Provides a walk through of a successful opening under Very Hard Campaign and Battle difficulty. The overall aim is to capture both Cairo and Zagazig quickly and efficiently; and defeat the Cairo rebellion before Sidney Smith lands in the Western Delta in Late September 1798. Analysis is then presented on which builds are worthwhile in the middle game (defined as starting with the defeat of Sidney Smith and ending once all of Awlad Alia (Matruh), Suez (Helwan), Ababda (Red Sea Coast), and Jerusalem (Judea) have been captured) to support a maximal force under arms through the end gam.

Opening Moves – June to August 1798

Opening Discussion

The French challenge early on is not troop quality, but rather troop quantity – particularly for garrisons. Addressing this can be done by building only Militia for the first few turns, not only allowing more builds but leveraging their Garrison Bonus to great effect.

The French command and morale bonuses, combined with the quality of their core force, means that auto-resolve is quite suitable for all siege a*saults early on. It can even be a challenge to do as well on VH/VH difficulty. However for field battles it is still preferred to play them out to maximize pursuit and its ability to obtain a Heroic Victory with zero opposing survivors, particularly of pesky artillery.

Early June 1798

Movement:

1. Napoleon and stack to Alexandria.
2. Kleber with force below first to the the Damietta bridge, where joined by Gentleman Dawnay, and then as far towards Damietta as possible. Dawnay then proceeds into Damietta.
   • 1 * Dragoons;
   • 2 * Grenadiers;
   • 2 * Fusiliers;
   • 1 * Cha*seurs du pied
3. Napoleon and stack to Idku Woodland:
   • 1 * Cha*seurs à Cheval;
   • 3 * 6 lb. Artillery;
   • 2 * Fusiliers;
   • 2 * Cha*seurs du pied
4. Desaix and stack advances to Damanhour, auto-resolves the a*sault, and Peacefully Occupies. Casualties should be roughly 148 to 176 even on VH/VH.
   • 1 * Cha*seurs à Cheval;
   • 2 * Fusiliers;
   • 1 * Cha*seurs du pied
5. Rake Lefranc Infiltrates Cairo.

Repairs & Construction

• Alexandria: Improve Tax Office to Magistrate;
• Alexandria: Build Basic Roads;
• Abu Kir: Convert Dockyard to Trading Port;
• Itku Woodland: Build Logging Camp;
• Damanhour: Build Basic Roads;
• Itay al Baray: Build Farmland

Troop Builds

• Alexandria: 3 Militia;
• Damanhour: 2 Militia;

Late June 1798

Movement:

1. Desaix detaches the two Militia and besieges Mahalla al-Kubra.
2. Militia in Alexandria join Napoleon in Idku Woodland.
3. Napoleon and stack joins Desaix at Mahalla al-Kubra, auto-resolves a*sault, and Peacefully Occupies.
4. Kleber auto-resolves a*sault on Damietta and Peacefully Occupies.
5. Napoleon (alone) returns to Idku Woodland.
6. Desaix and worst-wounded 9 non-Militia moves due north just into Damietta region to benefit from the Supply Post replacements.

Repairs & Construction

• Damietta: Build Basic Roads;
• Kafr al Sheikh: Build College;
• Belqas Farmland: Build Farms;
• Mahalla al-Kubra: Build Basic Roads;

Troop Builds

• Alexandria: 1 Militia;
• Damietta: 2 Militia;
• Mahalla al-Kubra: 1 Militia.

Early July 1798

Movement:

1. Kleber detaches two Militia; besieges and accepts surrender of Mansoura; and Peacefully Occupies.
2. Desaix: One (worst, usually the single chevron Cha*seurs) wounded unit to Damietta; Fully recovered units to Mahalla al-Kubra; wounded units and Desaix himself stay.
3. Militia in Alexandria join Napoleon in Idku Woodland, then together to Mahalla al-Kubra being escorted in by the existing garrison.

