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Napoleonic Wars
Online
Rule Book
Last modified December 6,
2018
This document provides the rules of the Napoleonic Wars
OnLine (NWOL) game. NWOL is divided into four game
modules. The first module, Gathered In Their Masses
(GITM), is the land warfare component of NWOL. The second
module, Placed Alongside The Enemy (PATE), is the naval
warfare component of NWOL. The third module, Revolution
and Reaction (RAR), is the diplomatic component of NWOL.
The fourth module, Sinews of War (SOW), is the financial
and economic component of NWOL. Each module has its own
rules, which are linked from this document. This document
contains the rules that apply to all four modules and
establish the framework in which each module is played.
Note: NWOL-6 is being played as a single war; the rules
in section 3 and 5 about multiple coalition wars are
suspended for the duration of NWOL-6. See the Guild board
for the victory conditions for NWOL-6.
1. Nations and States
1.1.
NWOL
contains
thirteen
nations,
divided
into
three
types:
major
powers,
minor
powers,
and
fragmented
nations.
- Major powers: France, Great Britain, Prussia, Austria,
Russia, Spain
- Minor powers: Portugal, Holland, Naples, Sweden,
Denmark, Poland
- Fragmented nations: Germany, Italy
1.2. NWOL also contains
states. At the start of the game, each major and minor
nation except for France contain one state; thus, Prussia
and Holland are both nations and states. Each fragmented
nation is divided into more than one state. For example,
Bavaria and Mecklenberg may be states within the German
nation, and Venice and Sardinia may be states within the
Italian nation. France contains the French state and the
Bourbon French state.
1.3. France
may create revolutionary states that are paired with
existing states in minor and fragmented nations. Example:
France may create a Revolutionary Holland state or a
Revolutionary Sachsen state. To create a revolutionary
state that is paired with an existing minor nation state,
France must be hostile to that state and control one-third
or more of the nation's cities. Revolutionary states may
only be created between seasons, not during campaigns. To
create a revolutionary state that is paired with a state
in a fragmented nation, France must be hostile to that
state and control one-third or more of the cities that
that state owns permanently. France must then post to the
Diplomatic Record, announcing that it is creating the
state and the city or cities it will transfer to the new
state. It must do this at least 48 hours before the
deadline for the pending turn. It must then contact the
GAs and provide the name of the player (not necessarily a
French citizen) to serve as its monarch. The French
monarch may serve as the monarch of the revolutionary
state if he wishes; otherwise the GAs must approve the
identity of the monarch. The new player can change his
citizenship or retain his French citizenship as s/he
prefers, unless s/he is serving as monarch of a
non-Revolutionary state, in which case s/he must retain
the citizenship of that state. One player may be the
monarch of more than one revolutionary state. When
Revolutionary states are created they are neutral to all
other states. If they wish to declare war or form
alliances, they must follow the same procedures for doing
so as other states. Other nations may declare war on the
Revolutionary state on the turn it is created (but not on
any later turn) without the usual 48 hour lead time
required.
1.4.
The Bourbon state is a special state in the French nation
with no citizens. At the start of the game its monarch is
the British monarch who controls the Bourbon state
normally, except that the Bourbons start the game at war
with France, and may never make peace with France, nor
ally with a nation allied to France. The British retain
control of the Bourbons as long as they do not sign a
peace treaty with France, are not vanquished by France,
and do not spend one game year (four consecutive seasons)
without going to war with France. If either of those
things happen, the Bourbons change come under control of a
new state, and the monarch of the new state becomes the
monarch of the Bourbons. This new state keeps control of
the Bourbons until they either make peace with France, are
vanquished by France, or spend one game year not at war
with France. If the British lose control of the Bourbon
state, control of it moves to the other major power powers
in the following order: Austria, Spain, Prussia, Russia.
If the Russians gain and then lose control of the
Bourbons, and the game has not ended, then the Bourbon
state ceases to exist.
1.5.
A revolutionary state is destroyed if it does not control
a city, and either does not have a unit or ship or has no
money in its treasury. Its citizens may transfer to
another state if this happens; they will be transferred to
France unless they wish to transfer to another state and
the monarch of that state approves their transfer.
