Waterloo Day: Quatre Bras - Part One

The French players led by General Du Gourmand examine the field, while 

Icecream checks the rules on his phone. 

I wrote some time ago of the Waterloo Day we planned for the 200th anniversary of the battle.  I gave a rough description of what occurred, but I think the time has come to give an excellent days gaming it's due.  

General TK views the few Dutch and Belgians arrayed against him. 

Quatre Bras was quite a demanding scenario to write to be honest, as I wanted to capture some of the pressure the allies must have felt, hanging on for dear life while the Duke marched to their aid. This necessitated beginning the game with very few troops on the table, which leaves players with little to do.  I'm not generally a fan of this, but I did my best to find a compromise that allowed the game to proceed at a decent clip and get everyone involved while still keeping the essence of Quatre Bras. 

Kellerman's light cavalry moving forward

I allowed the players to do their own deployment so the French reversed their left and right with Kellerman's cavalry on the right.  Du Gourmand was definitely channelling Ney as he chivy'd his fellows forward.  

General DeCasey began to wonder if the suspiciously empty allied half of the board meant that the Belgians were hidden in ambush. 

"No" says General Du Gourmand, it's not a trap, I've read the 

scenario - now get a wriggle on and get 'em!

The first cavalry skirmish on the allied left. 

The break point for both sides was eighteen units, that is, if they could wipe out eighteen enemy units, they would drive them from the field.  However, this would be lowered to thirteen units if you also held Quatre Bras. The Allies obviously enough began in possession, but were seriously outnumbered, thirty two units to seven at one point, so the pressure was on the French to get to grips and in jig time. 

Ended badly for the Dutch as the Polish lancers  sliced through their opposition and drove the supporting infantry into square. 

"It's OK boss, I've got this under control."  

This was not the first time command relationships in this game were based on something other than unalloyed truth and integrity. 

General Ney examines the situation on the French right as McShannon pours on the pressure. King Billy (centre) ably portrayed by the Unlikely Douglas McKenzie is beginning to feel the pinch.  

"How many Frenchmen are over there?" 

Icecream begins to realise that there are a lot of men in blue coats coming. 

Fortunately, the red coats had started to arrive, just as the last Dutch infantrymen were being unceremoniously booted out of the woods. 

General De Casey looks distinctly unimpressed with the number of Allied reinforcements. 

"The code word is Get 'Em Boys!"

General Du Gourmand gives General McShannon the benefit of his wisdom.  We gave the Allies two "hesitation points", which forced one player to miss a turn in order to model Rielle's hesitation to close.  Rielle had faced Wellington in the Peninsula and was not sure that the apparent Allied weakness at Quatre Bras wasn't a variation on the Duke's ploy of concealing the main strength of his army. 

These hesitation points were represented by small individually wrapped cheeses from Lidl, which had to be offered to the "hesitant" player with the phrase "Sir, of course you could do that, but would not rather enjoy this delicious piece of cheese."

Icecream came back what he described as "...the most insulting unFrench cheese" I could find. I regret to say we did not take a picture, but I believe it was a Lidl variant of Laughing Cow. 

TK looks chipper as he drives the Allies out of the woods. Quatre Bras is now in range of his artillery. The Allies have managed to bring on some reinforcements, but they are mostly on the right. 

Icecream moves some Hanoverian landwehr onto the board, while Marshall-Ney-for-a-day (Du Gourmand) takes over the reins of the French right. General De Casey had to head home as he had just recently become a father. It was good to see him, even if only for a little while. 

Little Miss DeCasey is a beautiful, but demanding mistress. 

"I thought I ordered you to charge!"

Marshall-Ney-for-a-day comes down to the French right to find out how things are going, only to discovered that despite the recent reinforcements of cuirassiers, General McShannon had not pressed the beleaguered Belgians.  

"But they were right there, you had them right where you wanted them!"

"What were you thinking?!?!"

This was probably one of the best moments in the game, not least because General Du Gourmand is a notoriously cavalier subordinate himself who routinely disregards orders in his usual pursuit of l'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace! He trusts in that classic Irish saying, "It is easier to ask forgiveness, than permission" and hopes that success will pardon his disobedience. 

He said afterwards, "Really, it's only funny when I do it."

"Why?"

General McShannon looks on while Marshall-Ney-for-a-day delivers a classic evil villain, why-am-I-surrounded-by-idiots-speech to the door. 

