Borodion S & T 138

Strategy and Tactics #138

Doomed Victory
Comprehensive errata
by Gary "Mo" Morgan
(capably assisted by Keith Schlesinger)
In spite of the extensive QC procedures employed to review the Borodino:
Doomed Victory game and components, the game contained many errors, some
of which ocurred during production. The QC system continues to become
further refined, and procedures are being developed which will further
perfect the editing and review process. Many of the errors are on the
map (particularly the Charts and Tables). The game's eagle-eyed game
editor Keith Schlesinger has provided the designer with a very
comprehensive collation of errata for the game. The Errata below should
clarify any game system ambiguities which complicated play of the game.
RULES ERRATA
2.3 SAMPLE UNITS
1. Artillery example [correction]: the Front side (left) should be
labeled "UNLIMBERED," while the Back (right) side should be labeled
"LIMBERED'
2. Leader [addition]: the symbol in the upper right corner of the
example "DAVOUT" counter should be labeled "Command Responsibility".
4.4 CAVALRY LINE FORMATION
Charge/Forward Movement [addition]. Cavalry divisions in line formation
must pay two movement points to reform into column formation.
Combat/Defense [change]. If a cavalry unit in line formation is attacked
from either or both of its adjacent front hexes, it can either
"countercharge" the attacking enemy unit(s) OR change to disordered
formation to defend against the enemy cavalry charge.
Countercharge [deletion]. Delete both occurrences of the phrase
"(doesn't add one point for charging)"; references should be to the
countercharging cavalry's PRINTED, UNMODIFIED line formation combat
strength.
4.6 CAVALRY COLUMN FORMATION
Movement [change]. Divisions in column formation pay TWO [not five]
movement points to change to line formation.
5.4 FORMATION CHANCES [addition].
Infantry and Artillery. Each unit may change formation up to TWO times
during a friendly Movement Phase. A change can be made before a unit
expends any movement points, AND after it ceases moving for the current

phase. Changes may NEVER be made while the unit is moving from hex to
hex, or pivoting within a hex. If the formation change occurs BEFORE a
unit moves, subtract the movement cost of the formation change from the
movement allowance of the unit's NEW FORMATION. If the formation change
occurs AFTER a unit moves, subtract the movement cost of the formation
change from the movement allowance of the unit's CURRENT FORMATION. This
means that a unit must have sufficient movement points remaining at the
end of its movement to make a formation change; otherwise, it may not do
so. See Table 4.1 for the costs of various formation changes.
Cavalry. Each unit that does not charge or move into an enemy ZOC may
change formation up to TWICE during a friendly Movement Phase, in the
same way as specified above for infantry and artillery. However, cavalry
MUST immediately change to disordered formation if at any point during
its movement it enters an enemy ZOC, and may not undertake any
additional movement or formation changes during the current Movement
Phase. A cavalry desiring to charge must declare its intention to do so
prior to expending any movement points. A charging unit may change from
column or disordered formation to line formation (only) prior to
beginning movement. At the conclusion of the charge, each charging unit
changes to disordered formation. NO OTHER FORMATION CHANGES ARE ALLOWED
WHEN A CAVALRY UNIT DECLARES A CHARGE.
Unit facing. A unit may be faced in any direction after a formation
change, at no additional movement cost.
6.7 ARTILLERY RESTRICTIONS [LOF Diagram (p.8)]
1. Hex 2123 contains the dot.
2. The "dot' is the Firing Artillery Unit. A dotted line represents
"Blocked LOF", and a solid line indicates "LOF is OK'.
3. Hexside 2123/2223 needs a slope symbol, running down from 2123 into
2223 (i.e., the "teeth" point into 2223). Reword example C as follows:
"LOF OK. Target unit is TWO elevation levels lower than firing unit,
which is adjacent to a slope hexside. Artillery unit could fire one more
hex (4) at lower elevation unit due to extended range."
ORDERS OF BATTLE [pp. 6 and 7]
RUSSIAN.
Second Army Reserve Cavalry - [3123 @ 3]
> 2A/2Cu (3222)
> 2A/Kar (3123)
> 2A/IVC (3122)
FRENCH:
1. Fifth (V) corps cavalry division is incorrectly marked as infantry
and the parent corps symbol should be on the left side. The counter
sheet is correct.
> In the Shevardino scenario, the same unit (V Cav) is mismarked as "V/4
Cu". The real 4 Cu unit is located below with IIC corps.

