NAPOLEON: RULE OF IRON is a tactical real-time strategy game where you can command Napoleon Bonaparte's most epic historical battles in 1:1 scale. At the battle of Borodino you will see 200.000 actual soldier models on screen engaging in vicious ranged and melee combat. At the battle of Leipzig even up to 500.000. Of course this depends on how well you do in the campaign.
Charge of the french cavalry.
The Campaign follows the story of Napoleon Bonaparte and his largest battles from Toulon to Waterloo: Fight in Italy, Egypt, Europe, Spain and Russia. This doesn't mean that the outcome is clear: there are three alternate endings, two of which are fictitious. Between battles you can manage your Grand Armée: buy supplies, recruit and disband infantry, cavalry and artillery and organize them into Corps. Units can gain experience over the course of the campaign and become your Old Guard. One of them can even bear an imperial eagle standard that inspires nearby soldiers - but be careful. Once it is lost to the enemy it is lost forever. Before each battle there is an immersive briefing and Napoleon will hold a speech infront of your army. The real-time battles give you full tactical control over historical formations like infantry and cavalry divisions and artillery batteries (up to 5000 rendered soldiers or 50 guns each). The maps were carefully reconstructed using NASA satellite data and historical records (though sometimes adjusted for gameplay reasons). These are the 33 battles you can fight in NAPOLEON: RULE OF IRON:
Siege of Toulon, 1793
Mondovi, 1796
Lodi, 1796
Castiglione, 1796
Arcole, 1796
Rivoli, 1797
Pyramids, 1798
Abukir, 1799
Montebello, 1800
Marengo, 1800
Austerlitz, 1805
Jena, 1806
Auerstedt, 1806
Eylau, 1807
Friedland, 1807
Coruna, 1809
Aspern-Essling, 1809
Wagram, 1809
Salamanca, 1812
Witebsk, 1812
Smolensk, 1812
Borodino, 1812
Beresina, 1812
Vitoria, 1813
Lützen, 1813
Bautzen, 1813
Leipzig, 1813
Montmirail, 1814
Vauchamps, 1814
Montereau, 1814
Paris, 1814
Ligny, 1815
Waterloo, 1815
And two secret fictitious battles.
The AI will throughout this present a formidable challenge. Innovative mechanics allow it for example to intelligently evade flanking maneuvers or countercharge when charged. On lower difficulties these behaviours are tuned down or removed. The AI employs a Corps System to utilize or defend against strategies like defeat in detail, distraction attacks, defense in depth etc... The AI has no cheat bonuses or maluses on any difficulty level.
The AI evades a flanking maneuver by the player.
Epic sound effects and visual effects have been implemented to match the soldier numbers. Among these are: super powerful marching drums, huge plumes of smoke, artillery impacts, fires and much more. If your unit has a marching band attachement you can order it to play authentic march music and inspire nearby soldiers. Unlike in other games of this genre fallen soldiers never despawn so the field will soon be strewn with the dead (Blood can be disabled in the settings).
The price of taking a fortified position.
The combat is tactical: Morale, stamina, unit weight, speed and terrain height are just some of the factors that influence combat. Terrain cover like trees or villages play a large role. Ammunition travels at the physically accurate speed. Soldiers will step to the side to make way for friendly units trying to pass through them. In melee brawls realistic clusters form. During rain muskets don’t function. Blizzards make your soldiers tire out faster.
Soldiers step to the side to let a friendly elite unit through to the front.
The fate of France hangs in the balance. Take command of the legendary Grande Armée, shape the destiny of Europe and experience the ultimate Napoleonic simulation.