Marshall-Ney-for-a-day seeks spiritual solace. 

Which appears to do the trick.  Icecream (right)appears skeptical. 

"McShannon, I can't help but feel we got off on the wrong foot, but we really need to push on here.  If you drive him back, we can turn the whole position." 

"There are damn few of them there McShannon and best we wallop 'em before their mates turn up."

TK keeps 'em rolling forward

The pressure is building in the centre.  Wellington arrived, but the French are closing in on Quatre Bras.  Casualties are mounting on both sides, but with the Allies holding the cross roads they could afford to spend more blood if it meant halting the French advance. 

Suddenly Picton!

After a really hard run of luck on the Allied left, the 3rd Division finally showed up. General Von Kerrigan celebrated in the most Picton like manner he could think of - waving a top hat in the air and shouting! 

With more redcoats coming onto the field and his hoped for big push on the right having failed to materialise, Marshall-Ney-for-a-day considers his options. 

Will the 3rd Division be able to stem the French tide on the left? 

Can Quatre Bras be held in the face of overwhelming numbers? 

More soon gentlemen. 

Inaugural Game - Quatre Bras - Part Two

The Black Watch at Quatre Bras 

(can't quite make out the name of the artist)

In the first half of this battle report, the French forces had moved very aggressively.  Donogh had with characteristic clarity targeted the Dutch-Belgian positions on the Allied right and had inflicted crippling casualties. The French managed to wipe out four Allied units with no return, had managed to replenish their line with fresh units and withdraw that had been cut up in the initial assault.  

After scoring four of the nine points required to win the game on the French left, Donogh handed over to Capability Savage who launched a predictably dangerous assault in the centre. This inflicted another two casualties, but the French lost as many in return. The Allies have managed to move their powerful British Guards on their right and appear to be about to swing the battle in the centre, but with a score line that is reading 6 - 2, they will need to be both lucky and good to pull off a victory. 

Supported by Brunswicker Hussars, the Dutch light cavalry counter charge the French line in the ridge 

But fail to make an impact and are driven off by the French infantry in line.

After clearing the woods of Allied troops, Donogh had wisely withdrawn his weakened units. Mr. Target and General Creanor decide that it's time to knock off some of those wavering troops. 

General Creanor is skeptical, but Mr. Target is adamant that they need to start hitting back

Meanwhile on the French right,  another column advances under General Bechelu only to be shattered by a blast of grape from the Dutch guns

"Right, well that didn't quite go according to plan..."

"...but I am assured that we will triumph in the centre."

"Isn't that right McCarthy?"

"Why of course Emperor, I have every confidence in eventual victory. You have assured me of eventual victory. What could possibly go wrong? "

"You're not a hopeful man, are you McCarthy?

"No Sir."

"That Dutch artillery officer, I like his fancy hat. Go get me his hat, McCarthy."

General Eager decides to make an appearance. The Allies pause to take stock. 

General Berthelu takes the Dutch guns at the point of the bayonet. Capitaine McCarthy (no relation) is dispatched to the rear with the commanders hat as requested. 

"It's a very nice hat, McCarthy. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Sir." 

Unfortunately for the 45ieme Ligne, the Fourth Foot and the Black Horde of Brunswicker Hussars clear them off the heights and send them streaming utterly broken to the rear. 

However, the situation is looking black for the Allies. The ill advised advance of the British Grenadiers on the British right had ended in disaster. They have inflicted casualties, but nowhere near enough. 

"You see General Creanor, The Lord tells me he can get me out of this..."

"...but He's pretty sure you're fucked." 

"Really, Sir? I thought you had a rousing speech that was going to inspire the men?" 

"Actually....no."

Unfortunately for the Allies, the French cavalry, who have been swinging the lead for the game so far advance and force the 4th Foot into square. The Second Battalion of the 8ieme Ligne move forward and give them a volley in square, breaking them and sending them streaming to the rear. This defeat cracks the Allied resolve and the Allied army begins to retreat.  

Well done gentlemen. 

(Mr. E in characteristically "hiding out of the way of the camera" pose) 

It was a good tight game, the French seemed to have all their own way at first and then things began to unravel in the centre.  I think Mr. Target (a CCN newcomer) and General Creanor made the best of a bad situation, but were ultimately undone by Donogh's decisive strike in the early game.  This allowed the French to put the Allies on the back foot and they were never really able to cut down that lead. 

