difficult task when involved in a fire fight with the enemy. See below example.

Marching Eagles Tips by Paul B. - Part 5

1 - Local Initiative. Where a friendly unit is initially in an area with one or more enemy units and the friendly unit has Action Points, a player can make an attack on the enemy during the Movement Phase. The player needs to activate the friendly unit. Click the relevant unit information box and ensure the unit has a yellow star in the top left of the information box. Now click the crossed sword toolbar button to use 'Local Initiative' and left click the enemy unit. Combat will immediately occur.

Local Initiative represents the actions of the unit commander and does not require the army command to issue an order so this action does not cost the player any Command Points but the unit must have Action Points. Local Initiative only occurs if the unit leadership rating is 5 or more. To see the leadership rating of a unit go to the unit information box and right click on the box.

In the example below, the French cavalry was able to make a Local Initiative attack. The benefit of this is the French cavalry are able to make 2 attacks in one turn without conducting a Charge. The first attack is by local initiative in the Movement Phase and the second attack is in the Combat Phase.

2 - Infantry Bayonet Attack. Where a friendly unit is initially in an area with one or more enemy units and the friendly unit has Action Points, a player can make an attack on the enemy during the Movement Phase. The player needs to activate the friendly unit. Click the relevant unit information box and ensure the unit has a yellow star in the top left of the information box. Now click menu - Units and in the pop-up box click 'Bayonet Charge' then right click the enemy unit.

In the example above, the French infantry in the same area could charge the enemy infantry. However, in this case, the action would require one Command Point plus one Action Point. Again an additional attack is achieved against the same enemy unit in the same turn. A player should look to do many attacks in one area to rout the enemy quickly and create a hole in his line of defense.

Marching Eagles Tips by Paul B. - Part 6

1 - Leaders. Leaders (commanders) are critical to play only if the 'Command Control' option is ticked at the start of the game. If Command Control is in play then the leader location will determine which units are within command range. This is the distance that the Leader's messengers can reach with orders for the units; giving the player the option to place commands on the unit.

For small scenarios there is often only a few leaders and so under 'Command Control' a player needs to protect them. If a player looses one or more leaders, very quickly the player's units become immobile due to a lack of command orders. This severely restricts a player's ability to control the battle. In the case seen below, Lt-Gen Picton is caught in the front line and killed.

A player can easily loose a leader if there is enemy cavalry in the area or an enemy cavalry charge into the area. A player should also remember to keep a leader out of 'Unit 1' position as this is the front line unit in an area and takes most of the losses.

In the case of Napoleon and Wellington for the big scenarios, if one of them is killed, the controlling player looses the game. So critical to the command structure and morale of the army are these two legendary leaders.

2 - Isolated leaders and artillery. If a player attacks an area containing an enemy leader or artillery or combination of these two only - ie no cavalry or infantry, the enemy leader / artillery are quickly overrun. A player needs to ensure the enemy can not move into an area where he has a leader or artillery on its own. This is achieved by blocking the route of the enemy with friendly forces one area ahead of the artillery / leader thereby intercepting any enemy cavalry movement. Leaders do make a contribution to combat in an area but this is a small bonus compared to the risk of loosing a leader.

ME TIPS on HPS (.pdf): 

http://updates.hpssims.com/MarchingEagles/Waterloo/Marching%20Eagles%20Tips.pdf