15mm Battle of Quatre Bras 16th June 1815 - Shako II rules

 Everyone knows or has heard of the 100 days campaign culminating in the Battle of Waterloo. Quatre Bras one of two battles two days before Waterloo. Here is our refight. The scenario is from the rules with some modified units from Michael Hopper.

Napoleon had given Marshall Ney orders to cut the Nivelles-Namur road and push a wedge between the Anglo- Allied and Prussian armies.

Ney had little alternative but fight at Quatre Bras, due to the Allies already waiting for him there, and Ney was aware of the approaching Allied reinforcments, Ney had to take Quatre Bras quickly, and push North and then cut lines of communication between Wellington and Blucher.

A Dutch/ Belgian force under Perponcher, Brunswickers under the Duke of Brunswick and General Thomas Picton’s British Divisions deployed to defend the crossroads as best possible until Wellington’s reinforcements could arrive.

The game: The Anglo Allied plan was to re-inforce Bossu When Alten Arrives from Road by red dice, Push up to the stream with Brunswick and Pictons Divisions to hemn the French in to the South, making manouver difficult. The Guards would re-inforce Quatre Bras when they arrive. The Battlefield with Quatre Bras in the center. Bossu wood on the left of picture.

The white dice with red pips on and the purple dice are the Frontal Morale with mods. Staggers are shown as wounded/ routing figures on round bases and casualties are the square bases to rear of units with the casualties taken, touching the unit.

Army Deployments along with the French units still on the march to the battle

The Dutch / Belgians / Nassau occupying Bossu wood

Picton on the British left and Brunswickers in the center

Ney's French deployed

TURN 1: Today's fox gentlemen, the British artillery open the battle

Causing Casualties and staggers (Shaken).

The French start their advance, The Allies move toward the stream.

TURN 2: Alten's Hanoverian/ British march on from the Nivelles Road

Meanwhile the Allied right can see they will be taken the force of the French.

TURN3: The fight for Bossu wood ensues.

From the French side looking North

Foy's division marching towards Gemincourt, and allowing Pire's light cavalry to advance through.

TURN 4: lots of manouverings on the French side and lots of musketry from Bossu wood to zero effect!

TURN 5: sees Bossu under immense pressure from the French

The French attacked in line to shield other troops marching towards the Brunswickers in the center ground,.

The Brunswicker Avante Guard are the first unit to fall from short range grape shot.

Their flank is now compromised. And the second rate units are failing their morale tests.

The Brunwicker Lieb Regt, holding the stream are charged and the chargers are repulsed with two casualties.The white dice with poppy on (4) and the purple dice are the Frontal Morale with mods and the other dice are the random rolls.

The fighting for the woods is not great for the French! they are getting repulsed all along the line and the allies are holding their own!

End of turn 5 overview

TURN 6: The Guards under Cooke march on to the table and head straight for Quatre Bras and Wellington

Alten Division is reinforcing the Allied right to the rear of Bossu Wood

The Brunswick line are hit in the flank but, a light battalion help their comrades by counter charging the French.

Action in Bosso Wood as the French try and out flank the Dutch in the wood, but Perponcher had prepared his men well and they were making a fight of it!

The Division of Bachelu cross the stream and charge the unit if 2nd rate Hanoverian (this was a deployment error on my part) causing the second rate unit to fall back with 2 kills.

Fighting on the Allied left is intensifying

TURN 7: Kellerman's Cuirassiers arrive.

The Dutch still hold on desperately to Bossu, a year before the French were their allies.

The French are now trying to outflank the British left but it is taking time to get the village of Piraumont and deploy in force.

The French launch another assault against Picton's Scots in the center, but once again repulsed. This time the French battalion are killed to a man. 13 - 9.

A combined French assault overwhelms the Brunswicker Lieb Regt and destroys it. 10 - 4

Then another Brunswicker is destroyed in melee (the white flash shows a failed volley)8 - 2. This in turn causes a Divisional Morale check at the Command phase.

In Bossu Wood the French gain ground and kill two Dutch units

The Brunswicker Division becomes demoralised. Can the Guards arrive in time to bolster the center.

The French attach are going in un-coordinated in the center against Picton's lads, and they are repulsing them "in the same old style". 13 - 10

The French are Clearing the Bossu Wood, but it would appear to late, as Alten is deployed covering the wood and block the French route to the Nivelles Road

Bossu Wood

Alten finishing his deployment

Brunswick passed his Morale.

TURN 9: Brunswick Cavalry made a last ditch charge against a French column, supported by a unit from the wood. The melee broke the Infantry as it failed to form square and lost a casualty against Cavalry.

At this point we had to stop, due to time restraints of the hall. The French failed to get any of their objectives, as did the British, a tactical draw and probably the Guillotine for Marshall Ney.

A very tense enjoyable game