A fitting christening of the War Room and one I was delighted to host - the first of many I hope. A good game, good company and good red wine. At least I found it so, Benedicamus Domino*. 

*With grovelling apologies to Hilaire Belloc.

Inaugural Game - Quatre Bras - Part One

The Battle of Quatre Bras by Woolen

After a lot of tooing and froing, I finally managed to get the War Room up and running. I had promised my good friend General Creanor that he would take part in the inaugural game, during which we would open an extremely fine bottle of 1984 port that he gave me when we first got our house. Now as it happens I also happen to have a unit of Hinton Hunt Imperial Guardsmen that I bought as part of a consortium with Old John.  These figures were part of the collection of a man who enjoyed playing with figures, but who never actually played with them.  I intend to use these figures as the Old Guard at Waterloo, which will be their baptism of fire after nearly forty years on the sidelines. 

However, I forgot that we hadn't played Qautre Bras and it seemed rude to play Waterloo without first playing Quatre Bras. The intention was to play both in an evening, but we didn't manage to get around to it. But we drank General Creanors excellent port and played a game with good friends. 

The Old Guard can stay in their box for a few weeks more and we'll get another game.  I think there may be another bottle of port somewhere. 

Command & Colours: Quatre Bras map courtesy of ccnapoleonics.net/

For those of you unfamiliar with the Hundred Days campaign, you will find something more to your liking here. 

The briefing that comes with the scenario is as follows. 

Napoleon Bonaparte’s surprise march placed his army squarely between Blucher’s Prussians at Ligny and Wellington’s Anglo-Allied army assembling around Brussels. Napoleon concentrated most of his strength against Blucher, but ordered Ney and the II Corps to capture the vital crossroads of Quatre Bras to deny Wellington the chance to reinforce Blucher. Ney procrastinated and his attack did not get underway until two in the afternoon. The delay allowed Wellington to bring fresh allied troops to support the Dutch-Belgians and the Nassau Brigade that were thinly deployed south of the crossroads. The initial French advance was greeted with musket volleys, but the outnumbered Allied troops were forced back. The Allied units in the wood, however, managed to hold. Facing three infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade, the Allied situation was fast becoming desperate, but additional troops kept arriving and Wellington, now in command, directed them to key positions on the battlefield. Ney realized that the numerical balance was shifting in favor of the Anglo-Allies and that he could only capture and hold Quatre Bras by a desperate move. He ordered General Kellermann to lead his cuirassier brigades forward and break through Wellington’s line. The cuirassiers managed to reach the crossroads, but were driven back by close range artillery and musket fire. The arrival of the British Guards Division late in the day gave Wellington sufficient strength to launch a counter-attack that forced the French to give up all of their hard fought territorial gains.

The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. Can you change history?

Donogh in characteristically agressive form attacks the Dutch-Belgian troops in the woods on the French left. 

General Creanor searches in his hand for inspiration. 

While Donogh seeks inspiration elsewhere

"Excellent" says Donogh. 

The gift of General Creanor - unfortunately, I didn't decant it which meant that the later glasses were somewhat cloudy

French lights and the 8iem Ligne hit the Dutch militia with predictable results

The French left clears the woods of Allied troops, but the British Guards are moving into position.

At this juncture, Capability Savage arrives and takes over command in the centre. 

"Bayonet Charge, read it and weep."

The French line before it rushes forward. 

French columns crashing into the Allied centre. 

We'll soon shift 'em off the ridge

"That chap, that chap right there - he offends me. Those trousers with that hat? The man is a monster." 

Mr. Target arrives to assist General Creanor.

The French advance starts to shatter the Allied line. 

Hitting the Brunswickers in the centre

And driving back the Nassauers on the right. 

The Dutch manage to hang on the Allied right, but it's looking distinctly grim for the Allies. 

The cork of General Creanors gift, just before I managed to cork it...

I really, really should have decanted it. 

The Highlanders manage to retake the ridge and wipe out one of the advancing French columsn

The second battalion of British move up - these are Strelets Crimean Highlanders standing in for the chaps you saw at the beginning of this post (That's the Black Watch for those at the back. Yes, you Gow. Wake up and sit up straight boy. Wake Cordery up while you're at it. He's day dreaming.).  Rated as British Grenadier Guards in Command & Colours Napoleonics, they are a very powerful unit. 

And so with that image of the Black Watch charging into battle...

...or possibly this image of the Black Watch charging into battle. 

We shall draw Part One to a close.