The French player must capture Mont St Jean or eliminate a fixed number of enemy units to win. This has to be achieved within nine turns. The Allied player must hold on until the Prussians arrive to turn the tide in their favour.

This is a two-player game covering the main battle between the French and the Allies. When you are the active player you are never sure exactly how many actions you will get. This makes moving infantry dangerous, as mobile infantry are vulnerable to cavalry. Cavalry is crucial for counter-attacking and routing weakened infantry units. Artillery may be used to soften up the enemy before advancing into combat, if you are willing to spend precious time doing so.

The map is divided into irregular areas to recreate some of the effects of terrain on the battle, notably the way the main Allied strong points, La Haye Saint, Hougoumont, and Papelotte, channelled the French assaults.

Playing time comes in at around three hours.