Repairs & Construction

• Mansoura: Build Basic Roads and repair Encampment;
• Benha Farmland: Build Farms;

Troop Builds

• Damietta: 2 Militia;;
• Mahalla al-Kubra: 1 Militia
• Mansoura: 1 Militia
• Alexandria: 1 Dromedary Cavalry.

Late July 1798

Movement:

1. Desaix and stack into Mahalla al-Kubra.
2. Napoleon: All except Desaix to Cairo, auto-resolve a*sault, and Peacefully Occupy.
3. Damietta: Two Militia to Mahalla al-Kubra, escorted in by Desaix.
4. Mansoura: Militia to Mahalla al-Kubra.
5. Damanhour: 1 Militia to Cairo (completed next turn).
6. Rake Lefranc Infiltrates Fayum.

Research

• Gaza: National Debt.

Repairs & Construction

• Cairo: Repair Cannon Foundry; Build Magistrate, Encampment, and Cobbled Roads.

The Encampment will complete just in time to provide enhanced replacements for the force defeating the Cairo rebellion in Early September.

Troop Builds

• Mahalla al-Kubra: 1 Militia;
• Mansoura: 1 Militia, 1 Dromedary Cavalry;
• Alexandria: 1 Fusiliers of Line.

Early August 1798

Movement:

1. Napoleon and all non-Militia besieges Zagazig.
2. Kleber and all non-Militia joins Napoleon, then auto-resolves a*sault and Peacefully Occupies Zagazig.
3. Damanhour: 1 Militia completes move to Cairo.
4. Mahalla al-Kubra: Two Militia to Mansoura.
5. Alexandria: Dromedary Cavalry to Mahalla al-Kubra.
6. Gentleman Dawnay to Kafr el-Sheikh.
7. Rake Lefranc Infiltrates Beni Suef.
8. [Napoleon and six most wounded back towards Cairo.

Research

• Gaza: Division of Labour.
• Kafr el-Sheikh: National Debt.

Repairs & Construction

• Port Said: Build Trading Port.
• Lake Manzala Pasture: Build Stables.
• Faqous Farmland: Build Farms.
• Zagazig: Build Basic Roads & Encampment.

Troop Builds

• Zagazig: 1 Militia.

Late August 1798

Movement:

1. Zagazig: All except Kleber, Dragoons, 2 Grenadiers and 1 Militia join Napoleon.
2. Cairo: 1 Militia to Zagazig.
3. Mansoura: 1 Dromedary Cavalry to Mahalla al-Kubra; 2 Militia to Zagazig.
4. Damietta: 1 Cha*seurs to Mahalla al-Kubra (or perhaps just short with Desaix for further replacements).

Research

Unchanged at:

• Gaza: Division of Labour.
• Kafr el-Sheikh: National Debt.

Repairs & Construction

• Kafr el-Sheikh: Build Cla*sical University.
• Cairo: Build Ordnance Factory.

Troop Builds

• Alexandria: 1 Fusiliers of Line.

Situation & Discussion

Lower Egypt is secure with Kleber at Zagazig guarding its eastern border. Napoleon is commanding the reserve, and positioned with more than sufficient force to put down the Cairo rebellion next turn. Desaix is a*sembling the force necessary to defeat Sidney Smith and defend the Western Delta against early Bedouin raids. The foundation of a strong French economic engine in the Delta has been laid.

A key here is that Napoleon should be just a touch south of the bend in the trail from Zagazig to Cairo. Here he still allows the rebellion to form north east of Cairo, where it can be dispatched immediately.

Next turn, significant opening variations develop, as decisions on how much force to a*sign west, east, and south are made.

Finances – The Math

As the game documentation notes: One should make judicious investing decisions when playing. This requires an*lyzing the length of time for payback of the initial capital expenditure as well as the per turn improvement to income following break even.

My guide Italian Campaign guide notes that, due to the short game length of only 42 turns, very few capital investments provide a worthwhile profit. This game at 62 turns is significantly longer; and consequently many investments now become worthwhile – though by no means all. This section looks in detail at each investment type, giving players the tools to properly an*lyze those decisions.

