Day 2 ORDERS
June 15th 1815
[Description Wellington has vacillated on orders and elected to consolidate forces in Brussels, rather than anywhere near the Prussians. The Prussians sent 75% of their men one way – to Dinant and left I Corps in and around Charleroi where they had intended to head from Southwards only to meet a large force of French. Thus their army is split.
The French had Two wings of which each have split into two more Corps sized contingents. One headed to Valenciennes headed by Ney, the other Mons and abruptly onto Ath. While the Eastern group lead by Grouchy split Dinant and Charleroi.]
0100 D’Erlon to GM
Right. Once they (Cav) arrive in Ath at 0600, meanwhile I Corps Res Cavalry will proceed east to Enghien.
My orders from Ney were to proceed to Soignes. My infantry was resting at Mons. I will instead start to march at 0600 I Corps Mons to Ath. Fuck Ney.
And if we hear the sound of battle in the vicinity of Tournay, both corps will march west to support from Ath.
0600 Napoleon to D ‘erlon
Day and Time: Day 2 02:00
From: Blucher
To: I Corps (Ziethen)
Formation(s) (Corps/Division) in this order: I Corps
Origin Location: Current Destination Location: Ligny
Message
Dear Ziethen,
I too have sent word to Wellington of your plight. I hope by the time you receive this that his forces have reached you. I fear that it may be a while before I can reach you, but I know you are more than capable. We have encountered additional French corps blocking us from access to Philippeville. I am on my way to personally assess the situation between Philippeville and Dinant for I fear that we are cut off from you unless we break the French so we can move toward you. Hopefully I do not fall from my horse in my haste. Thank you for your concern.
Were there any other French corps you encountered at Chaleroi? Do you know where they went?
Blucher
ORDERS
Day and Time: Day 2 02:00
From: Blucher
To: Buelow (IV Corps)
Formation(s) (Corps/Division) in this order:
Origin Location: Current Destination Location: Dinant
Message
Dear Buelow,
I have set up my HQ in Dinant. Plan on heading on the march to Dinant at 8am. How many hours will it take you to reach Dinant?
Blucher
Time 0100 Day 2
D’Erlon [to GM] realizes he might be surrounded by treasonous royalist bastards.
D’ErlonOrders:
1st Reserve Cavalry Corps will break camp and with haste march along the road (Semnipes?( shitty maps!)-Mons-Ath and secure Ath.They will immediately report back if they encounter infantry or heavy artillery.
Cavalry patrol will move through Soigmes to Hall.
I Corps’ cavalry patrol will move Mons-Binch-Charleroi. (I have a pretty good idead of the mess they might find.)
The I Corps will stand by in Mons awaiting orders for movement.
0100
To: Blucher
From: I Corps (Ziethen)
To: Blucher
Origin Location: Charleroi-Ligny Road
Destination Location: Bluchers headquarters
Message
My dear Blucher, I rejoice as I have long craved to hear from you. I
feared the worst that you had fallen of your horse, or been captured
by the dastardly French. In your absence, I have sent messages to the Anglo-Dutch notifying our allies of the situation at Charleroi. I
trust this is amenable to your wishes.
Much the pity the situation has changed and intense enemy pressure has forced PR I Corps out of Charleroi, We are being hotly pursued by a a large group of French Cavalry as we march towards Ligny. The I Corps will reach Ligny at 0200 15th June.
I intend to stand at Ligny. I humbly request your inspiring presence
at Ligny, along with the PR II, III and IV Corps. The tired, bloodied
& defiant soldiers of PR I Corps will hold at Ligny, please march with
all possible speed.
To assist with communication, please confirm where your headquarters is located and which road you are marching on towards Ligny.
Yours respectfully
Zieten, I Corps commanding
0200 insert nappy handwritten Feb 22nd
At 0600 notes written by Napoleon at 2300 hours arrive to Ney and D’Erlon (see prior post). the time delay is significant and is causing friction with Ney and DEerlon and Ney Napoleon.
0600 Battle of Anciennes carriere de Maffle
Mist, murk and sticky weather make the air thick and slow the dawn of day.
The road leads past 2 small wiers. Horse ride off in squadrons to water. The French are just a thirty minutes outside of Ath.
1 Cav’s two brigades commanders lead by Pajol, confer mulling over the campaign thus far in the dim morning light. Little has been seen on the road during the night ride. The mood is light and Pajol, encourages the men to be ready for glory.
Pajol urges his officers to complete the watering as he wishes to be in Ath prior to full daylight, eager to learn more of the forces they suspect are there. To the west of them lies open fields of crops. To the East and NE, heavy trees surround the wiers and baffle the movement of the men and horse.
A canal lies ahead, and patrols are scouting ahead to Ath.
A bugle sounds.
Another. And yet one more.
From across the canal and from the woods a thunderous roar of hooves is heard.
The 1st and 2nd Brigades of Lourde’s cavalry lead the charge followed by that very saucy fellow Hollandaise with his Cavalry pound forward, swords at the out stretch.
Somewhere cannons boom.
6 more Brigades of light cavalry charge forward also, a sea of horse and men break upon the French.
Pajol and his officers resist mightily, outnumbered 3:1.
Uxbridge can be seen in the fray, urging his men on.
There is nothing for it. Both French Cav units suffer 19 morale point losses of a possible 35.
0800
What are Pajols orders to his men?
Fight: 1 more round for two hours.
Flight: Disengage, fight with one unit screening the retreat for 2 hours and retreat 2 hours.The enemy will pursue and engage in pursuit attacks.
Uxbridge Your may either:
- disengage
- stay and fight another round, then you must pursue for the 2 hour window also if they retreat/break.
Pajol is wounded and force demolished.
