
- BGG rank
- BGG #226
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Memoir '44
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2004

Expansion for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics
2013
Rules assistance for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army is an expansion for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics released in 2013 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Richard Borg and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Hexagon Grid.
The Russian Army is a Coalition expansion for Commands & Colors Napoleonics. Russia, was ruled until 1796 by Catherine the Great. It would then suffer under "Mad" Tsar Paul I, until his assassination in 1801, which brought his son Alexander I to the throne. Alexander, in command of a Russian army that was as vast as the territory from which it was drawn, did his best by various treaties and alliances to counter the increasing power of France under Napoleon without going to war. The Russian army at the time of Napoleonic wars still had many characteristics of Peter the Great’s regime; senior officers were largely recruited from aristocratic circles, and the Russian soldier was regularly beaten and punished to instill discipline. Furthermore, many lower-level officers were poorly trained. Yet the Russians involved in hostilities with its neighbors - Sweden, Poland, Turkey and Austria - were capable of astonishing feats and total, blind obedience to orders. In 1805 Britain and Russia signed an alliance against France. In 1806, Prussia joined the Coalition and Prussia and Russia mobilized for a fresh campaign. After Napoleon’s humiliation of Prussia at Jena, the French Emperor turned his attention to subduing his Russian foe and marched into Poland. After a series of sanguinary battles, the French drove Russian forces out of Poland back to Mother Russia and created a new Duchy of Warsaw, but made a solid treaty between the two nations at Tilsit. In 1812, the Russo-French treaty gradually became strained, as the requirement of joining France's Continental Blockade against Great Britain was a serious disruption of Russian commerce. Bonaparte decided to bring the Russians back into line in June, and invaded Russia hoping to inflict a major defeat on the Russians and force Alexander to sue for peace. The invasion of Russia and the retreat of the French army, as many historians point out, proved to be the turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1813 Russia opened the campaign against Napoleon joined by Prussia and Austria, and during the three-day battle of Leipzig, Bonaparte's fate was sealed. In this expansion you will find 18 historical scenarios that focus on the Russian Army battles from 1806 to 1814 against Napoleon, plus all the new units you’ll need to field for these engagements. - Richard Borg
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army has a complexity rating of 2.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army belongs to these categories: Wargame, Napoleonic, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army are: Richard Borg. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Commands & Colors: Napoleonics Expansion #2 – The Russian Army as an expansion for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Commands & Colors: Napoleonics to use it. Check that your edition of Commands & Colors: Napoleonics is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.