Non-revolutionary states cannot be destroyed. A
non-revolutionary state can be left without a monarch if
its last player transfers to a revolutionary state. If so,
a new monarch can be appointed by any major or minor power
that takes control of one of that state's original cities.
The monarch of the appointing power may appoint himself,
or the original monarch of the state; otherwise the GAs
must approve the identity of the new monarch. If the
monarch appoints himself, the fragmented state's score is
thereafter added into his state's score. The French
monarch may not be the monarch of a non-revolutionary
fragmented state, and the monarchs of other states may not
be the monarchs of revolutionary states.
1.6.
Each
player
of
NWOL
is
a
citizen
of
one
state.
It
will
be
possible
for
a
limited
number
of
players
to change states during the course of a game; frequent
changes of state will not be possible. Players changing
states are required to keep confidential all confidential
information learned in the service of the former state
while playing for the new one. A player is not limited to
serving with the armies and fleets of that state, but may
serve in the armies or fleets of any state in the game. On
a player's position reports, units and ships will show
red, blue, or gray depending whether they are allied with,
hostile to, or neutral to the player's home state. A
player who is commanding units for another state may
request that his position reports instead show units as
red, blue, or gray depending whether they are allied with,
hostile to, or neutral to the state for which he is
commanding. If so, he will show on the census as a citizen
of his home state but playing for the other state. Contact
the GAs with such requests. A player may also command
units and ships for another state and continue to see the
colors determined by his home state.
1.7.
Each
city
and
port
in
NWOL
is permanently owned by one state. In major and minor
nations, the permanent owner is the state of that nation,
and does not change throughout the game. In Germany and
Italy, a city's permanent owner initially is the state
that originally controlled the city at the start of the
game. In Germany and Italy only, if a different state in
the same nation (other than the revolutionary twin of the
original owner) takes control of the city and keeps
control for 15 consecutive campaign turns or for one full
peace/truce turn, then that state may take over permanent
ownership of that city. Requests for permanent control
should be made to the GAs.
2. Government of States
2.1.
Each NWOL state has a government. The government has six
positions: Monarch, Prime Minister, War Minister, Naval
Minister, Foreign Minister, and Treasury Minister.
2.2.
The
Monarch
of
each
state
is
initially
selected
by
the
NWOL
game
administrator.
If
a
Monarch
resigns
his
position
he
may designate his heir, subject to the approval of the game
administrator; if the Monarch designates no heir, or the
heir is not approved by the game administrator, the game
administrator will select a new Monarch. The Monarch will
normally be a citizen of the state but in unusual cases may
not be. The Monarch's primary power is to appoint the
state's ministers.The Monarch may appoint any NWOL player to
any ministry, including the Prime Ministry, including
citizens of other states, and a player may serve as a
minister for more than one state. A player may serve in more
than one ministry, and the Monarch may appoint himself or
herself to any of the ministries he or she wishes to occupy.
However, the Monarch has the power to carry out any action
that any of the ministers can carry out, even if the monarch
is not assigned to that ministry. When two or more states
have the same monarch, that monarch cannot resign one
monarchy and keep the other(s), and if s/he resigns all
positions, the same person must fill all positions. Any
change of monarchy must change in all of the states, so that
they continue to have the same monarch throughout the game.
(This is necessary for scoring; see rule 4.7 below.)
2.3.
The
Prime
Minister
of
each
state
is
in
charge
of
the
operation
of
the
government
of
that
state,
and
of
coordinating
the activities of the other four ministers. When tasks of
the government involve more than one module (for example,
colonial garrisons and amphibious operations) the Prime
Minister assigns responsibility for those tasks among the
other ministers. In addition, the Prime Minister may take
any action that any of the other four ministers may take.
2.4.
The
War
Minister
is
in
charge
of
the
state's
activities
in
GITM,
the
NWOL
land
warfare
module.
The
War
Minister
makes assignments of commanders and deputy commanders for
brigades. The War Minister also forms the units into
divisions, corps, and armies, and appoints commanders of
these formations. The War Minister may appoint a commanding
general, or the War Minister may command the armies himself
or herself. Last, the War Minister manages the supplies of
the armies, getting them from the home country to the
forward depots in the field. Some of these powers can be
delegated to commanders of army headquarters units; see the
GITM rules for further information.
2.5.