Rates of Return

Central to any an*lysis of capital expenditure is Rate of Return. For our purposes, that is the Effective Tax Rate in each region based on its level of Administrative Building, and whether National Census (with its 2% Tax Rate bonus) has yet been researched. Those rates steadily decline during the game as one acquires regions, due to an increasing Administrative Cost. To ease the an*lytical burden, two compensating approximations are made below:

1. Construction time is ignored; and
2. The late game Tax Rates are used throughout.

The magnitude of both is a small number of turns, in opposite directions, introducing an error of negligible significance given other intangible considerations. The Rates of Return then recommended for use are:

1. 26.5% – No Administrative Building;
2. 30.0% – Tax Office;
3. 33.5% – Magistrate; and
4. 37.0% – Court of Justice.

Break-Even Goal

Sound an*lysis also requires making a decision on when break-even horizon is sufficient. It’s more than possible, even on VH/VH, to reach and capture Damascus in late Summer 1799. If this is one’s goal the campaign is even shorter than the Italian Campaign, making only the richest capital expenditures worthwhile. I prefer to play a greater challenge: Capturing every region on the map. As the game ends with the capture of Damascus, this requires investing Damascus while Nicosia and the remotest Bedouin and Ottoman regions are captured. This will run deep into 1800. With this goal, my guideline is that an investment must break even by early Spring 1800 to be worthwhile. Let’s call it Late February, 1800.

The Math

Yes, there’s math. However this section derived formulas for each investment type are given below for quick reference.

The three main cla*ses of investment are:

1. Those only increasing Rate of Return (Administrative Buildings);
2. Those only increasing Region Wealth by a fixed amount (Farms, Stables and Woodlots); and
3. Those increasing Region Wealth every turn, possibly also increasing it by an initial fixed amount (Trading Ports, Roads, and Theatres).

Each type involves slightly more math than the preceding, but given our a*sumptions above nothing more complex than the Quadratic Formula learned in High School Math. The formulas below all use the same abbreviations for various attributes of the region or investment type under consideration:

• r = Assumed Rate of Return for the region, based on current Administrative Building;
• c = Capital Cost of the investment;
• TRW = Total Region Wealth when investment purchased;
• 𝛿RW = Incremental increase (per turn) to Region Wealth; and
• ΔRW = One time increase to Region Wealth when investment construction completes.
• n = Turns after initial expenditure until break even (pay back) achieved; and
• ΔI = Income benefit of investment following break even.

Administrative Buildings

The long term increase in r for each level increase in Administrative Building is steady at 3.5%. Thus

ΔI = TRW * 3.5%

and

n = c / ΔI.

Farms, Stables and Woodlots

These investments provide a one-time increase, ΔRW, to total region wealth upon completion.

ΔI = ΔRW * r

and

n = c / ΔI.

Trading Ports, Roads, and Theatres

These investments provide a per turn increase 𝛿RW to region wealth following completion, and in the case of Trading Ports also a one time increase ΔRW in region wealth upon completion. In the case of the per turn increase in region wealth, 𝛿RW, roughly half is clawed back (taxed) as noted in the Region Wealth section of the Region Details dialogue. Then the accumulated increase through the current turn must be computed as the sum of a arithmetic series before applying the rate of return. The total effect for break even is the satisfying of

• ΔRW * r * n + ½𝛿RW * ½n(n+1) = c

or

• 4ΔRW * n + 𝛿RW * r * n(n+1) – 4c = 0

and then

• 𝛿RW*r * n² + (4ΔRW + 𝛿RW)*r * n – 4c = 0

or, dividing through by 𝛿RW * r,

• n² + (4ΔRW/𝛿RW + 1)n – 4c/(𝛿RW*r).

