The 1806 scenario is one of the best at illustrating the quality of NCP1. Let’s have a look:
Who knows the story of the twin battles of Jena and Auerstadt? How Napoleon and the bulk of the French army destroyed 2 Prussian corps at Jena while Davout’s corps took on and defeated single-handedly the main body of the Prussian army at Auerstadt. The victories were achieved despite the indecision of Bernadotte, who failed to join either battle. Bernadotte would later become the ruler of Sweden, betray Napoleon, and lead the Swedish army against the French in 1813. The unique excellence of NCP1 and its design is revealed when you discover that Bernadotte in the game acts like…Bernadotte. Expect him to be inactive and unreliable. These things are handled through leader activation and the “March to the Sound of the Guns” mechanic. No other game has ever depicted this period and its warfare with so much fidelity. NCP1 is a work of historical wargaming genius.
Taking the French side, I analyse the situation. Many of the more mediocre French generals (who are still much better than most of the Saxon and Prussian generals they will face) are inactive. They will not undertake offensive action this turn and can only be moved to friendly controlled territory. They won’t even engage in support activities such as building depots, can’t be reorganized, and move slowly. Movement is further complicated by weather, many regions have turned into muddy quagmires, slowing movement to a crawl. Frustrating—what Clausewitz would call the “friction” of war.
The better French commanders are active. They are the ones to rely upon, since high intiative and combat bonuses help ensure their much needed bite for the planned offensive. We will need to build a depot as soon as possible in Plauen to ensure the offensive power we will need to defeat the Saxon army and occupy Dresden and Leipzig. With their depots in our possession we can then strike against Magdeburg and cut the Prussian snake in two. We will need to skirt around the Prussian army somewhere in the Thuringen forest area. We must defeat each enemy in detail--first one, then the other.
For a little mini-drama, we have the “lost division” of Brigadier Savary in Wesel. They will hole up in the fortress of Wesel initially since they are locked in place for 2 turns. Most likely, the Prussians will be advancing in this sector. Hopefully, the division will be able to avoid an Alamo situation and can escape to join forces with General Mortier, “the big mortar,” and augment his combat strength. The plan calls for Mortier to secure our vulnerable logistics, then eventually advance and build a depot in the vicinity of Giessen to expand our operational range.
One more word about corps composition. Jerome Bonaparte’s corps is a prime example of a brittle corps led by a more mediocre commander. Most of his troops are German, not French. They will only receive a limited number, if any, replacements for these troops, unlike the French troops for which we can obtain more replacements Once these foreign troops are depleted, that’s it—they’re gone for good. This makes Jerome’s corps suited for auxillary roles such as depot construction, security of the line of communications (link between 2 corps), or logistics tail security/convoy escort. Their offensive capability is pretty much a one shot deal. Use them accordingly. Baby brother is mostly along for the ride. Don’t count on him for the really important tasks.
Corps commanders within 3 regions of Napoleon will take full advantage of his command abilities. Having at least 2 corps in any region likely to become contested will likely prevent catastrophe. We need to form something similar to the “battalion carre” employed by Napoleon to ensure the necessary operational flexibility. This means corps will be located in adjacent regions, ready to come to each other’s support in battle if needed. NCP1 models this aspect of Napoleonic warfare better than any game has ever done.