You have three advantages which you must utilize to the fullest possible extent. The first and most obvious is the central position of the French Army (although a pessimist might interpret this to mean that the French are surrounded). French units can be switched from point to point more rapidly than Allied units and the French can concentrate in one sector while leaving a screening force to delay the Allies elsewhere. The best results will be achieved by using the bulk of the French Army for attacking the Army of Bohemia in the south while Marmont's Corps is used to screen the advance of the Army of Silesia in the north.
The second French advantage is the fact that initially the French are much stronger than the Allied forces. This, coupled with a distressingly low Allied Demoralization Level on the first day, presents the opportunity to smash the Allies early before the Prussian Army and other Allied reinforcements turn the balance against the French.
The third French advantage lies in their ability to focus a great deal of strength against a chosen target hex. This stems from the powerful French units which compose the Imperial Guard. Because tactical success requires using the Advance after Combat option, the French Player will ultimately be required to commit the Guard in precarious positions open to Enemy counterattacks. Nevertheless, such risks must be accepted to produce a French victory.
The first maxim for the Allied Player is to be as optimistic and as tenacious as old Blucher himself. The survival of the Army of Bohemia will be your main concern during the first half of the game. This requires an aggressive and extremely precise defense. The objective is to buy time until the Army of Silesia, and later, the Armies of Poland and the North can make their presence felt. If the necessary time is purchased, the sheer weight of Allied numbers will eventually force the French back.
The tactics available to the Allied Player are scarce. It is basically a matter of playing carefully and maintaining pressure in the north with Blucher's forces. The prime thing to avoid is detaching any strength from the Army of Bohemia to operate on the west bank of the Elster. This would merely dissipate strength which will be urgently needed elsewhere. The units which start on the west bank should be used to tie down French forces and hopefully induce the French to commit more strength against the Allied units west of the Elster.
It cannot be emphasized too strongly that you must be precise in play and patient in demeanor. These are the keys to an Allied victory. Still, if you enjoy crushing a 'helpless victim', play the Third Day Scenario, but don't be surprised if your French victim turns out to be less helpless than you expect.
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