Bayou Wars - Battle at Plancenoit

The theme for our regional convention, Bayou Wars, was "Epic Battles - 1215, 1415, 1615, and 1815."  For the latter, I ran a scenario featuring the Prussian attack on the right flank of the French army at Waterloo.  I used Sam Mustafa's new rule set, Blucher.

The scenario pitted the four "brigades" (actually divisions) of the Prussian IV Korps against the French VI Corps and some supporting cavalry.  The Prussians also had the assistance of the brigades on the Anglo-Allied left as well as the lead elements of the I and II Korps.  The French also had the assistance of the 4th Division of the 1st Corps facing the Anglo-Allied left flank as well as reinforcements from the Imperial Guard.

The Prussian objective was to seize the town of Plancenoit and threaten the rear of the French army.  The French, of course, were to prevent that.

The French 6th Corps occupies Plancenoit and deploys north of it.  In the mid distance are the French cavalry and in the far distance is the French 4th Division and the left end of the Anglo-Allied army.  All of the "big" events -- La Haye Sainte, Hougoumont, British and French cavalry charges, and final charge of the Imperial Guard -- happen off the table to the left.  In the middle of Plancenoit you can spot a "special" visitor.  The inverted cup is used to "hide" the opposing player's movement point dice from him.

As the Prussian 15th Brigade advances in the foreground, one of the Prussian commanders deploys the 14th Brigade as it enters the battlefield.  The Prussian IV Korps would eventually have four brigades (divisions), each of three regiments (brigades), plus cavalry and artillery.  Overall, the Prussians and Anglo-Allied forces would out number the French 2 : 1.

Looking south from the Anglo-Allied left flank, the French 4th Division brigades are prepared against possible Prussian cavalry attacks.  In the middle ground the Prussian and French cavalry swirl around as charges and counter-charges sweep back and forth across the field.  In the background the stalwart Prussian infantry advances towards Plancenoit.

Anglo-Allied Nassau and Hanoverian infantry get involved in the fight against the French 4th Division with somewhat limited success.  In the upper left a long line of Prussian infantry and artillery continue their deliberate advance.

The fighting around Plancenoit intensifies as Prussian infantry and artillery (left) push forward, resisted by French forces.  The brigade in the far upper right is Young Guard reinforcements.  The Prussians had to break a certain number of French brigades in order to seal their victory.  That brigade of Young Guard was the "straw" that would break the French back.  And it happened in the final melee of the final turn, the game was that close.



Overall it was a good convention game.  All of the players seemed to be having fun and getting involved in the game.  I tried to keep the action moving along.  As stated above, the game came down to the very final melee on the last turn before the Prussians broke the last French brigade (Young Guard) that they needed to seal their win.  They never captured Plancenoit but had almost broken through the French center north of there.  The result was that Blucher got his revenge on the French.

French versus Austrians Using Blucher Rules

On Monday, April 27, a state holiday here in Mississippi, a number of us gathered at Jay, Lord Sterling's to play a 25mm Napoleonic game using his venerable 25mm Napoleonic host.  We used Sam Mustafa's new grand tactical rules rules, Blucher and his introductory scenario, "Along the Danube."

Here are a few pictures of the cavalry action in the center of the battlefield.  I was the senior French commander and reserved two French cavalry divisions for my command.  Three other players divided four French infantry corps among them.  Our task was to beat the Austrians and capture two objectives on the battlefield.

Jay's Napoleonic forces are based for Napoleon's Battles which the group used many, many moons ago.  Now we use them with Larry Brom's The Sound of the Guns and with Command and Colors Napoleonic. 

In Blucher, each "unit" (3 stands of troops/guns on a movement base) is roughly equivalent to a brigade of infantry or cavalry or a "grand" battery of 12-18 guns.  The movement bases are 4-1/2" wide and deep enough to allow for the troop stands and the Blulcher troop characteristic card.

Anyway, on to the pictures.

Colorful Austrian uhlans, backed up by cuirassiers and dragoons face off against French lancers, dragoons, and cuirassiers.

One Austrian uhlan brigade is defeated by a French cuirassier brigade and sent scurrying behind its supports (upper left).  In the lower left, the French carabinier brigade advances.  You can just feel the ground shake as they trot forward.

During a succeeding turn, the carabiniers along with other French cavalry attack the Austrians (Hungarian infantry and Austrian cuirassiers), only to be outflanked by some Hungarian infantry backed up by jagers.  Is this the gruesome end of the brave carabiniers?

Nope, their left files just turn and smack the Hungarians, whose commander is measuring their retreat.  The Austrian infantry who were the original target of the carabiniers was also defeated and forced to flee.

The French ended up winning the battle although it was a see-saw affair.  We've enjoyed two games using the Blucher rules and I can see us using them in future games.  What we really liked was Sam's method of command and control.  At the end of each movement/combat phase, the active player rolls three "command" dice under a cup, not allowing his opponent to see them.  That player, now the inactive one, keeps track of the now-active player's command point usage during the next movement/combat phase.  The active player doesn't know how many command points he has to use so must "choose carefully" how he activates his command.  Sometimes you can do want you want and sometimes you can't. Let's the "fog of war" into the game.  We may use this system with other rule sets.