Stratego Waterloo Expert game Official Rules

By: Dennis B. B. Taylor

Unveiling the Magic: The Official Rules of the Stratego Waterloo Expert Game

Dear fellow Stratego enthusiast,

I am thrilled to share with you the official rules of the enchanting Stratego Waterloo Expert game. Get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure where your tactical skills will be put to the test!

Before delving into the heart of the game, let me give you a brief overview. In this game, you and your opponent will face off on a 10×10 battlefield, each commanding an army of magnificent Napoleonic War heroes. Your mission is clear – to lead your troops to victory and rewrite the pages of history.

Now, let’s dive into the rules and unearth the wonders that await you:

The Battle Begins – Set Up:

As the general, it’s up to you to arrange your army on the board. You have an enticing selection of pieces at your disposal, each with its own unique power. From the mighty Marshal to the cunning Spy, every piece has its part to play.

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Each player will secretly arrange their army in their half of the battlefield.
  2. The standard setup includes 40 pieces, most of which are ranked from 1 to 9. But watch out for the thrilling twists – there are stronger pieces too!
  3. Both players have an identical army, mirroring each other’s setup symmetrically.
  4. Remember, your opponent remains in the dark about your army arrangement, adding an air of mystery to the game.

Strategizing for the Win – The Objective:

In this quest for victory, your main mission is to uncover and capture the enemy’s Flag while protecting your own. Will you outsmart your rival by capturing their last line of defense, or will their forces overpower you?

Let the Clash Begin – The Movement:

Now the real battle begins, and you’ll need your wits about you to triumph. Here’s how the pieces move on the battlefield:

  • Each turn, you can move one of your pieces one step orthogonally.
  • You can’t move diagonally or jump over other pieces, so choose your steps wisely.
  • Some pieces have special abilities that add an exciting twist to the game. For example, the Miner can remove enemy bombs!

Conquer or Be Conquered – Combat:

When two pieces from opposing armies meet, a clash is inevitable. It’s time for showdown!

  • The stronger piece wins the battle, sending the weaker one off the board.
  • If two pieces are of equal rank, both are removed from the board.

Unveiling the Mystery – Revealing Pieces:

A key aspect of the game is the mystery surrounding the identities of the pieces. When you attack an enemy piece, its rank remains hidden – until the moment of truth.

That’s not all!

Prepare for the ultimate thrill:

  • Before your piece enters combat, you can choose to scout your opponent’s piece. If successful, its rank will be revealed to you, allowing you to strategize your next move.

The Journey Continues – The Rest of the Game:

With each turn, the mystery unravels, and the battlefield transforms. You’ll adapt and flex your strategic muscles as you navigate the twists and turns of this captivating game.

Keep in mind that the game is over when one of the following occurs:

  • Either player captures the enemy’s Flag.
  • One side eliminates all the enemy’s high-ranking pieces (Major and above).

When the dust settles, only one general will emerge victorious, etching their name into the annals of history.

So, are you ready to embark on this thrilling journey? Unlock the secrets of the Stratego Waterloo Expert game and let your strategic brilliance shine!

Wishing you a legendary adventure,

Your devoted Stratego comrade

Stratego Waterloo Expert game Official Rules UltraFoodMess

If you’re a die-hard war gamer or if you’ve played the standard game a few times and still want even more of a challenge, then the Expert version is for you. Our goal with this version was to make it as historically accurate as possible, while still keeping it fun.

Here are the rules for the Expert version:

If Napoleon is defeated in battle, the game is over. This means the Allies have won a decisive victory! However, if Wellington is defeated, the game continues, but the Allied player will have two fewer actions.

The Lines of Retreat cards are not included in this version.

Wellington’s lines of retreat are located in the Allied centre. If the French manage to occupy that area with at least two units, the game is immediately over. This would be a decisive victory for the French.

If a French player can position two units on either the left or right flank of the Allies, it will force the Allies to retreat. In this scenario, the outcome of the battle – whether it is indecisive, a minor victory, or a major victory – will be determined by a Pursuit (you can learn more about this in The Pursuit section).

Similarly, if the French player occupies the left flank, center, or right flank of the Allies, it will result in a French retreat. Again, the outcome of the battle will depend on a Pursuit, which will determine if it is indecisive, a minor victory, or a major victory for the Allies.

On the board, there is a Terrain tile called Hougemont located in the middle of the Allied right flank. At the beginning of the game, this tile is occupied by two Allied Infantry pieces.

The French player, on the other hand, has control of the village of Plancenoit, which is situated on their right flank.

Speaking of Plancenoit, it holds great importance in the game. The village serves as a strategic location for both players, as it can greatly influence the outcome of the battle. So, be sure to consider its significance when devising your tactics.

Remember, the key to victory lies in strategically positioning your units and understanding the importance of key locations like Plancenoit. By doing so, you can tip the scales in your favor and secure a decisive victory.

Stratego Waterloo Expert game Official Rules UltraFoodMess

Hey there! Let’s talk about Plancenoit, a tiny village that played a huge role in a big battle. Picture this: a fierce fight between the French and the Prussians on a fateful day in June. Plancenoit stood on the side of the French army, serving as a strongpoint to protect their right flank. It was the center of all the action!

Now, here’s the cool thing about Plancenoit – it gives a nice boost to the Infantry pieces. Any Infantry standing on the tile gets +1 strength. And guess what? They don’t even have to fully occupy the village to get this bonus. It’s like a little power-up for them!

