The Emperor was in a pensive, somber mood, riding upstream from Kovno to select a crossing place over the Niemen River. Removing his familiar colonel's coat he put on the jacket and black silk kalpak of a Polish lancer. His companions—who all advised against this invasion, Berthier, Davout, Caulaincourt, and the engineer Haxo—did the same. Galloping back to headquarters, a startled hare got under his horse, causing him to fall. This was an inauspicious portent that would have stopped a Roman general in his tracks.
Agents brought news placing Bagration near Volkovisk and Barclay between Lida and Keidany, with reserves near Svenciany. From Ney's Third Corps headquarters at Marianpole came the report of a Jewish merchant who had just returned from Lithuania—the Russians were pulling their forces back, leaving just a few Cossacks to keep an eye on the French. Alexander's generals were left guessing at the manpower Napoleon had assembled on their borders. The highest estimates, those of Barclay de Tolly and Phull, credited Napoleon with 250,000 men. In reality, the Grande Armée was nearly twice as massive, totaling 437,500 plus two corps in reserve. —Curtis Cate, War of the Two Emperors
If you have played Napoleon at Bay, you already know the Standard (Series 1X) Rules. For the Series 5X, there are a number of changes resulting from the increase in scale. Forage values are assigned by province. Russian Depots are printed on the map. Either side can capture or build a Depot which allows you to extend your LOC. For each Depot in the LOC you can add 8 hexes to the overall length. Depots help for Attrition but as the campaign wears on the capacity to garner new APs plummets.
