Game of the Week, May 13 - 19

Welcome to another week, and another featured game. This week we bring you Napoleonic Battles: Campaign Leipzig! This title is on sale for 25% off now through Sunday, May 19th.

This is one of two titles covering the year 1813. This title focuses on the fighting in the fall of that year. The other title, Campaign Bautzen, focuses on the spring.

The 1813 Leipzig Campaign, also known as the Battle of Nations, was one of the pivotal conflicts of the Napoleonic Wars. It took place near Leipzig, Germany, from October 16 to October 19, 1813. This campaign marked the culmination of the Sixth Coalition's efforts to defeat Napoleon Bonaparte and his French forces.

After Napoleon's disastrous Russian campaign in 1812, many European powers formed the Sixth Coalition to take advantage of France's weakened state and challenge Napoleon's dominance in Europe. The main members of this coalition included Russia and Prussia. Napoleon was able to cobble together a new army to replace the one he lost in Russia, and he did so much faster than his opposition.

In the spring of 1813, the coalition launched a series of offensives against French-held territories in Central Europe. The campaign in Germany saw a series of battles and maneuverings between the coalition forces and Napoleon's Grande Armée, led by the Emperor himself. Napoleon initially achieved some successes, such as at the battles of Lützen and Bautzen in May 1813, but the coalition forces remained determined to push back the French. Shortly after Bautzen an armistice was agreed upon and both sides used the time to rebuild their forces. During this period Austria and Sweden joined the Sixth Coalition and the numbers tipped dramatically in the Allies' favor.

By the fall of 1813, the coalition forces had regrouped while Napoleon's army was stretched thin due to commitments in Spain and dwindling supplies. The decisive confrontation occurred near Leipzig, where the coalition forces amassed a massive army, numbering over half a million soldiers, against Napoleon's approximately 190,000 troops.

The Battle of Leipzig was one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars. The coalition forces, under the command of Russian General Kutuzov, Austrian Field Marshal Schwarzenberg, and Prussian Field Marshal Blücher, decisively defeated Napoleon's forces. The battle marked a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars.

The defeat at Leipzig forced Napoleon to retreat westward, ultimately leading to the collapse of French rule in Germany and the subsequent invasion of France by the coalition armies. The Leipzig Campaign significantly weakened Napoleon's grip on power and set the stage for his eventual defeat and exile to the island of Elba in 1814.

For further details on the development process and what's included in the game you can read the Design Notes. 

(Game images can be clicked for full size view.)

The game features 314 stand alone scenarios, however it should be noted that there are 15-minute versions and 10-minute versions of many scenarios. There is a wide variety of actions to choose from, ranging from small engagements to the huge full 3-day battle scenario (pictured above).

The major battles included are:

• Lowenberg
• Katzbach
• Grossbeeren
• Dresden
• Hagelberg
• Kulm
• Zahna
• Dennewitz
• Gohdre
• Wartenburg
• Lieberwolkwitz
• Leipzig
• Freyburg
• Kosen
• Hanau
• Sehestedt

Additionally, there are hundreds more pulled for the various campaign offerings. Regarding the campaigns, there are both 15-minute and 10-minute versions included.

Actions range from historical - beginning with the correct places the forces started the action & historical arrival times - to "What if?" and Variant scenarios exploring other avenues the situations could have unfolded.

For those who like to create their own scenarios, this title features an abundance of maps to pull from, the largest being over a half-million hexes!  

Here's a few books that could help you learn more on the subject:

And finally, here's the Napoleonic Battles specific section on the Official WDS forums if you wish to discuss the game, or any games within that series.

Ok, that concludes our preview of the game. You can head on over to the product page for Campaign Leipzig and pick up a copy for yourself when ready!

Enjoy!