How to Play Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #6 – EPIC Napoleonics

1. Game Objective

The Commands & Colors: Napoleonics EPIC allows players to experience large-scale Napoleonic battles. The main objective is to achieve victory by earning Victory Banner counters. These points are obtained by fulfilling specific objectives on the battlefield, such as occupying Victory Banner Objective Hexes or performing a Breakthrough (advancing through the enemy's baseline).

Victory is declared when a player or team reaches the number of Victory Banners required by the scenario.

2. Setup

To set up a game of EPIC Napoleonics, follow these steps:

• Board: Place the two game boards side-by-side to create a battlefield 11 hexes deep by 20 hexes wide.
• Courier Rack: Assemble the Courier Rack and place it near the command card deck. Before the battle, place five command cards face-up in the rack.
• Units and Leaders: Organize the units according to the chosen scenario, using the wooden blocks with the corresponding stickers (Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and Leaders).
• Cards: Use the Command cards deck and the Tactician cards deck from the Generals, Marshals & Tacticians expansion.
• Distribution: Each player (or Commander-in-Chief - CIC) receives their starting hand of cards as indicated in the scenario's Battle Notes.

3. Game Flow

The game progresses in turns. The basic structure of a turn follows this order:

1. Card Selection: The CIC selects one card from their hand and one card from the Courier Rack.
2. Order Execution: Cards are played to order units in specific sections of the board (Left, Center, or Right).
3. Combat: Ordered units perform movement and attacks.
4. End of Turn: The player draws new command cards and/or Tactician cards, if applicable.
5. Rack Replenishment: If only two cards remain in the Courier Rack, it must be refilled to five cards before the next turn.

4. Actions and How to Play

Actions are determined by the cards played:

• Section Command cards: Order units only in the section specified on the card.
• Tactic Command cards: Allow special actions and can be played in a section of the player's choice.
• Multi-Section Command cards: Order units in multiple sections simultaneously, as described on the card.
• March Move: Cards with 3 stars allow ordering additional units for a march move. Units on a March Move cannot battle and cannot end adjacent to enemies.
• Form Square: Infantry units can form a Square to defend themselves. The maximum number of units in a Square is limited by the CIC's initial hand size.
• Garrison: Infantry units in buildings can leave a Garrison marker. These units do not move, battle with 1 die, and do not count as a Victory Banner when eliminated.

5. End of Game and Scoring

The game ends immediately when a player reaches the total number of Victory Banners stipulated by the scenario.

• Temporary Victory Banners: Are earned by occupying an objective hex and lost if the unit leaves the location.
• Permanent Victory Banners: Once earned, they are not lost, even if the unit leaves the hex.
• Breakthrough Objective: Each unit that exits the battlefield through the opponent's baseline grants a Permanent Victory Banner.
• Turn Start Banners: Some objectives only grant points if the condition is met at the beginning of the player's turn.

6. Tips for Winning

• Courier Rack Management: Since the number of cards available in the rack decreases each turn, plan your moves in advance so you don't run out of strategic options before replenishment.
• Using the March Move: Use the March Move to reposition your troops quickly in critical areas, but remember that these units will not be able to attack in the same turn. Use battle dice to mark which units performed this move and don't forget the restriction of not ending adjacent to enemies.
• Team Coordination: In games with multiple players, communication between the CIC and the sub-commanders is vital. Coordinate attacks on enemy units that are on the border of two sections to maximize damage.