Napoleon and the Archduke Charles: The Battle of Aspern-Essling (1986)

Part of 3W’s ‘Bonaparte’ Series by Keith Poulter, this game was first published in The Wargamer Magazine (#49). The portrait on the magazine cover is of French Marshal Jean Lannes, who died at Aspern-Essling. The game is a two-player simulation of the Battle of Aspern-Essling, May 21-22, 1809. One player leads Napoleon Bonaparte’s Grande Armée d’Allemagne, the other player commands the Austrian Army of Archduke Charles of Austria.

Victory Points are awarded each player for the elimination of strength points, elimination of leaders, and control of Aspern and/or Essling. (Exception: The Austrian player wins immediately if Napoleon is a casualty.) The difference in points between the players determines the level of victory. A pyrrhic Austrian victory, Aspern-Essling turned out to be Napoleon’s first ever setback in Europe, and the first time the Austrians ever defeated Napoleon in the field of battle.