The first part of this article showed us the many advances made by the French in the crucial field of injury treatment and emergency response in the heat of battle. Now it’s time to see how this relates to the mechanics of Napoleon in Egypt.

French Regulars are the most powerful unit in the game. British Regulars are a close second but still, no unit packs more punch than the French Regulars, who get to roll the prized Elite die. At the start of the campaign, 35 of those Regulars set foot in Egypt, a force that looks downright unstoppable. It would make sense for these well-trained soldiers to be harder to kill but instead of using a “2-step unit” system, we decided to link their resilience directly to the scientific progress that would lead to field hospitals, flying ambulances and all other breakthroughs Pascal talked about in part 1.

Every time a French Regular is eliminated, no matter the reason, a Grognard Unit is placed in a box called the Military Hospital. In a sense, these Grognard Units are the “second hit point” of the French Regulars, kind of a toned-down unit that rolls the Average die. However, the Grognards are not available right away. To gain access to them, the French Player will have to divert their attention from the battlefield to the scientific research. However, many scholars from many fields of research such as archaeology are begging Napoleon for resources (i.e. Action Points from cards). Still, if what the French Player wants is for their soldiers to rejoin the fray after a severe beating, the Military Hospital is what they’re shooting for.

When the Military Hospital is up and running, abstractly representing the more modern ways to deal with injuries and sanitary measures, the French Player will be able to roll a die for every Grognard Unit in the Hospital at the end of the Turn. Each success will allow them to bring back a Grognard Unit, ready to contribute militarily again. The more resources invested in the Military Hospital, the more efficient the die used to bring back Grognards (from 33% to 50% to 67% chance). Of course, as in every game, such investment comes at the expense of other priorities, such as pressing on to chase Murad and Ibrahim Bey as they flee towards Thebes or even recruiting Militia to prepare for the inevitable Ottoman counterattack. Research also comes with its share of unpredictability and potential setbacks.

What happens when these Grognards are eliminated? Well, they’re gone for good (there’s only so much surgeons and nurses can do!) So over time, the French Army will consist of less and less Regulars and more and more Grognards. Up until the point where it will be less and less soldiers, period!

This mechanic also opened the door to other possibilities. What are Grognard units, in a sense? Sure, it can be a battered division with fewer men but it could also represent low-morale soldiers in dire need of a pep talk. That gave birth to cards who can “Upgrade” Grognards back to French Regulars, probably the most prized Events in the game for the French Player. Here are three examples of such cards, including Napoleon’s famous quote:

“40 Centuries” and “La Décade” represent the positive effects of inspirational leadership and efficient propaganda, respectively, while Larrey gets his own card as a nod to his crucial role in the expedition. In all cases, they bring Grognard units to their former glory to have another go at the enemy. Of course, the Allied Player has their own arsenal:

“Disaster at Benout” reenacts that fateful event where a flotilla of wounded French soldiers was massacred on March 3^rd 1799. And the “Plague” Event is a reminder that, no matter the progress in medicine, terrible sicknesses could spread like wildfire and decimate any army.

Carefully managing the ebb and flow of Regulars/Grognards is key for the French Player. Can you do it better than Napoleon himself and finish the job in Egypt/Syria?

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Previous Article: The Medical Breakthroughs of the Armée d’Orient in Egypt (Part 1)