Qutre Bras Day One

My miniatures class got off to a great start today with eleven students, including one young lady, and three assistants.  We will be re-fighting the battle of Quatre Bras using the General de Brigade rules.

Opening Dispositions-

The allied right and the Bossau Wood

Eager players ready to get started

Turn One-  The French players stepped off aggressively, realizing that time was of the essence.  The Dutch/Belgian batteries drew first blood by inflicting single hits on two limbered French batteries.

French players moving their troops

Turn Two- The French continue to move forward.  The light cavalry division on the French right trots into charge range.  The 28th Jagers form square in anticipation of the coming attack.  More hits are sustained by the two limbered French batteries.

More French movement

The Brunswick cavalry rushes to the left flank to contain the French light cavalry

Turn Three-  Picton's division begins to arrive, led by Pack's brigade.  French battalions deploy into line and begin to exchange volleys with the Nassau regiments concealed within the woods.  A regiment of French chasseurs a cheval storm across the brook to attack a battalion of Dutch militia.  These poor devils fail to form square and appear to be doomed.  However, they fail their moral test and rout away.  This forces the rest of the brigade to check morale.  Fortunately, they pass, but the French have made a hole in the allied line.

The battle for the woods begins

French light cavalry poised to attack

Turn Four-  The French receive the corps artillery as reinforcements and move them toward the front line.  The Dutch/Belgian light cavalry brigade attempts to throw back the French chasseurs while a regiment of French lancers attacks in column formation against the Duke of Brunswick's uhlans.  The French win both engagements, pushing back the uhlans while routing the Belgian horsemen.  Their Dutch counterparts refused to join them in the attack.  On the other end of the table, the Dutch/Belgian guns continue to have success against the French batteries.  One section is destroyed.  At the end of the turn, the routed Dutch battalion manages to rally and form square.

The two cavalry battles can be seen in this shot.  Pack's brigade can bee seen in the lower right of the photo.

The French lancers defeat the Duke's uhlans.  The Dutch jagers are taking heavy losses from the French horse artillery battery which is pelting it with canister fire.

 Our day ended at this point.  The French clearly held the advantage on the right, but they had yet to have much success on their left.  The Dutch/Belgian batteries will have to be dealt with, and that will be a bloody business.