Quatre Bras battle report

QUATRE BRAS 
[May 25, 2013]

Introduction - June 16, 1815

At midday in a four houses village called Quatre-Bras begins the clash between the left wing of the Armée du Nord under the command of Marshal Ney and the weak  Prince  Orange Dutch forces ...

Game system: Black Powder

House rules:
1) The French infantry will be reliable only when it is in attack column formation. No other bonus are applied in the order phase

2) The interpenetrated troops from retreating units, as a result of a losing hand to hand combat, must make a morale check: if they fail they suffer 1 hit.

3) To interpenetrate a friendly unit movement costs half move.

4) You can fire only if the unit moves once.

5) The Brigades are to be considered shaken when more than half of the units are shaken  or eliminated (ie: 2 or 3 units >> 2 units shaken/eliminated, 4 or 5 units >>> 3 units shaken/eliminated and so on)

6) Similarly both armies fall back when more than half of the formations (Divisions and Brigades) become shaken;

Battle set up

Turns limit: 8

Armies objectives:

French army:

to conquer Quatre – Bras crossroad and to maintain it till 8^th turn [Great victory]

to break Allies army [Minor victory]

               

English victory

to break French army [Great victory]

to maintain free Quatre-Bras crossroad till 8^th turn [Minor victory]

Miniatures scale: 28 mm

Total miniatures

French side: 9 commanders, 280 infantry men, 48 cavalry, 28 artillery men and 7 cannons

Allies side: 8 commanders,  376 infantry men, 20 cavalry, 32 artillery men and 8 cannons 

Turn 1

A thin line of Dutch troops under the command of General Perponcher tries to stop the French II Corps. Meanwhile in the Bossu forest the Prince of Orange harangues the 28^th Nassau to hold the line.

Turn 2

The French press on the Belgian-Dutch units. On the Allies left the 8^th Belgian militia brigade stubbornly  (and surprisingly ) resists against two French columns.  Wellington reaches the battlefield.

Picton, Brunswick and Merlens units join to the battle

Turns 3 and 4

On the French left Kellerman and D'Hurbal lead the 3^rd  cavalry regiment around Bossu wood. Meanwhile, on the right, the 5^th lancers destroy one of the two Merlen light cavalry regiments

Turns 5 and 6

The battle continues: the French press the left Allies side. On the right the English guard regiments, under the command of Cook, enter slowly. 

Turn 7

The French II Corps continues its pressure. At the center Foy and his 9^th  Division are forced to fall back and the 2^nd Division leads by Bachelu reaches the French main objective, Quatre-Bras crossroad,  forcing the English to retreat.

Turn 8

At the center the Hannoverian troops repulse back Bachelu infantry and regain the crossroad while on the French left  Kellerman crash his cavalry regiments against the Guard squares.

End: English minor victory

Historical differences:

In the real battle, the Duke of Brunswick died during a cavalry charge leading his Uhlans. In the game the Duke of Brunswick decides not to join to Uhlans charge. Consider that the Brunswick’s cavalry destroys a French lancer unit during the 7^th turn;

During the early stages of the battle , Marshal Ney, to terrorize the Belgian-Dutch line , concentrates 22 guns directly against them. In this game this action is decided by French commanders during  the 5^th turn but against the Brunswick and Merlen troops to slow their joint to the battle ;

The Prince of Orange during battle has not shown great tactical skills. In the game the Young Frog role is quite different: initially he holds his Nassau in the Bossu wood delaying Bachelu forces then, keeping the line, pull back them till  English guard lines;

In the real battle , the French will not be able to get close to Quatre -Bras , but will be blocked by the arrival of Brunswick and Picton divisions. In the game , only for a brief turn, the French conquests Quatre Bras crossroad and then they was driven back by 42^nd highlander;

Finally Kellerman. On June 16, 1815 he'll receive from a frantic Nay the order to keep the pressure on Allies, leading his one available cuirassier brigade he tries to break Wellington's line. In the game Kellerman and D'Hurban try to outflank English forces but they are stopped by Guard's squares.

Notes
Scenario and miniatures are prepared by La Piccola Armata members. Ezio creates the scenario while miniatures are painted by Flavio, me and Alberto.

