Battle of the Alma

The Battle of the Alma was the first major action of the Crimean War (1854-56). The Russian commander had promised the Czar he would hold the position along the Alma for at leas three months, no matter what the British and French threw at him. In fact, he lost it in just 12 hours. The attackers, though, didn't have it all their own way. Plagued by leadership problems, their frontal assault on the Russian defenses atop the bluffs was no easy proposition. Historically the second Allied wave carried the bluffs and breached the Russian line, but only after fierce hand-to-hand fighting and severe losses.

The Battle of Alma features an interactive game system that engages both players all the time, and makes the unexpected the norm, which also makes it a perfect game for solitaire play. The order in which units move is determined by drawing chits, and that has the effect of making each game played a new experience.

Designed on a grand tactical scale of 75 yards per hex and 100 men per strength point, the chief focus of the game is leadership, with each leader having a command rating, a command span and a combat bonus. The rules feature: morale, facing, command, formations, cavalry charges, and a variety of weapon types.There are separate scenarios for the Franco-Turkish and British attacks, plus a campaign game covering the entire battle.