These rules for Napoleonic amphibious assaults were devised by V&F author Jervis Johnson for a Battle of Aboukir Bay game featuring British amphibious landings, played at The ‘Other’ Partizan wargames show in 2024. They can be adapted for any similar amphibious landing action.
Deployment
The British infantry start the game in the landing boats. The landing boats must be set up more than 30” away from the shore, and the naval cutters must be set up more than 36” from the shore. Each landing boat can carry 1 infantry unit and any number of leaders. The infantry count as being in a march column while they are embarked.
Naval Bombardment
In the fire phases of the first and second British turns, the British count as having 10 artillery units that have a fire value of 1 and an unlimited range that can be used to shoot at French units that are either on top of the dunes or are on the shore (friendly units do not block the line of sight for these attacks). French units that are on the far side of the dunes cannot be targeted. Naval bombardment attacks hit on a 6+ if the target is on the dunes, and on a 4+ if the target is on the shore.
Two of the 10 artillery units are armed with heavy mortars. If a heavy mortar is the main attacker, up to 1 of its attack dice can be rerolled.
French Shore Forts
In the French fire phase, any British landing boats or cutters that are within 12” of either of the narrow table edges will be targeted by fire from the French Shore Forts. Roll a D6 for each potential target. On a 6+, it is sunk, and any unit being transported on it is lost. Leaders on a sunk vessel are transferred to the nearest friendly landing boat.
French Movement Restrictions
French units cannot move within 6” of the shoreline.
Landing Boats & Cutter Movement
Landing boats and naval cutters can only carry out a move action but are allowed to do so even if their brigade fails to activate (they do not have to take messenger tests if they are more than 12” from a brigade leader).
The distance a landing boat or cutter moves is determined by rolling 3D6 immediately before it is moved and then applying any modifiers from the list below. The craft has a move distance equal to the modified roll.
Boat/Cutter Move Distance
- Landing Boat: 3D6″
- Cutter: +3
- Coote’s Brigade: +3
Disembarking
When a landing boat reaches the shore, the unit and any leaders that are on board immediately disembark. They must be set up wholly within 6” of the landing boat and wholly within 3” of the shoreline.
Disorganisation
When a unit apart from a detachment disembarks, it is disorganised. A disorganised unit has 1 subtracted from its hit rolls, in addition to any other modifiers that apply. A unit stops being disorganised at the start of its next action phase, as long as it is not in contact with an enemy unit. If it is in contact with an enemy unit, it stops being disorganised as soon as it is no longer in contact with the enemy.
Cutters
Reroll up to 1 failed valour or rally roll for British units that are within 9” of any cutters.
More From Alan Perry
You can also find out more about the Aboukir Bay game by searching for ‘Aboukir Bay’ on the Wargames Illustrated YouTube channel, and viewing our interview with Alan Perry about the game and battle.