The Naval Minister is in charge of the state's activities in
PATE, the NWOL naval warfare module. The Naval Minister
makes assignments of commanders and deputy commanders for
ships. The Naval Minister also manages those frigates which
report directly to the naval ministry instead of to a fleet
commander. The Naval Minister forms the ships into squadrons
and fleets, appoints commanders to those formations,
appoints a commanding admiral or serves in that capacity
himself or herself, and manages the naval stores of the
nation.
2.6.
The Foreign Minister is in charge of the state's activities
in RAR, the NWOL diplomatic module. The Foreign Minister
negotiates and activates alliances, and declares war. He may
also appoint ambassadors to other nations at his discretion
and may designate some of his powers to those ambassadors.
2.7.
The
Treasury
Minister
is
in
charge
of
the
state's
activities
in
SOW,
the
NWOL
finance
module.
The
Treasury
Minister
controls
the state's finances and spends it on armies, navies, and
monetary portions of diplomatic agreements. Details await
the development of the SOW module.
3. Game Sequence
3.1.
NWOL
is
played
as
a
series
of
games,
each representing a single War of a Coalition; that is, the
War of the First Coalition, War of the Second Coalition, and
so on. Each game is in turn divided into seasons; winter,
spring, summer, and fall. The series of games begins in Fall
1793 with all nations at peace except France and the
Bourbons. A given season can be either a peace season, a
truce season, or a campaign season. If at the start of a
season, there is is no state at war with another state, then
that season is a peace season, containing one peace turn.
During a peace turn, nations may conduct diplomacy, and may
reposition their armies and fleets within their own
territory and the territory of their allies. They may not
send their forces into neutral territory without a
declaration of war against some state and the initiation of
a campaign. If two or more states are at war, then any state
that is at war may choose to initiate a campaign, except
that the Bourbon state may never initiate a campaign, nor
may any state that is only at war with the Bourbon state. A
state that wishes to initiate a campaign must do so at least
120 hours (five days) prior to the scheduled peace/truce
turn. If no state chooses to initiate a campaign, then the
season is a truce season containing one truce turn. A truce
turn is exactly like a peace turn except that naval combat
may take place between states at war. If at the beginning of
a season, any nation which is at war chooses to initiate a
campaign, then that season is a campaign season, which is
divided into 15 campaign turns. The GAs will announce the
identities of the nation (or nations) requesting campaigns
when announcing the beginning of the campaign season. A
campaign can end before 15 turns if all nations at war make
peace, or all nations which do not make peace agree to a
truce. If, at the end of the campaign, the war has ended, or
no nation remaining at war wants to initiate another
campaign, then the next season runs as a peace or truce
season, depending on whether any nations remain at war, and
so forth until the next war begins.
3.2.
Normally
campaign
turns will be run twice a week, and peace or truce turns
once a week. There will be a week's pause in the game at the
end of each campaign, and pauses for holidays as necessary
during the game. [More
details on turn schedules]
3.3. At the start of each
game/Coalition War, there are four special turns, a
diplomatic turn, an assignment turn, a build turn, and a
deployment turn. Each state begins with a starting army and
navy which is not as large as the army and navy that state
can afford. During the diplomatic turn, the only players
assigned to states are the monarchs of the states (major
state monarchs may also receive one assistant). States can
form alliances, but no money is spent and no income is
earned, and no units move. At the end of the diplomatic
turn, each major and minor state (except France and the
major controlling the Bourbons) decides whether it wishes to
be active and participate in this Coalition war, or be
inactive. A decision to be inactive must be posted to the
Diplomatic Record on the Guild Board; states which do not
make such posts are active for that Coalition war. France,
the Bourbons, and the major power controlling the Bourbons
can never be inactive, nor can fragmented states be
inactive. If a state decides to be inactive, then it is
automatically neutral during the game, and no other nation
may declare war on it. Its territory cannot be entered by
any other nation, and it cannot activate its units. It
receives income normally but cannot spend it except to
maintain its existing units and ships, and it cannot
transfer anything to other nations. States that are active
may nonetheless remain neutral, but they are subject to
declaration of war and their territory may be violated. At
the end of the diplomatic turn, all other players are
assigned to states that are active, and those players that
were assigned to inactive states are reassigned to active
ones.
3.4. On the assignment turn, players can
be assigned to command the starting units and ships of
active states, but nothing else is done on this turn.
