Incredible Courage at Austerlitz (ICA) - Elchingen

Marshall Ney is told to cross to the northern bank of the Danube, during the Ulm campaign, and take the 2 towns on the other side.

Incredible Courage at Elchingen (ICE) is a small introductory game that pits Marshall Ney against the Austrian General Reisch.  The situation is that the Austrians occupy a strong position on the north side of the Danube River in a position to threaten Napoleon's line of supply and communications.  Napoleon orders the Marshall to take his Corps across the river and defeat the Austrians.  A river crossing operation is very complex and should be done with care and adequate time and preparation.  Ney does not have this, but he has something better, an Austrian opponent that is comfortable sitting in place and awaiting the enemy to come to him.  The Marshall takes advantage of this and makes short work of the Austrians.  Try your hand at this action and see if you can also be deserving of the title "Duke of Elchingen"!

The game features adjustable strengths (that help decide firepower and melee strength based on formations). Turns are 10 minutes of time.  Troop replacements are generated by returning stragglers to the battle.  A few special features are adjustable strengths, elite units, and Levels of Order (LoO).  Units start with a certain amount of these LoO and as they lose them their abilities are reduced.  Movement of each division level formation is randomized through a Leadership factor for each commander at that level.  This game is a perfect introductory game for the Incredible Courage system.  The level of fidelity and the level of playability have been mixed extremely well.  Players will need to analyze many differing factors to apply the winning tactics to the battlefield.  They will also be forced to consider contingencies since units will not always have the strength that they normally would.   No gaming the combat system here by calculating the exact number of factors needed for a certain odds column.  You will never know what the odds column will be until the combat is ready to be conducted.  This battle will provide a challenge to both players.  There is a short set of command rules that will knock your socks off!  A Dispatch Rider system to send orders down to subordinate units (Corps to Division).  And commanders don't always get the orders correctly, or they may be lost, or they may simply choose to ignore them.  Another option is to have regimental ammunition shortgaes that can hit at the worst time, and they are more likely as the battle goes on.

Game play is excellent for solitaire play and moves along very quickly.  The randomized movement allows for very interactive action and you won't be sitting around waiting for the other player to finish.

Game Design by:    Chris Fasulo
Map feature design by: Rick Barber
Map Artwork by:    Kyle Gebhardt

  
Imperial French Army sample units for IC-Elchingen.  Unit counter fronts above and backs below.  You can see the line formation on the front and column shown below.  

Artillery In Battery on the top and Out of Battery on the bottom.
Key Features                                                                     

• (4) 11" x 17" game maps of the Elchingen area

• (2) Full Color Order of Battle Charts

• Numerous charts and tables

• Variable combat strengths

• Reduction by Levels of Order

• Restructured rules

• Approximately 800 Die Cut Unit Counters and Markers

• Infantry and Cavalry units at the company and squadron level and artillery at the section level

• Battalion level infantry units

• (3) Scenarios that allow play on smaller parts of the battle or the entire affair

• Highly detailed without overbearing rules

• Excellent Solitaire Play