With
the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo last Thursday TSOG decided to ‘do’
Waterloo. We would to play our game with 6mm figures on 40mm x 20mm bases representing Brigades using Blucher Rules on an 1800mm x 1000mm playing field. I researched several existing Blucher Waterloo scenarios while creating ours taking bits from each and creating a few of my own 'special historical' rules. So, with around 1500 little
soldiers and terrain set up we entered the fray!
Dave
was to Command the Allied Army, George the Prussians and Marcus and I took up
the cudgels to play the French Army of the North. We aimed to start at 11:30am but the first MO
dice were cast in the ‘original’ Dice Shako at 11:45am!
The Initial Deployment (Historic)...
The Allies...
The French...
The Plans!
The
French plan was to run the II Infantry Corps and III Cavalry Corps around and
deep into the Allied Army’s right flank, if this turned out to be successful
the thrust would be reinforced, if not the main axis of attack would swing to
the Allied left.
The Allied Army's plan was to hold the Mont Saint Jean Ridge to the last man!
The
Prussian plan of attack was something to do with Black Flags and destroying the
French Army while advancing on a wide front.
The AAR
The opening moves saw the French following their plan to the letter. The II Infantry Corps and III Cavalry Corps advanced past Hougomont leaving a Brigade to mask it and then around the Allied Army’s right flank.
French on the move...
Wellington beside the Brussels road calming watching the battle unfold...
The French quickly flanked the ridge avoiding the Dutch/Belgian garrison at Braine
L’Alleud...
The
advance proceeded well and drew first the Brunswickers and then some the Allied
Cavalry Reserve to it while it gained ground and inflicted losses...
At
this point the Allies in a very bold move advanced cavalry to strike the French
I Infantry Corps...the sheer impudence Napoleon thought, he dispatched the
cavalry of Subervie and Domon with artillery support to stop the threat.
Vivians and Vandeleurs Horsemen advance, Mont Saint Jean Ridge and Papelotte/LaHaye are in the background and Frischemont is in the foreground...
Following
up this Allied cavalry attack the men of Bijlandt’s Brigade fearlessly advanced
on the French Grand Battery and drew intensive fire, many a brave soul paid for
this reckless advance, it was suspected the Prince of Orange ordered the move.
But it did make the French burn precious artillery ammunition! The battle was unfolding in a very interesting way!
General Drouot and the Grand Battery watch in admiration the men of Bijlandt's Brigade advance then they blasted them into history!
Napoleon near his headquarters at La Belle-Alliance directing the Army of the North...
The
appearance of Prussians to the east of the battlefield led the French to deploy Milhaud’s VI
Cavalry Corps toward Frischemont. No infantry was to be spared and they horsemen with
French Heavy Cavalry engage Von Bulow's Prussians (foreground) near Frischemont. They charged and were counter charged by enthusiastic Landwehr, no quarter was given by either side and despite heavy losses the Prussians wore down the French!
Meanwhile
the French right hook with the personal intervention f Napoleon made further inroads
into the Allied right flank bending it back behind Hugomont and the defenders
on the ridge who were now hotly engaged. The French VI Infantry Corps 19th
and 20th Divisions moved to support the right hook and D’Erlons I Infantry
Corps advanced on the Allied left. Wellington moved his remaining reserve cavalry up to
support General Picton’s brave Infantry.
Overall view of the battlefield at this juncture, toward the top the Prussians can be seen advancing and in the foreground the battle rages behind the ridge both side units becoming more and more entangled...
The French VI Infantry Corps advancing to assist the attack on the Allied Army's right...
D'Erlons Corps advances majestically toward the Mont Saint Jean Ridge! Jacquinot's Cavalry can be seen cresting the slope already!
While
the battle around Wellington’s position heating up a series of French Cavalry
charges and Prussian counter attacks occurred around Frischemont.
After the first Prussian wave retreats before Milhaud's Cavalry the second wave under the direct leadership of Blucher prepares to advance...
The Prussian II Corps advances behind Von Bulow's troops, Frischemont is in the top left of the picture...