3.5. On the build turn, each active
state can build additional units to complete its starting
forces. On a build turn, new units and ships can be built,
supplies and stores can be purchased, units can be
reassigned, players can change their passwords, and units
can be rebuilt and ships recrewed (though this is usually
not necessary). At the end of the turn, ministers receive
updated ministry reports, but position reports are not sent.
3.6. On the deployment turn, units and
ships of active states can be moved according to the
peacetime move rules, using the peacetime unit and ship
orders forms. Active states can also move stores and
supplies under the peace/truce turn rules for movingthem.
Units of inactive states must move to the territory of their
home state, or another state with the same monarch (that is,
if the monarch of Tuscany is the same as the monarch of
Austria, then Austrian units can be on Tuscan soil while
inactive, and vice-versa). If they do not they will be moved
to the city in which they were raised. Units of active
states cannot be on the territory of an inactive state. If
they are, and do not move to the territory of an active
state or an unowned strategic square, then they will be
moved to the city in which they were raised. Also, units can
be reassigned and players can change their passwords. After
the deployment turn, the first game turn is scheduled as a
peace turn, one week after the deployment turn. It changes
to a campaign season if a declaration of war is received and
a campaign is initiated more than 120 hours before the
orders deadline, as per rule 3.1.
4. Scoring and Campaign Victory
4.1.
Each
state
receives
victory
points
for
winning
battles
and
controlling
territory.
Each
state
loses
victory
points
for
casualties
taken.
States
can
also
purchase
victory
points using funds from their treasuries.
4.2.
States
receive
victory
points
for
winning
battles;
1
point
for
each
40
enemy
casualties
inflicted
in
GITM
or
PATE
in
victorious battles (including losses from units that shatter
or surrender), and 50/40/20 points for sinking or capturing
enemy flagships/ships of the line/frigates in victorious
battles. They received 10 victory points for damaging shore
batteries or 20 for destroying them (10 if already damaged).
4.3.
States
receive
victory
points
each
time
they
take
control
of
a
city
or
offmap
port
in
battle
and
lose
points each time they lose control of a city or offmap port
in battle; 60 points times the city level for a city in the
state's home nation, and 30 points times the city level for
a city in any other nation. Polish cities count as outside
the home nation for this purpose, hence are worth 30 points
times the city level in all cases. When units from multiple
states jointly attack and capture a city, one unit present
in the city tactical square at the end of the battle is
randomly selected and its side takes control of the city
(and receives the VPs for doing so). If a state transfers
control of a city or off map port to another state in
diplomacy, then the state receiving the city gains 40 points
time the city level for a city in the state's home nation
and 20 points times the city level for a city in any other
nation, and the state giving up the city loses 40 points
time the city level for a city in the state's home nation
and 20 points times the city level for a city in any other
nation.
4.4.
States
lose
1
victory
point
for
every
100
battle
casualties
suffered
in
GITM
or
PATE
(regardless
of
whether
they
win
or lose the battle), and 20/16/8 points for losing (to
sinking or capture) a flagship/ship of the line/ frigate
(regardless of whether they win or lose the battle, or if
the ship is lost in storms). When a transport is lost, the
losing state loses 1 point for every 1000 capacity of the
transport (rounded up). They lose 10 points for having a
shore battery damaged and 20 for having one destroyed (10 if
already damaged).
4.5.
States
may
purchase
victory
points
at
a
price
of
50
Cr
per
point.
4.6. States can transfer
victory points from one state to another (see RAR
rules 3.3 and 3.4 for details).
4.7. The score of France
includes the scores of all revolutionary states created by
France, and the scores of other major or minor powers whose
monarch is also monarch of a fragmented state includes the
score of that fragmented state, except that the Bourbon
state is never included in the score of any other power.
Scores are tracked and reported both separately and
collectively.
4.8. A major nation that
loses control of the Bourbon state loses VPs equal to
one-third of its starting score.
4.9.
Each
state's
campaign
score
is
measured
as
a
percentage
increase
or
decrease
from
its
score
at
the
start
of
the
campaign.
At the end of the campaign, the major powers are ranked
first to fifth based on their campaign score (including the
scores of any associated fragmented states), the minor
powers are ranked first to sixth based on their campaign
score, and the fragmented states (including those associated
with major powers) are ranked first to the number of
fragmented states based on their campaign score.
