A Disastrous Day -Napoleons Last Gamble

2PM 

Reille activates his divisions of the II Corps.

Pire & Bachelu move to engage elements of the 2nd Netherlands Division. While General Foy moves directly towards Germioncourt Chateau, the key defensible terrain on the way to the Quarte Bras cross roads. Jermone’s division brigades road march towards Piermont, to secure the flank and move Saxe-Weimar, out of the swamp ground. Kellermann’s IIIC and the attached Guard move towards the woods [Bois du Bossu] on the Allied right, seeking a flanking maneuver.

Combat actions

Perponcher is forced to quit the Chateau, as Reille forces exert pressure, and his Brigade comes under attack. Pire & Bachelu use their combine efforts to easily dislodge the Dutchmen holding the crest. [5:1 attack including a column shift for combined arms, rolling a 5]

The Coalition forces press Kempt from the 5th Division into the gap, using the Bosse woods and the stream as a defensive point. While Pack’s brigade road marches to the edge of the small lack North of Piermont to cover the bridge. In case Saxe-Weimar is broken. General Brunswick’s forces race up the road to Quatre Bras and he sends Cramm’s light cavalry to screen the woods [looking to block hex 1709].  Perponcher grabs his remaining brigade and quickly re occupies the Chateau.

3PM

French

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Combat Actions

Bachleu and Foy co ordinate and assault the Germioncourt Chateau, while artillery bombard Kept to keep their heads down. The Assault is a success [2:1- DR] . Jermoes division attacks into the soggy marsh ground pummeling Saxe-Weimar and forcing the retreat across the bridge north of Piermont.

The Allied forces retreat and reform a line during the 3pm hour:

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4PM

French

The French press on, Ney is not hesitant, despite being in charge since just early this morning. He has fought Wellington before, and knows, now is the time to strike.

Jerome and Pires Divisions advance and attack Perponcher.

The Guard Cavalry sweep to the right to screen off Saxe-Weimar.

Pire’s Bde, and the balance of Foy’s division attack along with Bachleu through Bossu. A bombard forces back Wellington and Pack. The attack on Perponchers area, end up in a tight skirmish with the Coalition forces retreating by the end of it all.

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Kempt while fighting valiantly, struggle against superior numbers and art in the wooded are near Quatre Bras. They succumb and break. Husson also takes heavy losses.

Everything appears to be on the line with 5PM and just a few hours of daylight left.

Von Alten forces the French Heavy Cav to retire. Prince William and Brunswick rally forces and attack into the woods, in confused fighting.

5PM

The Ney has word that more British redcoats are on the way to support the beleaguered Dutch. He presses home the attacks encourage the II Corps to do more.

Combat actions

They attack into the woods, with Kellerman supporting from the rear of Brunswick.

Soye and Jamin force the Coalition out of the woods. Brunswick’s men are routed. But the allies counter attack and force a retreat. It’s a swirling touch and go affair. The attack went in at just 1.5 to 1.

3 Brigade led by von Alten reclaims part of the woods and the allied forces seek to re control Quatre Bras cross roads.

At Ney’s urging Reille forces his way into Quatre Bras, Prince Williams attack is rebuffed,

.Uxbridges’ arrival is too late to rescue the situation unless Wellington can pull his slightly inferior forces in terms of elan together into a cohesive fighting force.

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Kellermans job now complete on the outskirts of the Bosse, turns to slow Uxbridge and destroy the cannons of enemy, in a 5:1 attack. They are sent packing a few miles up the road. [Not sure the cannons can retreat like that, I may have erred there]

The Imperial horse and Pire attack Perponcher who has become the battlefields literal punching bag. While they do that the balance of II Corp seeks to decisively destroy von Altens force. Halkett and Kielmansegge fight valiantly, but at 3:1 odds they too are forces to retreat two hexes.

In the Allied turn von Alten attempts to take on Reille at 1:2, desperation for sure. They end up retreating 3 hexes on a AR3. Jerome and co have done amazing work today as the Summer heat drenches the men in the waning hours of the day. Uxbridge ever impetuous, seeks battle against Kellerman. The skirmish results in both sides losing a step of precious cavalry.

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Coalition forces develop a line and await further reinforcement. Seeking an opportunity to engage of favorable terms.

End of the 6 PM turn:

7 PM

II Corps move almost as one to push back the Coalition forces even further. Attacking Uxbridge and von Alten, to secure the crossroads.

The run of good luck for the French begins to fade when it matters most. Foy’s attack at a tight one to one which leads to a skirmish result, which sees Foys men barely force the enemy to retreat. Reille sends Jerome’s division to face off against von Alten at 1.5:1 which also ends in a skirmish result barely driving back the enemy. Pire, and the Guard cavalry have better luck against the perpetual punching bag Perponcher, sending him packing.

This would seem to secure the situation as the heat fades and the light wanes in the mid summer evening. But Wellington has other ideas. He does not know if more French forces will arrive over night. He does not know if he has the support of Blucher as of yet to come to his aid, as they fight their own battles. He does know he has local superiority and also that the fighting quality of the British troops in particular may give him the edge he needs.

[Side note on an error: I made an error, stacking on both offense and defence Prussian and Brits. I do not believe per scenario rules we were able to do that. This has a bit of finessing effect upon the allied Coalition as they would need to be much more careful with the stacking if I am correct.]

In any case. Wellington in his turn knows its now or never and moves to displace Ney from the crossroads at Quatre Bras.

Alten coordinates with other forces led by Picton against Rielle generating a defender retreat result with an * that converts in the end [both sides have the same ‘quality’ /’morale’ rating of 4 ] to a 1R. Both sides take a step loss and stay in place.

Uxbridges audacious attack ends up being 2:1 And forces Kellerman’s cavalry to retreat into Quatre Bras, displacing the arty there.

Perponcher, punch drunk from constant battle charges in at 1:2 and is forced to retreat.

8PM

French

The last light fades and the French are in trouble. After pressing all day and have excellent success, the weight of numbers and quality of the enemy is taking its toll. Foy & Kellerman attack at 2:1 another skirmish 1R result. More steps lost for both sides. L’Hertier takes a step and Bynge loses a step.

Reille is boxed in and must attack, all adjacent units. He cannot get any arty support to soak off the attacks. His men fight at poor odds; 1:2. They force Picton and von Alten to retreat!

Wellington has the last action before night falls and he encourages his men to hit Rielle one more time. Now surrounded, Rielle is forced to retreat from the savage onslaught. The are all ‘eliminated’ – the go into a regrouping box based on their recovery roll. Uxbridge with his blood up, carries on into Quatre Bras seeking to finish the battle, after cutting off Rielle’s mens retreat.

In a stunning reversal right at night fall, Ney sees Foys division destroyed, Reille is missing and Kellermans cavalry a spent force and Jerome’s division is fractured. Leaving II Corp essentially combat ineffective.

A Disastrous Day.

I include the CRT, for reference, in the end this version of CRT and its  Sk results add a bit more depth to the goings on. But you can see that it is a a true attacker friendly CRT. Which invites the player to be aggressive at the right time, but also to take risks, where i might not seem prudent.  In fact, I was ready to call the game for the French at 6pm then 7pm. But thought. ‘What the heck, let shave Welly go all out’ … It paid off. Just as the aggressive Ney paid for the French with almost no casualties, until teh weight of numbers turned the tide.

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