The
Brunswickers and Hill’s Corps fought well against French but were
relentlessly pushed back both sides taking losses, it was at the height of
these actions with the British Household Cavalry leading a counter charge that
the heroic French General Kellermann fell leading his gallant Cuirassiers!
General Kellermann (square base in the lower left) can be seen just before joining Guiton's Brigade and engaging in a fateful action with the British Household Cavalry...
Pressure
was mounting on Wellington with D’Erlons men of the I Infantry Corps cresting
the Mont Saint Jean Ridge and taking the vital farmhouse of La Haye Saint! A
furious charge by the Scots Greys near the farmhouse was repulsed by French Infantry with the
support of the Grand Battery.
The Scots Greys about to charge down the front slope of the ridge to tackle Bourgeois's Infantry Brigade, they were wiped out but took many a 'Frenchie' with them!
La Haye Saint falls into French hands...
From
the east as the battle raged hordes of Prussians moved forward but were
slowed by the French horseman deployed against them albeit at a great cost. So far
though no French Infantry had been diverted to this theatre and the whole of
the French Imperial Guard was a menacing threat as it remained in a compact reserve.
The
shadows were growing longer as confused fighting continued along the Mont Saint
Jean ridge line. Many French we’re across the crest and a series of confused charges and
firefights ensued. At this point the units from Prussian II Corps came into
action against D’Erlons 4th Infantry Division on the extreme left of the French line.
The French attack on the Mont Saint Jean Ridge can be seen top right of this picture of the Prussian IV Corps in prepared positions facing the French IV Cavalry Corps...
Hugomont
was now isolated as the Allied right drew back under fresh attacks from the
French VI Infantry Corps. Wellington’s casualties were growing at an alarming
rate many Brigades were out of the fight and several more units rendered hors de combat and reduced to a mere cadre were
withdrawn from the front. For Napoleon with less than half an hour of daylight
remaining there still remained a tantalising chance of victory!
Wellington's last stand, his left flank is in complete disarray and here he is commanding the last six active Allied Brigades from the I and II Corps. French from the I and VI Infantry Corps can be seen dominating the high ground.
Also a bit of a close up of my Dice Shako!
The
Guard Infantry remained in reserve while the Guard Horse were deployed
to face the Prussians as Milhaud’s horsemen were now totally spent!
Von Bulow's IV Corps finally cleared the French screening cavalry and advance on Plancenoit while the Imperial Guard Cavalry move to meet them...
In virtual darkness the
men of the French I, II and VI Corps were urged forward for a final time by their Officers in an effort to
break the Allied Army around the ridge but their efforts even through
pressing Wellington’s Army to the limit and creating holes in the line were unsuccessful!
The battlefield as night fell the depleted armies positions can be made out, viewed from the west it can be seen the Allied army has been driven from the ridge. The remaining organised Brigades can be made out being pressed back by the French VI Infantry Corps. The Hugomont garrison is isolated. The 3rd Netherlands Division is in the lower left of the picture and the French Imperial Guard can be seen still in reserve behind La Belle-Alliance...
From the east the view of the Mont Saint Jean Ridge shows it has been cleared but Prussians can be seen approaching in force. The Allied garrison of Papelotte/La Haye is still in position...
Nightfall
ended the 'battle of battles'!
The Outcome…
It was a big afternoon for all of us. But how did this engrossing game turn out?
The
result a very close-run thing haha, tactically a draw I think, strategically
an Allied victory depending what happened on the next day! At the close of play
let’s see how the armies were positioned. The Allies had taken heavy losses,
had lost control of the Mont Saint Jean Ridge and the Hugomont Garrison was
negotiating their surrender while the Prussians even though they had driven in the
French right flank had not broken through their lines and had only drawn off a
small number of French units. The French at the end of the day commanded a
central position the entire Guard Corps intact, the infantry of the VI
Corps was still fresh and of course in the morning Grouchy’s men would be available having
defeated Thielmann’s Prussians at Wavre...
The
Casualties...
The Allies 10 units lost
and 7 retired, with a Break level of 11!
The Prussians 1 unit lost
and 1 retired, with a Break level of 11.
The French 9 units lost
and 6 retired, with a Break level of 19.
After
our debrief the consensus was we’ll be spending another weekend afternoon
playing this scenario again!
