Dominion of Napoleon Bonaparte has been published

The latest in the 'Dominion of ...' series of rules has been published ... the much-awaited DOMINION OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.

The rules have the same structure and game mechanisms as the previous ones in the series, but includes certain period-specific rules to make them suitable for solo wargamers who want to refight Napoleonic period battles.

Armies 'cost' 12 points and most units 'cost' 2 points each.

Units fall into one of the following categories:

• Line Infantry: These are infantry that fight in line and rely on firepower. Typically, these are British, Austrian, later Prussian, later Portuguese and some Spanish infantry units. Frequently used in a defensive role.
• Column Infantry: These are infantry that fight in columns and rely on overwhelming numbers. Typically, these are French, Russian, early Prussian, early Portuguese and Spanish infantry units. Frequently used in an attacking role.
• Light Infantry: These are infantry that are used for skirmishing. Examples include British Riflemen, Austrian Grenzers, and French Voltigeurs.
• Heavy Cavalry: These are heavy and medium cavalry that rely of shock to defeat their opponents. Typically, these include Horse Grenadiers, Cuirassiers, Carabineers, and Dragoons.
• Light Cavalry: Typically, these include Hussars, Uhlans, Chasseurs, Light Dragoons, and Cossacks.
• Artillery: These include field and siege artillery.

Units can be given attributes that reflect particular tactical advantages and/or unit quality. These are:

• Defence advantage (D): Troops in fortifications, behind a river, or uphill of their opponents have a defensive advantage. Likewise, certain disciplined units (e.g. Elite or veteran Column Infantry) may also have a defensive advantage. This advantage adds 1 point to the 'cost' of a unit.
• Attack advantage (E): Elite or veteran units may have an attack advantage (e.g. Elite Line Infantry and Elite Heavy Cavalry). This advantage adds 1 point to the 'cost' of a unit.
• Unreliable disadvantage (UR): Troops who are poorly trained, inexperienced, or understrength, may be regarded as unreliable. This disadvantage reduces the 'cost' of a unit by 1 point.

Examples of typical units include:

• British Hussars: Light Cavalry (cost 2 points)
• French Imperial Guard Infantry: Disciplined Column Infantry (cost 3 points)
• British infantry in a village: Elite Line Infantry in fortifications (cost 4 points)

A typical pair of armies (in this case for the Battle of Salamanca, which is the battle used in the rules as an exemplar) are:

• British:
• 1 Unit of Dragoons (2 points)
• 1 Unit of Hussars (in surprise flank attack) (2 points)
• 1 Unit of elite Line Infantry (3 points)_
• 2 Units of Line Infantry (2 points each = 4 points)
• 1 Unit of unreliable Artillery (1 point)
• Total = 12 points
• French:
• 1 Unit of Dragoons (2 points)
• 2 Units of disciplined Column Infantry (3 points each = 6 points)
• 1 Unit of unreliable Column Infantry (surprised) (1 point)
• 1 Unit of unreliable Column Infantry (Sarrut with reinforcements) (1 point)
• 1 Unit of Artillery (2 points)
• Total = 12 points

The combat rules include specific sections that cover pre-battle artillery fire, unreliable units, infantry vs. infantry, cavalry vs. cavalry, cavalry vs. infantry, fighting artillery, and rallying.

The rules also include army lists and dispositions for twenty-five battles:

• Montenotte (11th to 12th April 1796)
• Lodi (10th May 1796)
• Rivoli (14th to 15th January 1797)
• Pyramids (Embabeh) (21st July 1798)
• Marengo (14th June 1800)
• Austerlitz (Battle of the Three Emperors) (2nd December 1805)
• Jena (14th October1806)
• Auerstedt (14th October 1806)
• Eylau (7th to 8th February1807)
• Friedland (14th June 1807)
• Bailén (16th to 19th July 1808)
• Roliça (17th August 1808)
• Vimeiro (21st August 1808)
• Corunna (16th January 1809)
• Wagram (5th to 6th July 1809)
• Talavera (27th to 28th July 1809)
• Salamanca (22nd July 1812)
• Borodino 1812 (7th September)
• Berezina (26th to 29th November 1812)
• Vitoria (21st June 1813)
• Leipzig (Battle of the Nations) (16th to 19th October 1813)
• Hanau (30th to 31st October) 1813
• Quatre Bras (16th June 1815)
• Ligny (16th June 1815)
• Waterloo (18th June 1815)

My collection of Napoleonic figures is currently in storage, but as soon as I can gain access to them, I hope to refight some of the battles featured on this list.

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The DOMINION OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE rules were written by Steve Parker and published in 2025 by Orc Publishing. They can be bought in PDF format from Wargame Vault for $5.90/£4.40.

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Whilst researching her genealogy, my wife came across an interesting story that was originally published in The Advertiser (South Australia) on Tuesday, February 23, 1999. It tells of research carried out by Robert Torrens (who is described as a local historian) into a story that Bonaparte's grandfather was actually William Bayne, who fled abroad from Balloch (a village near Crieff in Perthshire, Scotland) in the aftermath of the failed Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. The ship the family were sailing in was wrecked off Corsica, and they were treated so well by the local population that they settled on the island, where they were known as Bayne (or Buon) and his party. Subsequently, his sons were called the Buon-de-party or Bonapartes.

This is a wonderful piece of genealogical whimsy, as it is generally accepted that Napoleon's paternal ancestors were minor nobility (the Cadolingi di Borgonuovo) from Tuscany, who had emigrated to Corsica at some point during the late 15th century. His maternal ancestors (the Ramolinos) were also a minor noble family, but that they originally came from Lombardy. Napoleon's grandfather was Sebastiano Nicola Buonaparte (not William Bayne!) and his parents were Carlo Maria Buonaparte and Maria Letizia Ramolino. They were living in Maison Bonaparte in Ajaccio, Corsica, when Napoleon (whose baptismal name was Napoleone di Buonaparte) was born there on 15th August 1769.