2. Detached units from First (I) corps (1st and 3rd divisions). There are
TWO differently colored counters for each of these divisions, depending
on the corps to whom they are attached.
> In the historical scenario, they begin attached to the Italian Fourth
(IV) corps.
> In the hypothetical scenario the French player has the choice of
placing these two divisions with I corps (use blue counters), or
attaching them to IV corps (use green counters).
SHEVARDINO TRAINING SCENARIO
Scenario length: Six turns (2000-2300 hours). Use gameturn track numbers
1-6 on the game map.
Victory conditions: The player who physically occupies the Shevardino
redoubt (has a unit in hex 1825) at the end of the game wins.
6.8 ARTILLERY COMBAT [addition)
Add the following statement between the "Artillery lethality may..." and
"...Range Modifiers" statements:
Unlimbered artillery attacks and defends using its barrage strength.
Enemy units attacking an unlimbered artillery unit through the battery's
ZOC (front hexes), do so against the defending barrage strength of the
artillery unit, modified for range and formation as per 6.3.
6.9 TERRAIN EFFECTS ON COMBAT [change and clarification].
Woods Hexes. Infantry units in column formation (only) may attack into
and out of woods hexes. For combat purposes only, treat woods hexes
containing a road as clear terrain.
7.4 VICTORY CONDITIONS [change].
There is no record track on the map; keep track of eliminated Russian
combat factors on a piece of paper.
8.1 LEADERS [addition].
Leaders are never affected by enemy ZOC. They do not need to stop
movement for the phase when they enter ZOC, and they may leave enemy
ZOCs whenever the owning player wishes during the friendly Movement
Phase.
8.10 CHAIN OF COMMAND
[addition, after 8.1 LEADERS and prior to 8.11 FRENCH COMMAND AND
CONTROL]
Combat Units & Corps Leaders. Any combat unit with a Parent organization
symbol identical to a Corps Leaders Command Responsibility symbol is
considered subordinate to that Leader, and is eligible to move, attack,
receive Attack/Defense Bonus (8.13), and Rally (8.15) if its Corps

Leader is active. See Sample Units (2.3) for precise locations of Parent
& Command Responsibility symbols on unit counters.
Russian Corps Leaders and Army Commanders.
Any Russian Corps Leader is considered subordinate to any Russian Army
Commander, and is automatically active if within range of an Army
Commander who is himself active (8.12). Barclay, Bagration,
Miloradovich, and Gorchakov are all considered Army Commanders.
8.112 FRENCH RESERVE CAVALRY CORPS COMMAND [clarification].
"Generals of Cavalry who may be farther than 14 hexes from Murat are
considered "autonomous" commands, and must roll one die to determine
command and control of their cavalry corps according to the procedure in
8.111."
8.122 [change and clarification]
"The Russian player must roll one die to determine whether that corps is
active according to the procedure in 8.111".
CHARTS AND TABLES ERRATA
5.1 TERRAIN EFFECTS CHART (clarification)
Slope (Combat Effect). "Defender +2 (0 if one or more attacking units
occupy higher elevation hexes)"
6.1 FORMATION COMBAT MODIFIERS CHART [change]
Note #3 [addition). "Use each counter-charging cavalry unit's printed,
unmodified line formation combat strength."
The cross-reference between Artillery Unlimbered as ATTACKER & Infantry
Square as DEFENDER should read "N," not "A+2. [Since Infantry divisions
in Square formation can only be barraged through their FRONT hexes, all
artillery fire should incorporate the two point addition into chart 6.3]
Delete the "D+" entries on the DEFENDER/ Artillery/ UNLIMBERED/FRONT
row. Replace these entries with the letter "B" and add a note #6 which
reads:
6. A "B" result indicates that the unlimbered artillery unit defends
against adjacent attack through its front hexes by using its barrage
strength, as modified in chart 6.3 based on the attacking unit(s)
formation and type(s). Use the highest value modifier if more than one
unit formation is attacking (Example: an artillery unit is attacked by
two infantry units, one in line and one in Column. The modified
artillery barrage strength is modified by +8, since the Column formation
calls for the highest modification).
6.2 COMBAT RESULTS TABLE [change]
Under the "-9/-10" column opposite DIE 6, change "Ex" to "Ar."
6.3 ARTILLERY RANGE EFFECTS CHART (change]

The chart name now has the "(ATTACK ONLY)" words deleted. Range effects
apply to defending as well as attacking artillery.
The first Artillery Range column should read "1", the second column
should read "2" and the third column should read "3 & 4". Each 'N" in
the Artillery row should be moved over one position to the right.
Target/Infantry/Square should read: 1 2 3&4 +8 +6 +2
[This change reflects the correction in 6.1 Formation Combat Chart]
Add an asterisk (*) to the word "Artillery" at the bottom of the column
that begins with the heading "Target."
Delete the note which reads 'When artillery is defending, use DEFENDER
modifiers in 6.1 Formation Combat Modifiers."
MAP ERRATA
1. Slope hexsides - ALL junctions of different levels of terrain are
considered slope hexes. The slope always runs down from the higher level
hex into the lower level hex.
2. Hex 2816 - Is actually Level 2 (as colored). Slopes along hexsides
2816/2915 and 2816/ 2916 should be deleted. Slope along hexside
2715/2816 is a "double level slope" and separates Level 0 terrain in hex
2715 from Level 2 terrain in hex 2816, thus the confusion by Ted Koller
when making the map.
3. Gray-brown "Ravine" hexsides running along the two rivers roughly
northward from hexsides 3304/3404 and 4704/4805 - are impassable to all
units. Combat is prohibited except for artillery barrage, and only
Unlimbered Artillery exert ZOC across Ravine hexsides,
4. The compass rose was omitted from the map. The xx01 row constitutes
the northern map edge; east is 51xx; west is 10xx; south is xx34.
COUNTER SHEET ERRATA
> The Italian Fourth (IV) corps artillery unit lacks a Limbered (back)
side; it should be (1) -6.
The counters printed with single large integers (single digits) can be
used to keep track of Victory Points, if players prefer this method over
tracking VPs on paper.
Keith Schlesinger has come up with some modifications to the game which
work very well and don't substantially alter the basic game system.
While the new rules and rules changes below aren't actually "Errata",
they can substantially enhance the play and realism of Borodino: Doomed
Victory without adding excessive complexity.
6.10 "BROKEN" UNITS [new rule]
Any unit that receives a 2-hex retreat result (6.3) that is not altered
by Leader Rally (optional rule 8.15) is also considered 'Broken". Broken