Battle of Dinant
As the crisp air courses into your lungs you marvel at the forces across the fields from you. Line of line of uniformed men stand too.
In the distance to the West the fife plays a marching tune as more of Moutons’ forces arrive.
Vandammes III Corps faces off against Pirch’s I Corps.
Mouton’s VI reserve Corp is marching in and taking up positions.
Mulhaud ‘s Heavy Cavalry of the IV Corps stands to on one flank. Curassiers glittering, and horses snorting, they eagerly await the order to begin flanking.
Pirch’s batteries of guns line the Center of the field and present a fearful approach to the stout French.
In Reserve Thielman and his light cavalry and guns await orders from Blucher or to respond to Moutons eventual entry on the battle field.
Now the fun:
The game system is basic for combat resolution by CORPS sized units.
Thus II C v IC in the ‘center’ IV CORPS Cav will at the end of two hours, advance to a flank and provide a bonus for round two of combat to the FR.
Both sides have a reserve Corp available which can be used to ‘ trade units in and out’ as morale hits are incurred.
Prussian Corps are generally bigger than FR, so a almost 2:1 advantage exists for round 1 of the combat.
A total # of dice is rolled based on these factors and others.
Thus:
FR roll: 5 1d6.
PR roll 6 1d6
I can roll or the Corps leader can roll. Submit your total # rolled to me CC every one 😉
You may use a vassal die roller, ACTS, manually roll I dont care. If you need to cheat at this level you are a massive tool, and likely need to win any way. ;).
Ok. Muskets are primed, flags are waving. the drums roll.
I will advise results, and then give you your choices of actions to take post 2 hours of combat.
After 2 hours of fighting in the center sector neither side had gained an edge. The Prussian weight of numbers is countered by the tactical finesse and experience of the smaller French forces of Vandamme. Pirch, reports back to Blucher in a panic. “We must retreat!”
Blucher laughs heartily, turns to Thielman and says “Now my friend now! For the glory of Prussia – squash them.” Theilman’s cavalry, and Infantry divisions march forward to engage Moutons VI Corps.
Heavily outnumbered the French reel from the attack on the right, losing 7 Morale. In the center Pirches pussys as I now know them, roll horribly again and lose 4 more Morale for a total of 7 for the two rounds of battle. At 1000 AM both sides pause.
1000 Prince of Orange:
Cook to await arrival of I Corps in Mont St Jean.
I Corp to Mont St Jean from Brussels, passing thru for the Road to Ath. [ Note accumulated fatigue]
0800 Report to PoO
Civilian reports filter in, that a victory has been had by Uxbridge SE of Ath against French Cavalry.
Hill and possibly Frederic are still in Ath with Uxbridge…..
Your forces continue to march to Brussels. They will arrive @0900.
You may give me orders for their action(s) from 1000 thru Noon.
Cooke is still in Mont St Jean. They have sent a runner to you who passes on third hand that the Prussians retreated to Ligny, no one knows where Blucher is and that Cooke fears it is just his divisions between Ligny and Brussels.
Cooke is seeking your orders.
0900
Frederic to:
Message to Wellington from Frederic: My regards, French forces of unknown strength reported marching on Ath from Mons. Also reports are reaching us of enemy forces in the West in Tournay. My intention is to hold Ath with Hill and Uxbridge – a fine fellow – long will his name be remembered for his actions this day!! If necessary my line of retreat will be East South East
Message to Uxbridge from Frederic: My regards, Well done Sir on thrashing the frenchies!!! Please advise your intentions – unless i hear otherwise, I intend to hold and defend Ath, if necessary my line of retreat will be East South East –
Message to Hill from Frederic: My regards, Please advise your intentions – unless i hear otherwise, I intend to hold and defend Ath, if necessary my line of retreat will be East South East
0930
Uxbridge to Hill & Frederic – head to Brussels.
1000
From Vandamme to Napoleon
We have sighted Blucher at Dinant!
Received @ 1000
0600 Day 2
Messages to Napoleon and Ney:
From: D’Erlon
1st Reserve Cavalry Corps has encountered significant numbers of enemy cavalry near Ath. We will fight for Ath with the support of my 1st Corps which is marching from Mons.
My men will buy time for the Prussians to be defeated, but I require support from Marshall Ney to cover the western approaches to Mons.
Vive l’Empereur!
1000- Noon
Nap is in Charelroi with Imperial Guard.
Grouchy roused the men late in the morning but they are now at Ligny preparing to give battle.
No doubt he will send a rider soon.
1000 Dinant Round 3 Battle report:
After a pause, both side renew their efforts.
The French reinforce their Right. But this does not change the outcome.
They lose 3 more morale for a total now of -10 on Moutons Corps (about a 1/3 of morale).
In the center Pirch rolls well but not as good as the French!
Fortunately for the Prussians the Corps Blucher has been awaiting arrives! IV Corps arrives and takes up a flanking position, adding (two more dice to the attack) weigh to Pirch’s hard pressed men.
Despite obvious fatigue of the IV Corp this negates the French advantage and neither side takes morale losses this turn.
Thus the situation stands that both sides have taken nominal losses of morale that will translate into small physical losses of effective body count. Fighting or marching since 0600 this morning sees both sides weary but determined.
Situation Summary:
3 Corps of Prussians now face the 2 French Infantry and 1 French Cav Corps.
The Reserve: Milhaud (under Vandamme) allocated one Heavy Cav cav unit to Mouton for Round 3. and has one brigade left to allocate if needed in the coming round.
The Prussian new arrival is unopposed and will add a beneficial # of dice to the Center units ( Vandamme v Pirch), while on the Right Thielman v Mouton continue the fight.
Both sides stand and fight again.