Entry order

Hours	Turn	French	Zone	Allies	Zone
< 13.00 In campo	-	Ney II Corpo, Reille II Corpo, 5ª Div. Fant. Bachelu II Corpo, 9ª Div. Fant. Foy II Corpo, 2ª Div. Cav. Pire II Corpo, Artiglieria	B	I Corpo, Orange I Corpo, 2ª Div. Fant. NL Perponcher-Sedinitzky	A
13.00-14.00	1°	II Corpo, 6ª Div. Fant. Jerome	C	Wellington	E
14.00-15.00	2°			Riserva, 5ª Div. Fant. UK/HAN Picton Riserva, Corpo di Brunswick Riserva, Brg. Merlen	E
15.00-16.00	3°
16.00-17.00	4°	III Corpo Cav, Kellerman III Corpo Cav, 11ª Div. Cav. L’Heritier	D	I Corpo, 3ª Div. Fant. UK/HAN Alten	F
17.00-18.00	5°	III Corpo Cav, 12ª Div. Cav. D’Hurbal	D	I Corpo, 1ª Div. Fant. Gd. UK Cook	F
18.00-19.00	6°
19.00-20.00	7°
20.00-21.00	8°

Allies battle orders

Rif.	Unit	Numer of miniatures	Type	Armament	HtH	Shoot	Morale	BP	Special rule
	Armata Alleata 6/4	Wellington					Command		9
I	I Corpo	Orange					Command		6
1	1ª Div. Fanteria UK Guardie 2/2	Cooke					Command		8
1a	I/1° e III/1° Rgt.o Guardie	1 x 24 Large	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	8	4	4+	4	Steady line, First Fire, Steady
1b	II/2° Rgt.o Gd e  II/3° Rgt.o Gd	1 x 24 Large	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	8	4	4+	4	Steady line, First Fire, Steady
1c	10 x 9pdr, 2 how	1 cannone	Artillery	Smoothbore artillery	1	3-2-1	4+	2	-
3	3ª Div. Fanteria UK/HAN  5/3	Alten					Command		8
3a	II/30° Rgt.o e 33° Rgt.o	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Steady line First Fire
3b	II/69° Rgt.o e II/73° (HD) Rgt.o	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Steady line First Fire Tough Fighters
3c	Bremen Field Btg e Verden Field Btg	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	-
3d	York Field Btg e Lüneberg Field Btg	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	-
3e	Grubenhagen Jager Btg	1 x 12 Small	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	4	2	4+	2	Skirmish
3f	10 x 9pdr, 2 how	1 cannone	Artillery	Smoothbore artillery	1	3-2-1	4+	2	-
2	2ª Div. Fanteria NL  5/3	Perponcher-Sedinitzky					Command		8
2a	7° Rgt.o Linea Belga	1 x 12 Small	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	4	2	4+	2	-
2b	27° Btg.e Jager Olandese	1 x 12 Small	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	4	2	4+	2	Skirmish
2c	5°, 7° e 8° Btg.e Milizia	1 x 24 Large	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	8	4	4+	4	Unreliable
2d	I, II e III btg.e/2° Rgt.o Nassau	1 x 24 Large	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	8	4	4+	4	Freshly Raised
2e	I, e II/28° Rgt.o Orange-Nassau	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Freshly Raised
2f	6 x 8pdr, 2 how	1 cannone	Artillery	Smoothbore artillery	1	3-2-1	4+	2	-
2g	6 x 8pdr, 2 how	1 cannone	Artillery	Smoothbore artillery	1	3-2-1	4+	2	-
3	3ª Brg.a Cavalleria NL	van Merlen					Command		9
3a	6° Rgt.o Ussari Belgi	1 x 6 Small	Regular Cavalry	Sabre	5	-	4+	2	Marauders Freshly Raised
3b	5° Rgt.o Dragoni Leggero Olandesi	1 x 6 Small	Regular Cavalry	Sabre	6	-	4+	2	Marauders Freshly Raised
3c	4 x 6pdr	1 cannone	Artillery	Smoothbore horse artillery	1	3-2-1	4+	1	Marauders

	Riserva dipende da Wellington
5	5ª Div. Fanteria UK/HAN  7/4	Picton					Command		9
5a	l/28° Rgt.o	1 x 12 Small	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	4	2	4+	2	Steady line First Fire
5b	l/32° Rgt.o e l/79° Rgt.o	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Steady line First Fire
5c	l/95° Rifle	1 x 12 Small	Regular Infantry	Rifled musket	4	2	4+	2	Skirmish, Élite Sharpshooters
5d	III/l° Rgt.o e II/44° Rgt.o	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Steady line First Fire
5e	l/42° (HD) Rgt.o e I/92° (HD) Rgt.o	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Steady line First Fire Tough Fighters
5f	Verden LW e Luneburg LW	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Unreliable
5g	Osterode LW e Munden LW	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Unreliable
5h	10 x 9pdr, 2 how	1 cannone	Artillery	Smoothbore artillery	1	3-2-1	4+	2	-
B	Corpo di Brunswick 5/3	Brunswick (+1 se in mischia)					Command		7
Ba	Rg.o Ussari e Sqd.e Ulani	1 x 8	Regular Cavalry	Sabre	8	-	4+	3	Marauders
Bb	Btg e AvanGd e Btg.e Guardie	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Valiant
Bc	1° e 2° Btg.e Leggero	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Freshly Raised
Bd	3° Btg.e Leggero e 1° Btg.e Linea	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Freshly Raised
Be	2° e 3° Btg.e Linea	1 x 16	Regular Infantry	Smoothbore musket	6	3	4+	3	Freshly Raised
Bf	8 x 6pdr	1 cannone	Artillery	Smoothbore artillery	1	3-2-1	4+	2	-
Bg	8 x 6pdr	1 cannone	Artillery	Smoothbore artillery	1	3-2-1	4+	2	-

French battle order

Rif.

