Quatre Bras Final Report

Our recreation of Quatre Bras ended today after five days of gaming.  Over the last two days brigades began to flee the table as losses mounted.  The French 6th division, with the support of L'Hertier's cuirassiers managed to drive the allies all the way back to Quatre Bras, taking on three full divisions in the process.  But in the end, they were unable to enter the village or retake the farmhouse on the main road.  To the east, Picton's 5th division tied down most of the French reserves, but at great cost.

In the debrief after the game, the kids said that they enjoyed the strategy involved and the element of surprise that rolling dice added.  On numerous occasions there was either elation or despair, depending on how two plastic cubes landed on the table.  In addition, they liked the three dimensional aspect of the game.  Most had only experienced video games to this point.  Having actual figures and terrain to handle brought the battle to life for all of them. 

My two helpers, Matt and Brian, were incredible.  The both have patience that would humble a saint.

The battle was declared a victory for the allies as they held the crossroads at game's end.  But it had been a very close affair, and both sides had a bounty of stories to share as they departed the room.

The French Old Guard lancers were not able to defeat their Dutch/Belgian counterparts

A French heavy battery did a lot of damage to one of Picton's brigades.  The wreckage of a Royal Foot battery can be seen at the top of the photo.

The French 6th division's high water mark.  Quatre Bras can be seen in the upper left-hand corner.