5. Game End and Game Victory
5.1.
The
game/Coalition
War ends when either one of two things has happened; either
France achieves a military vanquish over another major
power, or the Revolution is overthrown. (Note: After NWOL5,
this will probably change to "all active major powers" or to
some other thing, as having the game end when France gets a
single VQ is not satisfactory.)
5.2.
The
French
Revolution
is
overthrown
if,
at
the
end
of
any
turn,
Paris
and
at
least
fifteen
other
French
cities
are controlled by states at war with France.
5.3.
France
achieves
a military vanquish over another major power when the two
nations are at war, and at the end of any turn, France or
its allies control the vanquished power's principal city and
at least one-quarter of its other cities (8 for Austria, 7
for Russia, 5 for Britain, Prussia, and Spain) with France
itself controlling more than one-third of those cities (4
for Austria, which is more than one-third of 9, and 3 for
Russia, Britain, Prussia, and Spain, which is more than
one-third of 8 or 6). The principal cities of each nation
are London for Britain, Vienna for Austria, Berlin for
Prussia, Moscow for Russia, and Madrid for Spain. France
also vanquishes another major power if the two nations sign
a treaty agreeing that France has vanquished the other.
5.4. France can also achieve
a negotiated VQ by signing a treaty with another major
nation in which that nation concedes a VQ to France. A
negotiated VQ does not, however, end the game; only a
military VQ can do so. (Note: It's not clear if this should
be changed or not.)
5.5. A nation which concedes a VQ by
agreement loses 5% of its starting score. France gains the
same number of VPs that the nation giving the VQ loses. The
treaty agreeing to the concession of the VQ may also contain
VP transfers in either direction, subject to the usual rules
for VP transfer.
5.6. France achieves
European hegemony if she vanquishes any four major powers,
or any three if Britain is one of the three.
5.7.
At the end of each game, if the game has ended by a French
vanquish of another major, but France has not achieved
hegemony, then the next game starts in same position in
which the previous game finished. If the game ends with
France achieving hegemony, or with the Revolution being
overthrown, then the sequence of games ends, and the next
NWOL series begins in the Fall 1793 position. There may be
pauses between games within a given NWOL series.
5.8.
Each state's game score is measured as a percentage increase
or decrease from its score at the start of the game. The
major powers, the minor powers, and the fragmented states
are ranked according to their game scores no matter how the
game ends. The Bourbon state is not included in the scoring
since it has no citizens. Major power rankings are based on
the scores including associated fragmented states.
6. Player Behavior
6.1.
Each
player
is
expected
to
respond
to
email
from
the
ministers
of
his
state
and
states
in
whose
armies
and
fleets
he or she serves, and to officers whom those ministers may
appoint to command over him, in a timely and responsive
manner. Players who fail to do so may not receive command of
units or ships. Players are strongly encouraged to notify
their ministers if they must be temporarily absent from the
game, and should expect to be temporarily replaced if they
do not communicate with their government for several days or
longer.
6.2.
Each
player
is
expected
to
conduct
themselves
in
a
manner
which
does
not
disrupt
the
game
or
reduce
the
ability
of other players to participate in the game. Disruptive and
obnoxious behavior will not be tolerated and will result in
removal from the game. Forging emails, or altering the
content of forwarded emails without acknowledgement of the
alterations, will normally result in removal from the game.
6.3.
Each
player
is
expected
to
serve
his
home
state
loyally,
and
if
he
accepts
a
command
or
a
ministry
in
another state, is expected to serve the state giving him the
command loyally in that capacity as well. When conflicts of
interest arise (for example, a state which has offered a
player from another state command of its units or one of its
ministries declares war on his home state) the conflict
should be resolved by giving up the foreign command or
ministry. Players unwilling or unable to loyally serve their
home state should request transfer to a new state under rule
1.5. It is against the rules of NWOL to purposefully act
against the interests of one's home state, or to accept
command of a unit or ship with the intention of acting in
the interests of any state other than the one to which the
unit or ship belongs. Violation of this rule will result in
loss of the privilege of commanding units for states other
than the state of the player's citizenship, or in the case
of disloyalty to the home state, removal from the game.
Rules for the four NWOL modules:
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