This page lists the historical sources that are the basis for the rules of NWOL. While they do not form a definitive historical study of the era, they do provide a basic introduction to the military and political events of the time. Anyone looking for information about the Napoleonic era as represented in NWOL is encouraged to find these books (most are in print, though not all are) and read through them. Anyone wishing to discuss the foundation of the rules, or offer suggestions for improvements, is encouraged to base their discussion and suggestions on an understanding of the history of the period at the level of these sources.

NWOL Bibliography

Chandler, David G. The Campaigns of Napoleon. 1966. The standard reference work for the military campaigns in which Napoleon fought personally. Also contains information about army organization, strategy, and tactics.

Esposito, Vincent J., and John R. Elting. A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars. 1963. Another standard reference work for Napoleon's campaigns, this one containing detailed maps of both the campaigns and the battles.

Kennedy, Paul. Rise and Fall of the Great Powers. Primary source for economic and financial information, including the links between economic resources and military power and influence.

Lefebvre, Georges. Napoleon. 1936. English translation by J.E. Anderson, 1969. This two-volume work is a definitive biography of Napoleon from 1799, when he became leader of France, until Waterloo. The primary source for political and diplomatic history of France.

Mahan, Capt. A.T. The Influence of Sea Power Upon the French Revolution and Empire. 1892. A standard reference in two volumes for naval warfare of the Napoleonic era. The primary source for naval information.

Broers, Michael. Europe Under Napoleon 1799-1815. The basic source for information about populations under French occupation.

Desbriere, Edouard. Trafalgar: The Naval Campaign of 1805. 1907. English translation by Constance Eastwick, 1933. Detailed history of the Trafalgar campaign, very useful for details of naval warfare not touched on in Mahan.

Epstein, Robert M. Napoleon's Last Victory and the Emergence of Modern War. 1994. History of the 1809 campaign, including valuable discussion of the Italian portion of the campaign not covered in the standard works (because Napoleon was in Germany). Also contains much useful information about the reorganization of the Austrian army between 1805 and 1809, and Austrian domestic matters generally.

Robertson, C. Grant, and J.G. Bartholomew. An Historical Atlas of Modern Europe from 1789 to 1914. 1915. The primary source for the details of the strategic map.

Robison, Rear Admiral S.S., and Mary L. Robison. A History of Naval Tactics from 1530 to 1930. 1942. Useful primarily for its chapters on the Napoleonic era, including the War of 1812, but the chapters on 18th and 19th century warfare before and after Napoleon are also useful for contrast.

Rothenberg, Gunther Erich. The art of warfare in the age of Napoleon. Contains a detailed discussion of army organization and doctrine, both in the French army and the armies of its opponents.

Tone, John Lawrence. The Fatal Knot : The Guerrilla War in Navarre and the Defeat of Napoleon in Spain. Detailed study of the fighting between Spanish guerrillas and French regulars in Navarre in northern Spain. The primary reference for irregular warfare.