Unit

Numer of miniatures

Type

Armament

HtH

Shoot

Morale

BP

Special rule

Ala SX 6/4

Ney

Command

9

II

II Corpo

Reille

Command

9

II A

Art. II Corpo 6 x 12pdr, 2 how

1cannone

Artillery

Smoothbore heavy artillery

1

3-2-1

4+

3

-

5

5ª Divisione Fanteria 5/3

Bachelu

Command

8

5a

I e II btg.e, 2° Rgt.o Leggero

1 x 16

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

6

3

4+

3

Reliable Att Col Skirmish

5b

III e IV btg.e, 2° Rgt.o Leggero

1 x 16

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

6

3

4+

3

Reliable Att Col Skirmish

5c

I e II btg.e, 61° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 16

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

6

3

4+

3

Reliable Att Col

5d

I e II btg.e, 78° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 16

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

6

3

4+

3

Reliable Att Col

5e

I, II e III btg.e, 108° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 24 Large

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

8

4

4+

4

Reliable Att Col

5f

6 x 6pdr, 2 how

1cannone

Artillery

Smoothbore artillery

1

3-2-1

4+

2

-

6

6ª Divisione Fanteria 4/3

Jerome

Command

7

6a

I, II e III btg.e, 1° Rgt.o Leggero

1 x 24 Large

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

8

4

4+

4

Reliable Att Col Skirmish

6b

I e II btg.e, 3° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 16

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

6

3

4+

3

Reliable Att Col

6c

I, II e III btg.e, 1° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 24 Large

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

8

4

4+

4

Reliable Att Col

6d

I, II e III btg.e, 2° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 24 Large

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

8

4

4+

4

Reliable Att Col

6e

6 x 6pdr, 2 how

1cannone

Artillery

Smoothbore artillery

1

3-2-1

4+

2

-

9

9ª Divisione Fanteria 4/3

Foy

Command

8

9a

I e II btg.e, 92° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 16

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

6

3

4+

3

Reliable Att Col

9b

I e II btg.e, 93° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 16

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

6

3

4+

3

Reliable Att Col

9c

I, II e III btg.e, 100° Rgt.o Linea

1 x 24 Large

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

8

4

4+

4

Reliable Att Col

9d

I, II e III btg.e, 4° Rgt.o Leggero

1 x 24 Large

Regular Infantry

Smoothbore musket

8

4

4+

4

Reliable Att Col Skirmish

9e

6 x 6pdr, 2 how

1cannone

Artillery

Smoothbore artillery

1

3-2-1

4+

2

-

2C

2ª Div. Cavalleria Leggera 2/2

Pire

Command

8

2Ca

1° e 6° Rgt.o Cacciatori

1 x 8

Regular Cavalry

Sabre

7

-

4+

3

Marauders

2Cb

5° e 6° Rgt.o Lanceri

1 x 8

Regular Cavalry

Lancers

7

-

4+

3

Marauders Lancers

2Cc

4 x 6pdr, 2 how

1cannone

Artillery

Smoothbore horse artillery

1

3-2-1

4+

1

Marauders

IIIC

III Corpo Cavalleria

Kellerman

Command

9

11C

11ª Div. Cavalleria Pesante 2/2

L’Heritier

Command

8

11Ca

2° e 7° Rgt.o Dragoni

1 x 8

Regular Cavalry

Swords

8

-

4+

3

Heavy Cav +1

11Cb

8° e 11° Rgt.o Corazzieri

1 x 8

Regular Cavalry

Swords

9

-

3+

3

Reliable, Heavy Cav +D3

11Cc

4 x 6pdr, 2 how

1cannone

Artillery

Smoothbore horse artillery

1

3-2-1

4+

1

Marauders

12C

12ª Div.e Cavalleria Pesante 2/2

D’Hurbal

Command

8

12Ca

1° e 2° Rgt.o Carabinieri

1 x 8

Regular Cavalry

Swords

9

-

3+

3

Reliable, Heavy Cav +D3

12Cb

2° e 3° Rgt.o Corazzieri

1 x 8

Regular Cavalry

Swords

9

-

3+

3

Reliable, Heavy Cav +D3

12Cc

4 x 6pdr, 2 how

1cannone

Artillery

Smoothbore horse artillery

1

3-2-1

4+

1

Marauders