Kartenspiel From Philip Sabin's book from 2012, Simulating War ...

Kartenspiel
From Philip Sabin's book from 2012, Simulating War: Studying Conflict Through Simulation Games
Inspired by Clausewitz's strategic ideas, and his statement that the closest analogue
to war is a game of cards.
"This game illustrates the interactive nature of strategy through a generic simulation of a typical
Napoleonic land battle like Austerlitz." Sabin, P, 2012
Instruction & Game Setup
The game is played with a standard deck of cards with the jokers removed, and dice.
The object of the game is to destroy one of your opponents corps thus breaking their line.
The class will be divided into two teams (Coalition and Allies), if we have an odd number Prof. Hlas will have
to join in. The teams will then chose a role for each player, one general, two wing commanders (left
and right) and the rest will serve as corps commanders.
Each role will have different responsibilities so you should look at what they are before you decide
as a group who gets what.
General - Starts with all the cards, for their army, and is responsible for giving orders to the wing
commanders and distributing the divisions (cards)
Wing Commanders - Gets orders and divisions(cards) from the General, and then gives orders and
distributes divisions (cards) to corps commanders.
Corps Commanders - Has divisions(cards) and orders from wing commander, and during the action round
uses a die to indicate what their divisions will be doing.
*** All divisions(cards) should be kept hidden until combat resolution.
What the components represent and are used for.
Cards - Divisions of Infantry and Cavalry. Face cards are the Cavalry divisions, all other cards are
Infantry divisions. Infantry divisions have a value of 1, Cavalry divisions have a value of 1 or 2.
Dice - Orders. Twice during the combat resolution phase the corps commanders will take part in a blind bid.
The first will determine if their corps is attacking or not. The second will be if their cavalry divisions
are charging.
*** Note both sides can attack at the same time, and that your cavalry can charge
even if you did not attack (this is a counter charge).

The classroom will be divided down the middle with each role having and assigned area.
Coalition Army Allies Army
VI Corps I Corps
Left Wing V Corps II Corps Right Wing
IV Corps III Corps
General General
III Corps IV Corps
How to play the game.
Right Wing II Corps V Corps Left Wing
I Corps VI Corps
Arrows indicate the directions orders and divisions (cards) can move during the game.
After the setup is done, the umpire will call for the orders phase to begin.
Orders Phase I - Each team's general and wing commanders meet and discuss what will happen during the
turn. The general will give each wing commander their orders (attack with all corps, attack with one,
or defend with all. The general will also distribute all, some, or none of the army's divisions (cards).
Each team has 2 minutes for this phase.
Orders Phase II - Each wing commander will meet with the corps commanders they have responsibility for
and give them orders for the turn and distribute all, some, or none of their divisions to each
commander.
Each team has 2 minutes for this phase.
Combat Phase - All corps commanders will now participate in at least one blind bid. If they wish to attack
they will reveal their die in the first bid. If either opposing corps reveals a die (i.e. is attacking),
then they will have a second blind bid. The second blind bid will be to determine if their cavalry
divisions will charge (or counter-charge if defending). Revealing their die in the second bid,
indicates that their cavalry is charging.
Note: Charging cavalry is worth 2 points for combat resolution, however it must also take any losses
that their side has to take for the combat.
Combat Resolution - If either corps opposite one another has chosen their die, then there is combat.
If neither side reveals a die then there is no combat and play moves to the next set of opposing corps.
When combat takes place and the second blind bid has finished, both side add up their combat
value. Each card counts as 1 point unless it is a cavalry division (face card) and is charging in
which case it will be worth 2 points but must take any losses that the combat results call for their
side to take.

Combat Resolution cont.
Compare both sides combat value for each corps and determine the losses that must be taken by each side:
If your corps is attacking you take 1 loss, unless the corps you are attacking has fewer then two
divisions.
If your corps is attacking and your combat value is greater then the opposing corps they will take
1 loss.
If your corps is attacking and your combat value is 2 times greater then the opposing corps combat
value, then they will take 2 losses.
If combat value is equal or the non-attacking corps has the great value, then no losses other than the
loss for attacking will be taken.
Remember that if you charged with your cavalry all your losses must come from them first.
After all combats have been resolved check for victory. The game is won if any of your opponent's
corps have no cards left.
If victory has not been achieved the game continues with all rounds happening in order again.
*Things to remember or consider*
Once you distribute a division it will stay where you send it, it can not come back. So if you want to be able
reinforce a wing or corps you will need to keep a reserve (i.e. hold some cards back).
If you leave a corps with only 2 divisions it can be defeated (you lose) if your opponent attacks with 4 or
more of their own divisions.
Hide you cards so that your opponent does not know what you have until it is time to resolve combat.