Exploring mechanics in Marie Louis version of the Le Bataille system with the Quatre Bras module.

Its interesting how people call this the ASL of Napoleonic tactical gaming. Not a particularly apt description. It makes me wonder if that is a badge of pride or dishonour even.

Well once we play a few more turns we can dig a bit more into that idea.

For a start I just wanted to move and shoot a bit, so we were pretty aggressive with Pire’s 2nd  Division units. Both 1st and 2nd brigade advanced quickly and close with units who are in line in cultivated terrain.

The 6th Chassuers attack, wheeling up the slope and declaring a charge as they move, at 3 hex range the 8th Dutch Militia attempt to form a square – en carre.

They roll a 31, and that number is adjusted upward 5 rows for being Dutch [ you thought the French were wimpy surrender monkey eh? You faux historians you!] and then another +3 per the chart for a net 41, they succeed.

At this point the French cav could roll for recall [ they have a high chance of success here, being a few hexes away.]  However lets see what will happen attacking a square and or flowing over it into another unit.

Upon being adjacent the Square’d 8th gets it’s Opportunity fire.

Attack value 6 /2 ..  vs defensive value of cavalry in open – 8. ODDS are 1:2 +3 shifts for massed target [ 11 steps…or increments] means no effect.

The Dutchmen’s hasty fire is not effective – 14 is rolled [it is a 2d6, 36 probably results set CRT] . Up +3 bumps it to 21,  this is due to the size of the target they are shooting at – massed cavalry.

The Dutch now roll to stand and receive the charge. They roll a 61. I think that will be good no matter how many modifiers even -9 for Heavy Cavalry which I assume these guys are.

The 6th now attacks. But because it is a square they are attacking the odds are not going to be good. Here the QB charts diverge from the Marie Louis charts. QB says multiply the melee value by 1/3, and ML says by 1 half. I discovered this later, and frankly have no idea which to use or why it is different.

33 factors will drop to 16.5 against a melee factor if 13. What would have been a 2:1 attack is now a 1:1. Luckily for us we did not see or use the QB multiplier!!

Rolling a 41 means no result on the Assault table. This means the Cav will ‘bounce’ there is no opportunity fire, and the unit retrograde moves to the rear 1/3 of its movement points. Then becoming disordered.

What would have happened if the units had passed over, spending the movement points to do so [they had spent 7 of 14 so far], well the French would have suffered Opp Fire exiting the hex, and would have had to enter a hex adjacent to the 7th Dutch Militia, which is also in cultivated, this would have provided a chance to charge it through the flanks. But first the French must survive the opportunity Fire from the Square: They roll 61, wow, close.  Almost took a step @ 1:2 !

The Dutch would have had to roll to convert to square on the  11-41 range with a +7 shift for being Dutch Militia. They roll 25, a net 35. They convert to Square. Can the French recall? They make it and very away but not before taking the opp fire for leaving the ZOI of the squared off Dutch who roll a 33 for a wif.

One thing I will note also is that I as always with this battle really struggle with where to place the Prince of Oranges forces. Do they attempt to cluster? Do they fall back immediately or hold the line for a while.?

Sadly I think that with my prior post it does not matter too much as the scale is so off it compresses the Coalition lines too easily and the battle is forced into much narrower confines.

Nevertheless, we will use this as a learning game. Not much happens in the next turn, so next report will be the 1220PM turn.