Refight of Quatre Bras (16 June 1815)

As it is the Christmas break we always have a days gaming at the club. This year we decided to re-fight Quatre Bras using Black Powder.


The Battle of Quatre Bras took place on the 16th June 1815 as part of the Waterloo campaign, a full description can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Quatre_Bras


The French were from the collection of James, Trev and myself, the allies were from the collection of Adie, Trev and Quinton* 


We played on two 12ft by 4ft table to give a 12ft by 8ft playing area, using the Black Powder rules with Adie developing the orders of battle and scenario rules.


Matt, James, Alan and I played the French, Adie, Quinton and Trev played the Allies.


Despite a sluggish start from the French the Allied forces were hard pressed but still held on to Quatre Bras at the end of the game but had taken severe losses and were being outflanked on their left. Of note, Picton fell in a hard fight propping up the allied left flank and Ney succumbed to a ball from a Dutch-Belgian Jaeger early in the battle.


I was in command of Bachelus' Division and made a swift advance through the village of Thyle to fall on the left flank of the 7th Coalition forces. 

Bachelus 5th Division advance up the right flank while fighting resounds in the corn fields.

Foys, Division make hard work of clearing the Dutch-Belian militia from the cornfields. 

95th Rifles move along the Thyle road to block the French flanking manouver

5th Division cross the stream near Thyle to assault the allied left flank.

95th Rifles are hard pressed in the woods.

Bests' Hanovarian brigade is sent to support the 95th Rifles

Despite some initial good showing the Hanoverian's are no match for 5th Division 

5th Division then fall upon Kempts' Brigade

View along the battlefield

Close up of the action on the French right flank

Overall a great game.


*some of Quintons Austrians did double duty as Dutch-Belgian Landwehr.