Using the general quadratic formula (taking only the positive square root of course) yields break even when

• n = ½ ( – (4ΔRW/𝛿RW + 1) + √( (4ΔRW/𝛿RW + 1)² + 16c/(𝛿RW*r) ) )

Finances – The Results

Administrative Buildings

There are three cases here, with constant r = 3.5% and varying c and TRW:
Administrative Building

1. Tax Office: c = 750:
   • TRW = 1000: ΔI = 35; n = 750/35 = 21
   • TRW = 1500: ΔI = 70; n = 750/52 = 15
   • TRW = 2000: ΔI = 70; n = 750/70 = 11
   • TRW = 3000: ΔI = 70; n = 750/105 = 7
2. Magistrate: c = 1500:
   • TRW = 1000: ΔI = 35; n = 1500/35 = 43
   • TRW = 1500: ΔI = 70; n = 1500/52 = 29
   • TRW = 2000: ΔI = 70; n = 1500/70 = 22
   • TRW = 3000: ΔI = 105; n = 1500/105 = 14
   • TRW = 4000: ΔI = 140; n = 1500/140 = 11
   • TRW = 5000: ΔI = 175; n = 1500/175 = 9
3. Court of Justice: c = 3000:
   • TRW = 2000: ΔI = 70; n = 3000/70 = 43
   • TRW = 3000: ΔI = 105; n = 3000/105 = 29
   • TRW = 4000: ΔI = 140; n = 3000/140 = 22
   • TRW = 5000: ΔI = 175; n = 3000/175 = 17

Administrative Buildings is possibly the best capital investment available – particularly when considering the potential added savings in Garrison and Town Watch expense.

Farms, Stables and Woodlots

Only the Level One building is an*lyzed here. For all three building cla*ses the benefit at Level Two is the same as for Level One, at twice the cost, so the break-even is twice as long.
Administrative Building

1. Tax Office – r = 30.0%:
   • Farms: ΔRW = 100; ΔI = 30; n = 450/30 = 15;
   • Stables: ΔRW = 50; ΔI = 15; n = 450/15 = 30;
   • Logging Camp: ΔRW = 75; ΔI = 22; n = 900/22 = 41;
2. Magistrate – r = 33.5%:
   • Farms: ΔRW = 100; ΔI = 34; n = 450/34 = 13;
   • Stables: ΔRW = 50; ΔI = 17; n = 450/17 = 27;
   • Logging Camp: ΔRW = 75; ΔI = 25; n = 900/25 = 36;
3. Court of Justice – r = 37.0%:
   • Farms: ΔRW = 100; ΔI = 37; n = 450/37 = 12;
   • Stables: ΔRW = 50; ΔI = 18; n = 450/18 = 25;
   • Logging Camp: ΔRW = 75; ΔI = 27; n = 900/27 = 33;

Trading Ports, Roads, and Theatres

Consider the case of a Theatre in a region with a Court of Justice, so that:

• r = 37%
• c = 750
• ΔRW = 0
• 𝛿RW = 4

and then substituting in the formula:

• n = ½ ( -1 + √(1 + 8108) ) = ½ ( -1 + 90 ) = 45.

This is an uneconomic investment; though in Fayum Oasis, for example, one might convert the Barracks because the reduction in Garrison and Town Watch expense makes up for the long break-even.

Similarly Cobbled Roads, with the same benefit as Theatres but twice the cost, are also uneconomic (though they may, in regions such as Qalyubia, be judged a Military Necessity and purchased on that basis).

For a Trading Port on the other hand, with

• r = 37%
• c =1200
• ΔRW = 100
• 𝛿RW = 10

and then substituting in the formula above:

• n = ½ ( -41 + √(41² + 5190) ) = ½ ( -41 + 82 ) = 21.

With the a*sumptions made above, this is a very beneficial investment right up until sometime in early 1799.

Here we come to an end for the Egyptian Campaign on Very Hard (Campaign) DIfficulty – Total War: NAPOLEON – Definitive Edition guide. I hope this guide has helped you with your gameplay. If you have something to add to this guide or believe we forgot some information to add, please let us know via comment! We check each comment manually by approving them!