But hold your horses, because Cavalry, Commanders, Commanders in Chief, and Artillery can still move through Plancenoit without any trouble. The only catch is that they don’t get any special benefits like the Infantry do. So, it’s kinda like a no-entry sign for them, but they can still pass through without any glitches.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Unlike other buildings in the game, with Plancenoit, you have a choice. You can decide whether to aim your Artillery fire at the enemy units or the village itself. It’s a tough call, right?

And now, let’s talk about The Pursuit.

In the world of Napoleonic Warfare, experts understand just how important cavalry was on the battlefield. It played a crucial role in achieving victory and had a major impact after the battle as well. The cavalry had the power to determine whether the defeated enemy army could still pose a threat in future campaigns. If the enemy was defeated, it was up to the cavalry to chase down and neutralize any remaining fleeing units.

As I mentioned before, in the Expert version of the game, taking control of any lines behind enemy forces leads to defeat. Once this happens, the game officially ends and the victorious player can use their remaining cavalry to pursue the retreating enemy.

For the player who has been defeated, the objective is to swiftly remove as many of their remaining Infantry and Artillery units from the board using the available actions they have left.

Now that I’ve won the game, it’s time to go on the offensive. I can use my remaining cavalry to capture as many of my opponent’s units as possible and cause some serious damage.

To start the pursuit, I can select one of my cavalry pieces and choose an opponent’s piece to attack. If I still have three actions left, I can attack three times with the same cavalry piece or switch to another one. However, I can’t use infantry or artillery pieces during the pursuit.

Once I’m done with my turn, it’s my opponent’s chance to retaliate. They can either use their cavalry to attack my cavalry, or they can use their actions to remove one of their pieces from the board.

In case of a draw, my cavalry will always come out on top against my opponent’s.

This is an important rule to remember in the game of Heavy Cavalry. You see, when I use my cavalry units to attack, they will lose 1 strength. But here’s the catch – I can’t pull them back to regain strength anymore. Instead of losing even more units to my opponent, it’s smarter for me to take my cavalry off the board and remove them from the game completely. In other words, I should stop pursuing and call it quits.

Now, let’s say I win the battle and I still have some cavalry left. If I don’t want to continue pursuing my opponent or if I don’t have any more cavalry pieces, we count the casualties on both sides.

Here’s something interesting: Napoleon and Wellington, who are important characters in the game, don’t actually do anything during a pursuit. They are immediately moved away from harm’s way!

Let me explain what happens after a battle, based on the number of soldiers left on each side. If there’s not much of a difference, say a maximum of 3 soldiers, then the battle is indecisive. The loser can retreat with their army and fight another day.

But if there’s a bigger difference, like between 4 and 9 soldiers, then it’s a minor victory for the winner. The loser’s army will suffer a lot of casualties and need time to recover before they can attack again.

Now, if there’s a big difference of 10 soldiers or more, then it’s a major victory for the winner. The loser’s army will be completely crushed and won’t be able to play a significant role in the campaign anymore.

Stratego Waterloo Expert game Official Rules UltraFoodMess

Extra Scenarios

If you’re still hungry for more action, there are additional scenarios you can enjoy in the Expert version:

Get a Head Start

The French army wasn’t exactly punctual at the Battle of Waterloo. That’s why the battle didn’t kick off until around 11:30 a.m. (contrary to popular belief, it had nothing to do with the muddy terrain). The 6th Army Corps, led by Lobau, had just arrived when the fighting started. Even the Old and Middle Guard hadn’t shown up yet.

In the Expert version, you have the option to change the script and start the battle three turns earlier, at 9:30 a.m.! Plus, you get to make the first move as the French player. The catch is that you won’t have all your troops available right from the start.

Hey there! Let’s talk about some interesting game strategies in the game of chess.

When setting up your army, there are 14 blue pieces that will not be used on the board. These pieces include:

  • 1 Light Infantry
  • 5 Infantry
  • 2 Middle Guard Infantry (with 5 soldiers each)
  • 1 Old Guard Infantry (with 6 soldiers)
  • 2 Heavy Cavalry (with 4 soldiers each)
  • 1 Empress Dragoons Heavy Cavalry (with 6 soldiers)

Now, let’s explore an interesting scenario!

Imagine if Marshal Grouchy had successfully engaged the Prussians somewhere between Lasne and Wavre, preventing them from joining Wellington at Waterloo. What do you think would have happened?

In the Expert version of the game, the Allied player has the opportunity to roll the Battle die during gameturn 9 (3 o’clock) to determine whether the Prussians will arrive on the battlefield or not.

If the Allied side is rolled, then the Prussians will arrive on the field of battle in game turn 13 (5 o’clock). Talk about a game-changer!

If the French side is rolled, Marshal Grouchy will have succeeded in intercepting the Prussians. In this situation, Wellington won’t be able to count on any Prussian reinforcements.

Create your own battlefield

Stratego:Waterloo gives you the chance to design your own make-believe battles, complete with custom terrain tiles and as many units as you want. And to inspire your creativity, we’re happy to provide you with some stunning mud tiles.

Mud

Mud on the battlefield puts a halt to the progress of your Infantry, Cavalry, and commander pieces.

When these pieces move through the mud, they can only move one space forward, to the left, or to the right with each action.

Light Infantry pieces, on the other hand, can move through the mud without any limitations.

Artillery units, unfortunately, cannot make their way onto a mud tile!

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