units are those which become ineffective due to massive attrition,

and/or demoralization. Place a "BROKEN" marker on top of the unit.
[Since BROKEN markers aren't provided in the Borodino: Doomed Victory
countermix, use the extra counters which have large single digits
printed on them.]
Units must change to certain formations when they become Broken, and
remain in those formations until rallied by a die roll (or a Leader; see
optional rule 8.15). Broken infantry must use Line formation; broken
cavalry must use Disordered formation; broken artillery must use
Limbered formation. If these formations would prevent a broken unit from
retreating, then the unit is eliminated instead.
For movement purposes, facing and orientation of broken units remain the
same as for unbroken units in the same type of formation. For combat
purposes, the FRONT hexsides of a unit are treated as FLANK hexsides.
Since broken units have no FRONT hexsides for combat, they may not
attack, but defend normally, as modified by terrain and formation
modifiers for FLANK and REAR only.
If a broken unit receives a Dr result, it retreats TWO hexes instead of
one; the retreat is performed in exactly the same way as when a unit
receives a DR result. If a broken unit receives another DR result, it is
eliminated - in effect, it has disintegrated as a fighting force.
During the Rally Phase, roll a die for each broken unit on the map. A
Russian unit rallies on a die roll of one or two. A French Allied
(brown, purple, green) unit rallies on a roll of one through three. A
French (blue) unit rallies on a roll of one through four. Leader Rally
(optional rule 8.15) supersedes this rule when in use.
3.2 NOTE: THE'NEW' SEQUENCE OF PLAY IS AS FOLLOWS
> I. French Player Turn
> II. Russian Player turn
> III. Rally Phase
> IV. Came Turn Record Phase.
8.15 LEADER RALLY [change]
Active Leaders who are adjacent to subordinate units may deter units
from retreating or breaking, and may remove BROKEN markers already
placed on friendly subordinate units.
8.151 RALLY DURING COMBAT PHASES
If a subordinate unit stacked with its Leader (or in a hex adjacent to
him) receives a one-hex retreat result (Ar or Dr) during a Combat Phase,
roll one die to attempt Rally. If the die roll is equal to or less than
the Leader Rating, the unit is rallied and does not retreat at all;
treat the result as "no effect!' If the subordinate unit receives a
2-hex retreat result (AR or DR), a successful rally reduces the result
to a one-hex retreat (Ar or Dr), and a currently unbroken unit does NOT
become broken. Certain special effects of rally apply to infantry

squares; see Table 6.3 for details.

8.152 RALLY DURING THE RALLY PHASE
In addition to rally during combat, an active Leader can attempt to
rally one or more broken units in the Rally Phase. Each active Leader
has the option to move during the Rally Phase, up to the limit of his
movement allowance as modified by terrain restrictions and the presence
of enemy combat units. After any movement of Leaders is completed, each
Leader rolls a die for each subordinate broken unit with which he is
stacked or adjacent to. If the die roll is equal to or less than the
Leader Rating, the unit is rallied; remove the BROKEN marker. Units
remain broken until rallied by a Leader in the Rally Phase. Flip all
leaders to their ACTIVE side at the end of the Rally Phase. Note that
this rule supersedes the standard Rally procedure (6.10).
8.14 LEADER COMBAT RESULTS [change]
A leader may not attack (or be attacked) unless stacked with a combat
unit. If the unit with whom a Leader is stacked receives a combat result
of any kind, roll two dice. A result of "2", "11", or '12" means the
Leader has been killed or captured; a result of "4" means he has been
wounded and cannot command units for the remainder of the battle. Any of
these results causes the permanent removal of the Leader from the game.
Any other dice roll is treated as "no effect"; the Leader remains
stacked with the defending unit if the unit survives the attack, or is
placed on the nearest friendly unit if the defender is eliminated.
Surviving Corps Commanders whose entire command has been eliminated may
be reassigned to lead another leaderless Corps. Any Russian Army
Commander or French Marshal Murat may be assigned to command ONE
leaderless Corps. This additional responsibility does NOT alter or
affect a Russian Army Commander's or Murat's capability to activate
Corps Commanders. Players should keep track of reassignments due to
Leader casualties on a separate piece of paper.
NB submitted by John Kula (kula@telus.net)
on behalf of the Strategy Gaming Society
(http://www.boardgamegeek.com/~sgs),
originally collected by Andrew Webber
(gbm@wwwebbers.com)