At the latest Club meet at the Devon Wargames Group I was leading our club tribute to the significant anniversary that takes place next week commemorating the Allied victory over the Imperial French forces of Napoleon at Waterloo on the 18th June 1815.
I have been piecing together my collection to be suitable for re-fighting the Hundred Days Campaign and so this little skirmish was put on played with Nick, and Ian as Silly Billy and Wellington, not necessary in that order, and Andy and Vince as French Marshal Ney.
The game depicted yesterday was a re-enactment of the fighting around Quatre Bras.
I have been piecing together my collection to be suitable for re-fighting the Hundred Days Campaign and so this little skirmish was put on played with Nick, and Ian as Silly Billy and Wellington, not necessary in that order, and Andy and Vince as French Marshal Ney.
The game depicted yesterday was a re-enactment of the fighting around Quatre Bras.
View from the North East, Quatre Bras on the left, Bossu Wood, Gemioncourt Chateau Farm and Piermont of inn the distance top left... Perponcher with 3 units fortify the Farm, whilst the Prince of Orange rushes down the Brussels road with Nassua and Artillery, whilst the first French Diviaion arrives on the scene...
Gemioncourt Farm... Perponchers Dutch Militia and 2 Line Regiments hold the farm, whilst the French start to mass Infantry, Guns, and Cavalry...
Piermont held by Nassua Infantry, are pounded by Horse artillery and covered by Guard Cavalry...
French start to assault the Farm...
French light Cavalry, Chassuers and Lancers race ahead to cross the stream... before the Allies can deploy a defensive line...
The next Division arrives...
Yet more French arrive at the road... but it starts to become a bit of a log jam as the French cannot shift the Dutch from the farm...
Light cavalry crossing the stream slowly...
WofO manages to get his guns and infantry deployed, but with the French building this surely cannot last long?
The French try and tie up the Farm and bypass the Dutch, but take musket fire from the flank in march column...
On they come, as Picton arrives in the distance near Quatre Bras...
Chassuers charged the Nassua and bounced as they were behind a wall, the Lancers also charged the Belgian guns on the hill opposite, and bounce!!! Vince's 12 dice versus Ian's 4 resulted in a BAD melee for the French, we anticipated the Lancers munching the guns, but Vince's Lancers couldn't poke anything let alone Belgians!!!
Picton forms his defensive line, Wellington finally arrives on the left, Alten's Division arrives and deploys into Bossu Wood...
Picton's Line, Dutch Belgian Light Dragoons see off the French Chassuers, with the help of a very poor dice roll from me... Nick was slightly happy at that, I can still hear him laughing now!!!
French surrounding the Farm, and the cavalry retreating back across the stream...
Alten's Division awaiting the French columns...
Perponcher still holds the farmhouse at the end of the game... he was a thorn in the side of the French... a very painful one...
French columns swarming around the farm, trying to cross the stream, being shot up from the rear...
Other pictures of the game courtesy of Nick & JJ...
The French were unable to clear the road by the end of time we had to play, the game was only half way through the scenario, and with another three divisions to arrive would have eventually been able to put pressure on the allies, but as it stands with three French units Broken and none of the Allies, Nick insists it was a glorious Allied victory at 7pt to 0!!!
Anyway the rules used were Lasalle which played quite well for a fairly big game...
The highlights included French lancers taking a face full of cannister whilst trying to charge Dutch Belgian gun Battery and some Dutch light cavalry performing way above their pay grade.
Thanks to Ian, Nick, Andy, and Vince for playing... Vive Le Emperuer...
